Episode 15: Why yoga isn’t about looking great in Lululemon leggings: How many times have you seen a picture on social media or in a magazine of a woman doing yoga and thought, “If only I looked like her, then I’d do yoga?”
That’s because all we ever see are photos of thin, young, white women doing yoga on some dreamy beach or mountain lakeside. This is exactly how the diet-wellness industry wants us to see yoga… and then go buy their stuff.
Jessica Grosman, anti-diet dietitian, yoga teacher, and culinary creative, is here to dispel myths about yoga culture.
Jessica is the owner of With Health and Gratitude. Her mission is to help people connect with their bodies through food and yoga. Jessica believes that all people have the right to health, regardless of size or medical condition – aligning herself with Health at Every Size® and weight-inclusive practices. As a yoga teacher, Jessica helps students find ways to feel supported and at ease in their bodies.
Since Jessica wears both the Dietitian hat and the Yoga Teacher hat, she’s qualified to address and educate clients and students on the intersection of food, nutrition, body image, and yoga. In her spare time, Jessica is a recipe developer and a culinary educator with the goal of helping people find peace and happiness through the food they prepare for themselves, their family, and their community.
Listen as Jessica beautifully defines yoga as an intersection or integration of body, mind, and breath in the present moment. In other words, it doesn’t matter what your body looks like, what it’s wearing, or what age it is; yoga is for Every Body. This is constantly present as she teaches Yin Yoga.
Yin Yoga is a practice that is quiet, introspective, and meditative.
It’s not about how hot the room is or how challenging the poses are. The physical component of Yin Yoga targets the fascia, ligaments, and tendons – everything that holds our bodies together, basically.
With an emphasis on the movement of the spine, hips, and pelvis, Yin Yoga is a full-body interoceptive experience, allowing the student to become aware of their body, mind, and breath. Postures are floor-based and held, in stillness, for several minutes, creating a quiet space to calm the mind and connect with your body more intimately.
Tune in to get Jessica’s top 4 suggestions for finding peace and balance in your busy day, no matter how many hats you’re wearing, how many fires you have to put out, or how many family members you’re herding.
You’ll also walk away with strategies on how to find greater pleasure and satisfaction with your eating experiences and how to tune out the noise of diet culture.
We packed a lot of insight into this show that you don’t want to miss.
There are several ways to connect with Jessica and her online Yin Yoga teaching. To learn more about her weekly Yin Yoga class and workshops, visit Baltimore Village Yoga. Jessica is also a member of the Yoga for Eating Disorders team.
And you can find hundreds of original recipes and nutrition tips to inspire you to savor food and your body on Jessica’s website (listed above).
Listen to the show on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Like what you hear? Don’t forget to leave a rating and review. This helps other folks find the show, too!
