Improving on the "Health at Every Size" Eating Plan

Yesterday, I said there is Food for Thought in the "Health at Every Size" (HAES) Eating Plan.

What I don’t like about the 2005 HAES Study reported Wednesday is that none of the participants really succeeded in significantly improving their health.

The diet group regained all the lost weight within two years and had no improvement in blood pressure or cholesterol levels.

The participants following the HAES plan liked themselves better, had improved blood pressure and cholesterol levels but had lost no weight and were still obese.

In my opinion, the HAES Plan needs to be taken one step further. I agree that it is important to:

1. Have good self-esteem, no matter what you weigh;
2. Not blame yourself for restrictive diets that don’t work;
3. Learn to listen to your body’s cues regarding when and what to eat; and
4. Enjoy your food.

For those who are seriously overweight or obese, The HAES Plan is a step in the right direction; but it’s not enough.

If you’re in one of these high weight groups (or even inching your weight toward them), you know that the HAES Plan is not enough.

You know the pain in your joints caused by excess weight, the difficulty rising from a chair, the acid reflux, perhaps even type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, ... or other diseases associated with high weight.

So to the four points of the HAES Plan above, I would add that it is important:

5. To lose weight, but not with restrictive diets and weight cycling.

Tomorrow, I’ll give you some real strategies to help you do this in Improving on the "Health at Every Size" Eating Plan, Conclusion.

Tags: cravings, enjoy your food, holiday diet tips, avoid holiday weight gain, eat healthy for life