Healthy At Any Size A Genuine Discussion

 

Health at Every Size is DANGEROUS…

Video taken from the channel: ObesetoBeast


 

HAES vs Weight Loss | Where I Stand

Video taken from the channel: Abbey Sharp


 

Debate: Can you be healthy at any size?

Video taken from the channel: Amelia Phillips


 

My REAL Conversation With a “Health at Every Size” Supporter

Video taken from the channel: ObesetoBeast


 

Healthy at Every Size [h3h3productions]

Video taken from the channel: h3h3Productions


 

Can you be healthy at every size?

Video taken from the channel: biolayne


 

What Every Overweight Person Needs to Hear Dr Rhonda Patrick on Fat Acceptance

Video taken from the channel: Erkki Dreiak


Healthy At Any Size? An Honest Discussion — Tiger Fitness. The simple truth of the matter is that being overweight or obese causes a number of health problems.

The simple truth of the matter is that being overweight or obese causes a number of health problems. NEW Outright Bar ️ White Choc. Perspective Discussion of news topics with a point of view, That makes it a good time to take a look at the Health at Every Size (HAES) movement. your health is not going to be as good. What is Health at Every Size?

The Health at Every Size movement promotes acceptance and appreciation of one’s body, even if you’re overweight. It. Can You Be Healthy at Any Size? The Lesson: It’s true that body weight is strongly correlated with the risk of various diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. Health At Every Size.

Everyone needs to be thin for good health and happiness, Thin is not intrinsically healthy and beautiful, nor is fat intrinsically unhealthy and unappealing. People who are not thin are “overweight” because they have no willpower, eat too much, and don’t move enough. The basic premise of health at every size, as written in Linda Bacon’s Book, Health at Every Size: The surprising truth about your weight, is that “Health at Every Size” (HAES) acknowledges that well-being and healthy habits are more important than any number on the scale. Below are principles you can adopt in your everyday life: Accept your size. I took healthy at every size to mean exactly what it says; that people of any size can be healthy.

Decided to look it up to make sure and found that it doesn’t mean that, it just means that the focus is on being as healthy as you can regardless of your body. I like that, actually. basic premise of health at every size, as written in Linda Bacon’s Book, Health at Every Size: The surprising truth about your weight, is that “Health at Every Size” (HAES) acknowledges that well-being and healthy habits are more important than any number on the scale. 1. Accept your size.

Love and appreciate the body you have. The Health at Every Size community provides free supportive resources. Health at Every Size® principles help us advance social justice, create an inclusive and respectful community, and support people of all sizes in finding compassionate ways to take care of themselves.

Health at Every Size paradigm, also known as Health at Any Size, encompasses active living and normal eating, emotional and spiritual well-being, and positive relationships.

List of related literature:

Furthermore, they assert that people can and should be able to become healthy at any size.

“The Doctor Is In: 7 Easy, Positive Steps to Take Right Now to Transform Your Health” by Travis Stork M.D.
from The Doctor Is In: 7 Easy, Positive Steps to Take Right Now to Transform Your Health
by Travis Stork M.D.
Gallery Books, 2010

In Health at Every Size (HAES), people discuss weight in health-neutral ways and discuss health in weight-neutral ways.

“The Fat Studies Reader” by Esther Rothblum, Sondra Solovay, Marilyn Wann
from The Fat Studies Reader
by Esther Rothblum, Sondra Solovay, Marilyn Wann
NYU Press, 2009

Using this as a guideline, one is guarded about the possibility that optimism makes people feel physically healthier because they are objectively healthier, because the relationship between optimism and objective health is substantially smaller than the relationship between optimism and subjective health.

“The Oxford Handbook of Health Psychology” by Howard S. Friedman
from The Oxford Handbook of Health Psychology
by Howard S. Friedman
Oxford University Press, 2011

In determining a healthy weight, the rule of thumb is to ask the body for the answer rather than an insurance table, although “ideal body weights” from standard tables may be used for the shortterm goal in acute treatment.

“Eating Disorders: A Guide to Medical Care and Complications” by Philip S. Mehler, Arnold E. Andersen
from Eating Disorders: A Guide to Medical Care and Complications
by Philip S. Mehler, Arnold E. Andersen
Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017

Fit is subjective,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs” by Lauren A. Rivera
from Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs
by Lauren A. Rivera
Princeton University Press, 2016

Within UCAN, partners learn how to “agree to disagree,” rather than trying to convince the patient that she is not overweight, which can create a wedge between the partners.

“Clinical Handbook of Couple Therapy, Fifth Edition” by Alan S. Gurman, Jay L. Lebow, Douglas K. Snyder
from Clinical Handbook of Couple Therapy, Fifth Edition
by Alan S. Gurman, Jay L. Lebow, Douglas K. Snyder
Guilford Publications, 2015

Debate will probably always continue about how best to measure health, in part because of the complexity and abstract nature of health itself.

“Measuring Health: A Guide to Rating Scales and Questionnaires” by Ian McDowell
from Measuring Health: A Guide to Rating Scales and Questionnaires
by Ian McDowell
Oxford University Press, 2006

Especially since the 1980s, the growing concern about obesity has been justified by a set of interrelated beliefs about the relationship between body size, health, and food choices.

“Discriminating Taste: How Class Anxiety Created the American Food Revolution” by S. Margot Finn
from Discriminating Taste: How Class Anxiety Created the American Food Revolution
by S. Margot Finn
Rutgers University Press, 2017

Most people, for instance, would say that a doughnut is not “healthy” (or “good”), but it’s not fair to say a doughnut is “unhealthy” (or “bad”) from a purely technical standpoint.

“The End of Illness” by David B. Agus
from The End of Illness
by David B. Agus
Free Press, 2012

Our culture’s obsessive focus on a perfect physique has blinded us to the bigger question, which is what anyone of any size should eat to avoid being sickened by our unbalanced food supply.

“CLAT 2020 | UG Entrance Preparation | 20 Full-length Mock Tests” by Rohit Manglik
from CLAT 2020 | UG Entrance Preparation | 20 Full-length Mock Tests
by Rohit Manglik
EduGorilla, 2020

NOAH BRYANT

Hardcore strength training is what I am about. I am a personal trainer, author, and contributor to lots of different lifting and fitness magazines.

I was a 2x NCAA champion in the shoutput at USC and I represented the USA at the 2007 World Championships as well as the 2011 PanAm Championships.

Contact me to find out more about my personalized online training and how I can help you reach your goals.

Education: Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Public Policy, Planning, And Development @ University of Southern California

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266 comments

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  • Abbey, this is amazing! How much better would the world be if it were full of people who admitted not to having all of the answers and didn’t just pick a side without being informed and empathetic? This example of “good humaning” goes WAY beyond nutrition!

  • You are amazing. Admitting that you have been focusing a little too much on the wrong things, welcoming growth and self reflecting. These are things that many people “in the public eye/ ear” will not do. And coming out with a video that includes all of these?! I’ve not seen it often on YouTube. Thank you for being who you are and doing what you do.

  • The argument that individuals can be overweight and still healthy has nothing to do with anything. It’s a statistical argument that isn’t really up for debate. Overweight people are more likely to be less healthy, end of story.

  • As a current fat guy who really opposes this movement I decided to create a body positive commercial, which I’d hope some of you could watch and give me some feedback

  • Hi there! Health at Every Size aligned Registered Dietitian here stopping by. Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with someone on the opposing end of your ideas. A lot of what you say actually resonates well with the Health At Every Size approach!
    I think you may be more in line with the views than you realize, and again I can’t thank you enough for taking a moment to talk to someone with different opinions with you.

    I am not sure if you ever have or not, but speaking with a Registered Dietitian that works in the Health At Every Size space and works with clients on a daily basis would be great to sit and chat with. If you are open to learning more about how this approach actually works “in real life” to enhance health in a wide variety of individuals, all with different sized bodies, there are so many Registered Dietitians like myself that would be thrilled to speak with you.

    Some very surface level quick tidbitswe are not anti weight-loss…however the focus of our sessions is NEVER on what will happen to your weight as an end result, rather the heath that you will GAIN throughout the process of engaging in life enhancing movement and eating for well being. There is so many amazing things we can do to promote health when the sole focus is not on weight or how healthy habits will adjust the way your body looks.

    Some GREAT resources
    the book “Anti-Diet” by Christy Harrison (she is an AMAZING Registered Dietitian and researcher…everyone should at least read the first 5 chapters as a simple eye opener if not anything else!) She also has a podcast- “Food Psych”
    -the Association for Size Diversity and Health website has a ton of research and resources: https://www.sizediversityandhealth.org/
    -“Poodle Science” video-Just a super cute representation of the concept using doggos!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H89QQfXtc-k&t=5s

    You said it exactly right when you emphasized the “Health” in the phrase. Because that’s exactly what it is…we don’t have to focus on someone’s size to promote health! The approach doesn’t mean we ignore health promoting behaviors like exercise and a nourishing and rich diet…it just means that no matter what size you come in-the focus will always be on enhancing health, whatever that means for the client I am speaking to.

    I hope this comment is helpful to anyone reading! find me on instagram if you’d like-@flavo_rd
    I LOVE talking to people. LOL:)

    With LOTS of love and compassion,
    -Chelsea

  • If you get your first heart attack in your fourties, you definitely have better chances of survival compared to a normal weight person in the sixties. I forgot the name of this bias, but it is a very common mistake in health studies.

  • So where does one draw the line of “health”? Doctors use a BMI chart… Pretty hypocritical to say health at EVERY size and then say the 600 lbs person isn’t healthy. 600 lbs is part of EVERY size. She is just hypercritical of her own weight and it was affecting her own mental health. Maybe they need to change the name to “health at a healthy size.”

  • People need to talk more about how being overweight in hospital leaves you at a huge disadvantage, as most emergency treatments cater to those of normal weight so if you have a serious accident you are more likely not to survive it, plus a lot of nurses and doctors have ended up with damaged backs as a result of trying to help lift an obese person out of bed

  • “fat acceptance” is NOT about praising obesity, it’s about stopping people from being judgemental towards people who are fat. and everyone who attacks body positivity speeches and demonstrations are just a part of the problem, not the solution. stop being such morons and judging people for being fat, skinny, whatever. This is about people being accepted by who they are, it’s about MENTAL health

  • You cannot be healthy at any size. Being overweight is completely unhealthy. Your body is only supposed to be able to support as much as it can carry which is why overweight people are usually tired after short walks as your increased mass will put strain on your legs and feet. And being overweight also increases the chance of having a stroke or getting heart disease and also decreases your life expectancy. It also affects other people: being overweight will cause you to seek medical attention more so millions of people doing this will greatly increase the cost of healthcare thus making healthcare more difficult to get and essentially “killing” people

  • Is it weird that I’m 300lbs. And I’m always told I carry like I look like I’m 240. I’m not skinny, but I don’t look 300. I wonder what that that is? How much would I weight if I was 0fat.

  • Being an overweight pre teen was just really sad for me, like not being able to run and play at gym class or fit in my favorite clothes, crying in front of the mirror thinking: “why am i so fucking fat?! Why am i like this?! Why can’t i be normal?!” It’s more serious than most people think

  • Likely this is just my ignorance, but I don’t see why the 2 sides are actually opposed yes superficially in as far as ‘lose the weight’ sounds like it goes against the ‘eat intuitively,’ but I feel like the 2 go hand in hand. Eating intuitively, for me at least (to the limited extent that I’ve been able to), has meant I both eat less & healthier, with massively reduced cravings & binges as I’m not stressing & shaming myself about food, & as a result I have lost some weight. Nothing dramatic nor fast, but it’s been a welcome though unintended side-effect.

    Possibly it’s just my own experience clouding me, as the times I have lost weight were after I stopped allowing my mother to control my food (she was real big on the shaming & constant cycle of diet after diet, & then publicly blaming me whenever other family members groaned at yet another cabbage soup), & when I gave up on trying to do ‘the best’ I could in my restrictive circumstances (chronic illness/disability leaving me unable to actually prepare my own food, & subsisting on a disability pension preventing me from being able to afford things like fresh fruit & veg) & switched from the weight watchers type microwave meals to the ordinary supermarket-brand ones (which ironically have waaaay less salt & sugar than the WW ones for only slightly more fat).

    I do want to lose weight, & I very much need to, but diets have never worked for me & only ever made things worse both physically & psychologically so I’ve found your content incredibly helpful in terms of letting go of the shame & stress, giving myself permission to eat the amount I want while paying attention to hunger & fullness queues rather than trying to keep a schedule, & quashing the little voice telling me all the horrible things my mother used to lecture me with about how my chronic pain is entirely my own fault & failure (not even remotely medically accurate); how grotesque & disgusting; how unlovable & destined to be alone etc.

    For helping me quash my mother’s handiwork alone I thank you so much it breaks my heart that she truly believed what she was doing was love.

  • I’m currently in school to become an RD and this video has been so inspiring. I used to be very overweight and on my own, I found my own version of health. in doing this, I found my passion for nutrition. Every video you post gives me so much motivation and you have been such an inspiring person to watch! thank you for always being honest with your audience and for teaching me so much while I’m in school. i start clinical classes next semester wish me luck!

  • I think she’s on point about the conversation regarding being an overweight woman in the world. Like, I went to the doctor because I was gaining weight for no reason, I was confused and unfocused, I couldn’t remember anything, I was lethally depressed and my hair was falling out. I told him I had a family history of thyroid issues. The doctor said I was sad because I was gaining weight and he wouldn’t run the test. I said I wouldn’t leave until I had an appointment for blood tests. Turns out my thyroid stopped working and I had PCOS. Now taking trying to take control of my health and burn off the weight I gained.

  • On a serious note, I’m literally morbidly obese and I have no conditions or diseases related to my weight. Being fat doesn’t have to be unhealthy for your body if you treat your it right.

    Personally I used to be underweight, but due to medications and health conditions I gained alot of weight and I’m currently unable to lose it since I can’t exercise properly after a leg surgery.

  • I was never insanely obese or anything, but I was quite fat and chubby, I’ve lost 7 kg (15lbs) this year, and aswell as looking better and having more confidence, I feel so much better all day, sleep better and can concentrate better.

  • What I take from this video: HAES and Body Positivity are mixed up WAAAY to much! It is called HEALTH at EVERY size. And the two words are the problem about this. HEALTH and EVERY. I don’t have the smallest doubt that Courtney has a heakthy lifestyle even though she is overweight. But a majority of the HAES advocates (or at least the most known ones) are morbidly obese and I doubt you can be healthy long-term while at such a weight.
    Most of the stuff Courtney and John discuss are about BODY POSITIVITY, which totally should be there for perople at EVERY size, because self hatred is bad no matter what your body may look like or weigh.
    And every person out there, no matter what size, deserve humanity, respect and selflove.
    But promoting obesity or morbid obesity as HEALTHY and declining that these things HARM bodies long-term and WILL eventually backfire and cause severe illnesses up to a early deathbed… there’s NO WAY that this is a positive movement. No effin way.

    And mixing up BoPo and HAES is a big problem in my opinion.
    As for me I’m a huge supporter of the BoPo Movement and without BoPo I would’ve never managed to take care of myself once mentally (getting out of depression) or physically (losing 30 pounds) because I was kneedeep in self hatred which caused most of my problems.
    That being said I DON’T support HAES. I don’t believe it is possible to be and stay healthy in a long-term at certain sizes. And I think the HAES movement does more harm than it does good.

  • They are confusing overweight vs obesity via the measurements if you use BMI. So while these articles are sensational, the Dr and Joe don’t have their facts quite straight either.

  • I don’t have the healthiest relationship with food, and it really didn’t hit home with me until I started watching your videos. However, I really don’t think I have an eating disorder… With that in mind, and as another person mentioned, I AM trying to lose weight. I am in the military, so there are certain standards I need to maintain. Additionally, I just feel better and am more comfortable in my own skin when I’m lighter than I am right now. While I love your videos, your honesty and your CLEAR intention of trying to help people, I find myself really conflicted when you talk about intuitive eating and diet culture, etc. I don’t want to diet, and I would love to be able to practice intuitive eating the way it’s suggested, but the fact of the matter is I can’t afford to get any heavier. I don’t have that luxury if I want to keep my job. �� I actually have more peace of mind being a bit lighter so I don’t have anxiety about not passing a weigh in. So what is the practical way for me to lose weight without dieting? Is it really just focusing on healthier choices? And how do I keep myself from falling into orthorexic eating patterns while losing weight?

    These are just my personal struggles. I always love watching you because you are caring, compassionate and science based. As long as you continue to produce content with those values, you’ll always be a great asset to the community. Please continue to explore all types of “ diets” and ways to improve our health and wellbeing through the things we eat. Much love, Abbey!! ��

  • First, I just want to say that I absolutely agree with you that we need to separate happiness from weight loss… Yes! That is so true! However at 8:03 and 9:59, you make comments that the health at every size movement is encouraging people to gain weight. You say things along the lines of “You should just give up. You should just continue gaining weight.” in reference to what the health at every size movement is about. However nowhere is that even mentioned or suggested or implied by the health at every size movement. You also mention that there are really unhealthy ways to lose weight, which I agree with. Which is why I would suggest that in addition to saying that we need to separate happiness from weight loss, we should also say that we need to separate health from weight loss. Because just like you said losing weight doesn’t equal being healthy. So with that in mind, maybe you could look at the health at every size movement in a different light because instead of promoting a lot of the unhealthy techniques that you talk about, they are encouraging people to be healthier at whatever weight they happen to be. Basically the idea is that you don’t have to lose weight to start working on your health. And you absolutely have the right to disagree with the movement, but I don’t think that you should be portraying the movement falsely and stating that the health at every size movement is encouraging people to gain weight “until they die”. That is not at all the case. You obviously have experienced success with weight loss, but that doesn’t make you an expert. I haven’t seen you reference any research that backs up your claims. And I get that that’s not really what your channel is about. But ultimately you are providing your opinion in addition to false information (such as the whole implication that the health at every size movement is encouraging people to gain weight), and as far as I can tell you really don’t have any credentials that make you an expert in health, weight loss, or research (because honestly it seems like you really aren’t familiar with the concept that correlation does not equal causality). You have a few good ideas mixed in there, but I don’t think that you are doing the right thing by inaccurately portraying the help at every size movement.

  • I love watching videos about people trying to justify being fat ( or those like Rogan discussing it ) while I am dieting and exercising. Very good motivation.

  • It’s important to note that Health at Every Size does not imply healthy at every size. HAES does not mean that everyone is healthy, but rather that everyone, no matter their body, weight, or ability, should have access to health as a resource without stigma.

  • As a veterinarian with a BSc in human nutrition, I am a little surprised at your saying that weight loss MAY help. In my patients (cats and dogs) a healthy body condition score is a very important determinant of heath, longevity, and, most importantly, quality of life. So I find it hard to accept that weight loss for overweight people (including myself) is not the same, on average. What we have to work on is the “body shape shame” that is placed on people, the thought that obesity is somehow related to ones worth. And, of course, cookie-cutter recommendations need to be nuanced toward an individual’s unique makeup, both physically and emotionally.

  • dont act like everyone who is fat wants to be that way… some people are born fatter or have the disposition to be fatter in life.

  • First I would like to say think you for this video. There was a video I can’t remember which one at the moment where I did feel you were speaking more personal than broadly and it was confusing to because I’m a wls patient that has certain dietary needs so I have to watch my diet. When you say don’t diet I kinda wish you would clarify what you mean by a “diet “ cause to me a diet is just a fashion in which you eat and not necessarily bad thing I would say I personally have a low carb style of eating because I’m trying to maintain without synthetic insulin so I’m following a “diet” �� but follow this life style helps me maintain an overall healthier. Also I’m not sure all of our bodies tell us the right things needs again being a diabetic and over 300 I needed some guidelines

  • Crazy article. The first point i find hilarious and sad at the same time. “Less risk of rheumatoid arthritis if overweight”. The only person i know who has rheumatoid arthritis because its quite a rare disease anyway, is my own mother. And shes been overweight for the last 20 years.

  • I know I’m coming to this video much later than most commenters. I just want to say that I really appreciated it, and thank you for making it and being honest. I feel like I am a bit more like you as a dietitian. I am a dietitian in public health and was doing a lot of my work focusing on trying to reduce an array of chronic disease outcomes, including trying to reduce BMI, at the population-level. I have now done a lot of reading about weight-neutral and weight-inclusive care and believe this is a model that public health needs to adopt more broadly, as we majorly perpetuate weight stigma with a lot of our messaging. That being said, I have to recognize that this is one approach in a sea of approaches, and I have to have conversations and meet my colleagues where they’re at in a way that will encourage them to consider a nuanced perspective and not shame them because that’s not productive.

    “We do the best we can with the information we have at the time” is my mantra. Just like we shouldn’t use shame to try and influence a person’s desire to lose weight, we should not be shaming one another for practices that we believed at the time to be evidence-based.

    Anyways, thanks for making these videos. I seriously just watched like 5 of your videos in a row and feel it’s a really balanced perspective and takes a lot of nuance into account.

  • I’m about halfway through this video and while I completely agree with this woman about her being fit and healthy and that she is a bit overweight-the problem I have is that this in no way represents the morbidly obese person who says they and others like them can be fit and healthy. If you are morbidly obese you are not healthy and definitely not fit..look at the best known proponents of health at any size movement, Tess Holliday. She is not fit, she can barely move and her organs are swimming in a lot of fat, whiçh is not healthy. She may not have any diseases right now, but her risk of developing them is much much higher than a person who is not obese. She is absolutely gorgeous but her selling this idea to young women while she gets rich, is wrong. I think she should love herself, of course she should, and she should appreciate her body for what it does for her, but to profess that she is healthy and fit is not trueI saw the videos of her in the gym, and while I think ‘ good for you’re for showing that, it also was very clear that she’s not fit, not even close. That plus she had to defend her working out to the body positive people, is ridiculousdo people not see that taking care of you body is a no no in this community. I think that shows how it all works…. basically, I’m not happy being obese, but don’t feel like I can change it, so I’d rather be part of a group that says it’s ok, however, if anyone in this group does decide to try, then they are attacked..if they all were as confident as they say, then they wouldn’t be so hurt or triggered when one of their own tries to get healthier..

  • I’m definitely overweight. Gonna go on keto or intermittent fasting after a party/feast at my house next week.

    I’ll give one big reason to lose weight. Coronavirus kills young overweight people. If you’re overweight, your oxygen demands are higher. If you get coronavirus, it kills your ability to bring in enough oxygen, you go into multi-organ failure as a result and die.

  • Unfortunately, this video contained a lot of falsities. You focused too much on how we as a culture minimize morbid obesity. You didn’t speak on normal weight obesity, which is completely overlooked, potentially making it more dangerous. You superficiality judged obesity by the scale number, claiming that it’s okay to be 20 to 30 pounds overweight. 20 30 lbs overweight could absolutely qualify as obese depending on your bfp, relative to your height, muscle mass and weight. How immediate the danger of obesity is depends on a lot of variables, like what’s your metabolic profile, but ultimately fat is fat. You’re doing exactly what you reprove our society for doing. You’re arguing that we shouldn’t let thin-counter/pop-culture debase our standards, yet your focus is on one extreeme. This video is not inclusive of how the disease manifests non-visibly. Just as i agree that we shouldn’t use science as a weapon to bully fat-afflicted people, we shouldn’t let fat denalism continue to kill us at an exponential rate. At the end of the video, you said you were comfortable with being fat-afflicted at one point. This is why shame is a healthy and good antidote to irrational thinking. Shame is not the same as bullying.

  • i remember being an 11 year old (im 14 now) and i was just so under weight so i decided to try and get above under weight. i lost control and now i want to lose weight if ANYONE knows any possible ways to lose belly fat please comment.

  • this was a really good conversation! she isn’t denying facts (eg. saying it’s not unhealthy to be morbidly obese) like some haes or bopo activists seem to do. this is what the definition should really be.

  • There is only 2 advantages of being overweight:
    1If you want to be a Sumo champion
    2If you want to survive many weeks without food

  • Hi, thanks for the video.
    Personally my problem isn’t fighting with ghrelin levels, but rather with the absence of leptin. I tried to look into this deeply, but all I found so far, that there is nothing you can do about the absence of leptin. If your body fat is low, you gonna be hungry no matter what you do. If you have a strong will, you can go on for months, maybe even years, but if you reach your braking point, you will eventually give in, and fill up the fatcells to at least 50% capacity and unless you have extremely fortunate genetics, which means you don’t have a high number of fatcells, you’re not gonna be able to maintain leanness.
    Personally I think this is why “diets” fail. They can fight ghrelin signals, but that deep hunger feeling (you know the one you can feel even with your stomach stretched), as far as I know, there is nothing to beat that.
    Also, if leptin is that low, all that your body understands that you are dying, so all calories should be used for survival purposes, and you won’t be able to build muscle effectively.
    (If I’m wrong feel free to correct me, if there is any method, that can help on that matter, please share:D )
    Nice video and thank you.

  • Diet is what you eat so technically we are all on a diet. It amazes me how caloric management triggers so many people. I was obese and it was a god send for me much like this channel. Cheers Layne ��

  • Also from a military standpoint what you said at 1:20 is indeed an issue. There’s a national security issue related to all of the draft pool being fat and unable to do anything. Look up the ted talk on this.

  • 4:50 “can you be healthy as an overweight and obese person? Absolutely…”

    Um…. that’s not what it says here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/is-it-okay-to-be-fat-if-youre-fit. It says, ‘Despite the differences in these studies, they all suggest that physical activity will offset some of the effects of excess weight, if it’s just a few extra pounds. So apart from any weight-loss goals you’ve set for yourself, it’s important to exercise regularly. Yet exercise isn’t going to magically erase all the health risks of being heavy.

    Now, I’m confused.

  • She is what what we should visualise when we think of body positivity and health at every size. She is beautiful with a great attitude and living in a way that is obtainable to a lot more of us. We shouldn’t be looking at people like Tess and saying that’s okay. This interview has put me in a more positive mind frame moving forward where I have been too scared to even start trying. Thank you

  • As someone who is over weight and also has mild cerebral palsy I have been advised to lose some weight. My doctor has stressed that I don’t go crazy and try to lose a lot but she does want me to lose around 15 pounds so my joints aren’t under so much stress since they are already aging at an accelerated rate. Alot to people I know get mad when I bring it up because they are into HAES. Its discouraging because I know I felt so much better at a lower weight and I need to if I want my joints to last longer due to my specific issues. I hope you continue to give great nutrition advice for weight loss!:)

  • I feel like as a South African we alway hear how fat most people are and sone of my family that lives there have told us its because people eat junk food all the time where here we only eat fast food about once a month we spend a lot of time cooking and that lets us control what we eat. This is general i definately know fat people but they arnt common most people are on weight or a little chubby i think things like blue apron and things like that are great to help people make healthier choices easier

  • Hi Layne, great content. I have a question that’s puzzling me at the moment and maybe you can help? How does fasting affect the metabolism and the body’s self defense system (referring to your book)? Is it the same as the metabolic consequence of dieting?

  • There is sense and honesty in your reflections.

    I can defenately find myself in some of this, like your last comments on health vs asthetic reasoning for waightloss. I have lost about 30 ponds since summer last year, and I have defenately felt that my reasoning on needing to do waightloss to be aigable for hip operation has been taken more serious than wanting to loose waight just to get back to a more relatable body. To the point where people has almost been scolding me, not to mention, for wanting to loose waight, based on them not thinking I even looked that big. Which should be besides the point, when my goal is within a healthy range and my method were healthy swap’s. And where does the line between astetic and health even go. Obviously the operation is a medical thing, which the waightloss and increased strength from training made no longer needed. But is it a purely asthetic thing that I hate the way my skin folds and makes creaveses for sweat, and touch on places it weren’t ment to? Is it a purely asthetic thing, when I’d prefer to be able to wear skirts and short shorts in summer without having to fear making so much rubbing between my thick thighs, that it creates a sore, red and raw spot on those same thighs? Cause those arn’t excactly health related eather? ��

    And why should it matter if I choose to loose 10 pounds to improve health or to improve how I look, when the side effect, if done right, is increased flowers in eather case? ��

  • We’ve pretty much slayed the smoking beast. If only we had the same rate of obesity as we had in 1970, and everyone took a daily fast 20-minute walk, half the hospital beds would be empty, and Big Pharma would be Little Pharma. And Layne didn’t even mention the knee, hip and joint replacements and other issues caused by obesity.

    We would also have to cut the bullshit of calling 130/90 high blood pressure a risk, even when everything else is perfect, and worrying about high LDL, when everything else is perfect.

    Too bad the Fat Acceptance movement has exploded.

  • Ketodumb, carnivoredumb, low carbdumb, high carbdumb, ANY strict diet typedumb. Eat balanced and don’t eat too much. Why is this Soo hard for people to understand?

  • I’ve only seen this message as an excuse to reinforce the fat acceptance movement. “Accept my fat as normal and beautiful.” “But it’s unhealthy.” “No, you can be healthy at any size.” They completely refuse to see the data that associates chronic illness with excess fat. However, I do believe that you don’t have to be shredded to be healthy. There is a threshold of body fat.

  • “What should they be encouraged to do?”
    “Just live!”
    WHY DO YOU THINK THEY’RE TRYING TO CONVINCE YOU THAT OBESITY IS HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH? ALL THOSE MEDICAL ISSUES THEY LISTED CAN CAUSE YOU TO STOP LIVING.

  • I love so much about a lot that u say and share. But this is by far u at your greatest appeal level. Thanks bro as always. Love it.

  • Notice the like to dislike ratioshows the people who accept science on health and can accept they need to lose weight if they’re overweight vs those who disliked this videotype B, now wanting to accept being obese is unhealthy and is greatly offended by that word. No one should be offended. If you’re morbidly obese that’s what your body is. Someone could ne 135 pounds at 5’2″ and be morbidly obese because their BMI is over 30%. I’m sorry to have to say, this is the truth, the people in that scene are truly uneducated and wish being obese was a healthy thing. ITS NOT!

  • I think that most of these comments are right. Weight loss is almost a side effect of getting healthy. The issue is that a lot of people go to the gym to lose weight and the ultimate goal is to get skinny, not to get healthy. When that’s your goal, it’s unsustainable. And it’s not a good way to look at your body. You’re assigning value to yourself based on your weight and that makes it damn near impossible to keep that weight off without unhealthy habits sneaking in. Body positivity is about honoring your body, getting healthy, and losing weight because you’re getting healthy.

  • Abbey, you can’t be everything to everyone. Your voice and experience are valuable on YouTube because you do care and you are willing to speak out about the dangers of following advice blindly. I find your videos to be informative and eye opening. You promote balance and sanity without agenda and I really appreciate that even when you are critical, you are kind. I find your videos to be little oasis’ of health and healing. I appreciate what you have achieved here and I hope you continue to produce videos that are authentic to who you are. We trust you Abbey. Thank you!

  • This video should have been about 10 seconds long and gone as such:

    “Can you be healthy at any size? Oh course f’ing not. Next question.”

    Fin.

  • I really respect your point of view. Please may I ask what to do about children in our lives that are overweight, and how to support them to a healthier diet in a healthy way?

  • “you’d better lose weight or you’ll get cancer”
    Joe Rogan with a lip full of dip coughing from the acid reflux caused from swallowing dip juice all day

    Thanks for the advice!

  • It’s nice to hear somebody talking about this that isn’t screaming or talking about nuts on your chin. How refreshing to see a respectful, open dialogue between two adults.

  • I think that there is a side to this movement that is similar to the fat-phobic side of the weight loss culture. Like, there’s a skinny-phobic side of this argument and she isn’t on that side. People who shame other people for losing weight are on the skinny-phobic side of the argument.

  • Hey Layne, you claimed there was a study that said 90 to 100% of the benefits of weight loss are due to the reduction in weight regardless of nutriton or exercise. Do you have a link to that study?

  • I know this video is satire, but it’s inspiring. I used to be overweight and weigh 275 lbs, but now I’m severely obese at 350 lbs and can’t even wash my own ass. Thank you, Ethan. Papa bless.

  • There is an assumption here on your side that bigger people aren’t eating healthy, aren’t exercising, don’t take care of themselves. You ARE judging someone based on how they look, and assuming you know their health/ health risk. Also, you don’t need before/after pictures to talk about the benefits, joys of exercise, and it’s impact on health. All your before/after pictures show is that what you really care about how you look, not your health. The pictures tell me nothing about your health.

  • When I lost weight, it was from my eating disorder. BUT that in NO WAY means that people losing weight is inherently bad. Most of the time losing weight will make you healthier and happier. I just did it the wrong way (I was never morbidly obese tho).

  • I do this weird diet where I just don’t eat for like… a week or 2. Sometimes I do it on accident, and it doesn’t hurt me… it’s weird

  • as a bullied teen with a lot of fupa, you joking about your weight has really made me feel better about mine.
    i’m so glad to finally see that being a bit fat isn’t a bad thing

  • I’ve been watching your videos a lot, and this is the one that made me subscribe! I just love how clear, transparent, and neutral/reasonable you are here. Looking forward to your future videos!

    Also, I know you mentioned you do a lot of plant based eating. What’s your favorite vegan meal/recipe?

  • I’m skinnier than him and have the same legs… I mean I weigh like 160 and have a skinny body but fuckin tree stumps for legs. Thank you Ethan!!!

  • I have an autoimmune disease. I don’t have the luxury of health or mobility. I am very aware that I’m obese and desperately need to address that as it will cause further complications with my health and also aware that my mobility issues and medication make it harder for me to lose weight (and were in some respects the cause of my weight gain). And yet I STILL don’t sit here and say it’s fine to be fat and that I can’t help it. I frankly find the “health at any size” mantra offensive. Morbid obesity WILL shorten your life and decrease the quality of your life. As someone who has a shortened life span and decreased quality of life regardless of my size, it just feels like such a cop out to say “it’s not about health”. I DO believe that people who are obese need help, support, respect and understanding because I don’t think you actually get to that state if everything is hunky dory with your life, but I don’t believe you can be morbidly obese and claim to be healthy.

  • I have an illness, that apart from many other things, prevents me from gaining weight. Watching these videos helps me, as despite not being able to develop the perfect neck FUPA and that perfect dad-bod, I can see how beautiful, calming and peaceful, the life of a plus size is. I love you Ethan, gain weight to replace the weight I can’t gain. <3

  • This is one of the best conversations I’ve seen on youtube. both people allow each other to finish their thoughts. no interruptions.
    LISTENED to one another.

  • Eating brown rice and chicken shows that she didnt understand nutrition. It doesnt prove that being in a healthy body is unhealthy. its just means that her body didnt get the nutrients it needed but it also was not givien to much or to little of energi to burn it just wasnt given the right vitamins and other macro nutrients like healthy fats that are essential in well being.

  • This woman is very reasonable and respectful, so I do not mean to single her out here… I just find it so incredibly cringey when people say things like “she’s a bombass woman who says, ‘I’m gonna weigh 400 pounds and still wear lingerie.'”

  • As awesome as it is to see such an amicable conversation, the lack of disagreement here seems to have kind of made for an unproductive video. What I guess I’m trying to say is that she essentially is not a representative of the “health at every size” movement. She clearly doesn’t adhere to that idea ��‍♀️

  • I just think that the motto “healthy at every size” is wrong and stupid. There’s a range where you can actually be healthy but that’s not just ANY SIZE. Are the starving anorexic people healthy? Of course not and everybody agrees… Don’t you think at the other extreme there is a similar problem? Don’t confuse politically correct with factually true

  • Fully agree! ANY 600-pound person is NOT HEALTHY no matter what they say. There is no health at these kinds of morbidly obese, or even obese, weights.

  • I’d say men are harsh but women shame more
    Those standards whether they are created by men or women are pushed by women
    Men tell you what they find attractive or acceptable
    Women structure how to be acceptable

  • I like her sane definition of “healthy at every size”. Before I learned about Fat Acceptance, I just assumed that to mean a jockey can be healthy at 103lb and a powerlifter can be healthy 250lb. There is a lot of variance, but HEALTHY must be the consistent notion in that phrase.

  • I remember just a few months ago I looked up to you. I thought you were so fit and healthy but now that I’ve lost weight. You just look normal, my perspective of things changed. I was fat and now I’m skinny, but back then you looked just so how do I say this in a non homo way handsome, good-looking. You looked the way I wanted to look, handsome and good-looking. Don’t get me wrong you can be attractive at any weight I’m just i was not happy with the way I looked with a shirt on and off. Thank you for being such an inspiration for me, a year ago I didn’t know what testosterone was or what HIIT means. Now I’m confident in my own skin, I don’t care what anyone thinks anymore because they will never know the stuff I went through to be the way they see me now and tomorrow.

  • We need answers to why are so many of us overweight!! Is it DNA or FastFood cuz when your a child and your fat how is it your fault?? The child dont cook or go shopping or drive to McDonald’s!!!!! I didnt know anything was wrong with me til one day i heard miss piggy oink oink i was 9.

  • This is such a crock of shit about the consequences of being overweight, considering my doctor of about 160 lbs had a heart attack a year ago, hell Comedian George Carlin had a heart attack, an how skinny was he. Overweight people can live healthy lives, is it ideal to be over weight, no. Should it be glamorized with jackass ” Fat Acceptance ” no. You’re welcome I just saved you 6 minutes of your life from having to watch this shit.

  • This is so awesome and it makes me feel so much better as someone who was stuck between wanting to lose weight but not wanting to get sucked into diet culture. The struggle is real, and I look forward to any future videos you put out around this topic! ❤️❤️❤️

  • I mean she really hasn’t been obese and she’s never looked “unhealthy”. I just think she’s more wanting to be empowered and belonging to something more than anything..which is ok. But I think this girl is smart enough to realize that women like tess holiday aren’t healthy!

  • I loved your conversation guys! I also want to say that Health at Every Size means that you are the healthiest you can possibly be AT WHATEVER SIZE YOU ARE IN THE MOMENT. So… if you are obese, you eat healthily, you move as much as you are able to, you do the most amount of healthy things you can. That is what health at every size means. You focus on health, not on weight.

  • You cannot consistently maintain 400, 500, 600 pounds without consuming massive, massive amounts of calories every day. And if you’re working out too, you are consuming EXTRA massive amounts of calories, and that is not healthy. It’s just like someone starving themselves.

  • Ive been following you for awhile now and I have to admit I feel icky every time dieting and weight loss come up and you seem so against it. I’m so glad you make this video. I can’t see how you as a health care professional say that diet doesn’t work. I have a family member who has kidney disease and in order to stay alive she has to diet for the rest of her life. She is now in her thirties and still going strong. My immediate family also have diabetes. So you can see how dieting is a big part of my Iife if I wanna beat the odds. I lost about 20 kg over 2 years ago and keep it off just fine. I know it’s not seem to be a lot but it does mean my BMI is considered normal now. I mainly stop snacking on sugar and be more active. I hope you continue to reflect on the issue and maybe be a bit more open minded when it comes to dieting.

  • I can’t speak for all fat people, but I happen to be fat and am NOT lazy in the slightest nor do I sit and graze all day. The stigma against fat people is absolutely insane. I admit, I’ve met some other people who happen to be fat and lazy, but to assume every fat person is like that is pretty messed up. I chase around a 6 year old all day, do strenuous yard work around my house, I work out, as I am trying to lose weight. On top of cleaning house and running errands, and also had a full time job, before I was laid off due to this pandemic shit. I’m proud of my weight loss journey, but I don’t think it’s right to just assume every fat person sits and eats all day, and is lazy. I’ve lost 30 lbs so far, but I must say when I read and watch how people see so someone like me, without knowing how I’m trying to change my life to be healthier, it’s very disheartening.

  • Dieting doesn’t work but lifestyle changes do! Diets are 14 days on eggs only, or water fasts or keto and 95% of people will fail. But if you just eat less and excersise more, if you find healthy food you like and excersise you like, you will succeed. I’ve lost 45 pounds, it took me over two years, because I didn’t do anything drastic, more veggies, less processed food, more walking, then running and then weightlifting. I’ve kept the weight off for 2 years now. I just had to want to. It wasn’t easy, but saying it’s impossible is not helping. It IS possible, for most of the people it is possible. And any rational dietetian should help you to find better food, not tell you to just do nothing..

  • I think that “health at every size” has a lot of different meanings. For example I have a friend who lives off of Dr Pepper only eats fast food and never drinks water and is mentally struggling a lot but she is seen at a healthy weight. I have a balanced diet, considered obese at my size, go to therapy to stay mindful, and have been doing sports and HIIT trainings my whole life and have a condition that makes weight loss really difficult but yet I’m seen as not healthy strictly because of size. Health isn’t always surface level and I think that’s the whole point!

  • Just throwing this out there morbidly obese is an out of date term, we use obese class 1, 2 and 3 now. It’s more specific and each class has different health risks

  • It’s not them. I don’t blame them I blamed the ppl who keeps say ” you don’t need to change your beautiful ” or “omg nothing wrong” only honest true person who cares will tell them the need lose weight & how bad it is ( almost all fat ppl who lose weight was because the ppl who care & told them)

  • An awesome video for you would be to find positive voices in the movement and take a look at the better side of the movement. The truth is that you are body positive and you could be a great voice in that movement and help collaborate and promote the sensible and healthy voices in the community. Just an idea.

  • I agree 100% that health should be the top priority, not looks. Plenty of thin people are unhealthy because of smoking, not exercising and/or eating a diet low in nutrients and high in junk. However, if you are significantly overweight or obese, you have been living an unhealthy lifestyle for a long stretch of time to get that way. If you do switch to exercising and eating appropriate portions of mostly healthy foods, you are almost certainly going to loose weight over time. To me, a beautiful body is a healthy body. I personally do not see how anyone can truly feel good lugging a huge bulk of fat around with them through life.

  • I don’t ever fully trust General Practice doctors, they know the surface of many things but little of specific things, especially in regards to physical health and specific problems. If my GP makes a diagnosis that would majority affect me, I always ask to see a specialist to get the full picture of important and specific issues raised by my GP. Some places in Asia have gotten rid of general practitioners for the most part and I hope it does here in Canada as well, You would talk to a Nurse Practioner and then be referred to a specialist.

  • 17:36 It’s not just women that experience this. I was in great shape in my 20s even though I was 235. I exercised 2 or more hours a day, with 3 of those days being pure cardio, and yet every time I went to the doctor, they would still harp on my weight. My diet was great too. I stayed away from sugary drinks, processed foods, etc. My only issue was portions, because I was eating at a maintenance level for 235 instead of a calorie deficit to lower my weight. We need to distinguish optimal health from general health. You can be healthy, but not be at your optimum health, and it’s up to each person to decide where they want to be with their health.

  • Look at the end of the day overweight people have way more health problems than people who aren’t overweight. End of story. Morbid obesity does not discriminate….

  • I find this comparable to feminism because of the extremists who take over and ruin the entire concept. I believe in equality and I believe in loving yourself but the message is skewed by these extremists like Tess Holiday and the radical feminists who exclude trans issues and want all men to die.

  • When i was 150lbs I would faint and every time my dr would tell me I need to eat more lol. I’m 6ft and according to the BMI chart I was at a healthy range. Right now I’m 200lbs and I’m overweight. By no means do I look obese. I work out daily and watch what I eat (I can be better). I want to lose 20lbs. A happy medium.

  • What a cupcake piece. None of the people on the show really say anything. They just pat each other on the back for “high idealism.” Fuck off.

  • I love how you always talk about loving yourself now but loving yourself enough to do what’s best for you. I think the best form of self care isn’t self indulgence (although that definitely has its place at times) but it’s to admit where you need to improve and grow. None of us will ever be 100% perfect but we need to be conscious of what we’re doing wrong and where we need to improve in life and that’s where I have the issue with certain HAES supporters. This girl is clearly amazing but some of them are only preaching “love yourself, treat yourself and anyone else that is improving themselves in your field of vision is bullying you and is the enemy” and that’s a very toxic attitude to have because it screams denial and only places the blame on others for your own insecurities and that isn’t okay…

  • I loved how civil and wholesome this discussion was. The woman you interviewed is very intelligent and articulate and I appreciated her point of view about the whole thing.

  • I am so happy that she brought up the whole being fat and being a woman thing. As an overweight woman myself it is a very tough world for us girls. I’m not even fat I’m just chubby and I used to get the most hateful comments ever. Fat bitch, giant, she shakes the Earth when she walks by. Boys said the worst things to me…Just because I wasn’t skinny or slim. This is probably why the fat positive movement is so loud and stubborn about it…Because too long chubby, plump, fat girls have been condemned, hated, insulted and been treated like we’re not human. I don’t agree with Tess Holiday and all her fans at all. Being that morbidly obese is not healthy. There has to be something she’s doing to herself that’s gotten her there such as eating a lot of fattening food and not working out enough. She can’t just say she magically got fat like she is rn by eating clean and healthy and working out.

    Conclusion: if you don’t look like a Victoria Secret Angel or Brad Pitt in Fight Club, it’s perfectly okay as long as you’re eating healthy, clean, exercising and having better health (no diabetes, high blood pressure all that jazz). But if you’re as obese as Tess there’s definitely something wrong there and you need to change. Yes, love yourself and be confident but change and make healthier choices. And being a fucking asshole and calling Tess a whale or fat fuck and such mean insults is not okay. Insulting fat obese or chubby people is not okay. You’re not helping them in any way whatsoever. I got insulted when I was you g and developed bulimia at 16. Did I lose weight then? Hell yes. But was I healthy? God, no.

  • I just finished watching like a dozen of your WIEID reviews and really enjoyed them. I’ve been following LoveSweatFitness a lot the last few months and there is often a focus on weight loss bc of her personal journey. She sells a shirt that says “earn your cocktails”, has a video on reducing cellulite etc etc. I love her energy and channel aesthetic and she has turned me into someone who loves to workout now and have finally built it into my daily life. I take what i like and try to leave what I find as silly, not science based, or just potentially could lead me to a superficial “why”. Weight loss IS one of my goals but so is strength, energy, confidence, and better mental health. I guess my point is your videos seemed a tad too shamey if there was any mention of weight loss but I also could feel your desire to correct this hyperfocus and diet culture. But I also knew your personal experience added was informing this. Anyway I’m so glad you are being open about your journey with all of it and support a more balanced approach��

  • Well this is refreshing. An amicable conversation between two people with differing views. A rare commodity in this era of closed minded people who spout off opinions without facts or data to back them, and then proceed to get upset when others disagree.

  • I feel like I’m now more drawn to your content. I just want to hear something positive and health related right now. I work in a hospital and the stress is high. I am tired of all the outrage on this platform.

  • To me I believe the health and beauty world need to be separated, no matter where we are in our journey the beauty world should never look down or judge for someone being overweight and bigger but in the health world we need to come to the realization that being a certain amount overweight or having a high bmi isn’t healty, we should never judge someone by that in any way but we should support them on their journey to not solely on losing weight but just to become healthier. We can always looks at it in a different perspective as well, take someone who may be extremely thin, they could be the epitome of perfect in the beauty world but not healthy by being underweight or look skinny but have terrible eating habits that don’t affect how they look but can affect how they feel and how their body may be reacting to the unhealthy nature of that person. We should never judge but encourage people, not to look beautiful or be a trend setter like plus size models, but to be healthy and feel good on the inside mentally and physically, someone who looks great but is unhealthy may have more problems feeling less energetic and having true physical problems rather than mental. I believe we need to accept one another no matter what but we should never universalize being unhealthy no matter how you look

  • Diets (CICO) do work. People don’t. If you looked at the stats for quitting smoking in the same way HAES looks at weight loss, you’d think no one can stop smoking. But they can. It’s hard but it’s not complicated.
    I’d hate to be struggling with the impacts of excess weight and find my dietician didn’t think I could lose weight and would therefore always have these issues.

  • This was SO well said! I tend to keep away from commenting on the « debate » (quotes are necessary, hah) because of the high emotions/extremes/religion like you say… but I think you explained everything I’ve wanted to say in a compassionate and direct way. Thank you! ����

  • A few years ago, I was quite overweight. I realised there was a problem, admitted to myself that this was not a good path, and changed my lifestyle. I dropped a lot of pounds and have an overall better LIFE because I changed my mindset first. The health benefits and weight loss just followed!

    Yesterday, a doctor told me that I was overall healthy, that I did still have extra weight but that I was « at least moving and exercising it» �� and that I was concious of my eating and had good nutrition.

    To me, that sums up the HAES: I am overweight yet not obese AND getting the weight down, I exercise everyday and eat well. I am seeing progress in my training and I am overall very happy and have a good relationship with food. I am getting there!

    I just think the HAES has stretched a LOT and has been used as blinders to people who don’t want to see the reality, and it is dangerous. To admit there is a problem is the first step, and a lot of people use the HAES excuse to say there is none.

  • Excellent, respectful and honest conversation. Looks like you agree on more than you disagree, that seems to happen when both parties are reasonable. Great job.

  • A good doctor would have said the same to a man; maybe worded nicer. It’s the doctor’s job to point out issues with health, without prejudice undoubtedly. It’s true that one suspected cause of the knee issues would be the fact that they are bearing more weight than they should (health wise, not looks wise). Maybe he should have asked about physical activity levels and diet before going directly to losing weight, but other than that i see nothing wrong.

  • your respectful attitude is refreshing. Your authenticity is appreciated. You can tell that you are just being yourself. The show is content-rich and entertaining. All adds up to a great show that I watch just about daily. Keep up the good work. If I’ve said any of this before, it bears repeating.

  • There is such a difference between being overweight and being obese. I use the 80-20 rule for my eating, and that is sustainable for me.

  • Well, it seems to be right that a bit more of body fat can help overcoming cancer. But Not of you are overweight or obesity. Thats What i Was told when i studied

  • I was morbidly obese for all of my adult like (35 years). I had RNY bypass surgery and have worked with an RD for 6 months and found that my food addiction was just that an addiction. I have lost 49 lbs since July and only have 43 lbs to my goal weight. Since surgery in December, I am no longer diabetic and down one blood pressure medication. So while losing weight has changed my life, dieting never worked and only left me hating myself and my body. Thank you for all of your amazing recipes and giving the nutrition science since I’ve never met an RD who explained the micronutrients and not just the macros.

  • I appreciate you ❤️ I myself am diving into mindful eating, measuring if certain food is for me based on how I feel and getting rid of the “good” vs “bad” scale. Would love your input into eating lovingly towards oneself. ❤️

  • My grandma was considered overweight her whole life and she’s 90 and is completely healthy, however she always watched what she ate and wasn’t morbidly obese, I think it’s about balance

  • Does she know that gaining or losing weight for health issues isn’t an attack? Male, female or anyone in between, people need to at least hear what their health care provider is saying, they know what they are talking about. I have hyperactive thyroid and weight gain or sustaining a “healthy” weight/BMI is hard. I try my best! Even though I’ve been underweight most of my life according to the scale and the BMI charts, I still try, I want to be healthy even though I appreciate and sometimes like my body. It’s not about being a man or a woman, it’s about the health that she says is so important. Health is important, not many excuses for that.

  • I’m also 5’3 and was 170. It’s interesting to hear someone else’s perspective. I was SO sick and overweight. I’d say my weight was debilitating, and I didn’t even realize it. I know 170lbs isn’t a “lot” depending on your height and body type, but I’m a TINY person. That was so much! There were times when I didn’t feel like my knees could carry my weight (and I don’t even have bad knees!) I’ve lost 21lbs since I decided that I deserved to treat my body better. Even with 21lbs down, I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. I literally feel like I have my life back now.

  • Layne, could you please do an educational video on “shocking your muscles”? How often does one need to change our workout routine? I’m doing full-body calisthenics four times a week. Thanks

  • In my body, there are no benefits to being heavy. Now I have Type 2 diabetes and I need to lose weight in order to reverse it. I hate being heavy, it sucks and I am fixing it.

  • Wow, I love this!! I think she has a very healthy view of this! I have had extra belly fat since elementary school, I’m 26 now and at my heaviest at 140. For me that’s over weight and honestly I may never be able to have a flat stomach but I eat healthy, am tracking my calories to be sure I’m not over eating for my activity level and I lift weights and LOVE going on walks. I believe my happy weight to be 120-125. I’ve been there before and didn’t have a flat stomach but hell, I’m gonna put the effort in to be healthy and trust my body to level out the way it is meant to. I will strive to love myself through every stage of this journey and to not beat it up, but instead do my best to support it the best that I can. <3

  • I really appreciate your self-reflection here. I started following you for your recipe and debunking of health myths videos. I really loved your videos with Abby Langer. I have been on a journey to get healthier and lose weight and some of your recent videos made me feel guilty for wanting to do so. I understand that you come from an orthorexic background but a lot of us don’t. Though I’m not overweight (anymore) I struggle with binge eating. Calorie counting has actually really helped me recognize what my body needs to fuel itself. I think you’re wonderful but it’s hard to listen to someone who has likely never been overweight before tell others to just follow their intuition and that diets always fail. It can be very discouraging for those of us who want to change our bodies for the better and have found success by changing our lifestyles. I’m always worried that I’ll slip back in to my old habits that left me feeling sluggish and sick. Sometimes the HAES movement makes it sound as though you can never achieve anything other than accepting that you’ll always be as big as you are. I’m still a big fan of yours and I love my copy of the Mindful Glow Cookbook. Thank you for this video! There’s nothing wrong with going Switzerland. The truth is always found somewhere in the middle.

  • There is NO debate about healthy at any size.This is a ridiculous concept. Show me a 60-pound anorexic or a 1,000 pound obese person. These people are not only not healthy, they are on their way to an early death. Let’s just use common sense and not listen to idiots who are trying to excuse bad lifestyle choices and dangerous health issues.

  • I can accept an obese person, but I’m not agreeing that obesity is healthy. The same for a smoker, I can accept him (i have a lot of smoker friends) but I refuse if he make the statement: smoking is healthy. It’s simply a lie and a liar can be only two things: an opportunist asshole or just an ignorant.Sorry, I’m not as polite as you:)

  • The positive benefits of being overweight
    Fat is inherently buoyant and can act as a flotation device if every stranded at sea
    Fat can help you survive for longer if every stranded on a deserted island

    Other than this, there are no other advantages loool

  • Stay moderate Abbey! I really enjoy your videos. I am an RN who works with Type 2 diabetes in children. HAES feels dishonest when I am injecting a child who is obese with insulin. As medical professionals, we have to acknowledge that excess weight is harmful and puts people at risk for many health problems. I see it already in the kidshigh BP, sleep apnea, fatty liver., insulin resistance…, problems that lessen or go away with weight reduction. We need to help find solutions and diet (as what you eat on a daily basis not a temporary fix to lose weight) has to be one part of the conversation. I am all for body positivity in that we need to support that people have value, worth, goodness, beauty at every size…but not health at every size. I would also add, as one recovering from an E.D. that we should not assume that someone who is “thin” is healthy. -Jill

  • There is no need for a debate. The majority of grossly obese individuals, are directly responsible for their condition, as a result of their own eating habits and poor lifestyle choices.

    A small minority have pre-existing medical conditions that cause excessive weight gains. When this is the case, a doctor can determine if any of these conditions are a factor and recommend treatment.

    Obesity is a Global Epidemic and since a cornerstone of a civil society means paying taxes to subsidize or enjoy common services like healthcare, law enforcement, etc. Obesity is a demonstrable drain on society.

    There is a ‘heavy’ financial cost from obesity since it is associated with a wide range of preventable diseases, including coronary heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, imposes a very large burden on the health care system and society and has a significant implications for Government finance.

    There is a ‘heavy’ environmental cost from obesity since the unhealthy foods these individuals are eating are associated with unsustainable systems of agricultural production and processing which are destroying local and global habitats.

    There is a ‘heavy’ ethical/moral or social justice cost since medical research is ‘patient driven’ meaning that things like obesity epidemics divert funding and focus from non-preventable diseases that indiscriminatley effect men, women and children alike, to treatments and research into preventable diseases cause by obesity. To dumb this down for you: 3 year old suzan who was born with a genetic defect is going to die because 30 year old Andrew is a couch-potato, enjoying far too much pizza, nachos and soda that should be humanly possible.

    And people like this fat woman (featured in the video) is demanding that society accept her unhealthy lifestyle rather than taking responsibility for her own actions: conflating being a fat slob (lifestyle choice) to being born with a disability (not a lifestyle choice), and suggesting that criticizing her weight is akin to racism, because its ‘difficult for her to loose weight’…

    We should put whales where they belong in the ocean, not on land.

  • You cannot be obese and healthy at the same time. It doesn’t work that way. Some might not have any issues at the moment (other than a food addiction and/or a plague that’s sweeping the nation known as “laziness”) but there are problems waiting in the near future. Want to be healthy? Eat better and exercise. Don’t have a problem putting yourself at risk for an innumerable amount of life-threatening issues such as heart disease, diabetes, etc.? Then continue to be obese. It’s a choice.

  • Being ‘overweight’ is a genetic thing. Anorexia is unhealthy and people only choose to be thin to impress men, because they think they will act less aggressive towards more attractive women. Being larger is clearly the healthier option. Help me and feminists around the world by supporting me.

  • Obesity is HORRIBLE for your healthand leads to diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

    Telling these people that they are healthy while they are obese is doing a dis service to the general population. 

  • I think what they mean by scientific assumption is a theory (i.e. it’s accepted as valid, but not necessarily provable to reach a scientific fact)

  • One of my most favorite quotes is:
    “Your best weight is whatever weight you reach when you’re living the healthiest life you ACTUALLY enjoy”

    The pursuit of HEALTH is still important even if it doesn’t directly impact weight. Working on improving your health overall is important.

  • Love this!! I’m not an RD, but I’ve also felt similarly conflicted about this topic.

    Also, I’ve been wanting to recommend EC Synkowski (optimizemenutrition on Instagram) to you. I think you’d jive with her food view.

  • I walked around a casino yesterday and saw a lot of overweight people much more overweight population than the population in general. I don’t see that many obese people who are around the city parks, etc. I think overweight people have a myriad of bad habits and lack of discipline.

  • Thank you so much abbey! I like this non-partisan approach HAES has helped me tremendously in my recovery, but I do think I still want to lose a bit of weight look great in my wedding dress next year! I would definitely take it easy though

  • This was excellent and I think a great “snapshot” of what is happening in the RD/obesity/HAES jumble that exists now. I suffer from obesity and have for 20+ years. I chose to go abroad for Bariatric surgery as my province has very limited resources. I get frustrated now because it’s like obesity and weight loss are dirty words. I chose to seek treatment for my obesity with one of the few well researched and supported treatment options (versus “dieting” which yeah tried that for 20 years with obviously zero success). However to receive adequate RD follow up is very difficult as the ones I’ve consulted so far don’t know much about bariatric surgery and the way I need to eat now. Having said that, RD’s are my absolute “go to” resource for both myself and my home care clients with any chronic OR acute diseases. It’s a challenging environment now and videos like yours I think can help at least clarify the challenges!!!

  • I have binge eating disorder, and I wish I could stop. My weight is not healthy, and I need to lose weight because I am at risk of developing diabetes. My bingeing is partly related to childhood issues around food. In my teens I struggled with bingeing and I started taking laxatives before a binge. I also started taking diet pills, until my sisters raided my desk and showed my mum. All hell broke loose when I got home from Choir practice. My parents just told me to stop, and didn’t get me any help. I was so scared by my mum’s reaction that I stopped the laxatives and diet pills, but the binges didn’t stop altogether. Then, when I went on Seroquel for my bipolar disorder my binges got totally out of control. I would go into the kitchen in a drugged up stupor and eat anything and everything. I gained 103 lbs since starting Seroquel, and now I am trying to undo the damage with the ketogenic diet, but it’s really hard. I still sometimes eat for emotional reasons, but I also feel like bingeing has become a very bad habit that I need to break. I don’t want to get diabetes, and I want to be able to go hiking again without being the slowest person on the trail. I don’t want to have to shop in the plus size section, and I want to FEEL HEALTHY again. If I do manage to lose all the weight that I gained, I will probably have issues with loose skin, but I’d rather have that than have diabetes and all the complications that go along with that. So I am aiming to do healthy keto, eating mainly salads and vegetables for my carbs, and topping my salad with things like chicken, eggs, shredded cheese, and sometimes I splurge and buy pre-cooked strips of sirloin beef. I am also allowing myself a keto bar or make some keto cookies so that I don’t feel like I am depriving myself, because if I feel deprived, then I am more likely to binge on non-keto foods.

  • I’ve weighed 185 lb since I can remember and along with that came the lack of self love. I am so unhappy with myself. How can tou be healthy at any size when dabetes and many other illnesses come as consequences of your obesity? Let’s be realistic, obesity is not about how you look externally, it’s about how you’re damaging yourself internally as well.

  • I agree, I think that “20-30lb overweight” should be what’s celebrated in the media. Just your average healthy person that eats healthy and balance, exercises, but might not be super lean and might have some stretch marks, might have some cellulite and blemishes, but is overall healthy. That is the average person that isn’t stick skinny and isn’t morbidly obese. Those are the people that need to be seen as the norm

  • I’m so happy that her colleague said that. She’s extremely self-aware to realize that RDs so frequently project their past on to other people / clients. Humans project. We do that well. I have noticed this tenfold in the RD community. It’s very frustrating especially for others that have a much different history. I’m coming at this with a psychology background. So happy Abby linked this video in her most recent video when covering Obese to Beast

  • To me, being Switzerland is actually quite sexy 😉
    In my perspective, choosing between two extreme sides is relatively easier than choosing to stand in-between. I’m not saying that the former is wrong, I’m just saying that maybe the latter would require one to self-reflect more frequently, or even relentlessly.
    Well, Jean-Paul Satre once wrote, “In one sense choice is possible, but what is not possible is not to choose. I can always choose, but I must know that if I do not choose, that is still a choice.” So I guess, being Switzerland is quite fun?

    I really like your channel, you are smart, caring, understanding, confident, and many other things. When you judge, you judge with compassion. I appreciate that you have had a more neutral tone when reviewing some Youtuber’s diet, but I also enjoy the old ones too haha.
    Of course, you are not against weight loss, you are just concerned about the harms caused by the imbalanced diet and the disinformation spread by some of the so-called health influencers.

    HAES is fine, as long as one truly feels great about his/her own body. If one is criticizing another person who prefers a lean body, one is not actually confident in oneself, right?
    Weight loss is fine also, as long as it doesn’t become an obsession that hurts your body.
    Balance. Balance. Balance.

  • My experience with a lot of my peers who are extremely HAES aligned come from a background of disordered eating and it does that in some way they are projecting their own views onto their patients?

    Personally I think I we shouldn’t project any opinions onto patients. Recommendations should be evidence based. Based on all evidence not just cherry picked evidence that backs HAEs views.

    HAEs sure is a appropriate for some patients but not for all. And I don’t believe that weight loss isn’t achievable. I believe if RDs equip their patients appropriately and support them long term with the right tools then weight loss can be achieved and maintained.

    I appreciate your views.

  • I don’t agree with the knee injury for knee health when jumping the weight is crucial. Especially since you wear them down for years as athlete. Every pound matters, it’s pure physics. She interpreted the fact as an “oppression of women’s body”. I have knee problems and was said the same, even being healthy at bmi being slimmer would be better for my weak knees. It’s a fact.

  • I just found this video and your channel so this is a bit late in commenting, but your difficulty with the grey area really rang true with me. I am a severely obese woman who has struggled with disordered eating and dieting my whole life. I’m thankfully anti diet now and absolutely in love with myself and my body, bat wings and all, but I am missing out on life. While I love who I am the world does not make life easy for someone as big as myself (nearly 500 lbs at my biggest) because I wanted to enjoy more of my life I made the decision to get weight loss surgery and that’s been very hard. I didn’t initially realize how putting myself In a situation wholly focused on my ability to lose weight would trigger my long buried disordered thinking and lots of emotional mind games. I struggled a lot, and still do, with being someone who strongly believes in body positivity and saying hell no to diet culture, but also being someone who “bought in” and had drastic surgery to lose weight. I struggle with people’s comments on my weight loss which I hate because it always applauds something that shouldn’t be the only measure of health or happiness. But knowing that people think they are being kind and cheering me on. I am lucky that my bariatric clinic has amazing RD’s who believe in Intuitive eating and not cutting out half of someone’s stomach only to put them on another diet. It’s a hard area to be in and it is uncomfortable, but I have a lot of respect for you from the videos I’ve seen and I really do feel that you are doing your best. Sending love. ❤️

  • I find it hard when you promote an industry that is paying you to promote it when that industry seems to be dwindling due to lack of scientific support, ie. deli meats. I like how you are fairly open-minded but when the World Health Organization is classifying deli meat as a carcinogen and then a dietician is recommending it, it is confusing and makes me wonder where the loyalty liesto the people or to corporations/industries? Not trying to be mean here, just explaining how this is confusing.

  • Thank you for having a moderate stance. As someone that is just starting to leave the diet culture yet also needs to lose about 10 pounds it is refreshing to get support in a moderate and sustainable way of life.

  • My highest weight was 211 and that was by the time i graduated high school over 3 years ago. Just being 211 had the worst impact on my body. Ive had psoriatic arthitis since i was 10 and being that heavy just made it all worse. Not only dis it physically affect me, but also mentally. I was severely depressed and insecure. I got down to my goal weight of 150 by the end of last year and was able to maintain it until i got pregnant in january of this year. Back up to 200lbs but you best believe im getting back to the gym and eating healthier again once i have my son. Gonna bust my ass to get my health back ����

  • I’ve been on and off diets since I was 14, and I’m currently at my highest weight ever. I agree with you when you say diets don’t work, but I’m literally getting out of breath tying my shoes. I’m sick of buying new clothes. Plus I have back problems and the extra weight is putting pressure on my back. What is your advice for healthy weight loss if it’s not dieting, and would you consider doing a video on this topic?

  • See my issue is I might have to take a non weight neutral antipsychotic soon and as such, there will be no such thing as “intuitive eating” for me unless I want to gain 50 lbs and get type 2 diabetes.

  • It is important when you eat. Since we went into lock down and were not going work we could go back to our old rhythm of eating: the main meal around 1 pm and only a slice of bread and fruit or salads in the evening around 6 pm, we lost a lot of weight without any dieting.

  • My brother has no sense of appetite, he could intuitively eat a large pizza, garlic bread, 6 chicken strips, a large fries, and a big ice cream and muffin desert. Then wash it down with a 2L of coke. He’s only 11 years old! We need to watch what he eats and control his portions for his own health and well-being. I think intuitive eating only works for people who have a deep understanding of nutrition and have been eating regular portions their whole life, AND eat good nutritious food that balances their hormones. For most people with a standard western diet, it can’t work, they’ll eat 10,000 calories intuitively

  • I think a problem for a lot of people who want to lose weight is, that they have been eating processed foods and a lot of meat for so long, that starting to eat more fibers doesn’t feel good at first, since they don’t have the gut bacteria to support that. The gut bacteria adapts to what we eat I am sure you know about that much better than I do. Dieting is harmful, you’re totally right about that. What’s needed is a long terme lifestyle change that gets you to your set point, and I think if people stay on track for long enough, it will start to feel good and in therme, they can learn to listen to their body. I don’t think that’s possible to learn intuitive eating when your gut is only used to processed food. Just my two cents, please correct me if I’m wrong, I’m here to learn since I myself am struggling with weight. My biggest problem is that I don’t always have the time and energy to prepare something healthy, even if I do want a salad sometimes I resort to fast food because I just don’t have the time. I know that that’s where food prep is coming in handy, but I haven’t figured out how to get that to work for my scedule.

  • What I love about you & the majority of your content, is your ability to be “middle-ground.” And what I mean by that is, everything seems to be so strong one side or the other, but most often, areas are a lot more gray than black and white. Take my experience for example; you disagree with calorie counting, but I did not feel judged because you explained yourself, and it’s all about protecting our mental health. Calorie counting helped me to realize how much I was overeating, I was ignoring my bodies natural cues, which I learned about from you. Once I slowed down and was more mindful, I was finding myself full & eating way better! I think there can easily be a middle ground on the issue. Weight loss, intuitive eating, exercise, accurate nutrition intake, etc. It all can work together in a non-harmful way.

  • I agree what she said. I am heavy and my knees hurt from time to time. But I have also been dancing since I was in elementary school. My knee joints are shot lol. But my doctor says its just my weight. And I get it half of it is that, but me dancing is the other half.

  • I’d love to see more content about what foods to eat to stay balanced and get all your nutrition in on different eating plans. Thank you for staying a positive and science-based voice of reason in a sea of extreme and sometimes detrimental advice on the internet.

  • Well…not to say that I agree with all of these articles but I’ve watched a documentary where they did mention a study in which they were able to show that SLIGHTLY overweight people (not massively overweight or obese!) had a higher chance at surviving some diseases (I think they talked about cancer, I’m not entirely sure anymore) than thin people. In my opinion that makes sense, because a lot of people lose weight when going through chemotherapy because it’s so harsh on their body and the often can’t eat very much for a while, so having some extra fat to live of might really be of an advantage. Plus in this docu they talked about the fact that the real issue is not the fat under your skin but the visceral fat. They said that it’s this fat in and around your organs that has such a detrimental effect on your health and they have shown that there are slim looking people who have a lot of visceral fat and therefore are at a high risk to develop the diseases associated with being overweight. At the same time there are overweight people who have a normal amount of visceral fat and therefore are at a lower risk for developing these diseases, even though they have an elevated amount of body fat. Of course overweight people are more likely to have larger amounts of visceral fat, because its accumulation is probably mainly caused by bad eating habits but people who are slim and have bad eating habits can be just as unhealthy.

  • To me the primary thing to stress is that intuitive eating, HAES, calorie counting, literally everything when it comes to health, weightloss and everything in between is not a one size fits all. There are aspects that may inform if someone is more likely to be suited to one than the other, but even that isn’t a guarantee. Beyond fad diets and extreme restriction, almost everything else will work for certain types of people and be disasterous for others.

  • Abby I’m glad you brought this up. As a nurse who works with patients very sick from their obesity (heart floor) and a person who is normal weight but struggles with binging (I’ve been overweight in the past) I had stopped listening to your videos because you had such little understanding of binge eating and obesity. Your experience of orthrexia is stopping you from understanding how binging works. Intuitive eating DOES NOT work for overweight people. We CANNOT judge the amount of food we should eat. I “intuitively” eat a pint of ice cream or a bag of Oreos. What helped me lose weight was exercising more and actively eating fewer calories. Weight loss DOES improve health outcomes. To say otherwise is absolutely in the face of all evidence we have. Certainly intuitive eating is a good goal for years down the road but for obese people who binge it is so absurd. You are not a doctor or a nurse and clearly need a refresher about type II diabetes or hypertension or sleep apnea or obesity hypoventilation syndrome or heart failure or dyslipidemia or arthritis you think weight loss won’t improve patient’s health. You live in Canada and don’t see the consequences of obesity on a daily basis like I do in Wisconsin. If you saw the patients I do you would not be saying this.

  • <3 <3 <3

    I just wanted to tell you that I admire you so, so SO much for reflecting and striving to take a nuanced stance especially given your experiences with disordered eating. I think having personal experience especially one with pain/hurt can make it so so easy to polarize in the opposite direction. It’s totally human to do this, and honestly, it makes sense that you may have, at points, taken more extreme stances against weight-loss culture. To me the fact that you can step outside of this stuff and honestly reflect shows so much frickin’ self-awareness, emotional intelligence, maturity, and intellectual integrity. ESPECIALLY when taking a middle stance is not really in fashion these days and can, as you said, create a sense of loneliness and uncertainty. But as our sis Brene Brown says, true belonging involves having the courage to stand on your own.

    I would also like to say that I can TOTALLY relate to getting passionate to the point of maybe being insensitive to opposing sides. I think my “sass” is what gives me the confidence to stand up against the status quo when I disagree, but it can also get out of control if I’m not careful �� I wonder if maybe the same has been true for you at points ��

    Love seeing that you’re growing and changing and learning:D I definitely already saw some of this in your recent video about intuitive eating.

    You and unnatural vegan are literally 2 of my fave youtube channels <3 <3 <3 <3

  • I was the fat guy in school. My “Aha!” moment was literally as I was walking into a department store with one of those CCTV monitors overhead showing the camera recording people as they walked in, when I looked up at the monitor and thought to myself “Wait, I didn’t see that that fat lady wearing my shirt and pants…. oh…”

  • I realize this is 2 weeks old, but I just wanted to say thank you for talking this one out. I feel so conflicted re: HAES, given that my family’s life/health has been deeply affected by obesity and resulting cardiovascular disease. The truth doesn’t fit one shiny narrative.

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  • I consider myself body positive but not in the sense of glorifying obesity or lying to myself that tess holiday is healthy. But I believe that body positivity is (or should be) about loving yourself at any size and working towards being the healthiest you can be OUT OF LOVE for yourself not out of hate and pressure from society to look a certain way. And I believe that anyone no matter the body size should be included in society and get treated with respect. Therefore I understand that there need to be extra big seats in busses or airplanes bc we can’t exclude fat people and force them to sit at home/ have hardships until they loose weight. As I said the motivation of getting healthy should come from the inside as the result of a healthy mind and loving attitude towards yourself not bc society openly hates on you and forces you to stand in the bus

  • Hey John, I am a new subscriber and I was curious to know what your opinion is about weight loss surgery such as gastric bypass, gastric sleeve and lap and is?

  • Loved this casual and honest message Abbey! I understand where you’re coming from and I think it’s admirable that you stay in the “grey area.” I think one of the most important aspects of HAES and intuitive eating is accepting your body for how it is, but as you know this doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a difficult process that takes time. So many people stay immersed in diet culture because they’re never satisfied with their body or they’re afraid of reverting back to their pre-diet body. Even if losing weight is your goal, I think it’s possible to do that while simultaneously adopting some of the principles of HAES and intuitive eating so we can work towards accepting and trusting our bodies on a psychological level. This physical and psychological acceptance allows us to more easily trust our body’s hunger cues and eat intuitively. Hopefully by working on both our body and our mind we can get both to a healthy place.

  • Tha ks Abbey. I’ve been struggling because I knew my body wasn’t healthy and it was showing me that by being over weight. I knew to get healthy would result in weight loss, so I had a weight loss goal… But your videos have helped me avoid the diet culture traps and remain positive and focused on the right things. Xx

  • I just found your channel. I am a bit confused. I have gone to a dietician at the advice of my doctor to lose weight in a healthy way. When I went it was because I have many health problems. Losing weight will help me, but it won’t cure my auto immune diseases.
    As a diagnosed obese person, I have to disagree that people can be healthy at EVERY size! Someone that wears a 5X is not healthy!!! They most likely have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and possibly diabetes and heart disease. I know skinny people with high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
    I thought the job of the dietitian was to help people get on a healthy diet or eating plan to be PC�� I don’t like people pressuring anyone to conform to their ways of they do not believe the same as they do!!! Being PC is not my thing. Your job is to help people and save their lives. You should do what you feel is right.
    If a person has high cholesterol they need to eat to correct that. Heart problems, correct that. Need to lose weight because it will make them feel better because they have Lupus and are in pain and weighing less will put less stress on their body, put they on calorie restriction and explain how many carbs, proteins, etc they need for to be healthy and lose weight. HAES is not not something I can support and I can tell you my medical doctors don’t support it.
    Don’t lose sleep over it. Talk to the doctors that send patients to.you. I don’t think many of any will support HAES.

  • Yes!!! I stopped following you because HAES is unacceptable to me. I am coming from this background. Intuitive Eating didn’t and won’t work for me. I was addicted to food. I appreciate your experience, but make it clear where you can that it isn’t for everyone. When I couldn’t stop binging after starting Intuitive Eating, I felt like a failure and it made me spiral harder into my ED. Thank you for sharing, Abbey. I appreciate your honesty in this video.

  • I reduced the extra amount of unhealthy way of eating and this way also is helping my mum to cut some unhealthy foods and do some walking exercises recommended by the local GP doctor here in London I’ve started to lose weight slowly even my mum lost some weight off of her too

  • nOOOOOO. end of FUCKING debate. I dont understand how retarded these people are. If you want FACTS bring a HEALTH expert not a “Body image expert”(whatever that is.) The “body image EXPEEERT” SHOULD HAVE ZERO FUCKING SAY IN THIS DISCUSSION. All of her work is based on OPINION. All of the health expert’s work is based on PROVEN FACTS.

  • Thank you so much for this video. I’m a binge eating disorder warrior and removing guilt from binging started with losing weight and showing myself I had control over my own body and that my disorder didn’t. Losing weight also helped me, as a transgender man, learn to cope with my intense dysphoria before beginning my medical transition. And I’ve felt so guilty because even though I’ve never viewed other people as “less than” for being fat or even a similar shape to me, I felt like I was pushing something onto others by trying to figure myself out and navigate recovery. I still struggle heavily with dysphoria, especially due to my weight, and I feel awful sometimes because these things bother me and I feel like I’m feeding into diet culture by being trans, so it feels great being reassured in this way.

  • I think the argument is that 95% of ppl gain their weight back, and they become hyper focused on food and binge after being deprived. And that you are not defined by your body size as a person. You still have worth if you aren’t shredded. You can be a little overweight and be healthy, but there’s a point that being over weight does affect health negatively. There’s a reason it’s called “morbid” obesity.
    You don’t see morbidly obese centenarians

  • I’m 5’4″ and weigh 225 pounds. Every year when I do my blood draw/physical, everything single test comes out in the “normal” range. Which means I’m a healthy person. Except that I’m NOT. I’m fat. And I feel terrible all the time. That is the only indicator I care about, and is my motivation to exercise and make better food choices. Overeating is the one addiction we’re not allowed to call what it is. It’s not fat-shaming to point out someone has a problem, any more than it’s thirst-shaming to tell an alcoholic they need to cut back before their liver fails or they put themself into a coma.

  • Can you get healthier at every size? For sure. Someone who is obese but working out and eating healthy even without losing weight will possibly be healthier than someone who is skinny but doesn’t exercise and eats McDonald’s every day. But will not be healthier than a person who’s an appropriate weight who exercises and eats well…

  • As a chubbier person whenever I see people like this lady, they definatly look like they are in denial. I agree fully with the bullying towards bigger people needs to stop. But people like this lady always lump everyone into one basket. Even people just giving helpful advice on a healthier diet is seen as “fatphobic” which is rediculous. There is a difference. I used to be like this, I used to think people recomending excersise to me was rude, like “is there something wrong with how I am?”. I am no longer like this since being on my own journey

  • There’s no reason to say that body positivity and weight loss cannot go hand in hand. The more that I have loved my body, the more I have attended to my body. I am able to make choices to move that feel good to me. And that just so happened to result in 100 lbs of weight loss over several years. And I have maintained the loss, with some minor fluctuations during times of stress, environmental changes, and new life experiences.

  • Thank you so much for this. I am not an RD but I am an OT interested in the impact of obesity and health and wellbeing. Personal experience alone, I have watched my 74 year old a Mum who is about 280lb become bed bound whilst she waits for an ankle and knee replacement as a result of OA made worse by carrying her weight. The worst bit is seeing that she cannot do typical transfers from bed to chair/toilet because she cannot move her own body weight. Accepting there is a need for weight loss but also that we shouldn’t be consumed by diet culture is the perfect place to stand in my opinion. Extremist views are not helpful. We all have our individual situations.

  • I come because I respect his dedication to health and fitness. It’s a journey I’ve started taking seriously and I always find his videos informational. I stay because he’s so fine ��

  • Is not dieting but having a healthy diet which will make a difference. But some people need help learning what healthy eating looks like. If I go to a RD is not for them to tell me to trust my body because maybe my body and mind can’t be trusted YET! And I would need to follow a program put together by my RD Once I learn what healthy nutritious eating looks like then I can start intuitive eating. That’s were the misconception is and where a lot of RD have lost their way. Because we love to call it diet culture but not over endorsing fat culture. It is a disease and we are NOT meant to be over 200 pounds in fat. And I see people feeding their 2 year old starbucks drinks maybe not caffeinated but with soo much sugar we should all know is not healthy but no one can say anything. Because kids should know they are beutiful no matter what they look like but also give them the tools to be healthy. Human bodies are not design to carry that much weight those are the facts! You are beutiful no matter what and you should love your self soo much that you want to be healthy in EVERY way possible.

  • “Challenging scientific assumptions”.

    Sometimes the science is wrong. Especially in the medical and dietary fields. How many different iterations of “proper diet” have we gone through so far, and are still going through? How many times has the great evil of food been identified and demonized by the industry, only to be proven wrong? First it was fat, then it was cholesterol. Now we know better. Tomorrow we could know better still.

    Not that I think these “HAES” people are using it correctly, but that’s what the notion of challengijg scientific assumptions would mean. Knowledge is always expanding, and the latest research stays well ahead of accepted and prescribed traditional wisdom.

  • Excellent. Client-centred is key. I’ve recently started seeing a Dietician and she introduced me to HAES. It’s interesting and your reflections added to my learning!

  • People who struggle with being overweight deserve actual solutions to their problems. Often that is hard work and professionals being honest. What I don’t think it includes is someone trying to tell me that I can be healthy at any size. I can’t. Extra weight makes my insulin resistance get worse. It also creates a problem in my brain called idiopathic intracranial hypertension and puts me a risk for vision loss. I don’t think saying that the risks of obesity are overstated is really true if you look at the myriad of problems it can cause. Even just sleep apnea which can be devastating if left untreated. Intuitive eating is not a great solution in my humble opinion without a good background in food education. My son for example would come home and eat five slices of cheese which over time (and a cold winter) could create problems in his weight. That’s not diet culturethat’s just calories in vs calories out.

  • Slow and steady wins the race. If you crash diet, your body will react to it. I’ve never been over weight, but I’ve gone consistently from 15% body fat to consistently 12%. It took me two years. (My overall body weight stayed the same cause I put on around equal amount of muscle. 160 lbs.) I probably could’ve done it faster, but I enjoy controlled junk food once in a blue moon. I know I could probably drop down lower, but I’m good with 12%ish if that means I get to have pizza with the family once in a while. I don’t drink alcohol, pop, eat donuts, etc. But I can enjoy cake on birthdays, pie on Thanksgiving, and not be a burden on others, as long as I watch my intake.

    Thanks to Layne, I’ve been able to do this.

    Edit, I measure my body fat via calipers and a scale. I know they’re not the most accurate, but I use them consistently under the same conditions. My real test for me though is the mirror. If I’m comfortable with my look, I’m good with whatever the scale says.

  • There is a reason why this body positivity movement has gone so far, it is because people who are obese are so ostracized, disrespected, discriminated, and left out that they had to form a community to try to fight back against rampant verbal and mental abuse from society. I’ve been obese since I was a toddler and I have been trying and so far succeeding to loose weight, 40 lbs gone and over 200 to go. I’ve been doing research on how to lose weight since I could read. I’ve never had a normal life and I’ve been to such dark places, disordered eating, bulimia, starvation, self harm and suicidal thoughts.

    No one should downplay the health risks of obesity, but that doesn’t give people the right to treat us like shit. People just need to mind their own and not bully those that are bigger then they are. Maybe putting a fat woman on a magazine glorifies obesity, but that is a single drop in an ocean of media messages that thin, no matter the cost, is ideal and disirable.

  • Many to most people binge out of comfort. Many times the discomfort comes from self loathing of hating how their body looks and doesnt fit what they’ve been told it should be. Most people eat more to sooth themselves, or go on every type of diet that exists, or extreme fitness plans (even sustainable lifestyle diets that are healthy often fail). Until self acceptance at any weight happens, a healthy sustainable lifestyle won’t happen. We are looking too much into diets before dealing with the biggest issue which is being healthy mentally and having a positive body image no matter what shape and size.

    I’m likely going to get hate for this next comment. I do commend you for losing all the weight, and I have great respect for you even accepting your excessive skin after your weight loss. I used to watch your videos early on when you started your channel. I lost interest after noticing you became obsessive with excessive workouts. Which I can attest to doing myself. I also feel like this channel gave you much more of a purpose (sharing your story). But I feel like you are contradicting yourself in the way you maintain your “sustainable” current healthy lifestyle. I feel like you are still obsessed with body image but are in denial. Which is why I lost interest in this channel. But so many people still buy into this as the only way to do it.

    Positive self image is the first step (at any size)… the rest will come after.

  • This is my favorite video you’ve made. It was raw and honest. Being Switzerland may not be sexy, but being patient first and evidence based is. I’m excited for your future impact in this space.

  • I find that HAES motto horrible. Seriously, healthy at EVERY size? Seriously??? People, do not hide behind that claim, just look around you and on the statistical data!!! It has become much much harder to resist our unhealthy environment and I feel sorry for parents nowadays trying to raise children and set them on the right health path. Without a proper food, eating & health foundation it can be a fight in adult years. But unless you are living in a one of these tragic and appalling food desert areas you habe to make your choices. Eat REAL Food, learn to (batch) cook and use your freezer & microwave for that! Eat Real Food, mostly Plants and not too much. (Michael Pollen). If you tweak that even more to „tons“ of veggies, combined with healthy fats (no processed fats/oils) and complex carbs & legumes you will struggle less to avoid the quick fixes and drive-throughs.

  • I quit aligning with the haes movement when I realized that the only opinion I agreed with was applicable to everyone about being treated with respect and human dignity regardless of size. That’s pretty much a given for all people. And yes, I agree that the plus size community has taken quite a bit of crap over the years. Everything else was a stretch for me to feel comfortable with.

  • I love your videos. Please don’t feel like you have to please everyone, because it is impossible. Your content is great, keep doing your thing girlfriend!!

  • Hi, love your videos. I do wonder what your thoughts are on how someone who needs/wants to lose weight for health reasons should lose weight.

  • Body Positiviy at every size. I agree with. Love yourself no matter your size. If you are of a size, big or small, that either does or could impact your health either now or later, you can still love yourself and fight to make your life healthier so you can continue to love yourelf. To despise yourself and then work out, diet out of hatred for yourself, for many, probably isnt sustinable especially if you have an unrealistic goal and idea of what you ‘should’ be. Loving and accepting yourself where you are are in the moment can allow you to start making changes if they’re needed, to be healthier and do it in a healthier way with a healthier mindset.

  • I work as a medical transcriptionist and work with radiologists. Now something I see in reports, is that body fat actually makes it really hard to see your insides clearly on a CT scan. Doctors can miss something important happening inside you that can be a mayor issue. They use code like “Suboptimal evaluation due to patient’s body habitus” which just means this person is so obese I can’t evaluate the patient’s scan properly. That is scary AF.

  • Sure you didnt choose to be fat, you chose those chocolate bars and being ignorant about your own fucking health. Btw fat is a choice.

  • I can speak from experience that weight loss is mandatory in some situations. I need a hip and both knees replaced. My Dr will not, under any circumstances, do the replacement unless I get my BMI below 40. I’ve lost 70 lbs and kept it off for 6 years. I have been unable to lose the additional 25 lb he requires. I am eating under 1200 calories, carb intake below 50. My A1c is at 5.5. Cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL are all textbook perfect. For 2 years I have been unable to lose any more weight. I use a walker now and can no longer drive. I am in pain all day, every day. I sleep in 2 hour increments because of the level of pain. I am well and truly f———ed. Every orthopedic Dr I have contacted has the same BMI below 40 requirement. Abbey, I appreciate that you are truly wrestling with the best way to be of help to people who need the knowledge you, as an RD, possess. Some of what the body positivity folks preach I agree with. Some of it is simply so black and white it’s unreasonable. As in every human condition there are many shades of gray too. There cannot be hard and fast rules to be followed. Each individual is different, as is their metabolic health and life circumstances. Diets don’t work except when they do. I did lose 70 lbs. My efforts to lose the 25 needed to get my hinges fixed have kept that 70 lbs off but I have not been successful in losing the rest I have to lose. This is non-negotiable because I want my life back.

  • The “diets don’t work” culture is the reason why a friend of mine gave up and got an irreversible surgery. They needed to lose a lot of weight, no question.
    But I am not on that train, I know you can change how you eat and lose weight. I don’t know why I can’t use the word diet in the way it’s meant to be used.
    I appreciate a dietician who keeps an open mind here.
    I read that doctor’s article and I can’t get behind his approach, either. It seems like he is totally dismissive of the possibility of using diet to control and prevent disease. I know it doesn’t work for everybody, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try!

  • I gained 50 pounds in one year at college. I fucking hate it. I’m only 19 and my knees and ankle bones hurt so bad after work I can’t walk I can’t dance I can’t ride my bike I feel my double chin

  • Abbey, thank you for continuing to be honest and open. I continue to watch and enjoy you and your content because you are a real human being. You are willing to admit you were wrong, to grow, to work to stay positive, to try and help and make people happier and healthier. I come from a long line of individuals who struggle with their weight, but also how their own relationships with food and their bodies affects themselves and those around them. Your channel has helped me be more in tune with my own body as well as find empathy for those around me. Thank you. Continue being you, you’re a pretty great woman to be.

  • This is why I love following you so much, you stay true to yourself and true to us. This raw video is so interesting and anyway, I don’t think there is any shame in staying in the grey or neutral, I don’t think the opinion about weight loss and intuitive eating should be so black and white. I think you are so LEGITIMATE.
    And Switzerland is a pretty AWESOME country!

  • I only recently started watching your videos. I am vegan and have a very disordered eating background, and I really like hearing your perspective on healthy eating and diet culture. Three years ago I very rapidly lost a large amount of weight, going from obese to a healthy weight. Looking back on it now, although it was a ‘healthy’ thing for me in some ways, the way I achieved the wight loss was not healthy at all. It is alarming for me to look back on that time now, and see the evidence of how quickly I lost the weight, and also think about how positive the feedback I received from society was about it! I got so much praise and attention for something that was so incredibly unhealthy. Now, three years later, I have pretty much maintained my healthy weight, more or less, but I recognize I still have very disordered eating, so if anyone comes to me for advice on losing weight, I refuse to offer any opinion or advice, because I recognize in myself that while I may have lost a large amount of weight and maintained that, I have NO experience of how to lose weight in a healthy way. I think it is a huge problem that there are a lot of people with disordered eating who are giving advice to others, that is not healthy or realistic advice, but they lack the self-insight to recognize that that is the case. So that most of the information out there about diet and losing weight is flawed and unhealthy. It makes for a very, very confused and toxic minefield of mis-information. I like that you are constantly working to be self-reflective and continue to expand your point of view and be really open-minded to others experiences being different from your own. From my perspective, if you have a blind-spot in your perspective (being someone who started off with healthy eating habits, developed orthorexia, then did a lot of work to recover from that) it’s that many people who struggle with their weight have never had healthy eating patterns to begin with, and have been socialized to ignore their own internal guidance system regarding food completely, and have a trauma background that sub-consciously keeps them overweight for protective purposes so intuitive eating as a concept is something that is potentially not going to be a viable option for many people, and can come off as a gas-light to be told that’s the only way to eat in a healthy way. That being said I love your content, I like that you are constantly improving your thinking, and I’ll continue to watch and learn and grow with you.

  • I’m really confused by HAES because I’m not obese, I’m about 30 pounds overweight BUT I have lymphedema which disappeared when I was 30 pounds lighter and I have CP and the heavier I get the more my joints hurt. I don’t understand why losing weight MAY help people with certain medical issues because losing weight DOES help people with certain medical conditions. I have a team of doctors due to my different chronic conditions and EVERY SINGLE ONE has advised me to get to a healthy BMI. I don’t care if people are overweight and wants to stay that way, I don’t think every overweight person needs to lose weight due to chronic health issues…but I think HAES dietitians preach something that isn’t medically sound and pandering to that just to save people’s feelings is irresponsible.

  • The problem with your channel and the reason ‘weight loss diets don’t work’ is that you don’t understand human nutrition.
    Like most dietitians.

  • I actually remember seeing a study years ago when I was like 10 (I’m 25 now) saying if you’re fat you look younger. It’s crazy what can be published.

  • Abbey, I would love a video about transitioning from a weight loss mindset/way of eating to an intuitive eating lifestyle,once you have reached a place where your risk of obesity related illnesses is gone.

  • Of course there is some humble brag here. I used to be 250lbs, 5 foot 9″ wrist arms, it was all fat and man tits. Long ago I shed it, got into bodybuilding(followed you for years while i was serious about lifting 5-6 times a week) by now found my way to martial arts. I get so angry at the plus size movement, the healthy any size shit. I feel physically and mentally so much better, I sleep better, everything I do is easier. now it was a long time ago I was so big, I never exercised until I was 21 and I am now almost 37 and I weigh 165lbs, I used to be that guy in denial, so I empathise with people who struggle, but I want to help them, not enable, and I refuse to be complacent on the issue, which often times can be upsetting to people. Around me now i see the consequences of an inactive life style in my friends and famiyl. To those struggling,: we can look in our backyard and wish we planted a tree ten years ago, but there is no reason why we cant plant that tree today.

  • I don’t know. I think everyone should be a part of whatever movement they want to be in. Who’s to say that someone who is morbidly obese, but is trying to be healthier and eat clean and work out shouldn’t use the #healthateverysize tag? We don’t know where anyone is in their journey to health. All we have are appearances, and they can be deceiving. Recovery blogs on instagram are a good example. So many anorexic people go there to get hope and inspiration, and yeah a lot of them are gonna be underweight. Should they not be able to project an aspiration of health until they’re considered a normal bmi? Everyone has to start somewhere, so to exclude people because they don’t “exude” health is pretty wrong.

  • I’m 5’4 and when I was 172lbs, I did not look as good as her. My fat was mostly in my stomach and face. The new research suggests that waist to height and waist to hip ratios are more important than BMI when it come to health. I was unhealthy. My waist was bigger than my hips. I had high blood pressure and my heart rate was in the 90s at rest.

  • Love this! I find that many people can’t relate to my experience of trying to be healthy if they have an easy time maintaining a healthy weight. My personal experience with intuitive eating has not been successful as I have a large capacity to consume food and I’m naturally more on the heavy side. I also have a history with eating disorders, so I have been avoiding dieting for a long time. Recently, a PT friend of mine, who has a history of childhood obesity and eating disorders, made me a new training plan and diet. Now I eat a balanced diet with a lot of protein, decent amount of fats and moderate carbs. She understand where I am coming from and has been a huge support on my health journey. Also, because I eat more protein and fats that I was used to eating I feel more satiated and can eat quite intuitively. This started as a diet, but I plan to make it a lifestyle as it works for me so well. Love your videos and I truly appreciate your honesty on this topic!

  • My health goals are to stop overeating and have a more balanced diet. To self love through healthier eating. I currently have issues with overeating/ minor binging and eating when I am not hungry. I would like to lose weight. I do think diet culture brings things to extremes. I have a dad and brother who even when I was on the small size pointed out the little fat I had at one time or another. Getting down to my previous weight doesn’t feel necessary. I was a body fueled by nutrition and health, and less indulgence to make life feel better.

  • crash and extreme diets do not work. You can’t stick to them fro the rest of your life. A healthy diet and lifestyle do. Eat quality whole foods. Be at a slight calorie deficit. You will lose weight. You need to do a diet that is sustainable.

  • It’s kind of weird because I have a very “average” body size. I’m a 6/8. I’m not fat, but I’m not skinny either. “Health at Every Size” focuses on people who are either anorexic or obese and nothing in between.” That would make my neither underweight nor overweight frame kind of…weirdly…underrepresented?

  • Do you have any nutritional information on what is safe to eat with PCOS? I can’t tell if eating meat is safe or to go the Plant-based route. Much love to you! Meredith

  • The benefit of being overweight is when the super volcano erupts or the comet hits the Earth and there’s almost no food for a year, you live.
    Skinny people are dead three weeks after the food runs out.

  • As a therapist to be and someone who recovered from a decade long eating disorder, I think about these things all time. I really appreciate this video. Client centered care is new and something I haven’t heard of before. Would love to hear more about that!

  • I agree that old fashioned diets that cut out carbs or fats, don’t work and not sustainable. But I think it’s irresponsible for dietitian to advise someone who is obese and in poor health to do nothing.
    I eat intuitively, but in moderation ( if it’s a cake I limit it to one slice or if pizza limit to two slices and I don’t drink soda drinks or eat everly sugary store bought foods like donuts) and I exercise regularly and able to keep weight off for a long time now.
    I’m a healthcare professional and was trained to refrain from being biased. It doesn’t matter if my patient is a male or female, big or small or their ethnicity, I treat them equally and respect their life choices. So, I like to see you’re focusing on giving people research based information and letting them decide for themselves. ❤

  • For the people that claim, “health at every size”

    You’re also saying someone who is anorexic is also healthy…yet they hate on them.

    A bit hypocritical

  • There’s some really good stuff here, but the thing that I need to point out is: it’s not cool to use “out language” this way. Your friend didn’t out herself. She disclosed something. There’s a difference and it’s not okay to co-opt or appropriate our language just because it was easier or shorter to say it that way.

  • Theres no way some of these people who say they swim kilometers or exercise daily while “eating properly” should still be hundreds of pounds overweight even if they have some issue it’s just not possible. They’re lying. Go read FATLOGIC on reddit. It’s delusional to the point of being psychotic.
    And they talk about ED but how are they not committing “disordered eating?”
    They ARE NOT health at every size. They shun skinny people and men. They are fat female supremacy

  • The only before and after pictures I dont agree with are anorexia recovery photos posted to places frequented by ED sufferers. They maintain the misconception that you must be emaciated and skeletal before you are allowed to seek help… people who post these b&a photos so other sufferers can see are being completely neglectful of the manipulative and competitive nature of EDs. Its irresponsible.

  • HEALTH at every size, in its original incarnation promoted treating people of all sizes EQUITABLY in the health care system. For example: a woman with obesity and one without are having fertility issues. BOTH women get similar treatment (work up etc), the woman with obesity is not sent away after being told to “lose 50 pounds). As a Registered Dietitian, I hate that other RDs have hijacked the term to be obesity apologists disguised as being “body positive”.

  • How can you give up so easily? Imagine people being like: We have lost the war against cancer, after years of fighting it, people are still dying of cancer. When my mom had cancer, she was given a 6 % survival chance. She still went through treatment, got healthy ans still is after 14 years. You will never know if you don’t try.

  • I agree that not all skinny is healthy because I was born a month early and that meant that I was underweight but I gained weight and was no longer underweight by the age of about 5 or 6 and I was happy but I was still very small I have gone through life with people saying your so tiny and can I pick you up and being called twigy and stick person and I have bad body image because I feel like im never ok because of people like this who say my body is not real and that I’m an unrealistic beauty standard and that I make people feel bad and I am never happy with my body now.
    Everyone is diffrent and some people were born a certain weight but that doesn’t mean that that’s the only weight you can be.
    Healthy should mean happy♡♡

  • As a fat person, who has lost weight and needs to lose more, I don’t like that HAES attacks women losing weight. (Pushing disordered, unhealthy eating for any sized person is wrong of course). But me wanting to lose weight for myself, and maybe part of that is for society too, to even (shock!) fit in more, that is OK. I’m tired of both discrimination for being plus sized as well as wanting to lose weight. You thus can’t win anywhere online! (But in my experience regular women are all navigating this area and agree A LOT with each other haha). Thank you for this video!:)

  • When using fat as a shield:
    1: You’re unattractive
    2: Sound like an idiot
    3: People will laugh at you

    When using an actual shield:
    1: Extra gains from carrying shield
    2: Look like a cool knight
    3: People will say things like “nice shield bro”

  • I think sitting in the grey area of anything is the hardest place to sit, and I think it creates the most pivotal ideas and can be the biggest force for change, thanks for your bravery and transparency <3

  • Why are ED labels only put on very thin people. Someone who is 600lb has disordered eating too. The current food economy has to push HAES,. Most problems with weight are based on sugar, HFCS, simple carbs, artificial sweeteners, transfats, industrial seed oils, if we didn’t eat this obesity levels would be lower. They are addictive, and the body can’t process them properly.

  • The only thing that is arguably as important as or even more important than health is love, and to be honest, Tess isn’t spreading a lot of that either. I think she’s a really beautiful woman, but from what I’ve seen, I don’t like her attitude at all.

  • I’m battling with my weight all my life, but I never ever thought that being overweight is OK. Just look at old people, 80 or 85+, most of them were/are lean, couple of them were normal body type or strong and there are virtually none that were overweight or especially obese. So I would say that people that look extra slim have the best chances to get to 100, better than strong people and bodybuilders, fat and obese people on the other hand have almost 0% chance to get there.

  • I think loving someone no matter their size is a thing people should do more. When I mean that it can mean both letting people know when they’re a bit too big but also showing unconditional love. Its true you can be healthy… if you are OVERWEIGHT. Take me for example. I am overweight and I excerise everyday by lifting and doing some cardio. I do not think you can be healthy if you are morbidly obese though. Just my opinion.

  • Exercise regularly meaning just about every single day for 30 to 40 minutes or more. Walk fast or jog/run outside, do pushups, crunches, jumping jacks, light weights, etc. in your home or at a gym. Do whatever you can do. Overweight, underweight, at a good weight. Doesn’t matter. Best thing you can do to be healthy. You will also lose excess weight and gain strength, stamina, happiness. Life is waaay better when you are in good shape.

  • ironically you make me feel really good about my body and that i can have my body type and still be successful career wise and with women

  • Health At Every Size is not about accepting being “unhealthy”. Health at every size is about focusing on pursuing healthy behaviors rather than weight. People shouldn’t have attacked you for your before and after pictures, but the reason that people from the health at every size movement probably criticized your before and after pictures is because it supports the cultural narrative that thinner is better. Although I’m sure it’s not your intention, this adds to the already dominant culture’s implicit message that being fat is shameful. Lastly, you cannot accurately judge someone’s health by their weight. Doing so is a form of weight stigma. Again, I’m sure this is not your intention, but it’s incredibly harmful and I encourage you to look it up. An example of weight stigma is assuming that because someone is overweight because they are unhealthy rather than considering the possibility that they may engage in healthy behaviors, but are overweight due to a thyroid condition, autoimmune disease, etc. I hope this gave a little bit more context of what the Health At Every Size Movement is.

  • Beautiful at any size, it’s in the eye of the beholder, but don’t complain if fewer guys/gals will dig you. Health, in part of the conversation in the video I think refers to psychological health of a morbidly obese person, not the bodily health.

  • I really love how encouraging and kind you are to both sides of the body positive movement: Those trying to lose weight, as well as those who are fine with what they already look like. It’s extremely refreshing. Never change! ��

  • Love this John! “Just because you don’t have abs doesn’t mean that you aren’t healthy” I am currently on my weightloss journey and have never been healthier! I have a long way to go, but am so encouraged by this.

  • You have one of the most nuanced, kind, and healthiest ways of expressing your opinion and experiences on very sensitive and divisive topics. Love your channel, keep it up!

  • One question I have for these body positive obese women do you eat healthy? The answer is NO if they say they eat healthy and maintain this size they are lying! They are obese because they eat crap and eating crap is not healthy

  • “people should be encouraged to live” well girl I am sorry but 1) you aint gonna live that long and 2) if you depend on someone else ‘s help to get of the couch because you weight so much, that aint a good life either.

  • It is so rare for someone to speak this genuinely. There is a lot of strength in leaning into uncertainty and saying when a “trend” just doesn’t feel right to you. As someone who councils others it shows a lot of genuine care and decency. There’s a reason it doesn’t feel right and that feeling is worth trusting.
    I don’t know a lot about dieticians or dieting but my best friends struggles with weight and pays significantly for help in this department. I can’t imagine how angry I would be if some “politically correct type” shamed her for wanting help.

  • 5:10 is the point. Nobody wants to hear it…. but it’s the fact. Excess body weight is usually a result of poor health habits. You may not have problems until you get older, but eventually the lack of healthy habits (no matter how happy you feel) will lead to disease or organ function breakdown. Layne likes to troll a lot, but I can get behind this one. I will def share this one. ��

  • There is one population of people who are obese but relatively healthy. Professional Sumo wrestlers. I guarantee you none of these healthy at every size people are professional
    sumo wrestlers.

  • F*ck diet culture. But there’s nothing wrong with loving yourself enough to be able to lose a lil bit of weight for health, comfort, personal well being! It’s all about education and not falling victim to the culture!

  • Thank you!
    Good point, they don’t have to be elephant size!! So why not size 10 or 12?
    Just like you said, there are cancer patients out there too, alcoholics, dope addicts. Shall they be represented in the modelling industry too?

  • ObesetoBeast 10:57 “In America and in the world we don’t have an underweight epidemic, we have an obesity epidemic”.
    Africa and Asia: �� ��

    The majority of the world population is actually struggling with having enough food. It’s only in the western world that we struggle with obesity.

  • I think my takeaway from HAES is the first word is “Health”. We are seeking health. For some folks, health is going to mean their body doesn’t change at all. For some folks, their body will get bigger. For others, it will get smaller. I appreciate a neutral approach to weight, but a strong approach to health. Joyful movement. Mindful understanding of hunger, cravings, fullness, and eating. Food satisfaction. But not dieting. Not weight loss as a panacea.

  • As I’m learning to be ok with my body and figuring out where I stand on HAES and wanting to eat nutritiously and eat for wellness, I so appreciate your videos. I needed to hear a dietitian say it’s ok to be fat and to be ok in my fat body but that it’s also ok to want to lose weight because it may help my knee pain and/or back pain etc. Your willingness to own your level of learning and desire to promote body autonomy and continuous growth is refreshing and so needed. Thank you.

  • The video freelee did of you the response. As someone who used to follow her vehemently for YEARS and did the whole high carb very low fat thing and was a full vegan at the time for 2 full years. Her video was just a paper thin argument and just bashing around the same couple ideas over and over and spewing at you. She never has much to say in her rebuttals or responses because she knows it’s full of shit what she’s doing and she doesn’t have any credentials or a valid argument for her actions and she knows that subconsciously. But of course like any human when cornered never wants to admit that. I’m so glad I got out of that as wel

  • 2:17 “choice” I hear that word a lot, and people seem to use the word “lifestyle” (in this context) as a dogwhistle for “choice”.

    I disagree and I think that they are wrong.

    In my experience “choice” or “choosing” were never factors that affected my health. Education, knowledge, income, availability (of palatable fruit and vegetables), and sickness (suffering) were the factors that had the most effect on my health.

    Toddlers are also showing increased obesity; ¿Are they making “lifestyle choices” XD, don’t make me laugh.

    It doesn’t help that the written resources for understanding the physics, biology, physiology of what is happening inside the body at a cellular, microscopic level… it doesn’t help that those resources are written using a lot of jargon. It doesn’t help that English orthography is, itself, opaque.

  • Hey!
    Can u give ur girl an interview!??��I’ve lost 135lbs and ive done it completely healthy and kept it off 3 years still going��I started a new yt channel at joy neville. I want to help others that feel stuck like I did. I want to motivate people! I know u have interviewed/shout out others that lossed weight in the past so I was just wondering��? Close mouth dont get fed. Momma always said ������

  • I love how many of them when asked if they’ve actually been to the doctor to confirm that they’re “healthy” they’ll usually deflect. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for not for feeling like total shit about your body, but let’s stop pretending like it’s OK to be fat just because your body isn’t falling apart….. YET and ignore all the concerns about obesity. These people are in denial and some plain out lie about their life.
    Thanks for posting this, keep spreading true positivity handsome ������

  • Oh god, this girl was so irrational. If my daughter became this obese I’d kill myself. Gladly, she is into Muay Thai and quite healthy.

  • Just an observation but this was one of your best videos imo based simply on the fact that you just talked in a normal way no spazzing out or cursing or the like. Just SO much more likeable when you take this approach.

  • hello, i’m at the binge watching-phase on this channel.. Love your content, it might be hard to answer to this question, but; I have a friend who is very overweight and as a friend i wanna see her live a long, healthy life! She’s into body positivity and in denial of the issues that obesity can cause. Also a big factor of cardiovascular diseases where we live.

  • Doesn’t make you healthier or happier? I’m just at A WEEK AND A HALF into my lifestyle and already I have:
    Sharper focus
    Stopped having trouble with gas and belching
    Back aches stopped
    Have more energy
    Constipation stopped
    Actually have less food cravings
    am LESS controlled by food

    And this is after ONE WEEK. So yeah, losing weight and improving diet definitely does give you health benefits

  • I think culture is such an important aspect in this obesity issue. France has one of the lowest obesity rates and their culture is super focussed on food. they are just so developped in the way they think about food. it’s super interesting. I sometimes feel bad for americans because I know that maybe they just didn’t have the same upbringing as me. if you’re not raised eating the right foods in the right quantities then It ‘s super difficult building healthy habits when you’re older. the first time I was in an american supermarket I was super confused. I remember thinking it couldn’t be a real food store. I had never seen so many processed foods in my life.

  • Good grief, the vast majority of my focus is my health. I sure as heck am not going to the gym and depriving myself of all the gloriously delicious food I want to eat because it is fun. Fat people are not guaranteed to have health problems, but the odds are astronomically higher.

  • I’ve gotten a lot of NEGATIVITY toward my body from “body positive” people. Apparently, I’m too thin (my BMI is over 20) and being oppressed by society. Uhhh, no, I was being oppressed by my excess fat and my rheumatoid arthritis! The feeling of being able to exercise WITHOUT PAIN is absolutely incredible!

  • I have been trying to find a way to get to this movement. I ask that you help me. I have a story I want to share with you and everyone. Some may get pissed and I’m sorry about that. This is my story. I get upset that fat people are healthy I beg to differ. I was once 280 lbs. I was married to a man that was over 300 lbs. He didn’t want me to lose the weight. When I tried he would be upset with me. The end of 2014 my husband had to have a triple bypass. He also had diabetes. I was very upset because he had to be on insulin. He wouldn’t exercise. Because he had diabetes he didn’t heal well. He didn’t lose alot of weight just a little bit. For a whole year I was with him back and forth in the hospital. The last time he went he was having bad fluid buildup. The valve they replaced wasn’t working. By this time they didn’t know how bad things were until the night he coded. They was able to get him back but he was on life support. He was losing kidney function. He was not able to talk. My husband and I were so close we could read each other’s thoughts. I was at the hospital for over a month. One night I watched as my husband was having a sponge bath. I looked at him and noticed he had tears coming down his face. I tried not to cry. It took four nurses. After they were done I walked over to him and he was trying to sign to me because he knew how to. It mad no sense to me. I knew what he was saying. I asked him he knew what would happen if I took him off the life support and he nodded yes. I said please don’t make me do this the tears came again. I had to call my children and his and my family and tell them what he wanted. I had to have a meeting with all his doctors. I was going to lose my husband. They took him off the life support and everyone was there. They took him off and everyone gave me a with him. He told me thank you, he said I love you and I told him too, we kissed. I stepped out for a couple of minutes and came back in he had gone into a comma. They kept him so far out that he felt no pain. It was so hard to know and wait for the love of your life to die. I think he died two days later. I don’t remember much after he was gone. It’s been 2 1/2 years now. I have lost 65 pounds. I have had to deal with so much on my own. I have Rheumatoid arthritis and I have to keep going of my joints start hurting so bad. I feel better than I use to. My children have also lost weight. I don’t want my children to be without another parent because I love them. My mother died 8 years ago today. She was heavy she had cancer, diabetes, heart problems thyroid problems and so much more due to her weight. I’m not bashing anyone. I’m telling you this because I care about you. No one should have to go through what I have been through. When I was bigger I had heart problems. I’m doing better now. I’m not shaming you people. I want to help you. I want you to know that what you are saying is going to send someone to an early grave. Please don’t do this. My husband died at the age of 47 yrs old. He was still very young. I’m 47 now. I refuse to end up dieing like that. I know this is long but I need everyone to hear this please. Being fat isn’t healthy. Please don’t delete this. Please let my story be heard. I want it to at least help someone. You will be how you will until something happens and it might be to late. You have the right to be like you are. I am not condemning you I’m just concerned. Please take care of yourself and each other.

  • A medical professional stating medical facts is not shaming anyone. They are projecting as deep down inside, fat activists have the shame they have suppressed. I don’t know if I have previously stated this in the comment section on this channel, but I was once dangerously obese. Health at any size is a lie. It is a lie that kills people every single day and it nearly killed me.

  • My sister and I are about the same weight, she is 7 cm taller than I am. My BMI is therefore worse. I have a body fat percentage of 21, she of 27. I am overweight, she isn’t. I work out 5 times a week, she doesn’t work out at all. She hears from the doctor that she needs to lose weight, no doctor has ever told me so. I think it is because I am a healthy size and she isn’t.

  • layne, the thing with you is that you think you have it all figured out yet when in reality it is impossible to have so. Just the fact that a lot of so called experts advocate completely different diets, shows us that we are far away from a general consensus of what is healthy eating and what not. Insulin sensitivity can vary in an order of magnitude of tenfold, so how can carbs be healthy for everybody?

  • Can you be over-weight and healthy? yes it’s possible. Can you be obese and healthy? short term maybe, long term probably not! Can you be healthy at any size? ‘No’ simple!

  • Cover of the year award? Yeah, bow down to absurdity or you’ll be vilified and accused of hate speech by the left-wing SJW’s if you don’t. And a health warning is “NOT” body shaming. Just because you’ve accepted what you’ve become doesn’t mean we have to accept what you are. Humans are not suppose to be 500 lbs. Btw, I’d like to see Tess Holiday keep up with me when I sprint. I’m 58 and I can move like Wile E Coyote. Meep meep.

    Dr Now said: It’s not the excuses coming out of your mouth, it’s the food that goes in it. And he’s right.

  • Yea, I bet those people on “My 600 Pound Life” are super healthy! I’m sure they just enjoy being in the hospital over and over again because they are oh so healthy. Annually, $140 billion is spent on taking care of these morbidly obese people. $140 BILLION! These people cost US taxpayers on average, $1,000 a year JUST FROM YOU! There is a direct correlation between being obese and government assistance usage. This includes Medicare/Medicaid use, food assistance, disability, housing, payment of caregivers, transportation, and the list goes on and on. I’m empathetic to people’s situations and would never insult anyone but I’m also an NP and I cannot stress to my patients of maintaining a healthy weight. It’s not ok and should never be to teach this message.

  • I was over 300 lbs, and I lost 100, then gained back about 60, before losing 20 again in 2017, since then I’ve been fighting back and forth with that 20 lbs. But I have no metabolic syndrome diseases at all. I still struggle with fast food (sigh) but I am a regular and in fact a compulsive exerciser. I love it and do it all! Even burpees!!! I’m overweight.. does that mean I’m still at a risk or does losing the weight cover me?

  • John speaks the truth! When i was 320#, it was impossible to bend down to tie my shoe cause my “gut” was in the way. I though i was healthy but turns out, i had diabetes!!! Fast forward today, I’m 180# and can still barely tie my shoe, lol…. standing at 5’8!

  • I struggled with my weight since 3rd grade and have been obese my entire life. When my wife died when we were both 43, my eating habits have changed dramatically due to depression. I don’t care about food anymore and don’t care if I eat, however, my mindset is that I have to eat to stay alive so therefore I eat to be alive and I eat healthily and watch what I put in my body every day. I Do Not overeat any longer and watch my sugar intake. So many of us “FAT” people are doing our part in taking care of our bodies but cannot seem to lose weight. Maybe it’s genetics, maybe it’s something else. But, please for the love of God, Don’t lump us all in the same category of All Fat people. Because some of us are trying and want to be healthy and are concerned about further health issues. But doctors are always placing us in certain parameters that don’t fit. So please research this further before judging and placing all the blame on overeating.

  • Health at Every Size is not saying that everyone is healthy at every size. The message is that you can engage at healthful behaviors that aren’t focused on weight loss at ANY size and that you should not be stigmatized either way. You should not be stigmatized and bullied if you choose to live as an unhealthy fat person. Same as you should not be stigmatized if you are thin, anorexic, slightly overweight, obese, whatever. You can’t just look at a person’s body and decide whether they are healthy or not. The reality here is that 95% of diets fail and weight cycling is far worse for you then if you just remained where you are in size and worked towards building a healthy relationship towards food and exercise.

  • Addiction of any kind is bad. People with addictions deserve our love support and compassion and most importantly respect. But unhealthy is unhealthy. That’s just a fact.