Episode description: In this episode of Peace Meal, Jason shares his story of recovering from an eating disorder as a male, including why, after more than 25 years of recovery, he felt called to share his story publicly. Jason traces the roots of his eating disorder back to the weight-cutting culture of competitive wrestling in high school, where restrictive and binge eating cycles were normalized and even encouraged by coaching staff. Those patterns followed him into college, where isolation and stress deepened his struggles. Without many resources or relatable voices to turn to, Jason navigated much of his recovery on his own. Today, Jason channels the wisdom of his journey into raising his two young daughters with open conversations about feelings, balanced approaches to food, and a foundation of unconditional love. His message to anyone still fighting in silence: you are loved, you are enough, and recovery is possible. About Jason: Jason Peterson is an advocate for eating disorder awareness—especially among males. He is passionate about sailing, meditation, and gratitude. If you are interested in connecting with Jason, you can send him an email at Jasgooday@gmail.com. Read Jason’s previous guest blog for The Emily Program: A Letter To Those Fighting in Silence. We cover: The role of competitive sports culture in the development of eating disorders The unique challenges males face in seeking help and feeling seen How self-affirmation practices can support recovery The importance of modeling emotional openness and a balanced relationship with food for kids In Jason’s words: On the impact of his self-affirmation practice: "I started to put sticky notes up and around my dorm room, literally like, 'you are loved.' Honestly, it was those notes that helped me truly [feel] like, ‘okay, I’m going to make it through one more day’ and ‘let’s just take it one day at a time.’” On promoting self-worth and self-love with his daughters: “Having open conversations, really of just sharing your feelings, you can cry, you can have all these different emotions, helping you regulate emotions…that is what I've been doing for them. Having that [kind of] support at four, five, six, seven, it’s instrumental. My oldest is in competitive dance, and it’s really important to know that it’s not about winning the competition. It’s about loving yourself, and just doing your best every day and having fun, you know, bringing joy. It's a gift that you're able to even do this…That's the attitude that we're taking and that she embraces.” On the possibility of recovery and moving forward: "I have compassion for [anyone who feels like recovery isn’t possible], because I went through that. I was in that chair where I didn’t know how to get up. We tell ourselves these things that are limiting beliefs. [Try to] catch that and replace it with an empowering belief that ‘it is possible.’ Even if it feels like a lie…yes, I have the possibility to no longer have [the eating disorder] be a part of my life and to have more connection, more peace, more calm. Have grace for yourself, one day at a time, one hour at a time, and just keep repeating it.” About the podcast: Peace Meal is a podcast hosted by The Emily Program that covers topics related to eating disorders, body image, and how society may influence our thinking. You can find Peace Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Music. If you enjoy our show, please rate, review, subscribe, and tell your friends! Are you interested in being a guest on Peace Meal? Email podcast@emilyprogram.com for more information.
