In this episode, Elizabeth Tingle explores body image, diet culture, and weight neutral wellness. She explains what it means to be weight neutral, and why that might be a good thing as you prioritize your wellness.
“We can focus on behaviours to improve our health, but focusing so much on weight is just unhealthy in a very fundamental way." Elizabeth goes on to explain, "When we focus on the multiple dimensions of health: mental, emotional, spiritual, social, we are far more likely to feel better about ourselves than simply focusing on weight loss."
About Elizabeth Tingle
Elizabeth Tingle is an instructor at the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. She teaches Comprehensive School Health and Wellness to pre service teachers. She recently obtained a Master’s in Educational Research at the University of Calgary studying how weight bias can be unlearned, and the importance of challenging the dominant messages surrounding weight in our culture.
As a former school teacher and mother to three school-aged children, she is particularly passionate about making schools more weight-neutral spaces. She received a scholarship to attend a Body Positive Facilitator Training in Boston (2018) and is now a licensed Body Positive facilitator.
Weight Neutral Resources
Books
Anti-Diet by Christy Harrison
Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
Websites
Beauty Redefined, by Lindsay & Lexie Kite, PhD
Eating Competence by Ellyn Satter
More-Love, A great resource for parents
Podcasts
Food Psych by Christy Harrison