Or perhaps a better title could be 'our' confusion, meaning those who have suffered, or are battling with an eating disorder, and searching for truths within their own eating disordered mindset.
The irrational 'balancing game', as I refer to it often, seems very logical to the person who thinks they have control over their behaviors vs. eating. Looking deeper, I seriously doubt that many could truly say that it's 'working' FOR them.
I see a major part of the problem in the multitude of recommendations (the dieting industry) out there, that only confuse the mind of a person with an eating disorder even further.
The most effective approach is to seek the guidance of a professional, who truly understands and is experienced in treating eating disorders.
The information available to the average 'consumer' is misleading and downright dangerous.
*Dieting is dangerous and does NOT work.
*Dieting is the number one cause of obesity, AND eating disorders.
*If you are struggling with the eating disorder 'rules' and feel confused, do NOT look for answers on the Internet, or on the shelf at the pharmacy containing diet products.
Food is our energy to live, to laugh, to bear children, and to be free....from the prison of an eating disorder.
You will always find another 'scheme' to which you could follow, but the best way to proceed in a healthy direction is to eat well, and to seek the guidance of a good therapist.
Chaotic eating, restricting, and any compensating behaviors (purging, laxative abuse, exercising, etc. ) will only leave you with a greater chance of having to accept (or fight) a higher body setpoint weight. It happens.
In my opinion, the most important concept is to embrace that your body serves you in many amazing ways....any attempts to make it other than what it is will only lead to you being shortchanged from the benefits of YOUR body.
Without apology....♥
OK, Jan. I've done everything wrong my whole life leaving me with an eating disorder and a weight set point that every health "expert" in America tells me is too high and dangerous to my health. This is a zero sum game. What next?
ReplyDeleteMara...it's not about doing things 'wrong', it's that many of us have simply not known any other way to cope. The 'experts' are only part of the confusion. Not knowing your 'issues' with eating, or what the consequences have been, the bottom line is that we all must feed our bodies, eat well, without restricting, and don't try to change nature. Being able to look beneath out external to embrace the internal takes time, but the result is self confidence in WHO you are, instead of basing it all on what you weigh or look like.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a game to win. It's life to live.
Wishing you well...♥
Sorry, Jan, but everybody else in the world bases it all on what you look like or weigh, not just the diet industry, but medical professionals as well. A while back my health insurance company sent me a letter wanting to know my waist size in inches.
ReplyDeleteForgive me for sounding so bitter, but I'm facing going in to treatment and I can't for the life of me understand why I need it.
Mara..I can understand why you feel this way. If the quality of your life is being affected, and potentially, your health, by the ED, then you need help. Insurance companies don't get it, for the most part. I hope you have a professional who understands this, and will advocate for you.
ReplyDeleteTake care....♥