As a personal trainer and former sufferer of a body image and eating disorder, I would like to take this opportunity to share what eating and body image disorders are, the different types, symptoms, causes, treatment and what it means to suffer from one of these. This topic is near and dear to my heart and it’s definitely not a new one. For years now health professionals have spurred public media into further awareness of these disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, and the less well known muscle dysmorphia. However, truth and myth about these disorders have become skewed and public knowledge is disorganized and often misleading.
In order to understand the depth of these disorders it is important to first know the difference between a body image disorder and an eating disorder. Though they are most often connected, they are not mutually inclusive. Many institutions define body image as how you see yourself when you look in the mirror or picture yourself in your mind. More accurately, it is the mind’s perception of what you look like, whether true to reality or existing only in the mind, and how that perception affects what you see in the mirror. Individuals suffering from poor body image are not simply being hard on themselves, but are actually suffering from a near hallucinatory effect in which they see something contrary to reality. An eating disorder is a person’s willful attempt to manipulate and control their perceived body image through extreme and unhealthy dieting and exercise. For instance, a young lady with a body image disorder may see herself as grossly obese when in fact she is within normal limits of body fat. She then decides to begin a diet and exercise program. Because of her skewed self perception, her weight begins to drop while her body image remains the same. She then begins more extreme dieting, continuing along this destructive cycle until she begins a full blown eating disorder.
It is important to note that every eating disorder starts with a body image disorder, however not every individual with a body image disorder has an eating disorder. Understanding the principle difference between the actual body and body image is fundamental to understanding the what’s, how’s and why’s of these disorders.
In my next post, I will discuss individual eating disorders, their symptoms, causes, and lifestyle applications. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments in the comment section bellow and I will do my best to answer. Thank you very much for reading and I look forward to returning with our next article: Anorexia Nervosa, the silent starvation.
Tim Grier is an ACE certified personal trainer, a graduate of Heritage College and is currently pursuing a degree in Exercise Science. He has been a great addition to the Premier Fitness team, "Whether I'm working one-on-one or with a group, it is my mission to bring you the results you want while promoting a healthy and balanced lifestyle."
