Eating From a Weight-Inclusive Perspective
For many people, weight concerns determine what and how much to eat. People are taught restrictive diets to lose weight, to prevent weight gain, and to prevent and manage diseases. Our culture has been obsessed with weight loss diets for years, despite research showing that long-term weight loss is not sustainable for most people, however, this message is often overlooked.
Restrictive eating and diets create a cycle that leads to stress and anxiety, distorting and harming the eating relationship. We teach Eating Competence for how to eat in a way that sustains a positive relationship with food and eating. At ESI, we approach eating from a weight-inclusive perspective, so that we don’t contribute to the harms of diet cycling. We see weight as primarily biologically determined based on the set point theory, disrupted by diets, and stabilized with Eating Competence.
People who are Eating Competent:
Feed themselves faithfully no matter their size. Eating the foods you find satisfying and enjoyable provides reassurance that you can trust your body to internally regulate. The beauty of this approach is long-term sustainability.
People who are Eating Competent:
Give themselves permission to eat the foods they enjoy – including the foods labeled as “bad” or “unhealthy.” Labeling foods as “good” or “bad” or specifying “shoulds” or “oughts” interferes with eating by confusing the ability to choose what to eat. As a result, many people sneak the foods they enjoy and then feel guilty afterwards. They also eat the foods they think they should, out of obligation.
People who are Eating Competent:
Connect with eating by taking the time to pay attention. This practice of tuning in to your eating builds trust and awareness about your body, including how much to eat.
People who are Eating Competent:
Protect themselves from negative messages about eating, which isn’t easy in our current culture, where obsession with food and weight is the standard. Focusing on weight will only undermine your ability to trust your decisions about eating and ultimately distract you from eating competently. Learning new ways of thinking about food, eating and body weight and shape is possible.
People who are Eating Competent do well medically and nutritionally while maintaining a stable body weight, according to research.
If you are struggling with your eating, including getting into the meal habit, you can meet with a professional with experience in the Satter approach to help you.
Eating Competence Webinars
Eating Competence: A Model for Normal Eating
$20.00
$20.00
Body Positive Tools to Support Eating Competence
$20.00
$20.00
Making Meals Happen: A Core Tool for Success with the Satter Models
$30.00
$30.00