Health at Every Size®: The New Peace Movement

Health at Every Size is very simply, it acknowledges that good health can best be realized independent from considerations of size. It supports people of all sizes in addressing health directly by adopting healthy behaviors.”- Linda Bacon, PhD.

The Health at Every Size® (HAES) definition of a healthy weight would be the weight at which individuals settle as they move toward a more fulfilling and meaningful lifestyle—one that includes eating in an unrestrained manner guided by internal cues and participating in enjoyable, reasonable, and sustainable levels of physical activity. This supports a holistic view of health, with a focus on feeling good about yourself, eating well in a natural and relaxed way, and being comfortably active.

For the HAES belief, thin does not necessarily indicate health and beauty, nor is fat indicative of unhealthiness or being unappealing. The creators of these beliefs believe the differences in our body shapes and sizes and our preferences for food and physical activity are what lead to our uniqueness.

Begin your journey towards loving your body:

Make peace with food
Eat in response to hunger and internal cues
Avoid dieting and overly restricting foods
Think of all foods as part of a balanced diet with variety and moderation
Accept that there will be times when you eat more than necessary for enjoyment or social reasons, and do so without guilt

Want to learn more? Read the HAES book or check out the HAES website at http://www.haescommunity.org/.