National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAw)

About a month ago, I mentioned National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, along with one or two ways that you might begin to consider or think about getting involved (click here to read!). Well, now that the time is upon us, and it officially begins tomorrow (Sunday, February 21), I will be posting different suggestions and tips all week related to you being able to do just one thing to participate. The theme of this year's National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is "It's Time to Talk About It." Below is a Q and A that I have copied from NEDA's website to give you more information about the mission, etc. behind the week!

So, what is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week?

NEDAwareness Week is a collective effort of primarily volunteers, eating disorder professionals, health care providers, educators, social workers, and individuals committed to raising awareness of the dangers surrounding eating disorders and the need for early intervention and treatment.

***What is The Mission of NEDAwareness Week?

Our aim of NEDAwareness Week is to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment. Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses — not choices — and it’s important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder.

How does NEDAwareness Week Work?

This year, NEDA is calling for everyone to do just one thing to help raise awareness and provide accurate information about eating disorders. NEDAwareness Week participants can choose from a huge range of ways to contribute: Distribute info pamphlets and put up posters, write one letter for Media Watchdogs, register as a Volunteer Speaker or host a Volunteer Speaker, coordinate a NEDA Walk, or arrange interactive and educational activities such as panel discussions, fashion shows, body fairs, movie screenings, art exhibits and more. As an official NEDAwareness Week participant you can be involved in any way that works with your schedule, resources, community, and interests. These events and activities attract public media attention - on local, national and international levels.

To lead NEDAwareness Week off, I would encourage all of you to think about one way that you might be able to get involved this week. Whether it is focusing on curbing fat talk, researching information about eating disorders and sharing that information with others, encouraging your friends, family and loved ones to love their bodies (and loving your own!), or anything else you would like to do, think of one thing that feels authentic for you and do it! As I said, I will be providing suggestions and examples this week, and encourage you to try as many or few of them as you want.

Tomorrow, a nutritionist colleague and friend, Ellen Morrison, MS, RD, LDN will be on the radio at various times and stations to discuss NEDAw and ways that you can participate. She will specifically be sharing about ways to affirm and encourage yourselves and each other to love yourself and your body. To find out more about Ellen and her work, follow this link. She will be on at 7am (a little early, ha ha- so if you miss it, I will hopefully be able to post the podcast at some point as soon as it is made available). Here is a schedule of when she will be on: 7am on 2/21 (Sunday, tomorrow) on G105, The River (100.7) and KISS (93.9). Her segment will also air at 6pm on The Rush (106.1).

The Monument of Our Hearts

In her book Do You Think I'm Beautiful, Angela Thomas makes a powerful statement: "You were made to be seen and known and loved deeply. And it's okay to want what you were made for." I love this. I think it speaks to the innate desire that we all have to be beautiful! I have been thinking a lot about beauty lately, and what it means to be beautiful (and loved... and accepted... as my last few posts probably attest). I have noticed lately that both professionally (with clients) and personally (with friends/family) that this is a topic that has not just been on my mind. Statistics would also support that.

According to statistics put out in August 2008 by the YWCA, the amount of cosmetic procedures (both surgical and non-surgical) has increased by 500%. The numbers are pretty staggering: 11.7 million cosmetic procedures were performed in 2007. While the media is not 100% to blame, the media does have a HUGE impact on the way that beauty is perceived and defined. For example, one study done by the YWCA found that after watching only 30 minutes of TV, a young woman can be impacted by the way that she perceives her body and her appearance as she compares herself to the 'ideal' she sees on TV. Thirty minutes! That is astounding. While these statistics are probably more sad than shocking, the question that I keep asking is- what can we do and where do we even start?? How do we begin to attempt to deal with the beauty crisis that we are facing? (And by beauty crisis, I mean the pervasive belief that beauty looks one way, which inspires the persistent quest to achieve this ideal..)

While I have not come up with an answer to this million dollar question (i'm still working on it! ha ha), I did stumble across an awesome clothing company recently called The Monument of our Hearts (TMOOH) that is pursuing and impacting change in this arena. The mission of their clothing company is to 'design apparel that creates conversations and empowers people to feel beautiful.' How cool is that? I had an opportunity to speak with founders Brett Clouser and Courtney Schreiber, and would love to share with you a little bit about what they are doing to promote positive body image and awareness in an industry that is obsessed with 'beauty' at any cost.

Me: I noticed on your website that you all are pursuing a goal of expanding the definition of beauty [so cool] and that you want to create more positive advocates for body image. What sparked your interest in creating clothes to inspire body confidence and positive body image?

Courtney: I had friends in high school that were concerned with body image, but it wasn't an issue for me until I went to college. When I went to Pepperdine-after growing up in New York- I was surrounded by people consumed by body image on a different level. I fell into that myself, and let body image related stuff consume my thoughts in college. My own experience led me to become passionate about helping others to find confidence, and to help figure out what is healthy for each person. My own confidence was affected- eating disorders and negative body image lead to low self-esteem. I want to encourage people to find confidence, to know that they are not alone. I want to help people begin the conversations about what a healthy body image could look like.

Brett: I went to college with Courtney. And I come from a lifestyle that wasn't as focused on appearance. In high school, we all care about our image, but people in my high school wore sweatpants. Going to school in Malibu was different- the general pursuit of image issues and the pursuit of ideals that were unattainable and superficial in their manner- that was the spark to the flame for me.

There were two specific incidences though that really impacted me. I was in a literature class with a driven, type A girl who would sit up near the front of the class. She was physically very frail and unhealthy looking. Over the course of the term, I noticed that she would have different supermodels on the backdrop image of her laptop. Supermodels that were extremely skinny and clearly at an unhealthy weight. This was this girl's ideal. I didn't have excessive interactions with her, but could see how these ideals could negatively impact her.

Another friend of mine had suffered from an eating disorder- not while I was friends with her; that was before we met. But I was able to see the psychological effects that the eating disorder had on her, and the convoluted idea of what she thought was beautiful. To see the pursuit of such ideals and how they affected human beings across all different levels was significant to me in that life was not being lived to the fullest.

The psychological impact of eating disorders and body image issues, and seeing people pursue unhealthy ideals is what led to designs being created for this company.

Me: What is it like to be part of an industry that promotes such different values than your vision? Have you all had to intersect with this at all?

Courtney: On a small scale, there have been comments about sizes of shirts offered, or the types of models that we use. We have to be strategic in how to promote the clothes. This is a great reminder to be thoughtful about what we put on our site and the messages that we communicate. Because of our goals and our mission, people are looking to us to set a standard.

Brett: Buyers for retail distribution channels are concerned with branding. A brand of stores is developed as a collaboration of all of the brands that are represented. So for example, if one brand is anti-fur, and they happen to sell a product with animal skin, there is an inconsistency. You have to be consistent. We haven't pushed our line into the marketplace yet. We want to navigate the waters differently and act in a way that is consistent with our goals and mission as a company.

Me: Your website is such a great resource, as it provides a community of sorts for people to engage in conversation about your clothing and other issues related to beauty and body image (which is part of your mission!). I love the section of your site that allows people to share how they have been impacted by your clothing- can you share any anecdotes or stories that stand out to you?

Courtney: It is unbelievable to read things that people submit, especially considering the fact that when others respond and comment they are anonymous and don't know each other. It's not one person's story that stands out to me, but all of the comments and responses that these stories elicit. I read Luke's story and others were inspired to send in their own stories because of what he shared. Another example is Amanda's story. People responded to her story, leaving comments to encourage her, which ultimately led to her posting again on her own story to share how she had been inspired. [follow this link to read Amanda's story]

After speaking with Brett and Courtney, I am an even bigger fan of their company. Their tees and sweat-shirts are great- check them out here: http://www.tmooh.com/wear-it/. A portion of the proceeds are donated to non-profit organizations that work to promote healthy body image, treat eating disorders, and educate people about real beauty! I would encourage everyone to check out their site- follow this link for more information about TMOOH. More importantly, in solidarity with their mission, I would encourage you all to start talking about beauty. Start engaging in conversations about what you see in the media, and what you believe is beautiful. I think we all long to be beautiful, and to be able to view beauty as more than appearance, as more than our bodies, and as more than our size or shape is a great start!

Dieting is Dangerous?

2010 is in full force, and I have heard a LOT of people talking about wanting to 'get in shape' and start diets. Magazine covers are spilling celebrity diet secrets, and people are doing health cleanses and detox diets to start the year off healthy. (Just for the record, detox diets and cleanses- aside from being dangerous- are kind of silly; the reason that we have a liver is so that our body can naturally process and remove toxins!)

According to this article, dieting is America's most dangerous New Year's resolution. Why are diets dangerous? Well, for one, they can trigger eating disorders in some people. But diets are also ineffective- 95% of diets fail. This likely means that our bodies are not getting what they need- they either receive too little or too much, which has negative health ramifications either way. I wrote a post recently on common diet myths that I want to re-post in light of it being 'diet season'. I think it is important that people have some facts about diets before they embark on one. Below is an excerpt of the post, jumping right in with 7 myths of dieting- if you would like to read the entire post, follow this link.

Myth #1= You will lose weight. This is why most people pursue a diet in the first place, right? It may surprise you, but research shows that in the long run, 98% of dieters actually end up gaining weight. Why? Because the real issues behind food consumption and understanding metabolism are rarely addressed with a diet. And when unhealthy means are used, the weight loss is usually not maintainable.

Myth #2=You will look amazing as a result of your diet. If your goal is to look like someone else, or to look like some of the images that we regularly see on TV, in magazines, etc.. then you are chasing a goal that is not attainable. These images are altered by computers (check out this video for an example- yikes!). What is more is that a diet will not change your facial features, it will not make you taller, it will not make your legs longer, and it will not make your boobs bigger. Sorry:).

Myth #3=Diets are not dangerous. Whenever you restrict or cut out entire food groups (sugar, carbs, fat, dairy, etc..), this is dangerous-- especially for young people. Our bodies require a variety of foods in order to fuel our organs and keep us functioning effectively. Not to mention that studies show that dieting is an indicator of future eating disorders. A girl who diets before she is 14 is eight times more likely to develop an eating disorder. There are many health risks associated with dieting as well, such as weakened bones, dehydration and decreased heart rate.

Myth #4=Certain foods are bad. Often times, when we diet or approach food with a diet mentality, we label food as 'good' or 'bad.' We may even determine what food we consider to be good or bad based upon which particular diet we are on. The fact of the matter is that all foods are created equal and all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle. There are no bad foods, only bad diets.

Myth #5= Diets give you control. Having a defined set of rules, especially when it comes to food, may convince you that you will be in control of what you put in your mouth. However, what often happens when you eat the same foods, or follow similar rituals each day with food, you begin to crave foods you have labelled 'bad' or 'outlawed.' This can lead to overeating and binges, which ultimately take you to a place you were trying to avoid to begin with. Also, diets usually make you cranky, they tend to decrease your energy, and they leave you feeling tired and pretty irritable. When you get to this point, the diet is controlling you, and you have little control.

Myth #6= Diets are safe and healthy. Maybe a little repetitive (myth #3), but if you chronically diet, you risk potentially altering the natural weight of your body. Over time, if your body weight fluctuates from higher to lower, and lower to higher, your body generally settles at a higher weight than it would have needed to be if it was not altered in the first place. Our bodies become confused, because they do not know if they will get what they need nutritionally, or if they will not receive any food at all. Our metabolisms slow down because our bodies think we are starving. The irony in this is that the exact opposite of what is intended is likely to end up happening.

Myth #7= You need to follow a diet. Here are some healthy guidelines to follow (compliments of Remuda Ranch) that are not diet-centric. Eat a variety of foods in moderation. Having variety allows for you to meet your nutritional needs; we cannot get all we need from one single food, or from a small number of foods alone. Listen to your body, and your stomach. Eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full. You don't need to eat food just because it is in front of you. Find out if you are eating because you are physically hungry or emotionally hungry (more on this to come..).

To conclude, Karen R. Koenig wrote a book called The Rules of Normal Eating. It is an extremely helpful book for anyone who has struggled with chronic dieting, overeating, undereating, emotional eating and anything in between. I wrote a post on her book awhile back and provided some suggestions that she outlines in her book as they relate to 'normal eating.'. Follow this link for more information.

Who Do You Want to be in 2010?

So, in my last post, I talked a little bit about behavioral change, neural pathways and New Year's resolutions (yawn- haha). I think one of the important points that I was trying to make is that change can be difficult. However, it is not impossible or too difficult to attempt! I am all for change and love when people become inspired to grow and change in any way- that is one reason I do what I do! I think it is important though to be educated about the process of change as it helps to make sense of why some changes can be more difficult to make than others (which goes back to neural pathways, the brain and emotions).

I am going to rewind for a minute and talk strictly about New Year's resolutions and the pervasive nature/themes of New Year resolutions. If you were to take an inventory of the last few days, or even the last week, how many articles, commercials, conversations or facebook statuses have you noticed or observed that have had to do with weight loss, calories, fitness regimes, detox diets, plans for getting in shape, etc... ? I know that I have seen and encountered countless. I think often times New Year's resolutions are synonymous with weight loss and fitness goals. Out of curiosity, I googled New Year's resolutions to see what would come up, and about.com's top ten list of the most common resolutions popped up first in my search. Up to this point, I had never heard of about.com, but I am a sucker for lists and couldn't pass up finding out what made their top ten. Here it is:

1. Spend more time with family and friends.
2. Fit in fitness
3. Tame the bulge
4. Quit smoking
5. Enjoy life more
6. Quit drinking
7. Get out of debt
8. Learn something new
9. Help others
10. Get organized

It didn't surprise me at all that two of the top ten resolutions involved fitness or weight (as it reflects the values and messages that our society and media hold), but what did surprise me was that helping others, learning something new and enjoying life more were all on the bottom half of the list. There is certainly value in being healthy, and I think health should be a priority. If this means that in order to be healthy, you need to gain a few pounds, or lose a few pounds, then I encourage you to pursue health. But it is important to view health not solely as a physical thing- our health is more than just a physical measure. It also includes our mental health, our spiritual health and our emotional health. I think before we make any resolutions, or goals for ourselves, we may need to step back to see if these goals are consistent with our values and who we want to be before we move forward with them!

Maybe one thing that you can do instead of making a list of New Year's resolutions is to think about the kind of person that you want to be in 2010. Take a close look at what is influencing and shaping you as a person. Is it friends? Is it the media? Is it God? Is it family? It might be helpful to consider the sources of influence in your life, and decide if they are positive and helpful in becoming the person that you were made to be! I heard someone wise say that whether we know it or not, we all worship something based on how we live our lives and what we give our time, our attention, and our thoughts to. For some of us, there are great obstacles and challenges to overcome in order to be the person that we want to be, but there is hope in pursuing a life that is filled with meaning, intention and purpose. I would encourage you, as I encourage myself as well, to examine the kind of person that you want to be, the character traits and qualities that you want to exhibit, the experiences you want to have, and the life you want to live- and move forward in a direction that is consistent with those things.

Happy New Year!!! :) :)

Happy New Year everyone! I hope that you all had a happy and safe holiday! I am so thankful for this past year of my life and for all that I learned both professionally and personally. I am really excited that 2010 is here and I am optimistic that this is going to be the best year yet. I love that a new year affords each one of us opportunities to experience new things, try things differently than we have in the past, and to make a fresh start... which brings me to the subject of ...New Year's resolutions!

I personally think New Year's resolutions are a little over-rated. And, according to a study I read recently, which stated that 92% of new years resolutions are not kept, I would say the experts probably agree with me (ha ha) :). To be fair, I found many conflicting statistics about how many people actually keep their New Year's resolutions- the general theme though is that more than half of people that make resolutions do not keep them. Why is this?? Well, I am sure there are lots of different reasons, but I would imagine that it has to do with people having unrealistic expectations and goals as well as desiring to make behavioral changes that require the brain to make actual physiological changes. This process which involves the creation of new neural pathways in the brain is probably a topic for another blog post, but I have provided some basic background information below (courtesy of a site that you can also view below) that may be helpful for conceptualizing behavioral change.

Neural Pathways

The basis for working with, and modifying, habits comes down to the creation and reinforcement of neural pathways.

Neural What?

Our brains are made of neurons. If you imagine the habit of putting on your seat belt, there is a sequence of events that occur. You sit, your arm reaches across to grab the belt, your arm pulls it across your body, and then inserts the buckle. For the sake of this example, imagine there is an individual neuron responsible for each step. All the neurons connected together to form this action, this behavior, is a neural pathway.

Once these pathways are established, and are 'triggered', they function automatically. Depending on how they were created, and what reinforcement they have had, they can be very difficult to change.

Behaviors, Habits and Beliefs

If you consider a simple habit, like locking the door or putting your seatbelt on once you get in your car, it is an automatic function. You do not consciously think about doing it. It is a dominant neural pathway generally created via repetition. Most people can change this habit given time and reason. People that have had a traumatic event around one of these functions, such as being followed to their car or experiencing an auto accident, may have a much more difficult time changing this habit. Their neural pathway was created by repetition and reinforced by strong emotion. If they were to try changing this behavior, they would be working 'against' a dominant neural pathway with a strong emotional association.

To find out more info about the brain and behavioral change, and how neural pathways are created and re-created, click here! Very interesting stuff. And on a side note, you may get where I am going with this as it relates to eating disorders and eating disorder behaviors.... but the habits and repetitious nature of particular compensatory behaviors (purging, etc) make change very difficult. More on this later, but this is an important physiological piece in eating disorder treatment/recovery and so I want to come back to this! I do want to say that this information is is no way meant to provide an out for people in that it relieves one of taking responsibility for his or her actions, but it is important for us all to be educated about the process of change and how truly difficult it is! I don't know of many who think that change is a simple process, but this provides more evidence that change is not typically an easy 'snap your fingers and voila' kind of process.

So, what does this all have to do with New Year's resolutions and more importantly, body image and weight? Great question! :) I am going to follow up with another post on this shortly. I sort of got sidetracked on the neural pathway train, but my thought process is that culturally we all tend to make various resolutions for the new year, and I wanted to examine this process.... especially since most people have resolutions that involve going to the gym more, losing weight, ... resolutions that are focused on weight and our bodies. If you are reading this, please check back in soon for more on resolutions!! And again, Happy New Year!!!!

ps- the site used in this post as a mini tutorial on neural pathways is a hypnosis site- as a disclaimer, i do not use hypnosis nor do i know much about it. i am not promoting hypnosis, i simply appreciated the clear and simple manner in which this site detailed information on neural pathways!