Search results for: anorexia
Overcoming Mental Illness & Anorexia
Thanks to my dear friend Cindy Ashton for having me on her Monster-Kissing Secrets internet radio show. It’s because of dear souls like Cindy that I can passionately tell my tale while sharing insights about crawling out of seemingly bottomless pits. Best part of the whole story is the part about how Nia was (and still…
Read MoreEating Disorders Awareness Week 2023
Eating Disorders Awareness Week: February 1 to 7, 2023 Eating Disorders affect people of all genders, sexual orientations, ages, socioeconomic class, abilities, races, and ethnic backgrounds. That is why, from February 1st to 7th every year, Eating Disorder groups across Canada unite to commemorate Eating Disorder Awareness Week (EDAW) with a national week of action…
Read MorePersonal Training
Personal Training A long struggle with adult-onset anorexia and an exercise addiction, along with lifelong body image issues brought Jennifer to body-friendly fitness. About 18 years ago, she found that her body and soul were tired of the traditional “no-pain-no-gain” fitness mentality and she found herself learning and teaching the Nia Technique and other movement…
Read More3 reasons to stop loving your body: Body acceptance
Yes, you heard me right. I said stop loving your body. And start looking at an alternative: body acceptance. Now don’t get me wrong. When I first discovered body positivity a few years back, I felt like I had come home. The fact that someone, anyone, was promoting the idea that I should not have…
Read MoreTake Appearance Out Of Compliments
A whole lot of learning begins with unlearning. That’s what I’ve been doing for the past year or so. Learning about body positivity/acceptance by unlearning what I’ve been taught about bodies and their worth. This is why I don’t comment on other’s bodies. I have personally experienced the pain of having my body…
Read MoreMy healing was ignited through joyful movement
Since I started teaching Nia in 2006, I have been in a process of recovery. Healing from adult onset anorexia and an exercise addiction was not easy. But it sure helped that I had the medicine called “joyful movement” through Nia. Now, almost 15 years later, I have been teaching Nia through a body/fat positivity…
Read MoreWake up! How I learned to feel more alive through Nia Technique
Have you ever been insecure about your cognitive abilities? If you have, then you’ll know that it’s really, really stressful. For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt like something was a little “off” with my mind. Like I needed to simply wake up. I felt that way about school, music lessons, sports, social…
Read MoreMy body is bigger and I’m a better person now because of it
As my body has grown and changed, I have become a better person for it. That’s right – gaining weight has made me not only healthier physically, but it’s given me mental clarity, emotional ease and confidence. Lots of it. When I was a kid, I was so physically awkward, clumsy and shy.…
Read MoreHow I feel is more important to me than my appearance
When I focused on how my body looked, my appearance was all I could think about. I was deeply anxious and solely focused on what others saw. Nothing else mattered – my appearance took priority over my mental well being, my relationships and my ability to engage in anything other than maintaining how I looked.…
Read MoreMy “normal” body was clumsy and desperate and sick
In my 30s I developed anorexia. Back then I felt “normal” in my appearance. I say “normal” because that’s what euro-centric beauty standards tell us – that thin is the desired body type. But I’ll tell you, there was NOTHING “normal” about my life at that time. Knowing what I know now, I would NEVER…
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