Meet Maia!

My name is Maia Rain Huey. I am a peer educator for BYBA. I joined BYBA because I had struggled with not only eating disorders, but also low body image since the 2nd grade. Having it go from just disliking the way my teeth went straight, to restricting my food or over working my body for the sake of changing it, became a harsh downward spiral. My life has always been out of control, I have moved 30 times in my life and I am only 17. My dad started a Sober Home out of our house, and even though he was helping people, my privacy became non-existent. Food became the one thing I could control, whether it was over-eating, or skipping meals… finally I had something that was all mine. But the scariest part for me was knowing I was really good at hiding it. Knowing I couldn’t ask for help even if I wanted to because my friends would judge me and my parents, well they were part of my reason for making the choices I did. And in the midst of all my struggles I had to make a choice, that even if I wasn’t to get over my eating disorder it was important to educate youth about it, and what healthy body image can mean to someone. When I joined BYBA I was in a period of nutrients restriction, and I can’t emphasize enough how much this group helped me.

BYBA taught me that control can be found in the choices made to find something to love about my body every day. I was taught that size and happiness don’t have to go together and that healthy looks different for everyone. But more than anything, I learned I wasn’t alone.  BYBA was a place that finally I could put my self out there and be received with open arms. I learned that isolation is not the answer and that “fat talk” with friends is NOT bonding. I now enjoy doing my yoga class three times a week, because I love how flexible my body can be, and I love being healthy not only physically but spiritually. I do my best to not regret the things I eat or don’t eat, and be more in tune with whether or not it was a nourishing choice that day. I love that I can bring this knowledge I have from BYBA and apply it to my life with friends and at work. I work at a clothing store, and we all know dressing rooms can be a scary place for young girls. But it’s amazing to see people light up when they are given little compliments. BYBA has changed my life, and now I hope to change many others.

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