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How To Navigate Body Image and Disordered Eating Patterns

Have you ever caught yourself totally wrapped up in how you look in the mirror, focusing only on your appearance instead of how you feel? When you only look outward, it can really mess up your idea of true health, leading you to chase a certain look rather than genuine well-being. Does that inner critic ever pipe up, saying things like, “You haven’t earned this meal,” or “You don’t deserve to eat this yet”? Those thoughts are a big signal that your relationship with food might be tricky. They turn eating, which is just about fueling your body, into something you have to win. This strongly suggests a deeper issue in which food is used to judge your self-worth or to gain a sense of control. Also, think about all the daily communications in which foods are constantly labeled “good” or “bad.” Do these conversations make you second-guess your own food choices? Maybe you’ve seen scary stuff about certain ingredients on social media that makes you super anxious. All this external judgment and confusing diet advice can seriously block your natural hunger signals, making it hard to just eat intuitively.

Our modern routines often begin with checking our phones, not our bodies. The immediate pull of digital connection means we tend to scroll through social media, absorbing a barrage of information and images, before even taking a sip of water or noticing how our body feels upon waking. As we absorb constant notifications, curated images, and “inspirational” posts, we can unconsciously internalize unrealistic ideas about the way we “should look, live, and eat.” Spending all this time online slowly messes with our natural ability to trust what our bodies are telling us. It’s like we’re constantly looking for outside validation instead of listening inward.

Throughout the day, this constant exposure to the supposed “ideal body” and prescriptive wellness trends often strips food of its simple, vital purpose as nourishment. It can transform from a source of energy and pleasure into a restrictive system of rules, complex calculations, and numbers. You might begin to rigidly categorize foods, thinking, for example, “a plain salad is good; a small bar of chocolate is bad.” This thinking creates a moral hierarchy for food, leading to feelings of guilt and shame when certain rules are broken, further distancing you from an intuitive relationship with eating. This preoccupation with external control over our physical form and diet usually prevents us from addressing the underlying emotional and psychological needs that food might temporarily mask or attempt to satisfy. In this mini sketch, we will explore how our perceptions of our bodies shape, unrealistic beauty standarts affects us, and how to heal from disordered eating patterns. 

Body Image and Disordered Eating Patterns

Without question, we live in a world that places a significant amount of pressure on physical appearance. With this rising pressure, the relationship between body image and disordered eating patterns has become an increasingly more pervasive and concerning issue. Specific beauty standards, which have been widely perpetuated by society (e.g., thin body types, overemphasized curvy features, muscular forms, youthful appearances, attaining “perfection”), often perpetuated by the media we consume, play a significant role in shaping our perceptions of our bodies.

Unrealistic body standards can have a harmful impact on the development of our personal views, which can lead people to adopt unhealthy eating habits as a means to achieve the perceived “perfect” body. A combination of psychological, social, and biological factors often drives disordered eating patterns. These may include conforming to unrealistic beauty standards, experiencing low self-esteem, trying to attain perfectionism, anxiety, depression, genetics, and a history of trauma or abuse (Limited, S.W.P., 2023). These factors can exacerbate negative body image and contribute to disordered eating patterns. Individuals may use food and control over their bodies as a way to cope with emotional distress or gain a sense of control over their lives. Navigating perceptions of the ideal body image by restricting food intake can affect overall life satisfaction and willingness to engage in healthy behaviors, including exercise, sexual well-being, social connections, and career development. If you find yourself struggling with disordered eating patterns, don’t hesitate to seek help from qualified healthcare professionals (therapists, dietitians, or primary care doctors).

Establishing care with a primary care provider and a dietitian:

The goal of a primary care provider (PCP) is to deliver the care that’s right for you. This means going beyond the scope of a “one-size-fits-all approach.” It’s worthwhile to establish a relationship with a provider who is attentive and understanding, making it easier for you to speak honestly about your experience–healthcare is meant to be tailored to your specific needs. A primary care provider screens patients for all major health-related conditions. If you live with a chronic health condition, your PCP works to help manage the symptoms of your condition and improve your quality of life (Mayo Clinic, 2015).

It’s important to note that a dietitian is a board-certified food and nutrition expert (unlike a nutritionist). They are highly educated in nutrition, which requires additional schooling beyond a bachelor’s degree, as a master’s degree is required for all entry-level RDs. They are well trained in the science of food, nutrition, and their impact on human health (require licensure to practice in the state). Dietitians acquire the knowledge and skillset to provide evidence-based nutrition therapy and counseling, which is tailored to meet an individual’s specific needs. They are qualified to practice across a span of settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, research institutions, or local communities (Wartenberg, 2020).

Tips for navigating body image issues and disordered eating patterns:

  • Establish a support system: surround yourself with supportive friends, family members, and support groups who offer encouragement, understanding, and validation during difficult times.
  • Set clear goals: work with a therapist to establish clear goals related to body image. Instead of focusing on achieving a specific weight or body shape, set goals related to overall health and well-being, such as improving strength, flexibility, or energy levels. 
  • Identify underlying issues: explore any underlying factors that could be contributing to body image issues, like past experiences, societal pressures, family dynamics, traumatic events, and so on.
  • Cultivate self-compassion: be kind to yourself. Treat yourself with the same empathy and understanding that you would offer to a friend facing similar challenges.
  • Learn coping skills: find alternative ways to cope with stress, emotions, and negative thoughts around body image that don’t involve food or restrictive behaviors. This could include hobbies, mindfulness practices, journaling, or talking to a supportive friend.
  • Explore body-positive practices: incorporate body-positive practices into your therapy sessions and daily life. This might include practicing gratitude for your body, engaging in activities that make you feel good, or surrounding yourself with supportive and accepting influences. 
  • Practice mindful eating: focus on your eating, pay attention to hunger and fullness cues, and savor the experience without judgment.
  • Starting therapy: therapy offers a steady, nonjudgmental space to understand where body image struggles come from and to slowly rebuild a kinder relationship with your body and food.

Takeaways:

  • Disordered eating is often about control, self-worth, and unmet emotional needs.
  • When your body becomes something to fix or manage, it’s a sign you’ve stopped listening to it.
  • Healing starts by shifting focus from external rules to internal cues like hunger, fullness, and emotional awareness.
  • With support, self-compassion, and curiosity, it is possible to rebuild trust with your body and food.

References

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