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Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind – 5-step guide to a better body image & relationship with food 00:00 Introduction to 5-step guide to a healthy body & mind00:37 Step 1: Seek mental health treatment02:37 Step 2: Improve your nutrition06:27 Step 3: In...

https://youtu.be/CaPdsrp_BVQ?si=roJmyWDwAE8-EuAh
In this episode of Mental Health Break we discuss body image and why it matters.

01_What is body image and why is it important?

Coming in January, free body image group! Learn how to heal your relationship with yourself, exercise, and food. Stay tuned for more info and updates.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Please remember that you are worthy of nourishment on this special day. Cheers!

Intuitive eating is where it is at! Free event:

It is weight stigma awareness week. You can sign up for this free event:

If you have children (especially girls) one of the best things you can do with regard to setting them up for a positive body image is to refrain from making disparaging remarks about your own body. Let them see you having respect for your body and providing it with proper nutrition.

With biological hunger almost any food will do. With a craving or emotional eating we are trying to meet a need that is psychological.

It can be confusing to distinguish emotional hunger from biological hunger in the beginning. I even used to have hunger pangs when I was actually just needing to deal with my emotions.
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It helps to remember that true biological hunger is patient. It will wait for you to find a satisfying meal. It is satisfied by all types of foods--whatever is yummy, available, and usually somewhat balanced. And, it comes on gently (unless you've been ignoring it for a really long time.) It whispers at first, then grows louder the longer you ignore it.
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Emotional hunger is the complete opposite. It is NOT patient. It's like a runaway train inside that won't be ignored. And, it MUST have the food it's craving (usually not a balanced meal). And, it MUST be NOW!
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Remember, as you're learning to distinguish between emotional and biological hunger to slow down when you eat. Pause when you think you need food and drop into the physical sensations you're experiencing in your body. Your body knows what it needs. You just have to get your brain and emotions out of the way.
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You're not defective or a sugar addict if you want something sweet after dinner. It's a very human desire to have something sweet.
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It also doesn't mean you need to have a ginormous dessert after every meal.
We can be so black-and-white with ourselves sometimes.
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What if it was part of your day--everyday--to have a bit of something sweet after lunch and dinner? Say, a few squares of chocolate or a few spoons of ice cream.
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It's also totally OK to have a full serving of something. I'm not promoting being restrictive with yourself. I'm just saying that you can think outside the box a little bit. Sometimes a few bites of chocolate is just the lovely end to a meal that you need. It helps you feel satisfied, not deprived, nourished, and balanced.
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But, you'll only feel this way if you can normalize it for yourself. If you're telling yourself that you're a failure for having a few bites, then you're going to feel awful and end up eating an entire bag of chocolate.
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Ditch the black-and-white thinking. Allow yourself what you love. Listen to your body. You got this!
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