Health At Every Size (HAES): Is Fat Acceptance Positive Or Detrimental To Society?
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Our Thoughts: Is The Fat Acceptance Movement Good Or Bad?
On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, we’re discussing the health at every size movement, and sharing our thoughts on if fat acceptance is positive or detrimental to society.
Today’s viewer question is from #AskLiveLeanTV Ep. 018.
Here’s today’s viewer question:
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@Mistrall2 from Twitter asks: What is your opinion on the health at every size (HAES) fat acceptance attitude? Is it positive or detrimental to society?
Health At Every Size (HAES): Is Fat Acceptance Positive Or Detrimental To Society?
Brad: The acronym HAES stands for Health At Every Size.
Jess: Oh yeah healthy at every size.
Yes, we actually have had some conversations between the two of us about this whole body acceptance attitude.
You know we’re trainers, and our whole business is about Living Lean, changing your body, and transforming.
Brad: From my experience, it’s all about becoming more confident in life, and that can be accomplished by getting your health in check.
Living Lean is not about being skinny or fat.
At the deepest level, when I transformed my body, it wasn’t about getting a six pack.
Although I thought that is what I wanted at the time, now that I’ve done it, and I’m living it, what has changed the most in myself is my self confidence.
Jess: Yeah, everything thinks that is what they want.
Brad: I now know that if I can change my body like that, I can accomplish anything in life.
I now feel empowered that I can:
- Attract and meet the girl of my dreams
- Get the job from my dream life
- Create the career that I want
Once you transform your body, you will feel like you can do anything.
That is what Living Lean is about.
Living Lean is not just about losing weight.
Hopefully that answers your question.
I agree with HAES.
Just because you’re 6%, 8% or 10% body fat, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re healthy.
Jess: It also doesn’t make you better or worse than the person next to you who is a different percentage.
Brad: Yeah, there could be a guy who’s 12% body fat, that’s healthier than the guy at 6% body fat.
Health isn’t just about being muscular and thin with abs popping everywhere.
As you know, there are fitness competitors that do this.
For some of them, they are probably at their least healthy, and miserable, when they are at a low level of body fat.
Again, that is not what Living Lean is about.
Jess: I have to admit that I’ve been at a leaner body fat percentage than I am now, and I was a miserable cranky bitch.
Brad: Exactly.
Jess: Having a little bit more body fat made me healthier and made me more fertile.
It also made me feel more feminine, sexy, and curvy.
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The answer is not that lower body fat is always better.
That’s just not the case.
However, the answer is also not to just accept yourself, the way that you are.
Especially if you wake up every morning and you’re truly unhappy with the way that you look in the mirror.
If you look at yourself and you’re like “EW” I don’t like this, don’t just turn around and say, “oh, I’m just going to accept myself”.
I feel like a lot of people are being fake about it, by accepting what they have, when they actually don’t like it or prefer to be leaner, stronger, and more fit.
Brad: Yeah, and that’s a great point that you brought up.
I talk about this in my book, Think and Live Lean.
I’m referring to the balance of accepting where you are, and using it as an excuse to not go even further.
For example, if you lose 25 pounds, I want you to be excited about losing those 25 pounds.
However, if you still need to lose another 25 pounds to get healthy, don’t just rest on that 25 pounds, then stop, because you feel good enough about it.
Let’s keep pushing you even further, so we can get you back into a healthy zone.
Jess: It’s like climbing halfway up Mount Everest and then just justifying the fact that “Oh, climbing up halfway is really good”, then not going all the way because you’re too tired or you don’t feel like it.
Brad: Just make sure if you do get to the top of Mount Everest, you do get back down again.
Getting back down the mountain is more than half the battle.
Jess: Yes, safely and alive.
That’s a funny analogy.
Hopefully that clarifies how we feel about the whole fat health at every size fat acceptance movement.
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Question For You:
- What are your thoughts on the fat acceptance movement?
- Do you think it is positive or detrimental to society?
Be sure to share your answers in the comment section below.
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Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.