Just Because It Will Cheer You Up...

Weight Stigma

Today marks the start of BEDA's Weight Stigma Awareness Week. A very important week for us at Guiltless!

What is Weight Stigma?
Weight stigma as a form of bullying, based on a person's size or weight. It encompasses a wide range of behaviors where a a person’s character, work ethics, and personality is judged based on weight. It can happen at home, on the playground, in the workplace or in a doctors office. Here are a few staggering stats: 1 of 3 overweight girls and 1 of 4 overweight boys report being teased by
their peers at school. 43% of overweight people report weight stigma by employers or supervisors. 69% of overweight people report being stigmatized by doctors and 52% reported doctors stigmatizing them on more than 1 occasion. So much for this free country eh?

Change Starts with You!
You have to heal yourself first, reclaiming a positive relationship with your body, and then spreading this positive self-love to those around you-friends, family and strangers. You need to be the first one to start using positive body talk. Recommit to taking care of yourself-Recommit to standing up for healthy body image and taking care  of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Join the Discussion
Tweet @BEDAOrg using the hashtag #weightstigma!
Check out the weight stigma awareness blog!

What can you do to fight weight stigma?

Going Off The Grid

I live a very connected life. My boyfriend and I counted 10 different systems that connect to the internet in our household. Our household of 2 people and 1 cat and 1 dog. When i'm not face-to-face with a client, or doing a training, my work is almost entirely online; writing, outreach and scheduling. I love twitter, instagram, facebook, blogging, gmail and outlook. But it can be a little much

Challenge to myself: 3 days of no phone, no computer, no ipad. Yes all of Labor Day Weekend

I read. We talked. We went to the Berkshires. I got ice cream without instagraming it. I made meals that didn't have to be recorded. Most importantly, the world did not collapse because I wasn't responding to emails on the weekend or tweeting up a storm. I did have a very realistic dream that i was checking my gmail and had 400 unread messages. (not too far from reality-Tuesday morning=300 unread).  When you start dreaming about tech connectivity that's when it starts to get scary.

Like Jenna Wortham put in her great NYTimes article about turning off her phone:

"My revelation — relearning the beauty of living in the moment, devoid of any digital link — may seem silly to people who are less attached to their devices. But for many people, smartphones and social networks have become lifelines — appendages that they are rarely without. As such, they can sway our moods, decisions and feelings."

You're going to want to read the rest here 

Because FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is a scary reality in our world (as Steph explained here) It's time that all took some time to learn JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out)

I'm going to go back to my  tweeting, blogging, emailing and writing with a reminder that it is OKAY and in fact, NECCESARY to turn it all off every once in awhile.

How connected are you and how do you feel about that?

Good Graffiti

There's always someone out there who will advise how you can be better. But you're the only one who truly knows how to make you happier. Usually, it's not the same thing.

Really enjoy your weekend!

Vision

Do you surround yourself with inspiration? Are reminders of your goals staring you in the face when you wake up, when you head out the door? What would happen if they were that close? What would happen if you were constantly reminded of where you want to go in this life, and how you're going to get there? I wouldn't think of traveling to somewhere unknown without a map (or my gps) in tow. So what if we map out what our dreams look like so that we end up at our destination-not lost forever.

 

 Vision boards can be a great tool for getting back in touch with what our goals are and where we are headed. The act of creating them should be meditative, soothing and almost therapeautic, as you find images and words that resonate you with. Then when you have finalized it (for the time being), you can hang it as a constant reminder of where you are and where you would like to go. And of course because we are fluid, and our goals and dreams are ever changing it's important to create new vision boards to serve those changed desires.

Making a vision board is easy

1. Gather a large piece of construction or any other "heavy" paper
2. Find a bunch of magazines (from a variety of genres. Beauty, travel, food, you name it!
3. In a peaceful place scour the magazines for words and images that resonate with you and cut them out
4. arrange the images and phrases on the paper and use good ol' glue or modpodge to adhere them
5. Hang in a prominant place to be forever reminded of where you are heading

I surround my desk with vision boards of past and present

 

 

Have you ever made a vision board? How has it helped you? Care to share?

Are you comfortable in your own skin?

By: Stephanie Ferrari, MS, RD

“Take your time. Think a lot. Think of everything you’ve got. For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.” 

- Cat Stevens singing one of my favorites

Are you comfortable in your body? Whether you answered “yes” or “hardly,” the reality is that we constantly ebb and flow between the answers to this question. 

It’s nearly impossible to feel 100%, 100% of the time.  So what can you do to build a foundation of comfort in your own skin? Following these tips may help you get there. Think of this as a friendly reminder to treat yourself with the respect you deserve.

1. Stay hydrated. It’s easy to forget to drink enough fluids when you’re on the go. Purchasing a stylish water bottle and filling it up every chance you get is a great way to stick to your hydration goals. 

 I usually fill up a big mason jar with water on the rocks and keep it by my desk. What do you do to stay hydrated?

Looking for hydration with benefits? Chamomile Tea is magic. Feeling anxious? It will calm your nerves. Have a tummy ache? Triple bag your mug and you might notice a difference. Have a big presentation coming up? Replace your morning coffee with a cup of Chamomile and public speaking won’t seem as formidable. Think I’m full of it? Give it a try and then come talk to me. I’d love to know if this works for you, so email me about it! 

 

Image Source

2. Choose the right foods. Whether you’re at home or on the road, the best thing you can do for yourself is to stay on your routine eating schedule and choose the right foods to fuel your body. Some of my favorite on-the-go snacks include a piece of handheld fruit with a hard boiled egg, a yogurt parfait with berries and low-fat vanilla yogurt, a fat-free cafe latte, or leftover quinoa with freshly cut veggies. 

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Whether you’re at a restaurant or cooking at home, go for options that fit the MyPlate model like baked salmon, brown rice, and a garden salad. Ask for a glass of fat-free or low-fat milk instead of soda for your beverage. What’s the point? Let me count the ways! Your digestive system, hair, skin, nails, libido, shape, energy levels, and sleeping patterns (to name some) will thank you for treating yourself right. 

This is a picture of one of my most recent favorite dinners: boiled lobster, corn from a local farm, salad, and a Sauvignon blanc called "Lobster Reef"

 

Obviously, I’m not saying to give up the wine or the dessert. You know me better than that by now! Please feel free to treat yourself with a glass of wine and your favorite dessert once in a while. After all, having a little fun is just as important as eating right and working out.

3. Get moving. Sweat at least once every day. Whether that means you’re working out HARD for 10-15 minutes or going on a nice, long, mind-clearing run, it doesn’t matter. Your body will respond positively and you’ll notice the difference. Need a motivation boost? Sign up for a race or pick an event in your near future that you really want to look your best for. These small milestones will help  you stay on track.

 Running a race with your friends is a great way to stay motivated (even when it's freezing cold outside..maybe even especially then!)

4. Relax a little- sheesh! As my sister used to say, “Take a Chill Pill!” Seriously. There is nothing SO important that you can’t take a ten minute break to take a few deep breaths. Studies show that stress plays a major role in health issues. Whenever you’re feeling stressed to the max, pause and take a moment to put things into perspective. Maybe you listen to your favorite song or maybe you just take a short walk. Whatever it may be, life is short and being stressed out is not an action that will lead to productive behavior. Take a second, get over it, and move on!

Want more tips on how to feel your best? Send us your requests at iamguiltless@gmail.com.

And please share some comments below! Comments from YOU make us feel good about ourselves! :)

Fashionable

While clothes may not make the woman, they certainly have a strong effect on her self-confidence - which, I believe, does make the woman.

Mary Kay Ashe

The fashion industry gets a pretty bad rap when it comes to body image and self esteem. It's understandable that the use of very thin models, sample sizes that are unrealistic, and clothes that are designed to only fit a hanger would not be the most confidence boosting machine. But there is a lot to be said for the positive aspects of a dress that fits just right, shoes that make you smile, and that statement necklace that brightens up the room (after your smile of course!) So here's to making Fashion work for you, NOT against you!

•  Make a statement! Whether it's a bold necklace, a bright pair of shoes to contrast a gray outfit, or a graphic tee, let your clothes be an expression of you!

• Disregard Size and Make sure it Fits! If it takes cutting out the tag, so be it. What's most important is that you Look AND Feel comfortable. The rest of the world can tell when you can hardly breathe from your corset
• Shake it up! Don't stick to all black because that's what you're used to. Start by adding 1 neon to your wardrobe
• Buy Lovely Undies- just for yourself. So that you feel comfortable and sexy. all day.
• Accesorize!  Treat yourself to pieces that look good. INdulge!



 

How do YOU stay body positive and fashionable at the same time?