Love your body no matter what your size-this is the message being touted at this year’s annual Love Your Body Week.
The four days of festivities, which begin on Monday, coincide with National Eating Disorders Awareness Week and will include various panels and speakers covering topics from eating disorders to treadmill abuse.
Love Your Body Week is being sponsored by various groups, including the Women’s Resource Center and Students Preventing Eating Disorder Awareness and Knowledge, who have worked in conjunction with Salt Lake Community and Westminster Colleges to bring in Debbie Rosas as a keynote speaker to address this year’s theme of “Move Your Way to Health.”
Rosas, cofounder of the NIA exercise technique, claims to find health through movement as a holistic alternative to traditional exercise.
Rosas’ NIA technique, as stated on her Web site, revolves around the mantra that “getting fit and healthy through pleasure is the way to heal, and is the key to health.”
“We are using movement and activity to promote self-acceptance,” said Kary Bredenberg, a graduate student and volunteer for Love Your Body Week. “It’s easy to be negative about our bodies, and this will help to create higher self esteem.”
Despite the common association of eating disorders with young women, Cindy Harling, spokesperson for the Women’s Resource Center, said the week’s events are aimed at both men and women.
Sending a message that all bodies-regardless of shape, size or ability-are important is the overriding message of Love Your Body Week.
“We are inundated on a day-to-day basis with ads that essentially tell us that our body is not OK and that in order to get a better body we either need to purchase this supplement or buy this piece of exercise equipment or go on this diet,” said Nick Galli, a grad student in exercise and sports science and member of SPEAK.
“Keeping your body at a healthy weight is important, but being OK with the body that you have is equally important.”