Eating disorders and the Exec Woman

I often visit Forbes Woman online for career advice, womens issues around the world and this week I was surprised to see an article by Meghan Casserly about eating disorders in professional women. As she says "for a growing number of professional women, food issues take center stage mid life."

For me it has been a life long battle and eating disorders in general have been long associated with teenage girls and tweens. In recent years, treatment centers are seeing increases in the number of women seeking treatment in their 30s to 60s.

Forbes talks about Alison, a middle aged professional woman and self proclaimed perfectionist who has struggled with the condition. She made a decision after completing treatment three years ago to leave her planned career path for a slow paced non profit. I can empathize-- my career was a major catalyst for the disease to take control of my life. In the young girls that I've talked to in recent months divorce, leaving for college, broken relationships and other high pressure situations have served as triggers for disordered eating.

"...asking for help was the most difficult thing [she] had ever done. “Especially in the finance world, in an office full of Type-A men, I never wanted to come across as weak,” Alison says. Rehabilitation experts concede that for older patients, admitting defeat and asking for help can be a major roadblock—but it can ultimately be their saving grace."

Asking for help at any age is difficult but I know my weekly appointments keep me on track and strong both physically and emotionally. It feels good to be in control.

Thanks Meghan for the great article!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2011/09/27/eating-disorders-and-the-executive-woman/

"Anaa-Rexia" Halloween Costume

Just when I was getting excited about picking a costume for Halloween this year, I came across several articles about a glittery skeleton costume titled "Anna Rexia" complete with a heart name tag and measuring tape.

Not funny.

The costume has now been pulled from Ricky's and other retailers (I'm sure you can still find it sold around the web). The description read “You can never be too rich or too thin."

Betty Confidential writes, " Emaciated, starving girls do not need to get the impression that other young women want to be them. And for women like me, this getup is a slap in the face –a heartless trivialization of a battle that took us so long to win...This Halloween, let’s choose what we wear wisely..."

For more from Betty Confidential: http://www.bettyconfidential.com/ar/ld/a/mocking-eating-disorder-is-this-a-good-halloween-costume.html

MBA Beauty Queens

Loved yesterday's article in BusinessWeek about titleholders with MBAs.

The article highlights a dozen women who have competed at Miss America and Miss USA and obtained MBA degrees and have gone on to work for Fortune 500 companies, non profit organizations and technology start ups.

I am so proud to be joined by such bright women who have used the skills they learned through pageants to become successful business leaders.

"The experience of participating in a pageant is in many ways ideal preparation for the business world, says Art McMaster, president and chief executive officer of the Miss America Organization, which runs the Miss America pageant. To impress the judges, the women must learn how to market and brand themselves." Couldn’t have said it better myself!

For more on the article, http://images.businessweek.com/slideshows/20110915/mba-beauty-queens

Demi Lovato talks treatment

Set your DVR's to Tuesday's episode of the Ellen DeGeneres show! Demi Lovato stops by to talk treatment-- a year ago, she sought care for "emotional and physical issues."

According to People.com she wants to become a role model for teenage girls. "There was nobody out there for me to look at and say maybe this is unhealthy," Lovato, who battled eating disorders.. "I want to be that for a 13-year old girl at home deciding whether or not to eat dinner, or an 18-year-old girl deciding whether or not to keep her breakfast down."

I was on a similar journey as Demi just 4 years ago-- when the the singer-actress finished treatment in January, she wanted to be "outspoken" and freely talk about her "issues" because when she grew up, she "was dealing with the pressures to be thin."

"...it changed my life forever," she says. And I would have to agree.

Kudos to Demi for sharing her story.


http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20529349,00.html

Teen Entrepreneurship

This past week I had the pleasure of meeting a young entrepreneur who started her business, Simple Sugars, at the age of 11. What an inspiring young lady! As a young girl with sensitive skin, she had trouble finding skin care products that worked for her. The solution? Making her own!

First selling to friends and family, she went on to sell them as presents during the holidays. 6 years later she has become the CEO of a full blown, all natural skin care company. I've got my eyes on the lavender body scrub!

Follow Lani Lazzari's road trip on her website http://www.simplesugarsscrub.com/roadtrip/ as she travels across the country and back promoting her company.

Photo by SheCounts.

Mind, Body and Purse Empowerment Conference

I was reading the BBJ at lunch this afternoon and couldn't help but notice an event for middle school and high school girls, hosted by She Counts on the calendar. This conference offers over 20 workshops on domestic violence, teen dating, sex, self-esteem, food and nutrition, physical fitness, workforce development, entrepreneurship and other teen related topics.

The event will be held at Loyola University (Timonium Campus) on Friday October 21, 2011 from 8am to 5pm. A $20 fee includes breakfast, lunch and snacks. The deadline to register is October 15.

Featured speakers include Lani Lazzari and Deborah Owens.

At 17 years old, Lani is the CEO of Simple Sugars. Having been featured in CosmoGirl, Forbes, Self, Entrepreneur and more, Lani is both a role model for young women and an ambassador for female entrepreneurs.

Deborah is an author and on a mission to engage others in a conversation about financial empowerment. She has appeared on CNN, ABC, PBS and Essence magazine.

Sounds like a can't miss event to me. Now, if only I were young enough to be an attendee!

For more information on SheCounts and this event, visit
http://www.shecounts.com/conference/

Finding Body Confidence with Susie Orbach

Mark your calendars for a keynote address and reception with internationally acclaimed author and body image activitst, Susie Orbach.

This free event will be held at the Conference Center at Sheppard Pratt on Sunday October 2, 2011 from 2-4pm. Pre-registration is required-- call (410) 938-3157 or email rsvp@sheppardpratt.org to reserve your seats today!

SPEAKER BIO:
Susie Orbach is a psychoanalyst and writer. She co-founded The Women’s Therapy Centre in 1976 and The Women’s Therapy Centre Institute in New York, in 1981. Her interests as have centered around feminism and psychoanalysis, counter-transference, psychoanalysis and the public sphere, the construction of femininity and gender, globalisation and body image and emotional literacy. Her numerous publications include the classic, Fat is a Feminist Issue, Hunger Strike and her latest book, Bodies, which was published in January 2009. She is the convener of Anybody campaigning for body diversity.

Does Exercising Help Teenagers Feel Better About Their Body Image?

This week, Livestrong is talking about teen body image and the impact exercise has. Our body image is influenced by biological, psychological and social factors as well as media imagery. As a teen with poor body image, I understand that it can lead to a variety of problems down the road.
“According to the Center on Media and Child Health, a teenager's body image is closely related to her self-esteem. If a teen doesn't feel good about her body, this will translate into a lack of confidence in other areas of her life that have little to do with health and fitness.”

Exercise is an effective way for teens to both improve their body image and boost self-esteem but too much exercise, however, may be a sign of a disorder called compulsive exercise—an addiction to exercise that is fueled by poor body image.

To read more, visit: http://www.livestrong.com/article/528443-does-exercising-help-teenagers-feel-better-about-their-body-image/#ixzz1Wi8IFIpJ