Health at Every Size The Surprising Truth about Your Weight
Fat isn’t the problem. Dieting is the problem. A society that rejects anyone whose body shape or size doesn’t match an impossible ideal is the problem. A medical establishment that equates “thin” with “healthy” is the problem. Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight by Linda Bacon, PhD, presents a well-researched, healthy-living manual that debunks the weight myths and translates the latest science into practical advice to help readers forever end their battle with weight.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars The Truth Will Set You Free (from dieting!)
You know this in your heart-of-hearts as truth: every time you diet, you always gain more weight back than you lost, your skinny friend eats more than you but remains thin, you exercise regularly and feel fit, but you still don’t lose weight, and that sometimes the craving for food seems completely irrational and irresistible, despite all your will power. But heart-of-heart knowing does not carry the same weight (sorry!) as facts, research, and data.
Dr. Linda Bacon uses scientific research to explain, in easy to understand conversational language, the physical mechanisms that cause rebound weight gain after dieting and that work to preserve fat rather than lose fat. She exposes the sources of the inability to recognize natural feelings of hunger and satiety. She explains what 20th Century food additives have done to our ability to process the food we eat. Once you gain this understanding of the science of how your body works, all of your intuitive knowledge about your weight makes perfect sense.
Dr. Bacon outlines a do-able plan for replacing artificial dieting with techniques for re-learning to eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. She emphasizes making healthful food choices, bringing movement into your life, and allowing your body to stabilize at its own unique set point. “Diet” is rescued from being a hateful verb, full of punishing calorie counting, and returned to meaning simply what you choose to eat. Dr. Bacon’s “non-diet” encourages healthful, satisfying choices, in order to honor your own unique body, no matter what size you are.
I love this book!
5 Stars A realistic look at health
I’m so thrilled there’s a movement, with Linda Bacon in the front row, to get people to feel comfortable with the healthy versions of themselves–not other people. This book shows how one size doesn’t fit all and debunks the health myths that have been circulating for years.
4 Stars Research is excellent
I recently purchased this book. The review and academic interpretation of weight loss studies is excellent and worth the price of the book. Anyone who has tried to lose weight and think they have failed should read what the author finds about the topic. The balance of the book, where she gets into her method to lose weight (or be happy where you are) is less impressive and falls into the tiring mountain of “how to lose/be healthy” books on the market.
4 Stars Great one!
I bought this book last year. I’ve read through it twice, but I usually just read an excerpt here and there.
Dr. Bacon definitely knows her stuff. I think the important thing we have to remember is that HAES does not say that you at the current moment are at your best size, but if you make positive changes to your entire lifestyle, love yourself, and focus on the health side of things instead of changes in size, you will reap health benefits.
That’s undeniably true. My whole grip on health? It goes away as soon as I hate myself, eat poorly, and don’t exercise. Hating myself makes it worse, and correlating exercising and a good diet with negativity (I.e. “I don’t wanna do pushups!”; WTF CELERY STICKS!!?! lol) is not going to help either.
The whole concept of HAES lives with me in a sort of marriage with functional fitness. I do have my “Fun goals” at times (I.e. Like working on doing splits when I could be fine with just touching toes [Which I do everyday putting my shoes on at almost 5′11″), but I have those very functional goals at times too. Like I consider my HAES/Function goal for a three mile run to have fun, and really to try my best not to stop running until it’s over. I might go woohoo if I run a 1.5 mile in under nine minutes, but that’s not as big a goal as having fun, and continuing to charge. All I need is some tunes blasting in my ear, and it’s like I am at a party. Hehe 
The concept in essence taught me to love working out. I do it everyday now (Whether it’s some rounds in the ring/on the mat, a run, weight lifting, bodyweight exercises, swimming, and more…), and I support the concept as a thin person. For me it’s just about changing focus. My goal is not physical. It is to enhance/maintain my abilities (Strength, power, flexibility, balance, coordination, endurance, agility… You know… Actual fitness? Lol). Ok. Maybe some physical things. Punching, kicking, defending, countering, throwing, and manipulating the joints of my opponent. Yea yea. But that’s not about the look kids. lol :p
I recommend this book to anyone. It’s incredibly beneficial in a society that spreads the flawed notion that the look is more important than abilities.
5 Stars The Best Book on Weight loss Myths Ever!
As a survivor of bulimia I was very excited to read Linda Bacon’s book
Health at Every Size:The Surprising Truth about Your Weight.
With solid scientific research to back up her claims, she has come up with a program to help ANYONE improve their health. She exposes the truth about the dangers and unhealthy results of tampering with your natural weight through restrained eating. She also brings to light the economic motivation behind the media hype that fear mongers us into craziness and body/weight obsession.
I came away from this book outraged. I thought to myself, not only was I hoodwinked by the beauty and fashion industry that I must be a certain size to be considered acceptable, but now I was lied to by my own government and medical establishment that supports the idea that dieting and maintaining an unnatural weight is healthy for me.
It made me angry to think that young people are told this lie and eating disorders of all kinds are created by these beliefs.
Please read this book and learn how to stop hurting yourself and start helping yourself.
This book coupled with It’s Not About Food by Laurelee Roark and Carol Emery Normandi are life savers.
Letting go of habitual dieting or eating disorders is not something one can do on their own. If you are having trouble with it please seek therapy and support. Make sure your therapist or support system understands Health at Every Size and non-dieting as a tool in your overall recovery process.
