body positivity

5 Ways I Learned to Love My Body at Age 50

As women, we spend a lot of time picking ourselves apart (My thighs are too big. I wish my nose was smaller. If only that jiggle in my belly would go away). But, what if we were to change our chatter? Rather than saying, “I’ll be happy if I fit into a smaller pair of jeans” or “I’ll look better if I just lose that 10 pounds,” look in the mirror and find the things that you love about yourself. It’s taken me a long time—50 years to be exact—but, rather than continually trying to change myself, I’ve finally decided to love myself for who I am—on the inside and outside. I know this sounds simple (hard, but simple), but it completely changed the way I view my body. 5 Ways I Learned to Love My Body I Forgive Myself for Not Working Out Our bodies are like machines. They need to be fueled properly, they need rest and recovery, they need regular check-ups, and they need exercise. As someone who loves physical activity, I feel blessed to be afforded the gift of movement. But I have been guilty of beating myself up for missing a workout. I’m not saying that just because I’ve changed my perspective, I don’t sometimes struggle with taking a rest day. However, I know I need to give my body the recovery it deserves so I can perform better the next day. When you’re feeling negative about missing a workout, stop! Instead, focus on what you did that was important (rested, chatted with a friend) and schedule some movement for the following day. I Know Food Is Not the Enemy I used to be afraid of food (don’t eat this! avoid that!). But, I want my body to be strong. That means putting the good stuff in. I’ve finally stopped counting calories, which can be detrimental to those suffering with disordered eating. Now, I think of calories as energy. I concentrate on listening to my hunger cues and consume what makes me feel the best. I try to eat a certain way during the week and relax a little more on the weekend so that I never feel deprived. We also need to stop labeling food as good or bad, something I still struggle with. But when I indulge now, I try to enjoy the experience and not associate it with guilt (I know, easier said than done). I Don’t Compare Myself to Others No matter who I meet, I tend to notice their most attractive attributes (flawless skin, long lashes, or beautiful smile). I never see anything negative. Yet when I look in the mirror, I notice every wrinkle, every flaw. Now, instead of criticizing myself, I try to replace those mean words and thoughts with useful, empowering language like “strong,” “captivating,” or “bright.” It doesn’t always work, but with practice, I’ve learned to look at things differently. Now, I wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and consciously pick out at least one of my best attributes. Try it! I promise it will change your outlook. Plus, when you notice these things in yourself, chances are others are noticing it, too. I Surround Myself with Positivity I attribute some of my acceptance to my husband. Of course, we all want to learn how to find that confidence from within. But, I do recommend surrounding yourself with people who build you up rather than put you down. Sometimes, people’s own insecurities can cause them to criticize subconsciously. As I age, I’m more selective with who I like to spend my time with. I prefer positive, open-minded, accepting friends who are genuinely happy for my successes and there to support my failures. When negative thoughts start to surface, I quickly find something else to focus on. One way is giving back: After a day of volunteering, I feel pretty silly for worrying about my muffin top. Or, when I’m training a client and they tell me they feel better, I also feel better. Instead of focusing on the negative, I celebrate something every day. Before I go to bed, I think about something that made me happy that day. I Remember What Truly Matters In the midst of life’s most stressful moments, I remember to recognize what I do have. I cherish my family and friends, my career, and my health. I still have days when I feel fat, think negatively, and hate my hair—but they don’t stop me from reframing it to find the positive. I choose inner happiness now, and hopefully you won’t have to wait 50 years to embrace yours, too.

Mirror Trainer, Rachel Nicks’ Genius Tips Will Motivate You to Sweat

Movement has been a part of Rachel Nicks’ life since she can remember. One of the lead instructors on the Mirror, Nicks is a certified Hatha yoga, barre, T.R.X., kettlebell, Pilates, prenatal and postpartum fitness instructor. When she is not pushing you to your fitness limits, she is a certified DONA doula, and a working actress on hit shows like “Grey’s Anatomy.” Her fitness philosophy is all about getting up and moving. She wants you to set goals, but celebrate your strengths instead of obsessing over your weaknesses. “Health is wealth,” Nicks shares. “My goal is to empower people to achieve health from the inside out by equipping them with education, tools, and encouragement.” Nicks sits down with us to talk about staying focused while working from home (without childcare!), her go-to healthy meals, fitness motivation, and top tips for managing stress. How have things changed for you since COVID-19 hit? Well, I have not been back home to New York City, where I live, since March 14th. When COVID hit, my family made the decision to stay with my parents in California — and are here until January. I’m pregnant and we will have our baby here and spend our maternity and paternity leave here. Living with my parents has been a beautiful and challenging experience. Not knowing when I would return home or where I would give birth was overwhelming. After three months, I needed to make a decision to ease my anxiety. Once we decided to stay and get our own place I was able to feel more settled. I have learned to embrace chaos. Trying to balance work while being pregnant and mothering a 2-year-old is not easy. Then, with the added stress of COVID-19, it can truly be all consuming. Having my son is truly helpful because he forces me to live in the moment. What are some of your tips to stay focused, especially now? Focus with a 2-year-old and pregnancy brain is interesting! I usually try to get work done when my son is napping and when I feel I have the energy or clarity. I have given myself permission to ask for extensions to deadlines and I have embraced that my phone calls may include a toddler meltdown. I accept my circumstances which helps me focus and not be so stressed about how unique and challenging my circumstances are. It also helps to know that we are all dealing with the same thing so I feel a sense of camaraderie and support. Do you prefer to workout in the morning or evening? Mornings are my favorite, but I don’t have that luxury anymore because my husband works the first half of the day. So my workouts these days have consisted of baseball, golf, and chasing my son on a scooter. How often do you exercise, and what’s your workout of choice? I exercise at least 5 times a week. I try to walk daily to get fresh air. I love variety. I find that different disciplines not only challenge me differently physically, but they impact my mind and spirit differently as well. I love HIIT, kickboxing, pilates, barre, and yoga. Only thing that is not my jam is running. I find other ways to get my cardio in. How do you motivate yourself (and your clients!) to workout? Just get started. The times you don’t feel motivated is when you really need to move. Movement is medicine. It shifts your energy. I am amazed every time I move how quickly I feel my energy shift and it is always a positive shift. Don’t wait for the perfect time or the perfect mood. Just move. Try different types of workouts. Vary your workouts. Try to find something you enjoy. Don’t just do something because it’s trendy. There are too many options to dread your workout. If you have children, work out with them. It will teach them to move and it’s fun. It won’t necessarily be a “perfect” workout but who cares. For myself, I get moving when I have some energy or to help boost my mood. I usually try to do some yoga to just connect to my body and breath and release tension and stress. If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it? I believe in wellness. It’s a lifestyle. I believe in eating fresh, local, and real food. I avoid processed foods and cook as much as I can because I can control what I am putting into my body. I pretty much eat everything. I do not believe in cheat days or punishing myself for eating certain things. Food brings me immense joy. I try to not wait to eat until I am starving. I eat 3 meals a day and have little snacks throughout. I control my portions. I don’t fill my plate. I listen to my body. Your body will tell you what it needs if you listen. Pregnant women aren’t the only ones with cravings. Has it been hard to stay on track with your nutrition while in quarantine? My father is a Cookie Monster so when I was staying with him, staying out of the pantry was tough. In my home, I avoid stocking my fridge or pantry with a lot of tempting snacks. Now that I am in my own space, I have been doing much better with my nutrition. I also just feel so much better when I avoid a bunch of sugar. Your go-to breakfast? Yogurt, fruit and granola. Colder seasons I love oatmeal and berries with honey. What’s the one food you always have in your fridge? I only get to pick one? I always have eggs, apples, yogurt and almond milk. What do you eat before and after a workout? Before a workout, I’ll have a boiled egg and toast or a piece of fruit. I try to have protein after a workout —and hydrate well. Your favorite food indulgence? I love a good

10 Black Nutrition and Fitness Pros to Follow on Instagram

Okay, we’re not trying to pretend we’re going to fix racism in America by making another list of Black women to follow on Instagram. Direct, sustained activism is the kind of action that is already leading to changes that will hopefully start to shift our country towards truly valuing the lives of people of color—via policies that change policing, for example, or corporations being held accountable for discriminatory practices. But representation and resources matter, and we do want to support elevating the voices and businesses of people (especially women!) of color however possible. This effort is especially important because wellness has been an extremely white space for a long time. As we’ve built Nutritious Life’s media platform over the past few years, our team has had many conversations about how few black and brown faces there were on our website and social media channels. We’ve discussed choosing images that represent more diversity and ways of recruiting more women of color to become Nutritious Life Certified. It hasn’t always worked; we’ve made small improvements but need to do more. This moment in time serves as an important wake-up call. That work will be ongoing and long-term, and in the meantime, we can start to tip the imbalance by shopping for wellness products from black-owned brands, signing up for yoga and fitness classes with black instructors, and yes, even by hitting “follow,” since these days, Insta followers can mean real earning power. Here’s an exciting fact: Jessica Wilson is the woman who started the #amplifymelanatedvoices campaign, and she’s a registered dietitian! The brilliant founders of Food Heaven, Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones recently put it this way on Instagram: “There’s been a huge push to follow more black people in food, which is great. This is also a tiny first step towards creating meaningful and genuine connection with black people in this industry.” Start, here. (Featured Photo: Shutterstock) 10 Black Nutrition and Fitness Pros You Should Be Following Taylor Walker Sinning, @Taylorwalkerfit Taylor Walker is a Nutritious Life Certified superstar and NL friend. She’s a fitness model, health and nutrition coach, and Barry’s Bootcamp trainer. She’s shared lots of incredible fitness advice on our site in the past, like these tips for taking your workout outside, which are really useful during a pandemic. A recent story she wrote of her journey growing up as a biracial woman, for Stay Fit 305, is a must-read. https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-Uzh3ph77/ Latham Thomas, @glomaven Latham Thomas is a wellness guru of many talents and is a longtime friend of NL founder Keri Glassman. She’s the yogi, doula, and self-care expert behind Mama Glow, a maternity lifestyle site filled with resources for living your healthiest life before, during, and after pregnancy and the author of Own Your Glow, a book on “luminous living” for all women. https://www.instagram.com/p/CBCc_YPH0tr/ Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones, RDs, CDEs, @Foodheaven Wen and Jess, as they refer to themselves on Insta, are both registered dietitians and certified diabetes educators, and Food Heaven is their media platform dedicated to “accessible and inclusive” wellness. They share lots of practical information for healthy living, like kitchen tools and tips, and there are multiple ways to engage—via their podcast, for example, or a library of recipes. They even spoke at NL’s annual Masterclass event last year. https://www.instagram.com/p/CBLuA24DQfz/ Traci Copeland, @Traco4 As a long-time Nike Master Trainer, Traci Copeland has been a fitness leader for a while now. And despite the fact that she’s also a fitness model, her posts are friendly and relatable. Follow her for well-rounded workout advice and routines—she’s a trainer, yoga teacher, and run coach. https://www.instagram.com/p/CAfeNUTDtFK/ Fatima Dedrickson, @Stylefitfatty Fatima Dedrickson is worth following for the style inspo alone, but she also posts helpful wellness content, like many smart workouts that are quick and effective and moving reflections on motherhood. https://www.instagram.com/p/CBGeBOEguCh/ Diversify Dietetics, @Diversifydietetics Okay, based on the handle, you’d probably guess this account is directly in service of the topic we’re getting at here. Created by two registered dietitians, Deanna Belleny and Tamara Melton, Diversity Dietetics is all about building community to increase ethnic and racial diversity in nutrition and dietetics. On Instagram, they highlight members of the community and share resources like meet-ups, research opportunities, and mentorships. https://www.instagram.com/p/B6jrbENF_GZ/ Shanna Tyler, @Shannatyler_ Wellness blogger Shanna Tyler has the biggest smile ever, and basically every picture she posts makes you want to be her best friend. (If happy energy can translate over Instagram, it’s gotta be super strong in person!) More importantly, though, she’s the founder of Self Soul Sport, an online community that now hosts monthly discussion events (the last one was about self-care during uncertain times) and features takeovers where other inspiring women share their healthy lifestyles. https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_aqE6jWHN/ Vanessa Risetto, MS, RD, @Vanessarisettord Fun fact: Vanessa Risetto was a client of Keri’s more than 15 years ago. Not only did she go on to become a registered dietitian, she is helping others do the same, as the Dietetic Internship Director at New York University. Her feed is filled with recipes for nutritious dishes that look as good as they taste, plus lots of great advice and glimpses at her family life. https://www.instagram.com/p/CBGC9LdgyVh/ Dr. Cori Cooper, Pharm. D., M.P.H., @DrCoriCooper Nutritious Life Certified health coach Dr. Cori Cooper is also a pharmacist and yoga teacher. (Talk about multifaceted credentials.) She teaches virtual “Prescriptive Nutrition and Yoga” sessions and also provides content that will help you set and feel empowered to reach your goals—in wellness and business. https://www.instagram.com/p/CAVdWqsFJD2/ Lorien Talmadge, @Lorien_Rochelle If you need a little boost in the “loving yourself” department (especially after months of sitting at home alone), follow Lorien Rochelle, another Nutritious Life Studio alum. Her posts are totally uplifting on their own, and you can also hire her for personalized mind-body-soul health coaching. https://www.instagram.com/p/CAdY2vbHuUU/

Intuitive Eating: How Tuning Your Relationship with Food Can Change Your Life Forever

Excerpted from Burning Bright: Rituals, Reiki + Self-Care to Heal Burnout, Anxiety and Stress by Kelsey J. Patel, reprinted with author’s permission. Copyright © 2020 by Kelsey J. Patel. I’m someone who loves to eat. I will regularly have a pizza with my kids or a dinner out with friends with wine and dessert, but I also know when my body is craving clean, natural food or I need a break from overindulging. Sometimes I can tell I just need to keep things simpler. I’ve learned to do this through intuitive eating. Here’s how you can try this natural way of tuning your relationship with food. Every time you are ready to eat, sit quietly for a moment before eating even one bite. Remind yourself there is no rush. Close your eyes. Focus on your breath. Get to a calm space, then gently ask your body: What is the best meal for my body right now? RELATED: Mealtime Meditation: 15 Minutes for Mindful Eating Wait for the answer. You might also ask: Will this food nourish me right now? Wait for the answer. Remind yourself that there is no rush. When you have an answer, open your eyes and, maintaining a feeling of inner peace and calm, prepare your meal. If the answer is that you don’t need food right now, ask your body: What do I really need or want right now? You may feel that your mind wants a distraction from something you’ve been procrastinating about or don’t want to do, you’re seeking some sort of reward, or you are trying to avoid facing or admitting to a feeling. Notice what it feels like beneath that false hunger. If you determine that the cause is something other than real hunger, stay in this place of focus and self-care. Let yourself take time to find an answer. Do you need to feel a feeling instead of pushing it down? RELATED: The Step-by-Step Guide to Mindful Eating This is something to work on over time. It might feel difficult at first, but know that whenever you give in to the urge to eat when you aren’t really hungry—but just don’t want to feel your feelings—you will reinforce the message that food is an emotional crutch, rather than the beautiful, vibrant source of physical energy it really is. Instead of eating when you aren’t hungry, turn to any of the practices in this or the next two chapters (or any of the rituals in part 3). Excerpted from Burning Bright: Rituals, Reiki + Self-Care to Heal Burnout, Anxiety and Stress by Kelsey J. Patel, reprinted with author’s permission. Copyright © 2020 by Kelsey J. Patel. Kelsey Patel is one of LA’s leading wellness and reiki experts, and an expert in burnout. A spiritual coach, Reiki master, and wellness expert, Kelsey has helped thousands struggling with burnout and anxiety. Kelsey worked on Capitol Hill in the U.S. Senate for 4.5 years and as Director of crisis PR for a Fortune 500 company for several years prior to discovering Reiki as a last resort for her stress-induced back pain. Kelsey’s own journey has led her to help many others find balance and burn bright instead of burning out. Her teachings and practices, along with private client work to some of Hollywood’s biggest names, have been highlighted in various publications such as The New York Times, Reader’s Digest, US Weekly, SELF Magazine, Bustle, Well + Good, Marie Claire, GOOP, the Chalkboard Magazine and more. Her public workshops, corporate seminars and private coaching are all aimed at helping people bring joy, balance, fulfillment and purpose to their daily lives and work. She is previously the owner of Pure Barre Beverly Hills, where she learned first hand the intricacies of owning and operating a business. She is now the owner of the Magik Vibes product line, and host of the podcast of the same name. She is also the co-host of the podcast Breakup With Your Bullshit, alongside Ryan Weiss. Her first book, Burning Bright: Rituals, Reiki + Self-Care to Heal Burnout, Anxiety and Stress, released on April 28, 2020 and is available now.

Can You Be Body Positive and Still Want to Lose Weight?

By Keri Glassman, RD and founder of Nutritious Life The body positivity movement is in full force: The #bodypositive hashtag has been used over 11 million times on Instagram, and the shift inspired both designers and advertisers to cater to more diverse body types in their clothing and campaigns. With 30 million people suffering from an eating disorder in the U.S. alone, this is undeniably a good thing. We need to embrace our bodies, not shame them and wish they resembled the images we see in high-fashion ads. RELATED: 5 Common Myths About Eating Disorders Still, many people want to drop pounds with the support of their dietitian or health professional, and as one of those dietitians, I wholeheartedly support people in this endeavor. For those above a healthy weight, shedding pounds can undoubtedly improve markers of health, reducing their risk of heart disease and certain cancers, ultimately lengthening their lifespan. So yes, weight loss is a good thing for many people, but that doesn’t mean you need to abandon body positivity in the process. In fact, I’d argue that practicing more body-love can help you hit your weight loss goals. How high self-esteem promotes healthy habits Research suggests that higher self-esteem may lead to healthier choices. A Pediatric Obesity study shows that kids who are bullied are more likely to gain weight. You might think teasing would be a motivator of sorts, eventually leading to weight loss…But the truth is, weight loss is so much more complicated than that. The authors note that body dissatisfaction may lead to unhealthy behaviors, like binge eating, and say that stress hormones might play a role too. (Of course, bullying has a slew of way more serious side effects, including self-harm and suicide.) I’d say the same reasoning also holds true for adults who are mean to themselves. Think about it: If you like and value someone, you’re more likely to treat them well, listen to them, and honor their needs, right? Well, the same goes for your body. The best weight loss plans emphasize making choices because you love your body, not because you hate it. It means saying no! to fad diets and starving yourself, and yes! to empowered eating and healthy foods that give you energy, the whole philosophy behind the Nutritious Life Eat Empowered pillar. RELATED: The Step-By-Step Guide to Mindful Eating You’re allowed to have complicated emotions about your body Look, our relationships with our bodies are complicated: One day we might love the way we look (say, after an empowering workout), and the next we might feel more meh (ahem, Day 1 of your period). That’s okay, and it’s all part of the process. It’s unrealistic to love the way you look every single day, but in your more negative moments, I hope you can embrace some more #bodyneutrality and practice forgiveness. Ultimately, it’s okay to make changes to your diet and exercise regimen—for health or for vanity—as long as you do it the healthy way. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen any body-positivity posts telling people to eat endless amounts of sugar and stop working out. Body positivity is about finding workouts you truly love, eating well, and being honest about your needs in the moment. It’s not about throwing your goals out the window. It’s about finding balance and being nice—and those are things we can all practice, weight loss goals or not. (Photo: Shutterstock)