February 26 to March 3rd was National Eating Disorder Awareness Week; so to help you consider the role that food, weight, body image, and the culture have had on you, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you constantly think about your weight, food or your body?
- Do these thoughts take up an inordinate amount of space in your day?
- Do you feel guilty after you eat something?
- Do you ruminate about food?
- Do you obsess over exercising? Do you freak out if you miss a workout?
- When you eat something "bad" do your thoughts automatically go to "I have to burn this off, or I shouldn't have eaten that?"
- Do you always talk about being fat?
- Do you have "safe" and "unsafe" foods?
- Do you binge or purge?
- Do you restrict food?
- Are you worried what others will think of your body?
- Do you take laxatives?
- What do you tell yourself daily about your body, food, or weight?
If you answered yes to 2 or more of these questions, chances are you have a problem with food or body image. If it's taking up too much space in your life, and becoming a serious problem, see a professional counselor who specializes in treating eating disorders. Join me next time as we look at Anorexia Nervosa and the drive to be thin.