Archive for April, 2010

Pre-Baby Body Love: Nurturing Your Body Image Foundation

If becoming a mom is something you’re considering, what comes to mind when you think about the possibility of that life-changing experience?  Do you wonder about what your baby would look like, how it might feel to hold him or her?  Do you feel excited about raising a child and anxious at the thought of sleepless nights and parenting decisions?  Or, are you feeling anxious about the changes that will take place with your body?  Do you worry a lot about what you would look like pregnant, how much weight you will gain or how quickly you will lose the weight afterwards?

If you are like a lot of women, when you think about becoming a mom you probably experience a combination of both excitement and worry, some of which might revolve around the potential changes to your body. However, if you find yourself mostly occupied by these thoughts and fears about weight gain or other body changes, its important to address them.  When negative body image thoughts or an overarching fear about weight gain are preventing you from otherwise enjoying  a journey towards motherhood, or if those fears are the primary reason that you are postponing important things in your life, it may be a good time to reflect on and work towards a more positive body image.  If having children is something you are considering or if it is a possibility at any point in the future, developing a foundation of body acceptance before you go through the emotional and physical changes of pregnancy and motherhood is ideal.

Claire Mysko and Magali Amadei, authors of “Does This Pregnancy Make Me Look Fat?”report  that 78% of women they surveyed who don’t have children yet or are not planning to have children, said that they had concerns about how pregnancy and motherhood could change their bodies.  Furthermore, 79% of the ones who expressed these fears said that gaining weight and not being able to lose it after delivery was their number one fear. Clearly, this is not an uncommon thought, especially as media outlets continue to shine a spotlight on pregnant bodies and proceed to publicly judge women based on their rate of return to pre-pregnant form.  This pressure can be a lot to contend with but we want women to know that it is possible to feel good about yourself and your body – it has nothing to do with changing your body and everything to do with changing how you think about and treat your body.  Learning about and working towards a positive body image now, will not only prepare you to accept and appreciate the changes that come during pregnancy but will also help you to be a positive body image role model for others, especially any future children that might come along. 

There are a lot of on-line resources claiming to provide helpful hints for improving body image pre and post-pregnancy.  While perusing these resources, remember that the definition of positive body image is not dependent upon being a specific weight or size, nor does it require any physical deviation from the way your body is right now.  If you ever come across “helpful body image hints” that encourage you to do things for rapid weight loss,  or if they are very focused on fitting you into your pre-pregnancy jeans as soon as possible, it’s probably not a helpful resource for body image or for your health. 

If you are thinking about or planning a pregnancy, or if you are currently pregnant or parenting, these are some strategies that can help you resist negative cultural messages about women’s bodies and move towards acceptance and appreciation for the body that you have!

  • Focus on your health, not your weight.  Healthy can come in any size and shape and the same goes for unhealthy.  Attempt to stop judging your health status (and other people’s health) based on weight or outward appearance.  In fact, research shows that focusing on health – without regard to weight – consistently leads to better physical health outcomes.
  • Throwing out (or donating) your bathroom scale can make it a lot easier to focus on incorporating healthy behaviors for health’s sake as opposed to perpetually being tempted to strive for an unrealistic or unhealthy number on the scale.  Leave the weigh-ins for the doctor’s office.
  • Evaluate your reading material.  After just 3 minutes of looking at a women’s fashion magazine, 70% of women feel significantly worse about themselves. Remember that pregnancy and parenting magazines are not immune from our retouched and photoshopped culture – many of the pregnant bellies and even the babies (yikes!) in these magazine photos have been significantly altered to appear “flawless”.  Do some self-check-ins occasionally to make sure you aren’t comparing your own real body to those that have been digitally created.
  • On a daily basis, attempt to consider and appreciate the utility of your body instead of simply placing value on how it looks.  Instead of labeling wrinkles an unfortunate byproduct of aging, consider them proof of all the smiling you have done and wear them proudly.  This will be an incredibly important mindset to adopt prior to, during and following pregnancy when women’s bodies go through natural and amazing changes in order to support a baby.  Widening hips during pregnancy are often the focus of much discontent among pregnant women who no longer fit into their jeans.  But if you take the time learn about how and why your hips are widening, you will be better able to develop an attitude of understanding and gratitude for your body and move away from the loathing and self-criticism that has, unfortunately become so normalized among new moms.
  • Close your eyes and picture five to ten women who have been the most influential in your life.  Perhaps you look up to them for their strong morals and values, their attributes as a parent or as a professional, or because they inspire you to reach your own goals.  They might be relatives or friends, famous or not famous, younger or older than you.  As you visualize these women ask yourself a few questions…Do they all look the same?  Are they shaped the same? Do they all wear the same size or have the same skin color?  Are they all exactly the same height?  In most cases, the answer to all of these questions is going to be no.  No, because beautiful people come in all shapes and sizes, including you. 

If you continually struggle with negative thoughts about your body, have persistent or intense fears about gaining weight (related or unrelated to a pregnancy),  or experience significant distress as a result of a preoccupation with your weight or size, you may want to consider seeking professional support.  If you have any questions about therapy to help improve body image, please visit www.eatingdisorder.org or call The Center for Eating Disorders at (410) 939-5252.

 

Published by Kate Clemmer
April 20th, 2010 in Body Image, Celebrity Topical News, Glossary Definitions, Nurture. Blog Series
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Upcoming Lobby Day on Capitol Hill: Advocate for Eating Disorder Prevention, Education, Treatment & Research

If you have ever been personally affected by an eating disorder or care about someone who has, you know just how long and difficult the road to recovery can be as a result of the complex medical and psychological symptoms that are involved.  The intensity of the struggles and the fact that eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, can often leave individuals and families wondering what more could have been done in terms of prevention and access to treatment.  The Eating Disorders Coalition (EDC) is leading efforts to try to help our federal government answer these questions so families don’t have to ask them anymore.

 On April 26th and 27th, 2010, EDC will lead a group of advocates to Capitol Hill to help inform Congress about the pressing need to include mental health coverage, with a specific focus on eating disorders, in our health care reform.  This month’s advocacy efforts will not only support improved access to care but, ultimately, will encourage federal implementation of prevention efforts and heightened research on effective treatments. 

 We’ve posted the mission, priorities and goals of EDC below.  If you agree and want to help work towards these goals, please join EDC on April 26th and 27th for their first LOBBY DAY of 2010.  For a small participation fee, registered advocates can enroll in a basic advocacy training, a message training and a Lobby Day Reception and Meet & Greet. Ready to take action? Register for Lobby Day HERE.  ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER!

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EDC Mission:  To advance the federal recognition of eating disorders as a public health priority

EDC Policy Priorities: 

  • Increase resources for research, education, prevention, and improved training
  • Promote federal support for improved access to care
  • Promote the national awareness of eating disorders as a public health problem
  • Promote initiatives that support the healthy development of children

EDC Goals: 

  • Raise awareness among policy makers and the public at large about the serious health risk posed by eating disorders
  • Promote federal support for improved access to care
  • Increase resources for research, education, prevention, and improved training
  • Increase funding and support for scientific research on the causes, prevention, and treatment of eating disorder
  • Promote initiatives that support the healthy development of children
  • Mobilize concerned citizens to advocate on behalf of people with eating disorders, their families, and professionals working with these populations

Visit the EDC website for more information about their ongoing projects and printable resources regarding eating disorder legislation.

Published by Kate Clemmer
April 15th, 2010 in Celebrity Topical News
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Speaking the Same Language – Nurturing a Common Understanding

 

Over the course of the next few months the Nurture blog series  will explore the central theme of motherhood involving various topics such as fertility, pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood as they relate to body image, and overall wellness.  Several of these topics, in addition to being potentially sensitive subject matter, also have a language all their own.  As we approached these blogs, we thought it was important to make sure that everybody is speaking the same language – hence, the glossary page. 

Many of the terms used in this blog series get tossed around a lot in our society with the assumption that everyone knows what they mean, but that isn’t always the case as we will point out in future blogs entries regarding the term “body image”.  We also wanted to provide clarification for terms that are sometimes used in two different ways (i.e. “going on a diet” vs. “a balanced diet”).  Additional terms, like “low birth weight” or “amenorrhea” are more technical and so we thought it couldn’t hurt to provide a little refresher for these more medically-based terms as well. Throughout this series of blogs the glossary will grow and terms will be added, feel free to use it as a reference when reading specific blog entries and refer back to it as often as needed.  If you have any questions or suggestions for terms that should be added let us know!

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Nurture. GLOSSARY

Amenorrhea: Amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual bleeding. Primary amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual bleeding and secondary sexual characteristics (for example, breast development and pubic hair) in a girl by age 14 years or the absence of menstrual bleeding with normal development of secondary sexual characteristics in a girl by age 16 years. Secondary Amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual bleeding in a woman who had been menstruating normally but later stops menstruating for 3 or more months and its occurrence is not a result of pregnancy, lactation, systemic hormonal birth control pills, or menopause. (source: emedicinehealth.com) Amenorrhea can be a symptom of disordered eating, over exercise or an eating disorder.

 Body Image: Body image is… how you see yourself, how you feel about your body and shape, and what you believe about your body.  Body image is made up of memories and assumptions about your body and the feelings you have when you think about or visualize your own body. Body image is also how you feel in your body as you move and control it.  Body image is not dependent on how much you weigh, how tall you are, or your personal style.  A person’s body image can exist anywhere on a continuum – from a very positive and healthy body image to a very poor or negative body image.   

Diet (noun): The customary amount and kind of food and drink taken by a person from day to day; i.e. a balanced diet:  one containing foods which furnish all the nutritive factors in proper proportion for adequate nutrition. (Dorland’s Medical Dictionary for Health Consumers. © 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Diet (verb): A Reduction of caloric intake or manipulation of food and drink with the intent to lose weight.

Disordered Eating: A significant deviation from normalized eating patterns that may include dieting, fasting, bingeing, or skipping meals. Disordered eating disregards internal regulation of hunger and fullness and provides the body with much more or much less than the body needs to function properly.  Instead of feeling good after a meal, someone who has disordered eating will often experience feelings of guilt, shame, discomfort, fear or discontent.

Infertility:  The inability to become pregnant after persistent attempts over a given period of time, usually determined to be one year in humans. 

Low Birth Weight: Babies born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces (2,500 grams) are considered low birth weight. Low birth weight babies are at increased risk for serious health problems as newborns, lasting disabilities and even death. About 1 in every 12 babies in the United States is born with low birth weight. (March of Dimes Foundation)

Normal Eating: Eating in response to the body’s natural hunger and fullness cues, with a variety of food choices that offer balance, diverse foods and moderation.  Normal eating generally involves eating three regular meals per day and 1-2 additional snacks in response to hunger. Normal eating involves nourishing the body for the purpose of providing energy and maintaining well-being and should result in feeling good afterwards.

Over Exercise / Excessive Exercise: 1. Repeatedly exercising beyond the requirements for good health; when an individual engages in strenuous physical activity to the point that is unsafe and unhealthy. 2. The Diagnostic Manual, the DSM-IV-TR, defines excessive exercise as exercise that “significantly interferes with important activities, occurs at inappropriate times or in inappropriate settings, or when the individual continues to exercise despite injury or other medical complications.”  3. Some of the physical dangers that may become an issue for someone exercising too much can be: dehydration, stress fracture and osteoporosis, degenerative arthritis, amenorrhea, reproductive problems, and heart problems.

Set-Point / Set-Point Theory: 1. Set point is the weight range in which your body is programmed to weigh and will fight to maintain that weight. Set point is often referred to as an internal “thermostat” that regulates weight. 2. According to the set-point theory, there is a control system built into every person dictating how much body fat he or she needs to maintain homeostasis. Some individuals are genetically programmed to have a high setting, others have a low one. According to this theory, body fat percentage and body weight are matters of internal controls that are set differently in different people. 3. The set point theory suggests that despite dieting efforts, the body eventually tends to return to its set point weight or will adjust metabolism and other mechanisms in an attempt to do so.

Published by Kate Clemmer
April 13th, 2010 in Body Image, Editor's Picks, Glossary Definitions, Nurture. Blog Series
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Introducing CED’s Spring 2010 Blog Series…

The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt is excited and proud to announce a new web resource for family-centered women and the health professionals who work with them.  Our Spring 2010 blog series began as an idea for a single blog addressing the  issue of post-pregnancy body image struggles, a topic that affects millions of women across the country and seems to grow more and more complex with our culture’s continued focus on weight and dieting.  However, as we began developing this resource for new and expecting moms, additional topics, questions and related issues kept sprouting.  As a result, we enthusiastically decided to address the intersection of body image, pregnancy, disordered eating and motherhood in a more comprehensive way, one that examines these issues across the broader timeline of motherhood from a holistic and health-focused perspective. 

What we ended up with is Nurture., a series of blogs that we hope will: 1) cultivate a conversation about the effects of negative body image and disordered eating on fertility, pregnancy and parenthood and 2) provide resources and information that will encourage women to resist negative cultural messages about food and weight, for themselves and for their families.  In reaching towards these goals, we will touch on a number of relevant, and sometimes sensitive topics including  infertility,  post-partum weight struggles and the mother-child feeding relationship.  We will draw from and reference a variety of sources – clinical research, popular media, current events, web resources, professional publications - to help women find peace with their pre and post-baby bodies so that they can nurture their families and, most importantly themselves.

Body image issues and disordered eating don’t just affect women and mothers – they affect the whole family system. Whether you are an expecting mom, a concerned husband or partner, a supportive Obstetrician, an individual struggling with an eating disorder, or a veteran mother of five – we hope you will join us over the next several months as we journey through the Nurture. blog series which launches next week, April 12th, 2010.  

Follow The Center for Eating Disorders on Facebook and Twitter to receive updates and Nurture. blog entries as soon as they are posted.

If you have questions about this blog series or about treatment options at The Center for Eating Disorders, please call (410) 938-5252.

Published by Kate Clemmer
April 8th, 2010 in Body Image, CED Events, Nurture. Blog Series
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