Health at Every Size (HAES®) and Therapy: Why It’s Not Anti-Health
Introduction
There’s a common misconception that a Health at Every Size® (HAES®)-informed approach means disregarding health altogether. Some believe that rejecting weight loss as a primary health goal is the same as rejecting health itself—but that’s simply not true.
In reality, HAES® is about supporting people in making sustainable, health-promoting choices while rejecting weight stigma, shame, and harmful dieting practices. As a therapist, I integrate HAES® principles to help clients improve their well-being without the pressure to conform to narrow body ideals. Let’s break down what HAES® really stands for and why it’s far from “anti-health.”
What Is a HAES-Informed Approach?
HAES® is a framework that promotes well-being through respect, body diversity, and evidence-based health behaviors. It shifts the focus away from weight as a measure of health and instead prioritizes sustainable, individualized approaches to well-being.
Core HAES® Principles:
Weight Inclusivity – Accept and respect the inherent diversity of body shapes and sizes, rejecting the idealization or pathologizing of specific weights.
Health Enhancement – Support health policies that improve and equalize access to information and services, and personal practices that improve human well-being.
Respectful Care – Acknowledge biases and work to end weight discrimination, stigma, and bias.
Eating for Well-Being – Promote flexible, individualized eating based on hunger, satiety, nutritional needs, and pleasure, rather than externally regulated eating plans focused on weight control.
Life-Enhancing Movement – Support physical activities that allow individuals of all sizes, abilities, and interests to engage in enjoyable movement, to the degree that they choose.
These principles emphasize that true well-being isn’t about the number on the scale but about sustainable, compassionate care for both body and mind.
Why HAES® Is Pro-Health, Not Anti-Health
1. HAES® Supports Evidence-Based Health Behaviors
A HAES-informed therapy approach encourages behaviors that are known to improve well-being, such as:
Nourishing your body with adequate food, hydration, and balanced nutrition.
Engaging in movement that feels good and is enjoyable.
Managing stress in ways that are supportive rather than restrictive or punitive.
Seeking preventive and responsive medical care without fear of weight bias.
The key difference is that health-promoting behaviors are encouraged for their own benefits—not as a means to control weight.
2. HAES® Reduces the Harm of Diet Culture
Chronic dieting, weight cycling (yo-yo dieting), and the pursuit of unrealistic body standards can lead to serious health risks, including:
Increased stress and cortisol levels.
Disordered eating patterns and eating disorders.
A damaged relationship with food and exercise.
Weight stigma, which has been linked to worse health outcomes.
HAES® provides an alternative—focusing on well-being in a way that is free from shame, guilt, and unrealistic expectations.
3. HAES® Acknowledges That Health Is Complex
Health isn’t a simple equation of “eat less, move more.” It’s influenced by genetics, environment, mental health, social determinants, and access to care. HAES® recognizes this complexity and encourages realistic, individualized care rather than one-size-fits-all health advice.
For example:
A person in a larger body who eats a variety of foods, moves regularly, and manages stress may be healthier than a person in a smaller body who engages in extreme dieting, over-exercise, and experiences chronic anxiety about food.
A person with a chronic illness may not fit traditional definitions of “health” but can still prioritize behaviors that support their well-being.
Rather than imposing rigid health standards, HAES® helps people find their own version of health—one that is sustainable and supportive.
How a HAES-Informed Therapist Supports Health
When you work with a HAES-informed therapist, you’re not told to ignore health. Instead, you’ll be encouraged to:
Explore your relationship with food and movement without pressure to lose weight.
Unlearn harmful diet culture messages that promote shame and unrealistic body ideals.
Develop self-care strategies that prioritize mental, emotional, and physical health.
Cultivate self-compassion so that well-being isn’t rooted in self-criticism.
A HAES-informed approach creates a space where people can work on health in a way that is empowering—not punishing.
Conclusion
Choosing a HAES-informed therapist doesn’t mean you’re choosing to “ignore” health. It means you’re embracing an approach that prioritizes sustainable, evidence-based well-being without the harm of weight stigma and diet culture.
True health isn’t about achieving a specific weight—it’s about fostering a balanced, compassionate relationship with your body, food, and movement. By shifting the focus from weight control to overall well-being, HAES® empowers people to make choices that support their mental, emotional, and physical health in a way that feels authentic and sustainable.
Reach out for a free consultation and let's see if we'd be a good fit.
Sources:
Bacon, L., & Aphramor, L. (2011). Weight Science: Evaluating the Evidence for a Paradigm Shift. Nutrition Journal, 10(9). https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-10-9
Tylka, T. L., Annunziato, R. A., Burgard, D., Danielsdottir, S., Shuman, E., Davis, C., & Calogero, R. M. (2014). The Weight-Inclusive versus Weight-Normative Approach to Health: Evaluating the Evidence for Prioritizing Well-Being Over Weight Loss. Journal of Obesity, 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25147734/
I’m Dr. Matt Richardson, a licensed psychologist and owner of Rough Waters Psychology, a virtual practice specializing in therapy for gay men navigating body image and eating disorders. I work with gay and millennial men who seem to have it all together but are exhausted by anxiety, self-doubt, and a complicated relationship with their body.
I offer virtual therapy to gay men throughout Massachusetts, New York, Maine, and Florida. Whether you're in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, Newton, Worcester, Springfield, Northampton, or Provincetown — or anywhere else in Massachusetts — I'd love to connect. I also work with clients throughout New York, including New York City, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Buffalo, Albany, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers, and White Plains. In Maine, I work with clients in Portland, Bangor, Augusta, Brunswick, Bar Harbor, Rockland, and surrounding areas. And throughout Florida, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Gainesville, and beyond.
