In the first week of September, many health, education, community and fitness representatives from the Upper Yarra Valley will join together to present ‘Love your Body – Feed Your Awesome’ coinciding with Body Image & Eating Disorders Awareness Week, a ‘whole-of-community’ approach to promoting positive body image.
During the week, attendees can enjoy a range of free seminars and workshops designed to educate and raise awareness related to positive body image and eating disorders and obesity prevention.
According to project leader Louise Wigg, ‘Feed Your Awesome’ will provide many opportunities to learn simple strategies for bringing health enhancing behaviours into our everyday lives. ‘We want to raise awareness in many parts of our community, but especially for young people and the adults who are role models for them,’ she says.
Some of the program highlights include a Q&A session with Professor Susan Paxton (Latrobe University), a leading voice in the area of public health and body image, two interactive workshops – one for school children/teenagers and one for parents, carers and community members hosted by The Butterfly Foundation, a ‘Healthy Body, Healthy Mind’ education workshop debunking the myths of eating disorders with a fitness focus, a healthy nutrition and intuitive eating workshop, and a seminar that explores body culture and helps with practical strategies for self-esteem and healthy choices.
The week will conclude with a screening of renowned body positive documentary ‘Embrace’ at the Warburton Arts Centre.
It is the first time ‘Love Your Body – Feed Your Awesome’ has been offered and the goal is for it to be an annual event.
Programs such as this represent the combined resources and funding of many key groups in our community and the Warburton and Yarra Junction Community Bank® branches are proud to be part of this exciting effort towards a healthier community.
For more information: see Events on www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au