February's National Eating Disorders Week

   February is a month to celebrate love in every sense of the word, including self-love. The 25th annual National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, held February 26 through March 3, is the perfect time to embrace your figure and support a healthy body image.

   The annual effort is designed to educate the public on the relationship between dieting, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia.

It not only brings awareness to self-esteem issues, but also allows people to come together and celebrate the diverse shapes and sizes within our culture.

   The goal of NED Awareness Week is to raise awareness on the pressures of meeting an unattainable standard of beauty, in hopes that people will learn to love their bodies, regardless of any unrealistic expectations. One demographic that knows all too well about these pressures are female gymnasts.

   A former gymnast and current gymnastics instructor, Lynn McDonald, once struggled with bulimia. McDonald began having body image issues at age 16. She was convinced that she was bigger than everyone else, though never developed a disorder until her coach made a particularly scarring comment.

   "I had fallen on my bottom at competition, after a vault, and he said, ‘Big tree fall hard.' And I remember feeling so ashamed of myself. After that, bulimia became a daily struggle for me all the way through college," said McDonald.

   Leah Lindner, owner and designer of a clothing company, makes conscious choices to create apparel that will flatter all women, no matter what shape or size.

"My goal is to make clothes that allow females to show off their unique personalities and bodies. I want them to feel comfortable and confident," said Lindner.

   Chelsea Nordstrom, a 22-year-old bartender, is also an advocate for loving one's uniqueness.

   "Imperfection is perfectly given as motivation to keep learning and improving. To be imperfect is a way to be great," said Nordstrom.

   Many women, like Lindner and Nordstrom, have adopted the "love yourself" philosophy of NED Awareness Week. The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) is dedicated to raising awareness on the issue and helping those who have not yet adopted the empowering philosophy.

   Phoenix will be honoring NED Awareness week with an official NEDA walk on Sunday, Feb. 26. The one-mile walk begins at 7 am at the Phoenix Zoo.

Open registration begins at 6 am, and the Phoenix Suns Gorilla will start warming up participants at 6:45 am. There will be speakers at the event, following the walk, to provide information and words of encouragement for participants.

   Live music, refreshments, and t-shirts are also a part of the NEDA Walk experience. Pre-registration is $30 for adults and $10 for children. For more information on the event, click here.