SMU hosted a lecture Wednesday night to promote awareness on eating disorders, self-confidence, and body image.

“This event is the first of its kind at Southern Methodist University,” Kristen McAlexander, a SMU wellness teacher, said.

Love Your Body is a weeklong event filled with different programs that are meant to promote conversations about self-image.

SMU students attended a symposium created to advance awareness on eating disorders, self-confidence and body image Wednesday evening, ultimately encouraging students to be comfortable with whom they are.

The speakers included Whitney Caston, Sagi Kalev and McAlexander. They spoke to around 30 students at the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, where students were greeted with free Chipotle burritos and T-shirts.

The speakers emphasized the importance of celebrating our bodies, no matter the shape or size, and all that we can do with our bodies.

Whitney Caston, director of nutrition at the Walker Wellness Clinic, said, “It is important to break the connection between the number on the scale and your body image.”

Caston has worked with a numerous amount of people who have suffered from eating disorders, so she emphasized the importance of giving your body the nutrition it needs.

“Taking care of your body by honoring its energy needs leads to enhanced body image, self-esteem and overall self acceptance, ” Caston said.

Sagi Kalev, the former Mr. Israel, said, “At age 40 I have finally realized that you only have one body and one life and if you don’t treat it right or take care of it nothing really matters.”

Kalev asked the audience to raise their hand if they ate three times a day, then he asked if anyone in the audience ate four times a day and then he asked if anyone ate only once a day. A couple of girls raised their hand. Kalev called on one of the girls and asked why she only ate once a day. Her response was that she was so busy with school and work that she forgets to eat.

Kalev shook his head and would not except any excuse to neglect your body from its needs.

“Eating is a lifestyle, not a diet,” Kalev said.

Kristen McAlexander shared her personal struggle and mentioned that real people have ups and downs. McAlexander didn’t deal with her traumatic childhood until she was in college where she resorted to alcohol and exercise.

“I dropped a lot of weight, I didn’t know how to deal with my depression. I started working out a lot, I tried being bulimic, thank God physically I couldn’t make myself,” McAlexander said.

Before McAlexander hit rock bottom she relied on her support systems of friends, family and re-habilitation groups to help her overcome her issues.

“Support systems are the way to recover,” McAlexander said.

McAlexander also credited her university’s resources for helping her recover. McAlexander urged the audience to seek help from SMU’s different resources if they ever have an issue.

“Stop fixing your body, it was never broken to begin with,” Caston said.