eating disorder

twincat, you posed an interesting question. For me, and those of us that are heavy, the journaling, counting ect is a critical aspect of our success. Mindfulness is so important if you've been using food like drugs, because we can't actually just quit using food altogether, so we must be mindful. For those of you trying to gain weight, And kittynurse, you are so wise to point out the self esteem issue. So, twincat, how is your self worth involved in your calorie counting, etc?

I'm glad you mentioned Body Dysphmorphia, also often called Body Betrayal in lay terms. Personally, I think this happens because we are socialized to try to be an ideal that doesn't really exist in nature. For example, the typical supermodel is a size 2 and is 16 years old. If she gets above a size 4, she will no longer be marketable.

When Barbie made her debut in 1959, her measurements if she were life size would have been 39-18-33. Around the year 2000, Barbie's waist was increased slightly and her bust was decreased slightly, though she is still far from typical. The altering came after years of lobbying by parents and professionals working with anorexia.

So you see, as a culture, we seem to be chasing an ideal that is not possible. In fact, I am copying an article here that will make this sort of a long post, but it has some very interesting information in it!.

What Size is the "Average" Woman?
By LB Lacey


The average American woman is 5'4", weighs 140 lbs, and wears a size 14 dress.

The "ideal" woman--portrayed by models, Miss America, Barbie dolls, and screen actresses--is 5'7", weighs 100 lbs, and wears a size 8.

One-third of all American women wear a size 16 or larger.

75% of American women are dissatisfied with their appearance.

50% of American women are on a diet at any one time.

Between 90% and 99% of reducing diets fail to produce permanent weight loss.

Two-thirds of dieters regain the weight within one year. Virtually all regain it within five years.

The diet industry (diet foods, diet programs, diet drugs, etc.) takes in over $40 billion each year, and is still growing.

Quick-weight-loss schemes are among the most common consumer frauds, and diet programs have the highest customer dissatisfaction of any service industry.

A recent survey found only 30 percent of 250 randomly chosen women age 21 to 35 had normal bone mass--the researchers concluded women are so afraid eating dairy products will make them gain weight that they are starving themselves into osteoporosis.

Young girls are more afraid of becoming fat than they are of nuclear war, cancer, or losing their parents.
50% of 9-year-old girls and 80% of 10-year-old girls have dieted.

90% of high school junior and senior women diet regularly, even though only between 10% and 15% are over the weight recommended by the standard height-weight charts.

1% of teenage girls, and 5% of college-age women become anorexic or bulimic.

Anorexia has the highest mortality rate (up to 20%) of any psychiatric diagnosis.

Girls develop eating and self-image problems before drug or alcohol problems; there are drug and alcohol programs in almost every school, but no eating disorder programs.

An eating disorder is serious stuff, please get help if you think that you may have one. I don't but one of my foster daughters does, and it's very upsetting for everyone involved, here's a little note that gets sent to my email from The post, I'm trying to help and understand..that's the big one, cause I really don't get it, and help her through this.



Awareness first step in beginning recovery from eating disorders

2/23/2009 1:38:00 AM Email this article • Print this article

Anna Hartenbach • For The Post • ah896106@ohiou.edu

For Ohio University junior Nicole Mikusa, getting help for her eating disorder was difficult, but the recovery process is more difficult than she had anticipated.

Mikusa, who studies family and consumer science education, worked with a psychiatrist, psychologist and a dietician in the beginning stages of her recovery and regularly attends an Eating Disorder Anonymous support group.

"It's one thing to tell people who don't know what you're going through, and it's another to tell people who know what you're going through because they can understand," Mikusa said. "It's definitely been really helpful and a way to help other people with eating disorders because we're all at different stages in our eating disorders."

Today is the start of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week and to raise awareness, OU Counseling and Psychological Services, Ping Center fitness staff and the Women's Center will host events on campus.

Jonathan Mosko, a counseling intern at OU's Counseling and Psychological Services, said about 10 million Americans have an eating disorder, and one out of every 10 people with an eating disorder are male.

Though Mikusa's ongoing battle with anorexia started because of many factors, her recovery is centered on control of her body, she said.

"After going through recovery, I feel like it was more of a control issue now because I'm supposed to be giving up that control of knowing how much I'm eating and knowing how much I'm exercising and focusing on one battle at a time," she said.

Though many people do receive help, in some cases the damage from an eating disorder is irreversible. Jane Lonsdale, an OU senior studying broadcast journalism, said her sister Mary Lonsdale died during her senior year of high school while recovering from bulimia because of the fluctuating potassium levels effects on her heart.

"What they think happened was ... that her heart gave out. It was so weak from all of the years (of her disorder)," Lonsdale said.

Encouraging friends or family members who might have an eating disorder to ask for help is important, she said.

"First of all, if someone knows of someone that is doing this ... definitely bring it up to them - don't push it under the rug," Lonsdale said. "I think the huge problem with my sister was that she ignored the problem for so long that it continued to have these adverse effects on her."

For Mikusa, her disorder is still something she has to deal with in her daily life, but she is learning how to accept herself.

"It's kind of like this daily battle I go through to not over-exercise or under-eat. I really have to maintain ... eating what I need to and not exercising too much," Mikusa said. "I definitely pray and wish that I will be 'normal' again."

I had anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Although thoughts in the back of my mind always resurface, I could never do that to myself again. I've also learned that there may be things in life I cannot control and instead of controlling it through food I have found other ways to handle it. I also realized that I will never be perfect and I like myself very much now. A million flaws and all. On my extreme end of the spectrum (starvation), it was slow suicide.

I have been recovered for 18 years now and I realize I will always have this disorder with me and so far I have been victorious against it.

We must fight the good fight.:flowerforyou:

I have also suffered from anorexia and bulimia and have been healthy for a few years now. I feel I will always have an uncomfortable relationship with food...some days are good and others are bad but I do not resort to the extremes anymore. Many times eating disorders are not about food, but about control or lack of control and food becomes the one thing the person can control. If you feel you are obsessed with food...i wouldnt jump to the conclusion right away that you have an eating disorder. Maybe because of dieting you feel you are restricting yourself or you are just much more conscience now of what you are eating.

dhutch if you don't mind my asking, how did you get healthy, and how do you stay healthy?

I'm pretty sure I have an Exercise Disorder. Maybe an unhealthy obsession with it. I'm in the gym 2 hours a day/7 days a week typically. I used to be this way and ended up weighing less than 90 pounds for a while. Ugh.

Once I lose these last 10 pounds, I'm going to need you guys again for a completely different reason, lol.

I wouldn't call it an exercise disorder as much as a love for exercise and working out.
If you're exercising for that much time because you enjoy it, i think that's perfectly fine.
The body is made for physical activity! You just need to eat your exercise calories.
If you're getting way too skinny from it, you should work on eating more and building muscle.

My father runs an hour a day and longer on weekends. He doesn't have an obsession with exercise as much as it's his hobby and it's something he loves to do. He also is muscular and is at a healthy weight because of the way he eats. He makes sure to eat a lot to compensate for the large amount of calories he's burning.

I'd say it all depends on your reasons for doing that much exercise.

I haven't read all of the responses but I do believe I have an eating disorder although it's never been diagnosed by a doctor. It's not just the emotional eating, binge eating or food obsessions, which are bad, but I used to get panic attacks (while dieting) if I didn't get that "overly stuffed, I'm going to yack" feeling. I would seriously have little mini freak outs, sweating, shaking, etc. if I went to bed and wasn't stuffed. I would even go so far as to get out of bed, eat until I was full, really full and then go back to bed, feeling guilty, like a failure, out of control and even crazy... you know, all of the feelings that come with the territory.

I've read, put into action and internalized Dr. Phil's The Ultimate Weigh Solutions and really made choices to change my life and the way I interact with food and it's made all of the difference in the world. All.of.the.difference.

This has been a great thread. twincat, I hear you! Please don't ever feel hesitant to post. When I first started reading the posts here, I felt the same way. My eating disorder is SO EVIDENT that while I knew about rhe seriousness of anorexia and bulimia, I guess I didn't really take time to consider that you have some of the same pain, guilt, embarassment and shame that I do. I will never make that mistake again. Thanks, everyone.:bigsmile: :flowerforyou:

I'm wondering if anyone has sought professional help (mental health, not medical) and if you are willing to share what part that plays in your struggle. I have been considering seeing a therapist, but don't really know if I should seek out someone who specializes in weight loss, or just see someone I know is a greta therapist.