How can you shift your focus from changing your body to truly nurturing and respecting it? In this episode of the unPerfected podcast with Brooke Jean, Brooke interviews Alana Van Der Sluys. Alana is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, TEDx speaker, eating disorder survivor, and the founder of Freedom with Food and Fitness. She is dedicated to empowering women to heal their relationship with food and their bodies to step into their potential, take up space, and pursue true health. Her debut book– Freedom with Food and Fitness: How Intuitive Eating is the Key to Becoming Your H...
How can you shift your focus from changing your body to truly nurturing and respecting it?
In this episode of the unPerfected podcast with Brooke Jean, Brooke interviews Alana Van Der Sluys. Alana is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, TEDx speaker, eating disorder survivor, and the founder of Freedom with Food and Fitness. She is dedicated to empowering women to heal their relationship with food and their bodies to step into their potential, take up space, and pursue true health. Her debut book– Freedom with Food and Fitness: How Intuitive Eating is the Key to Becoming Your Happiest, Healthiest Self–was released worldwide in November 2023 with Urano Publishing.
Alana dives into the cultural and subconscious pressures that tie women's self-worth to body size, exposing the myths that perpetuate disordered behaviors. Together, Brooke and Alana discuss how perfectionism often intersects with body image struggles and explore how practices like intuitive eating can guide us toward food freedom and body respect. With practical advice and a candid perspective, this episode is an invitation to redefine health and happiness on your own terms.
Ready to embrace body neutrality and intuitive eating? Take the first step by exploring Alana's book, Freedom with Food and Fitness!
Highlights
00:00 - 05:00 Meet Alana Van Der Sluys
- We welcome Alana Van Der Sluys to the show!
- Alana shares her journey from disordered eating to recovery.
- She talks about the intersection of perfectionism with food and body image.
- How societal conditioning shapes our beliefs about beauty and self-worth.
- Alana shares her insights from her book 'Freedom with Food and Fitness.'
05:01 - 15:30 The Journey to Recovery
- Alana's struggle with various eating disorders, including binge eating, orthorexia, and body dysmorphic disorder.
- How she found solace and recovery through intuitive eating.
- Reshaping their relationship with food and body image over years.
- The need to address often-overlooked disorders like binge eating and orthorexia.
- The pervasive issue of perfectionism among high-achieving women and its impact on disordered eating.
15:31 - 29:50 Understanding SALVE: Safety, Acceptance, Love, Validation, and Esteem
- Alana discusses the concept of SALVE—Safety, Acceptance, Love, Validation.
- She explores how societal pressures, media portrayals, and subconscious conditioning.
- She talks about how eating disorders, anxiety, and trauma relate to body image issues.
- The impact of parental influence and the journey of turning personal struggles into a mission to help others.
29:51 - 38:43 Exploring Intuitive Eating
- The science-backed philosophy of intuitive eating.
- Alana defines what is intuitive eating.
- Reconnecting with your body's cues.
- Understanding how different foods affect one's body and emotions.
- Steering away from unrealistic and unhealthy societal standards.
38:44 - 52:32 The Role of Joyful Movement
- Alana talks about reacting positively when things don't go as planned.
- Overcoming spirals caused by weight fluctuations.
- The struggles of being a perfectionist and recovering from various disorders.
- The transformative power of presence, gratitude, and self-acceptance.
- Respecting your body for what it is and making peace with past mistreatment.
- Conclusion.
Tweetable Quotes:
"Shoot for body neutrality first. Respect your body as it is today." – Alana Van Der Sluys
"Your body is the one thing you come into this world with and the one thing you leave with. "– Alana Van Der Sluys
"True freedom comes when you stop letting your self-worth depend on a number on the scale." - Alana Van Der Sluys
*This is not medical advice. Please consult with a professional before making any changes
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You can connect with Brooke Jean through her:
Website: Brooke Jean LLC
Facebook: Brooke Jean
LinkedIn: Brooke Jean
Instagram: @brookejeanunperfected
You can connect with Alana Van Der Sluys through her:
Instagram: @freedomwithfoodandfitness
Website: www.freedomwithfoodandfitness.com
