Herself an eating disorder survivor while a college student, Dr. Jones says that in a quest to look fashionable and slim like the models on Fashion Week catwalks, many teenage girls and women adopt thinking patterns that put them at great risk for future body image and eating control issues.
So could you be at risk for a “subclinical” eating disorder without even knowing it? Here are six warning signs:
>> WARNING SIGN #1:
You describe fat as a "feeling."
>> WARNING SIGN #2:
You eat a limited variety of foods or become a vegetarian to restrict food intake.
>> WARNING SIGN #3:
You avoid eating meals or snacks when other people are around.
>> WARNING SIGN #4:
You constantly calculate the amount of fat, carbs, or calories you're eating.
>> WARNING SIGN #5:
You feel ashamed, disgusted, or guilty after eating.
>> WARNING SIGN #6:
You dream of having the body attributes of friends, models, or celebrities.
With New York Fashion Week in full swing and National Eating Disorders Awareness week starting on Feb. 22, 2015.
If you know someone with an eating disorder, you should seek help for them. You can learn more at the National Eating Disorders website.
Another helpful resource would be the ANAD website (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. You can also search Google or Bing for additional resources.
Please eat healthy and live healthy.