These are a Few of our Favorite Things!
The end of the year is often a time of reflection, and this year we’re thinking back to some of the most helpful resources and practices we’ve used with our wonderful clients. And some that our clients have shared with us!
We love supporting individuals one-on-one to improve overall health and well-being, and we know how challenging it can feel about working towards healing your relationship with food and body when you are around others who may still be stuck in diet culture. Accessible support, encouragement, and knowledge can be so helpful to have in between nutrition counseling sessions.
Here are a few of our favorite things, including resources and skills you can use to help you get started.
Books:
Intuitive Eating for Every Day: 365 Daily Practices & Inspirations to Rediscover the Pleasures of Eating by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RDN, CEDRD-S
The newest book from the co-author of the original book Intuitive Eating. Think of this as a daily tear-off calendar, but for creating positive experiences with food and body.
Body of Work by Lauren Brereton
Body image is a tricky topic; simply reflecting can be a great place to start. Love this book for its beautiful poetry and thought-provoking journaling prompts.
Gentle Nutrition by Rachael Hartley
A non-diet cookbook that encourages readers to take a look at the big picture when it comes to eating in an enjoyable and health-promoting way!
Anti-Diet by Christy Harrison
A history of diet culture, diet industry, and how letting go of dieting benefits our health.
Other readings:
Body Image Through Stages of Life from The Joy of Eating
The Hierarchy of Nutrition Needs from The Joy of Eating
Actionable Steps to Help You Develop a Happier Body Image by The Real Life RD
Grieving the Thin Ideal by Made On a Generous Plan
Podcasts:
Maintenance Phase – probably one of the most recommended podcasts this year. Great review of weight and health science research with sassy, entertaining hosts!
The Messy Intersection with Diana Rice, RD – wonderful conversations around raising kids amidst diet culture with real talk about food and parenting.
Unlocking Us with Brene Brown Episode with Sonya Renee Taylor, author of The Body is Not an Apology
Apps:
UnDietYourMind App – replace your fitness app with UnDietYourMind! It’s a new app from Body Love Society as of December 2021. Learn from weight-inclusive, non-diet professionals from around the world.
Calm App - mindfulness can be a powerful tool, especially when connecting with our bodies. Check out the Body Scan and Calm Body meditations on this app!
Practices:
Curate your social media. We internalize images and messages that we’re repeatedly exposed to. Unfollow accounts that make you feel negatively towards yourself only show one kind of body or promote one “right” way of eating and accounts that encourage dieting or weight loss. You can also choose to limit the use of social media altogether.
Set loving boundaries with others and with yourself. This may look like saying, “hey, we actually don’t talk about food or bodies that way in our family/at our house,” when food, diet, or body judgments come up in conversations. Loving boundaries and good self-care for yourself may look like prioritizing adequate sleep or rest, time alone, doing some meal prep, or planning on the weekend to make things easier during the week. Work Week Lunch is a subscription platform with many meal prep recipes for people who don’t have time or prefer not to cook much during the week. Even better, it aligns with Intuitive Eating!
Engage your senses. This could mean many things, but the key is to intentionally pay attention to the experience! Engaging your senses could mean being in nature, taking in your surroundings, wearing soft/comfortable clothing, aromatherapy, listening to music, etc.
Journal. Again, you could write anything, but some examples include daily gratitudes, letters to yourself, writing out unhelpful thoughts and examining them or reframing them, or a “brain dump”!
Connect. Reach out to your tribe. Take some time to do something relaxing, like taking a bath.
Find Joy. Sing, dance, write, draw, paint, color, have a good laugh, light a candle, reflect on happy memories, and plan to make more.
What are some of your favorite things that have helped you create a more peaceful relationship with food? What resources and supports might you be missing? Wishing you a restful, happy, and healthy holiday season, and looking forward to connecting with you in 2022!
