Healthy weight, unhealthy mind: Embracing your set point | Zoe Burnett | TEDxBrayfordPool

For over half of my life Zoe has had an eating disorder, believing her weight somehow determined my self-worth. After crashing and burning she realised you do not have to be underweight to have an eating disorder. She finally got help for the illness and discovered set point theory - your genetic pre-determined weight. Like your body temperature you are genetically designed to be a certain weight. Once Zoe accepted this and realized that constantly fighting biology by dieting, restricting and generally having a very unhealthy relationship with food, something amazing happened; Zoe discovered true happiness. She found body positivity and realized her self-worth is not a number on the scale. Zoe is living for the first time, counting memories not calories. Why should a number define who she is as a person? Letting go of the disorder and embracing her set point has allowed her to live. Zoe is currently in recovery for a-typical anorexia and lived in this disorder for 14 years, she’s now 26. For over half of her life she believed she was not good enough, she believed if she were slimmer, she would be better. Now Zoe is letting go of this and focusing on her positive qualities, she is extremely charitable, and currently fundraising for a sky dive for BEAT in August. Zoe has a degree in Music and Education studies and loves playing the flute; her other hobbies include surfing and baking. Zoe was a young career and still cares for her disabled mum and has two beautiful nieces which she also helps to care for. She currently works as a nursery practitioner and love being around children (because at heart she’s still a big kid!). Zoe is very sociable and finds it easy to talk to others, especially about her experiences and passions. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx