I encourage you to read part one over on Renata’s Blog first!

This blog was inspired by the National Eating Disorder Awareness (NEDA) week, going on February 25th- March 3rd. Renata is a client of mine, that identifies as having an eating disorder. When I proposed a blog where we both offer insights to common questions about eating disorders, to my delight, she obliged! We hope this will be an informative read and encourage ANYONE who thinks their relationship with food or body image could use some assistance to get help. Eating disorders and disordered eating do not discriminate and need be taken seriously, as they have detrimental physical and mental health effects.

Please leave a comment with your thoughts & thanks for reading!

Why are EDs on the rise?

Kelsey: 

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the rate of eating disorders (ED) has more than doubled from affecting 3.5% of the world's population from 2000-2006 to affecting 7.9% of the population in 2013-2018.1 In less than two decades, the rates of eating disorders have more than doubled. Why isn’t this making headlines? Instead of focusing on Eating Disorders (ED), the mental illness with the highest mortality rate2 I might add, our culture praises any and all weight loss efforts. This is fatphobia— our culture fears fatness. It labels people in smaller bodies with disordered eating behaviors as having an ED, while praising people in larger bodies for the same behaviors as having “will power”. It’s f*cked up!

I believe the recent spike in eating disorders is influenced by social media, celebrity figures (ahem Gwyneth Paltrow), weight centric medical practices, and our culture’s ingrained fatphobia. Instagram has become a hotspot for impressionable adolescents (and adults) who are unfortunately exposed to airbrushing, face-tuning, and essentially a highlight reel of “the Instagram model”. This creates a completely altered sense of reality. Not only are they comparing themselves to phony models, but they are bombarded with messaging that their body isn’t good enough. Skinny tea (aka laxatives), pyramid scheme shakes/pills/patches, waist trainers— you name it, social media sells it. 

We also have “gurus” with no medical training selling all kinds of diet culture. People are influenced by celebrities, and when they are selling weight loss, people dish out cash. Medical offices are also one of the largest offenders of propagating weight stigma. When a doctor treats larger bodies in a different way than smaller bodies, this is harmful. When a patient comes in for a sore throat, why are they being put on the scale and being told to lose weight? The other influence of the rise of EDs is the normalcy of diet culture and increased fatphobia. Being thin is in. Doing everything and anything in the name of “health” is in. Exhibiting “willpower” or “discipline” around food and exercise is praised. It’s a socially acceptable way to have disordered eating tendencies. 

Renata: 

Kelsey obviously has the facts and figures for you on this one, but I totally agree that the spike is related to social media. Now that we are constantly bombarded with ads for weight loss supplements, the newest fad diet, and everyone else's “fitness success stories,” the idea that we must look a certain way is impossible to avoid. We used to have ads on TV and in newspapers, but now we can’t do anything without being assaulted by ads telling us that we need “the next big weight loss supplement!”. We are now unable to escape the constant barrage of messages that we are not good enough and that we will not be happy until we are “fit.” Social media also creates a place for individuals with unhealthy thoughts about food to find a community. They can pass thoughts back and forth and inspire more and more people to neglect their bodies. It’s just impossible to not be affected by this damaging messaging surrounding us.

Can someone fully recover from an Eating Disorder? 

Renata: 

Kelsey can provide you the stats on this one, but as someone who has never had an official intervention, I’m not sure that full recovery is possible. I have not actively starved myself for about 10 years, so up until recently, I considered myself fully recovered. Sure, I had to completely ignore my body, my food choices, and my feelings about both, but at least I wasn’t restricting! But obviously, that’s not ideal. I would love to recognize and listen to all of my hunger cues. I would love to eat whatever I want when I want without binging or feeling guilty. Unfortunately, that is not currently my reality. It feels totally impossible that I could ever be fully free of these dangerous thoughts and cravings to restrict and skip meals, but I would like to think that I will get there someday.

Kelsey: 

This is a tough one. EDs are usually a coping mechanism, so the stress of recovery can be even harder to handle without your old ways of coping. Eating Disorders can also be subtle, making it even harder to define recovery. Recovering from an ED is hard work. It does not happen quickly, and it is not a linear progression. It generally takes some regressions along the way and a lot of professional and community support. What you get in return for putting in the work to recover, though, is literally your life. EDs simply drain the life from you and can be potentially lethal. So many people in the throes of an ED have forgotten their passions and what makes them happy, so I find it is important to look not only at clinical improvements but also the general quality of life. Someone recovering or having recovered from an ED will likely always have some level of extra chatter in their brain around food and body image. But I believe it is possible to learn to hear the chatter and decide not to act upon it. That sounds a lot like recovery to me!

What are your best tips for defeating Diet Culture & Eating Disorders? 

Renata: 

Last year, I removed my mirror from my bedroom and it has been transformative for my relationship with my body. I used to start every morning with a critique of my body. Now, I get dressed for work without a second thought. I am still constantly obsessing about food, but at least harmful thoughts about my body have severely lessened. On the rare occasions that I do see my body in the mirror, I’m surprised by how good I look and how little I hate myself. It’s a pleasant surprise! Along with my mirror, I have also decided to stop using my scale. Realistically, I know how healthy I am by my mindset and how I feel physically. The number on the scale doesn’t actually tell me anything about my health, it can only make me feel worse and make me obsess about my weight. Focusing on doing what is best for my body is what’s important. An arbitrary number is not.

Kelsey is also helping me listen to my body’s signals and hunger cues. Currently, I am working on recognizing how my body feels both before and after eating foods. I want to learn not only how to eat what my body asks for in the moment, but also to know what my body doesn’t need. Removing the morality around food is difficult, but in reality, when nothing is considered a “bad” food, I can more accurately identify whether or not my body wants to eat foods or if I just want them because they’re supposed to be “tempting.” As someone with acid reflux, there are several foods and eating patterns that make me sick. Both waiting too long to eat and overeating can make my stomach hurt, so I am learning to keep from overeating by recognizing that I can have any food at any time! I don’t need to eat an entire tray of cookies right now because I can just have another cookie when I want another cookie! Thinking about how my body will feel after eating something is an important step in giving my body what it needs.

Finally, one of the most important things about listening to my hunger cues is having food available at all times. My body will tell me what it wants, but it’s my job to have different options around so that I can provide it with what it needs. I try to keep fruit, crunchy foods, soft foods, and sweet foods around at all times. That way, when I do need a snack, I can reach for exactly what I want.

Kelsey: 

I think it can be really helpful to just be aware of diet culture, and then use that awareness to call it out. When you notice commercials, billboards, food labels, or morning talk show hosts promoting diet culture, call it out! This can be in your mind or out loud. I find that noticing the prevalence of diet culture can be helpful in resisting it. I also like to suggest building a diet culture-free bubble, especially on social media. Follow accounts that are Intuitive Eating, Health At Every Size, and Body Acceptance aligned on social media. Unfollow or “mute” the accounts that make you feel shitty. Curate your feed to show body diversity and positivity! 

Similar to calling out diet culture when you see it, I think it can be helpful to call out your own thoughts. Notice your own inner dialogue around food, movement, and body image. Is there a lot of negativity floating around up there? Do you feel a sense of guilt eating certain foods or skipping a workout? Do you find yourself comparing your body to the others in the room? Again, call out those thoughts by saying, “Hey, thanks a lot diet culture!” This is a good sign that your relationship with your body/food/movement could use a little work. Consider working with a certified Intuitive Eating counselor. There is a list of these on Intuitive Eating Website (shameless plug— I’m on this list!). Reading Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works is also a great first step! Or if you enjoy podcasts, I recommend checking out Food Psych by Christy Harrison. I have a complete list of Health At Every Size and Intuitive Eating resources, that you should check out!

Closing thoughts…

This year's National Eating Disorders Awareness (NEDA) Week encourages you to “Come as You are: Hindsight is 20/20”.3 We hope that by sharing our personal stories and professional approaches to combating diet culture and EDs, you will feel able to share your own story or seek professional help. If you think that you have or may be on the road to developing an eating disorder, do not wait to get professional help. Just some quick reminders: All bodies are good bodies. You deserve to take up space. Your worth has nothing to do with your body or appearance. Food isn’t “good” or “bad”, all foods fit. Health isn’t what you weigh. Body image isn’t “fixed” by changing the body, but by showing kindness towards it. You are not your eating disorder. 

Thank you for reading! 

Sources:

1. Galmiche, M., Déchelotte, P., Lambert, G., & Tavolacci, M. P. (2019). Prevalence of eating disorders over the 2000–2018 period: a systematic literature review. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 109(5), 1402–1413. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy342

2. Insel, T. (2012, February 24). Post by Former NIMH Director Thomas Insel: Spotlight on Eating Disorders. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/directors/thomas-insel/blog/2012/spotlight-on-eating-disorders.shtml

3. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-involved/nedawareness

Photo credit: Dan Teats. Find him on IG @hope_grows_here