Nurture Principles

I fell in love with the Me Movement from the first time I heard Rebecca talk about it. I had been preaching the Me Movement to all of my clients, before it was a movement! As a registered dietitian, I specialize in providing nutrition counseling to women and men who struggle with disordered eating, eating disorders, and body image concerns. And while I hate to make generalizations, my clients are not nearly as good as taking care of themselves as they are of others.

The nature of an eating disorder is rooted in feelings of low self-esteem and inadequacy. In an attempt fix what’s “wrong”, eating disorder sufferers lose themselves in the process.  Basic self-care needs like balanced nutrition and exercise, love, warmth, self-compassion, and meaningful connection get pushed aside, shoved down, denied, or ignored. And that’s where my work (and the work of wonderful therapists and physicians) comes in. We specialize in helping our clients learn how to listen and respond to those intuitive signals of what needs attending to.

So in honor of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, let us all (eating disordered or not) reclaim our right to taking good care of ourselves, FIRST! Below is a commitment to doing those small things that put YOU FIRST! If you’re feeling bold, print it, sign it, and put it where you can see it each day.

1. If I’m hungry I will feed my body food that feels good and nourishing

2. If I’m tired I will make sacrifices to sleep more

3. If I’m feeling sad I’ll give myself permission to feel sad…and cry if I need to

4. If I’m sick, I’ll take a break from things that are too demanding (like work or exercise)

5. If I’m craving movement (and I’m healthy!) I’ll do some activity that feels energizing and positive

6. If I’m hating on my body, I’ll replace each negative thought or word with one thing I like about myself

7. If someone is asking me to do something I don’t feel right about (for any reason), I’ll say no

8.  If I’m feeling depressed, I’ll reach out for positive support even though it feels like the harder thing to do

9. If I’m feeling , I’ll

10. If I’m feeling , I’ll

Signature

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Do one small thing that puts yourself first. You deserve it.

Marci E. Anderson MS, RD, cPT

Marci is a registered dietitian and eating disorder expert in Cambridge, MA. She is an anti-dieting zealot, intuitive eating coach, and lover of chocolate and sushi. You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and her Blog.