As a functional health practitioner who encounters the topic of weight and body image regularly as part of my job as well as a woman with my own personal roller coaster journey with the two, I have quite a lot to say, and a lot of it that goes against the mainstream misguided suggestions and beliefs most women have been exposed to- and may not even realize they are perpetuating.

Yet my passion for women’s health motivates me to bust these myths and provide the truth, while also helping women understand more deeply what is natural and totally healthy when it comes to this topic.

Because the reality regarding this is pretty upsetting. Not only is the weight loss industry a multibillion-dollar one, but more women than men are targeted and even starting at very young ages. It seems like everything we’re being told from all directions- the media, fitness culture, even the medical community- tells us we need to make our bodies smaller to be healthier, more beautiful, more successful, and more worthy.

It’s been shown that about half of adults in the U.S. are dieting to lose weight, with over half of those being women (1) (and this is older data so I’d assume these numbers have only risen, especially with the increased popularity and reach of social media).

It’s so common- even normalized- for women to not only be dieting for weight loss, but be depleting, depriving, and exhausting themselves in order to get there. Many eating habits that are extremely unhealthy are accepted as completely fine and even promoted- like skipping meals and cutting out entire food groups!

Three-quarters of women in one study were found to have unhealthy thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to their bodies or food and ten percent of them reported symptoms consistent with eating disorders (2). Rates of women struggling with eating disorders including anorexia and bulimia continue to rise.

It’s extremely rare to meet a woman who has not been on a diet at least once in her lifetime. In fact, the average woman spends 17 years of her life dieting (3). And it all begins from a very young age (which is scary to think about not just for the mental/emotional impacts but also physical)! Almost half of girls in elementary school have been on a diet (4) but by age 10, that increases up to 80% (5).

Sadly this isn’t shocking, as many weight loss companies actually target children! Weight Watchers actually has a weight loss app for kids aged 8-17! (I personally joined Weight Watchers at age 12 and it was so damaging for me in so many ways, especially how I view food and my body for over a decade).

But we can change this. Especially moms, who have a major influence over our children’s body image- children as young as age 5-8 are more likely to be dissatisfied with their bodies if they think their moms are dissatisfied with their own (6).

So it’s not only about breaking the cycle for ourselves, but also for our children and future generations.

Let’s begin by diving into the top 6 things I wish all women knew about their bodies in regard to their weight and size:

1: The scale isn’t actually the best metric of progress on your health journey and in fact, the most informative health markers don’t involve body weight, shape, or size.

So many women were taught that the scale is the *best* way to assess their weight as well as their health- misguidedly confusing the two as being synonymous. (Thanks, diet culture). And in particular, the scale is a primary tool used to measure progress in both of those areas- but it really misses the mark.

It’s important to understand that body weight is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. And contrary to popular belief, losing weight does not automatically improve health and vice versa! So this means that body weight isn’t actually a very helpful metric of health (especially on its own).

While the scale does measure body weight, that’s all it does. The scale not only can’t differentiate body composition (i.e. body fat from, lean muscle tissue from organs and bones), it also cannot tell anything about the inner workings of the body, which tell a ton more about health.

Plus, the number on the scale will naturally fluctuate for women- especially throughout the menstrual cycle and different seasons of motherhood. It can even increase- either temporarily or more long-term- while healing is occurring on the inside.

How you feel on the inside and how your body is functioning are much, much more important ways to assess health and progress. More specifically, markers like body temperature, pulse, and fasting insulin and glucose provide much more accurate and helpful information than the scale ever can. And even less directly measurable but still very insightful things like your mood, libido, energy level, and appetite provide far more context about your true health.

A focus on the scale is just way too-oversimplified and can set us up not only for frustration, shame, and disappointment, it can actually detract from our health both physically and mentally. For example, women often easily sabotage their health progress because the scale isn’t shifting in the direction they desire or expect. How many times have you stepped on and seen a number you don’t like, so decided to restrict your diet further or increase your exercise intensity or both? Very rarely, that’s truly what our bodies need.

It’s also common for women to step on the scale out of curiosity (or hope) because they’ve been feeling so good- their energy is up, their sleep has improved, their periods are less painful. Yet when the number doesn’t match the idea they had in their head, they feel sad, defeated, and even disappointed in themselves. But for what reason? The scale has far too tight of a grip on us- it’s time to let it go.

2: BMI (body mass index) is an inherently flawed measurement (yet it's still a standard means of assessing health especially in the medical community).

Okay, now we’re cool with the scale stuff but what about BMI (body mass index)? Well, this metric just takes the scale a step further by using body weight in a simple math equation- specifically, dividing body weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters.

Sound arbitrary? That’s because it is.

BMI is an extremely outdated measurement- first developed over 200 years ago by a male astronomer and mathematician who studied its use in Belgian and German populations. “Cut points” were actually established by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in the 1940s to assess risk of dying.

And get this- “body mass index” was officially named and institutionalized by Ancel Keys in the 1970s- the same guy who wrongly linked dietary saturated fat and cholesterol with heart disease.

Since then, BMI has been utilized as a standard measurement and is actually a top metric in the U.S. healthcare system- particularly used to define people as healthy and unhealthy and assess disease risk.

There are a bunch of reasons why the BMI measurement is so flawed including that it:

Was originally developed and used in populations very different than of today
Is too simplified, just like measuring only body weight (i.e. missing body composition as well as metabolic function).
Doesn’t actually properly estimate body fat like it’s intended.
Cannot fully assess the risk of disease as there are so many factors including lifestyle habits that have an impact.
Over or under exaggerate fat depending on one’s height
Continues to fuel diet culture’s spewing of harmful misinformation and body shaming.
Disproportionately misclassifies people of color who have different body compositions as overweight or obese, especially Black women

In fact, it’s been shown that higher BMIs may even be health-protective (7, 8)- particularly for women (9, 10, 11).

So why is this calculation still used so prevalently and is often the primary (and sometimes only) measurement determining medical advice given to patients and even treatment prescribed? (Including weight loss surgery which has become almost a standard of care today). I don’t have that answer but suspect it has a lot to do with politics and money and the huge time lag in findings of health research to actual application.

3: Caloric restriction isn’t actually a healthy or successful approach to health or fat loss- it can actually slow your metabolism, making weight management more difficult.

If you’ve ever been on a diet or simply lessened your caloric intake, you’re likely aware that it’s not only really challenging and not necessarily enjoyable, but you may have experienced more symptoms like fatigue, sleep issues, sluggish digestion, sugar cravings, hair loss, and brain fog to name a few.

Low-calorie and other restrictive diets also are problematic because they make it more difficult to get the nutrients you need to function your best, can result in obsessive and disordered eating behaviors, can negatively impact menstrual cycle health and fertility (12, 13), and overall don’t support a nourished, happy life?

But did you know that caloric-restriction also typically doesn’t result in long-term weight loss? In fact, more than 80% of people who go on calorie-restricted diets regain any weight lost within 5 years (14).

There are many reasons for this- including how unsustainable diets are as well as the fact that they- along with other weight loss efforts- cause changes in the body that make weight regain more likely.

Our metabolisms- all the chemical processes in our bodies that produce and use energy, fueling our whole systems from digestion to hormone production to brain function and more- are highly adaptable. The human body is constantly seeking homeostasis- or internal balance.

When our energy (calorie) intake is reduced, our metabolisms respond! First, sending us signs (like hunger cues and even more intense cravings) but eventually, when we don’t listen to those signals, our metabolisms reduce our energy expenditure in order to conserve. This simply means that caloric restriction leads to decreased metabolic function (15, 16)- our bodies actually naturally resist weight loss! (Is it becoming clear why you feel worse on these diets? Your body has less energy to run!)

Have you ever lost weight but hit a plateau? This is essentially what’s happening. And a big problem with this- particularly the common misunderstandings of it- is that it often leads to further caloric restriction and therefore, more of a decrease in metabolism.

For example, say a woman’s TDEE (total daily energy expenditure or calorie needs) is 2,400 calories per day. She wants to lose weight, so she follows a 1,800-calorie diet and loses 8 pounds. But then her weight loss stalls as her body has adapted, so she decreases her intake to 1,500 calories and loses a few more pounds. Eventually, her progress stalls again.

But say she’s content with her weight loss now, so goes off her diet and back to eating her usual amounts. If her metabolism has adapted to her 1,500 calorie/day diet, is it any surprise that she eventually gains the weight she’s lost back when eating an extra 500 calories a day?

Caloric restriction and weight loss efforts in general also often lead to a loss of muscle mass in addition to fat (17, 18). Muscle is the more calorically “expensive” tissue so the body doesn’t want to keep it around if it doesn’t have sufficient energy to fuel processes more crucial for survival!

What is a healthy and more successful approach if one does want to lose weight? Starting by optimizing metabolic function to increase energy expenditure, especially with weight training and muscle building along with a fully nourishing diet.

4: If there’s any body composition goal that’s productive, it’s building more muscle tissue. This improves metabolic function and insulin sensitivity and makes you a stronger, more functional, and more resilient human.

There’s a lot of nuance to this whole conversation of weight and body size, and while health-at-every-size and body positivity are very beneficial movements, we also can’t ignore that body composition can be shifted in a way that better supports health- even independent of body weight.

Muscle tissue is so important- it protects our bones and joints, improves our heart health, and supports our immune systems. It also “boosts” metabolism (i.e. increases metabolic rate/energy expenditure) and increases insulin sensitivity, therefore improving blood sugar handling (a core foundation of health).

It also makes every-day life easier- muscle supports strength, which helps you in a zillion ways (i.e. moving furniture, carrying groceries, picking up your kid(s), opening a jar of pickles). It’s been shown that strength training actually increases the quality of life (19).

It’s even been found that people who do workouts focused on muscle-building are less likely to die prematurely compared to those who don’t (20). Ever hear the phrase “harder to kill”? Strength = resilience.

And yes, building muscle and therefore, shifting your body composition can lead to more desired exterior body changes, too (muscle takes up less space). Many women want to achieve a more “toned” body, don’t realize what they truly want is to build muscle.

Even though it’s so beneficial, we do start losing muscle mass in our 30s- and women faster than men. (And as mentioned above, it’s common to unknowingly lose muscle in our weight loss efforts). So it’s imperative we counterbalance this and ideally, work to increase the amount of muscle tissue we have.

How? A progressive weight-training program (my favorite one for women here) (affiliate link) paired with a nourishing diet that provides sufficient calories and nutrients!

5: Body fat has a purpose, with important roles like protecting your organs, serving as stored energy and nutrients, and insulating your body - and is especially helpful for women during childbearing years.

It’s no secret that our culture is weight-obsessed and along with that, tends to demonize all body fat! When in reality, body fat (or “adipose tissue”) is absolutely vital- especially for women! In fact, women naturally have more body fat (around 10%+ on average (21) including 4x as much essential fat than men (22) and distribute it differently.

Our body fat surrounds and cushions our organs, insulates our bodies to protect us from the cold, stores vitamins, acts as an endocrine organ, and serves as a stored source of energy to protect against starvation. Specifically, we need this “fuel tank” to provide energy to our brains which require a disproportionate amount of our daily calories (around ⅓!).

If we go long periods without food, the body must rely on stored fuel for energy- our body fat as well as our muscle tissue (which you now realize is precious and we don’t want our bodies needing to tap into for energy)! For females, our fat distribution actually protects against metabolic diseases (23) and levels are crucial for reproductive health.

This is why women gain additional fat during pregnancy- to support growth and development and prepare for breastfeeding.

(If a pregnant mom doesn’t gain sufficient weight, the risk of low birth weight and failure to initiate breastfeeding are both increased (24)

Side note: While there are recommendations for gestational weight gain based on pre-pregnancy weight and even suggested limits, I am all for letting the body do what it needs to as long as mom + baby are healthy. In my practice, I’ve actually seen higher weight gain correlate with healthier outcomes. I’ve also seen a connection between the amount of weight gained and a history of dieting and nutrient depletion.

But this is also why many women find that they need to gain some weight for fertility purposes and also why weight loss can be such a challenge in the postpartum period! Particularly when breastfeeding, (contrary to the commonly-held belief that breastfeeding leads to more rapid weight loss) our bodies do not want to release body fat- it provides a form of safety.

In fact, lactation hormones actually increase our appetites and decrease fat metabolism- protective natural mechanisms put in place by our bodies to protect our babies. Women may even find their bodies gain more fat after weaning- which has a biological reason, too- getting ready for the next pregnancy (whether that’s an actual goal of ours or not).

What if you’re not having babies anymore or at all? Well, fertility is a sign of a healthy body in the post-pubescent and pre-menopausal time period regardless, so even if your goal isn’t pregnancy, your body still is functioning in a way as if it were. Healthy levels of body fat are just as important, especially for maintaining a healthy menstrual cycle.

And what’s a healthy percentage of body fat for women? It depends, but mid to high 20’s and even low 30’s can be perfectly healthy. Keep in mind that 10-13% of our body fat is absolutely essential, so low percentages are extremely unhealthy.

6: Your happy weight is the one you naturally reach when your body feels its best- nourished, energized, and relatively symptom-free, your metabolism is vibrant and, and you can live your most fulfilled life- (and it may be 10-20 pounds higher than you think).

I’d argue that most women have no clue what their true happy weight is. They have a number or range in their head perhaps, but it’s often highly influenced or even totally determined by societal standards, a BS chart they found on the internet, or even a weight they were decades ago that now is not attainable or sustainable (and possibly never was).

Many women are shocked to find out that their happy weight is higher than they assumed or even have been trying to reach their whole lives. (Maybe 5-10 pounds more but often, 15-20+!) We’ve been conditioned to not only restrict our food and exercise until exhausted in order to shrink ourselves but simultaneously to shame and pick apart our bodies- to the point that even our “ideal” weight wouldn’t actually be a happy one.

In fact, our bodies each have their own natural “set weight” where they like to be and will defend themselves in ways aimed at maintaining this specific weight. (Remember the concept of homeostasis?)

Yet regardless of this, in Western cultures especially, thinness for women is idealized along with the false concept that all bodies should (and can) look the same. And this is perpetuated by media, diet and fitness culture, and even healthcare, leading many women to desire and work for bodies that are smaller or weigh less than is actually healthy as well as inaccurately perceive their own body size (25). This desire even starts as early as age 6 (6).

And on top of all of this, not only is the concept of the “ideal body” unattainable for most women it actually isn’t set in stone, either. Body ideals for women especially have been different through various periods in history and across different cultures. Further proving that there truly is no one perfect shape or size. All bodies are unique and all bodies are beautiful.

Once you not only see how our perception is so highly influenced and learn what’s actually healthy and what female physiology requires but also start truly nourishing your body, rebuilding your nutrient stores, restoring your metabolic health, and honoring your uniqueness, your body can more freely find the weight it feels most comfortable and safe at.

And settling into your natural happy weight typically brings improved physical and mental health, much more freedom, and a huge overall shift in approach to eating, exercise, and other habits.

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A lot of this information may have been surprised to hear and even tough to accept. And I welcome you to ruminate on it and continue learning and challenging what you’ve been taught in the past. It’s really important that- in order to develop a healthy relationship with our bodies and with food and exercise- we shift our mindsets and actively work on self-love and even just body neutrality while challenging our societally-influenced ideals of what beauty and health actually are.

What if, instead of subscribing to the popular beliefs regarding weight and body size and especially common ways of changing those, we put more of a focus on true health, nourishing ourselves fully, and optimizing metabolic function?

Ultimately, it really is my goal to help move women away from body weight and size as their main focus. It can easily become obsessive and unhealthy and take our energy away from things that are simply much more important and productive! As Glennon Doyle has said: “Your body is not your masterpiece… Your body is not your art, it’s your paintbrush.”

Simply meaning this: Your body is your vessel. It’s your instrument. It is what allows you to move through life and ultimately achieve your goals, fulfill your dreams, and give your amazingness to the world!

Lastly, know that none of this is presented to shame you for having aesthetic goals. You may even finish reading this information, understand and integrate it, but still want to pursue physique goals, and that’s totally okay. It’s your body and you’re entitled to do what you want with it! But perhaps, you can take a shifted, more nourished and supportive approach?

If you want to continue your journey of nourishing your body, and restrengthening your metabolism, all while ditching diet culture and finding an approach to caring for yourself that feels amazing, I invite you to check out my signature program, Nourished Roots which includes a 12 module holistic nutrition course, coaching calls with me, and access to a community of like-minded women to learn with and support you along your journey.

Support + Resources

References:

1- https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db313.pdf

2- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422202514.htm

3- https://www.medicaldaily.com/average-woman-spends-17-years-her-life-diets-242601

4- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2530935/#:~:text=Dieting%2C%20weight%20concerns%2C%20and%20body,weight%20(4%E2%80%937

5- https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/pdfs/blog/parent-tip-sheet-girls-and-body-image-2015.pdf

6- https://www.commonsensemedia.org/children-teens-body-image-media-infographic

7- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6801595/

8- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/238142#1

9-https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322218#BMI-and-breast-cancer-revisited

10- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27630142/