fat fear

Yes, this is my belly.  39 week pregnant belly, that is.

As I was snuggling with my sweet Eden the other day, running my fingers over her smooth baby skin and feeling those adorable chunky leg rolls, I wondered, when does it start?

What is the age when society uninvitedly redefines my daughter's precious  baby chub as fat?
When does adorable change to ugly?
When will Eden have awareness of what her body looks like?
And how can I protect her from this image obsessed society, teaching her about actual health rather than the common misperception of it?

While these will be ongoing questions to consider in the years ahead, I cannot help but wonder as this was an ongoing struggle of my own adolescent experience.

I was terrified of fat.

Eating fat and seeing fat on my body.

The eating disorder that stole a decade of my life has a name- not anorexia or bulimia but something else; basically a fear of fat.  Even during my unhealthiest moments I still ate something most days, just never fat.

For me to answer some of these questions as to how I will model a healthy relationship with food in our home, I have had to face my fear of fat.

One way I have found major victory in my battle with food and other areas of life is to identify a misperception, what I call a lie, and replace it with the truth. 

LIE: Fat is always bad.
TRUTH: Fat can be good.

The more I learn about holistic health and the more passionate I become about counting chemicals and not calories, the more I realize that for years I replaced healthy fats with destructive chemicals.  While the low-fat fad has marked our health and wellness societal beliefs as well as my own personal perspective for years, I will continue to change my habits towards the reality fat can be good.  

5 benefits of fat:
forms an important component on cell membranes and wall
provides protection for internal organs
helps the body use fat soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K
provides insulation under skin and warms body
sustains hunger and provides energy

5 examples of healthy fats:
avocado (Eden's favorite and first solid food)
chia seeds or flax seed
coconut or sunflower oil
raw almonds, pecans, and cashews
natural peanut or almond butter