I just love ED People! Two well-placed emails requesting information and I have received a treasure-trove of literature and research. While I truly despise ED, I love ED PEOPLE – the army of Eating Disorder (ED) clinicians, researchers, family members and recovered sufferers — who are dedicated to advocacy, prevention, treatment and research.
My workplace has a Wellness Program. They recently put up posters announcing the holiday ‘Maintain, don’t Gain’ program. The not-so-subtle implication of this and related programming is that weight loss = better health; restricting food intake is good for you; don’t get fat over the holidays. There are even financial awards associated with reducing your BMI, if it is considered ‘too’ high. These are educated, well-meaning people. All the more reason to talk to them. As a great teacher once said: “Forgive them, they know not what they do. ”
I sent an email, I made a call; and ultimately I met with the very nice young ladies running the Wellness program. I shared some of my personal history along with statistics that are fairly alarming regarding the incidence and impacts of ED in the U.S. They listened, they asked questions. I offered to help provide some alternate programming and educational material.
All this led to my email request for more appropriate messaging for work-based wellness programs to both NEDA and an ED prevention group I am part of. I feel as if I got invited to the ED prevention group under false pretenses. Before going to the NEDA conference, I made up business cards that gives my blog link — but doesn’t actually include my last name; which (for the record) is NOT Ponders. I met Dr. Michael Levine at the NEDA conference. We had a nice chat after which I gave him my card and was flattered when he invited me to his ED Prevention email distribution list; to whom he subsequently introduced me as Paula Ponders. Despite the fact that he is a super smart guy, he may be under the misguided impression I am someone important in my community. Ah… the power of business cards–For $9 we can all be whatever we want to be!
But I digress. Both email requests generated timely, thoughtful and prolific responses. I have spent my evening reading and getting smarter. At the present time my head is full, so I am letting some of this new knowledge leak onto this post.
The ED community has long held that BMI (Body Mass Index) alone is an unreliable and often misleading measure. There is a mountain of evidence that restricting / dieting is both ineffective and often causes more harm than good. So, BMI’s are unreliable; dieting is ineffective; what DO we believe? What programming can we preach if not weight loss?
We can give ourselves permission to be healthy and enjoy our life – at Any Size. Think about that for a second — since it runs contrary to so much of our social programming: Healthy. At. Any. Size. The goal is NOT to be skinny, or any other particular shape. Be the shape you are; respect and take care of your body; enjoy your life! It seems so simple yet so revolutionary.
Research shows dieting is ineffective, yet we continue to stress dieting as THE primary means to greater health. What a pile of doo-doo, kaka and bulls**t we’ve perpetuated over the years!
For those that want advice on how to eat at any time of the year: NEDA’s guidelines say it best: Eat what you want, when you are truly hungry. Stop when you are full. Eat what appeals to you. Do this instead of any diet, and you’re likely to maintain a healthy weight and avoid eating disorders.
If you happen to know Dr. Levine, tell him that Ms. Ponders says ‘Hi’ and ‘Thank you very much’.