Can You Lose Weight Without Dieting?

Though most women understand that dieting can be destructive, it's hard to give up the dream of getting thin. Even at Green Mountain, some clients continue to calculate calories and fixate on the scale, which the staff keeps under lock and key to discourage the obsession. Some have histories of eating disorders, and many have trouble learning to respond to real hunger cues as a signal to eat, which is among the most important skills you'll need to develop if you want the HAES approach to produce results. "Intuitive eating tunes you in to your body so you know when you're really hungry and when you've had enough," says Marsha Hudnall, RD, the program director at Green Mountain. And it's not all candy, ice cream, cheese, chips, and fries. "Some do end up eating more of those foods initially," Hudnall says. "But as you truly give yourself permission to eat what you want, you naturally gravitate to healthier choices."

- "The End of Dieting," Prevention Magazine. The article profiles Green Mountain at Fox Run in Vermont, a center pushing the controversial "Healthy at Every Size" (HAES) movement. HAES attempts to strip away years' worth of fearful attitude and negative behavior when it comes to eating, and replace them with healthy behavior and "intuitive eating." Can you lose weight without paying attention to calories and dedicating yourself to exercise? Two women following HAES did.

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