What are you putting off until you lose ‘x’ number of pounds? Is it a vacation or cruise? Dating? Visiting friends or family? Having family photos taken? Going to that restaurant? Exercise? Taking that dance class you always wanted to take? Buying pants that fit better? Wearing shorts or a sleeveless top? Life is happening while you are waiting to be thin.

You download the app and subscribe to the premium option. You’re serious this time. You follow the prompts. You follow all the advice you’ve been given. You just know this time you are going to see the results you’re wanting. Are we talking about dieting or dating? Or both?

I get regularly get asked about how parents can help foster positive body image in their kids and I understand why they are asking, girls are hating their bodies and dieting as early as age nine, with majority on a diet by high school and eating disorders are on the rise. The data is not all that different for boys. So this is three things you can do to promote a positive body image in your kids in order of importance, because like most everything else in parenting (insert eye roll), do as I say, not as I do just doesn’t cut it here.

Did you know that dieting is the #1 risk factor for developing an eating disorder?

I didn’t know that when I was a teenager. And I suspect my parents didn’t either. We can’t guarantee that our kids will be safe from developing disordered eating or an eating disorder, but we can help reduce their risk by discouraging dieting in the first place.

What’s really awesome is that parents can be the first line of defense against dieting and disordered eating.

Our pool opened up this past weekend, which is both early and amazing because this weekend in Greensboro, North Carolina, we hit the 90’s ya’ll.

I don’t even want to think about what that means for this summer…

But Memorial Day weekend is USUALLY when swimsuit season officially begins.

Is your body “swimsuit ready?”

No, I’m not drunk on diet culture… I’m here to tell you that “swimsuit ready” is bullshit.