What comes to mind when you hear the word health? Maybe it’s eating a salad, hitting the gym, or fitting into a specific clothing size. Or perhaps it’s a clean bill of health from the doctor.
But what if I told you that health is so much more than what we’ve been taught to believe?
For years, I thought being "healthy" meant being a certain size and hearing a doctor say my cholesterol was in an acceptable range. But the more I learned, the more I realized that this definition was both limiting and, in many cases, completely inaccurate.
Marketing and media constantly push the idea that we need to be more. Stronger, faster, flexible, energetic, productive, and popular. More, more, more. But in this endless pursuit, we rarely ask: What does health mean to me?
Because health is personal.
"Good health" for you might look different than "good health" for me. Science tries to define health in universal terms, but the philosopher in me has yet to find a definition that truly applies to all people.
Before we go any further, I invite you to pause and reflect: How do you define health?
Separating Health from Weight
We’ve been conditioned to believe that weight and health are the same. If someone is thin, they must be healthy. If someone is in a larger body, they must be unhealthy. But research tells a different story.
Many thin people have high cholesterol, diabetes, or heart disease.
Many larger-bodied people have excellent blood pressure, cholesterol, and metabolic health.
Weight stigma (being shamed or denied care because of body size) harms health outcomes, regardless of weight.
Yes, there are correlations between higher weights and some health conditions, but correlation does not equal causation. Studies that fail to account for factors like weight stigma, socioeconomic status, and access to healthcare paint an incomplete picture.
And yet, we’ve been led to believe that thin = healthy and fat = unhealthy. To be strong, energetic, or desirable, we must shrink ourselves.
But let’s challenge that.
Does Health Have a Look?
Close your eyes for a moment and envision someone you consider healthy. What image springs to mind?
Chances are, you're picturing a thin, non-disabled person. Maybe they’re running on the beach, lifting weights, or sipping a green smoothie.
But health doesn't have a single look.
Thin, muscular, or small-bodied people can experience illness, pain, or heart conditions like anyone else.
And larger-bodied people? They can be healthy. They can run marathons, have perfect bloodwork, dance, hike, laugh deeply, and experience fat joy, fat love, fat sex, fat liberation—all while living rich, fulfilling lives.
Yet, our culture continues to erase these truths. Many doctors still prescribe weight loss as a solution to health issues, despite research showing that intentional weight loss often leads to weight cycling (the repeated loss and regain of weight), which has harmful health effects.
So if health isn’t about weight, what is it about?
Health Is About More Than the Physical
Even if weight were a reliable indicator of physical health (which it’s not), physical health isn’t the only piece of the puzzle.
Would we call someone healthy if they were at a "normal" weight but constantly stressed, isolated, or emotionally drained?
Health encompasses so much more, including:
Mental health: Managing stress, finding joy, and nurturing emotional well-being.
Social health: Feeling connected to a community, having fulfilling relationships.
Spiritual health: Feeling a sense of purpose, whether through religion, nature, or personal growth.
Economic health: Having access to stable income, food, and medical care.
A definition of health that ignores these aspects is incomplete.
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Introducing Health at Every Size (HAES®)
What if doctors prescribed actual health-promoting behaviors instead of prescribing weight loss?
"Try this dance class."
"Try taking this vitamin."
"Try going to bed a couple of hours earlier."
"Try to get some more sunshine and fresh air."
If that sounds familiar—if your doctor does suggest those things—there’s a good chance you live in a smaller body.
Because for many people in larger bodies, the message is far more reductive:
Ovarian pain? Lose weight.
Hurting knees? Lose weight.
Feeling depressed? Lose weight.
If you think I’m exaggerating, I’m not. Listen to the stories of people in larger bodies.
This is weight bias in action, one reason health disparities exist. Healthcare should be about health, yet too often, it’s about weight. That’s where Health at Every Size (HAES®) comes in.
What Is HAES?
Health at Every Size (HAES), introduced by Lindo Bacon, PhD, is a movement and framework that promotes body acceptance, size diversity, and equitable healthcare, challenging the idea that weight is the primary determinant of health.
Rather than focusing on weight loss, HAES encourages sustainable, compassionate self-care through:
Eating in a way that feels good, not restrictive.
Engaging in movement that’s enjoyable, not punishing.
Respecting and listening to your body’s needs.
Challenging the harmful effects of weight stigma.
Imagine two people with identical bloodwork—one in a larger body, the other in a smaller one. If the smaller-bodied person is praised for their health while the larger-bodied person is pressured to lose weight, how might that affect their long-term well-being?
If our healthcare system is more concerned with size than actual health, what does that say about our priorities?
HAES helps us escape this harmful cycle and redefine true well-being.
The Principles of HAES®
The Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) has outlined key principles of HAES, which extend beyond individual health and into social justice and systemic change:
Body respect – Treating all humans and their bodies with dignity, regardless of size.
Celebrating body diversity – Recognizing that bodies naturally come in many sizes, shapes, and abilities.
Looking critically at health research – Questioning flawed studies that conflate weight with health.
Advocating for equitable healthcare – Ensuring people of all sizes receive unbiased medical treatment.
Challenging weight bias and stigma – Addressing discrimination in medical, social, and workplace settings.
Finding joy in movement – Encouraging physical activity for well-being, not punishment.
Honoring pleasure in eating – Encouraging food flexibility and intuitive eating over weight-centered diets.
Health ≠ Weight Loss
Weight loss is often prescribed as the ultimate marker of health. But weight loss does not ensure health. They are not the same thing.
HAES encourages people to shift their focus from shrinking their bodies to pursuing meaningful, health-promoting behaviors that improve well-being regardless of weight change.
This shift is essential not just for individuals but also for creating a world where people of all sizes receive the respect, care, and support they deserve.
Do we owe anyone health?
There is immense pressure to be healthy.
We’re all expected to live a life dedicated to achieving and sustaining health—as if our worth depends on it. But does it?
Pursuing health is a personal choice, not a moral obligation.
For some, health is a high priority. Maybe they want to dance without pain, have children, or grow old with their partner. But for others, health may not be their primary focus—or they may not have the privilege of pursuing it in the way society expects.
This is where healthism comes in—the belief that health makes someone inherently more worthy or "good." But the truth is:
You don’t owe anyone health.
Your worth is not determined by your wellness.
Your body, your choice.
HAES recognizes that health is complex and deeply personal. It shifts the focus from achieving an arbitrary definition of "health" to creating a compassionate, individualized approach to well-being that respects each person’s choices, needs, and circumstances.
My Definition of Health
For me, health is complicated.
There are days my body feels strong and capable, and other days when chronic pain, digestion issues, or my menstrual cycle completely derail me. I live in a body that doesn’t always function the way I wish it would.
But I also have deep friendships, restorative sleep, a sense of purpose, and a life filled with love.
That, to me, is health.
When I consider what "optimal health" means for me, it includes pain-free movement, clear thinking, minimal stress, emotional well-being, and feeling socially connected and supported.
But that’s my list, based on my values, my lived experience, and my body.
Your version of health might look entirely different.
For someone born with a disability, health might mean managing pain or finding accessibility. For someone who experiences depression, health might mean getting out of bed and making it through the day. For someone with chronic illness, it might mean balancing medical care with rest and joy.
What Does Health Mean to You?
Doctors, wellness gurus, and the media will always try to sell us a healthier, “better” version of ourselves.
But there is no universal definition of health.
It’s yours to define.
So, I’d encourage you to ask yourself:
👉 What does health mean to me?
👉 What do I value in my well-being?
👉 What makes me feel alive, whole, and cared for?
👉Are there ways I've been pressured to pursue health that don’t feel good to me?
You don’t owe anyone "perfect" health (whatever that even means). Your body deserves care, not control. And your mental, physical, and emotional health is yours to define.
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