Tweet This was originally published on Proud2Bme, an online community created by and for teens. Proud2Bme covers everything from fashion and beauty to news, culture, and entertainment—all with the goal of promoting positive body image and encouraging healthy attitudes about food and weight. By Danielle Lowe– According to a study done by the International Journal of Obesity, 29{7920e18cf5186565893a18d1f69fa52bf2806dc683a7bfcea51d671d2f7d8125} of obese and 16{7920e18cf5186565893a18d1f69fa52bf2806dc683a7bfcea51d671d2f7d8125} of morbidly obese (according to Body Mass Index or BMI) participants were found to still be metabolically healthy.But over 30{7920e18cf5186565893a18d1f69fa52bf2806dc683a7bfcea51d671d2f7d8125} of those who fell under the “normal” weight category were found to be metabolically unhealthy, putting them at risk for diabetes and heart disease. This is just one study that proves BMI is an ineffective way of measuring health. Here are five…
Yoga Photoshoots Are Weird and Scary
Tweet A couple of months ago, I decided to have my very first professional yoga photos taken. It’s become such a huge part of my business and my life (while I don’t consider myself advanced), that it felt like the right time. The Yoga and Body Image Coalition shared a couple of them in support of their t-shirt and tank sales, and I had also been asked back in January to write a very personal point-of-view essay for a well-known yoga publication. YBIC has been AWESOME, but I never heard back from the magazine. So, I’m sharing these with you now, and asking you one thing: If someone shares their deepest, darkest secrets with you and is brave enough to…
Survey Reveals That 62{7920e18cf5186565893a18d1f69fa52bf2806dc683a7bfcea51d671d2f7d8125} of Men Have Been Body-Shamed by a Partner (Proud2Bme)
Tweet This was originally published on Proud2Bme, an online community created by and for teens. Proud2Bme covers everything from fashion and beauty to news, culture, and entertainment—all with the goal of promoting positive body image and encouraging healthy attitudes about food and weight. By Siena Roberts— A recent survey showed that 62{7920e18cf5186565893a18d1f69fa52bf2806dc683a7bfcea51d671d2f7d8125} of men have been body shamed by their partner—compare that to the 32{7920e18cf5186565893a18d1f69fa52bf2806dc683a7bfcea51d671d2f7d8125} of women who report that their partner body shamed them.Surprised? Don’t be. Here’s why this shocking statistic makes more sense than you’d think. Right now, the media conversation surrounding body shaming, fat shaming, etc. is entirely about and for women. And don’t get me wrong, this makes sense; societal standards for women have been growing more and more consistently…
Read Your Way to Recovery!
Reading or “Bibliotherapy” as we call it in counseling, is an excellent way to work on your own towards recovery and self- growth. Here are 3 books you will find helpful: Embody: Learning to Love Your Unique Body (and quiet the critic) by Connie Sobczak Starting Monday: 7 Keys to a Positive Relationship with Food by Karen R. Koenig Parent’s Guide to Eating Disorders, The Supporting Self-Esteem, Healthy Eating, & Positive Body Image at Home Authors: Marcia Herrin, Nancy Matsumotoor When you can’t afford to see a therapist, if you are not ready to see a therapist or if you are in therapy right now, you can always introduce new ideas to help you reach your goals. Open a book and begin….
How Do You Change a Behavior That No Longer Serves You? 6 Ways!
Certain behaviors we engage in become habitual and often these habits are not healthy for a person. However, a habit is tough to break! Here are some things you can try: Make up your mind to do it. Think of all the negative things and how you felt doing the old behavior. Make time for yourself to focus on this. Get lots of exercise and eat healthier. Get lots of rest too! Ask for support from family and friends. Tell them what you’re working on. It takes from 28 to 30 days to break a habit. Take it one day at a time, one minute at a time. Feel proud for every minute you do not engage in your old destructive behavior! DON’T replace one bad habit …
What Is Disordered Eating? 4 Kinds… Why? Is This You?
Disordered eating is any eating that is not balanced and nutritional. It can present itself with restricting, starving, over-eating, or fear of unhealthy food. 3 Kinds of Disordered Eating Anorexia Nervosa Binge Eating Compulsive Overeating Restricting Why? Disordered Eating is a result of feelings and thoughts that are not being addressed in a healthier way. Often when a person focuses and works hard on issues that contribute to disordered eating; the eating behavior balances out. Healthier coping skills replace the disordered eating. Self-help book titles can be found on my website! Make an appointment if you’d like to talk about your disordered eating behaviors. 626-335-0903
How Do You Start Your Day? 7 Things To Start Your Day Off Right!
Do you wake up feeling anxious? Is it hard to get out of bed? What are you telling yourself when you awake? Are you holding tension somewhere in your body? 7 things you can do to start your day in a more positive way! Breathe into the tension in your body Stretch Eat something nutritious Imagine your day, one thing at a time and picture it all going well. Call a supportive person Read a self-help book Meditate Make this a ritual. New habits take 21 days to 3 months. The good stuff replaces the bad stuff… Give it a try. What have you got to lose? It can only get better. Happiness is a choice and it takes a lot of work! If your anxiety is overwhelming, give …
With Little Eating Disorder Health Coverage, In-Patient Treatment Is A Farce!
Picture this… A 20 year old young women without financial or emotional support from her family nor any health coverage or very little coverage. She has a terrible eating disorder. Some coverage plus her own debt allows her start in-patient treatment. While she’s trying to recover she’s worrying constantly about her health insurance refusing her on a weekly basis and she’ll have to go home. They move her through the program too quickly; before she’s ready in order to appease the insurance company. She’s trying to cope with her lower level of care as she has graduated to the next level. She’s supposed to be proud of this but is she really? She knows it’s a farce but has no …
What Is Body Dysmorphic Disorder? BDD- Do You Have It? 6 Ways To Stop It?
Body Dysmorphic Disorder is quite simply an imagined defect in some part of your body; most commonly the face or stomach. BDD is very common in treating eating disorders because often this imagined defect leads to obsession and disordered eating to reach the desired body weight and shape. Other times, BDD leads to unnecessary cosmetic surgery. What to do? Stop mirror checking. Cut down slowly. Look at yourself realistically in the mirror and try positive affirmations like, Not bad! Find things that you like about your body, face etc. say it out loud I like my… Or write it down. Look deeper to underlying issues that may be causing you to falsely imagine defects and dislike your body shape and /or parts. Find a counselor to help …
Breathe! How? 3 Reasons Why You Should Breathe…
You would think breathing is just something you naturally do and of course it is. But, do you know if you’re breathing correctly? Look at a puppy and watch his stomach rise and fall as he breathes. Catch him while he’s sleeping. You want to breathe in through your nose hold it 3 seconds and blow it out. Repeat this many times throughout your day. When you breathe correctly 3 things occur: You put your body into state of relaxation and healing. This is especially important when your dealing with pain. This state of relaxation works to calm your anxiety. Did you know that if you breathe incorrectly from your chest you can actually increase anxiety and bring on a panic attack? Breathing reminds you to come …
Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food by Jan Chozen Bays
Being mindful works in all aspects of your life including eating. It means being aware of what you put into your mouth. Many of us have busy schedules and stress in our lives and we tend to eat on the run or overeat without thinking. If you want to become mindful, read the book. It can guide you into mindful eating and you will feel better about yourself in general. We can’t always do things on our own. Sometimes a book is the object of change… Or counseling 626.335.0903 Let’s get mindful together!
Are Your Friends Undermining Your Recovery? 6 Things To Do!
Friends can be a great support when trying to recover from your eating disorder, if they themselves are in a healthy place. If not, they will bring all kinds of unhealthy behaviors and statements that may trigger your own recovery. What to do? You want to be there for them like they were for you when you were beginning your recovery. Sometimes we have to make hard choices to protect our hard work in recovery. How to handle it: 1, Tell your friend how conversations are triggering you and as much as you want to be there for them; you’ll need to pull back for a little while to protect your own recovery. 2. Try explaining what kind of talk triggers you and give your friend a chance …