My Doctor Would not like this post...

My doctor would disown me if she knew about this post.

I took this photo on Saturday morning prior to speaking at The TN Licensed Professional Counselors Conference in Nashville. My topic: “Furthering Eating Disorder Treatment: Fat is NOT a dirty word.” The goal of this talk was to support clinicians as we help change the socio-cultural narrative of the thin ideal being the only way to exist, as we know that this specific piece is one of the largest contributing factors to someone developing an eating disorder, which by the way is the SECOND deadliest mental health issue outside of substance use.

Research studies have shown the affects of weight stigma and fat phobia has lead to the following: 1.65 times more likely to be undiagnosed with medical illness due to bias, BMI’s over a certain number are not included in medical drug trials, burdensomeness in all areas of life, chronic stress effects on immune system, employment & wage discrimination, fear to enjoy food in public settings, fear of public performance (job, leisure, gym, etc) , guilt due to “not doing life right”, heightened cortisol due to visual diet including the cultural message of the thin ideal, hotel/spa/gym equipment & amenities not fitting ALL bodies, hypervigilence to discrimination, inadequate dose of chemotherapy, increased anxiety in various scenario, increased stress when multiple margenalized identities, increased suicide risk, medical equipment, stereotyped threat, thwarted sense of belonging, unhelpful coping strategies, weight cycling (more harmful than heavier weight), and more.

My various goals and objectives for the talk included:

*Noticing the socio-cultural influence of weight stigma and fat phobia and how this shows up in our visual diet, the medical field & physical health expectations, professional work, cultural expectations, relational (romantic, platonic, & familial) expectations, sense of belonging, racism and anti-blackness, and more.

*Learning how the American Medical Model with it’s “Weight Centric Approach” to health which means that most diseases are solved by weight loss, is actually doing tremendous harm

*Learning that in 2023, The American Medical Association out out a statement that said: “The current BMI classification system is misleading about the effects of body fat mass on mortality rates & alone, it is an imperfect tool.”

*Noticing our bias and how this has shaped our own experiences

*Claiming and re-claiming the right to exist in a fat body.

*And finally, making sure we as clinicians consider our own experiences with: Body Bias, Lived Experience and Diet Culture; Food, Healthism, Nutrition Moralism; Perspective on Movement; & Weight Inclusivity.

Y’all, I felt A LOT of imposter syndrome discussing parts of this because it felt like: “Me against the medical field.” And, who are you going to believe? A Therapist or someone with an MD, DO, or APRN? “Me against culture,” and again are you going to believe a Therapist or all of the massively famous celebrities and social media influencers? “Me against the diet industry,” and are you going to believe a Therapist of Jillian Michaels, Dr. Oz, Oprah, or a licensed dietitian who believes in restriction and dieting to solve all issues?

Nonetheless, I shared my presentation. I shared my truth. I shared the work of Dr. Jennifer Guadiani, Lindo Bacon, Aubrey Gordon, Sonya Renee Taylor, Virginia Sole-Smith, and so many more.

This effort to shift how fat people are received in this world has got to change. I believe that fat-phobia is so present that my best efforts from my own little corner of KY and TN are to teach my daughter how to see individuals as just that, as well as use my voice in grass roots modalities such as speaking at conferences, teaching classes, wearing my two-piece to the pool - which I also did on Saturday, and any other small yet mighty task I come across that demands we show up for ourselves and our fat friends.

I’m not perfect. I’m still learning. But I promise to always use the voice I have to advocate for anyone who finds themselves in a marginalized community.