October 23, 2013
Stop Controlling Food When Life Is Out of Control
Have you ever wondered why eating disorders even exist?
I mean, there could be hundreds of reasons but have you ever wondered what caused you or someone you know to develop an eating disorder?
I pondered this question the last few days after noticing I have been reverting back to my old ED days and realized that my obsession to control my food intake may be because everything else in my life is so uncertain.
Career, relationships, and the future – it seems every facet of my life right now is in such a grey area and although nothing is ever really black or white, it would be nice to feel like I have some sort of direction I am working towards.
So could this anxiety lead me to take my obsessive controlling behaviours towards my intake of food? Maybe. Most probably actually… what are the other causes of eating disorders?
1) Culture
Coming from an Asian background, I know all too well the pressure of being thin. What really fuelled this whole sickness was coming to Hong Kong and realizing everyone is a size zero. It is unfortunate that this image of beauty has been so engrained in our culture that it seems impossible now to convince people that curves are beautiful.
2) Family Relationships
It could be that you grew up in a family that emphasized the importance of physical appearance. Their slight joking remarks about you looking chubby or pudgy growing up may have caused deeper wounds than you think. Studies have shown overly controlling parents who get too involved in a child’s life, refusing to give them privacy that the child turns their aggression and anger towards themselves by either binging or staving.
3) Personality Characteristics
If you have a Type A personality like me who seeks perfectionism, this can translate to an addiction to look a certain way. Typically high achievers, people who tend to develop ED are model children who try to please others but feel insecure about their own self-worth.
4) Traumatic Events
Unforeseen dramatic events can cause someone to self-sabotage by restrictive eating or binging and purging
For me, I try to keep reminding myself that whatever happens or has happened, happened for a reason. It could be something enlightening or super depressing but what we gain from learning from these events will better prepare us for what’s to come in the future.
2) Meditate
As I have mentioned before, the 4-7-8 breathing really has helped to relax me and keep me grounded. Every night, take 15 minutes to stay silent and free your mind from all the negative thoughts and breathe in positivity. Tomorrow is a new day and be appreciative of what you have and that is life itself.
3) Offer Help to Others
By assisting others with their issues, you are too busy to dwell on the negativities in your life and instead, you are helping others with their circumstances. In turn, you may actually benefit from your own advice and as well, you will feel a sense of accomplishment for focusing on helping others in need.
4) Get Rid of Your To-Do List
I used to write down everything I have to do for the day and when something doesn’t get done, I tend to get very irritated and annoyed at the fact that I wasn’t able to accomplish all my tasks. Forget it – life is too short to worry about all these petty details. Set aside what is important to do and focus on those priorities. However, don’t feel like you need to conquer the world all in one day. Relax and live a little!
5) Be Proud of Who you Are
Can’t stress this enough. ED sufferers never believe in self-worth and often feel that they are not good enough. Hence, they feel the need to appear a certain way to compensate for all those insecurities they have by controlling what they eat. You may be struggling to find a job or your constantly questioning the viability of your relationship, or you just don’t know what you want to do in life. Yes – I know exactly how you feel. Forget what you don’t have and focus on what you do have. You probably have a loving family that supports you or you have an amazing giving personality that your friends all love you for. Be proud of who you are and know that you are amazing. Life may seem like it is in the dumps right now but stay optimistic because it will turn around.
Remember, don't turn to food as a way to regain some control back in your life. The first step to bettering your life starts here. Break a leg! (Not literally of course.. haha)
Career, relationships, and the future – it seems every facet of my life right now is in such a grey area and although nothing is ever really black or white, it would be nice to feel like I have some sort of direction I am working towards.
So could this anxiety lead me to take my obsessive controlling behaviours towards my intake of food? Maybe. Most probably actually… what are the other causes of eating disorders?
1) Culture
Coming from an Asian background, I know all too well the pressure of being thin. What really fuelled this whole sickness was coming to Hong Kong and realizing everyone is a size zero. It is unfortunate that this image of beauty has been so engrained in our culture that it seems impossible now to convince people that curves are beautiful.
2) Family Relationships
It could be that you grew up in a family that emphasized the importance of physical appearance. Their slight joking remarks about you looking chubby or pudgy growing up may have caused deeper wounds than you think. Studies have shown overly controlling parents who get too involved in a child’s life, refusing to give them privacy that the child turns their aggression and anger towards themselves by either binging or staving.
3) Personality Characteristics
If you have a Type A personality like me who seeks perfectionism, this can translate to an addiction to look a certain way. Typically high achievers, people who tend to develop ED are model children who try to please others but feel insecure about their own self-worth.
4) Traumatic Events
Unforeseen dramatic events can cause someone to self-sabotage by restrictive eating or binging and purging
- Ex. Breakups, deaths, debilitating injuries
For me, I try to keep reminding myself that whatever happens or has happened, happened for a reason. It could be something enlightening or super depressing but what we gain from learning from these events will better prepare us for what’s to come in the future.
2) Meditate
As I have mentioned before, the 4-7-8 breathing really has helped to relax me and keep me grounded. Every night, take 15 minutes to stay silent and free your mind from all the negative thoughts and breathe in positivity. Tomorrow is a new day and be appreciative of what you have and that is life itself.
3) Offer Help to Others
By assisting others with their issues, you are too busy to dwell on the negativities in your life and instead, you are helping others with their circumstances. In turn, you may actually benefit from your own advice and as well, you will feel a sense of accomplishment for focusing on helping others in need.
4) Get Rid of Your To-Do List
I used to write down everything I have to do for the day and when something doesn’t get done, I tend to get very irritated and annoyed at the fact that I wasn’t able to accomplish all my tasks. Forget it – life is too short to worry about all these petty details. Set aside what is important to do and focus on those priorities. However, don’t feel like you need to conquer the world all in one day. Relax and live a little!
5) Be Proud of Who you Are
Can’t stress this enough. ED sufferers never believe in self-worth and often feel that they are not good enough. Hence, they feel the need to appear a certain way to compensate for all those insecurities they have by controlling what they eat. You may be struggling to find a job or your constantly questioning the viability of your relationship, or you just don’t know what you want to do in life. Yes – I know exactly how you feel. Forget what you don’t have and focus on what you do have. You probably have a loving family that supports you or you have an amazing giving personality that your friends all love you for. Be proud of who you are and know that you are amazing. Life may seem like it is in the dumps right now but stay optimistic because it will turn around.
Remember, don't turn to food as a way to regain some control back in your life. The first step to bettering your life starts here. Break a leg! (Not literally of course.. haha)
