How to stop being weighed by your doctor in 2025

Navigating the healthcare system can feel challenging, especially when it comes to managing discussions about body weight. Many of us are taught that stepping on the scale during a doctor’s visit is a routine part of assessing health. But is it truly necessary? The reality is, body weight is not the definitive indicator of health that we’ve been led to believe.

As a virtual eating disorder treatment program, we at Within believe in empowering individuals to advocate for their well-being. Here’s what you need to know about why weight isn’t the end-all-be-all of health and how you can confidently say "no" to unnecessary weigh-ins in 2025.

Rethink what "healthy" truly means

Decades of research have shown that health cannot be reduced to a number on a scale. While weight has been used historically as a convenient metric, it often fails to account for critical factors like:

• Body composition: Muscle mass, fat distribution, and bone density can vary widely between individuals, regardless of weight.
• Lifestyle factors: Nutrition, sleep, stress management, and physical activity often tell us more about a person’s health than their weight.
• Genetics and biology: These play a significant role in determining body size and shape, making weight an incomplete and, at times, misleading metric.

By shifting the focus from weight to overall well-being, we can develop a better understanding of our health and foster a healthier relationship with our bodies.

Know when being weighed is (and isn’t) necessary

In many routine healthcare visits, being weighed isn’t actually required. However, exceptions might include situations like:

• Medication dosages
• Managing conditions that directly involve weight changes (e.g., certain endocrine disorders)

If you’re unsure, ask your doctor why the measurement is necessary. For example, ask "Can you explain how my weight impacts today’s care?"

Strategies to decline being weighed at the doctor’s office

In most cases, you don’t have to be weighed to see your doctor. You are free to decline being weighed, although if you have never done this before, it may be difficult for you to find the words to advocate for yourself.

Here are some things you can say in order to decline being weighed at the doctor:

• Simply say "no" without explanation
• "I don’t want to be weighed unless it’s medically necessary. Please explain to me why this is medically necessary so I can provide informed consent."
• "I decline being weighed today."
• "Being weighed makes me uncomfortable so I am going to decline."
• "No thank you, I don’t want to be weighed today."

Remember, it’s your right to advocate for the care that feels right for you.

"While weighing may be necessary for medical interventions, there are potential risks. We encourage those in recovery to question the necessity, and decline unless being weighed has clinical utility. When being weighed it is also your right to insist on being weighed in such a way that you will not see or hear the number." – Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, CEO and Chief Medical Officer at Within

Ask for a blind weigh-in when needed

If a weight check is unavoidable, you can still take steps to protect your mental and emotional well-being by requesting a blind weigh-in.

While most healthcare professionals are familiar with this practice and will honor your request, it can be stressful to advocate for yourself out loud. It may be helpful to carry a “blind weigh” or "closed weigh" card with you that you can hand to the medical staff. This card may have more lengthy explanations as to why you are declining to be weighed, such as:

• Weighing me every time I come to the doctor and focusing on my weight contributes to weight stigma and weight bias.
• I believe in Health At Every Size and engage in healthy behaviors regardless of my weight.
• When medical professionals focus on my weight, I get triggered and stressed out.
• Most medical conditions and concerns can be treated without knowing my weight.
• I reject diet culture and the notion that a number on a scale can predict my health.

To help with this process, download and print this closed weighing card and show it to your healthcare provider.

It's time to advocate for a more holistic approach to healthcare

By declining unnecessary weigh-ins, you’re not only protecting your own well-being—you’re also advocating for change in the healthcare system. A weight-centric approach can contribute to stigma and is especially harmful to those struggling with eating disorders, but your voice can help normalize inclusive, compassionate care.

Together, let’s redefine health in 2025 and beyond.

Accessible, compassionate care is Within Reach.

Learn more about our intentionally-virtual eating disorder treatment program.