Diet Guru’s Open Apology to Weight Loss Clients
Iris Higgins is a certified hypnotherapist, past life regression specialist, and women’s health coach. However, several years ago, she worked for a weight loss company as a weight loss consultant. She taught women how to restrict their calorie intake to 1200/day, and evaluated their exercise levels. In August 2013, her weight loss consulting job long behind her, Higgins felt the need to write an open apology to all of her weight loss clients. “I’m sorry because it’s only years later that I realized just how unhealthy a 1200 calorie diet was. I stayed on a 1200-1500 calorie diet for years, so I have the proof in myself. Thyroid issues, mood swings, depression, headaches…” She goes on to apologize to breast-feeding mothers, excessive exercisers, women with undiagnosed thyroid problems, teenage girls who were being pressured into losing weight even though they did not need to. All of Higgins’s clients were being subjected to what she calls a “chemically-laden starvation diet.” The letter goes on to apologize for not telling her clients they were beautiful, for perpetuating body dysmorphia and eating disorders, for feeding into the lie that “being healthy means nothing unless you are also thin.” Higgins closes with a heartfelt declaration:
“Just eat food. Eat real food, be active, and live your life. Forget all the diet and weight loss nonsense. It’s really just that. Nonsense. And I can’t stop it. But I can stop my part in it. I won’t play the weight loss game anymore. I won’t do it to my body, and I won’t help you do it to yours. That’s it. End game.”
Read Higgins’s full letter here.
At Rosewood Tempe we believe that “Food is the Best Medicine”, which is why our Registered Dietitians work closely with the clinicians, psychiatrists, and physicians to ensure best patient care. To learn more about our Nutrition Program click here.
This post is a summary of an article on HuffingtonPost.com and does not include the opinions of Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders or its affiliates. You can read the full article here.
