Be the change!

What You Can Do to Help End Weight Bias 

Since launching End Weight Bias as a registered not-for-profit, I’ve felt deeply grateful for the growing connections we’ve been building within the fat liberation community globally; a space we’ve long been part of and continue to learn so much from. 

While those community ties are invaluable, most of my conversations about this work still happen much closer to home. It’s got me thinking about how this work translates into the day-to-day for the people who want to get involved, but haven’t quite found their footing when it comes to allyship.

Within my close circles, most people have already done meaningful work around challenging diet culture. Much of this was in response to my eating disorder diagnosis and treatment. Some came willingly on the journey and even raced ahead of me at times; others trudged along with much resistance, eventually prioritising their desire to remain part of my life over the affront to core beliefs and “knowledge” ingrained over their lifetime.  

But even among people who’ve done that personal work, there’s often still a gap, because weight stigma is subtle and ingrained. It often shows up in ways we don’t consider, such as our language choices, assumptions, jokes, and even compliments. 

When I talk within my circles about fat liberation, and about what we’re working to achieve through End Weight Bias, the most common question I hear is: 

“What can I do day to day to make a difference?” 

That’s a question that means a lot, because ending weight bias isn’t just about big policy changes (though those matter). It’s also about the small actions that shape culture, the everyday choices and conversations. 

There are everyday things we can all do. Cultural movements are built through small, powerful shifts that start within our circles and ripple outward. Conversation, reflection, action. 

Anyone can play a role in changing the world so we can all be treated with the dignity and respect we deserve, regardless of our size.  

So, here are six things you can start doing today to help end weight bias.

1. Stop celebrating weight loss 

This is one of the most powerful shifts you can make. 

When we celebrate weight loss, we reinforce the hierarchy of good bodies and bad bodies.  

We reinforce the idea that smaller bodies are better bodies.  

We reinforce that shrinking is an achievement and that being fat is a problem to be solved. 

Celebrating weight loss also keeps alive the false belief that thinness equals health; a belief that’s not only incorrect but incredibly harmful. Health is complex and influenced by countless factors: nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, social connection, access to care, and more. Body size is not a reliable measure of health and assuming it is both deeply flawed and ableist. 

Weight loss can happen for many reasons. It can be a result of illness, stress, trauma, restricted access to food, or increasingly risky behaviours in a pursuit to be thin at any cost. When we automatically celebrate it, we risk congratulating someone for something that may actually be tied to pain or harm. 

And here’s another thing: we don’t celebrate weight loss in babies, toddlers, or older adults. On the contrary, we praise chubby baby legs and are happy that Pop has “fattened up a bit since he was in hospital”. When you think about it, it is an absurd cultural quirk that once we become children, teenagers and adults, we start applauding something that would concern us at any other life stage. Make it make sense. 

I could write a whole post on this (and I probably will) to more deeply explore why celebrating weight loss causes harm, what to say instead, and how to respond when someone comments on your own body changes, so keep an eye out for that. 

2. Reflect on what you think about people of different body sizes

Do you see a thin, activewear-clad gym-goer sipping a protein smoothie and think, “I wish I had their dedication”? Do you see someone in a larger body going for a walk and think, “Good for them!”? Would you consider the person walking to also be dedicated?

What we think about people of different body sizes tells us a lot about where we’re at on our own fat liberation journey. 

Start noticing your assumptions. How do you perceive people of different sizes in restaurants or cafés? On the street? In the gym, at work, or in social situations? What expectations or judgements arise? 

We’ve all been conditioned to make snap assumptions about others based on appearance. These assumptions could be about their health, discipline, attractiveness, even intellect or competence. Reflecting on these thoughts is the first step in cultivating awareness. And awareness is where change begins. 

Simply noticing those patterns, without defensiveness, without shame, helps reveal the biases and social conditioning that live under the surface. 

3. Pay attention to how you think and talk about your own body 

One of the most fascinating shifts I’ve seen as people move deeper into fat liberation is this: they can fully accept and celebrate other people’s bodies long before they can do the same for their own. 

They might see a fat person wearing a tight or short outfit and think, “they look amazing, but I could never wear that”. Or they might admire someone in a larger body for eating freely, while still telling themselves they “shouldn’t” eat certain foods. They might see someone living joyfully, but still, believe they need to shrink themselves before they’re allowed to engage in the same activities. 

Similarly, I see people fiercely protect everyone’s right to take up space, move joyfully, and participate without shame, yet speak about their own bodies with language they’d never use for anyone else. Self-deprecating comments, jokes at their own expense, or throwaway lines implying their body is a problem. It’s often framed as humour, but reveals the gap between what we believe for others and what we allow for ourselves.

That’s internalised fatphobia. And it’s powerful. Even after years of unlearning, I still notice it creep into my thoughts. But I’m seasoned now to recognise when it’s happening, pause, challenge the thought, and gently redirect it toward something that aligns with my values. It’s a work in progress, but there is progress. 

Recognising how you think and talk about your own body isn’t about getting to a place where you never have negative thoughts again, that is almost impossible with ever changing beauty standards, it’s just about noticing where those thoughts come from, and deciding what sort of relationship you want to have with them. 

4. Reflect on your internal monologue about food 

What beliefs do you hold about food? Do you label foods as “good” or “bad”? Do you ever use terms like “junk food” or “healthy food”? 

Food doesn’t have moral value. Different foods serve different purposes for different people at different times. Labelling them with words like good, bad, junk, healthy reinforces hierarchy. And hierarchy is at the heart of weight bias. 

When you catch yourself thinking, “I shouldn’t eat this”, or “I’ll be good today”, pause. Ask where that thought comes from. Often, it’s rooted in the fear of fatness, in the conditioning that tells us smaller is better, restraint is virtuous, and appetite is shameful. 

And remember, this conditioning runs deep. For decades, we’ve been bombarded with fad after fad: low-fat, low-carb, high-protein, keto, clean eating, detoxing, intermittent fasting. Each promising health and worth through control. The rules keep changing, but the message stays the same: thinner is better. In a culture that equates thinness with value and throws out fad after fad, it’s understandable that so many of us have internalised this way of thinking. 

Recognising that is powerful in itself. You don’t need to fix or silence those thoughts right away. Just notice when they appear, being curious about where they came from is a powerful step toward ending weight bias. 

5. Don’t comment on other people’s food, bodies, or movement 

Even when you mean well (especially when you mean well) resist the urge to comment.  

Unsolicited remarks about what someone eats, how they move, or what their body looks like are rarely helpful. However, they do often reveal underlying bias or assumptions about what one believes to be “normal,” “healthy,” or “acceptable.” 

Comments like “Do you really need that?” or “I could never eat that much” are never appropriate. They reinforce shame, control, and the idea that someone’s choices need external approval. 

What’s worse, sometimes people make these comments in sly, sneaky ways, for example, saying, “I only have two meals a day because that’s enough.” Even when framed as their own choice, it sends a clear message about what they think is right, appropriate, or a “good” way to eat. Even small, offhand comments like this contribute to a culture that monitors and judges bodies, reinforcing weight bias for everyone. 

Reflecting on why we make these comments, why we feel the need to verbalise them, and who those words are really for is a huge step for broader cultural change.

Awareness here is not just personal, it influences the culture around you and how others decide ways that it’s accepted to speak about food, movement, and bodies. 

6. Notice when bias shows up around you 

All of these steps lead to one thing: awareness. 

Start noticing when weight bias or diet culture appear around you. It shows up in workplaces, media, politics, casual conversations, kids movies. You don’t have to call it out or challenge it. Just notice. Once you start seeing it, you can’t unsee it. It’s literally everywhere. It’s ingrained in the fabric of society.  

Think about the language you use. Do you ever say things like “I feel so fat today”? Do you make jokes where being fat is the punchline, or use “fat” as an insult? These moments reveal how deeply weight bias runs and give clues about the assumptions we carry. They are connected to the less visible barriers that people in larger bodies face every day. 

Try to notice these barriers too. It’s often hard to see them if you don’t experience them yourself. Notice when seats are too small for certain bodies. When clothing, uniforms, or dress codes don’t accommodate diverse body shapes.  When access is limited by BMI. These subtle structural and social obstacles are just as important to pay attention to as language and jokes. 

A friend recently reminded me how invisible barriers can be to people who don’t live in larger bodies. We were talking about compression sleeves used for muscle recovery, and I mentioned very neutrally, very matter of fact, that I can’t do them up past my knee. She stopped and said, “I never even considered that could be a barrier”.   

That’s why noticing matters. Because bias often hides in what’s unspoken, unconsidered, unseen. 

Change starts with awareness 

Ending weight bias is a cultural shift. Change starts with awareness, with noticing your own thoughts, assumptions, and behaviours. Advocacy doesn’t always have to be big, loud, or large-scale. The everyday work of choosing respect, living in alignment with your values, and influencing those around you creates lasting cultural change. Start with your close circles, your friends, family, colleagues, and let that ripple outward.  

When we start to notice the assumptions, the barriers, and the injustices around us, we naturally begin to make small shifts in our language, in the way we talk about bodies, food, and movement.  And if we start setting boundaries with those around us about what is and isn’t acceptable in the language they use or the assumptions they make, we start to see real change. Every small action, every thoughtful word, every moment of reflection helps build a world where every body is treated with dignity. 

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Join the movement. 

Another simple, powerful way to help end weight bias is to become a member. 

Membership is free, it only takes a minute to join, and it powers our advocacy.

Membership is open to anyone who believes that every BODY deserves to be treated with respect and that weight bias has no place in healthcare, workplaces, or anywhere else. 

There’s no extra commitment. But your membership helps us show that this movement matters, that thousands of people care about ending weight stigma, and that real change is both needed and wanted.  

Because every person added to our membership is another voice saying: Respect isn’t radical, it’s the bare minimum. 

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Disclaimer: The information shared in this post is intended for a general audience and does not constitute individual medical advice. If any of the content brings something up for you, please seek support from a qualified professional. Size Inclusive Health Australia has a directory of verified practitioners offering care from a weight-neutral framework, you can find it here.