{"id":30345,"date":"2022-07-29T10:04:49","date_gmt":"2022-07-29T17:04:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/?p=30345"},"modified":"2022-07-26T10:59:22","modified_gmt":"2022-07-26T17:59:22","slug":"body-image-and-disordered-eating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medfitnetwork.org\/public\/all-mfn\/body-image-and-disordered-eating\/","title":{"rendered":"Body Image and Disordered Eating"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nearly 8 million individuals in the US currently have a diagnosable eating disorder. Though that is a big number, it\u2019s not big enough to guarantee that everyone reading this knows someone who is impacted.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing, that number DOES NOT include those with more subtle disordered eating symptoms. This broadens the scope quite a bit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What if we looked at diagnosable eating disorders as the far end of a spectrum?<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s call the other end, healthy intuitive eating.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What does that mean?\u00a0 Healthy intuitive eating means that you eat when you are hungry.\u00a0 It also means that you eat what you are hungry for, and you stop when you feel satisfied.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are people that fall on that far end. Truly. I have even met one or two!\u00a0 They are not unicorns- possibly the closest living things though.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s label everything in the middle as \u201cdisordered eating\u201d.\u00a0 This would include behaviors like overeating, food restricting, skipping meals, over-exercising, overly rigid eating schedules and so many more.<\/span><\/p>\n

The majority of people, that I know anyway, lie somewhere in that space. Would you agree? Where do you fall?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The big difference between eating disorders and disordered eating is that the latter is typically not lethal and is not all-encompassing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The big similarity is that more often than not, individuals impacted have a poor body image.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Body image is how you see yourself when you look in the mirror or when you picture yourself in your mind. It encompasses:<\/span><\/p>\n