Body Positivity Lunch and Learn

A “lunch-and-learn” event took place on NW Campus Sept. 25 that shed light on
different body image issues and ways to maintain a positive body.
Dr. Margaret Holland and Ginny Ives with Baylor Scott and White covered topics like
different body types, what healthy eating looks like for different people and the impact of media
on the way that people see their bodies.
Holland offered some key concepts, like how body positivity can be a fluid thing and
something that can affect everybody at times.
“There are days I feel great, and then there are days that I just wanna leave, so you’re not
alone if that’s how you feel sometimes,” Holland said.
Ives said people may want to look thinner, but it would go against their natural body type.
“You can’t really argue with genetics,” Ives said. “Your ideal weight is what’s ideal for
you.”
Ives advised students who may struggle with health and nutrition that prevention is the
cure.
“We need to love our body, and we need to accept how we’re genetically built, but we’ve
got to take better care of our bodies,” Ives said.
Holland said she wished more students would take ownership of their health.
“College is the perfect time to start,” she said.
“Love yourself” was one piece of advice offered by NW student Lourdes Hambrick for
anyone battling body image issues. Hambrick shared that she felt a personal connection to the
topics that were discussed during the event and also said that body positivity issues can be “such
a huge problem, especially among young girls.”
The session was an idea from NW administrative assistant Diane Alvarado. She said
health services routinely asks speakers from the medical community to visit.
“I suggested body positivity as a good topic because it is a big part of popular culture
right now, and I think it is relevant to diversity and inclusion across TCC as well as health,”
Alvarado said.