How can clinicians support patients in moving from number-focused thinking to values-aligned goals that feel sustainable and empowering?

In this episode of In the Know with Nina, Dr. Nina Crowley is joined by Mind Body Eating Coach Anna Gordon to explore how numbers—weight, BMI, body fat, clothing size—shape self-perception and motivation, and how curiosity and compassion can help patients build a healthier, more grounded relationship with change.

Key Takeaways

• Numbers like weight, BMI, body fat, and clothing size often take on moral meaning, becoming shorthand for “good” or “bad.”

• Patients vary widely: for some, numbers are neutral data; for others, they trigger stress, shame, or fear of judgment.

• Curiosity helps uncover the deeper “why” behind a patient’s goals instead of centering the number itself.

• “Shoulds” usually reflect external pressure, not authentic motivation; exploring values helps realign what truly matters.

• Over-fixation on metrics can drain energy, heighten stress, and disrupt healthy behaviors.

• Intrinsic motivations—identity, enjoyment, future self, and core values—drive more sustainable change than external targets.

• Body composition data adds value when used to track meaningful trends in muscle, fat, and function rather than isolated daily fluctuations.

• Interpreting body composition alongside sleep, stress, mood, and quality of life keeps the data grounded and patient-centered.

• Maintenance often requires shifting from constantly preparing the body to live → actually living in it.

• Clinicians can reduce harm by asking permission, staying curious, avoiding moral language, and reinforcing that patients are worthy and deserving of compassionate care at every size.

About my Guest

Anna Gordon, MS, ACC is a Mind Body Eating Coach at Health Psychology Partners in Washington, DC. Using a compassionate, insight-driven coaching approach, she helps clients transform their relationship with food, eating, stress, and self-worth. Anna specializes in supporting individuals who feel that food, body image, or numbers are playing an outsized role in their lives, helping them reconnect with curiosity, values, and personal agency. She partners closely with psychologist Dr. Rachel Pashby to deliver integrative behavioral support within multidisciplinary obesity and metabolic health care.

How to Connect

Website: https://www.healthpsychologypartners.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annagordoncoaching/

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annargordon/

Substack: Eating With Insight https://annargordon.substack.com/