This one’s for the parents!
An overwhelming statistic that shows how the environment we are raised in impacts our body image at a young age.
I grew up in an average Italian American household, where my mom was always worried about her weight, we ate entirely too much pasta, we didn’t have meaningful exercise other than running around outside, and we were guilted into eating everything on our plates. I don’t blame my parents one bit – this was the societal norm, and no comments were ever made to us about our appearance.
Still, I developed an eating disorder.
I was bigger than all of the other girls in school from a young age (thanks early puberty!)
Paris Hilton and low rise jeans were the RAGE. I watched Britney’s abs on TV dancing around every day on TRL and wondered why I couldn’t look like that.
I hated my appearance and went to extremes to change it, drastically, quickly, unhealthily, and under the radar of my parents
Eating disorders are tricky. Symptoms can be easily overlooked, and weight change in pre-teen and teenage years isn’t uncommon as bodies are developing and shifting.
Now that I’m a mom and have recovered, I am overly anxious about what I say to and around my own daughter.
What are the bad words in your house?
In ours, they’re ‘fat’, ‘skinny’, ‘stupid’, ‘ugly’, etc…
⛔️ We do NOT mention anything about people’s bodies.
⛔️ We do NOT voice opinions on changes in weight or appearance.
⛔️ And we do NOT speak about our own bodies negatively.
⛔️ Dessert will not make you fat, and vegetables don’t make you skinny.
⛔️ We encourage strength, and we work out because it makes us happy.
Clients come to Mommy at Dead Set because they want to be healthier and live longer lives.
I'm not saying I do it perfect...even trying things on I have to catch myself.
Talk to your kids about body image – even when they’re young. Your actions and your words are forming their thoughts about themselves, even when they aren’t directed at your children, so be kind to yourself.
If you are trying to create a healthier lifestyle for you or your family, I am here to help.
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