When Weight Comes Up in Session, Pause Here
Today’s blog post is for health care providers - whether you’re a physician, personal trainer, physical therapist, mental health specialist, or coach, this upcoming series was written to provide more weight-inclusive tools. Please email hello@katiehake.com to join our quarterly newsletter with more tips and updates!
Food and weight have a way of sneaking into sessions - even when that’s not why the client showed up.
“I just need to lose weight.”
“I’m being bad with food.”
“I have no willpower.”
These moments often arrive off-agenda, and how we respond matters more than we realize.
Here’s the clinical truth I see over and over again:
weight loss is often a red herring (and not talking about the smoked fish).
What’s usually underneath weight talk
Most clients aren’t actually asking for a nutrition plan. They’re trying to make sense of something that feels off:
Fatigue
Anxiety
Loss of control
A body that doesn’t feel predictable anymore
Weight becomes a placeholder, a socially acceptable explanation for distress.
And once weight is named, pressure tends to rise quickly.
Language that keeps things grounded
When food or weight shows up unexpectedly, small shifts in language can reduce shame and support regulation, without turning the session into a nutrition consult.
When a client says:
“I just need to lose weight.”
Try:
“What’s not working in your body right now?”
“What would actually feel better if weight weren’t the focus?”
When a client says:
“I’m being bad with food.”
Try:
“Bad usually means something feels overwhelmed.”
“What’s been happening around food lately?”
When a client says:
“I have no willpower.”
Try:
“This often shows up with stress or underfueling.”
“Let’s look at capacity, not discipline.”
When a client says:
“I should eat better before next time.”
Try:
“There’s nothing to prove here.”
“What would feel supportive between now and then?”
These responses keep the focus on curiosity and safety - not control or performance.
When nutrition support CAN help
Nutrition counseling isn’t only helpful for disordered eating or weight-related concerns. It often strengthens care when clients are navigating:
Anxiety, depression, ADHD, or burnout
Chronic stress or difficulty with regulation
Fatigue, low energy, or inconsistent focus
Sleep disruption or poor recovery
Digestive issues or appetite changes
Life transitions (teens, athletes, pregnancy/postpartum, midlife)
A desire for more structure without rigidity
In these cases, nutrition counseling isn’t about weight loss.
It’s about helping clients build consistency, attunement, and supporting routines that make other therapeutic and medical interventions more effective.
A reframe worth holding onto
Food behaviors are rarely the problem.
They’re often protective strategies in a nervous system under load.
When nourishment becomes more consistent and less charged, clients often feel steadier (mentally and physically) which allows deeper work to happen elsewhere.
About our work
Katie Hake Health & Fitness provides weight-inclusive, trauma-informed nutrition counseling for teens and adults. We are a team of Registered Dietitians and Fitness Professionals who collaborate closely with therapists, physicians, coaches, and care teams to support whole-person care.
Indianapolis + virtual
In-network with Anthem BCBS & UHC/UMR
hello@katiehake.com