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#WSAW2016: Teaching Kids the Truth

Michelle May

The theme for Weight Stigma Awareness Week 2016 (#WSAW2016) is Teaching Kids the Truth and revolves around kids’ perceptions of weight bias and body image.

This theme is near and dear to my heart! I personally began struggling with body image disturbance and disordered eating around age 12 and I frequently hear similar stories from people we work with who continue to struggle many decades later.

While not technically “kids,” one important group that needs to hear this message is students! In honor of #WSAW2016, we are giving away a free download of Chapter 11 – Don’t Measure Your Self-Worth from Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat for Students: A Mindful Eating Program to Fuel the Life You Crave.

Here’s a short excerpt:

We are bombarded with messages telling us we’re not thin enough, attractive enough, healthy enough, rich enough, successful enough, or good enough. Enough! Striving to achieve some external measure of success cultivates temporary pride in something that is ultimately unsatisfying.

You-Are-EnoughBuying in to society’s messages leads to distorted, irrational, unrealistic, and painful beliefs and feelings about yourself and your body. Repeating these messages to yourself strengthens them, leading to lowered self-esteem, guilt, shame, and feeling that you are undeserving of the things you deeply desire.

Most important, postponing your life until you reach some arbitrary or outward definition of success or beauty consumes your precious time, energy, and focus. It dismisses your intrinsic self-worth. And though you may fear that if you accept yourself the way you are right now, you won’t make changes, I’ve found that the opposite is true. You care for the things you care about.

From Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat for Students: A Mindful Eating Program to Fuel the Life You Crave by Michelle May M.D.

You may download the rest of this chapter free here! Please share your thoughts, experiences, and comments below.

Learn more about Weight Stigma Awareness Week 2016 #WSAW2016, the annual online event hosted by BEDA, the Binge Eating Disorder Association.

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2 thoughts on “#WSAW2016: Teaching Kids the Truth”

  1. I’m by no means a “student” but the message about postponing your life until something happens really resonates with me.

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