5 Tips to Avoid Developing a Life Threatening Eating Disorder

Are you trying to be rail-thin? Have you contemplated restricting or binging and purging to accomplish this? If so, then please read on.

Anorexia and Bulimia are the most prevalent of all eating disorders out there today. Anorexia is centered on starving your body of the proper nutrition it needs on a daily basis and whittling away one pound at a time. On the other hand, bulimia is based on consuming extremely large amounts of food in one sitting ( known as a binge) and then purging the food immediately. Purging can be physically throwing up the food, exercising for hours ( also known as exercise bulimia), or even by taking laxatives.

In any case, those that are struggling with either eating disorder generally have many of the same underlying issues in common. Eating disorders play a role in a persons life much like a temporary pain killer. They act as a temporary fix in that they numb the individual at first allowing them to function daily without feeling their true feelings. Feelings such as loneliness, sadness, fear, anxiety, and depression are just a few. With that said, these feelings and emotions don’t just go away forever. In fact, they build up over time and can mount up to be simply unbearable for an individual. That’s when they typically hit rock bottom.

[smartads]

While this can be a hard reality to deal with, there is light at the end of the tunnel! Below are 5 Tips to avoid developing one of these life threatening eating disorders.

1. Find balance in your every day life. This isn’t ever easy to find and maintain I know but at least try! What I mean by this is keep your professional life in check, take care of your body, get at least 8 hours of sleep a night, eat a healthy diet, exercise daily, and also know when it’s time to chill.

2. Perfection simply does not EXIST! Stop trying to be perfect and instead re-focus your energy on what you do like about yourself. Focus on your amazing personality, your killer creativity and your awesome sense of humor. Doing so daily will keep your mind in a positive state.

3. Love your body for what it can do! Take time to thank your body for being able to walk, run, skip, hop, bike, kayak, swim, and the list goes on and on and on. Appreciate your body for what it CAN do for you. Keep your amazing body active everyday.

4. Give your insecurities a voice. Sit down and talk to someone about these insecurities, your lacking self esteem and so forth. Being honest with yourself and with another gives you power and also holds you accountable to another person. This person can be a psychotherapist, a family member, spouse, friend and so on.

5. Love is the ANSWER. Spend quality time with those in your life that love you unconditionally such as your amazing family and true friends. These people are in your life for a reason, allow them to constantly remind you of just how incredible you truly are!

By: Erika Conover

Click here to read how I conquered my eating disorders