Olympic Pride

As the Olympic fever has settled,  I've paused to reflect on this year's games.

By all appearances, the London Olympics celebrated the female athlete.  More women competed in these games than any in history.  More American women made the team than men, and they won their fair share of our nation's hefty gold medal count.

And by most appearances, the female athlete in London was prized for her strength, her endurance, her power, and speed.  There were bodies of different shapes and sizes, but it seems we focused more on what these bodies were capable of doing, rather than how they looked.

Except that we had to hear about gold medalist Gabby Douglas's hair (occasionally at the expense of her gold-medal accomplishments and the records she set for American women and women of color).

And Holley Mangold's weight (often at the expense at how much weight she was lifting).

And one news story reported that the Brazilian women's soccer team were called "a bit heavy" by the coach of another team.

Can we continue to move beyond these inconsequential details in our appreciation of female athleticism?

A friend of mine recently posted on Facebook that her trainer, with whom she had recently begun kickboxing, commanded her a few weeks ago to "Stop throwing punches like a girl!"

After the games, and in light of American, gold-medalist slugger Claressa Shield's victory, my friend wrote:  "He needs to rethink that statement."

He does.  Because women can be strong and fit and powerful and fast and flexible and tough and determined and fierce, and the shape of their bodies is nothing near as important as their prowess in sport.

Congrats Team USA.

Give Pizza a Chance

Sometimes these blog topics just fall into my lap. . .

Recently, I took a fun, challenging yoga class on a late Sunday afternoon.  After class, as I walked out of the studio, tired and hungry, I peeked into a pizza parlor down the block to check out their menu.  Over my shoulder I heard a voice whisper loudly, "Don't do it!  We just took yoga!"  No, this was not my inner Jenny Craig, but a fellow female yogi. I suppose this woman, about my age, had seen me in class.  And there I was, standing on a summer sidewalk, caught in the moment, trying to walk that fine line between maintaining civility and promoting a cause.

On the spot, what I came up with was, "Aw, it's all part of feeling good." What I really wanted to say was, "What does one thing have to do with the other?" or "Why are you telling me what to eat?"

Why can't yoga and pizza peacefully coexist?

Ironically enough, the website for the aforementioned pizza shop (a place known for its salads, paninis, pizzas, and pastas, as well as its gluten-free pies), proclaims "Eat Well and Be Happy!"

And isn't that the ultimate goal?

Big Gulp

By now, you've probably heard that New York City Mayor Bloomberg has pushed for a measure that will limit soda consumption in the city.  If the soda crackdown passes, restaurants, movie theaters, sports, arenas, food carts, and delis will all be banned from selling sodas larger than 16 ounces.  Of course, diet soda is exempt from the ban, illustrating the mayor's ongoing approval of consumption of mass quantities of sugar substitutes.  And, other loopholes abound, ensuring you can still get your 16+ ounces of sugary soda if need be.  


Is this measure the answer to our nation's expanding waistline?  New York City has already mandated posted calorie counts at many restaurants and banned the use of trans fats.  Banning soda seems to be the next logical step.  Supporters note that heavily taxing cigarettes in the NYC has led to significantly lower rates of smoking.  But are food-based "nanny state" tactics the solution?  What about the underlying questions of money and class?  In this week's New Yorker, Fran Lebowitz notes: "'These issues are class issues.  Soda is the recreation--the summer-house--of the poor.  It's an indulgence, and it's something they can indulge in.'"  Critics would argue that our tax dollar shouldn't go toward footing the (medical) bill for recreational indulgences.  But, the proposed soda bill begs the issue, where do we draw the line?  Sources have already revealed that milkshakes and movie theater popcorn may be up to bat next.   What about subsidizing fruits and vegetables, instead?  Is there a way to educate, not legislate? 

Recovery

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do --
determined to save
the only life you could save. 

 

 Mary Oliver 

Fat Shame

Thanks Again

Have you been gravitating toward higher calorie foods since 2008?  In a study presented back in August at the yearly meeting of the American Psychological Association, University of Miami marketing doctoral student Anthony Salerno suggests that your choices may be due to the economy.

Salerno's research found that study participants primed to focus on deprivation chose higher calorie foods, compared to those who focused more on pleasure than survival.

Most of us have accepted the fact that, for any, deprivation around food tends to lead to overeating.  What makes this study interesting is that it widens the playing field to include deprivation as general concepts.  Salerno's results indicate that if we feel deprived at all (not just around food), we may have a tendency to eat more.

Assuming this data translates beyond the lab, it suggests that to curb this form of (biologically induced?) emotional eating, we bring our focus to gratitude.  What is it that you have (vs. have not) in your life?  Can you highlight areas of abundance, rather than deprivation?  This shift in mindset can be profitable across the board.

And, where can you add indulgences that don't cost much?  Can you treat your senses with appealing scents, comfortable fabrics, enticing flavors, soothing visuals, and melodic sounds?  Doing so can ease distress, increase our experience of pleasure, and, perhaps most importantly, communicate to ourselves that we are worth it.

A Must Read

Well said, Ashley. . .

The Not-So-Hunger Games

Current film sensation Jennifer Lawrence recently told Life & Style magazine that she, for one, is not going hungry.

Lawrence says:  "'I remember when I was 13 and it was cool to pretend to have an eating disorder because there were rumors that Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie were anorexic.'"

Now, considered somewhat plump for Hollywood, Lawrence feels differently:  "'I'm just so sick of these young girls with diets.  I think it's really important for girls to have people to look up to and feel good about themselves.'"

And, in another declaration that may serve to benefit the general public, the Equinox chain of fitness facilities recently unveiled a new personal training campaign (see below).  While the focus is still on skinny/fat, it's good to know that a major company is moving toward recognizing that weight is not a proxy for health.  Now if they could just focus on fitness, rather than fat. . .

Israeli Model Law

Government officials in Israel have passed a new law banning the use of significantly underweight models in country-wide advertising.  The law, designed to challenge the glorification of the thin ideal, will also require advertisers who use airbrushing/editing to slim models down to acknowledge this in print.

Officials are hopeful that these measures will reduce the rates of anorexia in Israel.  What do you think?

Fitness, Faith, and Fun

Here's what I like about exercising:  Physical activity improves my mood; it makes me feel accomplished; it keeps my blood pressure low and my heart in good health; it makes me strong and, for instance, capable of carrying all the groceries in in one shot, it helps me burn off some restless energy before an entire workday spent seated in a chair; it gives me an opportunity to listen to my favorite tunes and participate in an individual dance party in my head; it allows me to work toward various goals; in a class setting, it helps me to feel the camaraderie of being part of something bigger; when accomplished outdoors, it provides me fresh air, beatific vistas at times, and an opportunity to connect with our earth; and it provides a portal through which I can practice mindfulness, following both movement and my breath.

Here's what I dislike about exercising:  fitness instructors who use weight/food intake to motivate their students.  In a few short months, I've heard several iterations of this.  In a spinning class, an instructor tried to inspire us by telling us that so-and-so celebrity burned x-many calories in her class.  I think it may have been the same instructor who encouraged us to push through a challenging portion near the end of the ride in order to "burn off" a recent holiday meal.  In a yoga class I took several weeks ago, the instructor suggested that a benefit of an inversion practice is reduced cellulite. This weekend, I tried another indoor cycling class at a trendy new studio.  Halfway through the class, the instructor yelled out, "Who wants to change your bodies?" As if dissatisfied  by the moderate, collective cheer, he repeated the question with more oomph to garner more of a response.  Now, if he meant "change," as in get stronger, faster, more flexible, etc., I may have seen his point, But, somehow, I'm not sure that that was where he was going, and it concerns me that the expectation is that, by the very fact that we're there, we're unhappy with ourselves.

The more we exercise to lose weight, burn calories/fat, or to change ourselves, the more likely we are to push ourselves beyond our limits (hour-long inversions, anyone?), turn exercise into punishment, and reduce the joy associated with the inherent act of moving our bodies.  It's no wonder that such a large percentage of people who start an exercise program drop out.  When we exercise to realize the physical and psychological gains associated with movement, to improve our fitness, empower us, and (gasp!) for fun, we can easily sign on for a lifelong commitment.  When we so enjoy dancing and hiking and climbing and swimming and cycling and strengthening and stretching, why would we ever stop?

New Model Guidelines

The Council of Fashion Designers of American has recently released new guidelines for models who work Fashion Week and other industry events.

As a whole, I applaud the group's focus to educate the industry and encourage healthy eating and treatment, if necessary.  Do you think these guidelines will help?  Do you see any limitations to the guidelines?  Take a minute to read the new guidelines and let me know what you think. . . .

Georgia. . .

A new campaign in Georgia targeted at childhood obesity has raised significant alarm  in the eating disorder community.  Specifically, many of us who treat eating disorders are concerned that the campaign focuses more on body size than on the promotion of healthy eating and exercise behaviors.  It is negative, shaming, and could actually encourage the development of eating disorders in those who may have such tendencies.

As such, the Binge Eating Disorder Association has developed an online petition, with the hopes of arresting the campaign.

What do you think?  Will you sign?

Losing the Battle

If, for some reason, you missed the fact that we recently celebrated a new year, you surely cannot miss the barrage of weight-loss advertising appearing in our media this week.  By now, you've probably viewed commercials from our nation's power players, each starring its own celeb:  Jennifer Hudson for Weight Watchers, Janet Jackson for Nutri-System, and Mariah Carey for Jenny Craig (can someone please help me identify exactly what Mariah is doing in this commercial?)  


Upping the ante in cyberspace is a new site that allows dieters to gamble on how much weight they lose.


What I know is that if I had $100 riding on my weight loss, I'd somehow make it happen. What might happen after, though, is likely what happens to most dieters after the fact, highlighted by a recent study among adolescents, which appeared in the Journal of Adolescent Health and which concludes in its abstract, “Findings clearly indicate that dieting and unhealthy weight control behaviors, as reported by adolescents, predict significant weight gain over time.”


If you begin a diet, chances are that you'll lose weight.  Chance are also that if you end the diet (which you may do after a pre-specified time or earlier, due to difficulty in adhering to the diet), you will gain the weight back.  In many cases, you will gain even more.  The statistics have spoken loud and clear, and not one product, plan, or gimmick has shown the ability to compete successfully with them.   

(Photo)shopping for the Holidays

By now, you've probably heard about H & M's recent advertising snafu, in which the Swedish retailers plugged real-life faces on computer-generated bodies.  The story was exposed earlier this month.

And what about the notorious Faith Hill photoshopping job on Redbook magazine?



Revealed several years back, the side-by-side comparison spoke volumes about what the industry will do to sell a star.

But, in all of this, we're reminded of what this re-imaging does for the every woman--setting an unrealistic, unattainable standard.  H & M models do not exist in reality.  Not even Faith Hill can look like Faith Hill. Let's continue to expose the myths that fuel the fire.  It's so important that we do.

Happy holidays. . .

Let's Say. . .

Scenario 1:  Let's say that there's this young woman who comes to therapy.  We'll call her Diana.  Diana doesn't have an eating disorder.  What brings her into treatment is panic attacks.  In the course of her anxiety, let's say Diana loses weight.  She's panicky, on edge, and she's not eating enough.  Let's say that Diana was "at a normal weight" (whatever that is) before and that when she loses weight, she looks unhealthy.  Let's also say she has a psychiatrist who's treating her for her anxiety.  Then, let's say that Diana's therapist expresses concerns about her weight loss and discusses with her how she can get adequate nutrition even with low appetite.  Remember, Diana doesn't have an eating disorder, so this isn't the most complicated thing.  Next, let's say that Diana starts to feel less anxious.  Some combination of medication and therapy is helping her, and her panic attacks remit.  Let's say, that in the process of this, she gains back the weight she had lost.  Let's say that Diana is again "at a normal weight" (whatever that is).  Finally, let's say that she visits her psychiatrist after some time, who mentions Diana's weight gain and states that 1) Diana needs to lose weight and 2) She needs to do so by their next visit.


Scenario 2:  Let's say that another woman who has been in therapy for many years for anxiety, depression, and a sub-clinical eating disorder, is seeing a relatively new psychiatrist.  We'll call her Sharon.  Sharon likes her new psychiatrist because she seems compassionate and responsive to her.  Like many psychiatrists she's had in the past, Sharon's current psychiatrist is eager to try out new medications and doses of medications with her, in order to alleviate her symptoms.  During one appointment, Sharon, who is "at a normal weight" (whatever that is), expresses concern about her psychiatrist's recent recommendation that she up the dosage of her medication in order to address her residual anxiety.  "Doesn't that cause weight gain?," she asks.  Sharon is concerned because she has a history of binge eating, and she doesn't want to be on anything that exacerbates this condition.  "It could," her psychiatrist replies, "But that's when you just need to focus on portion control."  To Sharon, who again has a history of binge eating, hearing the phrase "portion control" creates such anxiety in her that she actually wants to binge.  She's had many attempts at trying to restrict what she eats (in fact, that's what led to her binge eating, according to her understanding of it all), and this does not seem to be an adequate solution.  

Do you have any reactions to these scenarios?  They can and do occur, highlighting the importance of consulting with professionals who have specific education and training in the field of eating disorders.  A simple, innocuous comment as processed by someone with an eating disorder can do significant, unintended damage.  Ideally, those struggling with eating disorders can arrive at a place in their recovery where a single comment isn't so threatening (as they may come from various sources), but until and unless this happens, it's important to select a treatment team sensitive to these concerns.

Celebrities with E.D.'s

A while back, a reporter asked me my position regarding celebrities disclosing that they have struggled with eating disorders.  She asked if I thought the disclosure was helpful or hurtful for the general public.  I went with "helpful," and here's why:  Obviously, I wish that no one had to suffer the physical and psychological damage of an eating disorder.  But, since people do develop them, and since we're still learning how to best treat them, pay for treating them, etc., I think any type of public awareness is beneficial.  For fans who struggle with eating disorders, learning of someone else's struggle may help with feelings of shame or isolation around the disorder.  Moreover, I think it's important for the public to understand that a number of the singers, actresses, and models they admire are not as naturally thin as they appear.  In many cases, they must go to drastic measures, in order to conform to our current body ideal (see Adriana Lima's recent revelation to the Telegraph for proof).  For some, these measures may lead to the development of full-blown eating disorders.  In my opinion, the more information we have that counteracts the idea that skinny (for all women) is healthy and effortless, the better.

What are your thoughts?

Come Back to Carbs

Can one woman hail the return of entire macronutrient?  I'd like to try.

We live in a carb-free, low-carb, healthy-carb country.  We're encouraged by experts to up our protein intake and lower our carbohydrates, with the premise that this is the key to arriving at a healthy (read: aesthetic) weight.  

Recently, I went to a dinner party and brought a lovely quinoa.  It went untouched.  Because of the carbs.

Later that week, I stopped at my gym's snack bar to pick up a sports drink prior to yoga class.  Amidst a sea of no-carb, high-protein drinks (many infused with artificial sweeteners in order to claim the title), I finally stumbled on some fruit juice that fit the bill.  

I get it.  We realized that we'd weigh a little less if we cut back on carbs.  But, what we didn't realize is that we'd be eliminating a major energy source, one that fuels our muscles, organs, and brains.  Carbohydrates have a significant impact on mood, as well.  Just ask someone who's going carb-free.  

Your trainer tells you to cut out bread.  Your gossip magazine shows you a day in the life of your favorite celebrity, proving that lean protein and vegetables for lunch and dinner is not only doable, but leads to the intended results.  Your coworker went low-carb and quickly dropped 15 pounds.  

The thing is. . . not one nutritionist I respect has ever recommended this type of diet to anyone I know.  They understand the importance of all three macronutrients.  They understand what cutting carbs does to one's energy and mood.  And then understand, as I do, that the weight-loss benefits of going low-carb are temporary (only for as long as you're on the diet), and that depriving ourselves of something (anything, really) often backfires, obfuscating the point entirely.  

I wish that I had a dollar for every person I meet who complains of an inability to ward off mid-afternoon candy runs, or who shamefully confesses to late-night binges on chips, cookies, or cake, who, by the way, is also restricting her carbs.  When she begins to reintroduce this necessary nutrient, she finds that her carbohydrate cravings remit.  It's her body's way of saying, "Thanks for giving me what I need."

America the Beautiful 2

Have you seen it?  I went to the Hollywood premiere a couple of weeks ago, and Darryl Roberts, the filmmaker, was there, along with several members of the cast, and all were available for a Q & A!

It isn't ground-breaking, but it does bring more, much-needed attention to eating disorders and our national focus on obesity.

And, speaking of fighting stigmas against weight and shape, try this one on for size:

The editor writes:

"I'm seeking personal essay submissions from women who have made strides in overcoming societal stigma around body size/weight and who now love/feel positive about their curvy/chubby/fat bodies. The submission deadline is quickly approaching. . . . I am offering contributors of accepted submissions $50."  


Because if you're going to fight this stigma, you may as well earn some cash in the process!

The Weeks Keep on Coming!

Did you know that this week is Fat Talk Free Week?  Check it out here!

Can you commit, for the remaining few days, not to utter a word about your body or anyone else's?  I know, I know, there may still be that silly negativity squatting in your head.  But, at least for conversational purposes, can we spend the rest of the week avoiding comments about weight, shape, or size?  Can we, if approached by others to join in such dialogue, respond like Jessica Weiner does?  ("I'm sorry, I don't speak that language.") And can we, freed up from useless chatter, use our time and energy to connect with others in a more meaningful and authentic way?

Try it out.
Take the pledge.
Then tell me, what will you talk about instead?

Health At Every Size

Did you know that last week was the Binge Eating Disorder Association's First Annual Weight Stigma Awareness Week?  Either did I, which is why I'm posting about it now.  This gives us plenty of time to prep for next year!

In light of this, I'd like to share Dr. Deb Burgard's recent piece on Health Speech.  Burgard is a key player in the Health At Every Size and Association for Size Diversity and Health movements.  

It never ceases to amaze me how medical doctors will often tell heavy people to lose weight, even when the patient shows no objective signs of disease.  At the same time, the significantly underweight, eating-disordered patient will often fly under the radar, reporting that she's never discussed her eating disorders with her primary care provider who has, in turn, never asked about her about her low weight.  

I hope that by promoting these movements we can move toward a place of greater size acceptance and can refocus agendas and efforts on health, rather than weight.