In the U.S., nearly 20 million women and 10 million men of every race, suffer from some kind of eating disorder, and the prevalence of eating disorders in college is increasing yearly. National Eating Disorders Awareness week is Feb. 22 to Feb. 28 and this year NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) is focusing on early intervention and recognizing signs of people affected by disordered eating in order to increase the likelihood of full recovery. Ole Miss Sports Nutrition is pairing with Panhellenic Council to bring awareness of eating disorders to the Ole Miss student body, especially the greek community.
Stop the 3Ds: dieting, drive for thinness, and body dissatisfaction.
Dieting
Make peace with food! It is what fuels your body to do all of its complicated processes and without it you wouldn’t be able to walk to class, dance at socials, and so much more. You need to eat enough food to get all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs to keep going.
Listen to your body. Your body is smart and can tell you what it needs and when. If you ignore it, it will keep trying to remind you in the form of stomach growling, headaches, and a constant thinking about food. Pay attention to your body’s hunger cues and eat! If you are truly hungry and not just bored or stressed, then eat!
Focus on full. Again, your body knows when it has had all it needs. You want to feel content and satisfied, which is a balance between being uncomfortably stuffed or hungry again soon after. This might mean you need a couple snacks during the day or it may mean you need three square meals. Find out what works for you and make it happen!
Moderation, not extremes. Often cravings are your body’s way of getting nutrients you need or might be missing. If you are having cravings that are interfering with your healthy eating plan, talk to a dietitian or doctor who can help!
Drive for thinness
Many people believe that skinny equals pretty which is, of course, not the case. Additionally, on a quest to thinness, under-eating can lead to nutrient deficiencies that affect the way you look! Nutrient and calorie deficiencies can cause hair loss, premature hair graying, acne, tooth decay, brittle nails, dry skin, and more. So focus on healthy, rather than thin! Eat good things and your body will look and feel good!
Body dissatisfaction
When you make health and wellness your priority over dieting and striving for skinny, your body image will naturally increase. Exercise and certain foods release the happy hormone that makes you feel good! But we can all use some tips on how to take care of ourselves and keep our body image positive:
Stop focusing on numbers. Weigh yourself less often -- stick to once a week or less -- and stop the calorie counting. Instead, eat real foods like fruits, veggies, lean meats, milk, eggs, and nuts and focus on how you feel, not what the scale says.
Adopt a zero-tolerance stance on negative talk, rumors, and promotion of unhealthy behaviors in your chapter or organization. Positive self-image and self-esteem should be highly regarded values in your organization and should be instilled in all new members.
Pay attention to your roommates, friends, and classmates. Notice odd behaviors and ask how you can help them relieve anxiety or stress.
Become aware of your comments about weight and size. Use positive talk, such as, you are beautiful, rather than talk that focuses on size or shape such as, you look skinny.
Stay tuned for part two of “A Healthier Body Image” to find out more about the National Eating Disorder Awareness as it hits the Ole Miss campus this month.
Source: Hilary Ake, registered dietitian.
