It’s Eating Disorders Awareness Week and you might have seen stories of recovery, articles, and social media posts all about eating disorders awareness.
This week’s theme is “Come as you are” and it holds a very special place in my heart. I want you to know that I am so passionate about spreading awareness that eating disorders treatment works and recovery is possible.
I celebrated the week with a few special events!
On February 26, I presented a workshop on binge eating disorder with my good friend Dr. Alexis Conason! We had so many dietitians and healthcare professionals register, confirming that clinicians want more training in eating disorders.
I also was interviewed for an article in the Seattle Times by Carrie Dennett: Why willpower is not the antidote to binge eating disorder. It’s a powerful article about binge eating disorder and why restricting food to treat “overeating” does not work and can worsen the binge eating disorder cycle.
Taken from the article:
- Unfortunately, when someone with BED does seek help, they’re likely to go looking in the wrong place. Three in 10 people with BED seek help through weight-management programs — and it’s unclear how many seek individual advice on weight loss from doctors or dietitians. This is a problem, because trying to treat BED with rules and willpower may make it worse.
- “What we know from tried and true research is that restriction fuels binge eating,” McGurk said. “People don’t realize this, especially people seeking weight-loss services, because they’ve been told their whole lives to eat 1,200 calories.” She said restriction can come from actual dieting or simply the idea that we should be dieting, as well as from food insecurity.
- Even is someone isn’t restricting calories, restricting certain foods in the name of “health” can be problematic for those who are predisposed to BED or other eating disorders. “I see all the people for whom that doesn’t work,” McGurk said. “I see all the people who end up bingeing. It’s important to remember that there are other ways to be healthy.”
Here are some other resources to reflect during Eating Disorders Awareness Week:
- NEDA’s screening tool for eating disorders
- This video is powerful highlighting leaders in the body acceptance space talking about their lived experiences
- NEDA blog posts on eating disorders awareness of all populations
If you need help with any of your nutrition and health goals or working through this list, Elyssa, Laura and I are here for you here at Eat With Knowledge! Contact us to arrange a nutrition counseling appointment.
Jennifer is a Registered Dietitian and the owner of Eat With Knowledge in Nyack, NY. She is on a mission to help people heal from diets, and find peace and balance with their food choices. She leads a team of dietitians who support the philosophy, “Feel Fabulous about Food!”