We hope your new year is off to a great start!  Last month, we began a discussion about some misconceptions of obesity in light of the fact that a reoccurring New Year’s resolution for Americans is to lose weight¹.  This month, we continue our discussion regarding the misguided actions to treat obesity that stem from our misconceptions, and how wellness coaching is an ideal and essential alternative to these actions.

Misguided Actions to Treat Obesity
When we work from the misconceptions we have of obesity, this leads us to take misguided actions to treat or “cure” it.  The Huffington Post article we’ve been referencing states these actions can come from a variety of sources.  Healthcare providers may find themselves addressing weight with a patient whether or not that patient came in to discuss weight loss, and this may be due to regulations that require this if someone has a certain BMI.  Additionally, doctors may be put in situations where they must discuss nutrition and exercise with patients, but lack the training and education to do so, or enough time to really figure out what would be helpful for their patients individually².

Though the intentions may be good, both parties can feel defeated in this scenario.  Patients may think their weight is always the most important thing to discuss, and yet feel as though they don’t have the right tools to do anything about it, while doctors may feel like they aren’t adequately assisting and equipping their patients².

At a more macro level, insurance and governmental policies can be counterproductive when it comes to obesity, as well.  Insurance companies don’t cover many sessions with dieticians or for behavioral therapy-things that can prove beneficial when someone aspires to lose weight². Health intervention programs usually want to see success in the form of weight loss, and this desire may be coming from governmental grant funding focused on driving down U.S. obesity rates.

On a personal level, friends and family may try to help a loved one lose weight thinking this will help them be happier and healthier, and yet instead the person feels ashamed, and may even pursue unhealthy behaviors in response to the actions of their family and friends².

So, all of this begs the question:  What if we are focusing on the wrong thing?

What if instead of focusing on weight, we focused on health?

By focusing on health, we can look at other numbers besides weight, such as blood glucose and cholesterol levels.  We can take a more holistic approach, by assessing mental, emotional, and spiritual health, in addition to physical health.  And we can focus more on building healthy habits and behaviors, rather than zeroing in on weight loss.

How would a focus on health change the above scenarios?

Would the doctors feel less pressure to always discuss weight with their patients, and perhaps be able to focus on getting them to their optimal level of health?  Would patients feel less apprehension when going to see the doctor, knowing that they won’t always have to discuss their weight? And what if doctors partnered with nutrition and exercise specialists, and could refer patients to these specialists for more individualized care?

What if insurance companies covered more benefits that increased our health status, whether or not we’re currently sick, so that our bodies were functioning at their highest capacity?  What if health interventions were focused on getting folks healthier, regardless of whether or not they lose weight?  What if these interventions could get funding simply for increasing the health of their participants?

These are certainly worthy goals we want to pursue, but as the Huffington Post article mentions, widespread change takes time².

In the meantime, there is hope for a better way.

Here at Smart Fit Chicks, we work with women of all backgrounds, sizes, colors, and shapes, and our goal is to help you pursue the healthiest version of you.

How do we do this?

We are trained as wellness coaches, which means we walk you through determining what living a healthy life means to YOU and what goals you want to pursue to achieve that.  We assist you in uncovering your strengths, recognizing the resources available to you that will help you be successful, and problem solving with you when you face challenges along the way.  AND…we focus less on outcomes, like weight loss, and more on creating and maintaining the habits and behaviors that will help you live a healthy life.

So, if you find yourself relating to one or more of the scenarios listed above and you’re ready to try something new, or if you feel like you’re already losing momentum on those New Year’s resolutions, wellness coaching may be perfect for you. You can sign up here and ask us any questions before getting started.

It’s not too late to make 2019 your healthiest year yet.  And wellness coaching can help you get there.

 

Written by:  Brittni Paris, SFC wellness coach & blogger

Sources:

¹K McGrath. (2018, December 13).  What will consumers buy in 2019? Retrieved from:  https://www.offers.com/blog/post/new-year-purchase-predictions/

²Hobbes, M. (2018, September 18).  Everything you know about obesity is wrong.  Huffington Post.  Retrieved from:  https://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/everything-you-know-about-obesity-is-wrong/

Photo Credits:

https://www.apwuhp.com/how-to-start-exercising-when-you-are-overweight/

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

Photo by henri meilhac on Unsplash