Booking projects for February and March 2025!
If you are a weight inclusive private practice owner, then I’m sure the following conversation that happens in pretty much EVERY discovery call I take with potential clients will sound familiar.
It usually goes something like this:
“Courtney, I want my website to attract clients who need help with their relationship with food… but I know most people are searching for weight loss. How do I handle this without compromising my values?”
As someone who works with tons of weight inclusive and intuitive eating practitioners (and who had to navigate my own journey away from diet culture as an ED survivor), I totally get this struggle. It’s basically trying to speak two languages at once – you want to meet potential clients where they are, but you also don’t want to perpetuate harmful diet culture messaging.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Yes, weight loss is a huge search term. And yes, many of your potential clients might initially come to you wanting to lose weight. But (and this is a big BUT), that doesn’t mean you need to center your marketing around it.
Think of it like this: When someone buys a self-help book, they might think they’re looking for “how to be more productive” – but what they’re often really seeking is a sense of purpose and fulfillment in their work. As health professionals, our role isn’t to simply give clients what they initially ask for, but to help them discover and address their deeper needs for overall wellbeing, sustainable habits, and a healthy relationship with their body.
Here’s my tried-and-true approach that I use with my weight-inclusive clients:
Instead of talking about weight, talk about what’s underneath that desire:
Have a small section on your website (maybe in your FAQ) that directly addresses the weight question. Something like:
“While weight changes may or may not occur as we work together, our focus will be on developing sustainable, health-promoting behaviors that help you feel your best and are accessible to you – physically and mentally. My approach centers on improving your relationship with food and body, not pursuing weight loss as a primary goal.”
When someone says “I want to lose weight,” what they’re often really saying is:
Use THESE phrases in your marketing instead.
Look, I get it – you want people to be able to find you. Here’s how to handle SEO without compromising your values:
You don’t have to choose between helping people find you and staying true to your values. Just like we teach our clients that they don’t have to choose between health and body acceptance, we can find that sweet spot in our marketing too.
Remember: Your ideal clients are looking for YOU and your message, even if they don’t know it yet. They might start their search with “how to lose weight,” but what they really need is someone to show them there’s another way.
And just like my buddy Finnick (the lap-warming cat who pretends he doesn’t need attention but actually loves it), sometimes what clients think they want isn’t what they actually need. Our job is to be there when they’re ready to discover that truth.
P.S. Need help crafting a website that attracts your ideal clients while staying true to your values? That’s literally my favorite thing to do (well, that and reading fantasy books, but you knew that already 😉).
Let’s chat about making your website as authentic as you are!
Courtney has 15+ years of experience putting together and designing marketing materials, WordPress websites, customer experiences, and workflows that help you save time and money. She developed these skills during her years as a Director of Corporate Health Services, Group Fitness Program Manager, Lead Wellness Dietitian, fitness and yoga instructor, and her own nutrition private practice, Vickery Wellness.
She also taught undergraduate courses at the University of Georgia where she graduated with the following degrees:
Declet Designs offers website design, strategy, and SEO for weight-inclusive private practices & small businesses. Located in Athens, GA, and serves businesses nationally and internationally.
Declet Designs is a welcoming and inclusive space for all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, neurodivergence, or national origin.
Declet Designs is located on the lands of the Muscogee and Tsalaguwetiyi people and wishes to acknowledge them as the Traditional Custodians of this land. We also pay our respects to their Elders, past, present & emerging.
COPYRIGHT 2025 DECLET DESIGNS LLC