Me First

The theme of this past week has been inspired. After attending FNCE (The American Dietetic Associations annual convention) and being inspired by some amazing RDs, on Friday we attended Grand Rounds at Sargent College. We are lucky that the nutrition department shares space with other Health Sciences, including Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech therapy and once a semester they gather together and discuss a case for us all to learn from."Our patients are our best teachers" one of the professor's started and we were honored to have Matt there to teach us what it was like living after a Stroke. His resilience, and dedication to trying to restore the activities of daily life, while being Mr. Mom to two small children was so touching. The entire time he kept saying "step by step" "little by little" "One step at a time" If Matt can recover from a very serious stroke and impairment, and work hard to regain his Independence, we all can. It was so wonderful to see the amazing work therapist can do to really make a difference in people's quality of life. Thank you Matt.

Every little step makes a difference, and little by little we can reach our goals.Whether we want to feel comfortable in our bodies, appreciate our beauty, smush fat talk, eat healthier, feel better, it is the little steps towards those goals that matter. You need to listen to your heart, follow it, and remember to put yourself first.

One of my mentors and role models, Rebecca Scritchfield just launched a new initiative called the Me Movement-a way to help you stay healthy and sane this holiday season. She designed a pledge to commit to positive self care through the hectic holiday season. Of course, I signed up asap. I printed out the pledge I made for myself and put it on my desk. Finals are coming up, and I have a funeral, thanksgiving and christmas, all periods when I could start stress eating, over/underexercising or feeling bad. Not this year though! I am committed to having a guilt-free holiday season. I'd love for you to join me! Download the “me” movement pledge (PDF)Feel free to print the pledge and spend some time thinking about what self care habits YOU want to be accountable for this holiday season.

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For my health and wellness, I want to put myself first this holiday season. This year will be different. I am going to take care of myself during this busy (sometimes hectic) time. If that means asking for help, saying “no”, or scheduling “down time,” I will do it. I’m done being overcommitted.

• I pledge to remember how good it feels when I’m taking care of myself. And when I feel good, I am able to take better care of those I love.
• I pledge to keep in mind that social situations are about the companionship, as much as the delicious food and drinks. I want to enjoy foods that look and taste good while respecting my body’s “fullness” and “satisfied” signals. I won’t judge myself if I ate “too much” of the holiday foods that don’t come around that often.
• I pledge to stay in tune with what my body needs, whether that’s food, rest, exercise, or sleep.

My well-being is my priority. The goals below reflect the healthiest ways I know how to meet my own needs.

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What are three things you can do to make sure your wellness needs are met this holiday season? You may want to choose one goal for each of these areas: nutrition, exercise and stress management. Or maybe you want to focus on just one or two areas. These goals are meant to be personal for you! Hang this pledge somewhere you will see it on a daily basis as a reminder of your commitment to honoring your health.

Goal 1: I will dedicate 20 minutes of every day for “me” time. This can not be in front of a screen-I will use this time to read a book for pleasure, collage, or meditate.

Goal 2: I will get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

Goal 3: I will incorporate more yoga into my workouts, for balance, flexibility and peace of mind.

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Signature Elizabeth Jarrard Date 11/11/10

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Need some ideas for your own pledge? Check out this list!

What are you inspired by right now? Are the holidays a stressful time for you? Would you consider signing the pledge and putting yourself first this holiday season? Guiltless is right here with you!

In a Guiltless Fashion

beauty and grace

"You can't separate fashion from the world. Fashion is the way we live. Dress designers lent me textures, shapes and patterns that become the ally of my true work, which was always about women-what was going on beneath their clothes, beneath the hats.
In their heads."
-Richard Avedon, World Renowned fashion photographer

Fashion. I love it, I appreciate it. While gym clothes may be my standard attire I live for nights to get dressed up in. Attending a Fashion Week AfterParty and being surrounded by beautiful people in beautiful dresses, suits and get-ups thrills and inspires me.

Unfortunately fashion also promotes negative self esteem. When normal women compare themselves to size 00 models, we rarely come up on top. Yes, those supermodels are gorgeous, but they are also a ridiculous basis for comparison. The average woman is not a living hanging rack, and sadly, often feels less because of this. I am by no means bashing models, remember, they are people too, but instead I would love for us ALL to let our radiance shine through and cease this comparison battle.

I fully support a renewed banning of airbrushing and makeup, highlighting the true beauty behind the veil of editing and professional artists.

gorgeous without makeup

And then places like Urban Outfitters advocate "eat Less"

Digusting, wrong, appaling.
I'd much rather see this

Free People "You are Beautiful"

You are Beautiful. Let your grace and wonder inspire whether you are flat-chested, have hips, curvy, straight, slender, athletic. Be confident in your beauty and the world will notice.

So kick up your new heels.

Wear that dress more than once.

Be confident and you will radiate even more than your sparkly new top.

Celebrate Make Up Free Monday!

Tell yourself you are beautiful!

Because you are.

Do you compare yourself to the unrealistic images and messages the fashion industry promotes? how can we appreciate fashion but also find love for ourselves, and our bodies?

Are you up for a Challenge?

Sometimes I am spot-on with life timing, and then sometimes I get to things a little too late. But then I realized that it's never too late to start spreading more beauty messages! So let's hear it for the Beauty Message Challenge!!!

KISSES FOR YOU!

[From their website]

What is the CHALLENGE? Tell yourself beauty messages three times a day for 10 days so that you build self confidence and experience more joy in who you are! By taking the challenge you will see how telling yourself the truth about your strengths and accomplishments changes your day.

WHAT IS A BEAUTY MESSAGE? It is an affirming statement about something you are proud of or love about yourself. It can be a simple or detailed statement that when read positively changes the outlook on yourself and your day. For example: “ I walk into work everyday with a smile on my face to lift others spirits. My care for others is beautiful and so am I.”

WHAT DO I GAIN? Seeing yourself as beautiful for who you are is a self-confidence building exercise. We often speak of the problems of low self-esteem but here are the benefits of self-confidence:

• Go Power: Believing in yourself and knowing your strengths will help you move towards your goals even when obstacles and challenges come up.
• Positive Outlook: Feeling good about who you are spills over into how you see your life. People who feel good about themselves easily see the good in their life.
• Social Ease: Self-confidence leads to more freedom to share ideas and connect with people without fear of rejection.
• Physical Health: Confident people experience less stress and worry. Stress is a leading factor in numerous health problems.

This has been going on the entire month of September and there is fantastic material available on their website, facebook, and twitter feeds!

So are you up for the challenge? Can you commit to telling yourself you are beautiful for 10 days?? Let's start right now, and practice by leaving a comment about a beauty message for yourself!

I Love my Legs

My dear friend Marissa stayed true to her Japanese roots and wrote me a beautiful haiku about how she loves her legs. I just adore this (and we checked people, it is in proper haiku form)!

my legs crush concrete

and I make myself guiltless

when I run faster




Have you ever written yourself a letter or poem expressing your strength and beauty?? we'd love to hear about it! Thank you Marissa!

"Body battle break down" Guest Post by Mei Ratz

I've known Mei, since well, before I was born. Our mothers were in Lamaze class together, and I'm about 3 weeks older than her. We were raised together, and she's always been an inspiration to me. Always a little bit cooler, stronger, faster, she was a swimming champion from early on. Recently her life has taken her down a different path, but she continues to inspire every day. Life has thrown her extreme obstacles and events that would make most people crumble, but she has come out stronger. She is pursuing her dreams and living each day to the fullest. You can find her gorgeous photographs here, and follow her life adventures on her blog! Take it away Mei! -Elizabeth

When I first sat down, slowed my roll, rested enough to think about what I would write to Guiltless....I felt myself lean over to my sub-conscience and whisper: "Psst....we don't have any food worries, body concerns, or haunting skeletons about body image....Saaaaawwwweeetttt!!!" and then I thought some more....and I thought: WHY was I so quick to claim that I was not involved in a body relationship battle? Why? Then it struck me that my battle was slow moving and constantly morphing. So, here is the Mei Ratz body battle break down.

I grew up in a small town where the role you played in the community could end up consuming your life if you let it....and I did. I took my role very seriously. I was an athlete. I worked out, I worked hard, I played hard, lifted, swam, and then ate whatever I damn well wanted...whenever I wanted. I didn't have any vision, thought, worry, pondering moment, fret about weight or how my body looked....I knew it would get the swimming job done and that's all that mattered. Then I hit college where I began to swim Division 1 and while i felt constantly like my sport, education, and well being depended on my body being "healthy", and strong....I also was embarking on the thoughts that maybe I had not received the golden ticket when it came to body types. I spent a lot of my day around the most beautiful women on the planet - division 1 women swimmers....cut, lean, tall, and smashingly beautiful....but the words of trash talking our own bodies floated through our minds, and locker room. I then began gather my bits and pieces of what I WOULD have had in a perfect world and what the magazine of "Mei's body" really looked like....and the comparison wasn't pretty. I had legs that were burly and strong....but they were far from "sexy". I had shoulders that could heft a 70 pound back pack....but they did not fit in a size "small" anything. I had a belly that held every piece of fuel I would need for every race, adventure, and practice that I had at any given moment...but it was not a belly that I felt like I could show in a bikini. I knew my body was great....but it was more functional then it was flaunt-able.

How selfish and near sighted I had become.

When my swimming life came to a close I came to a cross roads of what will my functional body become when the function is not around anymore? What will my body be when I am not working out more then any average person? Will I look like a weathered toy that had her peak moments and then never saw any again? Or will my TRUE body come bursting out after 18 years of competitively working harder then anyone else? Which option was I more afraid of?

Hm. Then I found out....

HOLY BOOBS BATMAN! Chest muscles exited and boobs exploded!!

Hello tummy! and good bye forearms!

Hello smaller feet! and good bye thick neck!

I was getting "gifts" like I was a 5 year old birthday party....and I freaked. I went to the gym, I drank water, I took diet pills (Worst idea since TV dinners), I tried to curb my eating (Let me tell you that worked like a smart car hitting an elk)...and in the end I realized....

The thing I was trying to desperately to change was the chariot in this battle of mine.

The battle was not between my body parts and myself, it was between the high school body mentality I had forgotten to grow up from and the newly discovered woman body I had just been gifted. Some people don't leave the drama in high school...they just keep it forever in their pocket. I kept my expectations of that 16 year old body I had known back in high school. So I sat down and gave myself a proper talking to...and then came to the thought that....

I don't want a body of a child!! I want a body of a woman!!

Gimme those functional body parts!....they will carry me confidently in the direction of all my dreams!
Gimme those boobs!....I always wanted to shop a few hangers back on the rack at Victorias secret!
Gimme those legs that can bike me along side my man across the Burnside bridge while filling out a crisp black pencil skirt!
Gimme that body that I deserve!

I have worked hard to meet this body at woman hood....I will spend the greater part of my life being a woman...not a child.

I am a woman. Brave, confident, functional, and sexy!

By golly! Bring on the world!

Operation Beautiful

Can a revolution be started with a post-it note?

Caitlin would say yes. Founder of the website Operation Beautiful, blogger, and author, is on a mission to stop fat talk and increase body confidence and self-esteem to all women.

One of my biggest personal crusades is ending Fat Talk. I began the Operation Beautiful website to help women and girls realize how truly toxic fat talk is — it hurts you emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

Operation Beautiful is simple: all you need is a pen and a piece of paper.

Women all over the world leave Operation Beautiful notes in public places — at work, at the gym, at the grocery store. We scribble down whatever comes to mind — “You are beautiful!” or “You are amazing just the way you are!” Maybe some people read them and just smile, but I bet some people are truly touched by the effort of a random stranger. To learn more, visit Operation Beautiful.

If you want to join the mission, send me an e-mail at seebriderun@gmail.com with a photograph of your Operation Beautiful note or a description of your experience, and it'll be posted onOperation Beautiful!

The Operation Beautiful book will be released on August 3, 2010! It’s an empowering book with photos, notes, and true stories about an underground campaign to recognize the true beauty within every woman. You can buy the book NOW at Amazon, Barnes and Noble,Borders, and Indie Bound. You know we'll be picking up several copies, and sending them to other guiltless gals!

Today: Tell someone they are beautiful or leave a anonymous note. You'll make someone's day, I swear!

You are Beautiful

by Elizabeth Jarrard

I ran with my sports bra on for the first time today. Now before you go thinking I’m a bra burning radical who likes to run free and wild in the woods, let me finish my story. But like all good stories, this one begins long long ago, in a far away place.

I was fortunate enough to be raised in a family where good self-esteem was fostered. My parents never placed an emphasis on physical beauty; instead we were always praised for our kindness, brains, and attitude about life. We were taught that we could do anything, and we didn't have to have the perfect butt, hair or abs to get far in life. Well, I also didn't live in a bubble my entire life, somewhere down the line, as I left the protective nest of my home I started to see all the negative body images that abound in the "real world." The siren song of "Perfection" calls out to us from every magazine, tv show, billboard ad and website. It is very easy to start second-guessing yourself, and comparing yourself to this bombardment of images. Stomachs can always be flatter, waists smaller, and thighs slimmer. Positive body image is seen as egotistical, and arrogant. You are much more likely to hear "Does this dress make me look fat?" than "I look great tonight!" We are bombarded with messages that our bodies are not good enough, that we should be ashamed of them, that they need to hidden until we emerge from a 60 day “miracle cleanse” with Jennifer Aniston’s rockin bod. This infects the entire country with a sense of debilitating self esteem, and creates an environment which fosters self-destructive behaviors and disordered eating. We are constantly being sucked into the media’s tornado of beauty and perfection, and it creates a perfect storm. Beautiful, well-educated young females start to doubt their bodies, and themselves, and pulling themselves down. There are few among us who have never looked into a mirror and been upset at the image staring back at us. As a future RD, whose life revolves around health, fitness and food, even I feel insecure about my body much of the time. Yes I can run for miles and miles, and I feel great, but I still fear trying on swimsuits.

But I have decided it’s time for this to change. I was on my Sunday long run, and in the heat of summer Boston, my cotton tee-shirt was starting to weigh me down. So I decided to do something I had never done before, for fear of glances, of judgment by strangers. I took off my shirt and ran in my sports bra (full coverage people!!) It felt fine, good even. It was much cooler, and no one jeered at my imperfect 6 pack, quite frankly I don't know if anyone even noticed. I was just another runner on the esplanade. But inside I felt different, I had stepped outside my comfort zone and it had worked out. I had unveiled myself, and it was empowering. I let the world see my strength and my pride.

We must love ourselves and our bodies before we can create positive change. Love is the foundation of healthy weight maintenance, weight loss or achieving new fitness goals. If you hate yourself or your body you will not want to treat it right, with the respect and love it deserves. This hatred can manifest itself in obsessive exercise, binge eating, disordered eating practices, low self esteem, depression or restriction, or any combination of the above.
On the other hand, if you love something you will want to nourish it, respect it, help it to fulfill its greatest potential.

I have decided to block all fat, negative talk from my life. I refuse to tell myself I am inferior. I am a runner. I am a yogi, I am active, I am a student, I am a friend, daughter, sister, and niece. I treat my body well almost all of the time, and it shows. I may not have the perfect 9 pack, but I can run long and strong, I have high energy levels, and feel full of life. Now I am no Gisele, but I my body has it's own stories to tell. My feet have beat enough miles in the pavement to probably travel the world at least once around. My arms can embrace old friends, carry loads of groceries, and lift weights with the boys at the gym. I'm smart and savvy and know my way around. I challenge you to bring some more self love and body appreciation into your life!

• Say It-Shout it from the rooftops, or whisper it to yourself in your bathroom mirror. “I am beautiful, I love me, My body is perfect just the way it is.”

• Write It-write yourself a love letter. Graffiti it on your mirror. Make a list of things you love about yourself, both physical, mental and spiritual aspects of the self!

• Live It! Don't put yourself or others down-stay away from negative comments, and always accentuate the positive.
  
• Support Yourself! Find a friend and make a compliment challenge-commit to creating a positive body image for the both of you.

• Spread the love! Tell your best friend that she is beautiful, just the way she is. Compliment a stranger. Check out Operation Beautiful, and the video Beauty Pressure for inspiration. Don't tolerate criticism of your body or your friends. Stop Fat Talk in its tracks
  

This is a journey we are all on together, and I would love to have you as a companion on my path! Who’s with me? Let's shout this from the rooftops!

Monica, Megan Laura and I have decided to start tweeting daily self love with on twitter, join us with the hashtag #selflove!

Tell me something you love about your self!!! Is it your laughter, your arms, your stomach, your kindness???????