Body Positive Influencers

Social media has always tried to fit people into a “box”. To get famous, you need to be “skinny” and have a perfect life. This idea has brought down the confidence of men and women for a long time. People are shamed everyday for their weight and the way they look, and that is not right at all. Influencers all over the world have decided this stigma against plus-size creators should be put to a stop immediately. As the number of body positive creators rose, the better the social media environment has gotten. In today’s blog, I have listed ten body positive creators on the social media platform Instagram that you should check out and follow!

#1 Mik Zazon (@mikzazon)

     Mik Zazon is a 26 year old instagram influencer who has 1 million followers. She posts multiple times a week, and focuses on normalizing insecurities in women today.

#2 Michelle Elman (@michellelelman)

     Elman is a 29 year old life coach, author, and influencer who has 245 thousand followers. She talks about many mental health topics and stigmas on her page.

#3 Anna Sweeney (@dietitiananna)

     Anna is an eating counselor with 130 thousand followers. On her page, she posts about having healthy eating habits and exposing the harm of eating disorders.

#4 Neha Parulkar (@nehaparulkar)

     Neha is a plus-size model and body positive influencer with 50 thousand followers. She posts about what it’s like to be a plus-size ethnic woman in today’s society.

#5 Kadeeja Sel Khan (@emeraldxbeauty)

     Khan is an acne model and skin activist with 383 thousand followers. She is trying to normalize having acne and stop people from feeling ashamed of it.

#6 Claus Fleissner (@extra_inches_plussizeblog)

     Fleissner is a plus-size model with 20 thousand followers. He uses his page to promote more plus-size representation in the fashion industry.

#7 Riccardo Onorato (@guyoverboard)

     Onorato is a body-positive influencer with 81.7 thousand followers. He uses his page to show how men are pressured to conform to society’s beauty standards, and how he got through those pressures himself.

#8 Ryan Sheldon (@realryansheldon)

     Sheldon is an influencer with 20.6 thousand followers. He talks about how he struggles with an eating disorder on his page, and also how he overcame it.

#9 Zach Miko (@zackmiko)

     Miko was Target’s first plus-size model ever, and caused people to start talking about body inclusivity more because of his achievements.

#10 Kelvin Davis (@kelvindavis)

      Davis is a body-positive influencer and model with 124 thousand followers. His page promotes self-love and acceptance of yourself and your body.

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Resources :

Taylor Andrews (2021, March 3). Follow these 15 body positive activists for all the ~good Vibes~. Cosmopolitan. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/g13352390/body-positivity-instagram-accounts/

Wheeler, K. (2020, July 10). 11 male body confidence bloggers you need to follow now. Happiful Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2022, from https://happiful.com/male-body-confidence-bloggers-to-follow/

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Kylee Roberts, Mental Health Virtual Assistant

Co-Written by Amber Madden, LPCC-S

The Differences Between Anorexia and Bulimia

    Eating disorders affect about 9% of the population worldwide. No matter your age or your gender, you can still be impacted by an eating disorder. This post is going to focus on two different types of eating disorders, Anorexia and Bulimia. Both of these mental illnesses can have extreme effects on the body and mind. This article will hopefully help you to see the risks of Anorexia/ Bulimia and how to get help if you are struggling with disordered eating.

What is Anorexia/Bulimia?

    Anorexia Nervosa is typically described as an eating disorder where someone restricts their food/calorie intake to the point where they become malnourished and underweight. Typically, people with Anorexia have a fear of being overweight and distorted body image. In some cases, people struggling with Anorexia may exercise compulsively.

    Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder where someone binge-eats and then induces vomit, abuses laxatives, or does anything that can undo the effects of their binge-eating. These are called “compensatory behaviors''.  Much like Anorexia, people who wrestle with Bulimia have a fear of being overweight while having a problem with binge-eating. Because of this fear, people with Bulimia “purge” after a binge to stop weight gain.

What are the symptoms/signs of these disorders?

    Some symptoms/signs of Anorexia include :

• Noticeable Weight Loss

• Has concern about eating in public

• Restricts food intake and/or certain food groups

• Stomach cramps

• Dizziness

• Fainting

    Some symptoms/signs of Bulimia include :

• Signs of binge eating

• Evidence of purging

• Goes to the bathroom immediately after every meal

• Bloating

• Discolored / stained teeth

• Swelling around the jaw and/or cheeks

How are these disorders diagnosed?

To be diagnosed with Anorexia according to the DSM-5 , the following symptoms must be present :

1. Restriction of food intake leading to low weight

2. Fear of gaining weight or becoming fat , even while being extremely underweight

3. Denial of the seriousness of their low weight

To be diagnosed with Bulimia , the following criteria must be met :

1. Recurrent episodes of binge-eating

2. Uses compensatory behaviors to prevent weight gain

3. These behaviors occur at least once a week for at least 3 months

4. These behaviors do not occur only during episodes of Anorexia

    It is also important to note that if you do not show all of these symptoms, but you are still struggling with some characteristics of an eating disorder, it is imperative that you seek help.

What are the consequences of these disorders?

    About 10% of people struggling with Anorexia die because of it. They tend to die due to starvation, suicide, or health-related problems. Also , long-term Anorexia can result in infertility, seizures, and osteoporosis. Anorexia can also result in electrolyte imbalance, which can result in death.

    Bulimia can prevent proper digestion, which can cause extreme bloating, constipation, and bacterial infections. Binge - eating can cause the stomach to rupture, and vomiting can create permanent damage to the esophagus. Heart failure can also happen due to the body breaking down its own tissue because of low calorie intake.

What are some treatment options for Anorexia/Bulimia?

    Treatment all depends on the severity of the Anorexia. If it is very severe, the person struggling would need to be hospitalized and tube-fed until the needed amount of nutrients is obtained. Other treatment options include residential/ outpatient treatment and eating disorder therapy.

    Extreme cases of Bulimia can call for hospitalization. However, different types of therapy and treatments are available to help if your case does not call for a hospital stay. You could start by seeing a mental health professional and starting a treatment plan to help with your struggles.

If you are struggling with Anorexia or Bulimia, it is important to get help as soon as possible. Even if you cannot see the harm these disorders are causing you right now, in the future some of the consequences mentioned above may begin to show in your life. Recovering from an eating disorder is not an easy thing to do, but there is hope in recovery!

Amber Madden, LPCC-S is a certified in treating eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia. She has availability for virtual sessions if you think you may need to schedule an appointment or consultation. Click here.

Resources

“Anorexia Nervosa.” National Eating Disorders Association, 28 Feb. 2018, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/anorexia

Bothwell, Samantha, et al. “What Is the Most Serious Health Risk from Anorexia Nervosa?” Eating Disorder Hope, 9 June 2022, https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/what-is-the-most-serious-health-risk-from-anorexia-nervosa

Chandler, and Chandler. “What Are the Primary Characteristics of Bulimia Nervosa?” Eating Disorder Hope, 9 June 2022, https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/blog/what-are-the-primary-characteristics-of-bulimia-nervosa

“Bulimia Nervosa.” National Eating Disorders Association, 22 Feb. 2018, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/bulimia

“Health Consequences.” National Eating Disorders Association, 22 Feb. 2018, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/health-consequences

“Eating Disorder Treatment: Know Your Options.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 14 July 2017, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eating-disorders/in-depth/eating-disorder-treatment/art-20046234

By Kylee Roberts, MH Virtual Assistant

Co-written by Amber Madden, NCC, LPCC-S

#WakeUpWeightWatchers (My WW Story)

A few weeks ago, Weight Watchers announced the company would be offering free signups for adolescents this summer. In a press release the company voiced, "Weight Watchers intends to be a powerful partner for families in establishing healthy habits. During the summer of 2018, Weight Watchers will offer free memberships to teenagers aged 13 to 17, helping the development of healthy habits at a critical life stage." The same release also revealed the company stands to increase revenue by more than $2 billion by new member growth and retention. 

This is both disturbing and problematic the company would take such a bold move to "hook" an audience and following at such a young and vulnerable age. With much of society targeting children and adolescents with alarming (and skewed) statistics citing that today's generation will be the first to not outlive their parents due to obesity, the company seems to be taking advantage of a "global problem." 

There is much that could be said on this subject and I'm sure there are numerous articles and information you can read which will share all of the data and research as to why this is such a bad idea. Instead of sharing that information again, I thought I could lend to speak to you from experience.

When I was 12 years old, Weight Watchers was my first introduction into the diet world. At this young and vulnerable time, I don't even remember being "overweight," or what society may have deemed as overweight for an adolescent. What I do remember is attending the meetings with my Mom and thinking that it looked like fun. I was intrigued by the community the women had and the idea of a weekly weigh-in where I would be showered with positive attention (if I lost weight) sounded like something I wanted to be a part of, too. Joining Weight Watchers felt like a rite of passage because all women who are grown-ups are on some sort of a diet - or at least that's what I believed.

Obviously I was young, at the age of 12, but I thought I would share here my memories that stand out the most for me from my experience of being a participant of Weight Watchers as an adolescent. My hope is that if you are a parent considering this for your child, that you will reconsider.

What Weight Watchers Taught Me:

• That losing weight was positively rewarded and reinforced, while gaining weight was something to be ashamed of. Many women would even have meltdowns and end up crying after a "bad weigh-in" at the back of the room.
• Lunchtime at school became very complicated and uncomfortable while on WW. During my time at WW, tuna fish sandwiches and carrot sticks were all the rage. So, while all the other children at school were enjoying their lunches with fun snacks and well-rounded meals, I was eating tuna fish and crackers. I remember it feeling very isolating.
• Weight gain was something to be ashamed of. I can remember our WW counselor once posing the question, "What good things come from weight gain?" It was as if implying that only bad things come from weight gain, when really, this shouldn't even be part of the conversation we're having because a specific weight is not the only indicator of better health.
• My Binge Eating began while I was a member of WW. It was almost a known fact that all the women would congregate after the meetings and have a "cheat meal" out together somewhere after the meeting. I can remember eating so much that afterwards I always felt sick and miserable. 

These are specific memories I have, but there are many other take-aways for how being an adolescent in WW would have a negative impact on my life for years to come. The program would be my first experience in positive reinforcement for weight loss, thus solidifying in my young mind the falsehood that a thinner body is a better body. Weight Watchers would be the first of many diets that I would try for the next two decades. Like many other individuals who are susceptible to an eating disorder after dieting, Weight Watchers would become my gateway onto this path where I would later struggle with anorexia, binge eating and exercise bulimia.

Considerations Before Enrolling Your Teen

Meeting Are Not Led By Professionals - Perhaps one of the most notable faults of Weight Watchers in considering the program for your teenage child is the program lacks medical or mental health professional guidance. Most community meetings are hosted by a "leader." The Weight Watcher leaders (at least during that time) were untrained professionals who usually were "graduates" of the program having reached their goal weight. As such, they have practically no training as a medical or mental health professional.

Diets Are Not Conducive for Development - Another criticism is the fact that due to this lack of professional guidance, the program would most likely lack the information and knowledge needed to be able to provide adequate care for a developing adolescent body. In present day media, we see numbers and bold, fear-mongering statements indicating that the vast majority of Americans are overweight and are just on the cusp of death! Other statements also tend to claim that childhood obesity is at it's highest ever recorded. However, there is very little said about how many young children and adolescents will actually gain weight during puberty. This is NATURAL and supposed to happen. I'm sure at some point, you've probably heard the statement that children, "grow out, then up." Placing adolescents on a diet could deprive their growing body of the needed nutrients and resources to aid their bodies in the maturation process. This could have a significant impact on brain development, psychological functioning, as well as cause lack of energy.

What Message Do We Want To Send Our Youth? - Lastly, another consideration - do we want the conversation with our youth about better health to be based on their appearance? If as a parent, the concern is of your child's health, are there other areas you can provide improvement without labeling them as a WW member? Are there sports clubs or groups they can become involved in which may also lend to healthy discussion about their changing body? For example, Girls On the Run is a national organization which teaches young girls about their body and has mission to encourage confidence, self-respect and empowerment. There may be other ways to help your adolescent rather than a central focus on their weight and appearance, which could only further solidify a negative relationship with their body.

As stated previously, it is my hope that this discussion will give you pause and consideration before you decide to sign your teen up for Weight Watchers. Perhaps instead of Weight Watchers, you might consider an intuitive eating or Health At Every Size therapist for your teen's weight concerns. I would be more than happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have! 

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Bloom Book Club: Body Respect

It's that time! The Bloom Book Club members have voted and our next quarter's read has been selected!

We'll be reading Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, and Just Plain to Fail to Understand about Weight by Linda Bacon, Ph. D. and Lucy Aphramor, Ph. D.

Begins April 15th! (but feel free to join in anytime)

The excerpt about the book from Amazon:

Weight loss is not the key to health, diet and exercise are not effective weight-loss strategies and fatness is not a death sentence.

You’ve heard it before: there’s a global health crisis, and, unless we make some changes, we’re in trouble. That much is true—but the epidemic is NOT obesity. The real crisis lies in the toxic stigma placed on certain bodies and the impact of living with inequality—not the numbers on a scale. In a mad dash to shrink our bodies, many of us get so caught up in searching for the perfect diet, exercise program, or surgical technique that we lose sight of our original goal: improved health and well-being. Popular methods for weight loss don’t get us there and lead many people to feel like failures when they can’t match unattainable body standards. It’s time for a cease-fire in the war against obesity.

Dr. Linda Bacon and Dr. Lucy Aphramor’s Body Respect debunks common myths about weight, including the misconceptions that BMI can accurately measure health, that fatness necessarily leads to disease, and that dieting will improve health. They also help make sense of how poverty and oppression—such as racism, homophobia, and classism—affect life opportunity, self-worth, and even influence metabolism.

Body insecurity is rampant, and it doesn’t have to be. It’s time to overcome our culture’s shame and distress about weight, to get real about inequalities and health, and to show every body respect.

Join Us!

Interested in becoming a Bloom Book Club member? We read a book every quarter with themes advocating Intuitive Eating, HAES, positive body image and more. Check out some of the benefits:

The Book Club includes:

• Tiered membership levels, including a FREE membership!
• Quarterly LIVE discussions of the current selection participants can attend as a group.
• Action challenges and homework assignments emailed directly to you to help you implement the material of the reading.
• The ability to vote and recommend upcoming selections.
• A written review of the quarterly selection.
• A separate, private Facebook group with weekly discussions, live videos and lively debate about the current selection.
• A way to improve your learning, continue your recovery and promote positive change without attending sessions or webinars.

Signup for your first quarter for just $5 or select the FREE membership option!

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Basic Membership Free!

How One Magazine Changed My Life

In present day society, diet culture is everywhere you turn. Hundreds of television commercials advertising the latest beauty products and fitness brands, your favorite celebrities talking about what diet they're currently on and even the publications we read.

There are many reasons and ways one can be susceptible to disordered eating or an eating disorder. The factors which contribute to these issues are often multifaceted, meaning there are usually multiple factors. These factors include, but are not limited to: family pressures and dynamics, images portrayed by the media, experiences with peers throughout childhood, genetic predispositions, trauma, and more. We cannot always control for all of these factors. In fact, many are out of our control. However, I do believe we can work towards creating a more positive environment by creating personal boundaries.

When I was a pre-teen adolescent, verging on the entry of those dreaded middle school years, I was very susceptible to the influences of the diet and fitness industries. Like many young girls (and young boys) the puberty years are some of the toughest to endure because of all the bodily changes that take place.

During this time of my adolescence, I can remember wanting very much to change my appearance. Whether it was so boys would like me more or to fit in with my peers, I was desperate to learn everything I could about how to change my appearance to look more like what I was exposed to at the time. Magazine publications became a huge influence for me and how I would cultivate my identity, or at least what I thought my identity should be based on the messages I received.

I can remember wanting to buy all the magazine publications I could. I would inpatiently wait every month for new editions of my favorites to hit the stands. Teen, Seventeen, Glamour, Cosmogirl - I spent my allowance on all of them. What articles was I most interested in reading? Everything that had to do with diet, fitness and beauty.

The magazine industry is a multibillion dollar industry that bases all their earnings from the advertisers that support them. Flip through any given magazine and you're likely to find more than half of it is advertisements about beauty products, fitness brands and diet companies. Perhaps the most troubling aspect of these publications, is that many of them masquerade as a way to try and help and improve you. With headlines like, "Age proof your whole body," and, "Flat Belly Finally - Score Flat Abs," the headline sounds like it's trying to solve a problem you have, when in actuality, it's telling you that your body is the problem.

But that's how advertising works. It's a cycle. The magazine publication headlines and articles need to convince you that there is something wrong with you so that you will subscribe to wanting/trying to fix the "problem." To do so, you have to buy beauty products, diet supplies and fitness gear. And that's how they earn their money, because the advertisers pay the magazines to publish these articles convincing you to feel bad about yourself so that you will buy their products. (Mic drop.)

To this very day, I can remember a very specific issue of a magazine called YM. I can remember exactly what the cover looked like and most of the content of the magazine. I read this issue SO MANY TIMES that I practically had it memorized. This issue was their "Fitness and Beauty Special Edition" for that year and was riddled with hundreds of tips for "getting the body you want," and "finally getting thin." I soaked up all of these messages like a dry sponge. I read this magazine cover to cover so many times that the actual cover did eventually wear off. I read it so many times that even now, nearly twenty years later, I had no problem picking out the cover of the magazine from a Google image search.

Action Challenge

Looking back, these magazines did not teach me how to prioritize my health, but brainwashed me into having a diet mentality. As an adult, I am amazed even to this day how many of these magazines are still using these same tactics. Magazines that by the very title and definition should be helping you to achieve long-lasting health, have a very different motive entirely. One of the challenges we complete in my Break the Mold: Building Better Body Image course is to complete a Google image search of your favorite magazine publication. In this example here, we search for the popular Women's Health Magazine.

When I think of my health, I think of it as a part of myself that is comprised of many different aspects. There's my mental health, physical health, emotional health and my social health (how I relate with others). However, a quick Google search for the Women's Health Magazine blatantly demonstrates that the magazine's definition of "health" primarily focuses on appearance, NOT other important measurements of health.

What You Can Do

It is unlikely the magazine industry is going to read this post and make drastic changes overnight. After all, they are already aware of the damage they cause, but do little to make changes unless pressured by greater demands. For example, YM magazine acquired a new editor who boldly decided to stop publishing harmful articles and headlines for their magazine. Subsequently, advertisers began pulling their ads from the magazine. YM ceased publishing shortly thereafter.

It will not be enough for one editor to make the decision that these articles and advertisements are harmful. We will only see change once consumers begin spending their money in other industries other than beauty products and diet brands. Perhaps that begins with you. I challenge you to take a look at the publications, advertisements and other media avenues you subscribe to and ask whether or not the messages you are supporting are helpful or harmful to you and your values. We CAN make a choice to spend our money on things that bring us joy, peace and harmony with ourselves and our bodies. Instead of spending your money on the latest beauty trend or diet food, think about investing that money in a evergreen experience which will bring you joy for years to come, such as travel or relationships. 

My hope for the future is that we see more and more of these publications respond by pulling advertising targeting towards beauty and diet brands. Instead, I believe if we (as women) demonstrate that we want to be valued for other reasons, then we will begin to see different features in the media. I, for one, would rather read about travel experiences, personal stories of growth and health articles that speak of health in the many different ways that are NOT related to weight or size. 

Setting Your Non-Diet Resolutions

I love the feel that a New Year brings. I know some are completely against setting New Year's Resolutions, and if that's you, I totally understand. Resolutions have gotten a bad rep in a lot of ways because some view them as standards they set for themselves and then are unable to keep.

I view New Year's resolutions as a way to reset for the next year to come. Resolutions help provide me with a framework for the intentional life I want to lead. During this time, I can shape a plan with both short and long term goals about whatever way that I want to make the most out of the next year.

I think another reason New Year's resolutions have grown to be a bit of a punch line for a bad joke is because most setting goals for the new year will almost always include some type of fitness or weight loss goal. The health and fitness industry experiences a boom in marketing this time of year. Participate in any gym and you're likely to have difficulty finding an open treadmill until March.  

So for all of us who are exposed to these messages, this push to change our body - this message is for you. You can say no. You can make a decision to NOT participate or set diet and weight loss goals this year. Research indicates that 95% of diets will fail and of those 5% that succeed, it's likely those individuals have had to shape their entire lives around being a certain size or shape (i.e. meal planning, working out, counting calories, skipping social outings, etc.).

If you're in recovery, or newly embracing the intuitive eating message, you may find it especially difficult during this time of year. Promotions and advertising are centered around weight loss and the office becomes a place where diet-talk and trading New Year's resolutions intentions will be constant. It's likely you'll feel a pull to engage and participate with everyone else and that's okay. Use this as an exercise to not get sucked back into the diet culture. Use this as an opportunity to share with others why you're not setting diet resolutions this year. Challenge others to share resolutions that have nothing to do with changing their appearance. 

Here are some non-diet resolutions you can consider instead:

• Learn to play an instrument (it's never too late!)
• Set a number of books you wish to read this year. (Have you joined the Bloom Book Club? #shamelessplug)
• Aim to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and nature daily.
• Plan quarterly home projects with monthly financial plans to make those projects happen.
• Write in a journal daily.
• Develop a bedtime routine that will allow you to have better rest and sleep.
• Treat yourself at least once a month to a massage, a day at the spa, or just a lunch out alone.
• Catch up with an old friend at least once a quarter.
• Join a recovery related support group via online or in person. (Bloom has a free Facebook Group!)
• Plan a destination vacation trip, even if it's just for the weekend. Set monthly goals to make it happen.
• Try one new recipe a week or a month, whichever fits your schedule better.
• Take one day a week to totally relax and recharge (i.e. stay in your comfy clothes, wear no makeup, etc.)
• Learn about a new subject. Read one blog post or article about the subject every morning to get your day started.
• Schedule a date night with your significant other at least once a week, even if it's just a movie together at home.

I would love to hear any other non-diet ways that you plan to be more intentional for this upcoming year. Feel free to share in the comments!

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Self Care and Saying No Through the Holidays

Since I was a small child, I remember the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals as always being a time when everyone would eat to past fullness. It was normal and common to fill the dinner plate to the brim and then go back for seconds...sometimes thirds. There have been many holidays in my past in which I can remember feeling sick afterwards, finding it necessary to even go lie down right after dinner to "sleep off" the meal. 

Of course, there's nothing wrong with some over indulgence at the holiday meal time. Some may refer to this eat past fullness as a binge, but according to the DSM V and the diagnostic criteria for Binge Eating (link to archive blog), eating past fullness or eating more than others normally would only applies if it occurs in a situation in which others do not normally eat more than usual. In this case, the overeating behavior would not apply as a binge eating episode because it is normal for overeating to occur during the holiday season. 

However, I can remember my father engaging in the holiday meal time very differently. My father suffered and still suffers occasionally with acid reflux, in which sometimes certain choices with food results in having a very negative reaction for his stomach and digestion. He learned that it was better for him to start saying no to eating past fullness. He practiced saying no at family gatherings if he knew he had already ate a satisfying meal. Though at times other family members initially questioned and were dismayed at his behavior, most learned to expect and respect his decision in his eating behaviors during the holiday meal. My dad was making the choice to eat for how he wanted to feel, an intuitive eating practice.

During the holiday season it is known and nearly expected to overeat. Many find it difficult to skip out on meal selections that perhaps, they wouldn't normally eat. For example, if you don't LOVE green beans, but perhaps you still feel compelled to put them on your holiday meal plate just because they're there. Some reasons might be because you want to "get in your vegetables" or because "they were there and so I thought I would eat them."

Another common mistake some make in intuitive eating at holiday time is eating items in order to make others happy. Many individuals are blessed with multiple family gatherings, sometimes back to back in the same day, where they feel obligated to eat at each get-together. Again, it's a cultural expectation to eat during the holiday season and many fear offending the host or the cook if they skip certain food selections or if they were to not eat altogether.  

Sometimes, the best way to take care of yourself is to learn to say no. If you don't love the green beans and you're only eating them because you feel like some "food rule" has told you to eat all your veggies, or because they were there, then mark this as your freedom to say no. Instead, choose to eat items at the holiday meal that you truly love. For example, this time of year may be the only time you will be able to enjoy Grandma's apple pie. The pie is something you definitely want to make room for, so why take up some of that room with green beans you don't love and can have any time of year? 

During the holiday season, there can be a lot of pressure to eat ALL THE FOODS because you don't want to offend the host or the cook. This could easily turn into a problem if you are going to multiple engagements and there are multiple hosts to please. Practice saying no in these circumstances. Sure, it's plausible someone might become slightly curious about why you're not eating, but remember that most individuals will be in the same boat as you, with multiple holiday gatherings to attend in which they won't feel hungry for. Just like the experience with my father, your family members will learn to expect and respect your choice to not overindulge. 

All of this to say, listen to your body's cues this holiday season. The holiday meals ARE a time to indulge, celebrate and engage in fellowship with others which usually involves food. This time of year it is considered "normal" to eat past your fullness cues and it would not be considered problematic to do so. However, if you feel it is best for YOU to pick and choos what items or meals you plan to eat because ultimately you will physically feel better after eating, know that it is not selfish or bad manners to say no. 

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BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL

The Break the Mold: Building a Better Body Image Course is available for half price until 11/30/17. Click here to for more information about the course and to claim your special!

3 Ways to Transform Your Body Image Perception

This week I'm sharing a post I wrote for Wellseek on body image. In this article I highlighted 3 ways to transform your body image perception. 

Wellseek is a collaborate that creates media and programs to help health and nutrition experts inspire happier and nourished lives. They are doing a fantastic job in connecting experts and creating a space that embraces the non-diet, intuitive eating concepts. Check them out!  

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Resource Roundup - Support for ED Recovery

Some of my favorite eating disorder recovery resources I've seen from around the web during the past month and I wanted to share them here with you. I hope you find something inspiring, encouraging and something you love. :)

Articles

To The Person Who Isn't Sure If They Should Stop Dieting

Disproportionate and Rapid Weight Gain During Recovery

Physical and Mental Signs of Starvation in Anorexia

Can I Call Myself Fat If I'm Just Chubby?

 

Blogs

Can You Want To Change Your Body and Still Exercise Intuitively? - Thereallife-rd.com 

Why I Won't Be Losing Weight For My Wedding - The Healthy Maven

Defining What Really Matters - Rachel Hartley Nutrition

 

Instagram

Podcasts

"Don't Salt My Game" Podcast by Laura Thomas, PHD - Episode #60 From Anxious Perfectionist to Non Diet Nutrition Boss w/ Haley Goodrich of INSPIRD Nutrition. 

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How To Know if Your Daughter Has an Eating Disorder [Video]

The numbers of young girls and young women who will be impacted by disordered eating or an eating disorder are alarming. The National Eating Disorder association reported that by age 6 young girls begin to express concerns about their body and weight. In Elementary aged girls, 40 - 60% are concerned about weight.  In the diet culture the American society promotes, young girls and women face significant pressure. 

In the video below I describe how to know whether or not your daughter may be displaying signs of an eating disorder. This includes physical symptoms to look for and behaviors to understand. I have also included here some helpful resources for you to learn more about helping your daughter.

If you would like to watch these videos live and have a chance to ask questions and participate, please join our private Facebook group, Bloom Nutrition - Disordered Eating Support!

Additional Resources:

Catch It, Challenge It, Change It: Supporting My Daughter Through Eating Disorder Recovery

How Mom Guilt, Diets and Body Shame All Have the Same Roots

I Am Fat. And I Wish My Mother Could Accept My Body the Way I Have

Your Dieting Daughter (Book Recommendation)

If I Lived On An Island... (A Meditation for Body Acceptance)

I often work with my Bloom clients on how to recognize the root of their diet motivation. Why do they want to diet? Why do they want to change their body?

One way to help individuals move towards body acceptance is to try and target who they would be without all the noise in their life. Who would they be without the pressure of the media, society, images, Instagram, peers, friends, family, etc.?

We conduct an exercise in guided visualization  in which I instruct them to think deeply and patiently about each question and statement. This exercise is intended to help move towards body acceptance. 

The visualization starts with a simple question:

If you lived on an island alone, who would you be?

Who would you be in your body? Who would you be around food?

This island is remote and there is no one else around. There is no one to see your body. There are no mirrors.

How do you feel about your body in this moment, on this island alone?

Are you thinking about what your body looks like?

Are you fully clothed? Wearing a bathing suit? Wearing nothing? How are you most comfortable in your body, on this island alone?

On this island, you’re also tasked with surviving. This may involve building a shelter, foraging for food and escaping from predators.

In what order does your body’s appearance fall in your list of priorities for living on this island alone?

What other areas of living take precedence? Why are they more or less important than your body’s appearance, on this island alone?

How do you want to nourish your body, on this island alone? What foods would you find satisfying on the island? What foods do you think your body would naturally crave in order to sustain living on the island?

What foods might you miss because they are unavailable on the island? What foods would you be okay with never having again?

On this island alone, how important is health? Exercise? Well-being? Peace of mind? Does your style of eating change based on these priorities?

On this island, if you were able to invite one or two people to join you, who could you invite that would NOT significantly alter this state of being, in your body, on this island? Who would you welcome in which you would feel it is unnecessary to change anything?

As you’re preparing to leave the island, think about what part of this experience you want to take back with you. How will you incorporate this into your everyday life? 

I would love to hear your reactions and thoughts to this exercise. Feel free to answer any of the questions above in the comments below!

If this exercise really resonated with you, then I invite you to take a look at my online, course on body image, Break the Mold: Building Body Positivity, where we dive even deeper into the complexity of body image and food relationships.

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The Closet Clean Out Guide for Body Acceptance

It has been slowly eating away at me. Calling and screaming at me from inside the walls of my house. Months that have added up to over a decade of failed promises and vows. A purple, spaghetti strap shirt I wore while dating my boyfriend, now husband (the straps didn't fit right then either.) A college sweatshirt that I've been hanging onto because it reminds me of a time long ago. A skirt I once loved and brings back a time of tan legs, tousled hair of humid summer nights and a time when I believed how I looked in that skirt would make all the difference. 

I have been putting off going through my old clothes for what feels like a lifetime, and quite honestly, has been at least a decade. Sure, I've sold/given away a few items here and there over the years, but there are so many more items I've been hanging onto for "when I can wear them again," or "when I lose the weight." 

Well, my newfound mission to accept my body for the size it is intended to be has also spurred  me to a total closet clean out. That and... well, the husband is "tired of looking at the boxes." So, this past week I finally made an effort to go through ever article of clothing. Here's how it all went down AND how I would suggest any person who has been unwilling/not wanting to get rid of clothing that no longer fits can make the process as smooth as possible.

Step 1 - MAYBE pour a glass of wine. Why not make this process a fun occasion, right? For some, this may be an emotional experience that will bring up ALL KINDS of memories. Find a way to make this process "fun" if possible. Pour a glass of wine, put on your favorite playlist, or pop in Runaway Bride. This process doesn't have to be the torturous event you've probably made it out to be. 

Step 2 - Decide on what "piles" you're going to need. You may want to try to sell some items that are a little less worn or name brand clothing, as well as donate some items you maybe feel aren't worth the time to make out the price tags for the next yard sale. My piles included: Donate, Sell, Sell to Ebay or Threadup, Try-On-And-Decide, Keep, Trash. For my "try-on" pile, I knew there were some items that looked like I might need to try them on and decide whether or not they would be kept. My nicer and more expensive items I either decided to sell in the yard sale or sell on Ebay or Threadup (if they were barely worn/still had tags). I also had a Trash pile for those that were beyond salvaging (looking at you shorts with paint stains). 

Step 3 - Gather supplies. Boxes for packing items up for the next Garage sale, stickers for pricing, etc. Pretty straight forward here and not sure what else I need to say about this... I mean,  you don't want to have to get up over and over again!

Step 4 - Reflect and reminisce. Take a few moments before you begin and accept the fact that this is a process. You're going to be going through clothing that is perhaps decades old. Some of this clothing may represent a different time in your life - a different person even. It's OK to feel uneasy about it. It's OK to feel sad that the clothing doesn't fit anymore. But more than anything, recognize that you're going through this process as a means of moving forward - to the person you are today and to honor the person that you are now. 

Step 5 - Do the thing. Nothing left at this point but diving in. When memories come to the surface, take a few moments to let those wash over you. Cherish the memories that were formed and then move on. You can always have the memory and the clothing item cannot take that away. When you find item that no longer fit the body you're in now, remember that bodies change constantly throughout a lifetime. We ARE NOT MEANT to be in the same body for our entire lives! You don't expect to fit into the onesie that you wore as a baby and you shouldn't expect to fit into the mini skirt your wore in your teens. It's OK. 

Step 6 - Take breaks. For some this may be an all day thing. Make sure you take breaks, get some fresh air, stretch your legs and take care of yourself. This process doesn't have to be a miserable one and don't make it so by forcing yourself to sit in one spot all day long.

Step 7 - Pack everything up. Decide what you're going to do to finish the process and remove the items from your home. A community yard sale? Thredup? Ebay? Goodwill? All are options. 

Step 8 - Reward yourself with new items! Now might be a good time to invest in some new items for your revamped closet. It may be that you've been wearing the same 5-6 items over and over again because they're the only items you've had that have fit the body you're in now. If you were able to sell some items, I definitely suggest reinvesting the money you earned into a new wardrobe. Some other options might be to try some rental companies. Le Tote and NY&C both offer services to rent items for one price per month. They are GREAT options for dabbling with a new wardrobe, new style and perhaps new sizes without spending a ton of money.

Step 9. - Reach out for support. Did this process take an emotional toll? Perhaps it left you feeling drained and even doubting the process of Intuitive Eating or accepting the new body you're in now. You may want to reach out to support for some feedback on your experiences and to reassure you that you've made the best decision.

Step 10 - Is mostly for the love of having an even 10 number of items on the list! Pour yourself an extra glass of wine and celebrate! And if I were you, I would hit up the online shopping to replenish that wardrobe with items that you'll truly love and feel comfortable in! 

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