Healthy At Any Size: Recent Episodes
Melinda Parrish
Conversations with Melinda Parrish, plus size model and body positivity influencer. Melinda has sparked the #healthyatanysize movement through her social media advocacy for women of all shapes and sizes to live a healthy, aspirational lifestyle that is not centered on weight loss. Each week, Melinda Parrish is serving up a dose of inspiration, information, and insight alongside some of the most influential voices in body positivity, health, and wellness. Melinda believes that women were not put on this earth to stand on the sidelines of their own lives, waiting to be good enough to get in the game and start living. As a society, we are wasting far too much of our time, money, and energy on becoming serial dieters, and chasing impossible standards of body perfection. This podcast offers an insightful look at the impact of diet culture on the lives of women, and offers practical, how-to approaches for women to apply to living a more healthy lifestyle. This isn't about fitting into our skinny jeans. It's about freeing ourselves up to become the women we want to be, and living at full amplitude in all aspects of our lives!
Melinda goes solo in this episode to bring you up-to-speed on life with Baby Sammi, and the 28 Days to Freedom course. This is the last episode for 2018. The podcast will be back in 2019 with a new format and fresh, action-oriented content that you can apply to your own life!
Key Takeaways:
- Your weight is going to fluctuate over time, this is normal!
- We should all try to be the best person we can be, and living healthy is a part of that!
Mentioned in this Show:
- 28 Days to Freedom
- Kara Loewentheil’s episode
- My Bathtub Moment
Share the Body Love!
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Subscribe on iTunes and leave a review. I love hearing what you have to say!
Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Conversations with Melinda Parrish, plus size model and body positivity influencer. Melinda has sparked the #healthyatanysize movement through her social media advocacy for women of all shapes and sizes to live a healthy, aspirational lifestyle that is not centered on weight loss. Each week, Melinda Parrish is serving up a dose of inspiration, information, and insight alongside some of the most influential voices in body positivity, health, and wellness. Melinda believes that women were not put on this earth to stand on the sidelines of their own lives, waiting to be good enough to get in the game and start living. As a society, we are wasting far too much of our time, money, and energy on becoming serial dieters, and chasing impossible standards of body perfection. This podcast offers an insightful look at the impact of diet culture on the lives of women, and offers practical, how-to approaches for women to apply to living a more healthy lifestyle. This isn't about fitting into our skinny jeans. It's about freeing ourselves up to become the women we want to be, and living at full amplitude in all aspects of our lives!
Megan Anderson, Physical Therapist and yoga instructor, works with women of all ages who are ready to take an active role in their health and healing! Megan’s practice was created out of her passion and drive to make women's health care more accessible. In her many years of clinical practice, she noticed that busy moms struggled to follow through with Physical Therapy. And it definitely was not for lack of effort! Megan believes that a healthy, happy mom makes for a healthier, happier family! So she’s committed to focusing on busy moms in her PT work. In this episode, Megan explains her work with Diastasis Recti, pelvic floor problems, and her approach to healing them. Plus, some tips for all of us to unwind and feel better right away!
Key Takeaways:
Diastasis Recti isn’t necessarily a bad thing! Separation of your abs, especially after childbirth, is totally normal.
Being a tight ass might be hurting you in more ways than one
You can take charge of your own healing!
Mentioned in this Show:
Megan’s Website
Refresh Yoga Studio
Honest Soul Yoga
Share the Body Love!
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Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Angela Gulner is a writer, actor, and producer, as well as the creator of the series Binge, a dark comedy television series! She has taken her experience as someone in recovery from bulimia and put it into this darkly witty, heartfelt, and hilarious show! She and her team have raised the money to take their pilot and expand it into a full first season, which fans can’t wait to see. In this episode we discuss her personal history with eating disorders, how she went about turning that into a show, and what’s next for Binge (the series).
Key Takeaways:
- It’s possible to take your suffering and turn it into amazing art!
- Eating disorders (and other mental health topics) are gaining recognition and representation in the media, thanks to people like Angela!
- Fixating on weight loss can consume our lives and take us out of the game in our lives, so go reclaim your time and energy for better purposes!
Mentioned in this Show:
- Binge’s Instagram
- Binge’s Website
- Binge Pilot
- The Blind Girl (Binge prequel)
Share the Body Love!
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Subscribe on iTunes and leave a review. I love hearing what you have to say!
Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Jill Angie is a runner, author, and a running coach who is representing for the curvy-bodied athletes of the world! A self-proclaimed fat runner, Jill grew to love running when she stopped thinking about running as a means to offset calories, and started looking at it as a way to build up her confidence and strength. Running became a source of joy for Jill, even when it was difficult. That’s something we can all aspire to! In this episode, Mel and Jill talk about how Jill came to be a fat runner who loves running, Mel’s birth story, wearing a two piece even if you’re a fat woman, and how to use physical challenges as a launchpad to self love.
Key Takeaways:
- You can be fat and still do things like marathons, triathlons, and other athletic activities
- Running is not just a way to punish yourself for what you ate
- Taking on physical challenges can be a launchpad to transform your thoughts and feelings for the better
Mentioned in this Show:
- Jill’s book, Not Your Average Runner
- Jill’s Instagram
- Jill’s website
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Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
IMG’s first Brawn Model, Zach Miko, sits down with Melinda Parrish to discuss his background, his experience as a brawn male in our society, his journey in entertainment, and his recent rise to superstar status. Zach gushes about meeting Tyra Banks IRL as a guest judge on America’s Next Top Model, his love of the new Queer Eye series, and ways that his wife nags him to take better care of himself. Zach’s paving a new way for men of size in the world and he has so much wisdom, confidence, and positivity to share with us all!
Key Takeaways:
- Don’t shrink because you’re afraid other people won’t accept you at full amplitude
- Men experience pressure to become more attractive and lose weight, just like women
- You can feel like a failure even as you’re on a plane on your way to meet Tyra Banks
Mentioned in this Show:
- Zach’s meteoric rise as IMG’s first brawn model
- Zach’s podcast, “Big Things with Zack Miko”
- Zach’s Instagram
Share the Body Love!
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Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Actor, writer and producer Jennifer Ponton sits down with Melinda Parrish to discuss the AMC series Dietland. They also talk about run-ins with Real Housewives of New York, Jennifer's experience doing nude scenes as a fat actress, her journey as an actress of size in entertainment, and what's on the horizon for this explosive new show.
Key Takeaways:
- Confidence & success don’t come from size
- The patriarchy wants you to diet
- You can be both fat and happy
Mentioned in this Show:
- Dietland on AMC
- Jen's piece for Refinery29
- Jen's Instagram
Share the Body Love!
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Subscribe on iTunes and leave a review. I love hearing what you have to say!
Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Stephanie Nadia is an award-winning YouTuber and plus size fashion/beauty influencer. In 2013, Stephanie began sharing content. Since then, she has become an outlet for plus-size fashion, beauty, creativity, body-positivity and women empowerment.
Stephanie’s goal is to bring about more diverse representation in the fashion/beauty industry. Coming from a mixed background, Stephanie seeks to represent both her South Asian and Latin American heritage. She is hoping to empower women of all shapes, sizes, age, and color to #daretolive (live creatively and spread positivity).
Stephanie’s passion for life and the brand’s vision is evident in all the content she makes. She puts intelligent ideas at the core of everything she creates, developing content that is unique, relevant, captivating, share-worthy and above all, unforgettable. Stephanie Nadia’s videos have been recognized by several brands, public figures and social platforms including BuzzFeed and Ashton Kutcher himself. She has worked with several beauty & fashion brands to bring creative collaborative content to her growing viewership. Stephanie currently has an ongoing partnership with Gwynnie Bee (modeling, reviews & video) and Shape Magazine, creating the Blush Up with Steph beauty video series for Shape’s online platform.
Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by the Every Body Deserves Love Summer Body Meet-up “Dare to Bare II,” being put on by Alexa Phelece. Click here to learn more! Be sure to go back and listen to Alexa’s Healthy at Any Size podcast interview to learn more about her, and why she decided to start the nonprofit Every Body Deserves Love.
ENTER TO WIN!
One lucky Healthy at Any Size listener will be heading to the Every Body Deserves Love Summer Body Meet-up with a VIP Deluxe package FOR FREE! Just leave a review of the podcast and mention the Every Body Deserves Love Summer Body Meet-up to enter.
NOTE: You must provide your own travel to and from the beach party in L.A., but we’ll make sure you have a fab time while you’re there!
Key takeaways:
- Stephanie’s journey as an influencer, coming from the beauty world into fashion
- Why Stephanie had a hard time acknowledging her body, and the phenomenon of disassociation
- Princess Jasmine’s abs, and Stephanie’s journey to embrace her brown, curvy body
- Stephanie’s Ecuadorian / Trinidadian roots, and how she grew up being told to stay out of the sun and keep her skin lighter
- Stephanie’s love of writing and how her stories reflect her journey to accept herself
- Why representation in the media matters, and how we can rig our feeds to help us love our bodies more
- How Stephanie is using her writing and YouTube presence to try and showcase the economic and ethnic diversity of New York City life
- The rise of the side hustle, and why millennials are embracing the “gig” economy lifestyle
- How Stephanie found the nerve to step out of her comfort zone and accepting herself completely, from the inside out
Mentioned in this episode:
Stephanie’s Instagram
Stephanie’s YouTube
Stephanie’s website
Share the Body Love!
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Subscribe on iTunes and leave a review. I love hearing what you have to say!
Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Dr. Marian Tanofsky-Kraff is a Professor of Medical & Clinical Psychology at the Uniformed Services University. She is an expert on eating disorders in military settings. She and I first met in the fall of 2017, when we were invited to speak on a panel about eating disorder stereotypes before Congress by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).
Because of my personal experience with having an eating disorder while in the military, I was very excited to meet her and learn from her. In this interview, Dr. Tanofsky-Kraff and I discuss her research. We talk about what factors contribute to a prevalence of eating disorders within the military, and what she and others are doing to further the research in this area.
She also talks about ways we as a society can support those with eating disorders. Whether or not you’re personally impacted by the trend of eating disorders in the military, this episode will be eye-opening and informative!
Key takeaways:
- The prevalence of eating disorders in the military
- The fact that instances bulimia and binge eating are especially high for military members
- Situational eating disorders, which can be brought on by a variety of factors inherent to military life
- Why eating disorders are harder to spot in the military, and at times even encouraged for a variety of reasons
- Why service members feel ashamed to seek treatment for eating disorders (or any medical issue, really!)
- Why eating disorders can be not only debilitating, but actually career ending for service members
- How genetics play a huge role in the development of eating disorders
- Military body composition standards, and how they sometimes penalize people with more muscle mass and those that are actually more in shape
- Solutions that the military healthcare system could consider adopting to reduce the prevalence of eating disorders in the military
- Ways that we as a society can begin to better support our service members
Mentioned in this episode:
Uniformed Services University
National Eating Disorders Association
Healthy at Any Size Episode 7: “Speak Out: I’m Sharing My History with Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder in the Military in the Hopes that You’ll Speak Out, Too”
Share the Body Love!
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Subscribe on iTunes and leave a review. I love hearing what you have to say!
Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
This episode features Jenny McQuaile, the Director / Producer / Lady Boss behind the film Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image, which is available to rent or buy on iTunes, Amazon and Vimeo on Demand from May 18th.
Imagine if a quarter of a million women, mothers and daughters gathered in homes around the world for a real talk about body positivity and invited the men and boys in their lives to be a part of this conversation. What kind of change would be possible if women and girls everywhere...loved themselves? That's our goal for Straight/Curve - 250,000 conversations - 250,000 women and girls ready to spread the message about body positivity.
You can go to http://www.straightcurvefilm.com to find a link to get the film and to download the FREE House Party Screening Kit so you can have the sometimes tricky conversations about body image in the safety of your own home with your kids/sisters/friends/coworkers. The Kit comes with discussion questions and fun activities for all ages.
The Straight/Curve House Party Project, in partnership with CoverGirl and the Geena Davis Institute, will launch on May 22nd with an event in NYC. There will be a panel of exciting body image experts and advocates broadcast LIVE on Facebook Live so everyone around the country can tune in and ask questions. Check out the website for more information on this event.
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Jenny H. Conviser, PsyD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the Feinberg School of Medicine, and on staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Conviser is Certified in both Sport Psychology and Child and Family Therapy. She specializes in eating and weight-related disorders, couples therapy, sports psychology and women's' health.
In this special Mother’s Day bonus episode, Dr. Conviser and I discuss the importance of self-care for moms, how to create an atmosphere at home that supports your child’s love of their body, and how to be an advocate for your child in pediatric medical settings, particularly when it comes to weight and size.
I’ve had my own challenges with my newborn daughter’s weight, and after this discussion I feel so much better equipped to navigate her healthcare! I hope you all gain as much from the conversation as I did. Happy Mother’s Day!
Key takeaways:
- The importance of self care for new moms
- How dieting can be detrimental to new mothers
- Why you might not want to keep a scale in the house
- How to be the best advocate for your child’s healthcare
- Ways you might be passing on your own body image issues to your child
Mentioned in this episode:
Unweighted Nation
“Why Dieting is Making You More Unhealthy with Dr. Jenny Conviser” podcast episode
Share the Body Love!
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Subscribe on iTunes and leave a review. I love hearing what you have to say!
Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Shainna Tucker is the blogger babe behind A Thick Girl’s Closet. She started her blog in college, and it’s grown into a very successful venture where she’s gotten to work with many prominent brands, be featured in campaigns (including one with me!), and many other, tremendous opportunities as a blogger.
Shainna is a tall, thick woman of color who’s made her peace with her looks over the years. She’s got such strong, inner confidence that is infectious to anyone who meets her! And she prides herself on taking great care of herself and showing her body love regardless of her size.
Shainna is actively growing her brand on YouTube, making her health a bigger priority, and all around becoming the woman she wants to be. In this interview, we cover all that and more. There’s so much we can all learn from Shainna’s journey!
Key takeaways:
- How Shainna got her start in the blogging world
- What it’s like to be thick, black, and a blogger!
- The kind of content that Shainna’s focused on putting out via YouTube
- How Shainna’s overcome bullying and low self-confidence to become who she is today
- How Shainna cultivates confidence for herself every day
- Why Shainna wears whatever she wants these days
- Mirror talk and other tools that Shainna uses on her journey to body confidence
- Why Shainna’s made it her personal mission to show young women how to love themselves
- Why self love is one of Shainna’s biggest priorities this year
- Shainna’s struggle with anxiety, and how she’s overcoming it
- Shainna’s fitness journey, her favorite ways to move her body, and how she’s sharing it on social media
- Why size isn’t the ultimate measure of your health or your worth
- Why you shouldn’t strive to have any other body but the beautiful one you have right now!
Mentioned in this episode:
Shainna’s Instagram
Shainna’s YouTube
Shainna’s Fitness Account
Share the Body Love!
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Caralyn Mirand got her start in plus size modeling as a high school student when she was selected for Tyra Banks’ Fiercely Real Model Search. Although she didn’t win the competition, it got her in with an editor at Seventeen Magazine, which launched her as a professional plus size model.
Since then, she’s worked with loads of clients in the fashion industry, gotten her college degree, and has launched a successful lifestyle blog. She’s preparing for her wedding in 2018 and is chronicling her journey on her blog and social media!
Caralyn has literally grown up in the industry, and while she’s been growing her career she’s also stayed true to her upstate NY roots, her own sense of identity, and her sense of self-worth! It’s awesome to hear how she got to where she is today, what she’s working on, and how she’s taking care of herself! Caralyn shares many insights and tips we can all apply to our own experiences.
Key takeaways:
- Caralyn’s beginnings in the modeling world
- What it’s like to be a college student and a working, traveling model
- Growing up confident in your own skin
- Seeing yourself on packaging in department stores
- How Caralyn’s career has morphed as the fashion industry has become more size inclusive
- What Caralyn’s learned about the importance of a properly-fitting bra!
- Why it’s hard to be on the cusp between plus size and straight size
- How Caralyn stays grounded when she gets negative feedback about her appearance from modeling clients
- The ways that Caralyn stays on top of her healthy living routine while traveling
- The importance of positive self talk
- Caralyn’s experience at the Glamour “Woman of the Year” summit
Mentioned in this episode:
Caralyn’s blog
Caralyn’s Instagram
Share the Body Love!
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Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Alexa Phelece is a plus size model, fashion blogger, and body positivity influencer and the founder of Every Body Deserves Love (EBDL), a non-profit. Through her own journey to self love, Alexa came to understand the importance of self acceptance, self confidence, and self esteem in order to reach your full potential in life.
Alexa began modeling in 2016, which helped her discover even more newfound confidence and self love. Now, she finds herself at the center of the body positive community. She works with brands like Torrid, Rainbeau Curves, and Forever 21. She pairs her work in modeling with her education in mental health psychology in order to encourage others to love themselves even more.
Alexa has made loving her body and being the best version of herself her sole mission in life, and it’s beautiful to hear all the ways that she’s putting that into action. We can all use a little more body love in our lives, and Alexa is happy to serve that up!
Key takeaways:
- Alexa’s start in the modeling world
- Every Body Deserves Love (EBDL), Alexa’s non-profit
- The many different aspects of the plus size modeling world that Alexa works in
- How to build a career as a new model
- How Alexa has built her self confidence over the years
- Alexa’s weight fluctuations and how she copes with weight gain and loss
- How to measure self love and the growth of self esteem
- The importance of learning how to love yourself, and the EBDL mission
- Alexa’s YouTube channel, Sugar Plus Spice
Mentioned in this episode:
Every Body Deserves Love
Alexa’s Instagram
Alexa’s YouTube channel, Sugar Plus Spice
Share the Body Love!
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Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Ryan Sheldon is the blogger behind Confessions of a Binge Eater. He’s bravely and openly shared his experiences with binge eating disorder (BED) as he’s navigated recovery. His presence in the blogosphere is shining an important light on how men are affected by eating disorders, despite predominant stereotypes about eating disorder sufferers.
In this interview, Ryan and I go deep on what binge eating disorder actually looks like. He really opens up about the day-to-day machinations of the disorder, what a binge episode looks like, and the ways in which it becomes difficult to function when you’re a highly progressed binge eater.
BED is a pretty new disorder, relative to other eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia that we’ve been hearing about for years. And yet, BED is the most prominent eating disorder and it’s highly prevalent among men. Ryan’s bravery in opening up this dialogue is doing so much good for the ED community, and for all of us in opening our eyes to what this disease looks like! And his ability to rise above his past issues in recovery is an inspiration to us all.
Key takeaways:
- Ryan’s experience with binge eating
- The stigma against men who share their experiences with eating disorders
- The ways in which Ryan’s binge eating was overlooked by healthcare providers for years
- The difference between being someone who likes food and a clinical binge eater
- The common misperception about what eating disorders look like. Specifically, higher weight and normal weight people suffer from eating disorders too! It’s not just skinny white chicks.
- Body dysmorphia and the role it’s played in Ryan’s own experience
- What binge eating disorder looks like, in terms of Ryan’s interactions with food
- The importance of mindfulness in the recovery process
- How harmful media stereotypes about our bodies and dieting can be in encouraging unhealthy, disordered behavior around food and weight control
- Why dieting and medical intervention aren’t the answer, and dealing with the mental and emotional drivers behind binge eating is
- Binge eating as an act of rebellion
- How to bring up tough conversations about self-harming with food with your loved ones
Mentioned in this episode:
DC NEDA Walk, March 25, 2018
Ryan’s blog, Confessions of a Binge Eater
Ryan’s Instagram
Ryan’s new YouTube project, Mr. Confessions
Share the Body Love!
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Subscribe on iTunes and leave a review. I love hearing what you have to say!
Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Isabel Foxen Duke is a Certified Health Coach and Emotional Eating Expert. She helps women make peace with their bodies, so they can stop obsessing about food and get back to living awesome lives!
In our interview, Isabel gives an amazing account of her own personal experience with disordered eating, an the downward spiral she went on before she was able to heal herself through intuitive eating. Isabel’s experience in the healthcare system, and therapeutic settings, speaks to some of the shortcomings that lead to many women suffering for much longer than they need to with self harm and mental illness related to weight management.
Ultimately, Isabel’s story is incredibly empowering and inspiring, because she’s made her mess her message, and she’s applied her own experiences to becoming a coach who helps other women heal their own relationship with their bodies, food, and themselves. She drops so much wisdom and insight throughout this conversation that can help all of us take our relationships with our bodies to the next level!
Key takeaways:
- Isabel’s own journey with disordered eating
- The ways that Isabel’s eating disorder flew under the radar of the healthcare system
- How food was controlling Isabel’s life for many years
- Why bingeing isn’t the start of the binge eating cycle...deprivation is!
- The fact that binge eating is a normal, healthy, biological reaction to deprivation, not your lack of discipline
- The importance of releasing your expectations around what your food and your body should look like in order to heal
- Isabel’s attempts to control her behavior around her food and how it backfired, every single time
- Isabel’s “rock bottom” moment with dieting and weight control
- The period of “allowing” that followed, and what it’s like to eat an entire jar of Nutella in a day!
- How food stopped being a big deal for Isabel, and what that translated to in terms of her body and her life today!
Mentioned in this episode:
DC NEDA Walk, March 25, 2018
Isabel’s website
I AM.Creative
Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
Geneen Roth
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Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Jessica Torres is a body positive fashion blogger, beauty influencer, and reporter who is best known for her work with Revelist. She’s built a huge following, become a very recognizable face in our feeds, and built an amazing community around her celebration of her body, and her own standard of beauty and fashion.
In this interview, Jessica and I discuss her own personal journey to become body positive. Like many plus size women, Jessica grew up hiding until she got to college when she was able to come out to the world as her curvy, confident self. Jessica stopped waiting for approval and decided to begin living her life authentically and fashionably, and sharing that with the world through her blog.
When she started working at Revelist, the visibility of her work was launched to a whole new level. Now, she’s focused on staying grounded, keeping her sense of humor, and holding space for the days when, even as a very prominent body positive influencer, she may not love her body. It’s a great reminder for all of us that body positivity is a journey, not a destination. And that journey is very individual. We can all take a page from Jessica’s playbook!
Key takeaways:
- Growing up “closeted” as a curvy woman
- “Coming out” curvy in college
- How Jessica got started as a blogger
- How Jessica uses humor to cope with the challenges of navigating the world as a curvy-bodied woman
- Why being a plus size blogger is about way more than fashion
- Mirror work and other practices Jessica uses to stay grounded in a culture that can make us obsessive about our appearances, especially as influencers!
- The importance of having a community of strong, body positive women to support us on our journeys
- How Jessica’s boldness in presenting her life, and speaking out about her experiences, has paid off big!
- Why it’s okay to not love your body every single day
Mentioned in this episode:
Jessica’s website
Jessica’s work for Revelist
Jessica’s Instagram
Jessica’s YouTube channel
Melinda’s Bathtub Moment
Share the Body Love!
Share what you learned here via Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter
Subscribe on iTunes and leave a review. I love hearing what you have to say!
Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Sarah Chiwaya (the blogger babe behind @curvily, CurvilyFashion.com) discovered the world of plus size blogging around the time of her wedding several years ago. She learned firsthand the power of representation, and fashion, to radically transform a woman’s sense of self-worth!
Sarah has built her own blogging empire since then and has used her voice and her image to create powerful representation for curvy bodies in the fashion world. She also happens to be my fashion week spirit guide--I’ve literally bumped into her every time I’ve attended shows at NYFW, and she knows all the insider tips and tricks for getting on the lists for shows and establishing yourself as a fixture on that circuit.
She also knows the progression of plus size representation within NYFW first hand, because she’s witnessed it at the shows she’s attended over the years. Sarah is a pioneer and she’s paving the way for women to fall her into the world of high fash-un for plus! Keep tabs on Sarah to get the best insider’s POV on upcoming NYFW 2018, starting February 8!
Key takeaways:
- Bridal body drama
- How Sarah discovered the world of plus size blogging
- The power of representation
- “Thinspo” trolls and follower politics for plus size bloggers
- Sarah’s journey with body positivity and why being unremarkably remarkable is now a goal
- The progression of plus in NYFW over the past few years
- Chromat’s use of plus models in fashion week
- Fashion week hacks for those who want to get into the shows
- Why fashion insiders resist size inclusion, and the controversy over the term “plus”
- Sarah’s favorite exemplars of plus size brands delivering high-end fashion
- Why brands are running out of excuses not to be size inclusive
Mentioned in this episode:
Chromat
Universal Standard
All67 leather jackets
Rachel Antonoff’s collaboration with Gwynnie Bee
CurvilyFashion.com
Sarah’s Instagram
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Alissa Wilson is the founder and editor-in-chief of Stylish Curves, and a certified O.G. of the plus size blogging world! She started from the bottom rung of the fashion editorial scene and has risen to be the creator of her own fashion media empire. And she’s just getting started!
In the interview, we discuss Alissa’s rise to where she is today. She’s grown the site from a side hustle, passion project to a full-time gig! Along the way, she’s witnessed the transformation of the plus size fashion world over the past eight years. Alissa’s managed to carve out a unique niche within the industry, and bring a unique perspective to the growing conversation about plus size women in the fashion world.
Alissa’s never been one to allow her size limit her experience. As she’s raised her voice in representing plus size women, she’s learned that there is strength in numbers when we rally together as plus size women. From navigating sponsor relationships, to putting outfits together, to swimming upstream on behalf of plus women within the fashion world, Alissa is a force to be reckoned with. And hearing from her is a great shot-in-the-arm of body positivity and confidence for women of all sizes, and all walks of life!
Key takeaways:
- What inspired Alissa to start blogging
- Growing Stylish Curves from a side hustle to a full-time gig
- How Alissa has carved out a unique voice for Stylish Curves in the blogosphere
- The evolution of plus size fashion from 2009 to now
-
Learning how strong you really are as an entrepreneur
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The reality of size and racial bias in the fashion industry
- Alissa’s vision for the future of Stylish Curves
- Alissa’s tips for anyone looking to get started as a blogger
Mentioned in this episode:
The Stylish Curves website
Stylish Curves on Instagram
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Keyaira (Key) Boone is a freelance writer, blogger, and all around great human who also created thecletter.com. She’s set out to carve out a space for herself online where she can share authentically about who she is, what she loves, and the things that are important to her, inspiring us all in the process!
Like so many of us, Key has always wanted to have a voice, and create a platform for herself, but she’s struggled with the idea of being an “influencer,” and commodifying her personality. This includes being authentic about having more than one source of income and having to “side hustle” to make ends meet as an aspiring media maven.
Key is super well read, and I follow her book recommendations via Instagram religiously. When I shared on social media that I had been placed on modified bed rest earlier in my pregnancy, she reached out to offer me some book recommendations. We decided to share the list and our discussion about them with all of you! Along with that, we discuss just about everything from latte art to the importance of being a good community member. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy getting to know Key as much as I have!
Key takeaways:
- thecletter.com
- Resisting the urge to commodify your personality in order to have a voice
- Keeping it real about you side hustle(s)
- Key’s recent piece in Allure magazine
-
Key’s reaction to Kelly Augustine’s interview on the podcast
-
Key’s book recommendations for the #healthyatanysize community in 2018
- Key’s personal takeaways on each book
- Keeping it real on social media, pimples and all!
- Why being attractive is not the ultimate measure of your worth
- The importance of being active in your community, and Key’s magazine drive for local hospital patients
Mentioned in this episode:
Keyaira’s blog, thecletter.com
Key’s Instagram
Key’s piece in Allure magazine
Kelly Augustine’s episode of the Healthy at Any Size podcast
Track 5 Coffee and Key’s Turkey Latte
The reading list Key put together for me and the rest of the #healthyatanysize community!
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Meaghan O’Connor was working for a hedge fund when she got laid off during the economic downturn of the early 2000’s. She went from sobbing on Lexington Avenue to thriving as a celebrity fashion stylist, working with major brands and celebrity clients, and living the life of her dreams.
Meaghan figured out a way for herself to both make money and enjoy her life pretty quickly. By throwing her head, her heart, and her hustle behind her brand, Little Lime Dress, her business has evolved from a personal shopping service that she advertised on Craigslist to dressing some of the most recognizable plus size (and not) women in the entertainment business.
Throughout her journey to become the Lady Boss she is today, Meaghan has stayed true to who she is, and tight with her family. No matter what setbacks or obstacles she’s encountered, Meaghan has always found a way to rise above by drawing on her optimism, humor, and creativity. She’s working every day to be the best version of herself she can be, and make the world a better place, particularly for plus size women. Who wouldn’t want to emulate that?!
Key takeaways:
- Megan’s own journey to become a Lady Boss
- Her journey from sobbing on Lexington Ave to thriving as a celebrity stylist
- Growing Little Lime Dress from a personal shopping service advertised on Craigslist to on-set and celebrity styling business
- Meaghan’s yearly “dream client list” and how she keeps herself going when the going gets tough
- The women that have inspired Meaghan throughout her life
- The importance of family in building your Lady Boss legacy
- What it’s like to be driving change in the fashion industry to make things more inclusive for plus size women
- How to cultivate positivity on a daily basis, and Meaghan’s personal daily mantras for positivity, inspired by the memory of her mother
Mentioned in this episode:
Meaghan’s blog, Little Lime Dress
Meaghan’s Instagram
Meaghan’s Instagram Portfolio
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Jenny H. Conviser, PsyD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the Feinberg School of Medicine, and on staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Conviser is Certified in both Sport Psychology and Child and Family Therapy. She specializes in eating and weight-related disorders, couples therapy, sports psychology and women's' health.
The UnWeighted model encourages individuals to embrace self-care; focus more on the process; focus less on the outcome; develop greater internal control; foster emotional awareness; engage in positive self-talk, and enable an individual to compare their success more with their own personally established goals, and less to a universal externally derived standards. An UnWeighted healthcare plan does not promise an ideal body or ideal health. It does, however, promise better health and better well-being.
In this interview, Dr. Conviser and I unpack her findings and how we can apply them to our own journeys as women seeking to live healthy at any size.
Key takeaways:
- Why BMI isn’t the ultimate measure of your health
- The problem with a BMI-based treatment model
- Why weight loss is risky and should not be undertaken lightly
- How a very simple lifestyle change can yield major health benefits
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Why dieting programs you to binge eat
-
What diet cycling and set points are, and what they mean to your health
- How dieting is slowing down your metabolism
- What you can say to your doctor to get better treatment if you’re a higher weight person
- Concrete steps we can all take to live the UnWeighted model
- Why we shouldn’t let external sources tell us who we should be
Mentioned in this episode:
UnWeighted Nation
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Nina Elliot and her husband Christian are the husband / wife duo behind True Whole Human. Nina balances her pursuit of a healthy lifestyle with her business, homeschooling her four children, and being the all-around awesome woman that she wants to be.
Nina, like many of us, experienced weight gain in her early adult years which took her on a journey of self-discovery, research about “whole” foods, and ways of exercising that felt good for her body. She’s lived this journey, and today she shares with us what she’s learned along the way.
[Text Wrapping Break]We dive into maternity and postpartum fitness and body image, the “cow share” that Nina and her husband participate in, and the importance of healthy habits in helping Nina to achieve food freedom for herself and her clients. In our conversation, we dispel so many diet myths and Nina downloads some quick, practical things we can all do to move towards healthier living in 2018. Nina’s story, and this interview, are great food for thought for those of us heading into the New Year and formulating goals related to our bodies and our health.
Key takeaways:
- Nina’s personal journey with weight loss
- The beginning of True Whole Human
- Nina’s postpartum fitness journey
- Why real food is so important to making a health transformation
- How to override the need for willpower with healthy habits
- One easy, daily thing we can all do to kick-start healthier habits in the New Year
- Health “experiments,” and why you should do them one at a time
- How Nina and her husband approach transformation for their clients
- The Health Audit and where to find it
Mentioned in this episode:
True Whole Human
True Whole Human’s Health Audit
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Kara Loewentheil, who I’m calling my podcast guest M.V.P. of 2017 (and that’s saying A LOT, because we have had many amazing guests!) is back for her second episode! If you haven’t already listened to her first episode, “Unf*ck Your Diet Brain,” hop back and do that before moving on!
In this conversation, Kara and I dive into the food noise surrounding the winter holidays. It’s almost expected that we’re all going to overindulge, gain weight, and then go on a diet once the clock strikes midnight on January 1st. It’s a societally-induced cycle of binge / restrict. It can be very toxic, and a total mindf*ck for those of us that are trying to reprogram our diet brains and achieve a more balanced relationship with food.
There’s many reasons that we feel the way that we do this time of year. But Kara gives us some great, practical ways that we can combat the diet culture conditioning and have a more freely-chosen out look on our bodies, our weight, and our health going into 2018. This is a must-listen for anyone who’s starting to formulate resolutions for the New Year!
Key takeaways:
- The societal expectation that we’re all going to binge / restrict around the holidays
- Why this can be such a triggering time of year for those of us trying to unf*ck our diet brains
- How we can separate ourselves from the social conditioning that creates all the food noise around the holidays
- Why you don’t have to earn, or deserve, pleasure
- Why the patriarchy wants you to obsess about your body
- Why women’s pleasure has always been something we moralize and try to restrict
- Why you should maintain a healthy level of skepticism when people attempt to link your weight and your food choices to your health
- Health is not a moral issue
- The importance of having frank conversations about how big a role your weight actually plays in determining your health with your healthcare provider
-
How to overcome the diet culture conditioning that makes you feel obligated to lose weight every year
-
Why you should just eat the cupcake already!
Mentioned in this episode:
The Health at Every Size movement
Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works by Evelyn Tribole
Kara’s Unfuck Your Brain program
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Danika Brysha is a curve model with IMG models, food and wellness personality, and the founder and CEO of Model Meals, a healthy meal delivery company. She is also incredibly attuned to her body, its needs, and the constant pursuit of self-improvement.
On her journey to her best self, Danika has battled substance abuse, disordered eating, career highs and lows, and finding her true purpose. She’s come out the other side of that journey as a model (and model human being!) who loves her body, her life, and her business. That’s something we can all aspire to!
In this interview, Danika and I talk about how to engineer your life to bring about your own best self! From your morning routine, to loving your body, to positive affirmations, to putting your big goals into motion, Danika has so much wisdom and inspiration to share! This is the perfect shot-in-the-arm of self-reflection as we near the end of 2017, and begin contemplating our resolutions for 2018.
Key takeaways:
- Danika’s start in the modeling world
- Danika’s first introduction Whole30, which drastically changed the course of her life and her career
- Moving home to California and formally launching her business, Model Meals
- Finding the balance between self-improvement and self-care
- Why you can truly be healthy at any size
- The importance of unscheduled / down time
- How Danika built her passion into a thriving business
- Why feeling your feelings is the key to navigating the world as your best self
Mentioned in this episode:
IMG Models
Model Meals
Whole 30
Danika’s Self-Care Checklist
Danika’s Instagram
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Denise Caldwell is a celebrity fashion stylist. From A-list, celebrity clients (and fashion heavy hitters) like Sarah Jessica Parker, and Jennifer Lopez, to the “everyday” women that she makes over for fashion outlets and morning shows, Denise has been in the thick of it with women of all shapes, sizes, and skin tones as she helps them look their best!
In this interview, Denise and I discuss how she’s been able to build the career that she has today, working with so many amazing brands, magazines, and media outlets. We talk about how she navigates the fashion world, especially as a woman of color, and a curvy-bodied woman. Denise shares some of the ways that she stays sparkly, no matter what comes her way!
As a partner with Marshall’s this holiday season, Denise has some very useful tips and tricks to navigating the holidays as your most confident, sparkly self. Especially if you’re a curvy woman! We unpack seasonal trends, plus some easy year-round ways you can infuse a little more sparkle into your look, and your overall self-presentation! This conversation with Denise is like a Vitamin B shot of holiday cheer, and who couldn’t use a little bump of that?
Key takeaways:
- Denise’s early career, and how she became the woman she is today
- Navigating the fashion world as a curvy woman, and a woman of color
- How to get up the nerve to create the life of your dreams
- Strategies to project confidence, so you look and feel your best!
- A breakdown of how to wear seasonal trends like red, faux fur, metallics, and more
- How Denise dresses herself from head-to-toe every day
- What to think about when building an outfit for day-to-night
- Why higher heels can make you feel closer to god!
Mentioned in this episode:
Denise’s Instagram
Marshall’s
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Kara is an insanely accomplished, empowered feminist who is also a master certified life coach and creator of the revolutionary program for feminist women, “Unf*ck Your Brain.” Kara discovered coaching, and learned how to coach herself, which has allowed her to put together the cognitive psychology that she found could rewire her brain with the feminist values that informed her life.
Kara has figured out how to actually match her feelings and actions to her beliefs. This has allowed her to create the feelings of confidence, worth, and independence that she wanted and had long believed she should have in every area of her life, from work, to romance, to her body. In this episode, Kara unpacks how to apply her unique methodology to helping us all to rewire our thoughts about our bodies.
The thought patterns we are caught in influence how we feel about our bodies, and the world around us, so much! I learned so much in this discussion from Kara, and her own podcast episode on this topic. Especially this time of year, this interview is a much-needed dose of reality, and empowerment, that we can all use to up-level how we view our bodies, and how we’re treating ourselves.
Key takeaways:
- Kara’s trajectory, and how she went from super-accomplished reproductive rights attorney to life coach
- Kara’s unique coaching technique, and the cognitive psychology-based principles to help herself and her clients rewire their thinking
- How the patriarchy has influenced how we view our bodies, and how we treat ourselves
- Why everything we’ve been believing about our bodies is flawed--having the perfect body will not give us everything we want in life!
- The danger of perfectionism and on-the-wagon / off-the-wagon thinking
- The ways we are disassociating from our bodies and committing acts of self harm as a result
- How to replace those old, outmoded beliefs with new, positive ones
- The key habits and beliefs you need to change to unf*ck your diet brain
- One key step to take as you start this journey
Mentioned in this episode:
Kara’s podcast, “Unf*ck Your Brain”[Text Wrapping Break]The work of Isabel Foxen Duke
Kara’s “Healthy Habits” podcast episode
Kara’s “Unf*ck Your Brain” coaching program
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Isoke Salaam is an East Coast PR girl originally from New Jersey with private clients within fashion and the arts. When not reviewing a client portfolio, typing on an iPad and answering her cell phone while balancing in heels, Isoke practices ballet, enjoys running, writing, reading, traveling and learning about art! She is a PR powerhouse, an avid art fan and a fashion lover.
I met Isoke when I became an advocate for the D.C. Humane Rescue Alliance and the 2017 Fashion for Paws event. I was instantly drawn to her because of her grace, her grit, and the way she exudes a certain calm and connectedness that is so rare in busy, professional types these days! After getting to know her, I learned that she cultivates this through a daily gratitude practice (along with a lifetime of being an exceptional human!).
Isoke lives a very dynamic, jet-setting life. She is a true individual, with a very freely-chosen definition of success, and so much authenticity. It’s been a pleasure getting to know her, and developing a friendship with her. In our interview, we cover fashion, fitness, travel, self-care, and of course, a daily practice of cultivating gratitude! We can all learn something from Isoke and the fabulous life she’s created for herself!
Key takeaways:
- Isoke’s life as a PR maven in Washington, D.C. working with clients worldwide
- How Isoke shows her body love through movement and her love of boutique fitness
- Being a “non-judgy” vegetarian
- Isoke’s adult gap year living in Paris and how she made that happen
- What it’s like being a tall, striking, woman of color and a professional
- Isoke’s daily spiritual practice, including her gratitude practice
- The legacy that Isoke is working to create for herself (hint: it’s not marriage and kids)
- The jet-setting life Isoke leads, and all the countries she’s visited this year
- The importance of creating financial freedom, and how Isoke did this for herself
- Life lists and how to use them to create a dream experience!
Mentioned in this episode:
Isoke’s Daily Gratitude Practice
Isoke’s PR business
Fashion for Paws
Isoke’s client, Kia, and her new book
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Madeline (Maddie) Jones is the editor-in-chief of Plus Model Magazine (PMM) and one of the pioneers of the plus size fashion industry. She is sometimes referred to as the Anna Wintour of plus size, and through her work has blazed a trail that many of us have the pleasure of following in.
Maddie’s presence in the industry pre-dates the social media crazed world we live in now. From the beginning, Maddie has been using her voice to create a space for plus size women in the fashion industry. All along, she and her husband, photographer Lucas Jones, have been documenting the faces of plus size women and challenging society’s expectations of how plus size bodies should be photographed.
In my own journey as a plus size model, Maddie has been there since the beginning. I did my very first test shoot with Maddie, and along the way she has supported me and guided me at every turn. Maddie has so much wisdom to share with models at any stage of their career, but she’s got an especially great perspective for women looking to launch their modeling career.
Maddie’s advice is hard-hitting, straight talk about what it really takes to build a successful modeling career for yourself as a plus size woman. It’s not always an easy road, but it can be incredibly rewarding! And regardless of whether or not you wind up getting signed by an agency, Maddie has advice for all of us about how to use our voices, how to conduct ourselves in business relationships, and how to create our own opportunities as women.
Key takeaways:
- The early days of Maddie’s advocacy for plus size women, and how PMM got its start
- What it takes to build a brand like PMM, and how Maddie put her publication on the map
- Maddie’s journey of coming out from “behind-the-scenes” and putting herself out there as an influencer
- Maddie’s journey as an Autism Mom
- The importance of being authentic (don’t try to be “the next Ashley Graham,” or anyone else!)
- Why you should never take things personally in your business
- The importance of having your own, unique point of view when creating content as an influencer
-
How we can make a greater impact when we work together with other women, rather than just trying to advance our own image
-
The essential steps you must take if you want to launch a successful modeling career
- Some reasons that you might not actually want to become a plus size model--it’s not just about being a pretty girl!
- Why you don’t need to become a plus size model to validate your worth, or to make a positive impact in the world
Mentioned in this episode:
Plus Model Magazine
Maddie’s personal brand
Maddie’s husband, photographer Lucas Jones
Maddie’s journey as an Autism Mom
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Kristin Booker is a writer, blogger, and the creator of the site Fashion.Style.Beauty. Kristin has crafted stories for Marie Claire, ELLE, Refinery29, Lucky, xoJane, xoVain, and Yahoo Beauty, among others. I got to meet Kristin when she interviewed me for a piece on Self.com. Since then, it’s been amazing to get to know her and watch her flourish in so many ways!
In this episode, Kristin is so brave and vulnerable in sharing her experiences, from early alcohol abuse, sexual assault, eating disorders, and her struggle to find a place in the world. Kristin’s journey is an inspiration, and the things that she’s accomplished in her fiercely authentic journey to self-actualization prove that it is possible for all of us to create a life that we love!
Kristin’s relationship with her body is at the core of her journey, and throughout the years she’s had ups and downs, just like all of us. When her doctor gave her a very loving, direct wake-up call a few years ago, Kristin embarked on the next chapter of her journey: weight loss, in the name of her health.
So often in the body positive community, it can feel like we’re being torn between two extremes: dieting, weight loss, “all or nothing” thinking, and permission to be whatever size, eating whatever foods, and doing whatever exercise with no regard for our health. But the truth is that there is a middle ground. Kristin proves this, by sharing the very integrated ways in which her pursuit of health, and self actualization, has lead her to a very body positive mentality. She has reconciled weight loss with also loving her body, and accepting it as it is.
Key takeaways:
- Kristin’s early life, which includes some tough stuff like alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, sexual assault, and feeling like she didn’t fit in as a creative
- Kristin’s journey to find a place for herself professionally where she can use both her creative and her business brain
- Kristin’s relationship with her body over the years, from extreme deprivation and an eating disorder, to dire health consequences in her later life
- How Kristin got her start as a freelance writer, and what lead her to create Fashion.Style.Beauty
- Kristin’s big break as a writer with SheFinds.com
- Kristin’s wake up call with her health
- How Kristin has come full circle to a body positive mindset, as someone who also lost weight and transformed her health
- The importance of carving out your own definition of health, and how Kristin stays balanced in a world of extremes!
Mentioned in this episode:
Fashion.Style.Beauty
The forthcoming Fashion.Style.Beauty podcast, coming November 27th!
Kristin’s piece on me and several other models for Self.com
SheFinds.com
Kristin’s blog
Kristin’s Instagram
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Anne Mahlum is the entrepreneur, brain trust and #ladyboss behind [solid core]! She is the owner and CEO of the business, which she founded in DC in 2013. In just a few short years, Anne has grown her company into a nationwide fitness sensation, with dozens of studios across the country--and more on the way!
[solid core] was really born out of Anne’s own personal journey with her body, fitness, and self development. The entire experience of attending a class at [solid core] reflects the heart, the determination, and the authenticity that Anne oozes in everything she does.
In this episode, Anne opens up about what it’s like to run this amazing fitness company, her own experience with fitness, and her past history with eating disorders. Her own journey with her body hasn’t been straight and narrow, and she’s super authentic in sharing that, which is awesome!
Looking at the woman that Anne is today, it’s hard to imagine that she ever struggled with loving her body! But it just goes to show that we all struggle from time-to-time, in our own way. And we can all learn from how Anne has applied those experiences to creating this awesome brand, and business, and experience that is becoming available to more and more of us!
Key takeaways:
- What it’s like to be the CEO of [solid core]
- What led Anne to the [solid core] method, and why she decided to turn it into a business
- Anne’s own personal struggle with fitness, her body, and her eating disorder
- What it’s like to be a type-A, addictive personality, and how Anne’s learned to harness that energy into being a #ladyboss!
- Why so many of us stay “10 pounds away” from a state where we’re happy with our bodies
- How Anne got to a place of food freedom and happiness with her body
- Why positive body image and acceptance are a core value for the [solid core] community
-
Major hurdles that Anne and her team has overcome, from lawsuits to creating their own “Sweatlana,” and more!
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Why we all need to celebrate and support one another as women, particularly in business!
Mentioned in this episode:
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA)
[solid core] website
[solid core] Instagram
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15,000 girls entered the Torrid Model Search 2017 competition, and we’re now to the final four, in the final few days of their journey (voting ends October 29!). I caught up with Haley Rudolph of Toronto, ON; Seairra Thompson of Berkeley, CA; Sophia Ervin of Dallas, TX; and Julia Rose Miller of Round Rock, TX. Each girl dished about her experience, and what she’s gained from being a part of the competition.
Torrid has created a really great mechanism to take young women in our society from the sidewalk to the catwalk with this model search. But more than that, they’ve created a movement that makes all women in our society feel included, and catered to, by the fashion world. No matter what shape, size, skin tone, or age you might be, this model search is a great source of inspiration and body positivity!
Talking to these ladies really took me back to what it’s like to be a plus size teenager in our society, and how meaningful the plus size fashion movement has been in giving these girls a place in society where they “fit,” literally and figuratively! These girls exude body confidence, positivity, and hope for the future. Just hearing their stories can make us all feel a little better in our own skin. We could all use a little more of that!
Key takeaways:
- Background on the “Torrid Model Search 2017” competition
- What motivated each girl to want to enter the competition
- What it felt like for each girl to walk in NYFW
- What they’ve learned from participating in the competition
- Each girl’s unique background and perspective, and how that’s helped them in the competition
- The challenges each girl has overcome in order to succeed in the competition
- The plans each of these girls have for giving back to society, whether or not they win!
Mentioned in this episode:
Torrid Model Search 2017 ( voting ends on Sunday, October 29!)
“Torrid’s Debut NYFW Runway Showcased This Season’s Hottest Trend: Inclusivity”
Torrid’s YouTube miniseries
Haley Rudolph’s Instagram
Seairra Thompson’s Instagram
Sophia Ervin’s Instagram
Julia Rose Miller’s Instagram
Torrid’s Instagram
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Zlata Sushchik is an award-winning fitness competitor, lifestyle coach, and creator of the Sexyfit Method, author Zlata Sushchik spent more than a decade perfecting a simple five-step method to help every woman experience complete food freedom, create the body she loves, and reclaim her life.
Zlata grew up in Moscow, Russia, and moved to the U.S. at age 16. From a bullied teen immigrant to a bodybuilder and a beauty pageant queen, Zlata went through her fair share of struggles with yo-yo dieting, extensive gym workouts, and feeling like getting in shape was a full-time job – which, for her, it was. After winning or placing in the top five in more than 26 state, national, and international shows, Zlata was forced to leave her career after experiencing health complications caused by traditional approaches to getting in shape.
In this episode, Zlata and I discuss her journey with dieting and fitness competition, which ultimately has led her to a place of wanting to show her body more love, respect, and care. For Zlata, taking care of her body is no longer about fitting into her skinny jeans, or achieving a standard of perfection--it’s about showing her body as much love as possible! We can all learn from Zlata’s journey, and apply her insights to our own relationship with our bodies!
Key takeaways:
- Zlata’s experience growing up as a Russian immigrant in the United States
- The first time someone body shamed Zlata
- How Zlata got started in (and hooked on) fitness competitions
- The extreme toll that training for fitness competitions took on Zlata’s body
- Why Zlata decided to get into coaching and sharing her method with other women
- The cornerstones of the Sexyfit Method, and why it’s really about emotional freedom, simplicity, accountability, and community, not just aesthetic results
- How to balance our masculine and feminine energies in attaining Food Freedom
- Why Zlata believes that every meal is a cheat meal
- Why you need to be very leary of the supplements being marketed to fitness competitors
- Why when you’re your true, radiant, amazing best self, you no longer need to worry about what size you are
Mentioned in this episode:
The Sexyfit Method, and the new Sexyfit Method Book
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Ginny Gane is a Law of Attraction expert, coach, author, and podcast host. She also studied Kinesiology and worked as a Physical Trainer for many years. She marries up the teachings of Abraham Hicks and classic LOA truths with a deep understanding of how to manifest the relationship with your body that you are seeking!
In this episode, Ginny and I discuss ways to apply the Law of Attraction to consciously creating a routine for you and your body that will get results! We are all tired of yo-yo dieting, rigid meal plans, and complex workout routines that are tough to really put into action. So Ginny demystifies how we can work on a transformation from the inside out!
[Text Wrapping Break]Whether you’re actively seeking to lose weight, or improve your health, or just feel better in your body, this episode is packed with practical takeaways to help you create a body and a lifestyle that you love!
Key takeaways:
- Ginny’s journey to discover the Law of Attraction as a Kinesiology student, Athlete, and Physical Trainer
- Whatever you’re feeling most often is what you’re going to attract, and the fundamentals of the Law of Attraction
- Creating small shifts in your thoughts so that you can create more of what you want when it comes to your body and your health
- My “bathtub moment” and how I personally began to change my thoughts so I could create a body and a life that I love
- If you are taking most of your action from a place of external motivation, it’s tough to create lasting change
- Ginny’s LOA Action Plan, and four steps to consciously create a routine that brings you more of what you want!
- It really is as simple as thinking more positive thoughts about yourself than negative ones. Your lifestyle, decisions, actions, and ultimately your experience, will reflect that.
- Consciously creating a routine that is going to make you feel the way you want to feel, and not just look the way that you want to look (although you can have both!)
Mentioned in this episode:
Abraham Hicks and The Law of Attraction
My bathtub moment
The 7-Minute Workout app
Ginny’s LOA Action Plan
The Manifest it Now podcast
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If I had to quantify my investment in diet and weight loss products in the past ten years, I would estimate that it’s somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000. In this episode, I share the nitty gritty details of how I got to that number, and how it adds up quicker than you might realize!
You might be shocked by that number. You might think, “That will never be me.” However, we as a society spend over $60 Billion per year on dieting and weight loss. So, I know that I’m definitely not alone in this, which is why I’m laying it all out there for others to learn from my experience.
This week’s guest, money manifesting expert Cassie Parks, is a bestselling author of multiple books, many of which are on the subject of how to manifest the life and financial situation you desire, such as Manifest $10,000. In my conversation with her, we unpack the reasons so many of us tend to give our money away unconsciously based on our feelings of unworthiness, rather than investing our money intentionally from a place of abundance!
Learn the sneaky ways you might be parting with your money without realizing it, and unconsciously funding the dieting industry rather than creating the financial situation (and life) of your dreams! Also, how to turn that around.
Key takeaways:
- The sneaky ways we give our money away to the dieting industry
- The exact breakdown of the $10,000 I spent on dieting and weight loss--you might be surprised how many of these things are in your monthly spend, as well!
- Cassie Parks’s tips on how to go from being a mindless spender to a conscious investor
- Why many of our diet and weight loss purchases are motivated by our own feelings of unworthiness
- Other places in our lives that this type of mindless spending might show up, outside of diet and weight loss
- Why understanding how you want to feel should be at the root of your investment decisions
- How to pivot from mindlessly spending money on diet and weight loss to consciously investing in your physical health and well-being
Mentioned in this episode:
Cassie Parks and her book, Manifest $10,000
Mint.com
How much Americans spend on dieting each year
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So many of us are striving to create the lives (and the bodies) that we love. But it can get discouraging because it seems like we’re inundated with examples of women who are having to compromise their health and well-being in order to achieve success in their career, and vice versa. Is it really possible to be successful in business, engaged in your community and family life, and live a healthy lifestyle?
Kiana Cabell, co-founder of Kopari Beauty, is an example that shows us we can have it all! She is an example of a woman achieving low-key, high velocity entrepreneurial and life success. As she prepares to become a mom (like me!), Kiana and I caught up to talk all about how she got to where she is today.
[Text Wrapping Break]Kiana shares her take on balance when it comes to food, business, and life. She shares how her upbringing on the beaches of Hawaii, and her passion for healthy, natural ingredients shaped her as a person, and as a founder. She talks about the road to success for her brand, which is really cementing its place in the beauty industry, and disrupting long-held notions about what we should expect from natural, organic products.
There’s so much wisdom Kiana shares here that we can all apply to our own experiences!
Key takeaways:
- Kiana’s childhood, growing up in Hawaii and being raised by her pro surfer (and founder of Chart House restaurants) Dad
- Kiana’s studies as a chef at a traditional culinary school, and then NYC’s Natural Gourmet Institute
- How Kiana applies a balanced approach to exercise and food choices
- Hypnobirthing classes and the ways that Kiana is preparing for motherhood
- Kiana’s long-time love affair with coconut oil, and how Kiana got her start as an entrepreneur
- The wisdom of staying low-key when you’re in the process of creating something
- The importance of surrounding yourself with the right partners, in business and life
- Failing forward, and how Kiana’s been able to turn every challenge into learning
-
Why delegating is key to Kiana’s formula for success
-
Believing in yourself, and not letting yourself get in your own way, is the key to creating a business and lifestyle you love! Go for it.
Mentioned in this episode:
Kopari Beauty
Kiana’s legendary Dad
The Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC
Hypnobirthing
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I was struggling with a combination of binge eating disorder and bulimia while I attended the Naval Academy from 2003 - 2007. My experience as a woman in uniform, and an NCAA Division I athlete for the Naval Academy, were directly related to the development of my eating disorder.
As a disclaimer, I’m a huge supporter of the military and am incredibly honored to have served. I have deep reverence for the military and everyone serving. I’m not sharing my story to cast blame upon the military, or to paint this organization, which I hold in incredibly high esteem, in a negative light. But the reality is that many women have suffered and continue to suffer, as I did.
Ultimately, my eating disorder is what led to me being (honorably) medically discharged from military service in 2008. But you won’t see anything about an eating disorder anywhere in my medical or service records. It’s through my recovery, years later, that I’ve come to understand the connection between my disordered behavior and the injury which ended my naval career.
My experience is unique in its specifics, but not unique to women in the military. 34% of women in the military suffer from eating disorders. We as a country miss out when women end their term of service prematurely (like I did), or aren’t able to serve at their full capacity, because they are battling an eating disorder. Now that we know this, we can begin to address it! And that starts with increasing funding for treatment, research, prevention, and awareness of eating disorders for those in uniform.
The entire military suffers when as many as 34% of its service women are at a limited capacity due to illness. That’s why I’m testifying before members of congress on September 28, 2017 alongside a panel of experts, so I can use my experiences to better life for so many women still serving.
Key takeaways:
- The ways the food and eating were stigmatized for me during my time in the military
- Why I turned to eating large amounts of food in secret to cope with my environment
- The first time I binged and purged
- Ways that I pushed my body to extremes to counteract my binge eating
- The single event that changed the course of my entire life
-
Why this problem, which impacts 34% of women in the service, is truly a problem for 100% of the military
-
The ways that NEDA and the EDC are working to address these issues, and what you can do to help!
Mentioned in this episode:
National Eating Disorders Association
Eating Disorders Council
Speaker, Author and Researcher Brené Brown
Healthy at Any Size podcast, Episode 3
The Reality of Struggling with Binge Eating Disorder in the Military
The “Weakest Link”
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Kelly Augustine is one of the leading voices in the body positivity and plus size fashion conversation right now. Recently, she was featured in a national television & print #thenewskinny campaign for Lane Bryant, which only solidifies her rank as one of the most influential bloggers in this community!
In this episode, Kelly and I discuss the importance of us using our voices as women, particularly with all the political turmoil we’ve experienced as a nation this past summer. Kelly is very outspoken, and does a great job voicing her opinion while keeping her message and overall presence positive, empowering, and inclusive.
The conversation about our bodies, and how we as women should be treated in the world, is more important now than ever before. Kelly shares how she’s navigating the conversation, the importance of choosing your words wisely on social media, and where she’s finding inspiration and positivity these days.
We also cover the increasingly blurred lines between models slash bloggers, her making the leap to freelancing, and why more brands need to start featuring visibly plus size women in their campaigns. And Kelly shares all her go-to resources for information, fashion, beauty, and inspiration!
There’s so much to learn from Kelly that we as women can all apply to our everyday lives.
Key takeaways:
- Kelly’s recent Lane Bryant #thenewskinny campaign and her success as a plus size fashion blogger
- How the political turmoil of the summer has impacted the conversation we’re having about our bodies as women
- What influencers like Kelly are doing to infuse more positivity into the world during heartbreaking world events
- The importance of using our voice as individuals to comment on troubling world events
- Choosing our words carefully when it comes to the content that we put out into the world
-
Being over 30 in the modeling industry, and the increasingly blurred lines between being a blogger / influencer and a model
-
Why more brands should be featuring more body diversity, and showcasing visibly plus size women, in their campaigns
- Kelly’s go-to brands for information, fashion, beauty, and inspiration
- The importance of protecting our sanity in this age of information overload
Mentioned in this episode:
Kelly’s Lane Bryant #thenewskinny campaign
Vice’s coverage of the Charlottesville tragedy
Models slash influencers Alex LaRosa, Candice Huffine, Ashley Graham, Philomena Kwao
Eloquii’s extended sizing lookbooks, the launch of Preme, Asos’s representation of visibly plus size models, and Glossier’s range of skin tones
Kelly’s “go-to” brands for information, fashion, beauty, and inspiration: Elvi, NYDJ, Asos, Fashion to Figure, Refinery29, Glossier
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If you’re a plus size woman like me, you know how frustrating it can be to find clothing that’s comfortable, fits well, is made from quality materials, and is also stylish, reflective of your own personal aesthetic. Sometimes, it feels like the fashion industry just doesn’t care.
But as someone who has the privilege to interact with those behind-the-scenes of many fashion brands in my role as a plus size model, I know that this is far from true! Lots of designers care deeply about giving plus size women what they want, and are working hard to make that happen.
In honor of New York Fashion Week, currently underway, I’ve assembled a panel of fashion design insiders from the plus size fashion world to talk about the challenges (and joys!) of bringing gorgeous, high-quality, and functional fashion to plus size shoppers. Because from my perspective, the purpose of fashion is to make sure we can all leave the house feeling amazing, so we can go out there and do our great work in the world!
Some of the women you’ll hear from in this episode, like Lisa Aviva, I’ve worked with and know personally. Others, like Erin Cavanaugh and Yi Zhou from See Rose Go, and Shireen Jamehdor of Jaanuu Scrubs, I’m getting to know right along with you, listeners! Whether or not you’re a plus size fashion insider, it’s fascinating to hear about the journey these women go on behind-the-scenes, and what inspires them to create. The plus size fashion world is moving forward! And these are some of the ladies making that transformation a reality.
Key takeaways:
- How these brands got started
- What inspired the brands, and the women who are creating the clothing, to take on the challenge of bringing fashionable, high-quality, functional clothing to plus size shoppers
- The financial challenges of starting a fashion line
- The technical, manufacturing, and production challenges of creating a fashion line for plus size shoppers
- What these women each see as the #1 thing needed to move plus size fashion forward
- The brands that these women are looking to currently, who are doing a great job of moving fashion forward for plus size shoppers
- What’s on the horizon for each of these women, and the brands they represent
Mentioned in this episode:
Lisa Aviva
See Rose Go
Jaanuu Scrubs
Universal Standard
Elloquii
Torrid
Lane Bryant
Plus size subscription services, like Gwynnie Bee, Dia & Co., and Trunk Club for plus
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So many of us have grown up buying into the diet myth, which teaches us that we have to lose weight and get a “perfect” body in order to have the life of our dreams. But for curve model, top beauty influencer, and makeup artist Lauren O’Leary, the exact opposite has been true!
Rather than putting off living the life of her dreams until she felt she had the perfect body, she decided to learn how to accept the body she had. Lauren cultivated a more loving, positive mindset about herself and her body. This has proven to be jet fuel for her in achieving her career goals and creating a life that she loves!
In this episode, Lauren opens up her beautiful heart and shares about her eating disorder, her recovery and the ways that she healed herself, and her rise to success as a makeup artist, beauty influencer, and curve model. Lauren is such an amazing person, inside and out, with lots of insights and inspiration to offer us all! She’s living proof that you don’t have to necessarily lose weight in order to have a body and a life that you love.
Key takeaways:
- How I met Lauren O’Leary, and some of the projects we’ve done together
- When Lauren first became uncomfortable in her body, as her eating disorder developed
- Lauren’s process of recovery from her eating disorder, and how she healed herself
- The one realization the really fueled Lauren’s rise to a healthier relationship with her body, as well as success in the beauty industry, and life in NYC
- Becoming a curve model with TRUE Model Management
- The amazing companies & celebrities that Lauren has gotten to work with
- The secret to staying grounded with all of the success Lauren is experiencing in her career
Mentioned in this episode:
Lauren O’Leary Beauty
Lauren O’Leary Instagram
TRUE Model Management
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Many of us fall victim to the “all or nothing” mentality when it comes to our efforts to lose weight, or get healthy. As someone in recovery from perfectionism, from multiple back surgeries, from an eating disorder, and from subscribing to other people’s standards for my body, this is something I’ve had a great deal of personal experience with.
If you had asked me 10 years ago if I was a perfectionist, I probably would have said, “fuck no.” I didn’t see myself as a perfectionist because I thought that being a perfectionist means that you are perfect. But I began to slowly recognize the ways that I was sabotaging my own success by holding myself to incredibly high standards.
In this episode I share my own personal journey to acknowledge, and overcome, my own perfectionism. I’ve learned how to harness my tendency to set really aggressive goals, and hold myself to a very high standard. Now, it’s your turn!
Key takeaways:
- Episode 002, with Robyn Downs, brought up this topic and is an excellent primer for this topic!
- Trying too hard to do things perfectly means you sometimes don’t do them at all
- Perfectionists aren’t necessarily people that are “perfect”
- Unrealistic standards of body “perfection” are perfectionist kryptonite
- The hard fall from “badass” female athlete to a gimp recovering from back surgery
- The start / stop, perfectionist method to recovering from multiple back surgeries (not recommended)
- The nasty things we tell ourselves when we don’t attain perfection
- Internalizing “failure” to achieve perfect standards robs you of the chance to make gradual improvement
- Experimentation and failing forward are key to creating a life, a routine, and an experience that feels good to you
- Perfection doesn’t enable your success, it can actually hinder it!
- How I’ve managed to harness my perfectionist tendencies to create positive change
Mentioned in this episode:
Healthy at Any Size podcast Episode 002
Robyn Downs, of Real Food Whole Life and The Feel Good Effect
My history with eating disorders
My recovery from multiple back surgeries
Gouveia International Talent Management
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Share what you learned here via Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter
Subscribe on iTunes and leave a review. I love hearing what you have to say!
Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Subscribe on iTunes and leave a review. I love hearing what you have to say!
Post your own experiences, thoughts, and feedback to social media using the hashtag #healthyatanysize!
Robyn Downs is the researcher, educator, storyteller and mama behind her blog, Real Food Whole Life and The Feel Good Effect podcast!
She is a working mom and a woman in the real world who is trying to balance the demands of her life with creating a healthy lifestyle for herself and her family.
In this episode, Robyn shares her own personal journey to creating this healthy balance. She encourages us all to examine our goals in a different way, to let go of perfectionism, and to infuse all of our self-improvement efforts with an oft-overlooked success factor: self-compassion!
Key takeaways:
- Robyn’s journey to a healthy pregnancy, and getting healthy during early mom life
- By walking away from something, you give yourself the space to say yes to something else
- Taking those small steps builds momentum to be able to say, “this isn’t serving me anymore”
- The two main challenges for women trying to live a healthy lifestyle
- Moving away from someone else’s prescriptive plan of perfection
- Setting incremental goals as opposed to always aiming for perfection
- Living with that shame spiral and guilt of not being able to achieve “perfection”
- Self-compassion as jet fuel for your transformation
- Changing your mindset so that you can actually be happy right now!
- Modeling the behavior we want our children to exhibit when it comes to how we talk about our bodies
- Cutting ourselves off from any influences (magazines, social media, etc.) that feed our negative self-perception
Mentioned in this episode:
Real Food Whole Life
The Feel Good Effect
How to Create a Wellness Routine (with Goal Setting Activity)
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Most of my life I’ve been a “serial dieter.” I went on my first diet when I was 7 years old. From that time, I was concerned about food, my body and my weight. I’ve spent thousand of dollars on dieting and, most tragically, I’ve deprived myself of life experiences.
Two nights before my wedding I had, what I call, my “bathtub moment.” This was an epiphany that transformed the way I viewed my body, and it changed my world.
As I was taking a bath that night, I had this overwhelming feeling of worthlessness. I imagined being in my wedding gown, overweight, ugly and standing in front of all my closest friends and family.
After a flood of negative self-talk, I had a moment of clarity. I realized all the hype about dieting, toning, losing weight and having perfection was not real. Fixating on having a perfect body was robbing me of so much joy. Why was I letting this obsession get in the way of living a full, purposeful life?
Three months after my “bathtub moment,” I signed my New York modeling contract. I decided to accept, embrace and love my body. That decision changed my life. It was finally okay to be happy, ambitious and excel in my life.
In recent years, Dove has conducted studies revealing 85% of women and 79% of girls are opting out of life experiences because they are self-conscious about their bodies. I believe this is a crisis. It’s been proven through many studies that when women are contributing to society, everything improves. I can’t be idle when the world needs confident women.
I don’t think we need to stop improving our bodies, and I am not saying losing weight is bad. All I am saying is it is time to transform the way we think and feel about our bodies. If we change the way we feel about our bodies, we are capable of transforming any aspect of our life.
I am passionate about sharing the truth I’ve discovered; the truth that we don’t have to change our bodies to be happy. Today is the first episode of Healthy at any Size. It will be the first of many, and together we can start a body revolution by choosing to embrace the beautiful, organic bodies we have.
I am excited to be able to share this podcast with you, I hope you will embark on the journey of finding happiness in the body you have now. You can also join the conversation on Twitter, @melparrishplus, find us on Body Love TV and, of course, join us here at melparrish.com next week.
Key takeaways:
[:11] You deserve to live a happy healthy life.
[2:32] The secret to loving your body is changing how you feel about your body.
[3:05] Melinda Parrish introduction.
[4:25] It is time for a revolution. It is time to stop letting the way we feel about our body hold us back.
[6:14] Stop fixating on having a perfect body.
[7:23] Healthy at any Size was born from Body Love TV, it was built from the desire to dig deeper into some of the conversations we were having.
[8:20] How many of you have put something off “until you lose the weight”?
[10:19] Being happy with your body does not mean not taking care of your body. The changes you want to make must start with you loving your body.
[13:14] You can live a healthy lifestyle without focusing on weight loss.
[13:35] Any kind of transformation (including weight loss) must start with self-love.
[15:04] Review of the cycle of deprivation, dieting, binging, weight gain, and spending money on dieting.
[17:39] The transformation in how I viewed my body happend two nights before my wedding.
[20:29] The decision to accept, embrace, and love my body.
[22:42] Shift your focus to helping others and fulfill your purpose in life.
[24:58] We deserve to be in love with our bodies!
[27:19] You get the choice to contribute to the crisis or contribute to the solution.
Mentioned in this episode:
Melinda Parrish
@melparrishplus
Body Love TV
Dove
Dove Body Image Research
National Eating Disorders Association
Confessions of a Recovering Fat Kid