Linda Bacon's new book
Lots of people I know are excited about Linda Bacon's new book Health At Every Size. But I'm having trouble getting past phrases like this from the preface (a long quote to show context; skip to the italics [emphasis added by me] if you want):
"The news that your body undermines your efforts at weight control is actually good, because it also indicates that your body is enormously successful at manipulating your weight. You can harness that power to your advantage. Your body is ready to help you achieve a healthy weight, if you simply allow it to do its job. You can reclaim sensitivity to its signals, and you can also adopt lifestyle habits, such as changing the types of food you eat and your activity habits, that will improve your health and support you in achieving and maintaining the weight that is right for you."
"In other words, the best way to win the war against fat is to give up the fight. Turn over control to your body and you will settle at a healthy weight. And regardless of whether you do lose weight, your health and well-being will markedly improve. You will find that biology is much more powerful than willpower."
I think that body size should be viewed as neutral, not as something to be achieved. Dr.. Bacon is essentially saying, improve your eating habits and be more physically active, and you will achieve a healthy weight. She also says that you'll be more healthy even if you don't lose weight. So. Why even talk about a "healthy weight"?
My conclusion is that Dr. Bacon doesn't really believe in a "healthy weight" (there is such a thing as setpoint weight, but one can be at the setpoint weight and not be in the best of health), but is using the phrase to make the book sound like a diet/self help book and therefore sell more copies. I don't like that.
PS: NAAFA.
"The news that your body undermines your efforts at weight control is actually good, because it also indicates that your body is enormously successful at manipulating your weight. You can harness that power to your advantage. Your body is ready to help you achieve a healthy weight, if you simply allow it to do its job. You can reclaim sensitivity to its signals, and you can also adopt lifestyle habits, such as changing the types of food you eat and your activity habits, that will improve your health and support you in achieving and maintaining the weight that is right for you."
"In other words, the best way to win the war against fat is to give up the fight. Turn over control to your body and you will settle at a healthy weight. And regardless of whether you do lose weight, your health and well-being will markedly improve. You will find that biology is much more powerful than willpower."
I think that body size should be viewed as neutral, not as something to be achieved. Dr.. Bacon is essentially saying, improve your eating habits and be more physically active, and you will achieve a healthy weight. She also says that you'll be more healthy even if you don't lose weight. So. Why even talk about a "healthy weight"?
My conclusion is that Dr. Bacon doesn't really believe in a "healthy weight" (there is such a thing as setpoint weight, but one can be at the setpoint weight and not be in the best of health), but is using the phrase to make the book sound like a diet/self help book and therefore sell more copies. I don't like that.
PS: NAAFA.