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Top 10 To Combat Eating Disorders
Women are constantly bombarded (in
the press, advertisement, films
and television) with images of the perfect body. The enormous pressure
built up on them leads many women to go on diets to help them lose
weight. Some women have developed a very unsettled relationship with
food, followed by complains of chronic constipation, lack of energy or
food intolerance. one thing common to all eating disorders is the
love-hate relationship with food.
Try working out through following
exercise to understand how your body works with food, so as to turn
eating into a positive experience:-
 Understand the
nutrients your body needs:
Try to
understand your nutritional needs with regards to calories, fat,
protein, vitamins, minerals and water to develop a healthy metabolism
and gain energy to carry out your normal daily activities.
The body puts on
excess fat only when it takes in calories it does not need. As a WF
member, you will gain knowledge of your individual nutritional needs, so
as to manage your body in a healthy manner. Here you will understand
that food has far more uses than simply the negative one of "making you
fat". It is important to try to get your body to a stage where it is a
little stronger, without feeling that your weight will carry on going up
and up.
The
nutrition content of WF fitness program deals with all essential nutrients
individually along with their sources and daily requirements to help you make
healthy choices of food.
  Calculate your ideal body weight:
Use your body
mass index to calculate your ideal body weight. BMI of 19-25 is
considered healthy. Below 18 is considered underweight. You can check
your
target weight at:
www.womenfitness.net/freetools.htm
 Understand that body's fluid levels change everyday, several times a day:
Try to get out
of the habit of excessive weighing, once a week should be the maximum.
This might not seem easy when you have been used to obsessive weighing,
so throw the scales out, or give them to a friend or put them in a
hidden place. Whenever you are tempted to weigh yourself adopt
distractive therapies like, a walk etc.
 Make a list of pastimes that make you feel good:
Write down your
favorites pieces of music or books that you seem to associate with happy
times. you can also list down name of friends and relatives who can
offer you support in time of need. Keep your lists in prominent place so
that you can take immediate action when you are feeling vulnerable.
Gentle exercise
can help you feel good about your body, but punishing your body with 2
hrs. exercise is not what you need.
 Make a food list:
Try dividing
foods into four groups:
A. Foods are
those that you feel safe eating-include fruits and
vegetables, apart from bananas, pineapple, avocados, along with yoghurt,
canned diet drinks, black coffee. Occasionally try pasta, rice, potatoes
and white bread.
B. Food:
Carbohydrates foods. Other foods might include cottage or low fat
cheese, fish, meat, chicken and breakfast cereals.
C. Food:
Consists of usually fatty and sugary foods such as crisps, pastries,
cakes, biscuits, butter, oil, cheese, sauces and full-calorie canned
drinks.
D. These foods
are those that you don't like. These are genuine dislikes rather than
any psychological fear of eating.
Try
WF
healthy recipes from: A list of choices various foods.
 Try to reawaken the taste, temperature and sensation in your mouth:
Many anorexics
and bulimics, don't taste or feel food in their mouth. They see food as
enemy and something that has to be swallowed quickly. Try to acknowledge
food within your mouth, enjoy its smell and taste as you chew and
swallow it down. This will help you to identify the signals of satiety
and fullness, leaving you less guilty.
The ultimate goal of
this exercise is to stop the guilt/panic attacks that accompany eating, not to
make you take in calories. Concentrate and respect everything that goes into
your mouth to feel positive about food.
 Avoid keeping your binge foods at home:
Keeping the
binge foods locked in a cupboard will make it easier for you to avoid
the temptation to binge. If you have a list of binge foods (the classic
ones being bread, biscuits, cookies, cake, chocolate, ice cream) try to
replace them with more nutritious foods which will provide your body
with essential vitamins and minerals e.g. fruits, salad etc.
 Try to drink no more than two litres of water a day:
There is no
doubt that water is essential for healthy and normal functioning of
various body function. But filling up empty stomach with water is not
advocated. Take small sips of water throughout the day. To know more on
the benefits of water and intake, Read
drink_up, an
article put up by WF
team.
Also do limit your tea
and coffee intake throughout the day. Tea and coffee bind vitamins and minerals
in your gut and prevent your body from using them effectively. Being diuretic,
they also make your body excrete nutrients in the urine. Initially you might
face withdrawal symptoms like headaches, but this will pass out with time.
 Stop Using Laxatives and diuretics:
Continued use of
laxatives and diuretics can lead to abnormal amount of fluid loss. The
temporary loss on the scales can prove damaging to your health. A
healthy diet based on cereals, fruits and vegetables will help you to
achieve and maintain a healthy state. Refer to the
food guide pyramid to base your everyday diet on a healthy
foundation.
 Try to build a structure into your diet pattern:
Try to follow a
meal pattern of at least 3-5 meals a day at the same time everyday, this
will give you a sense of being in control. Whatever pattern you choose,
adopt one that you will stick to, so that some normality can start
filtering into your life.
You can even start by
breaking up the day into 3 units for e.g., morning, afternoon and evening. At
the end of each unit, analyze yourself and goals achieved. Give yourself
positive feedback, you can even write it down in your personal diary.
If you are able to
achieve your goals in all the three units, reward yourself with something other
than food e.g.. massage or a facial. Remember the more positive attention you
give yourself, the more likely will you be able to accept your body for what it
is and not struggle for an unachievable image.
The transition from an
unhealthy lifestyle towards a healthy one might not seem easy or come overnight.
By modifying your eating habits you might be amazed as to how good it feels to
release yourself from the eating disorder "jail".
Women Fitness is here
to walk every step with you towards a healthy and enjoyable eating of food.
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