In this episode of The Psychology of Eating Podcast, we’re going to take a look at why we need to get past the label of ‘body dysmorphia’ – a medical term – and instead look to understand why body dysmorphia is actually present.
And to do that, we must explore our personal story from childhood to adulthood – because our history contains the clues for where this pattern developed in the first place.
The reality is, many of us have dysmorphic tendencies. Meaning, we see our body differently than it actually is – and not in a good way.
That’s the case for Rory, 62, who reports struggling with body dysmorphia since childhood. As he shares with Marc David, he’s never had a problem controlling what he eats. He’s been able to maintain his body fat at 8-10% consistently since his 20s through extreme sports and rigid dieting.
But none of his efforts ever feel like enough. Rory’s body hate runs so deep that he avoids mirrors and glass windows so he doesn’t see his reflection. In his mind, he wishes he had the body of an Olympic athlete, strong and lean and muscular. But that’s never been the body he sees reflecting back to him. He considers his body overly thin, with too little muscle regardless of how much strength training he does.
Despite all his internal struggles, Rory has a pretty incredible life: 5 kids and a beautiful marriage, and a lot of commitment to his own personal growth. He really wants to discover how he can stop the voice that says, “I hate my body” – and instead find peace and self-acceptance.
Whether you or a loved one is struggling with body dysmorphic tendencies – or find yourself, like Rory, telling yourself “I hate my body” – this episode is for you!
Episode highlights:
✅ Why self-labeling as “body dysmorphic” unnecessarily medicalizes our human condition, and why understanding our food and body story is more important
✅ The connection between body dysmorphia and our childhood strategies for self-protection and love
✅ Why bringing self-compassion to our inner child can powerfully shift body hate
✅ How to move from doing things TO your body to instead creating a nourishing conversation WITH your body – and why that’s key to fostering a positive body image
✅ How to create the optimal conditions for releasing body dysmorphic tendencies…
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