TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Five signs you may suffer from an eating disorder
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
There are many contributing factors that could lead to an eating disorder that may seem harmless. (Shutterstock/File)
Eating disorders may be common, but the behavior aspects that trigger such disorders are more intricate than it may seem.
Newly identified eating disorders exist today, such as body dysmorphia or extreme self-consciousness of one’s body image; anorexia athletica, also known as hypergymnasia, an eating disorder characterized by excessive exercise; or orthorexia, the obsessive pursuit of a healthy and clean diet.
There are many contributing factors that could lead to an eating disorder that may seem harmless or go unnoticed. Here are some of the signs to watch out for as compiled by Reader's Digest.
Read also: Dangerously skinny K-pop girl groups
A path to obsession
According to some experts, leading a healthy lifestyle could lead to obsessive qualities. "Often what starts as an innocent attempt to diet or eat healthy can kick-start an eating disorder, as the individual quickly finds that their new behavior 'solves other problems,' such as increasing peer acceptance, soothing anxiety, or getting attention in a new way," said Bonnie Brennan, the senior clinical director of Adult Services at the Eating Recovery Center in Denver, Colorado, United States.
Denial of a pivotal event
Avoiding something big happening in one’s life could be the reason to turn to food for comfort.
Being inflexible with food choices
Only eating the cleanest and healthiest foods out there can be considered as an unhealthy behavior, as our body requires a balance of nutrients and fats.
Read also: Which is more effective for losing weight: diet or exercise?
Obsession with the scale
It does not matter if you reach your ideal body weight, as your body is made up of more fat cells than muscles. Checking the scale all the time is considered to be a bad habit, as many people overuse it when tracking their weight.
Feelings of guilt after skipping a workout
Intense regret of missed workouts could lead to an unhealthy attachment to one’s fitness regimen. (vod/kes)
