What Is a Size-Inclusive and Anti-Diet Therapist?
If you’ve looked into therapy related to body image, dieting, or food, you’ve probably seen the words ‘anti-diet’ and ‘size-inclusive’ floating around. These words are commonly used in the field of body image, nutrition, and healthcare, but what do they actually mean? And how do they translate to mental health therapy?
Diet Culture
It all starts with the concept of diet culture. Diet culture refers to a group of ever-changing myths about food and bodies. It promotes the idea that your weight determines how healthy you are. It puts certain body shapes above others, and it idealises thinness and demonises fatness.
Simply put, diet culture wants you to believe that all thin people are healthy and all fat people are unhealthy, and that all fat people should lose weight in order to become healthy.
Diet culture idealises losing weight and following a diet. It tries to tell you that you shouldn’t eat carbs, have pancakes for breakfast, and that you should hit the gym if you’ve had a naughty little treat for dessert.
Read more about diet culture and how it may be impacting your life here.
What Does it Mean to Be Anti-Diet?
People who are anti-diet, like me, acknowledge that diets set people up for failure. We recognise that diets can cause disordered eating, depression, anxiety, loss of self-worth, negative body image, a difficult relationship with food, and a disconnect between the mind and body. We also acknowledge that this is backed by recent and extensive research.
As an anti-diet therapist, I reject the idolisation of thinness in our society. I acknowledge that we shouldn’t be restricting the body of food and punishing it with exercise, but I also recognise that social media, popular culture, films, books, and magazines have led us to believe that we should. I understand that many of us have grown up with the belief that thin means healthy and fat means unhealthy, and that it takes time and a lot of work to challenge that deep-seated belief.
So how does an anti-diet approach translate to therapy?
I will never recommend or push for weight loss or dieting
I educate my clients on the mechanisms of diets and why the vicious cycle of dieting sets you up for failure.
We examine how dieting has contributed to any feelings of low self-esteem and reframe these beliefs. “I wasn’t strong enough to follow a diet and lose weight” versus “Diets don’t work in the long term and it’s not my fault.”
We look at ways in which diet culture is present your environment (people you interact with, social media, workplace, doctors, tv and film) and how you can reduce its presence in your life
We work on establishing a relationship with the body that isn’t based on restriction, calories, and kilograms, but joyful movement, enjoyable nourishment, and an identity that isn’t determined by their body, appearance, or weight
I teach clients emotional regulation skills and coping mechanisms that help to build confidence and manage anxiety when they have to engage in difficult conversations about their weight (for example with a doctor, health professional, family member, or partner)
We might explore different approaches to consuming food (for example intuitive eating or mindful eating) and engaging in enjoyable movement that brings you joy and pleasure
What Does it Mean to Be Size-Inclusive?
A size-inclusive practitioner acknowledges that people in all sizes and shapes deserve appropriate treatment for mental and physical health. We understand that there is a weight bias in healthcare and that fat people are often discriminated against or dismissed because of their weight, which makes many people hesitant to seek help for their mental and physical health.
As a size-inclusive therapist, I welcome clients of any size. I understand that size does not determine my clients’ health, and I do not believe that anyone owes me an explanation for why they are their current size. It doesn’t matter why you are thin, fat, or ‘average’-sized. You don’t need to have a reason. I believe that everyone should have access to mental healthcare, and I’ll welcome you into my therapy space and work with you to achieve your goals.
As a fat woman myself, I also use my lived experience to deeply understand the experience of other fat people, the medical discrimination they’ve faced, and the particular difficulties and challenges that come with being a fat person.
Are You Looking for a Size-Inclusive, Anti-Diet Therapist?
I work with clients to help them recover from diet culture, improve their body image, and reduce shame and restriction in their lives. If it sounds like we’d be a good match, you can book a free 15-minute call or book a session with me.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out via yasmine@outofthewoodscounselling.net if you have any questions.
