Voices
You became a repeat client and
we kept you in the game. I guess
I did my job really well.
And now I wonder, did I do
more harm than good? When I
left, you all wrote me cards and
sent me flowers. I still have those
cards, the ones that tell me how
much I helped you, how much I
cared. But I’m friends with some
of you on Facebook now, and I
look at your photos and you look
happy. And beautiful. And not
because you lost weight since I
saw you last. But because I see
YOU now. You. Not a client sitting
in my chair, asking for my assistance in becoming what society
wants. But you, a smart and lovely
woman, who really doesn’t need
some random company telling her
there’s something wrong with her.
So I’m sorry because when you
walked in to get your meal plan,
I should have told you that you
were beautiful. I should have
asked you how you FELT. Were
you happy? Did you feel physically fit? Were you able to play
with your kids? There were so
many of you who never needed
to lose a pound, and some of you
who could have gained some. And
maybe sometimes I told you that.
But not enough. Not emphati-
IRIS
HIGGINS
HUFFINGTON
09.01-08.13
cally. Because it was my job to let
you believe that making the scale
go down was your top priority.
And I did my job well.
I am sorry because many of you
walked in healthy and walked out
with disordered eating, disordered
body image, and the feeling that
you were a “failure.” None of you
You looked like a
model, and all of my other
clients were intimidated by
you, asked me why you were
there because clearly you
didn’t need to lose weight.”
ever failed. Ever. I failed you. The
weight loss company failed you.
Our society is failing you.
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.
Iris Higgins is a certified hypno
therapist and women’s health coach.