Conversation Changers: A Blog for EveryBODY

Are you Hungry??

2010-04-17T14:24:00.000-05:00

Have you asked yourself lately whether you are hungry or not? Do you know how to tell if you are physically hungry? Do you trust your own internal cues in regards to being hungry or full? Have you given any thought as to what foods really satisfy you?

If you are a chronic dieter or working on recovery from an eating disorder/disordered eating, you may be clueless in regards to the above issues. When dietary rules dictate our relationship with food, we become disconnected from our body's own intuition regarding food and eating. Sometimes others attempt to restrain our food selections, like parents. There are several studies that indicate children may become compulsive eaters in adulthood when they come from families who have outlawed certain "bad" foods in their homes. More research supports the notion that even contemplation of restricting food and eating can drive one to become compulsive with food, thus leading to overeating. Making all foods legal and giving yourself unconditional permission to eat is the first step towards discovering your the answer to "are you hungry?". This will launch you into the wonderful adventure of intuitive eating (IE). You can visit http://www.intuitiveeating.com/ to find out more about IE.

Have you changed your conversation from "I can't eat that" or "that is so fattening" to "am I hungry?" and "what do I really want to eat?" Let us know what your experience has been with freedom eating!

"Woman Spirit: The Root of the Hunger" by Anita Johnston, Ph.D.

2010-03-31T14:25:00.005-05:00

Guest author Anita Johnston, Ph.D., “weighs in” on these and other poignant questions in today’s post.

“Why are so many females so dissatisfied with their bodies? Is it because there is such an emphasis on thin, angular bodies, which very few women come by naturally? If so, why has a naturally masculine shape (broad shoulders, no waist, narrow hips, flat belly) become the ideal for the female body?”

Dr. Johnston’s approach stems from her interest in female psychology and the role of women in contemporary society – shaped, in part, by her experience as a Miss Universe contestant at age 18.

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"Woman Spirit: The Root of the Hunger"
Today, more women than ever find themselves in a struggle with their weight. Diet books and programs for weight loss are a multi-billion-dollar industry. Anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive eating have reached epidemic proportions. In America, millions of women struggle with anorexia and bulimia, and thousands of them die from complications resulting from these disorders. Statistics indicate that 95 percent of those diagnosed with eating disorders are female.

Our obsession with the body, continual dieting, and excessive exercise routines have become so widespread among women that they are now considered normal behavior. Bodies sculpted by plastic surgery to look like those of prepubescent boys with breasts have become the standard for the ideal female body. Since the average model or actress is thinner than 95 percent of the population, most women know the frustrations of living in a body that refuses to conform to the ideal.

It is impossible to discuss the causes for disordered eating without questioning the experience of being female in our society today. What is going on? Studies show that American women value being thin over being successful or loved and that most girls are unhappy with their bodies by age thirteen. Why are so many females so dissatisfied with their bodies? Is it because there is such an emphasis on thin, angular bodies, which very few women come by naturally?

If so, why has a naturally masculine shape (broad shoulders, no waist, narrow hips, flat belly) become the ideal for the female body? Why is it that those aspects of a woman’s body that are most closely related to her innate female power, the capacity of her belly, hips, and thighs to carry and sustain life, are diminished in our society’s version of a beautiful woman?

The answers can be found by taking a look at history from a perspective much broader than what we were taught in school. New archaeological data and research are revealing a much broader scope. Rather than reviewing civilization in terms of centuries, researchers Merlin Stone, Marija Gimbutas, Riane Eisler, and others are looking at the process of civilization over many millennia, as far back as thirty thousand years.

A long time ago, these researchers tell us, the experience of women on this earth for thousands and thousands of years was very different than it is today. In their world, that which was female, and all it manifestations, was honored and revered. The female side of God, in the form of the Goddess, was worshipped. The spirit of the feminine was recognized as the creative life force of the earth. Its symbol was the circle, a shape that has no beginning and no end. That which was round or curved was considered beautiful: the shape of the earth, an egg, the naturally rounded, curved shape of woman’s body.

Time passed and things changed. A new way of perceiving the world came into being. The circle was removed from a position of reverence and replaced by the symbol of the line, which had a beginning and an end, a top and a bottom, a superior position and an inferior position.

Women still live in a society where what is masculine, linear, rational, and logical is considered superior to what is feminine, circular, intuitive, and emotional. Today’s woman is a round peg trying desperately to fit into a square hole in order to survive and flourish.

How does she do this? By trying to shape her body into a more angular, masculine form, one that has zero fat to round off its edges. By denying her most powerful emotions and quieting her intuitive voice. Is it any wonder that in frustration she goes on strike and decides to stop eating? Is it any wonder that her body becomes a battleground for the war between food and fat?

This is an excerpt, published by permission from Eating in the Light of the Moon: How Women Can Transform Their Relationship with Food Through Myths, Metaphors & Storytelling ©1996 Anita Johnston, trade paperback edition published in 2000 by Gurze Books, P.O. Box 2238, Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 756-7533, www.gurze.com.

About the Author

Anita Johnston, Ph.D., is the Director of the Anorexia & Bulimia Center of Hawaii, which she co-founded in 1982, and is the Clinical Director and the Founder of the ‘Ai Pono Intensive Out-Patient Eating Disorders Programs in Honolulu. Dr. Johnston developed Hawaii’s first inpatient eating disorders treatment program at Kahi Mohala Hospital in 1986 and is an expert in treating a wide range of eating disorders from anorexia and bulimia to compulsive/binge eating and eating disorders associated with severe obesity and bariatric surgery. She is the Senior Expert Clinical Consultant to Focus Center for Eating Disorders in Tennessee.

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the view of Eating Disorders Coalition of Tennessee (EDCT).

Overcoming Fear

2010-03-24T16:13:00.000-05:00

My wonderful uncle, Sam, passed away last year from a long battle with leukemia. Before his death, he and I had a conversation about fear. He told me that he never allowed fear to be the reason he refrained from doing anything. For instance, he was terrified of the ocean, but in order to overcome that fear, he went on long fishing trips with his wife and three sons throughout the year. Those trips were some of the most memorable and meaningful experiences he shared with his family.

He died at the age of 46, but he lived every one of those years to the fullest. Now, my challenge to you (as it was presented to me by Uncle Sam) is to identify what fears hold you back, and to boldly charge forth anyway. In the words of the poet Mary Oliver, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

Now it's your turn--"weigh-in" below!

This post was contributed by Mallory Kimbrell, a severe coffee addict, nearly broke English major at Belmont University, and current intern for the EDCT.

March 17, 2010: Mindful Interaction

2010-03-24T16:08:00.003-05:00

“A person's a person, no matter how small.” -Dr. Seuss

Have you ever considered how many interactions with strangers you experience on a daily basis? Today, try paying attention to the barista who serves you coffee, the coworker with whom you've never spoken, the person who cuts you off in traffic. Each individual with whom you come in contact during your daily routine has a story, and in the same way that their behavior can positively or negatively affect you, your existence touches the lives of others. How will you use your influence today?

Now it's your turn--"weigh in" below!

This post was contributed by Mallory Kimbrell, a severe coffee addict, nearly broke English major at Belmont University, and current intern for the EDCT.

Dare to NOT Compare!

2010-02-14T21:47:00.000-06:00

Consider how many times you make comparisons in your average day. You might compare the cost of gas at one station as opposed to the cost to fill up at another. You might compare different colors of the same sweater to determine which one looks best with your skin shade. Sometimes comparing products can get you a better deal for a superior item. Comparing restaurants may help you find the best quality food for your budget. However, when one begins comparing body weights and shapes, eating behaviors, exercise levels and the like, comparisons cease to be helpful. In fact, such comparisons can lead to extreme dieting, excessive exercise and even full blown eating disorders.
Why do we engage in such ridiculous and frivolous actions? When we get involved in these mental gymnastics we are admitting that we no longer trust ourselves. We do not trust our hunger, our appetites and food preferences and most imposrtantly ... we do not trust our own minds and bodies! Dieting takes away our ability to honor our own hunger and is driven by assuming there is something terribly wrong with our bodies that can be corrected by chasing a number on the scale.
I recently had a client reveal that her most recent binge was triggered by not allowing herself to eat the dessert that was offered at a business luncheon. She was still a bit hungry, the dessert appealed to her, but the woman sitting next to her did not eat her dessert. She compared herself to the woman and noted that the woman was "thinner" than she was. In a brief moment she made several comparisons that led her to deprive herself. By the end of the day obsessing over the dessert she really wanted set her up to binge on stale cookies that she didn't even enjoy in front of her T.V.
As we continue to challenge ourselves and each other to change the conversations we have about dieting, body image, and self-esteem issues, let's dare each other not to compare!
Try some of these suggestions:

Love and respect that body you have, not the body of some airbrushed model in a magazine.
When you catch yourself making comparisons to what a friend is eating or not eating, remind yourself that each individual body has differing needs for calories, vitamins and macronutrients. There is no effective way to compare, so why bother?
Discover your own food preferences, hunger-satisfied signals, and cravings by giving up dieting and learning to trust yourself with food.
Find physical activites to participate in that make your mind and body feel invigorated and alive.
Compare yourself only to yourself and only to yourself at this time in your life. Optimize the body you have by feeding it food that is tasty and healthful ... but not micromanaged. Compliment that with some moderate activity and you will be the best you can be!

Please share with those who follow this blog suggestions as to how you have overcome destructive comparison tendencies.

America the Beautiful

2010-02-09T12:10:00.000-06:00

A fourteen-year-old model, size four, is told by agencies that she is obese. Another teenager refers to plastic surgery as “a girl’s best friend.” Magazine editors and advertising executives deny responsibility when it comes to promoting an unhealthy beauty standard, while elementary school girls compare themselves to images they’ve seen in the media and declare with complete conviction that they are fat and ugly.
These are some of the stories found in Darryl Roberts’ documentary America the Beautiful, an insightful look into the beauty industry and how it can affect consumers. Roberts investigates this cultural preoccupation by interviewing those who perpetuate the “beauty standard” and those who are deeply influenced by it. He attends runway shows and plastic surgery consultations. An online “beautiful people” dating service rejects him after members vote against his submitted profile and photo. He takes a random sample of cosmetic products to a lab, where unlisted toxic ingredients are identified in each of them.
Throughout the documentary is the story of Gerren Taylor, whose modeling career skyrockets at age twelve. Roberts contrasts footage of Taylor walking the runway in sultry designs with images of her playing with dolls. As the film unfolds, Taylor deals with criticism about her size and jobs begin disappearing. Eventually, in a conversation with Roberts, she says she is ugly and muses about dieting and the possibility of plastic surgery. The undeniable transformation of Taylor’s self-worth puts a face to the film's research and statistics.
Whether or not we are a part of the beauty industry, we can still be subjected to its images and messages promoting an expectation of physical perfection. Does that affect the way you view and value yourself? Does America have an unhealthy obsession with beauty, and if so, is there anything we as consumers can do to change it?

Rethinking the Cultural Beauty Standard

2010-01-26T13:14:00.001-06:00

A few years ago, I was researching the role of women in Buddhism when I came across this photo of five bhikkhunis (Buddhist nuns) standing shoulder-to-shoulder, smiling and holding hands. Dressed in monastic orange robes and completely bald, almost nothing about them fit the mold of what is considered attractive in contemporary society, and yet they were the most beautiful women I'd ever seen. With today's media and advertising, we are bombarded on a daily basis with the idea that in order to meet the cultural beauty standard, we must maintain a certain look. When I find myself caught in that thinking pattern, I always go back to the photo of the bhikkhunis. It serves as a reminder that true beauty has nothing to do with age, hairstyle, a number on a scale or a clothing size and everything to do with being the loving, creative and wonderful person you are at this very moment.

Now it's your turn..."weigh in" below!

This post was contributed by Mallory Kimbrell, a severe coffee addict, nearly broke English major at Belmont University, and current intern for the EDCT.

Recovery Resolutions

2010-01-05T15:26:00.011-06:00

I am sure that many of you have been contemplating the concept of "resolutions" as we begin this new year. Some of you may have already broken resolutions that you made for the year. Some of you might fear making a resolution because you have experienced your inability to keep the ones you made last year. I believe when resolutions are made thoughtfully and reasonably they can be helpful in giving us direction. However, resolutions made without resolve are useless. Perhaps you have just been going through the motions of recovering from an eating disorder, disordered eating behaviors or chronic dieting without true personal resolve. This may be the year that you actually start experiencing recovery vs just doing recovery.

The most vital recovery resolution is to truly resolve! The definition of resolve is: "to come to a definite or earnest decision about ...". The person involved in the recovery process has to make their own resolve. No one can resolve for you. A parent, spouse, friend or treatment provider cannot transfer their resolve to see someone recovered to the person struggling. Without coming to a definite and earnest decision that you personally desire recovery, all other resolutions will fail. Each individual will vary as to how they develop their resolve to recover. One of the benefits of this blog is sharing and encouraging each other in the battle against eating disorders/disordered eating. We can help people fan the flames of their resolve! Please feel free to post about the "aha" moment when you crossed over from just doing recovery to actually experiencing recovery.

The challenge is to change the conversation from simply discussing resolutions to actually making a resolve to recover!

New Year. Stay You.

2009-12-30T14:59:00.004-06:00

It's that time of year again: New Year's resolutions. Everyone can probably list a few things they'd like to do differently in 2010. (After all, looking back on a year's worth of life tends to have that effect on people.)

But what if this year's resolutions aren't about changing yourself, but staying yourself?

We all have things that make us, well, us -- things we wouldn't change for all the New-Year's-resolution power in the world. What are yours? Share them below.

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BTW: EDCT is gearing up for Awareness Week 2010!

Holiday Recovery Procrastination

2009-12-08T14:47:00.011-06:00

Here we are at the end of another year. I am hearing the beginnings of "Holiday Recovery Procrastination"(HRP). Comments like, "I will stop restricting my food just as soon as all of the holiday food temptations are gone" are common place in my office these days. Or, "I can't deal with my binge eating problem with all of the stress of the Christmas Season; I will wait until the New Year". For those who don't have an "official" eating disorder, you may be hearing yourself say "I am going to go on a diet and start exercising as New Years' resolutions". It is time to challenge these destructive dialogues. HRP is just another version of the all or nothing, black and white thinking patterns that are enemies of eating disorder recovery efforts. Time to change the conversation!
Let's explore some strategies to help with HRP. You will find suggestions listed below according to common challenges that occur when dealing with dieting and disordered eating at this time of the year.
Desire to restrict or diet:

Give yourself permission to choose, eat and enjoy at least one food per week that you have previously labeled as "forbidden".
Remind yourself that dietary restraint will only lead to binging.
Love and accept the body/body type that is natural for you and only you!
Challenge diet mentality thoughts that would invoke feelings of guilt regarding consuming eating certain foods. Remember that food/eating is not a moral or ethical issue.
Consider quality of life issues such as sharing food with those you love and enjoying holiday traditions that involve food as valued commodities.
Remind yourself that delaying the confrontation of food fears will only give those fears more power over your life.
Become aware of triggers that might spur the desire to skip meals or restrict your food intake.
Plan alternative reactions to dietary restraint desires. This might include creative outlets, journaling, or reaching out for support.

Binge/Compulsive Eating Concerns:

Give yourself unconditional permission to eat and enjoy food, including holiday foods that are rarely available.
Don't sneak eat. If there is a food you are craving, eat that food it in a public/social setting where there is less likelihood of binge eating.
Recognize and deal with emotions that trigger binge/compulsive eating. Plan for healthy outlets to emotional eating (moderate exercise, creative endeavors, or journaling).
Do not set up bear traps for yourself. Guard the food environment that is within your own control. Eat slowly and with focus.
Experiment with listening to your body's own cues in regards to hunger, satisfied and control.

Most importantly ... remember that a lapse NEVER means collapse. If you eat compulsively, skip a meal or start obsessing about dieting ... confront that thought or behavior without buying into guilt. Give yourself some grace and regroup.

May you all fully embrace the joys of this season. May you find the strength to cope with the sorrows of this season. May you all have a blessed New Year full of hope and recovery.

It is Just Food ... or is it Just Food?

2009-11-11T17:22:00.008-06:00

Ah, The Holidays! Most people with a normalized relationship to food and eating look forward to the holidays, including the feasting that accompanies these celebrations. However, if you are struggling with food/eating/weight issues you may be petrified at the very thought of facing a holiday party or sitting down with family to share a meal. In one sense ( when you can hear your truth channel) you understand that it is just food. There is no reason to fear food and eating, right? It is not a deadly poison or a sinister enemy. If you are reading this particular blog you probably understand that the fear can be so strong that it is almost debilitating. In a way, it is not just food. It is facing the challenge of being surrounded by sumptuous food that you would love to eat; yet you are anxious that if you start eating you may not be able to stop. It is being deathly afraid to taste Grandma's sweet potato casserole which you dearly love because you are convinced that you will gain 50 pounds from such an indulgence. Or, your concern might be over seeing relatives that you haven't seen in ages because you are certain that they will make comments about your weight and body. Here are some suggestions to help you through these times:

Remember that food and feasting are a part of all celebrations, in every culture.
Although food will be part of the holiday experiences, try to not make your celebrations all about the food.
Have a plan of action for challenging situations. For example, rehearse how you might respond if someone comments about your food, eating or weight.
Designate a "support partner" that you can contact should stressful situations arise.
Focus on enjoying the foods you only get to eat once or twice a year. Think about pleasant memories involved with sharing these foods with those we love.
Strive to keep a normal schedule of eating, sleeping and moderate activity to give some stability during potentially chaotic times.
Focus on all that you do enjoy about the holidays. The music, time with friends and family, the special aroma and decorations!
Remember, it is for a season. This time period will not last forever, even if it might seem that way at times!
Listen for and confront eating disorder chatter by turning up "the truth channel". Don't give in to ED!

Remember ... the most important conversation you can change is the one you have with yourself!

Will-Power Number Nine

2009-11-10T16:42:00.002-06:00

To continue our series on the 10 will-powers, here is will-power number nine:

"I WILL surround myself with people and things that make me feel good about myself and my abilities. When I am around people and things that support me and make me feel good, I will be less likely to base my self-esteem on the way my body looks."

Who are the people and things that support you and make you feel good?

EDCT thanks NEDA for contributing to this post.

More on "Will-Powers"

2009-11-05T11:25:00.005-06:00

Last week, we began a series on "will-powers."

Here is "will-power" number seven: I WILL think of three reasons why it is ridiculous for me to believe that thinner people are happier or "better." I WILL repeat these reasons to myself whenever I feel the urge to compare my body shape with someone.

What are your reasons? Share below!

(P.S. In case you missed the explanation last week: More than 20 years ago, researchers Michael Levine, PhD, and Linda Smolak, PhD, developed a list of "10 'Will-Powers' for Improving Body Image." Check out the whole list.)

EDCT thanks NEDA for contributing to this post.

What are your "Will-Powers?"

2009-10-28T14:31:00.013-05:00

More than 20 years ago, researchers Michael Levine, PhD, and Linda Smolak, PhD, developed a list of "10 'Will-Powers' for Improving Body Image." Their list continues to be relevant today.

Here is "will-power" number seven:
I WILL list five to 10 good qualities that I have, such as understanding, intelligence or creativity.
I WILL repeat them to myself whenever I start to feel bad about my body.

What words would make your "will-power" list? Please share below!

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EDCT thanks NEDA for contributing to this post.

Fat? Who Says?

2009-10-04T13:35:00.013-05:00

Has someone told you that you are overweight, obese or fat? Who was that person, how did they arrive at that conclusion, and what was their purpose in making that statement to you?

I recently has a 14 year old girl come in for a session in tears because her pediatrician told her she was "overweight". The doc actually wrote the declaration out on a prescription pad! She is a fit, athletic girl in the midst of puberty who is clearly anything BUT fat. I sat there wondering why in the world someone who is suppose to be an expert in dealing with children and adolescents would make such a statement. He had not asked her about her exercise level or nutrition. The physician had used the (in my opinion) useless Body Mass Index (BMI). There has been several studies within the past year that have questioned the use of BMI as a determinant of "fatness". In March 2009 a study was published in Medicine and Science in Sports Medicine that indicated that use of BMI measurement as an indicator of fatness in athletes gave no credit for muscle mass. Many top athletes would be categorized as overweight or obese with this measurement. Dallas Cowboy quarterback Tony Romo has a BMI of 28.8. That places him in the "nearly obese" category. Another study completed at the Baylor College of Medicine in April of this year demonstrated the weaknesses of the BMI when used to evaluate fatness in Asians, Hispanics and African Americans.
I am of the belief that talking about fatness is useless. If someone is genuinely obese, giving them a BMI report is about as helpful as telling them that their hair color is brown. They have that knowledge. We need to talk about health habits, behaviors and attitudes. For someone that is at a time in their life that telling them they are fat could trigger disordered eating behavior, that fat talk is dangerous in addition to being useless. Labeling people according to body weight or size is not health promoting.
Let's change our conversation!

When Did "Plus" Become "Less"?

2009-09-12T16:23:00.011-05:00

As we approach the annual EDCT "Fashion for EveryBODY" celebration, I have been pondering how our societal views size. (http://www.fashionforeverybody.org/) There have been several incidences in the news lately where "plus- size" models were the topic of conversation. Surprisingly, the context of the conversations were positive! When Lizzie Miller graced the pages of Glamour recently a tidal wave of grateful responses flooded into the magazine applauding the photo of this plus-size model. Women were grateful to see someone who looked real, had curves and appeared to be genuinely happy in her skin. So ... why do the words plus-size wreak havoc in the minds of my clients struggling with eating disorders and disordered eating. When did plus become less. Less acceptable? Less beautiful? Less desirable?

In an interview on "Good Morning America" this past week a 23 year old model told her story of recovering from an eating disorder to becoming the highest-paid plus-size model in America. Her name is Crystal Renn and her new book is "Hungry: A Young Model's Story of Appetite, Ambition and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves". When she was a 14 year old small town girl in Mississippi she was approached by a scout for a New York modeling agency. She was 5'9", athletic and fit. He promised her he could make her a top run-way model and she would have all the fame and fortune she could handle. The catch was that she would need to lose about 9 inches from her hips! Crystal embarked upon this endeavor with great enthusiasm, lost over 70 pounds and arrived at the magical size of 00 along with the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa. She did have a few modeling gigs. Thankfully,0 she woke up one day and said "enough". She quit abusing exercise, started eating and weight restoring. She appreciated the return of her curves, her energy and her personality. At size 12 she has achieved far more in her modeling career than when she was starving. In her words "And I did it all at the weight my body wanted to be." Plus-size has meant more of everything for Crystal not less. More work, more fame, more LIFE!

Conversations About Weight

2009-08-23T17:04:00.002-05:00

Consider the conversations you have heard regarding weight, fatness or thinness during the last week? What have you read about these issues lately? Here is a sampling from my archive:

A client of mine who is a handsome, bright, and kind college male told me that he fears becoming fat because he believes no one will like him. (I reminded him that Santa is quite popular.)
Ashton Kutcher was quoted as saying"If the fat people gave the skinny people more food we could just eat ... we could solve obesity and hunger at the same time". Brilliant!?! God help Demi Moore if she ever gains weight!
I read a quote from Susan Wooley, PhD, Past President, American Academy for Eating Disorders stating "If shame could cure obesity there wouldn't be a fat women in the world" How true. I thought of my client who has dieted to a weight of over 300 pounds. She cried tears of shame as she recounted her past diet failures. I assured her that it is the diet industry that should be ashamed.
Several sources report that young girls in our country are more afraid of becoming fat than they are of nuclear war, cancer or losing their parents
Many magazines have taken polls that show most women would rather lose IQ points or one of their limbs than become fat.

Let's be a part of changing these conversations.

On the other hand ... what positive conversations, articles, quotes, etc. have you been privy to lately. Please share! We can encourage each other!

Fighting Obesity without Causing Eating Disorders

2009-08-01T12:39:00.002-05:00

There was a great letter to the editor published in the Tennessean recently. Pat Ballard quoted from many of the recent articles warning of the obesity epidemic American children are facing. She mentioned that several articles identified listing calorie counts on menus as a very proactive effort to shrink the growing waistlines of our children. I appreciated her candor as she went on to describe how exposure to height/weight charts, calorie counting information and diet articles in women's magazines at age 11 began her descent into a 22 year battle with eating disorders. What might have seemed like benign information distribution nearly ended this women's life. How many others have similar stories? Will more conversations about calories, fat grams and BMI measurements enhance the health and well being of our children or ourselves? I feel very certain that we need to change the conversation. Let's talk about the need for kids to limit screen time, move their bodies more and have fewer menus in front of their faces in the first place. None of us need more things to obsess about in relation to food, eating and weight. Calories on menus will not cure obesity and may contribute to disordered eating.
What do you think?

Body Image Idealization

2009-07-19T14:10:00.004-05:00

Trying to understand the factors that lead us to idealize a certain body image or weight is complicated. Our environment at home and school, what we watch on TV and the magazines we read can all exert an influence on what images we idealize. If children hear parents berating themselves for having fat thighs or a big belly, they are likely to view their bodies in a critical, demeaning fashion. "Weightism" experienced at school by a child by being teased or ctitized in regards to their body size may plant seeds of body/self-hatred. Research has demonstrated that many girls and women experience lowered self-esteem and a more negative body image after viewing images of artificially thin models/actresses from popular media sources. The pressing question is how DO we become activists and change the harmful conversations that are driving vulnerable people towards destructive diets and disordered eating behaviors? I would propse the first step is that we need to resolve our own percptions that might be conflicted. This thought struck me as I read an article from Advertising Age titled "Researchers Find Thin Models Make Viewers Like Brands More, but Themselves Less". Let's face it ... marketers are not in the business of enhancing the body images of women. They will continue using the models that will sell the most product for the brand that is being promoted. While the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty has already reached millions and has a goal of reaching 5 million girls by 2010, has it really changed what we as a population view as attractive? What do you find attractive when you viewing advertising. More importantly, what has influenced your view.

Perhaps the first conversation we need to change truly is the one we have with ourselves.
Please share your views. We can learn from one another!

The "Perfect" Body!?!

2009-07-11T12:24:00.003-05:00

One of the myths in our culture is that you can somehow, someway achieve a "perfect" body. Have you ever stopped long enough to ask yourself what your own definition of body perfection might be? As you try to conjure up an image in your mind, the next question would be ... where did that image come from? Is that image based on truth and reality? Or, the latest commercial for a diet product?
A former client of mine once said "If I can be content with me as I am, I think my body is getting more and more perfect ... perfectly me". I immediately wrote this down and requested permission to quote her. Very profound!
Change the conversation in your head and in our culture. Accept, care for and optimize the body that is your own unique package. That body will be perfectly you!

What is the "Truth Channel?

2009-07-05T12:00:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the "introductory" posting of this blog. Those of you who know me understand what I mean when I say "trust the truth channel". For those of you who are wondering what in the world I mean ... here goes!
I have never met anyone who didn't know that they really can't lose 10 pounds in 10 days. Most people know that real women and men don't look like the artificial images that are shoved down our throats every day. Yet, we fall victim to these distorted messages time and time again. We undertake artificial measures (like dieting) to achieve artificial results. Let's encourage each other to trust the truth channel that we all inherently have in our noggin. Let's expose and discuss the harmful misinformation we come across. Share how you have learned to trust the truth and challenge the diet mentality so prevalent in our culture. We are all on this journey together!
Reba Sloan, MPH, LRD, FAED