Do you like the way you look? When you look in the mirror do you only see the things you would want to change, or do you feel good about what you see? Body Image: is the way we see our bodies. We may develop a preconceived idea about what our bodies should look like. Media sells us a distorted concept of what our bodies should look like, and we easily fall into that trap.

Some may be tempted to try fad diets to lose weight. Weight loss diets tend to go in waves. People on diets may lose weight temporarily, but they usually regain it after going off the diet. This is called Weight Cycling: a repeated pattern of losing and regaining body weight. Fad diets can restrict you from certain types of foods and amounts. This makes it harder to stay on them long term. Research shows they are not effective and can be harmful to your health. YOU SHOULD NOT DIET AT ALL!!!! Change how you eat by making healthy choices and become aware of what your putting into you’re body.

Miracle Foods: Promises to burn fat if you eat a specific food. Magic Combinations: Promises weight loss can be triggered by combining certain foods. Liquid Diets: Replace solid food with ultra-low calorie liquid formulas. Dangerous side effects. Diet Pills: Claim to suppress your appetite or “block”/”flush” fat from your diet. Serious side effects. Fasting: Deprives the body of nutrients and can result in dehydration.

Any plan that doesn’t follow a balanced diet can deprive your body from nutrients. What to Watch For Plans that promise “Ultra Fast Weight Loss” (more than 2 lbs a week) Ones that promise to lose weight without increasing your physical activity. Watch for words like effortless, guaranteed, miraculous, breakthrough, ancient or secret.

Some people try different types of fad diets, but others may try to control their weight in ways that are more harmful. They may suffer from an Eating Disorder: an extreme, harmful eating behavior that can cause serious illness or even death. Often classified as mental illness and they are often linked to depression, low self-esteem or struggling relationships. May even have a genetic disposition.

Teen anorexia is most common among teen girls, but about 10 percent of teens with anorexia are boys, and teen boys with eating disorders often go undiagnosed and untreated. About half of teens with anorexia also suffer from bulimia, where the teen binge eats and then purges, either through vomiting or using laxatives. Teen athletes are at higher risk for eating disorders. About one-third of teen girls who are athletes show tendencies toward anorexia, and teen boys in sports that focus on body image and weight are also at higher risk. While trying to achieve a well-balanced diet with reasonable proportions is healthy, teens who frequently engage in fad diets or extreme dieting techniques may also be at higher risk for developing teen anorexia. For some teens the onset of anorexia is triggered by a traumatic event, such as abuse, while for others it may be associated with unrealistic expectations about body image or pressure from the media, family, coaches, or friends. Some teens have a single bout of anorexia, while others struggle with it throughout their lives. The teen may get progressively worse, or go through cycles of recovery and relapse. Between 5 and 20 percent of teens with anorexia will die because of the disorder

It is an eating disorder in where the individual fears weight gain which then leads to starvation. Unrealistic ideas about their body and weight Have difficulty coping Often they have other obsessive behaviors related to eating. Avoiding foods and meals Eating only a few kinds of food in small amounts Weighing or counting the calories in everything they eat Exercising excessively Weighing themselves repeatedly Health consequences: malnutrition, starvation, brittle bones, heart failure, sudden cardiac death

Most people with bulimia develop it while in their teens In one study, by the first year of college, between 4.5 to 18 percent of women reported having struggled with bulimia, and about.4 percent of men. Many researchers are concerned that young people are developing bulimia even earlier - adolescents between 8 and 11 are being diagnosed with bulimia more frequently. Teen bulimia is most common among teen girls, but about 20 percent of teens with bulimia are boys, and teen boys with eating disorders often go undiagnosed and untreated. While teens on average eat 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day, a binging teen may eat over 3,000 calories in an hour. Binges may last many hours, and the teen many consume over 10,000 calories while binging. Teens with bulimia may spend $50 or more on food per day, and some teens shoplift to get food for their binge.

Involves overeating and purging to rid the body of the food they ate Harder to diagnose, typically average weight Same distorted views about their body Tend to binge – eat large amounts of food then throws it up or they take a laxative They may fast or exercise frantically Health Consequences: dehydration, sore throat, damaged teeth, damage to stomachs, intestines, or kidneys.

Compulsively Overeating Eat large amounts of food in a short period of time. They don’t rid the body of the food The binges don’t occur as often as bulimia During the binge the person may feel disgusted or guilty about their behavior, but powerless to stop it. More common in males Consequences: they tend to become overweight or obese

It is critical to seek help if you are struggling with one of these disorders Help should include counseling, nutritional guidance, doctor’s care and sometimes hospital stays With anorexia the goal is to get up to a healthy weight, but then the patient needs psychological and family therapy. With bulimia it is to break the cycle of behavior, then therapy Usually the individual doesn’t see themselves as needing help. Family and friends need to speak up for them.