Dealing with Daily Battles

Feeling like you are eating too much fat every day and feeling like everything you eat can make you fat, yet inside you know it's what you have to do to be healthy and to be normal. Many would say this is an advantage because it's easier to gain weight than to lose. But having tried both, gaining is a lot harder than you would think, losing is the easy part. Most people in society don't meet their fear more than once a year. However, people with any degree of anorexia have to face it every day. These people have to face it in various degrees the most commons fears are:

1. Eating too much fat
2. Eating too many calories
3. Parents noticing drastic changes
4. Friends noticing you’re not eating enough
5. People talking about your size
6. Not looking pretty as everyone else

All these are thoughts that go through their head every time they think about eating. Some even go to so much extreme that they plan ahead their meal plan the night before so that they are able to sleep peacefully. And if their meal plan doesn't go the right as they wanted, the following days they often punish themselves by eating less. Many people would never notice if anyone had any signs of a disorder because people tend to hide it.

1. Wearing big hoodies to over the fact that they have lost weight
2. Drinking a lot, eating (healthy items), when around people/friend to prove they eat a lot, making excuses for not eating

However, there are a numerous of signs that can indicate if a person has an eating disorder:

1. Weight changes
2. Avoid eating in public and just going elsewhere when lunch time's occur
3. Skipping meals
4. Calorie counting whatever they eat and considering every item that they eat
5. Going to the toilet straight after eating every lunch and break time
6. Exercising on purpose very intensely at breaks and lunch times
7. Feeling dizzy often
8. Getting aches within their body
9. Lacking confidence that they used to have
10. Feeling self-conscious
11. Having brittle hair
12. Feeling cold all the time whatever the temperature

The lists go on; most anorexia gets missed and therefore results in drastic measures with people getting placed in hospitals so that they are able to gain their strength and all their nutrients back.

The way to prevent people from starting any form of anorexia is to have three main meals and snack (healthy) in between. Additionally, look out for your friends if you do see a friend that you are worried about tell their parents because the quicker you stop them the quicker they harm themselves from bone injuries.

If a friend of yours is recovering from any form of eating disorder just show them you care and that you want to help. Just remember forcing people to eat is not a way of help but encouraging them by saying I’ll eat half of it if you eat the other half. Always remember baby steps is the way forward. Picture it as if you are going to run a marathon; you can not expect yourself to run a marathon on the first day of training. Also remember not every day will be a success, some days will be a step back. But remember to keep faith and show that you are with the person every step of the way.

One thing I remember I hated the most was going shopping because even at my lowest in some shops I was a size 2 and in other is was a size 8 and I didn’t understand how I could be told I was too skinny yet I fitted the sizes that an average girl my age should fit in some shops. And having clothes that doesn’t fit is not a nice feeling.

If you need any further information then feel free to look up information on:

Anorexia: Overview and Statistics

Anorexia Nervosa