Signs of Disordered Eating
Hubby: What are you blogging about tonight?
Me: Disordered eating.
Hubby: Well, as long as you eat breakfast first, your eating is in order!
Oh, if only it were that simple!! LOL
When I was deep in my dieting days, I felt a need to present myself in a certain way. I avoided sweets, didn’t over eat, got plenty of vegetables, didn’t eat salty snacks, didn’t eat candy or totally eliminated entire food groups. I was so concerned about what people thought about my food choices. All of the things you’re about to read were me.
One of the things that was most eye opening for me was to realize that the way I was eating and dieting was disordered. It was wonky. It was not healthy. I believed all the messages out there that told me that this was the road to happiness. But ‘They’ were wrong and I’m so glad to have had my eyes opened. Let’s do the same for you!
Rate these on a scale of 1-5.
1 - not an issue for me —-------------- 3- sometimes ---------------------5 - I can totally relate to this!
Do you obsess about food, your weight, or eating?
Do you struggle to eat in front of others?
Do you have rigid rules about food and eating?
Are you so dissatisfied with your body that it interferes with daily activities?
Do you eliminate entire food groups or experiment with diets?
Do you use exercise as an antidote or reward for eating?
Do you have other unexplained physical symptoms such as stomach aches, feeling cold all the time or digestive distress of different kinds?
Examples of disordered eating. Check all those that you have experienced.
Hiding what you eat
Hiding how much you eat
Throwing away “bad” food then pulling it out of the trash to eat it
Bingeing and then feeling overwhelmed with guilt
Fog eating - eg. Mindlessly eating the whole bag of chips
Eating one way when with people and differently when alone
Not buying your favorite foods because you'll be out of control
Starting a new diet on Monday
Last Supper eating - eat everything that will be banned once the new diet starts
Saving calories for a party by skipping meals earlier in the day
Using laxatives to eliminate after a binge
Eating when upset, angry, or depressed
Fear of gaining weight
Eating Disorder - any of a range of mental conditions in which there is a persistent disturbance of eating behavior and impairment of physical or mental health. (Oxford Dictionary)
Disordered Eating - a range of irregular eating behaviors that may or may not warrant a diagnosis of a specific eating disorder. (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
To be clear, I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or therapist. I’m just a gal who has learned a lot and want to share what I’ve learned. If you feel you are in a life threatening situation and need professional help, please reach out to National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders (ANAD): The Helpline 888-375-7767 is open Monday to Friday. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central Time; or email: hello@anad.org.
If you see yourself in this blog and are ready for a change, please check out LiveWell. It is an autobiographical digital course. In it you will be led to discover what the Bible really says about food and our bodies. You’ll learn about intuitive eating, supplementation, and first steps. You’ll be given journal prompts to draw out your current thoughts and begin to think differently.
It’s on sale for the remainder of the year. Take advantage of this introductory price and get through the holidays with greater joy, sanity, and celebration!
LiveWell!
Sonya
Here’s a corresponding video if you prefer! :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnKintRBJuA
