Eating and Exercise Disorders

In my opinion, all eating disorders have psychological and emotional roots. I have had great success working with eating disorders when it is approached in this way. When I was suffering with bulimia, all I wanted was to be accepted, acknowledged and loved. It was love that helped me to heal. This is the approach I will take with you. My coaching approach in this area is very personal and I would feel blessed to work with you, knowing the courage it can take to feel safe and comfortable enough to truly open up and share your deepest, darkest thoughts, hurts and fears.

The most common eating disorders and their characteristics are below:

Anorexia Nervosa 

Anorexia nervosa is characterised by significant weight loss due to self-starvation and often serious medical problems as a result. Anorexia is experienced by both genders but is more common in females. 0.5 – 1% young women develop anorexia. Approximately 5% of people with anorexia are male. 10% of people suffering long term from anorexia may die. Those suffering with anorexia have a tremendous need to control their surroundings and emotions and have low self esteem. Often the cause can be internal conflicts such as stress, feeling like life is out of control, anxiety or unhappiness. To cope with these emotions, anorexia is the negative coping mechanism.

Those suffering with Anorexia may be abnormally sensitive about being perceived as fat, or fear becoming fat; or may not. They can fear losing control over the amount of food they eat, accompanied by the desire to control their emotions and reactions to their emotions. With a need for acceptance they will turn to obsessive dieting and starvation as a way to control their weight, and their feelings and actions regarding their weight. By depriving themselves of food, this can often be a reflection of their feeling of not deserving pleasure in life.

Characteristics of anorexia include:

• Marked weight loss
• Unhealthy look
• Loss of period in females
• Growth of fine body hair
• Constipation or bloating
• Insomnia
• Sensitivity to cold
• Body image distortions
• Rigid and obsessive thinking
• Mood disturbance

Behavioural Characteristics

• Unusually low intake of food
• Odd eating habits / unusual food rituals
• Excessive exercise or activity
• Frequent measuring of body weight
• Obsessive reading of nutritional information on food containers
• Increasing withdrawal from social activities
• Vomiting or using laxatives
• Dressing in layers to hide body shape
• Odd eating habits and strange food combinations
• Avoiding places or occasions where food might be present

Psychological Characteristics 

• Insecurity about abilities, regardless of actual performance
• Depression, possible suicidal ideation
• Perfectionism and obsessiveness
• Intense fear of becoming fat even though very thin
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mood swings, irritability
• Mood and sense of self-worth affected by what is or is not eaten

Danger Signs

If someone displays any of the following symptoms, they must be medically assessed as soon as possible:

• Rapid weight loss (eg 7 kg in 4 weeks)
• Recent loss of greater than 10% of healthy weight
• Increase in frequency of vomiting
• Overexercising while very underweight
• Dizziness, fainting or disorientation
• Slow heart rate or chest pain
• Rapidly increasing weakness
• Severe muscle spasms

Healing anorexia includes releasing the emotional and psychological factors which contributed to the condition. It is a serious illness which requires family support, as it can take a long time to heal, even after normal weight is achieve.

Bulimia Nervosa

Some studies indicate that behaviours associated with bulimia could be found in as many as 30% of adolescents. Bulimia affects 1-3% of adolescent and young adult females, and about 10 to 20% of sufferers are male.

Men and women who live with bulimia will create episodes of bingeing and then purging. They will consume a very large quantity of food in a short period of time. This eventually becomes a cycle of food restriction, bingeing and purging. Often feelings of disgust, guilt, depression or anger will cause them to produce behaviours such as either self-induced vomiting or the consumption of laxatives to get rid of the excess food. Often they will blame themselves for eating the excessive amount of food and punish themselves and feel overwhelmed in coping with their emotions. The bulimia may be a symptom of how they feel about themselves or how they feel about past events. Bulimics tend to stuff down there emotions with food to hide the feelings of anger, sadness, fear, hurt or depression.

People with bulimia can have serious problems with self-esteem, and may have clinical depression, relationship problems, health problems and difficulty with day to day life. Some people with bulimia may also have problems with substance abuse.

Those suffering bulimia are usually fascinated by food and will be interested in the latest diets, recipes and fads. They are usually aware of the fact that they have an eating disorder but their behaviour can become such a habit that it seems normal. Excessive exercise, stringent diet plans, restriction of food, the misuse of laxatives, diuretics and diet pills and a persistent concern with body image can all be warning signs that someone is suffering with Bulimia.

Both Anorexia and Bulimia 

The common cause for both of these illnesses seems to be sexual/physical and/or emotional abuse. Though this is not the case for all people living with these disorders. Depression is often linked with these illnesses and can be the cause or the symptom of the eating disorder. These disorders are highly complex emotional issues despite the fact that on the surface it seems to look like an obsessive weight concern. There are usually deep, emotional feelings to be resolved in order to heal these illnesses.

Physical Characteristics

• Near average weight or slightly over or underweight
• Dramatic weight fluctuations with related fluid retention
• Swollen salivary glands (puffy cheeks) and chronic hoarseness
• Forced vomiting can cause blistering, tearing and bleeding of the throat and oesophagus
• Dental decay from stomach acid (erosion of enamel, dental cavities)
• Disturbance of menstrual cycle
• Hair, nail and skin problems
• Constipation (laxative, diuretics and emetics may contribute)
• Gastro-intestinal disorders
  Behavioral Characteristics
• Episodes of consuming very large amounts of food
• Restriction of food intake, possible fasting
• Purging behaviours such as abuse of laxatives or diuretics, excessive exercise, vomiting, or fasting
• Secretive behaviour (hiding binge-purge behaviours due to shame)
• Social withdrawal (isolation, spending time on food related activities)
  Psychological Characteristics
• Low self-esteem, poor self-image
• An overwhelming fear of becoming fat
• Great importance attached to being slender
• Constant pre-occupation with food
• Feelings of guilt, shame and self-loathing
• Depression and possible suicidal thoughts
• Mood swings and increased irritability
• May hide symptoms successfully for years

Binge Eating

Those suffering from Binge Eating Disorder can have similar behaviours to those with Bulimia yet without the purging. The person suffering will seek large binges when not hungry, rapidly consuming an unusually large quantity of food uncontrollably eating until they are overly full. People with binge eating disorder will often describe a feeling of loss of control over their eating during a binge, followed or preceded by feelings of guilt, shame, disgust and depressed moods. The average weight for men and women suffering from this disorder is usually above average or overweight and they tend to have a more difficult time losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight.

Common reasons for binge eating may be to hide their emotions, to fill a void they feel inside, and to cope with daily stresses and problems in their lives. Bingeing can be used as a way to keep people away; a physical barrier between themselves and the person, event or experience that infringed on their personal space. This is usually a subconscious reaction to the deeper belief that “If I am fat, no one has to like me because I don’t’ like me.” It is common to see a lack of self-love present in sufferers with this disorder. Self punishment for doing “bad” things or feeling badly about themselves are usually present.

The Eating Disorder Assoication (Qld) offer some very practical ways of helping alleviate the urge to binge, which may provide a starting point for further recovery:

• Never skip breakfast (or any other meal). Binge eaters who skip meals may find themselves bingeing later in the day – starvation is a powerful stimulus for bingeing behaviour.
• Many people advocate eating smaller more frequent meals, but the overriding principle is that nourishing your body adequately throughout the day may help prevent or reduce bingeing.
• Some people with binge eating disorder have found distraction techniques (hobbies, going for a walk, talking to someone on the phone) can help delay or even prevent a binge.
• Learn to listen to your body: relearn your internal cues for “fullness” and hunger. Support from a good nutritionist and moderate exercise can help.
• People in the obese weight range or those with cardiac or other health difficulties should always consult with their doctor before starting or changing their exercise patterns.