In this episode, Crystal & Jo invite Meghann Birks (from the Paleo Cafe Mornington Peninsula and Bam Pow Paleo) and Jen Richards (from Rumbles Paleo) onto the show to discuss the very important topic of body image.
We’ve all had our own journeys with body image issues, so it was a really open and honest and interesting conversation.
Meghann, you will remember from TPS Episodes 6: Raising Primal Kids and 38: Chatting with Meghann and her husband Andrew.
And our good friend Jen Richards is the multi-talented, very smiley co-creator and owner of Rumbles Paleo. This lovely lady has a heart of pure gold, painted with sparkles and glitter and she divides her time between writing children’s books, making delicious Rumbles Paleo Snacks and being the ambassador for Eating Disorders Victoria.
We chat with Meghann & Jen about:
How Jen made her Primal Shift and went from running a coffee and cookie business to making Paleo-inspired treats
How our various body image issues and perceptions of ourselves have changed with time and age
Meghann remembers reading fashion magazines (like Teen Beat) and kept a journal from a young age, around 9 years old
Meghann's weight creep as result of stress and uni life to the point of obesity and a family intervention and the various things she tried to loose weight
How Meghann's current body image is linked with performance and what her body can do in the way of primal movements
Jen admires strong, active women who are happy, confident and have an "inner glow", where she used to think the stick thin magazine models were attractive
Jen shares her 15 year experience with an eating disorder and how she now sees food as nourishment and focuses more on what she can do rather than what she can't do
Self worth and feeling in charge by controlling what and when you eat
Jen's commitment to help create thriving children with the positive messages in her children's books
Becoming aware of your inner dialogue, thoughts and beliefs and fostering an "I can" attitude
The 3 major fears: the fear of not being loved (or being loveable), the fear of not being good enough and the fear of not belonging
How we compare ourselves to other people and the pressure that puts on us
Jo's experience with being openly compared to her cousins at family gatherings and the factors that affected her weight and wellbeing
How physical exercise can also be something that gives you a feeling of control
How other peoples positive comments about our appearance can drive our behaviour
The challenge and benefits that Yoga brings in getting to know what your body is capable of
Feeling connected to your body vs being stuck in your head
Crystal remember's being called a "surfboard" in her early teens and having an athletic rather than feminine build
Trust issues with a body that is hormonally out of whack and taking a self care approach
What a "Paleo" female should look like?
Body image expectations within the Paleo/Primal community and trolling
Body weight is not the only marker of health
Can we over hack our bodies and our health?
The pursuit of happiness and Jen's hot tip
How to change the way we think and our attitude in small steps
Getting professional help if needed and surrounding yourself with supportive, accepting people
Learning about body compassion
Links:
Paleo Cafe Mornington Peninsula
Rumbles Paleo
Anastasia Boulais - Re-evolutionary
Kate Callaghan - The Holistic Nutritionist
Eating Well Out
Ecology Skincare
