It is a fact that 1 in 100 adolescent girls are diagnosed with anorexia and this statistic is disturbing. With this in mind, I decided to reprint my article about how to encourage positive body image in your child.

Children spend much of their early lives at school, an environment that can be competitive, with hierarchies often based on physical appearances. A negative fixation on weight and size potentially lends itself to self-destructive thoughts and behaviours, which can be triggered by situations, comments or events that bring up feelings of anxiety and worthlessness. These include family arguments related to eating (e.g. “You’re not leaving the table until you’ve eaten everything on your plate”), feelings of being misunderstood, rejection by peers (e.g. “Go away, we don’t want to play with you”) or feeling like a misfit.

Negative emotions can lead to unhealthy thought processes and feelings of insecurity around body image. If left undetected, these feelings can lead to the onset of an eating disorder.

In my book Why Can’t I Look the Way I Want?: Overcoming Eating Issues, there is a chapter dedicated to the early warning signs. These signs are often subtle and can be passed off as “normal” behaviour – unless you know what to look for. Common warning signs include avoiding eating in front of others, making excuses to avoid family meal times, obsession with food preparation and a change in attitude towards food, e.g. becoming vegan or cutting out entire food groups under the guise of wanting to be “healthy”. In addition, ritualistic behaviour when eating, such as cutting food into tiny pieces, insisting that meals are eaten at a particular time each day or obsessive use of the same crockery and cutlery is cause for concern.

There are also warning signs before the warning signs. If a child is constantly complaining of headaches and tiredness, or appears to have trouble coping at school, this could indicate there is something deeper going on. Emotional issues, including feelings of inadequacy, often manifest as physical ailments, so stay aware of any symptoms that persist or behaviour that indicates difficulty coping, such as falling behind in class.

Becoming vigilant about the early warning signs means there is a very real chance of catching the behaviour before it spirals from an eating issue into an eating disorder.

Here are five tips for parents and carers:

1. Eat with your child as often as you can so that you become familiar with their eating habits.

2. Watch for changes in those habits, especially anything that appears unusually strict and lasts for several weeks.

3. Listen to the language your child uses around food. If they start talking about diets or calorie contents, or complain that they are fat (when they’re not) this is a red flag.

4. Watch for a change in disposition. If your child displays hostility around meal times, they could be experiencing internal conflict towards food.

5. If your child eats large amounts of food constantly but doesn’t realise how much they are eating and/or aren’t enjoying it, especially during times of stress, this could indicate obsessive eating.

In the event your child begins to display an aversion towards food and changes in their eating patterns, seek medical advice as soon as possible so that they get the right treatment without delay. Early intervention is critical in reframing the mindset before it becomes entrenched.

To me, Christmas is about embracing the festive season and making it magical. Sharing this wonderful occasion with family and friends, being grateful for all that is wonderful in our lives and celebrating the gift of love.

Take a moment to look into your heart and as you do, let your mind wander back over the year to some of the amazing moments you've experienced; triumphs; joyous occasions when life surprised you; unexpected encounters; places you've travelled; friendships that have become important to you; and on. And recognise that these moments have profoundly shaped your year and led to where you are now. 

Christmas doesn't have to be about dwelling on what may be lacking in our lives. If we take the time to look at all the wonderful things we have now, in this moment, we naturally feel a sense of contentment and importantly, gratitude. 

Remember there are endless possibilities that lay before you in the year ahead - and you have the ability to create the life that is true to your heart.

I'd like to take this opportunity to say Merry Christmas; may your festive season be filled with wondrous moments, meaningful connections, love, laughter and happiness.

~ Deepak Chopra

I love this quote because it reminds me that as we go through life and live through experiences, we are learning and growing and through this process, creating who we are. Our values and beliefs; the things we hold close to our hearts; what motivates our decisions.

We are all responsible for creating our own experiences and this is a very powerful concept. Ask yourself, what are some of the things that you truly ache for in your life? How can you change your circumstances to create what you desire? 

Amidst confusion, clarity exists. It is learning how to tap into our inner knowing and trust what our hearts tell us that is the key. Go somewhere quiet and ask yourself "What does my heart want me to know?" And then listen. Trust what you hear because your heart will never lie to you. 

Listening to our hearts hones our ability to trust our instincts and brings greater clarity - and joy. 

Your inner wisdome is the voice that speaks from your heart. The more you listen to it the more power you give it - and the louder it becomes.

Ask your heart "what do you want me to know right now?" - and listen for the answer. The voice from your heart is the voice of self-love. And positive body image is all about loving who we are from the inside out.



I hope this post inspires you to explore, dream and discover. You have everything you need inside of you to create the amazing life that you deserve.

The show explores being 40, which currently represents the largest age group in Australia, and the room was full of excitable 40 year olds all eager to share stories - everything from fertility to relationships, divorce and botox.

One of the topics we discussed was self image.

As an author of four books about eating and other health-related issues including Why Can't I Look the Way I Want, I'd like to remind you about the importance of loving yourself from the inside out.

Positive body image is all about how we feel on the inside. Self-love is the key, because if we love and honour ourselves, then that feeling will radiate to the outside and we will naturally feel good about all aspects of who we are, which will promote a positive self-image.

What can you do today to love and honour yourself? I am going to put on my favourite dress and have coffee with a friend - and enjoy each moment as we trade stories and soak up this beautiful autumn sunshine.