I was giving a talk this week and one of the audience members asked about what to say to change the subject when a healthcare practitioner suggests weight loss. So for today’s discussion, I thought we might share our favorite ways to redirect a practitioner who took a wrong turn at weight stigma!
There are lots of ways to deal with this, my number one go-to is “do thin people get this health issue?…and what do you do for them?” how about you?
Honestly, I just declined to be weighed at the cardiologist for the first time ever, and as a result found that my doctor focused WAY less on weight loss to solve my HBP than normal... Might be my new favorite redirection tactic.
I learned a technique from Kasia Urbaniak where you simply ask a question in order to change the conversation, and it could be ANY question, like "Do you have the time?" or "Where did you get those shoes?" If you want to take things up a little bit, you could ask "Do you know you have something stuck in your teeth?" And if you are in a mood to challenge them a little bit, you could ask, "Do you realize that intentional weight loss efforts have a number of possible serious side effect and can be very damaging to patients? Are you seriously suggesting that I should subject myself to those risks?"
I tell them that my experience is dieting leads to weight gain and I think I'm fat enough - don't you?
Honestly, I just declined to be weighed at the cardiologist for the first time ever, and as a result found that my doctor focused WAY less on weight loss to solve my HBP than normal... Might be my new favorite redirection tactic.
I learned a technique from Kasia Urbaniak where you simply ask a question in order to change the conversation, and it could be ANY question, like "Do you have the time?" or "Where did you get those shoes?" If you want to take things up a little bit, you could ask "Do you know you have something stuck in your teeth?" And if you are in a mood to challenge them a little bit, you could ask, "Do you realize that intentional weight loss efforts have a number of possible serious side effect and can be very damaging to patients? Are you seriously suggesting that I should subject myself to those risks?"
A friend of mine tends to say very nicely - I don’t think there’s evidence for that … prove me wrong!