Healthy Me, Healthy Body (July 12 – August 2)

In a culture highly influenced by social media and advertising, many Americans learn to distrust their bodies and their own hunger and satiety cues. This can lead to a destructive cycle of continually chasing the latest food trend in search of the perfect diet. The cognitive dissonance between health and body image can lead to disharmony in our minds, which can influence our dietary choices, work productivity, and personal relationships.

In this interactive four-session online engagement class, you will learn the science behind body perception and its impact on diet, simple tricks to restructure your thinking about food choices, and how to apply what you learn to your daily life for optimal health. You will participate in hands-on activities using evidence-based strategies to combat cognitive dissonance, increase body appreciation, and set effective goals for personal health. By the end of the series, you will have an improved knowledge of what weight bias is, how to combat it, and how to better appreciate your own body. 

Instructor: Gretchen George, PhD, RDN is passionate about prevention and empowerment. As associate professor and co-program lead of the nutrition and dietetics program at San Francisco State University, she facilitates learning in and out of the classroom. Her research focuses on food literacy, basic needs, and weight stigma, with the goal of increasing body positivity in adults, adolescents, and health professionals.