Trust You First

Build a better relationship with food, your body, and your health by learning to trust yourself

What Does it Mean When We Talk About “Modifiable Lifestyle Behaviors”?

Health at Every Size / by

Weight-Neutrality & Health Series Part 2**

Diet culture has co-opted health behaviors, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You can re-make your relationship to health in meaningful ways that have nothing to do with your weight.

How many times have you heard the phrase “It’s not about weight, it’s about making healthy lifestyle changes“? But what does that mean? Can we really pursue health without thinking about weight? (spoiler alert- YES WE CAN!)

So often when I tell people about the Trust You First approach to health and well-being, I either get a puzzled look. For many, it’s difficult to comprehend how individual health behaviors may impact health outcomes, but may not have an impact on body size. Meaning- “if I live in a larger body, and make lifestyle changes like eating a ‘healthy’ diet and moving my body regularly, won’t my body naturally become smaller?” Or- “if I move my body regularly and eat a ‘healthy’ diet, doesn’t that mean I won’t develop heart disease, cancer or diabetes?… if not what’s the point?”.

These questions reveal a few underlying beliefs: 1- that the only (or primary) methods of attending to our health are through diet and physical activity 2- that the point of adopting new lifestyle behaviors is to lose weight and prevent disease or disability. 3- that physical health is the only part of health that matters.

The reality is that there are so many ‘modifiable lifestyle behaviors’ that do contribute to overall health and wellness; food and exercise are just two small pieces of the very large puzzle. There are eight, that’s right EIGHT domains of health, each with behaviors that can impact our lives in a negative or positive way, but it’s important that we have a grounded, realistic, whole-person perspective on health that avoids falling into the ‘healthism trap”

Although adopting new behaviors can reduce our risk of illness and early death statistically, individual health is very difficult to predict, and is largely determined by genetics and the environment we were born into (socially, economically and physically). And… just in case you missed it… changing your diet and moving your body has never led to sustainable weight loss, and losing weight doesn’t improve your health in the long term.

So now you might be asking yourself “what is the point of health/wellness behaviors, then?”. Thankfully, we do have plenty of evidence that there are concrete things we can do that not only help us feel better, but they also reduce our risk for developing chronic illness, or to help us increase our resilience when living with chronic illnesses.

Here is a  (non-comprehensive) list of ‘modifiable lifestyle behaviors’ that  can have a big impact on your overall health and wellbeing, that have nothing to do with your weight, organized by each of the eight categories.

After reading through the lists, I would encourage you to choose just one behavior to focus on at a time. Taking tiny steps that seem “way too easy to be meaningful” add up over time and lead to an accumulation of habits that result in massive transformation. So go slowly and steadily, my friend!

50+ Health Behaviors That Have Absolutely Nothing to do With Weight

PHYSICAL HEALTH

This first list is things that we don’t often think about having an impact on physical health, but actually have a BIGGER impact than things that we most commonly think about when it comes to physical health.

  1. Wearing a seatbelt
  2. Drinking within the alcohol guidelines (or eliminating alcohol)
  3. Not smoking/vaping (or entering smoking/vaping reduction programs)
  4. Brushing and flossing your teeth
  5. Getting regular medical and dental check-ups and screenings (e.g. mammograms, colonoscopies, eye exams)
  6. Keeping vaccinations up to date
  7. Taking any required medications as prescribed and on a regular schedule
  8. Practicing safe/safer sex
  9. Wearing sunscreen
  10. Wearing protective gear when enjoying sports/recreation

And here is a list of things that you may be more familiar with, that have been shown to move the needle on improving physical health outcomes, regardless of weight.

  1. Getting regular sleep (approximately 6-9 hours per night, on a routine schedule)
  2. Meditation
  3. Increasing resilience to stress
  4. Practicing intuitive eating and incorporating a wide variety of foods into your diet
  5. Moving your body regularly in enjoyable ways

EMOTIONAL HEALTH

  1. Practicing mindful awareness for emotional regulation
  2. Journaling
  3. Mindful breathing
  4. Seeking therapy when needed
  5. Practicing resilience in challenging circumstances
  6. Practicing meaningful self-care
  7. Caring for plants and/or animals

INTELLECTUAL HEALTH

  1. Reading about a topic that interests you
  2. Solving brain puzzles (or any puzzles!)
  3. Learning a new skill
  4. Participating in (healthy, respectful, boundaried) debates
  5. Learning a new language
  6. Learning to play an instrument, or practicing an instrument that you once played but have given up
  7. Teaching others a skill that you do well, or teaching about a topic you know well

SPIRITUAL HEALTH

  1. Meditating/Praying
  2. Finding ways to connect with something larger than yourself (this does not have to be religious, though it certainly can be. You can also develop a spiritual practice firmly rooted in humanistic, scientific, and/or philosophical principles and practices)
  3. Creating meaningful rituals that connect you to your life’s purpose and/or bring you closer to your values
  4. Volunteering for a charity or cause that you admire
  5. Self-reflecting via journaling
  6. Cultivating the practice of curiosity, play and openness

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

  1. Creating a living space that is free from unnecessary clutter and feels like a refuge/sanctuary and reflects your personality and values
  2. Modifying your work environment to be as soothing and welcoming as possible- and making sure you access the outdoors even just for a few deep breaths during your work day
  3. Planting a garden
  4. Participating in a community garden
  5. Tending houseplants/indoor herb garden
  6. Recycling whenever possible
  7. Bringing your own bags when shopping
  8. Turning off the tap when brushing teeth
  9. Turning off lights when not in use

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

  1. Finding work that fits well with your values, interests and skills
  2. Cultivating boundaries that support work/life balance
  3. Building relationships with co-workers that are professional and supportive
  4. Learning the skills of delegation and teamwork
  5. Advocating for pay that reflects your value as an employee and meets your financial needs
  6. Engaging in professional development programs that help you achieve professional goals

FINANCIAL HEALTH**

  1. Avoiding credit card debt or payday loans
  2. Developing a household budget
  3. Setting aside some money each month for savings (even a tiny amount over time can make a big difference, and builds the habit of saving)
  4. Determining your non-negotiable spending, optional spending and splurge spending, based on needs, wants and values
  5. Donating to charitable organizations or causes that align with your values
  6. Utilizing the public library

SOCIAL HEALTH

  1. Participating in a club or organization that aligns with your values and interests
  2. Developing compassionate listening and communication skills
  3. Treating others with respect while also maintaining your boundaries
  4. Maintaining boundaries
  5. Utilizing technology in order to connect, and deleting technology when it disconnects
  6. Finding ways to stay in touch with friends and family that don’t deplete tour inner resources
  7. Cultivating the qualities you seek, such as authenticity or compassion, so that you can build relationships on those qualities

You can see that the answer to the question “Can I pursue health without thinking about weight?” is a resounding “YES”. However, implementing new behaviors can be challenging, and you may find that having help along the way is useful to you.

Please reach out to me if you think my help may be useful to you.

 

**Disclaimer** This article is not intended to address socioeconomic circumstances that are beyond individual control. As a person who comes from a poverty and food insecurity background, I acknowledge that the pursuit of health itself is a privilege that not every person has access to, nor is it a reflection of a person’s inherent worth. This especially applies to financial health.