This article was written by Maeve Hanan (Food Freedom Specialist Dietitian and Lead Dietitian at Dietetically Speaking).

Moving away from trying to lose weight, or even just considering this, can feel very uncomfortable and even scary for many people.

This reaction is understandable. We’ve grown up in a world that constantly tells us that being in a bigger body is bad and we’re not worthy, healthy or attractive if we’re not skinny or toned — or whatever the current body image trend is.

Our healthcare system also puts weight at the centre of health, so you might have been told to lose weight many times by doctors and health professionals too (even when your appointment is for something totally unrelated!).  

Most people can logically see that our worth is not defined by our weight, and that beauty is highly subjective. But it can still be difficult to embrace the idea that health doesn’t have to revolve around weight loss. The desire to lose weight is also often deeply intertwined with our past experiences, self-esteem and how we view ourselves and others.

So let’s unpack this.

Please note: as with all articles on this website this is for information purposes only and is not intended to be used as individual advice. Please seek support from appropriately qualified medical/health professionals where needed. 

Do Weight Loss Diets ‘Work’?

In order to make an informed decision about this, it’s important to look at stats and research related to the impact of weight loss diets and their long-term effectiveness.

Despite the ongoing pressure society has placed for years on becoming or staying slim, there isn’t good evidence to show that weight loss diets are effective.

This is actually how the weight loss industry thrives, as if these diets worked first time around this wouldn’t be a billion dollar industry making loads of money off keeping people trapped in an endless cycle of going on and off diets for years. 

For example, well-respected research shows that only around 50% of people lose 5% of their weight on these diets (which is a lot less weight loss than most diets promise in the first place) (1). And longer-term, most people go on to regain most of this weight, if not more, within 5 years (2).  

Dropout rates also tend to be extremely high for these diets, which shows how unsustainable this is for most people in the long run (3).  

Weight loss diets are also linked with increasing the risk of (4, 5):

• Disordered eating
• Bad body image                          
• Mental health issues
• Weight cycling
• Reducing metabolism
• Lower levels of the fullness hormone leptin
• Less healthy behaviours

Ultimately, weight loss diets don’t work for most people. So if you’ve struggled to lose weight for years please know that you haven’t failed at diets, you were set up to fail and diets have failed you.

For more information about issues and research related to focusing on weight loss, check out my previous article Issues With Weight-Centric Health Care.

Is Focusing on Weight Loss In Your Best Interest?

The most important thing for you to consider is whether trying to lose weight is in your best interest or not. 

In my clinical experience, if weight loss diets haven’t worked for you in the past — if you’ve yo-yo dieted for years or if this has harmed your relationship with food, then trying to lose weight is likely to continue to do more harm than good for you.  

But it’s important for you to make this decision for yourself, as you are the expert of yourself and you get to decide what’s best for your body. And remember that you can always change your mind in future, for example even if you’re not 100% sure you can experiment or try out a non-diet approach as weight loss diets aren’t going anywhere (although in my experience the vast majority of people don’t look back once they get the right support and start to feel the amazing benefits of having a healthy relationship with food). 

If you’re feeling unsure, here are two exercises that I use with clients who are feeling stuck about whether to continue focusing on weight loss or not. 

1. Focusing on Losing Weight Journal Prompts: 

• Has this worked for me in the past? Or overall has it been more helpful or harmful?
• What have I expected to happen when I’ve tried to weight vs. what was the actual outcome?
• What impact does trying to lose weight have on my mood and behaviour (including my eating and relationship with food)?
• Do the pros outweigh the cons for me?
• Do thoughts about my weight represent something else for me (e.g. self-esteem, happiness etc.)? 
• What advice would I give to a good friend in my position? 

2. ‘Weighing Up The Pros & Cons’ Activity:

• Get a piece of paper (at least A4 size) and draw 2 lines to divide this into 4 sections, or you can make a 2×2 table in a document (see example below).
• In the box in the top left write the heading and reflect on: “What are the potential negative effects of checking my weight?” i.e. What does this take away from my life? Are there any risks with this?
• In the box in the top right write the heading and reflect on: “What are the potential positive effects of checking my weight?” i.e. What does this add to my life and does it feel worthwhile?
• In the box in the bottom left write the heading and reflect on: “What are the potential positive consequences of not checking my weight?” i.e. What might this add to my life or open the door to?
• In the box in the bottom right write the heading and reflect on: “What are the potential negative consequences of not checking my weight?” (And how likely are these consequences?)

What Other Options Are There?

It’s important to know that health is not defined by weight.

The World Health Organisation defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being” (6).

This highlights why focusing solely on weight loss can be counterproductive—especially if this harms your mental health, social well-being, or relationship with food. Weight-focused approaches can also negatively impact physical health, particularly when they involve restrictive dieting or lead to cycles of yo-yo dieting.

Fortunately, there are alternative approaches that focus on overall well-being rather than weight. These are known as non-diet approaches. 

Unlike traditional weight-focused healthcare, which has long placed weight at the centre of health, non-diet approaches take a more holistic view. They aim to shift the focus away from weight and instead prioritize:

• Overall physical, mental, and emotional well-being
• “Doing no harm” by avoiding harmful practices like restrictive dieting and damaging body image
• Reducing weight stigma
• Making healthcare more inclusive and accessible to all

This doesn’t mean that weight never impacts health, but it acknowledges the risks and issues related to dieting and pursuing weight loss as discussed above (i.e. worsened mental health and body image, disordered eating, weight cycling etc.).

Instead of weight-centric strategies, non-diet approaches encourage sustainable, individualized behaviors that improve health regardless of body size. 

Some examples of non-diet approaches include:

• Intuitive Eating – A 10 step approach to help with listening to your body’s cues, meeting your needs and fostering a positive relationship with food.
• Health at Every Size® (HAES) – A framework that promotes health equality and access to good quality healthcare for people of all sizes.
• Non-Diet or Anti-Diet Nutrition – Focusing on nourishment and enjoyment of food without restrictive dieting.
• Weight- or Size-Inclusive Care – Providing equitable healthcare that doesn’t assume weight loss as a default solution.

These approaches offer a compassionate, evidence-based way to support health without the risks associated with weight-focused strategies.

What Does the Evidence Say About Non-Diet Approaches?

Although non-diet approaches are quite new when it comes to research, there is a promising evidence-base emerging which supports this. 

For example, more than 97 studies found that Intuitive Eating is linked with (7, 8): 

• Less disordered eating
• Higher levels of self esteem
• Positive body image
• Better diet quality (i.e. a more nutritious diet)

Weight-inclusive approaches have also been linked with improvements in (9, 10): 

• Health behaviours
• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol 
• Mood 
• Weight stability 
• Relationship with food 
• Ability to follow advice and finish programmes i.e. lower dropout rates

In addition, a study that got a lot of press coverage in 2014 found that fitness was a stronger indicator of mortality risk than BMI or weight (11).

Importantly, if you want to improve your health it isn’t necessary to focus on losing weight.

Because regardless of weight, many health markers improve as a result of healthy movement, stress management, nutritious eating, prioritising sleep and social connection. These behaviors often lead to better outcomes for physical, mental, and emotional well-being without the risks associated with dieting or weight loss (4, 5).  

Despite the growing evidence, non-diet approaches are not yet mainstream in healthcare. Many healthcare providers continue to focus heavily on weight loss as a primary goal, which can make it difficult for those trying to access weight-inclusive care.

If you’re interested in exploring non-diet options, here are some steps you can take:

1. Learn about non-diet approaches — For example, by following accounts like this one & reading books like “Intuitive Eating” by Tribole & Resch & “Just Eat It” by Laura Thomas.
2. Advocate for yourself with your current healthcare team – Share research and resources and explain why you would like to receive non-diet or weight-inclusive care.
3. Work with private non-diet professionals – Such as our Specialist Dietitians in the Dietetically Speaking Clinic who provide individualised, non-diet support.

For more guidance and information, especially if you plan to advocate for yourself, check out these resources:

• What is Weight-Inclusive Care?
• Issues with Weight-Centric Healthcare

Summary

Weight loss isn’t the only—or even the best—path to improving your health and well-being. These diets often don’t work long-term and can lead to harmful effects like weight regain, disordered eating, poor body image, and a difficult relationship with food. 

Luckily, there’s another way: non-diet approaches like Intuitive Eating, Health at Every Size® (HAES), and weight-inclusive care offer a kinder, more sustainable way to support your health. 

These approaches focus on behaviors like enjoying nutritious food, moving your body in ways you love, managing stress, and prioritising sleep—things that improve your physical and mental health no matter your size. 

While non-diet care isn’t yet mainstream, you can seek out private non-diet professionals or talk to your healthcare provider about weight-inclusive options. Remember, your health is about more than a number on the scale—it’s about taking care of your whole self in a way that feels good and sustainable.

Enquire here about non-diet support from our Specialist Dietitians in the Dietetically Speaking.

References:

1. McEvedy, S. M., Sullivan-Mort, G., McLean, S. A., Pascoe, M. C., & Paxton, S. J. (2017). Ineffectiveness of commercial weight-loss programs for achieving modest but meaningful weight loss: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of health psychology, 22(12), 1614-1627. [accessed December 2024 via: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28810454/]
2. Hall, K. D., & Kahan, S. (2018). Maintenance of lost weight and long-term management of obesity. Medical Clinics, 102(1), 183-197. [accessed December 2024 via: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5764193/]
3. Colombo, O., Ferretti, V. V. V., Ferraris, C., Trentani, C., Vinai, P., Villani, S., & Tagliabue, A. (2014). Is drop-out from obesity treatment a predictable and preventable event?. Nutrition journal, 13, 1-7. [accessed December 2024 via:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3914843/]
4. Bacon, L., & Aphramor, L. (2011). Weight science: evaluating the evidence for a paradigm shift. Nutrition journal, 10, 1-13. [accessed December 2024 via: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21261939/]
5. Levinson, J. A., Clifford, D., Laing, E. M., Harris, C. L., Slagel, N., Squires, N. D., & Hunger, J. M. (2024). Weight-Inclusive Approaches to Nutrition and Dietetics: A Needed Paradigm Shift. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. [accessed December 2024 via: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39217533/]
6. WHO Constitution [accessed December 2024 via: https://www.who.int/about/governance/constitution]
7. Linardon et al. (2021) “Intuitive eating and its psychological correlates: A meta-analysis”. International Journal Of Eating Disorders, 54(7), 1073-1098. 
8. Hensley-Hackett, K., Bosker, J., Keefe, A., Reidlinger, D., Warner, M., D’Arcy, A., & Utter, J. (2022). Intuitive eating intervention and diet quality in adults: a systematic literature review. Journal of nutrition education and behavior, 54(12), 1099-1115. [accessed December 2024 via: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36274010/]
9. Tylka et al. (2014) “The Weight-Inclusive versus Weight-Normative Approach to Health: Evaluating the Evidence for Prioritizing Well-Being over Weight Loss”
10. Barry, et al. (2014) “Fitness vs. fatness on all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis”. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 56(4), pp.382-390.