162: What Every LDS Missionary Should Know About Food, Nutrition & Body Image Before Serving

Nutrition Matters Podcast

In this podcast episode, Emily Fonnesbeck joined Paige to discuss the topic of LDS missionaries and how they can cultivate and foster a healthy relationship with food and body before, during and after missionary service. In this episode, we discuss what it's like to be on a mission and how it can bring up food and body image struggled for the 18-21 year-olds who serve. We discuss the nutritional implications for these young people, and explore how missionaries and mission leadership can help the young missionaries stay mentally and physically well during their service. Here's an outline of the talking points for this episode:

• Setting the stage so that everyone understands (no matter their background) what it’s like to be a missionary and why this can be a potentially tricky time for food and body image
• Behaviors we (as dietitians in Utah) commonly see missionaries struggling with
• What we wished mission leadership knew as far as how they can support their missionaries who might be struggling
• What we wished missionaries knew about what to expect as far as weight and food on missions
• How missionaries can tactfully say no to food pushers
• The importance of self-compassion and boundaries in this context

Links mentioned:

• Emily's website: https://emilyfonnesbeck.com/
• Positive Nutrition® Academy: online courses and webinars
• Donate to the podcast
• Positive Nutrition Blog
• Follow Paige on Instagram