Manley Coaching

05/12/2026

I was so excited to hear Anne Hathaway reportedly pushed for size diversity in The Devil Wears Prada 2. She’s right to question why the ‘narrow ideal’ is still the default.👎🏻

I saw the movie Friday, and while the visual diversity was there, the script felt stuck in 2006. There’s a moment where Meryl Streep’s character mocks body positivity, asking, ‘What is there to be positive about?’ while puffing her cheeks out to mimic ‘chubbiness.’ Bodies should never be a “punchline.” 😡

Adding diverse bodies in the background means nothing if the script still treats them as a joke.👎🏻

Mimicking fatness as a sign of ‘disdain’ is a tired trope that reinforces weight stigma.👎🏻

Challenging weight stigma requires more than just a casting call; it requires a shift in how we talk about human value.👈🏻

If the film wanted to truly embrace diversity, they would have realized Have you seen the movie yet? Did this sit wrong for you too? that body positivity isn’t a joke—it’s a necessity in an industry that has excluded so many for so long.

Have you seen the movie yet? Did that scene sit wrong for you too?🤔🤔 Lmk.👇🏻

11/11/2025

You don’t want to miss this special evening!

Join us for a compassionate, clinician-and-community conversation exploring the realities of eating disorders in midlife and beyond. Too often overlooked, these experiences deserve understanding, visibility, and support.
This unique hybrid event—open to both professionals and the public—features author and recovery speaker Betsy Brenner. Betsy will be joined by clinician Beth Mayer, LICSW, for an interactive, facilitated discussion that uplifts the voices of adults 50+ navigating recovery. Together, we’ll explore how aging intersects with body image, identity, andhealth—– and how healing, connection, and self-compassion are possible at any age.

Please come in person if you are nearby, or virtually if not!

An intimate and thought-provoking event centered on SLIP — a powerful new book that blends memoir and reportage to explore eating disorder recovery.

10/27/2025

Another reason not to comment on somebody else’s body. 😩

I am sure this grandmother was trying to be helpful. And. It really wasn’t. 👎🏻

If you are in recovery and have heard comments about your changing body, I am sorry. 💜

Recovery is hard enough without hearing comments regarding food, weight, diet and exercise. ✨

If you are recovering, your body might change. And. That’s ok. You are so much more than your outer shell. 🙌🏻

Keep moving forward. You are worth it. ✨✨

Recovery. Is. Possible.


.
                                  

09/11/2025

Back to college time is here. I have put together some tips to help with your body confidence.👇🏻

Take social media breaks. And if you must go on TikTok, search by a topic that is true to your values such as art or cooking instead of just scrolling.

*Develop friendships (and follow on social media) with people who are body positive. Surrounding yourself with friends who are unhappy with their bodies and always dieting may make you feel negative too.😫

* Don’t skip meals or snacks. We need to fuel our bodies to help us to keep our emotions in check, to help us focus and be our best and to prevent binge eating.🙌🏻

* Try to avoid diet talk and body bashing. Diets don’t work. They cause mood swings, feelings of failure, lowered self-esteem and they set us up for binges. AND talking badly about our bodies, well, causes us to feel badly about our bodies.👎🏻

* Don’t compare your eating, your exercise or your body to your friends. Remember. Your body is unique and has different needs. AND comparison is truly the thief of joy, so let’s try not to…👌🏻

* Wear clothes that make you feel good. If your back to school jeans are too tight, invest in new jeans. Wearing clothing that is too tight is uncomfortable and can affect mood and confidence.

Catch yourself when you body check. Body checking is associated with increased anxiety and lower body confidence.

* Remind yourself that bodies are supposed to change. And that’s OK. Your college body is not supposed to look the same as your high school body. It is normal to see and feel changes. You are more than your outer shell.🌟

*Make meals a priority, especially on the weekends. College weekends can be busy with sports, social gatherings, sleeping in and staying up late. This can be a prime time to skip a meal or two if you aren’t mindful. Practice self-care and stay fed and hydrated.💕

*Surround yourself with people who bring you up, not down. Surround yourself with friends who bring out your best and who you feel safe with. You deserve to be with people who get you and have your best interest in mind.🌟

Practice catching your negative thoughts .💭

Oh. And the freshman “15” is diet culture bu****it. 👎🏻

06/27/2025

I met with a parent this week who wanted to help her child feel better about her body. 🥰

When I asked mom about her own body image, she said she has hated her body for a long time. She said, “ I’m not exactly sure when it started, but I clearly remember watching Oprah drag the wagon of fat onto the stage, thinking to myself, “Ugh, I can’t imagine what my wagon would look like.” 😔

Body confidence isn’t how we look. It’s how we feel and think about our body. This mom does not think very nice thoughts about herself. ☹️

We talked about how thee first step is ‘awareness.’ Once you are aware you can begin to work on body neutrality. 👈🏻

The bottom line is our children, whether 2 or 32, see you ‘opt out’ of the picture, skip the family meal or dessert or talk about your body in a hateful way. 👈🏻

Let’s work on helping our kids love their bodies by doing our own work. Like this mom. She started her journey and is ready to tackle the uncomfortable feelings.🙌🏻

She can do it. You can do it. You are worthy. 🌟

06/20/2025

One of the most asked questions I get from parents is, “How do I help my child develop a positive body image?”🤔

My response is always the same. The work begins with you. 👈🏻

Start with the question? Am I preoccupied with my body in front of my children? Take some time to really reflect on how you feel about your own body. Do you make comments about your weight or shape in front of your children? Do you groan when you look in the mirror or when you put on more revealing clothing like a swim suit?🤔

Am I preoccupied with my children’s appearance? Do I comment on their body or eating? Do I worry they don’t look ‘right’ or ‘good enough?’ There is no judgement here. This is a self assessment. Think about your ‘why.’ Why do I focus so much on appearance? Did I grow up in an appearance based household? Do I feel worried that my child won’t ‘fit in’ to social groups if he/she/they doesn’t look a certain way.🤔

What messages do I give my children about weight and appearance? Do I make negative comments regarding individuals in larger bodies? Do I talk about fat or weight in a critical way? Am I an extreme healthy eater or exerciser?

And one of my favorite questions, “If someone asked my kids, what do your parents care most about, what would they say?” Would they say , “eating healthy and exercising ?”🤔

If you find yourself culpable of some of the thoughts above, it is Ok. I grew up in an ‘appearance based household.’ It took a lot of learning and re-learning to change how I think about myself. 🥰
The first step is just noticing. Noticing when you feel uncomfortable about your body and the bodies of others.🤔

Try to begin to practice body acceptance and compassion. Take the time to explore your biases against weight and shape. 🙌🏻

Take the time to work on yourself and your own body image. 🙌🏻

Your kids will thank you.🌟

06/14/2025

Weight stigma can have significant negative effects on mental and physical health. 👈🏻

It is associated with increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. AND. It can lead to avoidance of healthcare, reducing the likelihood of individuals seeking necessary medical treatment.👈🏻

Weight stigma perpetuates eating disorders. Stigmatization can contribute to a cycle where victims of weight stigma may engage in unhealthy behaviors, such as emotional eating or avoiding physical activity. 👈🏻

Weight stigma is damaging the self esteem of children and promotes bullying. 😔

So done.

06/11/2025

Here’s the deal…opinions or judgments about food choices can often lead to judgments about a person’s body image or self-worth. 👈🏻

There is a strong relationship between food perception and body image issues.👈🏻

My friend and her sister are compiling responses for “when” this happens again.

What would you have said? Lmk. 👇🏻

06/02/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/recoverwithmeda/p/meda-professional-member-spotlight-d66?r=2jyziu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

🎙️ MEDA Professional Member Spotlight: Courtney Bellino, MS, RDN, LDN

05/11/2025

Sending strength, compassion and love to all who need it today. ✨