More of Me to Love’s anniversary is coming up on March 17th! Don’t forget about our celebratory art competition: enter by designing a meme (symbolic logo, like the Nike Swoosh) for More of Me to Love that captures the spirit of our community. The winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to the More of Me to Love Store and the logo will be displayed on many items and sites related to More of Me to Love. Enter now!

Featured Weekly Tips

MENTAL WELLNESS: “Soul Food” by Golda

It’s Okay To Be Seen: Stand Up Loud and Stand Up Proud

Do you find that you hold yourself back because you’re afraid of what people will say?  And are you afraid that what those people will have to say will be about your size? This week, start moving past these fears, and do something that matters to you. Take action and embrace being larger than life, whether that means standing up publicly for an idea you believe in, wearing a bold pattern that “fatties” aren’t supposed to wear, or doing something else that says, “Hey, world! Here I am! Deal with it!” Want to learn more about playing it big and what happened to me this week?  Then check out Soul Food.

NUTRITION: “Feed Your Life” by Sara

Ponder Your Health-Related Biases

After a lifetime of living in our culture, we all come with a whole host of biases related to health and nutrition. This week, analyze some of yours. If you’ve heard of the Health at Every Size approach, ask yourself to think of the ways that your biases - or our culture’s - challenge Health at Every Size or are not fully compatible with it. This exercise is not meant to dissuade you from believing in Health at Every Size (after all, it’s the approach that I subscribe to), but it is meant to get you thinking about your mental impediments to adopting the approach. By thinking about these things, we are often able to overcome our blocks to accepting new or challenging ideas. After doing this, check out Feed Your Life to learn about the remainder of Dr. Jon Robison’s ways to ease your concerns about and improve your health.

FITNESS: “Fitness For All” by Sue

Use Your Imagination for Healthy Life Changes That Aren’t Weight Loss

If you do not have a health condition but you are worried that you will develop one if you don’t make some lifestyle changes to lose weight, try the following:

1. Imagine that you are, right now, at the weight that you believe will be healthier.
2. Work out a plan (with a health professional if desired) of the kinds of lifestyle changes you think you might be able to sustain to remain healthy at that weight.
3. Implement that plan, right now, at your current weight. Be sure your plan does not include any type of externally determined caloric intake or food restriction, since these have been proven not to work for most people.

This tip comes to you from Dr. Jon Robison, published by WELCOA. If this tip sounds challenging because of what it’s asking you to do and how it’s asking you to think positively about your current weight, read Fitness For All to learn how to actualize it.

Blog Topics, Resources and Forums

• Raising Eating Disorder Awareness
• Athletes and Eating Disorders: Protective and Risk Factors by Pauline S. Powers, MD
• Go Peggy Howell for calling out Southwest and MeMe Roth for fat-hating

Word of the Week: Achievement, by Jay

At the end of every day this week think about something you achieved. Say, “Great job,” to yourself, and smile widely. If you want, do something especially nice for yourself. Read more about Jay’s thoughts on achievement.

Events

Tune in for The Health at Every Size Radio Show with Dr. Peggy Elam and Pat Ballard every Monday 10am - 11am Central time. Click here to see how you can listen for free!

It’s Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Did you know that many diets are actually very close in nature to disordered eating and can result in eating disorders? Check out the National Eating Disorders Association’s website to learn more.