Roots of Change: Creating Change Plans with Motivational Interviewing

Whether you work directly in nutrition and fitness or not, nearly ALL of our clients will bring up diet, food, nutrition, and exercise.

And we know that how we respond matters!

Do we inadvertently reinforce diet culture messages, or accidentally bring our own experience or bias into the conversation? How do we determine a collaborative focus, that is in the best interest of the client?

Many professionals in health and wellness fields may not recognize the ways in which language and practice can reinforce diet culture. Supporting the pursuit of weight loss can contribute to disordered eating patterns, yo-yo dieting/weight cycling, and weight stigma. Without conscious reflection, even MI practitioners may inadvertently reinforce these messages, causing further harm.

Weight-neutral or weight-inclusive approaches offer another way forward by taking the focus off of weight outcomes, and instead focusing on sustainable changes that honor health and well-being. This 1-hour virtual session will include tangible strategies for applying weight inclusive practices into motivational interviewing sessions. Participants will explore how MI can help practitioners hold space for their client’s desire for weight loss while also discussing the benefits of moving away from a dieting mindset.

Motivational Interviewing Tip of the Week: Check out our Motivational Interviewing in Nutrition & Fitness: Navigating Diet Culture
Through a Weight-Inclusive Lens course.