Weight. Stop Talking About It. Start Checking in with Yourself and, Dr. Maya Miyairi Steel

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“Stop talking about dieting. Period.,” says Dr. Maya Miyairi Steel, an associate professor in the Kinesiology & Health Science department at Utah State University. When talking about our bodies and our weight, especially around children, Dr. Steel asks us to be more mindful, asking ourselves: is our conversation safe? is it appropriate? is it kind to ourselves? We also discuss the acceptance of weight-based bullying, instead of treating it as a social problem.

Dr. Steel talks to us about her work in promoting healthy relationships with food by educating pre-med students and parents about mindful eating. She reminds us to pay attention to what goes in our mouths (intuitive, mindful eating), slips off our tongue (the conversations we have with/about others), and bounces around in our brain (self-talk.)

You can hear more about Dr. Steel’s research, along with that of Dr. Ciciurkaite (Episode 41) and Dr. Wagner (Episode 42) at the upcoming Blue Plate Research event Understanding Obesity: New insights into body fat measurement, disordered eating, and external factors, which will be held virtually on January 13, 2021 at 11:30 AM MST. Learn more and RSVP on the Blue Plate Research website.