Diets don’t work. So why do health providers continue to recommend weight loss?

Let’s face the truth: the mainstream framework of health is rooted in weight bias. 

Thanks to Diet Culture, which tells us thin is better than fat, health providers are taught that we can understand someone’s health just by knowing their weight or size.  

But a person’s weight is not a true indicator of health. People can be fat and healthy, while others are thin and unhealthy. 

Correlation is not causation. Although research shows a relationship between being higher-weight and having various health conditions, there is no good evidence that those conditions are caused by the weight itself. More accurately, the stress of being judged as a larger body can do more harm than the actual weight.

If we truly care about promoting health, we need to stop shaming people for their size, and take a more holistic approach to treatment.

It’s not our fault that we were conditioned by a biased system, but it is our responsibility to learn the truth about weight, size and health.  

That's why I designed this course.

I want you to have the knowledge and tools to explain to your clients (and colleagues) why health is not predicated on weight loss.

Busting the Diet Culture myths about weight will position you to better support your clients, and promote body acceptance at any size.

With a solid understanding of weight science, you’ll have the confidence to fight fatphobia and dismantle Diet Culture, both inside and outside of clinical settings.

Join today!

Course curriculum

    1. Welcome to Weight Science 101!

      FREE PREVIEW

    2. How to Navigate This Course

    3. The Science of Weight

      FREE PREVIEW

    4. Reflect As You Go Worksheet

    1. The Binge Restrict Cycle

    2. Handout: The Binge-Restrict Cycle

    3. Reflection: Lived Experience with the Binge-Restrict Cycle

    4. Set Point Theory

    5. Quiz 1

    1. BMI Myth-Busting

    2. Handout: Body Size Myths vs. Truths

    3. Compassion Meditation

    1. The Truth About Weight and Health

    2. Quiz 2

    3. Resources for Further Learning

    4. Course Evaluation Instructions

    5. Course Evaluation Survey

    6. References

About this course

  • $119.00
  • 18 lessons
  • 1.5 hours of video content

In this course, you will:

  • Learn why efforts to maintain weight loss typically fail within a few years.

  • Explore the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to body size.

  • Dispel Diet Culture myths about weight, size, and health (including the myth that being higher-weight is inherently “unhealthy”).

  • Gain the knowledge to help your clients/patients reject Diet Culture messaging and pursue authentic health, at any size.

  • Learn through 4 in-depth video modules, optional text lessons, self-reflection activities, and quizzes at your own pace, from the comfort of your home!

Bonuses

As a bonus, you will also receive:

  • A self-reflection worksheet and journaling prompts to help you uncover biases and process reactions to the material as you go along

  • An exclusive downloadable Compassion Meditation to use in your own practice and share with your clients

  • Downloadable PDF handout explaining Body Size Myths vs. Facts

  • Downloadable educational handouts to use in your clinical work and share with your clients/patients

  • Course completion certification

  • Priority access to future courses, including Intro to Intuitive Eating (launching in 2022)

  • FREE access to any future updates to this course!

These materials and resources are the result of years of research, training, and education, summarized into an engaging, easy-to-absorb self-paced course.


Instead of doing hours upon hours of reading and research to catch up on the weight science, you can gain a strong knowledge base in a single afternoon. I’ve done the grunt work for you so that in less than 90 minutes you can learn everything you need to know to begin challenging Diet Culture in healthcare.

Enroll now

Are you ready to learn the truth about body size, and fight fatphobia in healthcare?

Testimonials

Heather Oleson, MA, MPH, LPCC

Outpatient Mental Health Therapist- Lakeville, MN

"This course is excellent! Weight Science 101 should be a required course-- not only for those in mental health, but for ALL healthcare providers! I was surprised that many typical assumptions about weight loss are not only false but potentially harmful. Weight Science 101 challenged me to think critically about systemic layers that have supported diet culture, and to reflect upon my own personal biases. Much of the information was unsettling to say the least, but I am glad to no longer be naive about these issues. I can only hope to now be a wiser and more compassionate clinician, equipped to guide my clients to a more balanced view of health and wellness."

Dr. Shayna Perry

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

"After Weight Science 101 I came away with the ability speak to the significant shortcomings of our current BMI-based metric of health, the biased research behind these metrics, and meaningful ways to move through the world WITHOUT buying into the outdated health system. The educational handouts and additional resources give ongoing ways to take a stance and share information. This course is a must for any health professional!"

Katie Bellamy, LCPC, BC-DMT

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor & Board-Certified Dance-Movement Therapist

"I thoroughly enjoyed this weight science course! I learned a lot and am walking away with concrete knowledge to apply to my work with clients. I also really appreciated how the curriculum included room for self-reflection - as with any topic, we’ve got to do our own work first!"

Meet Your Instructor

I’m Dr. Paula Freedman, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, educator, and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor dedicated to dismantling Diet Culture and celebrating body diversity.

Diet Culture harms all of us, but it’s especially harmful for those whose bodies are larger. As someone who lives in a body that isn’t discriminated against (having “thin privilege”), I’m aware that I will never understand what it’s like to experience the world in a higher-weight body. I work to be as strong of an ally as possible, and to introduce providers like you to the anti-diet movement so that you can then continue to learn from others in this space.

As health providers, we have a responsibility to think critically about the things we’ve been taught about weight and health, instead of making assumptions about the people we treat. I’m here to give you the full story about weight and health, so that you can confidently challenge fatphobia and weight stigma in healthcare settings.

Together we can reduce the harm we cause to higher-weight patients. Let’s make health and mental health safer and more welcoming for everybody, across the spectrum of weight and size.

Sign up now

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • Who is this course appropriate for?

    Any health provider, but especially those in mental or behavioral healthcare, social work, psychology, psychiatry, nutrition science, and medicine. This course is designed as a companion to the flagship course, How to Treat Eating Disorders and Body Image. However, if you are already familiar with eating disorder diagnosis and treatment, and you are also familiar with the social construct of Diet Culture, this course can certainly be taken on its own. The course will help you grow as an anti-diet health professional. It’s also great for future clinicians and health providers-in-training (e.g., graduate students in psychology, counseling, or social work, medical students, dietetic students and interns, etc.)

  • Can I share my course registration with a colleague or friend?

    Course enrollments cannot be shared. Once you enroll and payment is received, you will receive access to the full course content and will be assigned a unique username and password to log in. However, if you are part of a group or clinic and would like to inquire about discounts on bulk orders of the course, you may email [email protected].

  • Do I have to complete the course in a set period of time, or can I take as long as I want to complete it?

    Once enrolled, you’ll have access to the course anytime of day or night, for two full years! You can complete it at your own pace, and can repeat sections if you’d like. It is recommended that you complete quizzes and activities shortly after their corresponding lessons, while the information is still fresh. However, if you decide to take breaks, you’ll be able to jump back in right where you left off!

  • Are discounts or reduced rates available?

    You may receive a discount on Weight Science 101 if you have already enrolled in How to Treat Eating Disorders and Body Image. You may also select a payment plan option, which allows you to pay half up-front and the remaining half in 30 days. If you are a student or are unable to pay the full price, please feel free to contact [email protected] to inquire about a reduced rate, which may be available on a case-by-case basis.

P.S. Still not sure if the course is for you? Check out the FREE PREVIEW lessons before you commit!

Note: to access the "free preview" sections, click on the icons in the curriculum list below. You will be prompted to create a learner account, which will then allow you to view the preview material. You will not be asked to provide any payment information unless you choose to purchase the course.

Course curriculum

    1. Welcome to Weight Science 101!

      FREE PREVIEW

    2. How to Navigate This Course

    3. The Science of Weight

      FREE PREVIEW

    4. Reflect As You Go Worksheet

    1. The Binge Restrict Cycle

    2. Handout: The Binge-Restrict Cycle

    3. Reflection: Lived Experience with the Binge-Restrict Cycle

    4. Set Point Theory

    5. Quiz 1

    1. BMI Myth-Busting

    2. Handout: Body Size Myths vs. Truths

    3. Compassion Meditation

    1. The Truth About Weight and Health

    2. Quiz 2

    3. Resources for Further Learning

    4. Course Evaluation Instructions

    5. Course Evaluation Survey

    6. References

About this course

  • $119.00
  • 18 lessons
  • 1.5 hours of video content

Enroll now

Are you ready to learn the truth about body size, and fight fatphobia in healthcare?