You may have noticed terms like “weight inclusive,” “intuitive eating,” and “Health at Every Size ©” are being used more frequently in the nutrition community. These all emphasize a food-positive, weight-inclusive approach to care. At Courage to Nourish, we support this method in nutrition and eating disorder recovery. But what exactly is a weight inclusive dietitian, and why should clients collaborate with one? Keep reading to learn 5 ways weight inclusion nutrition is practiced by a dietitian.
What is a Weight-Inclusive Dietitian?
As a healthcare provider, you may be hearing a lot of different terms like “weight inclusive,” “intuitive eating,” “Health at Every Size ©,” and “anti-diet.” While these terms might differ in their definition, each of these terms refer to a type of health care practice that is food positive and weight inclusive. Courage to Nourish aligns with a weight inclusive approach to nutrition and eating disorder recovery. But, what exactly does that mean? This blog will aim to talk more about what a weight inclusive dietitian is and why it’s important to collaborate with us.
It’s important to understand that a weight inclusive dietitian prioritizes individualized health promoting behaviors regardless of a client’s weight, shape or size. Weight inclusive dietitians understand that weight is not a behavior. The hope is to put the person and their goals at the center of the nutrition recommendations without focusing on numbers of weights. Weight inclusive dietitians hope to challenge anti-fat bias and avoid making assumptions based on a person’s body weight.
So, what sets a weight-inclusive RD apart? Here are some key principles:
1. Embraces the HAES or Health at Every Size Approach
The Association of Size Diversity and Health is the organization who created HAES and is responsible for the HAES principles. The principles were just updated as of 2024. Generally speaking, the principles highlight that healthcare is a human right, health is something deeply personal and individual and anti-fat bias deeply affects healthcare in a negative way. A weight inclusive dietitian who practices HAES will shift the conversation from weight to health promoting behaviors. If “health” is the goal. A weight inclusive dietitian also understands that the definition of “health” varies from person to person. A person without a chronic condition is going to have a very different view of health compared to someone with a chronic illness. It doesn’t mean that those individuals can’t opt to make changes that make themselves feel better in their bodies. If a person chooses to make changes in order to improve certain markers (lab values for example), a weight inclusive dietitian will focus on health promoting behaviors. Like, eating regularly, moving in a joyful way, getting enough sleep and discussing stress management techniques. Once again, weight is NOT a behavior. If a person loses weight making these changes that is totally okay, however, the vast majority of people will likely maintain their weight or possibly gain.
2. Discusses anti-fat biases
A weight inclusive dietitian spends session time discussing weight stigma and fat bias (anti-fatness, weight bias…etc) with their clients. We might discuss how diet culture and anti-fatness impact people. For example, people who experience weight bias at the doctor’s office are less likely to go for preventative visits or to go to the doctor when they are sick. And this makes total sense! Of course someone wouldn’t want to go to the doctor if they are constantly told they need to lose weight and that their body is wrong. We might explore how our world isn’t made for larger bodied people and again how that might affect a person’s stress level and their relationship with food. Another example is that many doctor’s offices don’t have a variety of sizes for blood pressure cuffs. So, people in higher weights often don’t’ get accurate blood pressure readings.
3. Promotes Body Respect
A weight-inclusive RD promotes body respect and acceptance by creating a safe and supportive environment for individuals to discuss their health concerns without fear of judgment or shame. This involves refraining from making assumptions about a person’s health based on their appearance and respecting their autonomy in making health-related decisions. We might talk to clients about what “body respect” means and how to practice this.
4. Elevates Intuitive Eating
Intuitive eating is an important weight inclusive framework! The basics of intuitive eating is connecting back to innate hunger, fullness and cravings cues. The hope is to reduce food shame and judgments. This approach encourages individuals to trust their bodies and make food choices that nourish them physically, mentally, and emotionally. Once again, practicing an intuitive eating approach often doesn’t end in weight loss and weight loss isn’t the goal. *If* weight loss happens, that’s okay. A weight inclusive RD can process the grief a client may have about their body not changing. Want to learn more about intuitive eating? Check out our blog on the Principals of Intuitive Eating and our helpful How To Guide for more information.
5. Advocates for Equity and Social Justice
Beyond individual care, weight-inclusive RDs are committed to advocating for policies and systems that promote equity, social justice, and access to resources that support health and well-being for all individuals, regardless of their size or socioeconomic status.
Working with a weight inclusive dietitian benefits ALL clients. It’s an approach that is focused on fighting back against weight based and food based shame. We are passionate about being a platform for weigh-inclusive care. Reach out to us anytime with any questions or to schedule a complimentary discovery call with a member of our team.
Final Thoughts on 5 Ways Weight Inclusion Nutrition is Practiced By a Dietitian
In conclusion, weight-inclusive dietitians represent a paradigm shift in nutritional care, emphasizing health-promoting behaviors over weight-centric goals. This approach, grounded in principles like Health at Every Size (HAES), intuitive eating, and body respect, seeks to dismantle anti-fat bias and promote a more equitable and supportive healthcare environment. If you’re looking to engage with a healthcare provider who respects and supports your unique health journey, consider consulting with a weight-inclusive dietitian.
Contact Us
Courage to Nourish is a group of eating disorder specialized dietitians. We have in person locations in Alexandria, Virginia, Columbia, Maryland. and College Park, Maryland. We offer virtual services across the state of Virginia, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, and Colorado. We offer individual nutrition therapy. As well as support groups. We would love to guide you in building a better relationship with food.
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