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This document is designed to provide information in regard to the
subject matter covered. While attempts have been made to verify
information provided in this publication; neither the author nor the
publisher accepts any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary
interpretation of the subject matter.
Introduction
Anorexic. Bulimic. If you have been called any of these words,
chances are that there’s a cringe, frown or at the very least a raised
eyebrow that comes along with them.
There is also the ever-present pressure to lose more weight, the guilt
that comes when you suddenly break your fast, self-loathing because
you cannot maintain your discipline and the unique feeling that ‘it’s
never enough’ for you – or for others.
You already have a hard time dealing with the inner turmoil brought
about by these thoughts, and the last thing that you need right now
is to be treated like some freak sideshow; some outcast that just
does not belong in the group. This can be especially painful when
friends and family try to forcefully intervene and insist that
everything you do is bad for you.
One good thing about this whole affair is that many Pro Ana groups
that encouraged teens to destroy their bodies were wiped off the
Internet. The Pro Ana groups that managed to survive the onslaught
have refined their ideals and goals to help their members reach their
ideal weight without crossing the line that defines safe and harmful
weight loss.
This is exactly what this guide is all about – helping you become
“thinspired” without subjecting you to the psychological anguish and
physical risks involved with anorexia.
But the first thing you need to do is to learn how to lose weight –
without putting yourself at risk of bodily harm. That is what we will
discuss in our first chapter.
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In other words, obesity makes other health conditions that you may
already have worse than people with normal weight. It is known to
increase the risk factor among patients with coronary heart disease.
Blood pressure increases and levels of good cholesterol decreases.
Other risks include type-two diabetes, sleep apnea, arthritis and
some forms of cancer.
Given all this, the reason for losing weight is pretty simple. It is all a
matter of living a healthier life free from all sorts of medication and
increased health risks. This also allows you to live a normal and happy
life with your loved ones.
challenges along the way. This is perhaps the reason why people fail
in the first place. Getting the wrong regimen would not lead to the
desired results though. But the biggest obstacle here is your attitude
itself.
Exercising is a great way to burn that excess fat off your body.
Depending on a number of things, you may be given a less intense
program at first. As you progress and gain more confidence, the
workout intensifies further. It is important to stick to this training to
lose weight safely and effectively.
People losing weight are not isolated cases. They are much more in
common than you think. You do not have to look far and beyond to
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Crash diets often involve restricting the kinds of food you can eat
without giving your body enough time to adjust. While it is true that
calories have an effect on your weight, a sudden drop in calorie
intake can have adverse effects on your well being. Restricting food
intake could also result in vitamin and mineral deficiency.
An abrupt change in your physical activities is not good for your body
either. People who are not used to exercising should not start
exhausting themselves on a treadmill all of a sudden. The resulting
struggle will just devastate and demoralize your efforts. On the
physical level, pushing yourself to the limit might result in injury.
Nothing good will ever come out of going against the body’s natural
rhythm. The same goes with any weight loss program. With this in
mind, the proper and healthy way to shed some weight is to
introduce changes gradually. This means getting into a program
designed to take advantage of the body’s natural processes instead
of going against it.
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Weight loss is often discussed in terms of diet and exercise and this is
no coincidence. In simple terms, losing weight means getting the
body to use up fat which give the body the energy it needs to move.
In other words, exercising forces your body to burn stored energy. In
the same manner, reducing the amount of calories you take reduces
the fat your body can store.
Less Calories
Being overweight obviously means there is something wrong with
your current diet. You will have to change your eating habits if you
are really serious about losing weight. One of the first things you
should do is to cut down on the amount of food you eat. Less food
means fewer calories.
There is nothing wrong with eating cakes, sweets and other treats.
When things get out of hand though, you can expect to add a few
extra pounds over time.
A proper diet does not mean depriving yourself of these treats. The
good news is that you can still satisfy your cravings. The key here is to
limit intake to small amounts and reserve them for special occasions.
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Remember that after digesting food, the body stores the energy in
the form of fat. Eating less means telling your body to use up these
reserves and sure enough it will catch your drift. Making healthier
food choices is part of the deal as well. You will also have to undergo
a few lifestyle changes as well.
Crash diets are certainly out of the question. This will only result with
you getting weaker possibly from nutrient deficiency. You are more
likely to give out first before any real weight loss occurs. The same
thing goes with quick-fix diets. This just puts you in the middle of a
cycle between weight loss then weight gain. Either way, avoid these
at all costs.
No matter how much you try, you cannot cut corners on your weight
loss program. You are more likely to reduce calorie intake by 300 to
500 calories a day. This translates to a loss of one to two pounds a
week. Admittedly, the process is slow but things like this should not
be hurried.
Most people often think of the gym when exercise is brought up.
While this is correct, you do not even need the gym to exercise. Light
activities such as a 20-minute walk go a long way in terms of burning
calories. This of course can be done around your neighborhood or
anywhere with enough space.
Other activities are available as well. Team and racket sports are a fun
way to get your body moving. Taking aerobics classes can be done at
the gym or in your own home. Running, swimming and cycling are
great ways to burn calories as well. As long as you are moving more,
you are good to go.
Fad diets are in the quick fix category which explains their popularity.
Whether it calls for a low carb, fat, liquid or juice diet, they all have
one thing in common. These kinds of diets often call for limited food
intake. They also call for avoiding a specific food group which goes
against a well-balanced diet. In a sense, they tell you to starve
yourself.
Following any of these diets do not lead to any long-term results. The
results often range from the disappointing to the dangerous. As
mentioned earlier, depriving yourself of food simply does not work.
The best way to shed weight is still to follow a structured and tiered
diet program that aim to burn and reduce calories.
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The Plan
All weight loss programs have two key components, proper diet and
regular exercise. These two components must be combined
successfully to optimize your calorie burn and therefore your weight
loss. Not all calories are bad and have different effects on your body.
Follow these steps to help you lose weight and get the best results
possible:
Step One
Any junk food and other unhealthy food items in your kitchen have to
go. The obvious culprits are high fat and high sugar foods which have
a substantial amount of calories. Processed food which has flour,
corn syrup, and Trans fat should be avoided at all costs. Do all this
and you have successfully taken the first step towards a healthy
lifestyle.
Step Two
You may not expect this but having a cheat meal before starting your
diet is actually a good thing. A few slices of pizza and a serving of ice
cream should in a spike in calorie levels within your body. This should
be done at least once a week for just one meal. The added calories
should prevent your body from decreasing its metabolism because of
your diet.
Step Three
The next step is to buy some groceries to prepare your healthy meal.
Lean proteins with less saturated fat including pork, beef, chicken
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and fish are the best way to go. Brown rice, oatmeal and whole-grain
bread gives you your carbohydrates. Vegetables may either be fresh
or frozen to supply nutrients to your body. Fat options such as
unsalted nuts, olive oil and organic peanut butter are healthy choices
as well.
Step Four
Instead of eating three full meals a day, your new diet called for six
meals a day but with fewer servings. This means having three main
meals plus three snacks in between. Each serving should contain 15
to 30 grams of protein and equal servings of fat and carbs. Most
experts agree on a 30-30-40 distribution among protein, fats and
protein respectively.
Step Five
As for your exercise program, concentrate on both resistance and
cardiovascular workouts. It is recommended that weight training be
done three days a week with a days rest in between. These sessions
should be followed by 30 to 60 minutes worth of cardio for burning
extra fat. In case you have a lot of weight to lose, add another day
for training to do this.
Step Six
It is important to keep track of your progress every now and then.
This can be done by simply weighing yourself once a week just after
you wake-up. If you have a personal trainer, have him take your
body’s fat percentage every other week. From these results, you can
adjust your program according to your goals. Use a journal to record
all aspects of your experience as you go along.
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Exercising does not necessarily mean going to the gym after all. All
kinds of options are at your disposal to workout on a regular basis as
outlined below:
Cardio Exercises
Among all exercises, cardio is perhaps the most flexible and can be
done in a matter of minutes. The point here is to get your heart
pumping faster than normal. As you can imagine, only a few rigorous
movements are needed for this. Here are a few cardio exercises that
you can do at home or at work:
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Running or even the simple act of brisk walking help increase your
heart rate. You can do this on your way to the office from your car
and back. If you are going up or down just within three floors, take
the stairs instead. Every step you take burns calories quite
effectively.
Riding a bike to work or around the park saves gas and gets your
heart pumping at the same time. Adding resistance to this makes it
double as strength exercise. Jumping jacks, squat hops and step
jumps can be done in the morning before starting your day.
Strength Training
There are plenty of workouts that concentrate on strength training
that you can do in your own time as well. This is usually mixed in with
cardio exercises to save time. A typical program usually follows a
circuit routine. This means exercises are done successively until
about a minute or when fatigue sets in.
o Squats
o Lunges
o Push-ups
o Triceps dips
o Crunches
The good news is that you can add exercise to this program as you
see fit. Finding an exercise you like makes this routine easier to
perform. If you have a trainer, feel free to ask for a more effective
exercise regimen that you re most comfortable with.
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All these things point to one thing. Weight loss by way of laxatives is
certainly not safe and creates more problems than they are supposed
to solve. What these things do to the body is give you diarrhea. Over
time, the only thing you will get here is dehydration and lack of vital
minerals and vitamins which results to bad health.
While there is nothing wrong with trying to lose weight, a little bit of
too much always hurts. Over dieting by way of supplements,
laxatives, hunger strikes, and enemas are certainly not advisable
means to lose weight. This becomes a vicious cycle which has both
short and long-term effects on the body.
Bulimia Nervosa
At the far end of the spectrum from anorexia is a condition called
bulimia. Bulimics engage in binge eating sessions where they eat
significantly more than necessary. Self-induced vomiting or purging
follows through the use of laxatives, diuretics or by simply forcing
the gag reflex. Similar to anorexia, bulimia is a condition borne out of
an obsession to lose weight.
EDNOS – Other eating disorders are out there that do not quite
belong to conditions that have already been identified. For these
conditions, the more general term of eating disorders not otherwise
specified is used. People with EDNOS fall in between the gray areas
of identified eating disorders.
Genes
Researchers have found out that the genes inherited by children
from their parents offer a vital clue as to the occurrence of anorexia.
More specifically, scientists are looking at one chromosome that
seems to suggest that people who have it are more likely to develop
this condition than those who do not.
Hypothalamus Dysfunction
There are promising leads that explain anorexia is the result of
abnormal metabolic processes which stem from the hypothalamus.
This organ near the brain regulates these processes and anything
wrong here will certainly affect the body’s normal function. Faulty
neurotransmitters which regulate these processes may be blamed as
well.
Personal History
Some experts also contend that anorexia is borne out of an
individual’s history which traces back to infancy. They point out that
a history of under eating and maternal depressive symptoms
contribute to the development of the condition.
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Perfectionists and people with highly negative feelings can have the
same outcome as well.
In such extreme cases, anorexics may suddenly die even when not
severely underweight. Abusing the body is clearly not a good thing
and death is usually the result of cardiac arrest among others.
Anorexics with mental disorders are also at risk of committing suicide
as well.
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Reducing calories does not mean taking it all the way down to zero.
Keep in mind that calories are needed by the body for other vital
functions. An excess amount of course leads to gaining weight. As
such, your diet should aim for that sweet spot of just the right
amount of calories.
By far, regular exercise is the best way to keep calories and weight
off your body. Getting into and following a program is the best way
to burn calories and stay fit. Additionally, exercising relaxes the
muscles and reduces stress which leads to a healthier you. Exercising
should be done at least 30 minutes a day or depending on your
program.
The other side of the equation is making the right food choices. Fizzy
drinks and those with sugar should be reduced in favor of water and
fruit juices. Green tea is a great drink to take since it burns up to 70
calories a day. It has the added benefit of fighting against heart
disease.
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The Plan
To get a better idea on how to keep excess calories off your body, a
plan needs to be drawn up. The following steps are designed to help
you keep track of your calorie intake without compromising on your
health. It is in your best interest to take these steps seriously.
1. Find out as much as you can about calories and other related
topics. There are plenty of reading materials on this subject.
Books are available at your local bookstore. You may also visit
websites and blogs online.
2. Ask your doctor to assess your health and conduct some tests
before starting the program. The tests should give you an idea
on your current health and let you plan a program accordingly.
This also gives you a way to track your progress.
4. At the same time, cut back on junk food and other unnecessary
food. These give so many calories with little or no nutritional
value at all.
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With a bad self-image, people have a distorted view of their own self.
They often compare their bodies and that of others and continually
feel ashamed and depressed. This often leads to unhappiness,
emotional distress, eating disorders and bouts of personality
disorders in some cases.
Self-image is all about how you see yourself. It caters more to your
psychological side than your physical side. Maintaining a positive self-
image then falls under the study of your own behavior. The following
steps are designed to help gain more appreciation for your body and
are based on therapeutic principles:
Step One
Find out what sort of things you find troubling and contribute to a
lowered self-esteem. This often concerns how you see the world
around you. A negative outlook in life is a common culprit for
depression. Stressful events in your life such as the death of a loved
one or a strained personal relationship are quite common as well.
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Step Two
Once these disturbing thoughts are identified, try to identify about
what you think when they come around. Anything that runs through
your mind and how you interpret these ideas should be noted as
well. Evaluate these thoughts as positive, negative or neutral and try
to see if they are based on facts or false ideas.
Step Three
Since you are trying to lessen the negativity in your life, much more
focus on these kinds of thoughts are needed. Specifically, find out
why negative thoughts come up in the first place. More often than
not, these thoughts trigger all kinds of responses as part of your
natural behavior.
Physically, you may notice some tension in your muscles, a back ache,
a faster heart beat and stomach problems. Sweating and a disturbed
sleeping pattern are common reactions as well. In the emotional
spectrum, you may experience a difficulty in concentration, a feeling
of guilt and worry as well as spells of anger and sadness.
Step Four
After identifying the negative thoughts that you experience, the next
logical step to take is to challenge these ideas. Test the accuracy of
these thoughts and see how they hold up against conventional
wisdom and facts. In other words, your ideas need a good taste of
the truth.
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Step Five
Coping with the negative involves replacing them with positive
thoughts. This allows you to be more constructive and thus give a
much needed boost in self-esteem. On the other hand, this is easier
said than done. Here are a few ways to help you do just that:
One of the major influences that affect the way you look at yourself
is the media. Everyday, society is bombarded with ideal types coming
from TV shows, movies and the internet. People cannot help but
compare themselves with celebrities who seem larger than life.
Perfection is the order of the day and models and actors exude an
image of flawlessness much like gods and goddesses. What people
fail to realize is that these perfect bodies are achieved by cheating.
Technology has advanced so much that anything can be made to
seem real.
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Even at a young age, girls are taught to conform to these ideal types
as defined by society. They are taught by their parents to make
themselves presentable especially when puberty sets in. Famous toys
for girls do not help in cultivating a positive self-image as well.
Societal pressures keep bearing down well into adult life.
Apart from the media and other outside influences though, some
parenting styles are said to contribute towards a poor self-image.
You are more likely to develop this kind of attitude if someone else in
the family has it. A rigid home structure where control is limited
contributes to this condition as well.
What people fail to realize is that the perfect body is not possible for
everyone. A huge factor that determines whether or not you get
washboard abs is your genetic make-up. There is absolutely nothing
you can do to control this. No matter what you do, you will just end
up frustrating yourself.
So how do you deal with this sort of thing? The answer is simple. You
should learn to understand your situation and accept you for who
you are. In reality, there is no such thing as a pure and perfect body
as the media would like you to believe. The body type that you inherit
from your parents is a mixture of various characteristics.
Ectomorphs are tall and thin individuals with slight muscular build-up.
They are described as having narrow hips and shoulders as well.
Mesomorphs are more muscular with broad shoulders with their
weight around the upper body. Endomorphs on the other hand have
a more rounded appearance.
The first step towards accepting yourself is to find out what body
type(s) you have and go with the flow. This does not mean that you
have no control over your own body. Genes only determine your
body type but definitely not the eating habits and physical activities
you have.
Although you cannot have the ideal body, it is still possible to live a
healthy life. It is all about making the right choices to achieve this
goal. Being a healthy person means feeling good about yourself in
the both physical and mental aspects of your life. As long as you take
care of yourself regardless of what others say, you will do just fine.
In other words, be thankful for what you have. Instead of wishing for
something else, take care of what is already with you. A body that is
taken care of is sure to respond favorably as well. The confidence you
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have about your self-image is bound to earn you the respect and
admiration you truly deserve.
1. Drinking plenty of water is the number one rule for Ana and
Mia. It fills you stomach and lessens your hunger which means
water should be taken before eating. Warm water stuffs you up
more while cold water burns more calories.
3. Tea and coffee are must-haves but should not be taken with
milk and other dairy products. Artificial sweeteners should be
the only additive here. Tea is great for putting flavor in your diet
while caffeine increases your metabolism.
8. Treats with added sugar are laden with lots of calories. Avoid
having binge eating episodes with them. If you cannot help it,
eat an entire box in one sitting but purge it later.
11. Engage in activities that get your mind off eating. Start a food
diary and perhaps share your experiences and struggles
through a pro Ana blog. You will never know if you will meet
someone who you can identify with.
13. Buy any piece of clothing you want but in a smaller size. Now,
try to fit them on yourself. Do not worry if this does not
happen. Your goal should be to eat less until this fits you
perfectly.
14. Cravings are often all about taste. To satisfy this, eat foods
with intense flavors but with few calories. Peppers, peppermint
and anything pickled are the best candidate for this.
15. List down all the foods that you are not allowed to eat and keep
it somewhere easily accessible. Things such as donuts, cakes
and cookies should be on this list.
16. Unable to resist your favorite fatty food? Get rid of this
craving forever by preparing it but putting something
disgusting all over. Take a bite out of it and you will instantly be
forced away.
17. Before taking diet pills, eat something with few calories such as
a piece of apple to avoid the nasty side effects. Do not overdose
as well. Taking multiple pills at once does not increase its
effectiveness anyway.
19. Drinking soda is just pure evil. There is no reason for you
do this in the first place.
20. Never skip breakfast. Doing so will only tempt you to eat
more later in the day.
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like magic. Any model can be made to look like anything with anyone
who knows how to manipulate this software. What you see around
you then is the edited version of the photo shoot.
What you should realize then is that these images of perfection are
manufactured. In other words, they are the result of some clever
manipulation. They are certainly not grounded on reality. Once you
get around this fact, it will be easier for you to question everything
you see around you.
Last but not least, being happy with what you are should be your
ultimate goal. A contented and happy person is more likely to be
successful at resisting temptation. Ask yourself why you are trying to
lose weight in the first place. Is it to become healthy or to conform to
an ideal standard?
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A nutritionist and dietician usually take over your diet plan at this
point. There is no need to worry about gaining too much weight
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here. The goal here is to recover enough weight to gain your health
back. Keep in mind that these people are here to help you.
If you are below 15% of your healthy body weight, there is absolutely
no excuse for you not to seek help. Trying to administer a treatment
program by yourself will not do you any good either. You need
expert advice and opinion before it is too late.
If anorexia comes with other mental and physical disorders, they will
have to be treated at the same time as well. The goal here is to get to
the root of the cause and solve the problem from there. Expect the
treatment to go on longer and include more expert advice.
Anorexia can be treated and there have been success stories. The key
here is to recognize that you need help and seek this help out. In fact,
studies have shown that the sooner you start the better chance you
have at achieving desirable results.
Anxiety
Many anorexics develop their condition as a result of personality
disorders. Starving one’s self becomes a coping mechanism for
stressful life events such as family and work-related problems.
Experts see this course of action as an attempt to control one aspect
of a person’s life.
This also serves as a way to cope with and block out negative
emotions such as depression and anxiety. People who do this for this
reason often feel that they have nothing or no one else to turn to for
their problems. It usually develops into a habit which then becomes
difficult to suppress similar to an addiction.
Poor Self-Image
Personality disorders often culminate with a person having low self-
esteem and a generally poor self-image. Anorexics will want to
continue losing weight often to the point of endangering themselves
to strive for the perfect body. Since they cannot think clearly
anymore, they continue down this path without much regard for the
consequences.
This obsession takes root in the constant need for control as well. Of
course this does not help them realize that there is something wrong
with what they are doing. They continue to live in denial and will not
seek help for fear of not deserving anyone’s attention until they
become “perfect.”
People who have anorexia often equate all kinds of positive thoughts
with being thin. They feel that they will become more successful in
whatever they do if they are thinner. In other words, being thin is the
main reason for their happiness and other positive emotions.
For anorexics, body fat is evil and must be avoided at all costs. This
kind of irrational thinking is what justifies their efforts and obsessions
with becoming thin. A lot of them do not even realize that there is
something wrong with what they are doing. There is only one goal
for them and that is to lose as much weight as they can.
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As a general rule, this diet should contain three balanced meals and
three more meals in between. For better results, seek the advice of
licensed dieticians. They may use meal plans that you are not aware
of. This diet may require you to come up with a food journal as well.
A diet designed for anorexics does have its own challenges. It is not
as simple as stocking up on calories and nutrients. For one thing, the
consequences of this condition may linger well beyond its time. As
such, patients may undergo a strict meal plan for several years.
A healthy body is all about maintaining a proper diet. Not only does it
keep you healthy, it prevents relapse from happening again. This
keeps you on the safe side by reducing the risk of life-threatening
complications. Thus, it is important to keep in contact with all the
experts to help you keep on track.
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Intervening Properly
Instead, show the person that you are being sympathetic and
understanding of the condition. The point here is to let the person
know that you are there to help.
Counseling
During the early stages of anorexia, less extreme measures should be
enough to help the person. The line of treatment can be effective at
getting down to the root cause of the condition and stopping it in its
tracks. This is recommended for people who still have a body mass
index (BMI) of more than 15.
The goal of counseling is not to force you to eat but rather to find out
what led you down this road in the first place. Ultimately, it aims to
make you realize that eating less is not the way to go. Other
solutions are explored to give you a chance at clearing things up.
Eventually, you start your way towards eating regularly and live the
life you deserve.
Psychiatric Help
One of the most important aspects of treating anorexia is
psychological counseling. This involves seeing a trained psychiatrist
or other behavioral experts. The program seeks to help patients get
rid of unhealthy eating habits in favor of better ones. It also teaches
techniques to better cope with otherwise depressing and stressful
situations.
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Support Groups
To further aid in recovery and treatment, anorexic people may be
encouraged to join a support group. Such groups are designed to
provide mutual support for both family members and anorexics
themselves. The goal here is to provide a medium for discussing
strategies and tips on how to cope with the condition.
Groups can be task-oriented and may focus on just one aspect such
as food, body image or interpersonal skills. Some groups are also set
up to discuss the psychological aspects of the condition. Great care is
taken to prevent the focus group from becoming counterproductive
by maintaining the condition instead of getting rid of it.
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You cannot simply ignore the problems that plague your thoughts
since they may very well be what are causing the condition in the first
place. One of the first steps towards recovery is actually to recognize
that there is a problem and it needs to be taken head on.
What this means is that anorexics are faced with a problem with the
odds stacked against them. The struggles that you are experiencing
are normal and understandable. If you are an anorexic and you find it
difficult to fight your condition then understand that you are not
alone. Take a good look around and you will see plenty of people
who want to help you.
An On-Going Battle
There may be plenty of treatments for anorexia but they all have one
thing in common. All these treatments take time and you cannot
expect everything to change overnight. Apart from dedication and
perseverance, patience is very much needed here as well.
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Continue Treatment
As mentioned earlier, treating anorexia requires time whether short
or long term. These programs usually go on for a few weeks to a few
months depending on the state of your health. Keep a level head and
do not rush. Remember that the body needs time to adjust and it is
much better to work with it than against it.
Support Groups
Dealing with the psychological stresses of anorexia alone is not a
good idea. There are plenty of people out there who form support
groups to help deal with all this. It is much more helpful to talk about
these problems with people who understand than isolate yourself
from the world.
Creative Expression
Another way to cope with the psychological stress is to keep your
mind off it. This can be done through creative expression through art
and poetry. Keep a journal to track your progress as well as for
pulling yourself together and clearing your head from negative
thoughts.
Conclusion
There is nothing wrong with wanting to stay fit and lose weight. On
the other hand, being excessively underweight poses dangers to
your health and personal well-being. With so much risk involved, you
cannot justify being dangerously underweight. You are much better
off maintaining your normal weight for health reasons.