Diet or eating disorder?

There is clear definition between those on a diet and those suffering an eating disorder. It is important that people are aware of the distinction between a diet/act of dieting and disordered eating.

 An eating disorder is not self nurturing of one’s self; it is actually a self destructive behaviour, and one seeking approval/acceptance from society, peers or parents via negative attention. Eating disorders are destructive because in some cases the individual only believes life will be better if they lose weight with no concern as to the damage done. Often dieting in contrast a way enabling how you feel on the outside to match the goodness you feel inside.

 Dieting is about being able to control your weight a little better whereas an eating disorder is an obsession with appearance and about gaining control in one’s life by controlling their body. Almost as if to look/appear how out of control they really feel.

Eating Disorders are fixated around all aspects of one person’s life that are usually difficult or complicated, for example; stress, coping, pain, anger, acceptance, validation, confusion or fear which is cleverly or conveniently hidden behind phrases such as "I'm just on a diet", “I’m not very well” or “I’m not hungry”.

A diet aims to improve general health, fitness and well being whereas an eating disorder has detrimental implications to health, in severe cases knowingly death. A diet fits into and improves a person’s lifestyle, dissimilarly and eating disorder consumes a person’s lifestyle, restricting social activities, putting strain on friendships and isolation of one’s self. An eating disorder is a downward spiral but a diet a healthy balanced diet lifts, mood and has a positive knock on effect on life, aiding achievement.

Dieting is about losing a reasonable amount of weight in a healthy manner. For example adding exercise to ones routine and varying the diet so that a more balanced intake of nutrients causes natural weight loss. An eating disorder is an attempt to make one’s life better through food, eating or lack of. It is about gaining control over the body to compensate for lack of control in an individual’s life.

Dieting is about nurturing your body and giving it the balance it requires to function normally.

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