An Overweighed Culture

Being in the field of nutrition it is hard to separate myself from the dominant notion that body weight is important. So many people seem to be using food to either lose weight, gain weight, or to somehow manipulate their physique. Food often loses it's pleasure and becomes a tool for people to alter their image, and often the measure of success is a number on a scale.

As a personal stance of rejection of the dominant weight norms, I have chosen not to weigh myself for the last several years. I knew that the day would come when a doctor or nurse would ask to weigh me and I imagined myself getting on my soap box and explaining to them that there are MANY markers of health and that no, they may not weigh me because I did not feel that it would give them any useful information on my health status.

Well, the day came. And I wimped out I guess. I went in for a physical exam as part of the pre-employment process for my new job and the nurse asked for me to get on the scale. The thought of rebellion fleeted by and I let it pass, choosing not to make a scene at my new place of employment. Actually, I found myself a little curious... What did I weigh?

So I decided as a compromise that I would not look at the scale nor would I ask what the number was, but if she told me that would be that. And of course, she told me.

When I work with clients I try to help them focus on other markers of health than the number on the scale. But this is not an easy task with at every turn health care professionals are weighing them and either shaking their finger or congratulating them on the changes in that number. As a culture I feel that we are overweighed.

Not only are health care professionals weighing us as every visit, we do it to ourselves! Weight has became so important to us that most folks have a scale in their own home and can tell you to the pound how much they weighed today, yesterday, and a year ago. For many, it is an unhealthy habit, moving them away from actually being in touch with their bodies and listening internally for changes in their health.

If the idea that health is more than a number on a scale interests you, I recommend checking out Linda Bacon's book: Health at Every Size and Marc David's book: The Slow Down Diet. Both authors discuss how your relationship with food is the key to health and happiness, not the number on a scale. These books helped me on my journey to making peace with food, I hope you find them useful!