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First and foremost, I would like to personally thank each and every one of you who attended my presentations at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia. The topics of my sessions were “Aiming for a Positive Body Image,” and, “Pressures of Athletics can Lead to Eating Disorders.” Immediately following my second presentation, a woman came up to the stage, and loudly stated, “I just wanted to let you know. I wasn’t planning on coming, but last minute, my friend encouraged me to join her. I must say, this was the best presentation I have seen thus far. And, my only goal for next yearRead More →

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As a sophomore in college, I lived off campus in a 2-bedroom apartment with my roommate. We shared a kitchen, though, at the time, we did not share food. I was consuming very little food, exercising compulsively to burn off anything I did eat (and more), and was so obsessed with food that no other thought crossed my mind. I had been diagnosed with an eating disorder months prior, and I had finally agreed to start making changes toward a healthier lifestyle. The problem was, like most things, it was so much easier said than done. One of my challenges that particular week was toRead More →

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Last night, Oprah Winfrey proved through passion, grit, and determination, anything is possible. By using a paramount platform at the 2018 Golden Globe Awards, she electrified an audience with messages that will lead girls and women from humility to heroism, subordination to supremacy, and injustice to truth. She preached specifically to all the young girls watching: “A new day is on the horizon.” Though Oprah’s message was received from a more political perspective, it could equally be as pertinent to the positive body image movement. Oprah’s powerful speech conveyed that society shapes us in more ways than we know, and how society perceives us affectsRead More →

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As if ending the season with the worst record in years, not qualifying for the conference tournament, and failing to accomplish my personal goals wasn’t bad enough. Then pile on studying for finals while, also, being responsible for working tirelessly to stay physically fit. College sports demanded excellence not just during season, but year round—in sport and school. And, finally, on top of it all, the end of the fall semester in Michigan inevitably ended with a winter storm that consisted of sleet, heavy snowfall, and freezing cold temperatures. Michigan State University’s campus is one of the biggest campuses in the nation. Just like many colleges, parking was extremely limiting–causing me toRead More →

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One of the very special and memorable times of my childhood was vacationing during Christmas break every year as a family. Being from Detroit, there was nothing better than escaping the frigid temperatures and traveling to sunshine and tropical weather. Each year, my goal remained the same, and it was to see how tan I could get in one week. Therefore, the bottles of sunscreen were gathering dust, and containers of aloe vera gel were on hand and conveniently accessible. In fact, more than not applying sunscreen, I brought tanning oil to lather all over my body before finding the perfect lounge chair that exposedRead More →

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We are born and raised in a society where we all have the same vision of beauty and of the perfect body. We strive to conform to that picture, and when we are unsuccessful, we become extremely hard on ourselves and attempt many different strategies to reach it — exercise, diet, make-up, even surgery. It all began when my physique transformed from skin and bones to curves and muscles. Pants began fitting snugger, and my inner thigh gap gradually turned from existent to nonexistent. It seemed I became an expert at doing the “jean dance” to work the stiff denim up my legs. Shopping forRead More →

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The greatest time of year to self-reflect is Thanksgiving. This year, I am focusing on being grateful for my body—how and why it looks and feels this way. Don’t get me wrong. There are definitely some improvements I would love to make to my figure. But, when I recognize the positives, I am able to be more forgiving and appreciative of my body. Here are five reasons I am more thankful for my body this year: My body has given me babies. Not all women have the privilege to give the miracle of life. I successfully delivered three beautiful, healthy children. For that, I amRead More →

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I had the pleasure of speaking to an entire sophomore class at a local high school the other day. As I stood at the podium watching each and every student walk through the entryway, I could feel the tension in the room increasing as they took their seats. They were informed of the topic that was going to be addressed—eating disorders and body image–issues that are far too misunderstood and unspoken, yet, so imperative. And, based on their attentiveness, questions, and discussion following my presentation, it was clear these students were more than familiar with these happenings. Our family, friends, and community learned of this speaking engagementRead More →

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My last collegiate soccer game was in November 2006 against Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament. Eleven years seems like a long time (and, it is), but my memories of playing college soccer are just as clear and vivid as they were then. While watching college games this fall, I could not help but picture myself out on the field…dressed in uniform…crossing balls…high-fiving my teammates…acknowledging a great pass…and leading by example. But, there was definitely one thing I could not picture. And, unfortunately, it goes back to the body image and eating disorders epidemic occurring in society today. Just as styles and trends in clothingRead More →

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You have to be kidding. This has to be some sort of joke, right? Or maybe someone dreamt this happened, and shared it to the point the story made national headlines—but, in fact, it didn’t actually happen. That is me dreaming, I suppose. On Friday, President Donald Trump met with children of the White House press corps so they could trick or treat in the Oval Office. While handing out candy to the children, Trump said, “You have no weight problems ― that’s the good news, right?” As a child, I recall salivating over a piece of cheesecake—my favorite dessert of all-time—following a steak dinner.Read More →