Monday, January 23, 2012

A Woman and her Mandolin's Simple Empowerment

I am singing her tune! The woman's plea for the media (and the world): stop minimizing my feelings, my experiences, my being because I am a woman. And, allow me to see size diversity instead of "dolls."


You gotta check this out. You'll be tapping your foot to her empowering mandolin tune too. I loved it so much, I just made her an honorary member of my anti-diet militia.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Inspiration

Have you heard of an artist who goes by the name Bone Sighs? I encourage you to check out her website and let it speak. Amazing inspirational work that literally moves mountains. I love this piece and it goes out to all of you who struggle with disordered eating. Know this fight is worth it and in the end will help others do the same.


Amazing art via www.bonesigharts.com

Monday, January 9, 2012

Where ED Lives

Share photos on twitter with Twitpic

This is where ED lives. He is all alone and it is dark. He can't get out. He can't harm others kept under lock and key in my office.


I invite clients to write a letter to their eating disorder (ED) letting him have it. The letters often curse ED and describe the years he took. And, they choose to take no more. Once the letter is written, each is torn to shreds and placed in this vase where it can spend eternity.


I promise my clients they can choose to leave their ED in my office for my "safe" keeping. (Rent free!) They don't have to lug him around anymore.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

National Dieting Month Commercials

Welcome to National Dieting Month. Following Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas it only seems natural: lots of fun food exposure leaving us vulnerable to dieting messages. Those diet companies sure are sneaky. And successful. In making money not promoting health.


The commercials try to stretch body image boundaries while covering it with comedy or fake feel good messages. The underlying message is often one of distrusting our bodies, weight loss brings everything good, and shame on our fat selves.

Case in point, this Crystal Light commercial:


My interpretation of the underlying message: we women need to constantly deprive ourselves to be sure we are good enough for a man to find us attractive. Because without this deprivation, there is no other way to be attractive. Nice. 

What message did you get? Would love to hear them in comments.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Planning Snacks that Feel Nourishing

As you start back to work, consider packing nourishing snacks to have on hand. Our blood sugar naturally dips between 2 to 4 pm which explains our fatigued Facebook daze about that time. 

Which foods to pack? That's up to the kinds of foods that help you feel energized as well as satisfied instead of sluggish and sleepy.

Share photos on twitter with 
Twitpic

Especially if you are affected by PCOS, I encourage you to consider experimenting with snacks with a protein + carb combo. I enjoy edamame and they conveniently come in individual frozen packs. Pop them in the microwave for a few minutes and be prepared to feel energized!

Other ones to experiment with could include:
  • apple + peanut butter
  • cottage cheese + fruit
  • Medjool dates + string cheese
  • Greek yogurt + granola

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year!

January 1st is where motivation lives. Fire-blazing Facebook and Twitter resolutions hog the screen with a good portion from those selling diet products. Although common, New Year's resolutions can be harmful when calorie-reducing diets are the prescription. Dieting is the strongest predictor for weight gain. I want to help protect you from this harm. And, my anti-diet militia is armed and ready for the fight.

As you get used to writing 2012 instead of 2011 (usually takes me until about May), I encourage you to consider how you experience certain foods and movement. Let your body decide your health promoting tools. And, yes, I think your body has this wisdom!


This time of year fuels my passion to protect those vulnerable to calorie restricting diets. My blog and I will be hanging out a lot of the next month. I hope it provides a safety beacon for those harmed by those diet ads.


Check out fellow anti-diet dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield discussing ways to promote health without dieting.
 
Header Image from Bangbouh @ Flickr