Changing the Narrative
Together, I know we can change the narrative around food, dieting, and the holidays. One bite, one conversation, and one day at a time!
By Jason Wood
The holidays are upon us! This is my absolute favorite time of the year, but I’m realizing it can also be one of the most challenging for those of us battling eating disorders and body dysmorphia.
Two weeks ago was Thanksgiving, and I quickly found my social feeds filled with posts about how it was time to “fatten up” or “be fat and lazy” with the turkey feast. My co-workers talking about how they need to get to the gym to work off all that turkey. The news aired segments about avoiding the “dreaded holiday weight gain” and how to “healthify” your holiday recipes to be low-carb, low-fat, etc. Meanwhile, I saw gyms and fitness centers push advertisements aimed at telling people to get off the couch and burn off those cookies and pies.
The last few days served as a vivid reminder of the culture we live in. One that glorifies dieting and exercising for the wrong reasons. We’ve normalized so much harmful language food that we don’t even realize it.
