Staying Skinny Beats What??

A headline in August 12's USA Today caught my attention- Women: Staying Skinny Beats Sex. The first line of the article, written by Nanci Hellmich, reads, "For many women, weight control is more important than sex." The stats that back that up? Out of 1001 adults, 52% of women say they would prefer to go without sex for the summer than gain 10 pounds. Even more, according to this same research, more people would rather lose 10-20 pounds than receive a promotion at work!! That is crazy and sad but is a realistic indicator of what the majority of people in our culture value. [As a disclaimer, after hunting around to find out where these statistics came from, I found the answer to be a little self-serving--Nutrisystem!! For those of you who don't know, Nutrisystem is a diet company that is a contender in the billion dollar dieting industry in our country!]

Does anyone else see this drive for thinness as a problem? Why does being thin supercede other values in life, like career and love?! And why aren't we doing more to work on changing the unhealthy notions and beliefs about our weight and bodies? Why are magazines and media outlets making irresponsible comments and perpetuating eating disorder myths (check out one response to W Magazine here)? More education and awareness needs to be happening, and fast!! You can start today by educating yourself about eating disorders- the facts and the myths- by going to NEDA's website for more information! It is important to note that the media does not cause eating disorders. The media can pose a risk to someone who is genetically determined to develop an eating disorder, but it is not one thing that typically causes them. I would encourage you to think about what else can you do today to educate yourself (and others) and then raise awareness.. I would love to hear your ideas- you can post a comment or send me an email if you have any ideas!

Update: Another Pro-Ana Slogan, Snack Factory?! Really?

If you didn't get a chance to check out my last post, scroll down and check it out... The Snack Factory, a company based out of San Francisco that makes different snack foods, recently began an ad campaign for their pretzel thin pretzel snacks by using a pro-anorexic advertisement. As you can see from the ad that is pictured in the post below (or you can click here to view it), this was a very offensive ad and the Snack Factory agreed to take it down. Well, believe it or not, this image to the left is what they replaced it with... "Tastes as good as skinny feels." Umm.... Hello!!! How is this any better than the previous one?? Are they just really that clueless or do they not care what the ad communicates?

I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they are just really ignorant- but I think this again just highlights the need for a) more education and information to the general public about eating disorders and b) the need for continued advocacy and awareness being raised which may eventually help to change things like this that we see and encounter from day to day. It doesn't mean grand gestures. Maybe it means reading up on eating disorders (follow this link for great info on the NEDA site), encouraging your friends (and yourself!) to avoid fat talk, or maybe you point out myths about eating disorders when you have the opportunity! No matter what you do, there is nothing too small to help raise awareness. Every little bit counts.

I'm not sure if these ads are still up; I have not been able to find anything more on whether the Snack Factory pulled them or not. Hopefully they did. Please feel free to contact them and tell you how you feel about their ads if you are so inclined. Here is the link to their website and contact info!

Think Before You Advertise

Just a few weeks/months ago, there was controversy surrounding a t-shirt that Urban Outfitters was selling on their website and in stores. It said "Eat Less." [I wrote a post about it that you can check out here.] Since then, the shirt has been pulled from stores as well as from the UO website. It just boggles my mind when a company endorses an idea like this- it really makes me wonder who signed off on this, thinking it was a good idea!!

Well, the Snack Factory, a snack company based out of San Francisco, is marketing their new pretzel thin pretzel snacks and has stirred up quite a controversy over their choice of creative advertising. The picture above is the ad, and while I try to avoid using triggering images, I thought that this image was relatively safe- and important to show! So, here is the Snack Factory's idea of clever advertising. Too bad their advertising campaign comes at the expense of millions of young women and men who struggle with this very lie that 'you can never be too thin'. In response, people in New York City have been covering these ads with pictures of emaciated women, and the phrase, "Actually, you can [be too thin]." The Snack Factory responded to complaints via Twitter by saying that they are "using the word ‘thin’ in a creative way to describe our product," and that people "seem to be interpreting it in their own way... we're a thin pretzel cracker!"

I get that they thought they were being cute and creative, but that does not make it appropriate or okay. When you choose to promote a pro-eating disorder belief as your advertising campaign, you have to take responsibility for it. Thankfully, the VP of marketing for the Snack Factory has heard the public outrage and is responding by pulling the pictures and ads. This is another reminder that speaking out makes a difference, and that we can truly make an impact! This is also a good reminder that more education about eating disorders is needed, and that we need to continue to bust the myths about eating disorders so things like this will become less frequent.

Project HEAL Q&A- Part Two

If you haven't had a chance to check out the first part of my interview with Project HEAL founders Liana Rosenman, Kristina Saffran, and Becky Allen, scroll down to my previous post or click here! These three teenagers are working hard to raise awareness about eating disorders, and they are also working hard to help people pay for their treatment by holding fundraisers and events. They have taken their own personal struggles with eating disorders and have used their experiences to give back and to help others. It sounds like this has been a helpful part of their own recovery! For the conclusion of my interview, continue reading below.

Me: What has this experience of giving back and helping others been like for you?

PH: It has been absolutely amazing! It is so rewarding to be able to speak with [our scholarship applicants] now and hear how our funding helped them regain their lives.

Our work with Project HEAL has also motivated us to stay strong and to remain fully recovered. We would never want to stand up in front of [people] presenting ourselves as people who we are not. We strive to be role models who are trying to recover and [role models] for everyone else dealing with body image issues. We would not want to be hypocritical.

4- If someone were interested in getting involved or donating to Project HEAL, what might you suggest they do? What opportunities exist to help?

If anyone would like to become involved with Project HEAL he or she should definitely contact us! We are interested in starting local chapters of Project HEAL at high schools and colleges. The main responsibility of the club would be to hold fundraising events including, but not limited to, bake sales, car washes, and the sale of Project HEAL merchandise. We would also encourage the club to hold regular meetings to discuss positive body image, self esteem, depression, etc. and to educate the younger grades on eating disorders. If someone would like to donate to Project HEAL or purchase Project HEAL merchandise, he or she is able to do so through our website. We also encourage everyone to look out for upcoming events on our website.

5- I work with a lot of young girls who have eating disorders, who struggle with the motivation to recover. I noticed a quote on your site: "We hope that people will be able to come to the same realization we have (without dealing with an eating disorder first!): We only live once so we must live it right. It is so much more fun to enjoy going out for ice cream with friends than to go running by yourself as punishment for eating an apple. Life really is worth living!" Having been there yourselves, what might you say to a peer, or a teenage girl, who is struggling?

In our opinion there are three key aspects to recovery:

1) Don't be afraid to admit you are struggling and need help -- Everyone deals with adversity. What truly separates us from one another is how we deal with that adversity; whether we let our adversity overcome us or whether we choose to overcome our adversity.

2) Remember that the physical weight gain almost always comes before one is actually comfortable with his or her body -- In the beginning food is like medicine. It is something our bodies need whether we want it or not. After (and during) weight restoration, we can work on our mentality- how we view ourselves. However, it is important to trust your treatment team. You may think you look overweight because mentally you are struggling. Trust your treatment team when they tell you that you are still too underweight. They are here to help, not harm, you.

3) Find a passion -- An eating disorder becomes one's identity. It consumes an individual and masks who he or she truly is. Thus, we encourage eating disorder sufferers to find something they love and to pursue that thing. Don't be afraid to try new activities no matter how old you are. Discover what you love, who you are. This will enable an individual to develop a new, healthy identity.

It is important to note that these young women are not trained therapists, but are women who have gone through their own personal struggles and are working to use their experiences to help others. If you are interested in finding out more about Project HEAL, follow this link to view their website. There are many ways to get involved- you can participate in a fundraising event, start a local chapter at your high school or college, you can donate money, or purchase merchandise from their site-- proceeds go towards scholarshipping individuals into treatment for an eating disorder. If you have any questions about Project HEAL, or would like to get more involved, you can contact them directly- their contact information is on their site, and is located here. A big thanks to the girls for all that they are doing to raise awareness and make a difference!!!

On 'Stigmatizing Health' and Orthorexia Nervosa

The Huffington Post is great at stirring up controversy with its opinion pieces. That's partly why I love it. It's a good (and fairly benign) forum for people to engage with different thoughts and think critically. What I don't love, though, is when people write things that are not accurate or informed. Case in point- the other day, someone wrote an article on orthorexia nervosa that was very misinformed. It's okay if people have differing opinions (based on empirical evidence) regarding how to effectively treat an eating disorder, or if people disagree on how we can improve and increase accessibility of treatment. What is tough though is when someone in a public forum, who has no psychological training, refutes the validity of a mental illness.

The article is HERE if you are interested in checking it out. Or, I can save you the four minutes and give you a brief synopsis. In all honesty, you might want to read it just to get a sense of her perspective, but Christina Pirello argues that orthorexia nervosa has been made up by psychologists and health professionals in order that the status quo is maintained, which essentially fuels an industry (pharmaceutical) created to profit from our unhealthy eating. She believes that healthy eaters should not be marginalized for choosing to eat healthily and that healthy eating does not equate with being mentally unstable. While I agree with her on that last part, I think the problem with her argument is that she really doesn't get that eating disorders are not a lifestyle choice, like healthy eating is. Eating disorders are a mental illness. Someone who suffers from an orthorexia is no more choosing to eat healthy than someone who suffers from bipolar disorder chooses to have a mood disorder.

Orthorexia nervosa is not just the desire to eat healthy. Orthorexia interferes with one's ability to live a normal, high functioning life due to the pursuit of eating only pure and healthy foods. This may mean avoiding work, family and social commitments or events to avoid having to eat anything that is not pure, raw or healthy. Orthorexia is also pathological in nature. This means that the disorder goes beyond someone's desire to adhere to healthy eating; there are negative consequences that result from the behavior. If someone is just eating healthily, that is not pathological! It is pathological though when this pursuit of healthy eating interferes with one's ability to lead a normal life. The preoccupation with healthy eating can become an interference in everyday activities, relationships and life. It also becomes pathological when one's health is compromised. Often, one who is orthorexic may avoid eating anything but fruits and veggies- the way that this can affect one's body can be detrimental. Your brain needs carbs to function properly (maybe Pirello needs some carbs!) and your body needs other essential nutrients that cannot be utilized from a handful of foods. While I can appreciate a perspective that is different than my own, my fear is that Pirello's perspective serves to further perpetuate myths about eating disorders. For more information on orthorexia nervosa, follow this link.