The goal of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is to promote public and media attention to the seriousness of eating disorders and their biological as well as environmental triggers, and to try to combat the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that can contribute to them.

2011 Theme: It’s Time to Talk about It

This year the National Eating Disorders Association is stressing that it’s time to talk about eating disorders. We live in a culture saturated with unrealistic body-image messages and almost all of us know somebody struggling with an eating disorder. Because this is true, we urge you to talk about it……and do just one thing during NEDAwareness Week to 1) raise awareness that eating disorders are serious illnesses, not lifestyle choices; 2) provide accurate information to medical, educational and/or business communities, and 3) direct people to information and resources about eating disorders.  Join us, and do “Just One Thing” You don’t need to have a lot of time, money or other resources to make a difference. Simply choose one thing you will do to help.

Here are a few examples:
• Bring a NEDAwareness Week Volunteer Speaker to your school, work, or social group.
• Download and print a free copy of NEDA’s Educator Toolkit, Parent Toolkit and Coach & Athletic Trainer Toolkit to give to your local schools.
• Provide accurate information: Put NEDAwareness Week posters, pamphlets and handouts in your schools, community centers, medical offices or workplaces.
• Maximize the power of your social networking: Re-tweet a fact about eating disorders, post signs and symptoms of an eating disorder, put up a link to the NEDA website and Helpline, encourage your contacts to learn more about eating disorders and join you in doing just one thing.

1. Eating disorders are serious illnesses, not lifestyle choices
Eating disorders are complex conditions that arise from a combination of long-standing behavioral, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, biological and social factors. As our natural body size and shape is largely determined by genetics, fighting our natural size and shape can lead to unhealthy dieting practices, poor body image and decreased self-esteem. While eating disorders may begin with preoccupations with food and weight, they are about much more than food. Recent research has shown that genetic factors create vulnerabilities that place individuals at risk for acting on cultural pressures and messages and triggering behaviors such as dieting or obsessive exercise. In the United States, as many as 10 million females and 1 million males are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Approximately 15 million more are struggling with binge eating disorder.

2. Education, early intervention, and access to care are critical
There has been a rise in incidence of anorexia in young women 15-19 years old in each decade since 1930; over one person’s lifetime, at least 50,000 individuals will die as a direct result of an eating disorder. In the United States, we are inundated with messages telling us that thinner is better, and when we “fit” our culture’s impossible beauty standards, we will be happy. Did you know that 80% of all ten year olds are afraid of being fat? As a culture, it is time for all communities to talk about eating disorders, address their contributing factors, advocate for access to treatment and take action for early intervention. You can make a difference: do just one thing to initiate awareness, education and discussion about eating disorders in you community. If we all do something, we’ll have a tremendous impact!

3. Help is available, and recovery is possible
While eating disorders are serious, potentially life-threatening illnesses, there is help available and recovery really is possible. It is important for those affected to remember that they are not alone in their struggle; others have recovered and are now living healthy fulfilling lives. Let the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) be a part of your network of support.

NEDA has information and resources available via our website and helpline:
NEDA www.nationaleatingdisorders.org NEDA Helpline: 800 931-2237

It’s Pay it Forward Friday tomorrow (Oct 29th) on SHARIng with SHARI and I am honored to be a guest!

Tune in or call in if you have a question or to share what YOU have done this week
to help pay it forward!  Join Shari’s LOVE-volution!

10am PST/1pm EST

The phone number is 347-994-2543
Here is the link to the show: http://tobtr.com/s/1317291
You can listen online or through the phone number above.

THANK YOU for an AWESOME picnic!

@FionaFit -  Click here for Healthworks 3 day Pass for Fitarella readers!

@WFM_FreshPond

@MixBakery

@OrganicJoos

The winner will be chosen tonight at 11:59 pm EST and
I will fedex you the pass so you have it in time.

(Mom & Cody (the artist that painted it) please do NOT give out the answer)

Good Luck! And think ALL cartoon characters, not just TV

]]> http://fitarella.com/2010/08/healthworks-giveaway/feed/ 19 http://fitarella.com/2010/05/vote-for-me-please/ http://fitarella.com/2010/05/vote-for-me-please/#comments Mon, 17 May 2010 00:14:57 +0000 Fitarella http://fitarella.com/?p=1369 I’ve entered a contest that Oprah is having on OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network) to be the host of a new show. (woohoo!) It would be an incredible help if you could support me in the voting process by voting, commenting, tweeting, posting on facebook or forwarding this message to your friends/family for their votes. Every little bit helps, and I am appreciative of anything you could do. Voting goes on until June 26th, and you can vote as many times a you wish ( so vote A LOT!!!)

Vote HERE

Here is my video submission:

THANK YOU THANK YOU! If there is ever any way I can return the favor please let me know.

Click HERE to vote NOW!

I am still working one my Girls On The Run application, which is due August 1st.  Nothing new to report in that department, but the important thing is that What If has been put into action.  So with that one in motion, I decided to bring some other What Ifs to life.

When I first read about the What If challenge something came to mind immediately, but I set it aside because at this point in my life it almost seems impossible to tackle and I thought it best if I chose something else, which is where GOTR came in.  Don’t get me wrong, the GOTR is a What If I’m passionate about and so incredibly excited to be doing, but if I’m coming clean it was a safe What If for me, because I probably would have done it even without the challenge.

And so it’s been gnawing at me. and festering.

Because if today was my last day on the planet, and I was asked what did I most wish I had done, I would unequivocally, without a doubt, say pursued my singing.  And the thought of doing anything about it scares the crap out of me. (which I’ve been told means I should be doing something about it)

So, my What If is What if I actually followed through and pursued singing in some capacity?  Of course I don’t mean quitting my job and trying to the starving artist thing, but what if I started writing some songs, worked with a new voice teacher or sing at a local open mike?  Crap, for me that is some scary shit.

Now, if you don’t know my background, I went to school for classical voice, and have performed lots over the years, but I never fully committed and always ended up either getting in my own way or just moving in a completely different direction.  Which looking back now was me just being chicken. And in case you’re wondering, I have a great voice. Actually I have an amazing voice. But that really means diddly squat if I’m not doing anything with it.

So, tonight I am meeting with a new voice teacher, someone to help me explore where my voice is at and to help me experiment with non-classical music.

I’m nervous.

I realize this is yet another non-fitness related post and I apologize but its where I’m at right now, focusing on my mental fitness

If you have any fitness related topics you’d like me to address that is on your mind, please feel free to comment below or email me at Fitarella@gmail.com

In other, more exciting news, today is National “Eat what you want day!”  Yes, its true, a holiday to treat yourself guilt free! Not, that any of us should need a holiday for that, because we all deserve to treat ourselves!  But in the spirit of this holiday, what would you choose to eat today if you could have ANYTHING your tummy desired?

Me?

photo cred: hankzby

then this:

photo cred: kainchanvong

topping off with this: Yes, HOT OOZY CHOCOLATE MOLTEN LAVA cake

Ok, now you!!! Spill it!

Once you submit your application there is a four part approval process:

• Our Selection Committee reviews all applications after the application deadline.  Applications must meet national standards and goals.
• A phone interview will be scheduled and conducted with a member of the Girls On The Run International staff within two weeks of the application approval notification date.  The Selection Committee will meet again to review the interview results and give final application approval.
• Upon receiving final application approval, you will be registered to attend Girls On The Run International Council Training

Once you complete the training and are certified by Girls On The Run International, you will receive final Council approval.

and then I have to find the big bucks for licensing…;)

So, how about you? How have you been feeling during this process?  Can I help?

I know some of you commented that you still need to get your What Ifs posted, well UP & AT ‘EM lovelies!!!  Declare your What Ifs and set things in motion. The longer you keep them in your head, the longer they will just stay there.  Believe me, I know first hand.

Now, GO and What If NOW!!!!