The findings suggest that significant improvements in overall health can be made, regardless of weight loss, when women learn to recognize and follow internal hunger cues and begin feeling better about their size and shape.
In a wonderful summary of the 2005 UC Davis Study quoted above, which was performed to address the differences between diets and a Health at Every Size approach to eating and physical activity; the Well Rounded Mama has quickly and succintly pointed out the best part.
While it may seem that dieting to lose weight is healthier, for many people the HAES approach results in better health in the long run.
From the article on the study itself we even have this gem:
Behavior change and self-acceptance trump dieting hands-down when it comes to achieving long-term health improvements in obese women, according to a two-year study by nutrition researchers at the University of California, Davis.
Well. Who’dda thunk it? Listening to our wonderful bodies and treating ourselves with respect have better results than any amount of calorie restriction, forced exercise and self-hatred ever could. Here’s to actually loving the bodies we’re in and making them healthier with love and compassion; listening and understanding; rather than destroying them with diets.
I hereby give you permission to STOP hating yourself and START listening to yourself; START loving yourself. Afterall, you’ll get healthier if you do.
