{via etsy by Robert Crum}

Here’s the last part of my interview with nutritionist Michelle Allison, who blogs at The Fat Nutritionist.

Below, Allison shares how readers can reconnect to their hunger and fullness signals, the importance of enjoying food for nourishing yourself and much more.

Q: After yo-yo dieting or engaging in disordered eating, many people lose sight of their satiety and hunger cues. What’s a helpful way for individuals to reconnect to these signals?

A: As I said before, having regular meals at regular times can help with this. Trying to start off by deciding “I’ll just eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full” can be difficult for some people, because what if you don’t know what hunger and fullness feel like? I didn’t.

Instead, deciding “I’m going to have a real breakfast, a real lunch, and a real dinner” for a while, even taking a single bite of something if you don’t think you’re hungry, can help to reconnect you with those feelings and even stimulate them to be stronger.

{via etsy by Lupen Grainne}

Many of us have or have had an adversarial relationship with food and our bodies. And it’s not surprising considering we live in a society that creates an “us” versus “them” mentality.

Food is viewed as the enemy because it can be “tempting” and “bad” and “calorie-laden,” thereby potentially sabotaging our appearance goals.

Our body is viewed as the enemy because it stands in the way of weight loss. We diet, we exercise and still the scale refuses to budge.

However, these views aren’t only false; they’re damaging and punitive. They can lead to disordered eating, a negative body image and even a shaky sense of self.

Nutritionist Michelle Allison helps her clients (and the readers of her fantastic blog The Fat Nutritionist) get to what she calls “a friendly place” with food and their bodies.

Like I said yesterday, in part one of our interview, Allison truly has a nourishing, flexible and fun approach to food and body image. She teaches individuals to respect and honor our bodies and ourselves.

In part two, Allison shares her own negative experiences with dieting along with what it means to have a friendly relationship with food and your body and a few tips on how to get there.

{via etsy by Anita Waters}

A while ago when I asked you guys what people you’d like me to interview, there are were many requests for Michelle Allison, aka The Fat Nutritionist. I’ve been a big fan of Allison’s blog and work for a long time now. Her approach to eating is sensible, flexible, fun and truly nourishing. She also supports Health At Every Size.

I’m really honored to present my interview with Allison, who, again, I think, is doing incredible and very necessary work. We live in a very restrictive culture when it comes to eating, and it’s so refreshing (and a relief!) to know that people like Allison are helping individuals mend their relationships with food and their bodies.

Below, Allison reveals the biggest myths about healthy eating, what inspired her to become a nutritionist and why she picked the name “The Fat Nutritionist.”

This will be a three-part series, so stay tuned tomorrow and Thursday for the rest.

Every Monday features a tip, activity, inspiring quote or some other tidbit that helps boost your body image, whether directly or indirectly — and hopefully kick-starts the week on a positive note!

Got a tip for improving body image? Email me at mtartakovsky at gmail dot com, and I’ll be happy to feature it. I’d love to hear from you!

{via etsy by Valerie Bean}

A while ago, I wrote this post about what to do instead of reading women’s magazines and worrying about your weight. Because, unfortunately, in our society, it’s all-too easy to focus on our bodies, what they could look like, what they should look like and what they don’t look like.

{via etsy by Yuliya}

Whenever we get stuck in the diet mentality, we usually can’t focus on anything else. And if we do focus, it’s usually on everything that’s wrong with ourselves and our lives. Which adds up to a whole lot of negativity.

But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Our lives are filled with so much positivity and beauty. We just have to open our eyes, and pay attention.

That’s why I wanted to share a whopping 100 things that I’m grateful for in hopes that it might inspire you to make your own list.

Today, I’m sharing 50 and next week, I’ll share 50 more.

{via etsy by Anna Jane}

If this sounds like Kelly Clarkson’s song “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger),” that’s because it is.

I was listening to that song in the car when the idea for this post popped into my head. I realized what a powerful line this really is: “Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone.”

One of the biggest triggers for my emotional eating was feeling lonely. Looking back on it, loneliness was also one of the reasons I pursued thinness with such passion.

My own company just wasn’t enough for me. When I was alone, I felt lonely — and sad. I figured changing my appearance — or eating certain foods — would eliminate that sadness.

{via etsy by Nichole}

We often pursue thinness because we want to be enough. We want to be worthy, and so we search for the very things we assume will get us there. In our culture that usually means our looks — and changing them.

But it doesn’t have to be. It could be yearning for a different personality or past or present. It could be a feeling that sits in your stomach that you’re just not right somehow.

Recently I came across a beautiful series on photographer and author Tracey Clark’s blog called “I am Enough.” I was blown away by these women’s stories.

I could relate so much to their words, and I think you will, too.

Every Monday features a tip, activity, inspiring quote or some other tidbit that helps boost your body image, whether directly or indirectly — and hopefully kick-starts the week on a positive note!

Got a tip for improving body image? Email me at mtartakovsky at gmail dot com, and I’ll be happy to feature it. I’d love to hear from you!

Years ago, when it came to my physical appearance, I used to wish for everything under the sun: thicker hair, a clearer complexion, whiter teeth, tanner skin, flatter stomach, smaller hips and more muscle.

In her excellent book, Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance, author Rosie Molinary shares the story of one woman who used to wish for good skin. She told Molinary: “I used to say I wish I had good skin, but in reality, the only thing I wish for is to be accepted by society as another form of beautiful.”

We can enjoy life so much more when we pay closer attention to the extraordinary things in our everyday. The more we focus on the abundance and beauty of life, the less we might focus on nitpicking at our bodies.

In her book Taking Flight: Inspiration And Techniques To Give Your Creative Spirit Wings, author and artist Kelly Rae Roberts talks about finding the sacred in the ordinary, which she says “not only expands our personal gratitude for every ounce of the world’s offerings, but it fuels our creative expression.”

{via etsy by Tsuki}

Do you find that you’ve eaten a few bites or even an entire meal without actually tasting it?

Maybe it’s because you’re busy and constantly eating on the go. Maybe it’s because you get sucked into distractions like the TV, phone or computer. Or maybe it’s because you’ve spent years dieting, which has blunted your taste buds.

Mindful eating helps us to slow down and actually savor the foods we’re eating.

When we slow down, we can enjoy our food. We can determine if we even like the food we’re eating in the first place. When we pay closer attention to what we’re eating, we can make conscious choices that nourish our bodies.