Fit, Fat and All That - Guest Interview
From her enlightening messages about body image to her captivating personality and sassy attitude, I am thrilled to put the spotlight on my girl, Julia.
Julia, also known as FitFatAndAllThat on Instagram, is a body positive influencer who openly talks about the struggles she's faced with body image and disordered eating. I felt immediately connected with her the minute I found her, not just because I can relate to her story, but because of her transparency and willingness to show up vulnerably.
I am excited for you to dive into this interview I had with Julia so you can get a snip of her story and the process she's used to heal her relationship with food and her body. So without further ado...
What do you think triggered you to have disordered eating and body image dismorphia?
I believe the media had a huge role in my eating disorder and I was also bullied about my weight in high school which led to a lot of insecurities. I never really saw my body type in my magazines or talked about as being “beautiful” in movies or shows. The diet industry shoves a certain body type in our faces and that was never my body, so I felt that I needed to change the way I looked to be accepted by society.
How did you start to heal your relationship with food and your body?
I spent years hating my body and never treating it with respect. I knew that I didn’t want to live my life uncomfortable in my skin and decided that I needed professional help. I decided to seek out a therapist and nutritionist that specialized in eating disorder recovery and spent a couple years really breaking down my body-image issues.
What is one common mistake you think people make when they are trying to overcome their eating disorder?
I think a lot of people mask their eating disorder or eating issues with a “diet” lifestyle. I held onto my eating disorder for years without realizing it because I was still very restrictive with my eating. I counted calories and took part in fad diets. I thought that because I was eating and not throwing up that I wasn’t in my ED, but I was. I realized to really overcome my eating disorder, I would need to let everything I thought about food and how I ate go. And then start fresh. I had to teach myself all over again how to intuitively eat and listen to my body.
What advice would you give someone who is trying to feel confident in their body?
The biggest thing I had to stop doing is comparing myself to other women. I used to envy naturally thin women and I would get angry that I wasn’t blessed with that. I unfollowed accounts that didn’t make me feel good about myself and started to saturate my life with body-positive talk. I kept telling myself that every single human is different. For us to expect that we will look like someone else is ridiculous. We all have flaws and imperfections. And I knew that no matter my size, if I didn’t work on changing my thoughts I would never love myself, even if I was thin.
It's important to know that you’re going to have bad body days, it’s normal. But to be able to get out of them and rationalize your thoughts is the important thing. And know that it’s one bad day, and tomorrow is a new one!
What is one thing you do regularly to practice self care?
I love baths and candles. Anytime I feel very stressed and out of whack, I try to take a relaxing bath with yummy candles and some good, calm music. I know that my thoughts can race and get out of control, so to be able to calm down usually helps when I’m feeling overwhelmed.
Do you still struggle with your body image? Or have "bad" body image days? What are things you do to help shake it off?
Of course! We all have those days and it’s completely normal. I know that certain times of the month are harder for me and I try to prepare for that. I also know that working out helps with my mood a ton. Whether it’s an intense cycling class or just a causal walk, I know that moving my body and getting outside always helps my mood.
What is your absolute favorite thing to do lately?
Oh man, I love doing so much - haha. But since it’s starting to warm up in Denver, I love to get outside. Whether it’s brunch on a patio or hiking in the mountains - being in nature brings me so much happiness.
GET CONNECTED WITH JULIA:
If you want to catch Julia dancing to her favorite songs in the car, or enlightening you with her spiel on body positivity - I highly recommend checking out her Instagram.
Instagram: @fitfatandallthat
Email: FitFatAndAllThat@gmail.com