Today we have the pleasure of interviewing Lauren Herrod, a wife and soon to be mommy. Lauren is a AFPA Certified Holistic Nutritionist (in training) and is all about helping women love themselves. We first came across Lauren via her TikTok @laurenherrod and fell in love with her creative videos and message.
During our interview this is what Lauren had to say.
Sunday: How have you struggled in the past to appreciate or love your body and how have you overcome that struggle?
Lauren: As soon as I became an adult, depression swallowed me and I coped by swallowing junk food every chance I could. My body quickly became unrecognizable and I eventually turned to fad diets for help. The weight came off, but the self-hate stayed. Being skinny did not fix my broken body image, the diets I did were proving to be unsustainable, and I had developed Binge Eating Disorder. The book called Intuitive Eating turned out to be a miracle in my life! I was able to change my mindset and develop self-love through reading that book and listening to body positive podcasts.
Sunday: Can you describe a time you have felt self-conscious due to portrayals of body image in the media?
Lauren: OMG - I was so convinced that I needed to look like Kim Kardashian in order to be happy. That’s the message I felt I was receiving from the media and it became incredibly hard for me to appreciate anything about my own body. People everywhere are pursuing bigger butts, smaller waists, flat stomachs, and bigger lips. I used to be a part of that club until I realized how much stress it was causing me to want to change myself in those ways.
Sunday: What message do you have for other women who struggle to appreciate and love their bodies?
Lauren: Not only is each of our bodies a unique, lovely gift but we are so much more than our bodies! Perfection is an illusion and pursuing that illusion is the worst thing I’ve ever done for my own mental health. When we feel that it is almost impossible to appreciate and love our bodies, our mental health is screaming to be healed. I believe that self-love is a skill that comes from a healthy mind and it’s a skill that we are all capable of developing no matter what kind of body we have.
Sunday: What do you love most about your body?
Lauren: I LOVE that my body breathes and dances and is now growing another life!
"When the light hits the cellulite just right"
Thank you Lauren :) To see more of Lauren Herrod please follow her on TikTok @laurenherrod and Instagram @laurenherrod_
