Intuitive Eating and Body Image in Latinx Communities with Carolina Guízar | #41

Click here to access a written transcript of this episode.

Carolina Guízar is a Mexican-American registered dietitian who is based in New York City. When Carolina noticed a lack of Latinx voices in the intuitive eating space, she and a colleague decided to develop an intuitive eating and body image course specifically for Latinos.

In our conversation, Carolina and I delved into specific intuitive eating barriers and considerations for Latinx communities. We also talked about body image pressures, familial trauma, and why adopting intuitive eating can be so dang hard.

We discussed:

• How a series of sneezing fits led Carolina to a disordered relationship with food and ultimately dietetics.
• The 2016 election's effect on the trajectory of Carolina's career as a dietitian.
• The Latinx Health Collective and Carolina's decision to focus on serving the Latinx community specifically.
• Some of the ways in which intuitive eating may look a little different in Latinx communities.
• Mental health taboos in Latinx communities and how the trauma and lack of emotional availability from parents can have a dramatic effect on children.
• The importance of the Health At Every Size® model and the flexibility it offers for understanding health.
• The privilege inherent in even being able to access HAES®-aligned health practitioners.
• Specific standards of beauty often seen in Latinx communities.
• The difficulty of the fact that so many people who identify as women have been taught to believe that their value is in their appearance.
• How it's easier to adopt intuitive eating and Health At Every Size® when you have a body that can move through the world with less stigma.
• The importance of free and accessible content for different communities since coaching isn't available to everyone.
• How Carolina defines health and wellness for herself at this moment in her life.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Maria Paredes – @with_this_body
• Disability, Death, and Subverting the Dominant Culture with Alejandra Spector | #21
• Making Therapy More Inclusive with Melody Li | #38
• The Nuances of Intuitive Eating in Black Communities with Ayana Habtemariam | #20
• Melissa Carmona – @the_spanglish_therapist

This Episode is Part of the Health and Wellness Changemakers Series Sponsored by Superfit Hero

I am so grateful to be collaborating with the body-positive brand Superfit Hero to introduce you to these changemakers who are taking the health and wellness industry in a new direction. The series runs from episode #37 to episode #48, so be sure to catch them all. Superfit Hero is an inclusive activewear brand that aims to provide clothing for ultimate confidence, no matter your size or sport. And if you enjoyed the Superfit Hero Wellness Tip of the Week, be sure to check out the dozens of amazing coaches and trainers in Superfit Hero’s Body Positive Fitness Finder.

Featured in This Episode

Carolina Guízar (she/her) is a registered dietitian nutritionist based in New York City. She does one-on-one nutrition coaching virtually and in person, and she developed an online course on intuitive eating and body image healing for Latinos with a therapist colleague, Melissa Carmona. You can find Carolina on her website, the Latinx Health Collective website, and Instagram.