Society's Confusion

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....♥

The Diet Myth

Most people think that dieting is a simple process, and in theory it is. To lose weight, you simply have to eat less, right?
However, in reality, dieting is not a simple task and much of the time dieters do not eat less than do non-dieters. Research reveals a great discrepancy between what people 'think' dieters do and what dieters 'actually' do.
Many studies have found that across a variety of conditions, dieters typically eat more than do non-dieters. Maintaining control of eating for dieters is rare. A variety of 'diet disrupters' or triggers of overeating have been revealed by numerous laboratory studies. These same 'triggers' are shown to inhibit dietary intake by non-dieters. These may include situations where the person is anxious, distressed or depressed.
Dieting has been proven to be the #1 factor in the development of an eating disorder. The myth behind dieting is not only misleading, but may also be dangerous and even fatal in some instances.
Over time, dieting most often leads to binge eating, which along with the resulting decreased metabolism, will lead to unnecessary weight gain. So even if one who is caught up in the yo-yo dieting cycle does stabilize their eating, they are likely to maintain a higher weight, on much fewer calories than ever before.
The 'non-diet' approach to living is the healthiest one. Eating according to body cues and hunger, instead of social or cognitive factors is the best way to go. Also, having no foods that are 'forbidden' will eliminate the psychological frustration that is associated with dieting.
It's important to remember that we are not numbers...although society will attempt to make us such. Our bodies are truly meant to be vessels of strength, to allow us to live our lives fully, love unconditionally, and to BE FREE.

Without apology....♥