Sustainable Health & Wellbeing: A Weight-Inclusive Approach
Supporting Your Health Goals with Compassion, Evidence, and Respect for Your Body
Our Philosophy: Health Beyond the Scale
We practice from a Health at Every Size® (HAES®) framework, aligned with the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) and supported by research showing that health-promoting behaviors improve wellbeing regardless of weight change.
This means we:
- Focus on sustainable behavior change over short-term weight outcomes
- Recognize that health exists on a continuum
- Challenge weight stigma and the medicalization of body size
- Center your lived experience and what feels good in your body
- Support informed health decisions based on comprehensive evidence
Get Started With Us
Schedule with one of our expert nutritionist and dietitians today!
Why Nutrition Matters
How We Support You
We provide honest, evidence-based guidance so you can make informed decisions about weight and health. If you pursue weight change, care is non-restrictive, adequately nourishing, and closely monitored. We prioritize open conversation, watch for disordered eating or metabolic stress, avoid shame or blame, and pivot to weight-neutral care when needed.
If You’re Considering Weight Loss:
What You Should Know
We believe in providing complete, honest information about weight loss so you can make truly informed decisions:
Research consistently shows that intentional weight loss is not sustainable for most people. Studies indicate that 95-98% of people who lose weight regain it within 3-5 years, often regaining more than they lost. This isn’t a failure of willpower—it’s your body’s biological response to perceived deprivation, involving complex hormonal, metabolic, and neurological adaptations.
Weight cycling (repeatedly losing and regaining weight) is associated with several health concerns including increased cardiovascular risk, decreased bone density, and psychological distress. The pursuit of weight loss itself can contribute to disordered eating patterns, body dissatisfaction, and reduced quality of life.
We also recognize the very real pressures you may face: medical providers who prescribe weight loss as treatment, societal weight stigma, concerns about health conditions, and personal desires shaped by diet culture. We don’t judge anyone for wanting to pursue weight loss—we simply want you to have all the information.
If you choose to pursue weight change, we’ll support you with:
- A non-restrictive, adequately nourishing approach
- Regular monitoring for signs of disordered eating or metabolic adaptation
- Honest conversations about what you’re experiencing
- No shame or blame if/when your body responds by defending its weight
- A pivot to weight-neutral care whenever appropriate
Sustainable Behavior Change:
Health Without Weight Focus
The good news? Research shows that health-promoting behaviors improve health markers (blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, inflammation, mental health) regardless of whether weight changes occur.
We support you in developing sustainable practices including:
Nourishment
- Regular, satisfying eating patterns that honor hunger and fullness
- Adequate protein, fiber, and micronutrients
- Food flexibility and variety
- Healing from restrictive eating patterns
- Cooking skills and meal planning that fit your life
Joyful Movement
- Finding activities you genuinely enjoy
- Strength training to support bone density, metabolic health, and functional capacity
- Movement that energizes rather than punishes
- Rest and recovery as essential components
- Adapting activity to your body’s needs and abilities
Holistic Wellbeing
- Sleep quality and stress management
- Mental health support and emotional regulation
- Community connection and social support
- Life satisfaction beyond body size
- Addressing systemic barriers to health (access, discrimination, economic factors)
Weight-Neutral Wellness:
The Research
Studies on weight-neutral approaches show impressive outcomes:
- Improved cardiovascular health markers
- Better blood sugar regulation
- Reduced disordered eating and binge eating
- Improved psychological wellbeing and self-esteem
- Greater treatment adherence (because the approach is sustainable)
- Decreased weight stigma internalization
Unlike weight-focused interventions, these improvements are maintained long-term because they’re based on adding health-promoting behaviors rather than restriction and deprivation.
Addressing Weight Stigma & Health Barriers
We recognize that weight stigma—not weight itself—is a significant barrier to health. Research shows that experiences of weight-based discrimination are associated with:
- Avoidance of healthcare settings
- Increased stress and cortisol levels
- Higher rates of depression and anxiety
- Metabolic changes independent of weight
Our practice actively works to:
- Create a safe, respectful environment free from weight bias
- Challenge assumptions about weight and health
- Advocate for appropriate medical care regardless of body size
- Recognize the intersections of weight stigma with racism, ableism, and other oppressions
- Support you in navigating a world that hasn’t yet embraced size diversity
Who This Approach Is For
Our weight-inclusive, HAES-aligned approach is for anyone who:
- Is tired of dieting and wants a different path
- Wants to improve health without fixating on the scale
- Is recovering from disordered eating or eating disorders
- Has experienced weight cycling and wants off the rollercoaster
- Wants to heal their relationship with food and body
- Is facing health concerns and seeking evidence-based, sustainable support
- Wants informed consent about weight loss and all available options
- Values social justice and wants healthcare that reflects these values
Our Commitment to You
We promise to:
- Provide comprehensive, unbiased information about all approaches
- Support your autonomy in healthcare decisions
- Never shame, blame, or judge your body or choices
- Stay current with weight-inclusive research and practice
- Create a collaborative relationship where your experience is valued
- Pivot and adjust as your needs and goals evolve
Health looks different for everyone. There is no “one size fits all” approach. Whether you’re pursuing intuitive eating, working on specific health markers, considering weight loss, or simply want to feel better in your body, we’re here to support your unique journey with expertise, compassion, and deep respect for your wisdom about your own body.
“When we started meeting, I was pre-diabetic, with fatty liver disease, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, and overweight.
Riana has helped me change my lifestyle, helping me to understand that improved health can come with a change of diet, moderate exercise, and adequate sleep.
Riana has been an excellent counselor. She has a thorough academic understanding of nutrition and can explain how her advice is based on scientific research of how food affects our body.
She has been an excellent resource with practical ways to implement my new diet and lifestyle strategy – with recipes, food lists, and encouragement for exercise and rest. Most especially, she has a gentle and friendly spirit.
I am happy to say most of my health issues have been resolved. Our counseling sessions have now transitioned to support and encouragement so I can maintain my new lifestyle. Riana’s gentle promptings help me stay on track.”