Self-love is a superpower: How to be body-positive and take charge of health in teens and adults with Dr. Karla Lester

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Usually, we don't think of love or self-compassion when we think of the actions needed to have a healthy body. If you're anything like me, you think of pulling yourself up by the boot-straps, or hunkering down, or really "following the rules." Turns out, that's part of our culture too. And this toxic sort of thinking has seeped  into how our teens see themselves too. So-called "almond moms" (and dads) think they're helping their teens be healthy (aka attaining "thin privilege") when the real culprits are shame and often a health condition called insulin resistence.

In comes Dr. Karla Lester, board certified pediatrician and life coach and founder of IME Community, who is working tirelessly to teach kids--and their parents-- to love themselves as they are and also take empowering action to improve their health.

Dr. Karla and I talk about how she found her purpose in teaching self-love and healthy habits, and we delve into everything from "thin privilege" and toxic media messages to body positivity and the science around insulin resistance, and living a healthy lifestyle--physically and emotionally.  

You’ll want to listen to this episode, about how Dr. Karla  has her own lived experience with weight, and being a human, making mistakes , developing her own self compassion and working to help others do the same. It’s a message of humanity, a hard look at media and our own complicity in the childhood obesity epidemic. And an educational look at weight gain, insulin resistance, and shame—and mostly, it’s a message of hope.

Find out more about Dr. Karla Lester:

https://imecommunity.com

IME Podcast: https://omny.fm/shows/ime-community/ask-dr-karla-q-a-how-can-i-help-my-overweight-teen

Free IME Resources: https://imecommunity.com/free-stuff/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ime_community/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imecommunity?lang=en

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiVdmdBQkFvKSVWyD9QVX1w

And find out more about Melissa and The Fully Mindful:

https://www.thefullymindful.com

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