Last week was eating disorder awareness week. 

I follow so many fitness influencers as well as disability awareness influencers.

All-- or most of these influencers have experienced an eating disorder at some point in their life. 

I just got an email from @lucydavisfit revealing her eating disorder. She had hers, from the fear of gaining weight as a professional swimmer. The one thing that has become normalcy; shouldn’t. 

I developed my eating habits because I could not lose weight without pain, so I produced a highly obsessive food lifestyle. I experienced bingeing and purging disorder--- eating and throwing up what I eat. I feared unhealthy and sugary foods-- and would not eat anything sugar unless I purged.

I didn’t tell anyone. 

Having a physical impairment will hinder your ability to exercise and harm your mental health, especially when losing weight. Eating disorders awareness week is too not only for the people who have an eating disorder in the present but in the past and to prevent the near future. 

I have recently posted a low-impact workout that is perfect for trying if you have bad knees or ankles; all Jump free-- to start you on your fitness journey. By doing suitable activities that are good for your body, you can feel more confident about your body image and disability--and avoid your ED.

There is no guarantee that everything “right” will work to either prevent or fight your ED (eating with portions, exercising 30 mins a day, taking some time with yourself), but in this way, we can learn to accept ourselves. We can only try to be proud of positive change. 

There is little research on the relationship between having a physical disability and having an eating disorder; however, a study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Mental Health 2000 showed that women with physical disabilities were more likely to develop eating disorders.

This is most likely because you feel too different and want to change, or you are punishing your body for not being normal enough. Media and the disconnection between your mind and body may also play a factor or the lack of control. I can not control my pain or control my pain when exercising, so by restricting my diet, I felt in control of my body; however, when I binged, my eating disorder took over my body anyways. 

The first people I openly admitted my disorder to— was at a retreat—- and it felt so freeing. That was the first step to my battle. Fighting an eating disorder is a battle, and it always comes back to get you. It is not an automatic win. It is a process that is collaborative and needs positive reinforcement. It took therapy and logging my episodes and crying and tears for me to give up my ED. The gym is now my replacement. 

It gets better little by little, day by day. 

Although I have a rare disease, my eating disorder is far from rare; according to the ADAD,

• 28.8 million Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime

• They’re the 3rd most chronic common illness 

• 28-74% of the risk for eating disorders is through genetic heritability.

• 10,200 deaths each year are the direct result of an eating disorder—that’s one death every 52 minutes.

If those do not scare you,

• 42% of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner.

• 81% of 10-year-old children are afraid of being fat.

• 46% of 9-11 year-olds are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets.

• 35-57% of adolescent girls engage in crash dieting, fasting, self-induced vomiting, diet pills, or laxatives.

• In a college campus survey, 91% of the women admitted to controlling their weight through dieting.

Your physical health is tied to your mental and nutritional health. When you do not get your blood flowing, either going on a stroll or lifting weights; you get mentally weak; leading you into a spiraling eating disorder, whether overeating or undereating.

If you are struggling with your eating disorder please use the contact me section; I am open always to talk!