Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by severe food restriction, an intense fear of weight gain, and body image disturbance. Anorexia nervosa affects many individuals of all genders, ages, and identities worldwide.  The consequences of anorexia nervosa can be devastating, both physically and psychologically. However, one of the most challenging aspects of this disorder, […] The post When Your Loved One Doesn’t Want to Get Better: Understanding Anosognosia in Anorexia Nervosa appeared first on Alison Pelz, LD, RDN, CDCES, LCSW ..read more

Book Review: More than a Body: Your Body is an Instrument, not an Ornament More than a Body is an important read for those suffering from a negative body image. Authors Dr. Lexie Kite and Dr. Lindsay Kite (not only sisters, but also identical twins!) are well versed in body image research. Not only do […] The post Book Review: More than a Body appeared first on Alison Pelz, LD, RD, CDE, LCSW ..read more

Starting a new semester (or starting college for the first time) is associated with many positive feelings and excitement. However, along with these positive feelings, college students may experience feelings of isolation, worry, and sadness that often come along with major life transitions. Unfortunately, these feelings may worsen eating disorder symptoms for college students who […] The post 5 Tips for College Students in Eating Disorder Recovery appeared first on Alison Pelz, LD, RD, CDE, LCSW ..read more

It’s not easy to be a parent or caregiver for someone who is struggling with an eating disorder, at any age. Parenthood is often described as having your heart walk around outside of your body, so watching your child struggle with such a complicated disorder can be heartbreaking. It’s scary to feel like your child […] The post Finding Support as the Parent of a Child with an Eating Disorder appeared first on Alison Pelz, LD, RD, CDE, LCSW ..read more

To all the parents out there: you are an important part of your child’s eating disorder treatment team! This is true even if your child is no longer a child, but a young adult or an adult. Even if you don’t live with your child, you have an important role to play in eating disorder […] The post Parents: An Essential Part Of Eating Disorder Treatment appeared first on Alison Pelz, LD, RD, CDE, LCSW ..read more

What do Oprah Winfrey, Freda Kahlo, Marie Curie, and Anne Frank all have in common? (Besides being exceptional women, that is.) They all journaled. When you read about why these incredible women kept a diary, building a strong connection with one’s emotions and thoughts is the theme that comes up. People who suffer from eating […] The post 5 Ways Journaling Can Help in Eating Disorder Recovery appeared first on Alison Pelz, LD, RD, CDE, LCSW ..read more

How do you feel about New Year’s Resolutions? The new year often feels like the perfect time to implement changes, and the constant flood of “New Year New You” marketing definitely adds to the pressure to shake things up each January. Unfortunately, a lot of that marketing is heavily influenced by diet culture. Instead of […] The post Exploring Values Instead of New Year’s Resolutions in 2022 appeared first on Alison Pelz, LD, RD, CDE, LCSW ..read more

What a year! 2021 was our second year in a pandemic, and seemed just as chaotic and challenging as 2020 was. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back for making it to the end of this year, it certainly hasn’t been easy, but I’m so glad you’re here. This too shall pass, and […] The post 2021: A Year In Review appeared first on Alison Pelz, LD, RD, CDE, LCSW ..read more

When you hear the words “eating disorder” what comes to mind? More often than not, eating disorders are associated with teenage girls. While it is true eating disorders often develop in adolescence, adults can have eating disorders, too. It’s possible for eating disorders to initially develop later in life, not just during adolescence. It’s also […] The post 4 Tips for Anyone Who Loves an Adult in Eating Disorder Recovery appeared first on Alison Pelz, LD, RD, CDE, LCSW ..read more

There’s a lot of buzz in the wellness and mental health worlds about body positivity and body acceptance, but what do those terms even mean? Body positivity is the idea that everyone deserves to feel positively about their body image. If you’ve ever seen a post on social media telling you to “love your body”, […] The post Why You Should Try Body Acceptance Over Body Positivity appeared first on Alison Pelz, LD, RD, CDE, LCSW ..read more