Friday, 15 January 2010
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This is Why You Need to EAT
I am quite aware that the blogging community in Xanga has a large number of pro-ana or thinspo users. This is actually the reason why I chose Xanga as my host site. I wanted to be able to impact and reach people who may need health information the most. However, I have still been unsure of how to approach the pro-ana population. I know that an eating disorder cannot be fixed simply by a blog post, but if I can make even the slightest impact on one person to relook at their lifestyle or seek help, then it's worth it right?
I try to write about self-esteem and positive body-image building. Today's media and society puts a lot of pressure on individuals to fit a certain ideal. After reading a number of Xanga users' websites, I realized that a common trend is to fast or not eat anything at all.
I just have to eat nothing at all... and then I can be as thin as a Victoria Secret model?NOT THE CASE. Fasting is absolutely the worst way to diet. Yes, you may see quick results, but you will also slow your body's metabolism down. This will make it very easy to gain weight back. Low blood sugar levels will also make you crave food and you are likely to binge and eat more calories than you would have if you didn't fast!
Also, food is a nourishment and part of life. We need it to grow, function, and be happy! There are vitamins, minerals, and nutrients found in food that help us to look beautiful and healthy. Not eating anything at all or taking appetite-suppressing pills may make you thinner temporarily, but you will definitely not look like some supermodel! Here's why:
Vitamin A Deficiency:
Bitot's Spots
Foamy, cheese-like spots appearing in the whites of your eyes.
They can be wiped off, but will return again!Keratomalacia
Softening of the eye's cornea.
The eye is almost or totally BLIND at this point!What foods have Vitamin A?
Vitamin D Deficiency:
Rickets
The softening of bones in children leads to deformations or curved appearance of the legs.
Known as osteomalacia in adults!What are great sources of Vitamin D?
Protein Deficiency:
Weak & Brittle Hair
All full of split-ends!Brittle Nails
What are great sources of protein?
These are nutrient deficiencies that I could think of that affect your appearance. Deficiencies in iron, folate, vitamin B12, copper, etc. will affect your energy levels and mood. Fatigue and tiredness will drop your school & work performance! Consuming diet pills or not eating anything at all leads to bad heart health. Ahem... Brittany Murphy... heart attack at age 32?!
Keep in mind thought that severe nutrient deficiencies like in the pictures above either take a very long time to develop, or are only seen in third-world countries where there is severe poverty and malnourishment. However, I am hoping that the take-home message of this blog post is how nourishing food is and how we can't live without it! Some people are blessed with genetics that give them more ideal figures. Taller and younger people (like supermodels) have higher metabolisms and can eat a bit more than the normal person can. But we're all the same in that we need vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to look healthy and have higher energy levels!
The key to dieting and maintaining a healthy weight is to find a balance! Don't eat too little or else you're body will conserve its energy and slow its metabolism to survive! Don't eat too much or else the extra calories will be stored as fat!
Choosing nourishing and filling foods will help you eat less, but still feel satisfied and nourish your body. Aim for nutrient-dense foods:
- High fiber foods like whole grains & oatmeal
- Fruits & Vegetables because they're full of nutrients and low in calories
- Milk, beans, eggs, lean meats... Protein helps keep you feeling full!
Find a balance between eating just enough to nourish yourself, but not too much to cause excess fat storage! And of course, remember that food is part of life. We should enjoy it and allow it to help us be healthy, happy, and full of energy
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Comments (76)
That's disgusting. I believe eating is self-evident. You need to eat in order to survive, and you need to eat well. It's simple, but people make it appear more complicated than it actually is.
Finding the healthy balance and using food instead of abusing it is hard but worth the effort.
I doubt this will change the mind of "ana" people. You need to focus on their underlying mental issues. Not eating is just a manifestation of underlying mental issues.
Grains also help you feel happier. Grains causes your body to release seratonin, a hormone that makes you feel happy. That's a reason why low-carb/no-carb diets that are popular amoung that group should be discouraged. And it could also be one of the reasons why they seem so depressed.
I submitted this post to be featured on healthkicker(it's a xanga -ish site). You can go HERE to vote for it.
Very good post. I have to ask, wtf is this pro-ana thing?! An interesting aside is how many cultures practice fasting as a regular part of their lifestyle. Usually it is part of a religious or spiritual rite to cleanse the body. I do it myself, sometimes once a week. I'm probably going to do it one of the days on this weekend. You hit on an important fact, though. The goal is to not binge afterward! While 24 hours of fasting isn't going to kill me, when I do start eating again I eat slowly, small portions and continue being active with my exercise. All in all, I will keep my energy level up, not consume excess calories and teach myself discipline. That last fact is something people entirely miss as the point of those sorts of activities. The whole point of suffering such a feat is to come out stronger. It was for nothing if all you do is gorge yourself when you take away the constraints.
It's gross to see what people do. People should do it the good way, dieting correctly & to exercising.
i noticed many girls starve themselves to lose weight too..
i'll rec this to spread the word :)
Well, yeah that's gross.. but nicole richie is pretty hot (has none of this) and she used to be fatter then me.
Exactly. All the good foods you mentioned. What really irritates me about those thin-spoers is that they go on about how they're not going to eat anything all day, except... then they binge and have a slice of pizza, or a soda or something stupid. It doesn't make sense to me. If you want to cut your calories and become thinner and stay healthy, you can eat such a lot of vegetables and things for the same number of calories in crappy junk food.
Thank you for posting this!
is this guy stupid or what. you binge on bad foods because your fasting... its not like your going to crave vegtables!!
showing pictures of bad things that happen when you dont eat (they are gross) dont really put me off. the fact is, im losing weight. and that to me, is the most important thing.
great post!! i take a vitamin D3 supplement along with my other vitamins...
cause i live where the sun does not shine most of the year
The pictures are so disturbing but made it that much more effective as well.
cool... nice info... :D hope they would get to the people who really needs them... :D
This is good, smart stuff... thanks for sharing.
I confess: I fucking hate those people who don't eat just to lose weight. Goddamn, just eat something! Take care of your fucking damn body, right? Just eat healthier food (i.e. milk, vegetables, meat...) or just stop slacking and start EXERCISING.
But no, they will be idiots and ignore how important their body needs nutrients and real energy. D:<
great post, love!
One of the BEST posts I've read in a long time =) Food is essential to life.
Thank you for posting this!! I'm not anorexic or anything, but those pics really grossed me out!!! Maybe this will give some people the wake up call that they really need!
I'll admit, I need to lose a few pounds here and there, but in reality, I know that my body structure will never allow me to be a size 0. This is something I've come to accept over the years, and frankly, I really don't want to be a size 0...I'd look horrible!
Great post!!
i love your blog, i wish you posted more often ♥
iron deficiency is the bane of my existence ... boo anemia
as a "recovering" anorexic, i found this absolutely helpful and very useful. it isnt really a choice, but it is something that can be helped faster with this like this. thanks for posting. it reminds us all that we are human and need nutrition.