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May 14, 2022 15 mins

OUTWEIGH: Amy’s guest for the next 3 weeks is Crystal Lunenschloss (MS, RDN, LDN, CEDRD). Crystal became a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian to help people reconnect and heal their relationship with food and their bodies. In this episode, Crystal helps us understand how body image is more about our brains than what we look like and she gives us a few things we can do to immediately combat negative body image thoughts, so our brain can rewire to a more neutral/positive state! They also talk about how eating disorder behaviors are just as common in men as they are in women. 

 

For more from Crystal check out:

HorizonNutritionCounseling.com 

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I won't let my body outly outwait everything that I'm
made do. Won't spend my life trying to change. I'm
learning to love who I am. I get I'm strong,
I feel free, I know who every part of me
it is beautiful and then will always out with if

(00:23):
you feel it with joy. And there she's some love
to the boom. Let's say good day and did you
and die out Happy Saturday. Outweigh fam. I am sitting
across from Crystal lunen Selass, which she is a friend
of Cat de Fada's, who is the host of You
Need Therapy, and she's joined me on Four Things that

(00:46):
May Be Round and she's been on the Outweigh podcast
as well. And Crystal your I would say, y'all are
basically like colleagues, colleagues ish in the same field. Oh
colleagues and BFFs. So why don't you share with us
too or your background, your credentials and what you do. Yeah,
well thanks for having me. I am a registered dietitian

(01:06):
going on over twelve years now in the field, specifically
working in addiction recovery, eating disordered treatment, and sports nutrition
and kind of everything in between. My real passion is
working with pretty acute eating disorder treatment and complex cases,
and so I became a certified Eating disorder registered dietitian

(01:29):
to be able to really elevate my expertise in that.
And then I also work with body image and really,
I mean what we're talking about today with the brain
and really interested in the complexities of how the disease
process works. And so I try to practice that in
my private practice. I have a group practice where we
can do all the fun healing things that we would

(01:49):
just Horizon Nutrition Counseling if you happen to be here
in Nashville. If not, she has a website Horizon Nutrition
Counseling dot com. And yeah, like you mentioned the brain
and our bodies. Well, we're going to break down today
which Crystal is gonna be on for the next three weeks.
So this is part one of three. In each week
we'll be covering a different topic. But this is how

(02:12):
body image is more about your brain than what you
look like. So break down what that means. Great, So,
body image is a perception, so it's not necessarily based
on factual information all the time. It's based on your
perception and a collective experience of your thoughts and feelings
and how you feel in your body versus what we

(02:35):
may physically see when we look down at our bodies.
And so that's where it really is a game of
how our brain processes that information and what lens it
gets processed through. So if the lens is somewhat disordered,
then the collective way our brain puts that picture together
is going to be slightly distorted or severely distorted and

(02:57):
more dysmorphic type. So it really becomes a game of genetics.
The way we're eating habits, are our brain slightly malnourished
in certain ways, if it's had a brain injury, if
we've used substances. There are so many things that impact
the way our brain processes information, and so from my

(03:18):
point of view, it really does become more of the
behavioral part of how we think about our bodies. It
makes me think of b d D body dysmorphic disorder,
and I've been doing a lot of work on my
brain lately. Actually, before we sit down and record, I
was like, hey, right after this, I have a neural
feedback appointment and I can't be late because I like
to take advantage of every minute. I mean, I can

(03:39):
be late, but that you know, we'll seep into my
brain therapy time. And I have realized I'm two years
into recovery. I don't you don't know a lot of
my backstory. Some listeners do, but maybe this is your
first date listening to outweigh. But I am here as
just the person that wants to come alongside others that
are in the thick of it, or maybe they're also

(03:59):
in recovery, and just I want you to know you're
not alone. And I have experts come on that know
the facts and like why we are the way we are,
and that's what Crystal is doing here today. So I'm
not claiming to be an expert by any means, but
I've seen in my own self is as my brain
has gotten healthier, it's easier for me to navigate some
of this stuff because I'm not so for lack of

(04:21):
a better term, I'm not so all up in my
head about it. It's like I'm able to kind of,
you know, take more of a straight line to where
I need to go instead of zigzagging all over the
place and getting caught up in loops and this and that.
It's like things are just more clear to me. But
that's as I've had the luxury and the privilege to
do something to take care of my brain like therapy

(04:42):
and neurofeedback and taking the time for myself. And I
know not everybody has access to those things, so I
do recognize that. But it is interesting to me that
as I've really been focusing on my brain the last
you know, I would say, year full year, I'm starting
to see the benefits. And it's crazy, Yes, it is

(05:02):
crazy when you actually experienced brain change and see those
neural pathways actually changing. I imagine it as like a
very thick brush where like you couldn't just walk into
the to the forest, you know, and we have to
blaze this trail of new neural pathways that takes so
much work and effort to actually turn into more of

(05:24):
a dirt road and then more of like a paved
road with like lighting, and it's not you know, it
really takes so much practice and effort in different types
of therapies to really change the brain to perceive our
body in a true and genuine way, which I can't remember.
Is there like a number ish where you have to
do something a certain amount of times? Because when I

(05:45):
was in recovery. Have you heard of the book brainover Binge?
I have, Okay, so I read that early on. That
was something that clicked with me in the start. It
wasn't the only component to my recovery at all, but
it was something. You know, She's very much focus sing
on the brain and me training myself and building those
new neural pathways to be like every time I was
going to go to the pantry, it's like I stopped

(06:07):
and I turned around, but I had to go and
stop and turn around hundreds and hundreds. I don't even
know how many times I had to do it to
build the new neural pathways. And I can't remember if
she ever gave a number. Is there why? I think
in general it's you know, to break a habit quote unquote,
it's about twenty one times. Well for me, I was, well,
the difference between a habit and a ritual is that

(06:29):
ritual it's going to take a lot more because it's
not just the behavior you're changing, You're changing the emotional
connection to it. And that's a whole different ball games.
And just like I'm gonna stop, you know, like biting
my fingernails, you know, or something like that it takes
more intention and more skill to do it. Yeah, and
so this is something I think that is commonly talked
about amongst women, but men suffer from this just the same.

(06:53):
I don't even know suffers the right word, but yeah,
they have the same experiences men. It's it's unfortunate because
I think it's more of a stereotype that men don't
have issues, and so no one asks them the question,
and many times they're not very forthcoming with the information
and seeking help themselves. So if the assumption is that

(07:14):
men don't have issues, their therapists may not be asking,
their doctors might not be asking, and so they may
be doing a lot of things that you know, that
they know to do to change their body image that's
not very healthy. It presents a little bit different than
they would women because it's kind of normalized for women
to speak negatively about our bodies to other women. Um,
but men they kind of like joke about it and

(07:37):
grab things and like that. You know, they're very like
aggressive with it sometimes and they're just meant to kind
of shake it off. So I've seen it present in
so many ways with men where they end up maybe
using drugs or alcohol, to mask their body image issues.
I've seen body builders they kind of say, like, my
muscles are kind of my way of like being scary

(07:59):
and intimidating, so people leave me alone. It presents just
differently for men sometimes, but really they struggle with the
same thing, but no one asks them about it. Yeah,
when you said they joke about it made me think of, yes,
like I know men that after conversations have come out
and said, I mean, yeah, I kind of I don't
when I look in the mirror, this is not what
I see. This is what I see. And it is
crazy because we look at other people who are like,

(08:20):
that's not what I'm noticing about you at all. Like
you said, it's a lot of it is in our head.
And I remember feeling so much shame about my eating disorder,
and I just feel for men to I don't know
if there's more shame, if that's possible, because like women,
we can I felt shame and I didn't want to
talk about it. But then again, like you said, it's
like more acceptable for women to have concerns, so the

(08:44):
shame almost seems extra for men. Absolutely, it absolutely is,
and they certainly don't want to talk to other men
about it, because you know what if the pier is
really just more judgmental, like what why are you asking
about that? I don't want to talk about that, whereas
women were like tell me everything, like telling about other things,
and so it's a little bit different. But I used

(09:06):
to run male body image groups. It was men only,
and it was so amazing to see the healing that
comes out of that when you put a group of
men together who are actually open to discussing their issues
and just seeing that like, I'm not alone. The stereotype
needs to change, and it's only going to change with me,

(09:26):
with us and within the you know, like as we
build out of our community and how we you know,
they start kind of getting empowered to change too. But
it's definitely the same and it's something that we need
to talk about more well. So when it comes to
either men, women, younger, older, there's there's I mean, eating
disorders and disorder behaviors effects anyone and everyone or can

(09:50):
So what little tools do you have maybe to share
just a few with us that we can keep in
our back pocket when we're right now trying to process Okay, wait,
this is more my brain, this body image thing it's
all in my head. So what are some things that
we can be doing to start building those neuropathways and
undoing it. Yeah, So there's a type of therapy called

(10:11):
cognitive behavioral therapy, and it really is what we know
changes the brain the most. That and like exposure therapy,
so the CBT has a set of skills that really
just helps with stopping thoughts. So as you notice kind
of ruminating or cyclical thoughts that kind of rabbit trail

(10:31):
into just a lot of bullying and a negativity. That's
the thought where if you can stop and think about
literally anything else. So think of it as like, even
though your brain is not a muscle, but think of
it as like if I'm trying to strengthen my bicep,
I'm gonna exercise my bicep, and if I exercise my
brain to think mostly negative things, that's what it's automatically

(10:55):
gonna do. So if we can stop those negative thoughts
and it's act, it's not strengthening those pathways, and then
if we can follow it up with a neutral thought
or even maybe a positive thought, that's the foundation of
laying down those pathways. It makes me think of when
we're a kid and we're learning fire drills, and it's
like stop is the first thing, like stopped dropping roll?

(11:18):
But it's like, okay, first thing we have to do
is just stopped. But you first have to recognize you
even having the thoughts. So you have to be very
mindful of, Wow, I just zoned out with this negative
thought for a really long time. I need to first
acknowledge that that I'm having that thought because the more
you can catch it sooner, the more you can redirect it.

(11:38):
And I'm so glad you said that, because, yeah, how
can you stop something I don't even realize is happening,
especially when it consumes your your headspace so much you
just it's just kind of normal, Like what do you mean,
Like I as soon as I see my leg, like
I say, my brain just immediately goes there. And so
you know that you already know that about yourself. So
have a set of just kind of thoughts and phrases

(12:02):
that you can just say to stop that thought. And
then also there you know, kind of being body avoidant
creates a fear of unknown, you know, And so I
would also encourage just knowing your body is really important
because if we're wearing baggy things. If we're avoiding looking
at ourselves in the mirror, of course we're going to
create an image in our mind that's distorted because we're

(12:26):
only knowing what our body shape is based on how
negative our thoughts are. I'm not asking you know, like
love your body and look at all the things right now,
but it's really about if you know, as you're completely
body avoidance, that is going to create this fear and
why are your nervous system to be scared of it?
And that also is gonna cause a lot of harm

(12:46):
long term. Okay, So first just to recap, we need
to recognize and acknowledge what's happening. Then secondly we need
to stop if we once we notice the negativity, just
put a stop to it and replace it with something neutral.
All are positive now instead of just saying positive? Why
did you say neutral? Because some people just can't they're
not ready for positive yet, okay, So or they'll just

(13:09):
say positive something and just be like, I don't believe
that anyway. Well, because yeah, for affirmations, you have to
truly believe it for it to say Sometimes you don't
necessarily have to truly believe it. On the front end,
more you say it, you eventually do. But some people
are just not even they cannot it actually makes it
can be more harmful. So sometimes just neutral or just
challenging the you know, if it's everyone stares at me

(13:31):
when I go to the beach, well do they really?
You know, like look around, is everyone you know looking
at you when you step on the beach? Recognize the
reality that it's not okay? And then the last one
knowing your body and don't be what you're saying a
body avoidance. Okay, So thank you for sharing those little

(13:52):
those little things. Those are three things right there that
you can keep in your back pocket if you notice,
you know, body image type thoughts popping in to your head,
and just again know that you're not alone, whether you're
male or female. And I know, just me being a woman,
I spent a lot of time saying, oh, well, you know,
I speak to the women, and then I'll get a
note from a man and I'm just reminded, oh, yes,

(14:15):
men are going through this too, and again I've even
witnessed it. So thank you for coming on and sharing that.
And if there's any men listening and you have thoughts
or emails something you want to share um or you
would like to share some of your story, would love
to hear from you. Hello at Outweigh podcast dot com
is where you can hit us up. And then Crystal
your website one more time, Horizon Nutrition Counseling dot com. Well,

(14:38):
thank you so much for having with us today, and again,
Crystal is gonna be back next Saturday and then the
following and we're going to get into like what really
is normal eating? And I say normal in air quotes.
And then also after that a listener email about being
concerned for a friend that is displaying some disordered behaviors.
All right, see'all next Saturday. By let

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