How do you know if you are physically disabled?
Please see disclaimer at the end for information about the social model of disability. This is a question that is much more complex than you may expect, for a variety of reasons. Many people assume that to be physically disabled, you must be receiving government benefits related to your disability (such as social security disability insurance or SSDI). This is not the case. As per the World Health Organization (WHO) via the Center for Disease Control (CDC)1, disability is defined as: “1) Impairment in a person’s body structure or function, or mental functioning; examples of impairments include loss of a limb, loss of vision or memory loss. 2) Activity limitation, such as difficulty seeing, hearing, walking, or problem solving. 3) Participation restrictions in normal daily activities, such as working, engaging in social and recreational activities, and obtaining health care and preventive services.” That said- for the purpose of this, we will be working more under the medical model of disability. Disability essentially means that your functioning is limited due to health condition(s) or injury. This can be long-term or short-term, static or dynamic. Some examples of this include: An individual who broke their leg would have a temporarily but static
A Perfectly Imperfect Vacation – Salty Hair, Tanned Skin, Sandy Bottoms, Soft Bellies and Smiles!
Oh Vacation….what an amazing and delightful concept! Some say that vacation is a state of mind, some say it’s important to make life your vacation, but I have a whole different outlook on this holiday from life. When I used to think of vacation, I would picture perfection…perfection in every way. The perfect views, the perfect food, the perfect swimsuits on perfectly tanned bodies, perfect memories to laugh perfectly at in the future. Picture perfect everything, a vacation from the imperfection that we call life, a vacation from busyness, ugliness, messiness, stress, hatred, and self loathing, a vacation from the shackles of my Eating Disorder. But in reality, these perfect expectations only tightened those shackles even more. But isn’t this how so many of us look at vacations, or holidays? We expect perfection, and once this ideal implodes so does our ability to adapt. The bathing suits, sandals and sarongs that we pack unfold into unrealistic expectations, stress, worry and imperfection, when in reality, a perfect vacation is imperfect….just like life! This past week was the first vacation that I have taken away from those perfection ridden expectations, it was the first vacation I took in the absence of my
Tips and Tricks to Conquer Re-Entry!
It’s already August 8th! Children, teenagers, and families are gearing up for back to school, football season is in the air, and before you know it we will be singing christmas carols! Okay…I may be getting ahead of myself, but you get it! With back to school, moving into dorms, end of summer vacations, upcoming long weekends and fall holidays comes so many wonderful things… new friends, cooler and crisper weather, giving love and thanks, and celebrating your loved ones! The onset of back to school, and fall bring about so many amazing things, joy, happiness, laughter, new memories….but certain anxieties, stressors and triggers are brought upon as well. Does this ring any bells? Whether you are heading back to college, grabbing a meal with an old friend, going to a weekend on the lake, seeing your long distance significant other, or just going to a family party, the realities of re-entry will always be there. Re-entry is incredibly anxiety provoking, and therefore quite triggering for anyone , especially those within ED Recovery. These get togethers are usually centered around food and conversation surrounding high stakes and anxiety provoking questions.(Therefore, incredibly triggering with Eating Disorder Recovery, or really, for anyone)!
Recovery Love and Care Launch Week Recap!
This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them will help support this website. What a crazy couple of weeks it has been! I am feeling so many emotions! I feel grateful, humbled, empowered, inspired, driven, excited, enthusiastic, happy, thrilled, hopeful, tired, scared AND ready! (Remember, we MUST embrace those AND emotions, and I am certainly feeling a lot of them right now)! It was a week filled with work, dedication, celebration and spreading awareness, and it was a major success! Together, we raised hundreds of dollars for Project HEAL, awareness on the truths and myths surrounding Eating Disorders, and body image, and had the best of times sipping on Onehope wine and enjoying delicious food with even better company! I cannot begin to thank my charitable partners, doners, family, friends, “crew” and all of the attendees who supported these events…it would not have been the same without YOU! Onehope wine was a smash!! If you don’t know already, Onehope Wine creates delightful wine that inspires others to indulge and do good! My two events were hosted by Onehope Wine, and within the next two weeks YOU can purchase this wine through this link, and 15% of the proceeds go
Netflix Feature Film To The Bone – A Safe Viewing Guide!
I am providing my unique and educated perspectives and opinions on the Netflix feature film To The Bone. This is an incredibly controversial topic that I feel must be addressed, and I would like to preface this with this simple statement…. I, in no way recommend an individual within their Eating Disorder, or within the beginning and/or fragile stages of recovery to watch this film, just as much as I would not condone an individual who experienced trauma and has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), serving our country overseas to watch American Sniper, as these Hollywood depictions of mental illnesses can be incredibly triggering to those experiencing just that! My Opinion on To The Bone I most likely will dissatisfy and possibly upset many within this post, as my opinions regarding this film do not necessarily coincide with the majority opinions within the Eating Disorder community. I actually liked this film, although I found several triggering and falsifications within the film….granted each and every story is different and we must start somewhere! If this is where we start talking about Eating Disorders….then I am in support! FYI: the Eating Disorder community is not necessarily pleased with this film, in that
Project HEAL – A New Partner!
Project HEAL Project HEAL is a phenomenal organization that funds Eating Disorder Treatment for individuals who cannot afford to do so themselves. This organization, Project HEAL, was founded by two amazing young 15 year old women who met in treatment and chose to help others reach full recovery as well! A New Partner Liana Rosenman and Kristina Saffran are two Eating Disorder Warriors and now foundation founders who have spread Project HEAL across the country and around the globe! Project HEAL sponsored the controversial film To The Bone, and is all about spreading the much needed awareness and education about Eating Disorders and diet culture. I am pleased to officially be partnering with Project Heal! Partial proceeds of all ticket proceeds and One Hope Wine sales at my events and speaking engagements will go towards Project HEAL As I launch my business I cannot wait to promote Project HEAL, as well as, spread awareness and education about the truths behind Eating Disorders. Time and time again, I run into medical professionals, counselors and helping professionals who have very little, to no knowledge about Eating Disorders, and that is exactly why 50% of Eating Disorders go unnoticed within primary care! Through
Fat Is Not a Feeling – Identifying Your Fat Feelings and Finding Freedom in Your Body!
Finding a positive and healthy body image is so incredibly challenging…especially when you don’t FEEL as if you look your best! But first let me remind you…FAT IS NOT A FEELING! Once you can come to terms with this concept, you will feel free from this socialized stigma that comes along with the word fat. You will find freedom in your independent body, you will find love and truth with who you are and what you “look like.” But Why? Each and every one of your feelings and emotions is valid, therefore, once you identify your ACTUAL FEELINGS….NOT YOUR FAT FEELINGS you will be on your way towards a healthy body image! Whenever I “feel” fat….I always need to remind myself that FAT IS NOT A FEELING…and when I forget, which admittedly is quite often, Sean reminds me, my support system reminds me! Identify Your Feelings Once I remind myself that fat is not a feeling, I first refer to my trusty vocabulary wheel…which I basically have memorized…I then identify my feelings. I suggest you give this baby a good look, because it is gold! Once you can identify your “fat feeling” through a broader vocabulary, it is that much
Exercise and Social Media – Healthy Motivations and Honesty!
This is a blog post that I wrote for the amazing Julie Harris from The Healthful Peach, an beautiful blog that helps women find a healthy balance in life with food and fitness. Julie believes that showing up daily with intention, and feeling empowered to make healthful choices is truly living a healthy life! I could not agree more! Therefore, I wrote up this piece about the concept of exercise in the extremely skewed environment in which we live! I hope you enjoy! I truly believe that listening to your body, having a healthy and safe relationship with food, and practicing SAFE exercise in MODERATION is self-care at it’s finest! For individual’s who are within their Eating Disorder Recovery, exercise can be a slippery slope, it can become a compulsion, it can be used as a purging behavior, therefore developing a realistic and unique relationship with movement and exercise is crucial within recovery! Social Media Exercise vs. Honest Exercise Exercise classes were my saving grace within my own personal recovery, in that they allowed for a controlled form of physical activity, to avoid “relapse” into unhealthy behaviors and motivations, as well as, create a supportive space for physical exercise.
Interview With Dana Suchow From DoTheHotPants!
Okay everyone, I am thrilled and giddy with excitement to share this post with you! I had the privilege to meet with and interview Dana Suchow of “DoTheHotpants” via Skype this past month, and let me just say it was so enlightening and empowering! Dana is a fellow ED warrior, fellow feminist, and advocate for ALL women, and I am 100% confident you will gain some knowledge about body image, self-love and womanhood within this post! Dana now lives in New York City, has a Masters Degree in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University and has appeared on Good Morning America and The T.D. Jakes Show, and she’s been featured in The Huffington Post, Vogue, Marie Claire, Seventeen Magazine, ABC News, and Yahoo! I have participated within the body positive and Eating Disorder Recovery “world” on Instagram for about a year now, and since, I have grown so much appreciation for certain accounts, one of my favorite being @DoTheHotpants! DoTheHotpants was started by Dana Suchow, a fashion blogger turned speaker, activist and event producer. Dana came to the realization that the fashion industry was fueling her eating disorder, and that the unattainable, unrealistic, and unhealthy beauty standards she was
Learning How To Love Your Body
Learning how to love yourself, learning how to love your body, loving your body more, love your body, love your body love your body…..I could say it over and over and over again, but it will not happen unless you WANT it, unless you WORK for it, unless you want to make the sacrifices to truly love yourself! No, I am not talking about dieting, going to the gym, and transforming yourself in order to love yourself, I am talking about truly loving yourself down to the core! Loving your body for what it is NOW, because in the end that is all you have. You have you. You have your mind, your body and your love for yourself. This takes desire, will power and a level of discomfort! But I am going to tell you, lean into that discomfort, embrace this feeling of uncomfortable and dive into a life of loving yourself! Encourage Self Awareness to love your self and love your body Self Awareness, this is a concept that I touch on a lot within this blog, because self-awareness is an underlying theme within all recovery processes. Bringing a sense of immediacy and honesty towards your current, and
All Natural DIY Face Masks AND My Recent All Natural Skin Care Obsessions!
This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them will help support this website. My loved ones can attest to my slight obsession with skin products…it has ALWAYS been my go to “luxury self-care” and I’m still finding ways to experiment with skin care within my self-care practice! Now YOU can benefit from my LOVE for skincare! I have tested out some fantastic DIY natural face masks, as well as, listed some of my favorite organic products for you to implement into your daily luxury self-care practice! Skin care, face masks, and pampering myself was a major part within my personal Eating Disorder Recovery. Whenever I felt triggered or shameful for using behaviors I learned to resort to soothing and natural behaviors, such as, skincare and DIY masks! Therefore, the use of products and skincare was so much more than a concept of vanity, instead it was a replacement of unhealthy behaviors, it was a way to find comfort and treat my body with respect! We constantly think about what we put INTO our bodies, but what about what we put ON our bodies?! We always read the ingredient labels on the back of our food, analyze every word that
What WOMAN Means to Me pt. 7 – with Emily Dell
I met Emily while studying abroad in Florence, Italy my Junior year of college. Emily and I, along with five other fabulous women, were assigned to live with each other at random in a charming, quaint and tiny apartment above a Gelato shop (it was heavenly)! I was drawn to Emily right away, in that her vibrancy, unapologetic demeanor and confidence were contagious! It has now been over five years since we met, and Emily has continued on her own journey in California. Her presence with her friends and family has always stayed strong, and she is truly a unique soul in every way! I am honored to have had Emily author this post on her personal depiction of womanhood! I hope you enjoy! What WOMAN means to me; living a life of grace. Grace with others, but more importantly grace with yourself. I always tell my girlfriends not to be self-conscious. I tell them how beautiful they are and who really cares about the love handles anyway?! Well, I need to be listening to my own advice. Too many times I catch myself hating my body, wishing I were thinner or just wishing I were different all together. What
Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga – Being a Charleston Local, Facing Fears and Embracing Dreams!
A Day Out on Folly Beach, Tackling My Fears and Embracing My Dreams I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a yogi, but I am absolutely a lover of all things yoga! I am also an avid lover of all things beach! This past Monday I combined those two loves, I took a stand up paddle board yoga class at Charleston SUP Safari! This is something that I have always dreamed about doing, but my fears and insecurities got in the way, welp, I went for it, and oh my goodness was it worth it! Keep reading to hear about my experiences at Charleston SUP Safari, out on the water, and some great places to stop by after your stand up paddle board experience out on Folly Beach! Starting The Day Off Right I made sure to start my day right with confidence, courage and of course coffee at Black Magic Cafe. I had a delicious iced soy latte and pastry to compliment my workout out on the water! This cafe is a great local spot out on Folly and promises to use only wholesome and fresh ingredients! Becoming a Local Ever since I moved to Charleston, I have made it my mission
Lets Talk Body Image! Ways to Love Yourself More and Live a Self-Compassionate Life!
This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them will help support this website. Body Image. This is a tough one….I have said it before, and I will say it again and again….positive body image ALMOST ALWAYS comes last within Eating Disorder recovery, as well as within any journey towards self-compassion. Loving what you see in the mirror, appreciating your size, your weight, your natural curves, and appreciating all of the beautiful flaws within your physical image is so much harder than it seems. Keep reading to learn how to obtain a positive body image in the absence of weight loss and dieting, as well as, suggested resources to reach a level of self-compassion and positive body image. The Truth. The truth is that happiness does not come from weight loss, it does not come from that summer diet or beach diet, losing those five or ten pounds does not foster a feeling of happiness. Happiness does not come from dieting, #bodygoals, or a new workout regimen (Check out this post on the power of the scales and numbers within our society). Most of the time these concepts are so often combined, but in reality happiness, weight loss, and body
#NoFearInFood…. Everyday Can Be Donut Day!
This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them will help support this website. Happy National Donut Day! First off, let me be the one to remind you….ANYDAY can be national donut day, we do not need permission to eat certain food groups! No fear in food is a concept that truly applies to everyone, whether you are eating disorder recovered, working on your body love, in need of some extra self-care, or just are feeling shameful for eating that donut, fear and shame should NEVER be connected to food! So much of body appreciation, body positivity, and loving your body, starts with your relationship with food! First and foremost, food is nourishment, but food can be fun, it can be exciting, although it should never be off limits! This is a tough concept, and it takes sometime to truly grasp it…because we live in a culture that tells us we SHOULDN’T be eating certain foods, and that some foods are GOOD, some are BAD, some are, CLEAN, and some are even SUPER or WHOLE! What does this all mean?! Let me help you interpret all of this…take the fear away from the food, and I promise you will be happier!
Self-Care On The Road – Road Trip Self-Care Kit!
Keep reading to learn my tips and tricks for maintaining self-care and protecting your Eating Disorder Recovery while on the road! Self-care is so very important, especially while we are traveling! Self-care can be used as a preventative practice in place of unhealthy behaviors, such as restriction, dieting, overexercising, binge eating, purging, etc. We can live a life filled with self-love, self-compassion and body appreciation through the constant practice of self-care! More on my road trip self-care kit below! Recovery Love and Care is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This post is not sponsored by any of the independent brands, I am just a HUGE FAN of the products and wanted to share them with my amazing readers! This past weekend Sean, Gio and I drove from Charleston, SC to Washington DC to celebrate my younger sister’s college graduation! What a fabulous weekend it was, filled with family, food and fun! We made it a quick trip because Sean had to work on Monday; therefore we made somewhat of a “guest appearance” in DC. Even
What WOMAN Means To Me pt. 6 – with Ireana Nathan
Who is just LOVING this series?! It is truly turning into a safe space for ALL women to illustrate what WOMAN means to them! I first met Ireana at an event for fellow creatives and bloggers here in Charleston, SC, although i had secretly been a fan of her blog XoXo, I. Joelle for some time! Ireana is a Life and Style blogger, and I highly recommend heading over to her blog, and following her on social media, as she is truly so much fun, and an inspiration in so many ways! Ireana is everything that she embodies within her writing, photos, social media, branding, and blog, in that her voice truly rings through! She is vibrant, genuine, intelligent, hysterical, and beautiful in every way! I feel privileged to have Ireana guest author on this blog, and I hope you all enjoy her depiction of womanhood! I’m going to be honest with you it took me a while to answer that question. When Jayne at RecoveryLoveAndCare reached out to me with this prompt I thought I had it all figured it out. I tried thinking about what so and so would say but then I remembered that everyone has their own definition
My Recovery Kitty – The Saga of Lilly!
Buckle in for a funny and plot twisting post, you’ll be shocked at what happens! At the very beginning of my Eating Disorder (ED) Recovery, Sean and I moved in with one another. Maybe I should be clearer, I moved in with Sean and three of his friends, and yes, I know what you are thinking… Why would I ever do such a thing?!! Yes, it was chaotic, extremely trying and oh so difficult, but it worked! But that is for another post, this post is about my first little fur baby! When I moved into Sean’s place I decided that I needed something that I could call my own, something that I could love, hold onto, take care of, something that wasn’t connected to anyone else, and that wasn’t related to food, or my body. The Animal Adoption Center in Jackson, WY, had just received a litter of kittens, and it just so happened that I was a crazy cat lady…so it was really meant to be! Sean was on board, after a bit of convincing…and it was decided! I was going to be a kitty mother! I specifically wanted a boy, that was my only requirement. I went
What WOMAN Means to Me – Pt. with Becca Schultz
Becca Shultz is an amazing soul, she is an inspiring presence and I am so very honored that she has written a post for this series! As an empowered WOMAN, Becca has now taken it upon herself to spread the powerful inspirations and ideations that she has been taught by women in her life. I came across Becca’s Instagram page, Becoming_Becca.Again_, and it blew me away, Becca is not only powering through Eating Disorder Recovery like a boss, but she is also busting through the feminist world and making it her own, while advocating for ALL! I hope you enjoy this incredibly depiction of what WOMAN means to Becca. “Being a woman.” Where do I even begin? I hope I don’t jumble some of my words, I do struggle with self-confidence a lot. For so long I never really thought about or pondered on the fact of what it truly means to be a woman, to encompass the feminine spirit. Growing up in a society that has it’s set standards of what being a woman “really encompasses” has caused me to feel confused throughout the majority of my life, questioning where I stood in society, and if my role
Soapy Self-Care – The Three Tiers of Self-Care
Self-care is a complex concept, similar to many of the topics that are discussed on this blog. I will break down this concept into three tiers as well as, provide an example of a multi-tiered practice of self-care that I use on a nightly basis! 1.Simplistic Self-Care is the purest tier of self-care and is also the most difficult to practice, in that it goes deeper than surface level. This level of self-care is introspective, it requires a level of self-compassion and self-awareness, it is allowing yourself to live in the grey, rather than a black and white world. For instance, -Allowing yourself to feel multiple emotions at one time -Feeling happy AND anxious AND regretful are all acceptable and rational feelings to have! -Allowing yourself to cry when you are sad -Allowing yourself to laugh and smile when you are happy -Allowing yourself to eat when you are hungry -Brining awareness to your fears and sitting in the discomfort of your emotions -Having love and compassion for your flaws -Taking care of your inner self and wellbeing -Loving yourself for all of your flaws, inward, and outward -Giving yourself the
What WOMAN Means To Me – Pt. 4 with Claire Mattingly
It’s that time again! I am so anxious for everyone to read this post, not just because it was authored by my sister, but also because Claire is a strong, empowering and amazing person. Claire is my younger sister, and she is truly what I hope to be like when I “grow up!” Enjoy! To me, WOMAN does not refer to a single individual, nor simply myself, but a powerful patchwork, a sisterhood. This sisterhood is comprised of women who care for, listen to, and protect each other. My mom, my sisters, my friends, my guardians. I am undoubtedly proud to be a woman, but society weighs on me because of it. I am constantly made aware of the lower position my gender affords me. I’m told, “you’re not like other girls, you’re cool,” and I’m expected to react to this attack on my sisterhood as if it’s a gift. I’m told, “don’t get so emotional,” when I’m simply expressing passion. I’m told, “not everything’s about feminism,” when I try to address blatant misogyny. I’m told. I’m told. I’m told. I don’t wish to tackle the patriarchy in this moment, but instead to honor the sisterhood. Because the best way
Self-Care Giveaway! Recovery Love and Care & Celadon Massage
CALLING ALL LOCALS!!!! The lovely Joanna Gable, from Celadon Massage, and I have linked up and created an AMAZING give away for anyone who is within the Charleston, SC area! Joanna is a local Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) here in Charleston. She runs her own practice with focus on local and organic products. Joanna believes in the power of the healing touch, the beauty of ALL bodies, as well as, the luxury of having another person take care of you. It is a wonderful thing to take care of others, and also to take care of yourself, but sometimes it is necessary for others to take care of you! Self-care is so incredibly important to live a healthy, happy and successful life, and sometimes that self-care needs to be LUXURIOUS! Therefore, we have come up with an AMAZING give away for all local Charlestonians! Check it out below! The Give Away: A completely complimentary 60 minute massage at Celadon Massage, with your choice of a complimentary add-on (see below)! Add-ons include: -Dry brushing: great for stimulation the lymph system and full-body exfoliation -Hot Stone: heated stones applied during the session to aid in relaxation and deeper relief, increases circulation -Contrast
“Have You Tried That Cleanse?!”…..#OverIt
“Oh are you doing the cleanse!?” “Have you tried the Whole 30?” “You eat carbs!?” “Do you do clean eating?!” These are all questions I have been asked in the past week. No, I am not ever offended by these questions, as I believe that people are usually doing their best to exist in this world, and trying to connect on a deeper level. Yet these questions are incredibly problematic, why you ask? Because the diet culture is rampant and oh so wrong! Yes, a cleanse is a diet! Yes, the term “eating clean” is a diet culture term. Yes, restriction of ANY food group is all due to the diet-crazed culture that we live in! Also please keep in mind I am not shamming anyone who has chosen the diet life, if anything I am bringing to light the reality in which we live! These concepts, such as, cleansing the body, eating “whole” and “clean” foods, and restricting ESSENTIAL food groups such as carbs and gluten, are incredibly destructive to the human mind! Words have so much power, and these terms and concepts put labels on our daily nourishment, it claims one food as BAD and another food as
What WOMAN Means To Me Series – Pt. 3 With Gissell Reyes
Gissell Reyes is another dear friend of mine, fellow woman warrior, future colleague and fellow sister! I am overwhelmed by her beautiful depiction of WOMAN….go ahead and indulge yourself in this amazing illustration of What WOMAN means to Gissell…. Defining your womanhood is unique to yourself. This is one woman’s perspective on what it means to be a woman. Using this word to define the manner in which we keep our relationships with your loved ones and friends, what you give of yourself to those relationships, and how you maintain your balance with both. Being a WOMAN in today’s society means many things but these definitions belong to society. My definition is my own, just as your definition is wholly your own. When I think of my womanhood, I think of the relationships I maintain and my role in these relationships. Beyond my biology, I am a woman because I am a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a partner to my boyfriend. All of these relationships have a specific meaning that makes it unique to my idea of a woman. I am a daughter, different than a son because women are closer to their families. Traditionally, we stay
Take Up Space
In light of my new collaborative series, What WOMAN Means To me, as well as the social state in which women find themselves in on a daily basis I felt it would be beneficial to talk about the importance of community and this concept of taking up space. During childhood and adolescence and in the absence of self-care we were taught, coached and trained to constantly compete against one another. We were taught that in order to win or to make it to the top we must be better than someone else, this competition and constant comparison breeds a feeling of confusion and a state of constant second guessing ourselves. In addition to this competitive nature, women are taught, and told to be small, sweet, coy, kind, polite and caring. We were taught that in order to be a “good little girl” we must smile, stay sweet and take up AS LITTLE SPACE as possible. This concept of small has transcended into our adult years into our concept of woman hood. In addition to the whole body image piece, how is this even possible or fair?! How can young girls be expected to thrive and grow while being told
What WOMAN Means to Me Series pt. 2 – With Asia Vianna Mack
My good friend, fellow peer, and future colleague Asia Vianna Mack has gloriously put into words what WOMAN means to her in the form of poem. I am honored to know such a strong and vulnerable woman, I hope you enjoy! Pieces Just like a Mr. Potato Head. Rip off the arms, mouth, mustache and legs. All you’re left with is a big brown lump! I’ve often felt this way as I’ve physically matured from a girl to a woman. The objectification and sexualization of my body impacted my self-esteem, self-image and spirit. So many times, when I look in the mirror I mentally detach my body parts. Starting with my face and then my breasts. Stomach. Thighs. Buttocks. Back and then around to my arms. Scrutinizing. Criticizing. Assessing. Disapproving. Finding flaws with my body. This fault seeking behavior impacted the self-love I showed my body. As I have become more educated on sexism, misogyny, objectification, and stereotypes I have been able to recognize my internalization of these perceptions. Yet, for a long time, even after I recognized that I internalized these ideas I wasn’t sure what to do with it or how to correct it. To really shift your
What WOMAN Means to Me – Series Kickoff!
This is a start to an extensive and beautiful collaborative series about what WOMAN means, as the concept of female and woman is unique to each and every individual. We will be hearing from women and men from all walks of life, all shapes and sizes, all colors, all cultures and backgrounds. So read on, and stay tuned! Self-Awareness is such a crucial part of self-care, and self-love, as we can only truly find our self worth and state of happiness once we look at ourselves. We must ask ourselves questions that force us to delve deeper and peel back the layers to find awareness of our true beings; self-awareness helps us understand why and how we are important to the world…. because we are ALL so important, and so incredibly worthy! Self-awareness can start with some simple questions…. Who am I? What makes me happy? What do I appreciate about myself? What do others appreciate about me? What do I appreciate about others? How do I perceive myself? How do I perceive others? What truly makes me happy? What truly makes me proud? So much of my identity is being a woman. My Mom and Dad raised three strong, independent,
Bay State to Broad Collaboration – A New Take on More Than Just a Number
Bay State to Broad’s original post…. More Than Just a Number I’m so excited to feature one of my sweetest friends on Bay State to Broad today! Jayne grew up just outside of Chicago. I grew up just outside of Boston. Jayne transferred schools after her freshman year to The College of Charleston. I transferred schools after my freshman year to The University of South Carolina. Jayne and I both decided to study abroad in Florence, Italy. We were paired in an apartment together more than 4,000 miles from home. After college, Jayne and I went in opposite directions. I went back to Massachusetts, while she made a cross-country journey to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Five years later, Jayne and I live just a few miles down the road from each other in charming Charleston, South Carolina. Week three of friendship! Wine tasting excursion through the hills of Tuscany. (Hashtag babies.) Jayne blogs over at Recovery Love and Care, a blog, website, and brand that helps those with Eating Disorders and their loved ones move through the journey of self-care, self-love, and recovery. She is working towards obtaining her graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at The Chicago School of
Be Your Own Advocate
Whether within recovery from poor self-image, people pleasing, lack of self worth, or an Eating Disorder, having a voice for yourself is crucial. Advocacy is one of those things that doesn’t necessarily seem natural to us, in that we were never taught how to assert ourselves, promote ourselves and look out for the greater good of our souls. We grew up with parents, or guardians of some sort as our advocates, teachers, coaches, tutors, aids, peers, counselors, and even companies and government officials who speak on behalf of us. Within daily life, as an individual, the only advocate is yourself. It takes courage, adjustment, and self-acceptance, but the moment you start to advocate for yourself, the moment you begin to look out for the greater good of your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, the moment you talk on behalf of your soul, is when you will truly be advocating for yourself, and this is self care at its finest! If you don’t advocate for your emotional well being who will?! No one. Because, you, and you only, are the one who knows your limitations, boundaries, feelings, emotions and state of wellbeing. The absence of advocacy calls for compliance, blurred boundaries,
Our “BUTS” are getting in the way…How AND Why to Live an “AND” Life!
After a long and grueling week at my second, and final Residency in Chicago I am feeling more grounded in not only my professional skills, but also my personal skills on a level higher than I ever imagined possible at this point within my life! I learned that despite my mental and emotional exhaustion, despite moments of self-doubt, and feelings of being invisible in the midst of an obvious power differential, I was able to trust the process, and come out even stronger because of it. Within our lives we constantly cut ourselves short from growth and change, and we stay within a place of comfort by avoiding the unknown. We “yes, BUT” ourselves through life, by excusing out of the box or adventurous ideas with “realism”, we nod our heads when in reality we are saying no, and with this we stunt our lives and we cut off chances for opportunities and growth. It is possible to live a busy life AND take care of yourself….trust me I test this skill out every single day. There are times within our daily lives when we believe that there is no chance for rest, there is not time for self-care, and
Trust The Process
My how time flies! I have officially been at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology as a Clinical Mental Counseling graduate student for nineteen months! I am currently embarking on my second, and last residency in Chicago, and there is finally a glimmer of practicing as a professional in the near future! Residency week is filled with intense emotions, anxiety, professionalism, networking, and constant skills practice; it is truly an amazing experience although it requires intense focus, staying in the present, and trust. The program is all about “trusting the process”, we are constantly told to “trust the process”, and this truly doesn’t make any sense until you are within the process. I feel that this concept is parallel to life, in that when we truly live within the here and now, we must learn how to trust the process, no matter what that process may bring us at that time, as that is what the process is! What if we went through life with only guidelines or the skeleton of a plan, truly lived within the present and ambitiously gave our full trust to the process of life? I wonder how this would look? Would we all find our
The Power of Patience
“We want things so badly – that job, that check, a relationship, a possession. We want our life to change…. We try to predict, circling dates on the calendar, asking questions…. we forget that we don’t hold the answers” – Melody Beattie Patience, this is a concept that many individuals struggle within our society. We live in a society that constantly craves the here and now, the immediate results, and instant gratification. We want, need and desire the concept of that quick fix, in that the media sends us messages that we can achieve results in one week or one day, we are flooded with before and after photos, and the concept of immediacy within every aspect of our life! How are we supposed to achieve self-care, self-love, and a safe level of health in a world that doesn’t allow the time to heal and take care of ourselves? How can we truly change and grow with this pressing mindset in the absence of time, quality and patience? We cannot grow, change, heal and achieve recovery within this quick fix world; therefore we must change our mindset and monitor our expectations, in that change and recovery does not occur within
Feel Good Look Good Series – A New Take on Dressing for Success – Collaboration with East Coast Gypsy and Recovery Love and Care!
Life is all about change, transition, and growth, and without discomfort we cannot truly grow as human beings. Therefore in a world filled with many moments of discomfort it is best to avoid it when unnecessary! For instance, feeling uncomfortable in your clothes is something that no one should endure, in that it can truly lower your self esteem, and drive for the rest of the day. We follow so many rules, regulations, challenges, and standards within our day-to-day lives, therefore why not think outside the box when it comes to what you wear? Why not give yourself a little bit of self-love, and self-care within your wardrobe? I know that throughout my entire life, I have felt the need to dress a certain way, and look a certain way in order to “fit in”, in order to gain acceptance from others. Simple things like wearing skinny jeans, high heels, or crop tops, but in reality I HATE wearing skinny jeans, in that I physically do not feel comfortable in them. It is not a matter of self-loathing, it is a matter of me just not feeling comfortable, and with that discomfort comes lack of self love and self care
Feel Good Look Good Series AND The Tiny Tassel Give Away!
***A winner has been chosen!*** I am starting a series that is near and dear to my heart! This series is about FEELING your best while embracing your outward appearance! This is something that we can all benefit from, especially for those within their Eating Disorder Recovery, or for those working through body positivity, low self-esteem, and/or self-care! Recovery Love and Care is all about living for life love and self-care, and in order to do that successfully, a multidimensional approach is crucial! For instance, your health, your mind, your feelings and emotions, your family, your energy, your spirituality, your soul, your body, your inner self, and your outer self are ALL important within the practice of self-love and self-care! Everything that makes you, YOU, is important…and that is self-care and self-love at its finest! So when I talk about feeling good and looking good, I mean this in the absence of shame, and only in the presence of self-care and self-love, in that we all deserve to feel good and look good, whatever that means to you! With that being said, I am kicking this week off with a treat! Seeing that National Eating Disorder Awareness Week just
Healthy Is The New Skinny – A Five Star Book Review!
Healthy Is the New Skinny started out as a blog, website, and forum for women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and demographics, who were in need of a new message that challenged the common conception that women need to be small in order to achieve success and happiness. The blog, turned into a brand, Instagram movement, clothing line, and now book! Katie H. Willcox provides a fresh perspective into the world of size shaming, consumer America, and the finding happiness within our lives dependent of our shape, or weight! As a growing blog, and brand focused on body positivity, self-love, self-care and Eating Disorder Recovery, as well as, a developing Clinical Mental Health Counselor, I can proudly say that Healthy Is the New Skinny is a book worth reading! It is a safe and helpful read for ALL individuals, in that Katie has created a strong piece of work that is clearly based on research and awareness towards true self-love within a “picture perfect world”. We live in a world filled with filters, hash tags, likes, Photoshop, and fabrication, therefore books like Healthy Is the New Skinny are necessary and crucial within our journey towards a world filled with honesty,
The Awareness Doesn’t Stop Here!
National Eating Disorder Awarness Week is coming to an end, but the awareness does not stop here! I got this tattoo almost three years ago, this tattoo represents, strength, beauty, self love, self worth, and recovery! After living with an Eating Disorder the majority of my young life, I can now say I am recovered! Full Recovery IS POSSIBLE, but it takes hard work, dedication, and desire to grow and change! It was the most difficult and trying journey, but oh my goodness was it worth it! Let’s continue to spread awareness, truth and education about ED Recovery! Below are three truths within ED Recovery, that I will touch upon throughout my future posts!
More Than a Number
Within the body positive world, it is often said that happiness is beyond the scale. This concept is incredibly difficult, if not, at times impossible to grasp for those deep within an eating disorder. An entire book could be written just on this concept, therefore in this short post I will touch upon this myth within the numbers. How many times have you thought/said/heard these statements? “If only I were smaller” “I wish I was two sizes smaller, then I would be happy” “If I could get to ____weight my life would be perfect” “The only thing that I don’t have under control is my weight, and size” “I would kill for that body” “I wish I was a size smaller” “I wish my boobs were bigger” “If I had those hips I could rule the world” Our society places so much importance on numbers, in that our clothing sizes and number on the scale determines success and worth, but do they? Does that number on the scale, bra size, pant size, or dress size actually determines success and happiness? The answer is 100% NO, happiness is not determined by a number, it is not determined by a piece of
Self Love, Short and Sweet
Here is my professional and personal take on self-love, I’ll make this short and sweet! Self love is a new concept to many, in that it is not something that we were taught about in school, it is not something that was drilled into our minds much like math, science, and geography, instead it is a concept that is incredibly foreign to us. Why is this? Why is such an important and crucial concept so new to us within our adult years? I don’t quite have the answer to this, because the lack of self-love has fostered a world of negativity, hatred, illness, and self-loathing. In a world filled with selfies, hash tags and filters, it can be easy to view self love as selfishness, narcissism, and fabrication…. and yes, this does exist, but this is not self love. Self-love is appreciating the person that you are, accepting yourself for your flaws, loving yourself for the good and the bad, loving the black and white while also embracing the grey! Self love is loving yourself, for yourself, not for someone else’s gratification, not doing it for likes on Instagram and Facebook, not doing it for followers, or social acceptance,
Why We Workout
As discussed many of times within this blog, exercise can be a sticky situation within ED recovery. Exercise is a beautiful thing, but only when practiced in a healthy and safe fashion, with good intentions. I used to work out to achieve a certain ideal, to look a certain way, to find a bit of self-acceptance in my reflection. I used to work out to sweat until I deserved that pizza, to push myself so hard that I was too exhausted to eat. I used to work out for what I thought was self-love, but in reality it wasn’t self-love, it was self-loathing, ring any bells?! We say that we work out and exercise for self care and self love, but are we really doing just that? Or are we using this as an excuse to fit a mold, to fit an ideal? How many times have you heard, I worked out today, so I deserve that cookie, or I ran five miles, so I can go out to eat now. Or how about, I was so good today, I went to the gym, or I’ve been so bad I haven’t worked out so I can’t eat that. What is
Five Ways to Celebrate Recovery!
In honor of Eating Disorder Awareness week below is a handful of ways to recognize and celebrate your own recovery, as well as, spread awareness! Your recovery hero is first and foremost yourself, which is a beautiful achievement, but there are also other heroes within our life that helped us through our eating disorders, were the catalyst to recovery, or maybe just influenced self-awareness. Whether your recovery hero knows about their impact on you and your recovery or not, take the time to acknowledge them! Celebrate your hero! This can be intimidating at first so here are some ideas on ways to acknowledge that special someone in your recovery journey! -Make a picture collage and post it on social media, send it to them, or frame it as a gift! -Make a playlist that embodies the spirit behind your recovery journey -Write a letter to your recovery hero and send it in the mail or read it to them out loud! -Treat your recovery hero to an afternoon with you, show them love, respect and appreciation through vulnerability and friendship! -Give your hero a hug, and just say thank you! Social media, in particular Facebook and Instagram can be incredibly
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2017!
This week is Eating Disorder awareness week! What does this mean? There is an entire week dedicated towards educating the public and honoring those within their Eating Disorders and Eating Disorder Recovery. February 26th to March 4th will be focused on continuing the conversation about Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, and Eating Disorders other specified, as well as, educating the public about the truth behind Eating Disorders, continued funding towards Eating Disorder treatment, honoring the recovered, and spreading love and awareness to those affected by Eating Disorders and those who lack an understanding of Eating Disorders and Recovery. The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) host’s week of awareness, therefore I encourage everyone to visit their webpage. NEDA offers a plethora of ways to not only get involved within Awareness week, but also offers resources for those in need of extra support, see below for a list of services… Free online screening for Eating Disorders Local and online resources for those in need Ways to raise awareness and get involved within the recovery community Local and global walks in honor of NEDA awareness week Stories of hope Resources for treatment and insurance Public health concerns and a conversation
The Grieving Process within Eating Disorder Recovery
Grief is a feeling of despair, uncontrollable and inevitable loss, disappointment, pain, numbness and sadness, an experience that can last a moment or a lifetime, something that is not tangible and can cause isolation and a feeling of alone. Grief is a normal reaction to any kind of loss, as well as, all of the emotions that coincide with the grief, although some emotions may feel abnormal due to misunderstood or unidentified grief, they are not (James & Friedman, 2009). Grief has various definitions, as it is an experience that all individuals face, and in different ways, depending on their loss, and this can cause for confusion and conflicting feelings. These conflicting feelings are usually caused by change in some aspect of an individual’s life, such as, death, and in this case, loss of innocence and identity. Grief is something that is experienced on so many levels, as the feeling the feeling of change and loss do not necessarily have to correspond with what we conceive to be a negative belief. Below is a list of the various forms of grief that an individual may experience within their lifetime (James & Friedman, 2009). Death of a loved one Death of
Awareness in Body Checking: Taking One More Step Towards Living a Body Positive Life
As another extension to my body positive series, today’s post is about body checking. Body checking is a very common behavior within individuals with Eating Disorders. What do I mean by body checking? Body checking: Constant “checking”, looking, touching, and/or intensely focusing on a body part and/or section or area of your body. The “checking” is fueled by insecurities on how the individual thinks or feels that they look. My Story: This is something that many individuals struggle with throughout their Eating Disorder. One main form of body checking is involves mirror checking…. It started at the young age of ten, when I went through puberty, every single time I went to use the restroom, whether it was in a public place, school, work, or at home, I would wash my hands, look in the mirror, suck in my stomach, and slightly lift my shirt, to check my belly with my hand in the mirror. Every time I looked at my belly in the mirror I hoped to find some sort of strength, success, and worth. It became so much of a habit that I did not even realize I was doing it. One day my nutritionist advised me to
Find your Flow and Growth within 2017
Happy Day to everyone!! 2017, I have positive, healthy and manageable expectations for you!…..oh my….even I rolled my eyes while writing that! What I mean is that, as we move into this new year, I remind myself, and others, that a specific day and number do not dictate the outcome for the next 365 days of life! Instead, our thoughts, words, and actions affect the present and future, therefore having healthy expectations about this “new year” is incredibly helpful to our happiness, because, yes, we will set out a new plan and goals for ourselves, but we will have ourselves to thank for bringing any change to our current life flow. I use the word expectation fairly often within my blog posts, and I do this because expectations can either set us up for success, and reality, or failure and disappointment, therefore when a manageable, and positive expectation is set, only growth can occur…no matter the actual outcome. As you set these expectations for 2017, I encourage you to change your train of thought and consider your current situation. Within your life, are you allowing flow? Are you truly experiencing the present, and flowing through the reality of your individual
Turkey Day Tips
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and along with the busy schedules, family gatherings, and holiday celebrations, comes copious amounts of food, and with that, feelings of vulnerability and maybe even fear. Thanksgiving can be a wonderful time, but it can also be incredibly triggering and overwhelming for individuals living within their eating disorder or individuals within recovery. Here are some quick tips to get you ready for Turkey Day and all of the joy and spirit that comes with it! Prepare for Re-entry by managing your expectations…..click here to read more! Set yourself up for success! You don’t HAVE to abide by all of the cultural traditions and odd rules that come with “giving thanks.” In other words, try to look at this holiday as any other day, in that you don’t HAVE to eat copious amounts of food in order to celebrate properly! You don’t HAVE to partake in the somewhat twisted traditions like running in a marathon or “turkey trot”, in order to “earn” your meal. You don’t HAVE to starve yourself all day in order to “indulgence” in dinner. Instead, you can go about your day as you usually would, listen to your body, eat when
An Honest Look At Body Image Within Eating Disorder Recovery – Series pt. 1
Body Image. This is a tough one….I have said it before, and I will say it again and again….positive body image ALMOST ALWAYS comes last within recovery. Loving what you see in the mirror, appreciating your size, your weight, your natural curves, and appreciating all of the beautiful flaws within your physical image is so much harder than it seems. So many individual’s struggle with this aspect of recovery….in that the mind can get away from us at times, and we start to become emotionally and sometimes physically consumed by the unrealistic perceptions we have about how we currently “see” ourself, how we want to “see” ourself, how we “see” other’s in comparison to ourself, and how we believe other’s “see” us. Yep, it sounds exhausting, and maybe even ridiculous, but this is the mind of someone within recovery. I use these words carefully, in that when I say “see ourself”, or how “we see others”, I mean this literally, because that is what we are doing, I do not mean how we look or who we are, instead I mean how we perceive ourself. At times it seems that the physical self is somewhat dissociated from the emotional
Spread the Love
Today is a confusing day for several, a hopeless day for some, a victory for several, and a tumultuous day for all. Our country is divided right now, more so than ever. I spoke with Sean, my family, friends and loved ones this morning, and I heard so much sadness, hopelessness and fear in their words, this was scary….our sadness is provoking a feeling of fear, or vice versa, and with fear comes hate, and hate solves nothing. So let’s spread the love today, all day, everyday. Shake off that fear, and bring hope to yourself, your loved ones, and just any random person on the street, because that is the only thing that will get us through this tumultuous time. We may not all agree with each other, but love is something I truly believe our country is capable of, we are TOO GOOD for hate, we have gotten through so much to go back to hateful behavior. So if you are feeling vulnerable, sad, angry, happy, thrilled, scared, hopeful or hopeless, know that you are loved, and that love is the only thing that will bring you and others happiness. Practice self-love, as self-love is what self-care is
Essential Oils and Self-Care Series pt.1
Essential oils are the Holy Grail to my self-care routine. They were an amazing supplement to my therapy, nutrition planning, and treatment plan during the beginning of my recovery. Therefore, I will be starting a Self-Care series about how I use essential oils within my daily, and weekly routine. Today’s post is dedicated to prevention and intervention for that oh so dreaded cold….yes it’s that season, everyone is getting sick, therefore why not boost that immune system and soothe the senses!? When it comes to Eating Disorder Recovery, getting sick with a cold, or the stomach flu, or really anything, is just a part of the process. Your body is doing its very best to build up your immune system, therefore weird things start to happen, like getting sick! In the beginning of my own recovery, I was constantly sick with a cold, sinus infection, bloated, and swollen, because my body was figuring out how to be healthy again…. because in reality, my body wasn’t being treated very well for a good ten years! This was the hard part of recovery…. remember, it gets worse before it gets better! Therefore, essential oils played a major part within this not so
Eating Disorders in Males-#EatingDisordersItsNotJustAWhiteGirlThing
Penn State Kicker, Joey Julius recently went public with his Eating Disorder. Julius spoke on his diagnosis of Binge Eating Disorder (BED) with purging behaviors and bulimic tendencies. It is public figures, like Joey, that can be an inspiration, and voice for females and males around the country who are living with Eating Disorders. You can read Joey’s story here. For today’s post, we are getting “a bit clinical” and tearing down those misperceptions and false assumptions about Eating Disorders. So many individuals believe that an Eating Disorders (ED) is “just a white girl thing”, that ED is just about women wanting to be a certain size, that it about women who eat too many salads, its about rich girls who don’t appreciate what they have, it is just a thing that the spoiled, white, rich girl deals with….this list of misperceptions goes on and on and on…. The truth is that males live with Eating Disorders too, it IS NOT JUST A WHITE GIRL DISORDER!! Here are some truths behind those false assumptions when it comes to males and Eating Disorders, according to current peer reviewed, clinical research and the Diagnostic Statistic Manual volume 5 (DSM-5) Males represent 25% of
First Aid Self-Care
Okay….so about this self care thing! Many people think that self care is just another term for being selfish, some people think it is this new creation made by the Millennial generation to fight the corporate life, but in truth, Self-Care is something that is necessary for each and every individual! And, if you don’t practice Self-Care, you will most likely end up being/having a “break down” of some sort, sleep deprived, malnourished, sick, late to work, struggling with daily tasks, and not being able to bring your best self to whatever it is that you do! Self-Care is the crux to being our best selves, and when we forget to care for ourselves, we lose sight of what is important, and we end up in a state of crisis! With that being said, prevention is key when practicing Self-Care. By prevention, I mean making sure that you avoid that dreaded breakdown due to being overworked, overtired, and not taking the time to take care of yourself! Therefore, anyone that struggles with the concept of Self-Care, or maybe finding the time to practice Self-Care, will benefit from the two analogies stated below… Airplane Oxygen Mask Self-Care: Think about that oh so
Acknowleging Your Anxiety and Protecting Your Recovery With Prevention #MotivationIsNotJustForMondays
TGIF, am I right?! It seems as though the world is going a bit crazy as of late, and I hope that anyone and everyone that is within Hurricane Matthew’s path or wake is out of harms way and safe! On Fridays I usually focus on Physical Exercise and Healthy Motivations, but today will be a bit different, in that my situation has changed a bit this week! I am going into a procedure this afternoon to have an oh so dreaded double gum graft and I thought it would be perfect to touch on acknowledging anxiety, protecting your recovery, and maintaining healthy motivations through self care and physical exercise! I had a quadruple gum graft about five and a half years ago, and let me tell you it was AWFUL! My periodontist was shocked with how long it took me to heal from the graft, and how long it took me to recover from the pain….and we quickly realized that this was due to my intense anxiety! I am sure that many of you can relate, in that my anxiety manifests itself in ways that are not necessarily visible to the outside world! For instance, so much of my anxiety “comes
Body Image Conception With Guest Author Jesaira Glover!
Happy Wednesday! Get excited because we have a “Guest Author” today! Therefore we are shifting our focus from just Eating Disorders to the oh so consuming and relevant topic of BODY IMAGE….as ALL of us experience struggles with how we perceive ourselves. Today’s post is a continuation of the #EatingDisordersItsNotJustAWhiteGirlThing, this series is all about tearing down those oh so common misconceptions about Eating Disorders, and Eating Disorder Recovery, and in this case body image conception. This weeks “guest author” needs no introduction in that she is such an inspiration, has a way with both the written and verbal word, and is such an amazing presence within The Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling department at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Jesaira Glover, is a fellow peer, fellow graduate assistant, and fellow female that I consider a friend and inspiration….Jesaira’s story is unique, honest, and beautiful! I hope you enjoy her story!….. For many years, I struggled with body image. I grew up in urban Detroit and although, my mama made us eat veggies with every meal, yet I still seem to be this chubby little girl. I vividly recall childhood memories of fellow students teasing me and calling me
Self Care Through Cooking
Cooking and the art of making meals has always been at the forefront of my own self care routine. Ever since I was in grade school, I found joy in cooking, I always helped my mom with big holiday meals, I was a cook book junkie, and I was even enrolled at a four year culinary school for a hot minute before I realized that I desired the traditional college experience. For me, cooking has always been personal, in that I love the unique creations that come about within the moment, there are no real mistakes in cooking, it is all about experimenting, and learning. Let me just say…that it took some hard work and self-love, but I was finally able to find a safe place with food again…and having a healthy relationship with food is possible! Keep in mind I am purely talking about cooking and not baking, as baking is all about measurements and accuracy…. therefore, I do not excel at baking…. But for those of you that do, please share your tips, tricks, recipes or just your story! I’m very aware, that cooking is incredibly intimidating to many people, it seems like a chore, and to most
Walk It Out With SkyFit (Now Aaptiv) – Bringing Healthy Motivations to Physical Exercise #MotivationIsNotJustForMondays pt. 3
Happy Friday to everyone! Congratulations you’ve made it through the week and hopefully it was a successful week set with positive intentions and healthy motivations! #MotivationIsNotJustForMondays Today’s post is part 3 of the #MotivationIsNotJustForMondays, and I will be touching a bit more on the app SkyFit (now known as Aaptiv)! First off, lets rein it in, and bring some honesty into the moment. As I have said before, and I will say it again, physical exercise is a huge part of my self-care routine, yet I make sure that I stay safe and protect my recovery first and foremost! How do I practice safe physical exercise? I almost always practice my exercise through a class forum, whether that is at an individual studio, a gym, on a dvd, with a group of friends, or on the SkyFit (Aaptiv) app, as this allows me to stay accountable and not “overdo” my exercise. I also make sure that I limit myself to one class a day; therefore I am protecting my recovery, and maintaining healthy motivations. I also make sure to stay honest, and accountable for my thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviors surrounding my physical activity, in that if I have the
Letting Go
The Garage Sale This past weekend, I helped my aunt and uncle, Carole and Russ, with their garage sale. They had a lifetime’s worth of “things” displayed in their garage…things that were filled with memories and stories, things that were being sold to strangers and categorized with a dollar sign in place of memories and emotions. As I sorted through all of Carole and Russ’s goodies, treasures, and “junk” it truly struck a chord. Letting go is scary, it makes you vulnerable, it has meaning, and we cannot move on, whether that is figuratively or literally, until we truly let go. This made me think, why is it that we hold onto things with all of our might, especially when it is so clear that letting go would be the healthiest and best choice? Sometimes it seems like it should be so easy, but it’s the “simple” things that are truly the hardest to let go! When it comes to my own journey within eating disorder recovery, my Eating Disorder (ED) was much like an abusive relationship. I fought with ED, I bickered with ED, I was emotionally intimate with ED, I lived with ED, ED abused me, I was
Embracing Your Inner Child!
It’s Monday again, most likely you are getting back to the grind, pouring yourself that extra cup of coffee and doing your best to gear up for the rest of the work week. You can do it! Remember take it day by day, believe in yourself, and practice self-care. Seeing that this blog has been “live” for about two weeks now, I have decided to share my current and unique self-care story. Now, let me remind you that everyone’s eating disorder, as well as, everyone’s recovery looks and feels different, it is unique to the person that you are, but it is also unique to WHERE you are within your life, and recovery. For instance, I consider myself fully recovered, in that most professionals would consider me “recovered,” but I believe that recovery is a process, a journey and is therefore NOT LINEAR, because all human beings deserve self-care, and a chance to learn and grow, and a chance to live healthy lives…. and that is what recovery is all about right?! So here it is….. The past four years of my life have been beautiful, in that I was forced to grow, to change, to challenge myself and work
Eating Disorders….It’s Not Just a White Girl Thing… Pt. 1
Well its Wednesday….we are half way through the work week and I hope we have all been practicing self care!! So first off I applaud you for making it this far through the week, and practicing self care by reading this blog! Here is a photo summary of my practiced self care this week…being away from Sean is so tough for me, so I make sure that I am on my self care game more than usual! So this week that meant family time, more family time and rainbow sprinkles….what could be better?! Seeing that our brains aren’t completely worn out yet, I will be sharing an educational “blurb” on eating disorders (ED). Now, ED is misunderstood by so many, even clinical professionals!….It is constantly seen as a vain disorder that is self induced or created by bad parenting….and let me tell you right now this mindset and way of thinking is incredibly outdated! So, as you read this post, I ask you to relearn what ED means to you, try to take the judgment and shame away, and have an open mind! For those of you within your own ED journey or recovery, try
Practice Prevention with Self Care in the AM!
Recovery Love and Care is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This post is not sponsored by any of the independent brands, I am just a HUGE FAN of the products and wanted to share them with my amazing readers! Happy Monday everyone! I am hoping it has been a happy day for you, but I do know that Monday’s are hard…. getting back to the grind, waking up with your alarm clock, having to face another week, whether that be at work, with your kids, or maybe facing another week of your recovery, can be intimidating and exhausting! Understanding the wear and tear that Mondays, and granted, most weekdays can have on your mental and emotional wellbeing, I am going to share how I make my day’s happy, no matter what day it is! As I have stated before, eating disorder recovery has so much to do with self-care, and learning how to replace unhealthy behaviors with healthy comforts! My unhealthy behaviors were always triggered in times of stress, which was usually based around my
BlogLovin
Now you can follow RecoveryLoveandCare on BlogLovin.com (see below)! Understand the importance of self care within recovery, while also following fellow bloggers and vloggers on one master feed! Enjoy, and don’t forget to practice Self-Care! Make sure to checkin tomorrow, as a new post within the #MotivationIsNotJustForMonday’s series will be up on the blog! https://www.bloglovin.com/
#MotivationIsNotJustForMondays
The following is the first in a series of posts focused on physical activity and exercises that facilitate self care. Please join the conversation and share your learning’s, questions, reflections, and struggles – we’re in this together! All right, so I think it is about time that we were all honest about exercise…and I mean this in a few different ways! First off, there is this new “trend” of people posting pictures of themselves conquering a yoga pose, with six pack abs, on top of a mountain, with no evidence of physical strife whatsoever…okay I may be exaggerating a bit, but in some cases this is absolutely true, right?! First off, my intention here is not to shame or put down anyone (ALL BODIES ARE BEAUTIFUL), instead, my intention is to bring a bit of reality and maybe even clarity to physical exercise, so by all means, if you are that person with a six pack, doing a headstand, on top of a mountain, then good for you…you do you! What I am truly trying to “get at” is the motivation behind YOUR physical exercise. What is YOUR motivation when it comes to exercise? …..Dig deep…be honest!… If you are
An Educated Decision When it Comes to Care
I have received some feedback with questions on what type of care is best and why, and to be honest, there is no one right answer, everyone’s experience within their eating disorder and within their recovery looks different and specifies for different needs. Understanding this, here are the facts, as well as, tidbits from my own experience, and I encourage everyone to make an educated decision on what “care” is best for them. Throughout my academic career I have referred to counseling as a helping profession, but I never truly dissected the meaning behind that title. Many graduate students within the counseling field refer to themselves as therapists in training, but the accurate term for myself is technically a counselor in training (Hutchinson, 2015). Such students shy away from using the technical term of a counselor, due to a social misconception that all helping professionals are the same, but in reality there are many differences between the various helping professional roles; these include family therapists, psychiatrists, social workers, marriage counselors, career counselors, and clinical mental health counselors (Hutchinson, 2015). Another incredibly important, and in my opinion crucial, aspect to keep in mind is to understand that said helping professionals usually
It’s Not What You Think
Now, I am incredibly aware that when most people hear the words eating disorder, they picture an emaciated, malnourished looking female, they think about that film For the Love of Nancy, staring Tracy Gold, that actress from Growing Pains, but this is not exactly the case for all individuals with eating disorders, yes, many fit this mold, but many do not. In other words, most family members, friends, boyfriends, doctors, and even the individual with the eating disorder are not aware of their disorder, because they may not fit this “preconceived notion” of what an eating disorder “should look” like. Therefore, I ask you to relearn what an eating disorder really is, it looks different for everyone, it may even feel different for everyone, but no matter what, it is common, and so incredibly real. It can be difficult, but I also ask you to avoid shamming individuals who may look “sick”, because again, someone may look “sick,” but that may be their healthy, and some may look “healthy” but that may be their “sick”….The amount of times you may tell someone how “healthy,” and “fit” they look, the more they may continue to justify their unhealthy behaviors. I know of