Posts tagged neda

Readers, get involved with NEDAwareness Week through Thick Dumpling Skin by just setting aside ten minutes.

How? Easy! 

We’re doing a call for a SPECIAL set of submissions for NEDAwareness Week, which is happening between February 26th to March 3rd, 2012. 

This year’s theme is “Everybody knows Somebody.” So we’d love to see you share something with that someone.

This person could be yourself, a friend, or even a stranger. You can write a letter, conjure up a haiku, or even scribble a picture. We want anything you can come up with that will give that one person encouragement and hope! 

Need some inspiration? Check out PostSecret, or dig up your diary. We all wrote to ourselves at one point in time! Oh and here are some guidelines on how to share responsibly and tips on talking to friends.

Once these submissions start to come in, we’ll be putting them up day by day during the NEDAwareness Week.

If we want to change the status quo, we all have to be willing to be a part of the movement.

Eagerly awaiting YOUR submission.

- Lisa & Lynn

If you heard us on APEX Express (click here to listen), you might recall Lisa talking about our upcoming partnership with NEDA. 

So here’s one simple, easy way for all of us to get involved, raise awareness, and join the discussion:

We’re doing a call for a SPECIAL set of submissions for NEDAwareness Week, which is happening between February 26th to March 3rd, 2012. 

This year’s theme is “Everybody knows Somebody.” So we’d love to see you share something with that someone.

Easy enough.

This person could be yourself, a friend, or even a stranger. You can write a letter, conjure up a haiku, or even scribble a picture. We want anything you can come up with that will give that one person encouragement and hope! 

Need some inspiration? Check out PostSecret, or dig up your diary. We all wrote to ourselves at one point in time! Oh and here are some guidelines on how to share responsibly and tips on talking to friends.

Once these submissions start to come in, we’ll be putting them up day by day during the NEDAwareness Week.

It’ll be grand. There, I said grand.

Again, anything you can think of, shoot it our way. We’ll be taking submissions up until the very last day. 

- Lisa & Lynn

Since we’re partnering up with NEDA, both NEDA and us reserve the right to use any of the submissions at our discretion. Your submission constitutes to irrevocably release the right of your submission for unrestricted use. Photos that include images of minors must include a parental release/signature.

We launched this site a year ago right around NEDAwareness Week, 2011. Can’t believe a year has flown by already. 

This year, we plan to partner up with NEDA during the NEDAwareness Week to partake in the larger conversation within the eating disorder awareness community. We are finalizing the details, so stay tuned. In the mean time, read more on NEDA’s site on how you can take part too!

A cliche saying I know, but keep calm and carry on!

- Lisa

If you missed Lynn’s speech at The NEDA Conference, it’s now available to read on their website.  Check it out here.

Here are two great websites that have been on our radar recently:

Proud2Bme

NEDA announced the launch of Proud2Bme at the Teen Summit that Lisa spoke at. It is a new online community created for teens by teens.

Proud2Bme is a unique space where teens can connect with each other, get expert advice, and find inspiration to take action for change. It’ll cover everything from fashion and beauty to news, culture, and entertainment—all with the goal of promoting positive body image and encouraging healthy attitudes about food and weight. There’s a slight possibility that we might be guest-blogging, so keep a look out for that!

Fat Talk Free Week

Not exactly a website website, but we challenge you to avoid talking about fat for an entire week—Oct. 16 through Oct. 22—with the hope that you’ll be more aware of how your words matter and may have a negative effect on those around you. It’s just a week, you can do it!

Learn more about Fat Talk Free Week at the website of sponsor organization Delta Delta Delta.

Lynn, Jess Weiner, and Lisa at NEDA’s inaugural Teen Summit.

THANK YOU NEDA!

What an amazing experience we had at the NEDA Conference this past weekend. It was a privilege to speak, hear, and meet such inspiring participants & activists like Claire Mysko and Jess Weiner (named one of “14 Power Women to Follow on Twitter” by Forbes.com).

Adults and teens shared stories that reminded us how body image issues & eating disorders affect people of all ethnicities and races, regardless of your gender. We too, had the opportunity to represent the Asian American voice and raise awareness around how culture & stereotypes play significant roles in the obstacles we face. 

Recognizing that Asian Americans have not traditionally been in this space, we were welcomed with open arms and felt honored to be a part of this community. Many people reached out to us with enthusiasm in hopes of talking more about potential collaborations. 

In short, attending the conference motivated us to work harder on Thick Dumpling Skin to keep the positive body image message going. But, if there is one takeaway that we have to share with you, it’s that, as with everything, you have the power to make a difference. We believe in you!

- Lisa and Lynn

P.S. For more pictures, and especially the food pics (nom nom), check out Lynn’s post on The Actor’s Diet!

P.S.S. If you’re on Twitter, search for #NEDA11 to see what went down. Lynn (mslynnchen) and myself (rrrlisarrr) both tried to stay on top of our tweets during the conference.

When I visited the NEDA page last night to look up information on the upcoming conference, I was shocked to find my face on the front:

I’ve shared my eating disorder history via writing and video, but seeing myself on the same site I first went to get help was a very humbling moment.

When I was struggling with food and body image, I never in a million years imagined that I’d be in a place where I would one day be able to share my story with others.  I was frightened to tell my own family, let alone the world.

Things can change.  

You can grow.

If you’re in Los Angeles, it’s not too late to attend the conference - I’ll be speaking on the Family Panel this Saturday at 9:15am, and plan on attending the Teen Summit to see Lisa as well.

- Lynn 

Share your story

NEDA is a terrific resource for anyone with an eating disorder.  This is from their handout on how to listen to your body when eating:

• The FIRST key to listening to your body is being able to detect when you are getting hungry. If you are indeed truly hungry, and not just looking for food to cure your boredom, stress, or loneliness, then it is time to refuel.
• The SECOND key is being able to know when you have had enough. Listen to your body. When you begin to feel full, you will know that you have had enough to eat. The goal is to feel content—not uncomfortably stuffed but not starving either. For some people this means planning 5 or 6 smaller, well-balanced meals a day instead of 3 large meals. And remember, it takes about 20 minutes for your body to realize it’s full. Also, be aware of what you are eating—eat sitting down, chew slowly, enjoy the tastes, smells, and textures of your food.
• The THIRD key is moderation, nothing to extremes. Often people hear this advice and think it means they can eat whatever they crave, all the time. Obviously we cannot survive on potato chips or peanut butter cookies alone. And if you tried, chances are you’d probably start to crave some pasta or fresh fruit after awhile. These cravings are your body’s way of helping you get the nutrients it knows you need.

Read the full article here.

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week starts tomorrow, through February 26th.  It is a collective effort of primarily volunteers, including eating disorder professionals, health care providers, students, educators, social workers, and individuals committed to raising awareness of the dangers surrounding eating disorders and the need for early intervention and treatment.   

Visit the official site to find events or speakers in your area and see how you can help.