232. Weight Stigma in Healthcare Is NOT in Your Head (and What You Can Do About It) with Dr. Vicky Borgia

”Telling someone to lose weight is a really quick way to get through that eight minute visit, and not ask about what people actually eat before you say ‘eat less'."

Walking into a doctor’s office shouldn’t leave anyone feeling ashamed, dismissed, or anxious about their body size. In this episode, Dr. Vicky Borgia breaks down how weight stigma actually shows up in medical care and what you can do about it. She shares an inside look at the biases and systemic pressures driving weight-centered decisions, along with her own experiences navigating diet culture as both a provider and person recovering from an eating disorder. You’ll hear what weight stigma really is, how it affects the care patients receive, and simple strategies to advocate for yourself and build a more weight-inclusive healthcare team.

✅ What You’ll Learn:

• Why weight stigma in healthcare is NOT “just in your head” (and how it actually shows up in real appointments)
• How physician bias, billing pressures, and convenience often drive weight-centered care, not evidence-based medicine
• Practical strategies to advocate for yourself at the doctor’s office, even if it means declining to be weighed
• How to start building a weight-inclusive care team (or set boundaries with the team you already have)
• What happens when medical advice differs wildly based on body size

🔗 Resources:

• Connect with Dr. Vicky Borgia
• Don’t Weigh Me Cards
• Ragen Chastain on Substack
• ASDAH Health at Every Size® Healthcare Provider Listing
• M.S.S.I: Size Inclusive Healthcare
• Aubrey Gordon
• What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon

If you’ve ever thought, “Why is it so hard to stop eating when I’m full?” – you’re not alone. And spoiler alert: it’s not about willpower or control. It goes so much deeper than that. Grab the free Honoring Fullness Checklist right now at DietCultureRebel.com/Checklist to start building a more positive relationship with food. 💛

Struggling with food, but not sure where to start?

You don’t have to feel 100% ready to get support. If you're tired of obsessing over food or feeling stuck in the diet cycle, my team of Registered Dietitians is here to help. We offer one-on-one nutrition counseling—and we accept insurance! Spots are limited, so head to https://dietculturerebel.com/insurance to see if we’re covered in your state and learn how to get started.