Ep 157: Help Your Daughter Build a Positive Body Image with Drs. Janet Boseovski and Ashleigh Gallagher

We often associate poor body image and body dissatisfaction with teens and adult women. But the reality that the roots of negative body image take hold much earlier than that.

In this week's episode, we dive deep into the science behind body image with Drs. Janet Boseovski and Ashleigh Gallagher, co-authors of Beyond Body Positive: A Mother’s Science-Based Guide for Helping Girls Build a Healthy Body Image. This conversation is a must-listen for moms, caregivers, and anyone looking to foster a healthier relationship with their body and break the cycle of toxic diet culture.

From early childhood messaging to the impact of media, peer groups, and parental influence, our guests provide powerful insights into how body image is shaped across a woman's lifetime. They shed light on why body dissatisfaction isn’t just something that appears in adulthood—it’s cultivated from childhood and continues to be reinforced through various societal pressures.

Janet and Ashleigh also explore the difference between “body positivity” as it’s commonly used today and what science actually tells us about fostering a positive body image. They challenge the mainstream conversation and offer practical, research-backed strategies for helping young girls (and their moms) develop a healthier, more resilient relationship with their bodies.

If you’ve ever struggled with body image or worried about the messages your child is receiving about their appearance, this episode is packed with actionable advice, insightful research, and hope for change. Let’s move beyond just “feeling good in our bodies” and work towards a culture where women and girls can focus on who they are, not just how they look.

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Here’s Why We’re Obsessed with This Episode:

✅ It’s not just another body image conversation—it’s science-backed and deeply insightful.
✅ The authors bust myths around body positivity and introduce a healthier, more effective approach.
✅ Real-life, practical tools to help moms and daughters shift their perspectives on food, fitness, and self-worth.
✅ A deep dive into the lifelong impact of body image—from childhood through adulthood.
✅ Encouragement for women to step into their agency and redefine how they engage with their bodies.

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Don’t Miss This Episode If…

🚫 You’ve ever struggled with body image yourself and want to break the cycle for the next generation.
🚫 You’re a mom, aunt, teacher, or mentor who wants to help young girls develop a healthier self-concept.
🚫 You’re tired of diet culture and the constant emphasis on weight, beauty, and appearance.
🚫 You’ve wondered why body dissatisfaction is so persistent and what actually works to change it.
🚫 You want a fresh, empowering perspective on self-worth that isn’t about just looking in the mirror and “loving what you see.”

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What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

📖 The surprising science behind how body image develops from early childhood.
👩‍👧 How moms are the ultimate influencers of their daughters’ body image—for better or worse.
🔬 Why positive body image isn’t the same as body positivity—and why that distinction matters.
💡 The 3 biggest contributors to body dissatisfaction (and how to counteract them).
🍽️ The sneaky ways diet culture and fat talk show up in everyday parenting—and how to shift the narrative.
🏋️‍♀️ How physical literacy and movement impact body image (and why sports can be a double-edged sword).
💬 How to have real conversations with girls about body changes, confidence, and self-respect.
🚀 Practical, science-backed strategies for raising confident, resilient girls who see their bodies as powerful, not problems to fix.

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About Janet and Ashleigh

Janet Boseovski, PhD is a professor and head of the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is Co-Director of the DUCK Lab, a child development lab at UNCG and she has studied social and cognitive development in early to late childhood for over 20 years. Janet serves on the Board of Directors of the Greensboro Science Center and the Jean Piaget Society for the Study of Knowledge and Development. She enjoys speaking to the public, and writing about, child development and well-being.

Ashleigh Gallagher, PhD is a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her research and teaching interests are in the areas of social cognition and gender, and she enjoys applying psychology beyond academic contexts. She enjoys applying psychology outside academia and has co-authored a book on the opportunities available to researchers who would like to do so as well (The Portable PhD: Taking Your Psychology Career Beyond Academia, American Psychological Association, 2020).

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🔗 Resources & Links:
🎧 Beyond Body Positive - Grab your copy here (use code FLYER15 for 15% off) or here.
📖 Psychology Today Blog: Head Start for Healthy Body Image
📲 Follow Janet & Ashleigh on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn here and here

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Sponsor Shoutout

This episode was brought to you by Miles to Go Athletics. Take our app-based training community for a two-week no obligation test drive here.

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