Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Develop a positive self-image
• Method 2 of 2: Develop a healthy relationship with food
• Warnings

People with anorexia have a distorted image of their body. Despite eating so little that they become ill or malnourished at some point, people with anorexia still consider themselves overweight. Preventing anorexia can be an on-going process for someone at risk of developing this eating disorder. People at risk may have a close family member such as a mother or sibling with the same disorder. It is also common in people with perfectionist tendencies. Gaining a healthier perspective on your body and a healthier relationship with food can help you avoid this condition.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Develop a positive self-image

1. Focus on your whole person. Society often places so much emphasis on outward appearance that other wonderful qualities of people are overlooked. One way to develop a better self-image is to think about it already your strengths. List any qualities you think describe yourself as a person. Also think about how other people have expressed very positively about your personal traits in the past. Include these compliments on the list.
   • Stick this list on your bathroom mirror so that when you find yourself criticizing your physical appearance, you can immediately correct it by focusing on your positive strengths in other areas of life.
2. Emphasize the positive aspects of your body. This method does not suggest that you pay attention to specific aspects of your appearance, such as a narrow nose or slim thighs. Instead, you should focus on how wonderful the human body is, regardless of its appearance. For example, you can point out amazing abilities and functions of your body that you can use.
   • Anytime you find yourself fussy about apparent flaws in your body, try to correct yourself through positive affirmations such as, "My legs and arms enable me to cartwheel," "My heart is so strong that it can supply my whole body with blood "or" My nose allows me to smell those beautiful flowers ".
   • Your body image can become negative if your attention is always focused on what you feel is missing. You can develop more self-esteem and confidence by emphasizing the wonderful things you can do with your body.
3. Be critical of how bodies are portrayed in the media. Socio-cultural factors as presented in the media, the Western perception of slimness as a beauty ideal and opinions as formed in local communities or cultures can strongly influence young people who subsequently develop an unhealthy perception of their bodies.
   • Become a rebel and warn against images on TV, the internet or in magazines about women who are clearly underweight and an ideal image of men with perfectly muscled bodies. Remind yourself that these are not actual representations of the full variety of human bodies.
4. Correct friends or family members who are negative about their bodies. When you hear that your mom, sisters, brothers, or friends are tearing down certain parts of their bodies because they are too big or not good enough, call them right away. Tell them that negative statements about their bodies are unhealthy behavior and immediately compliment them on something unrelated to appearance, such as being great at playing football or getting top marks in their class.
   • Dissatisfaction with one's physical appearance is a warning sign of anorexia and other eating disorders. Reminding your friends about this can help raise awareness and can also encourage yourself to think more positively about your body.
5. Remind yourself that a certain body weight does not make you happy. When you spend so much time idealizing a particular body weight, you start to see it as the key to happiness and feeling good about yourself. This is an unhealthy position and can lead to the development of anorexia.
   • Despite what has been reported in the media, there is none ideal body type. Healthy human bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Plus, no weight loss or sudden change of any kind makes your life more exciting or enjoyable.
   • If you have created an association between happiness in life and your appearance, you may need to talk to a therapist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of treatment can be especially helpful for people at risk of developing an eating disorder because it helps to discover and change irrational or incorrect thoughts and beliefs.
6. Put perfectionism aside. Researchers have found a link between perfectionism and body dissatisfaction - a common problem for people with eating disorders. Therefore, if you want to avoid developing anorexia, you will have to put aside perfectionist tendencies and your need to be in control of every situation.
   • Perfectionism occurs when you often have trouble living up to your own standards. You may be very critical of yourself and your own skills. You may also postpone tasks or constantly redo them until they meet your standard.
   • You can consult a therapist to help you overcome perfectionism. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be helpful in pinpointing perfectionist beliefs and developing healthier expectations of yourself.

Method 2 of 2: Develop a healthy relationship with food

1. Stop demonizing certain foods. This may come as a surprise, but there is none bad food. Yes, there are foods that provide your body with essential vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, there are also foods that provide only empty calories. These are often foods with too many carbohydrates, fat and sugar. But labeling these foods as bad creates the risk that young people will constantly deprive themselves of good food with the high likelihood of overeating at a later date.
   • Not all carbohydrates are as bad as many diet fads would like to claim. Carbohydrates are necessary macronutrients for the body. In fact, complex carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provide an abundance of energy and fiber, without the excess calories. Simple carbohydrates such as white bread, rice and potatoes are processed more quickly by the body and soon afterwards provide a strong sugar requirement. You should only take these foods in moderation.
   • When you deny yourself something, you tap off your willpower. Willpower is a limited resource and over time it will be difficult to stay away from what you have labeled as off limits. The trick to stopping endless food cravings while staying relatively healthy is to allow yourself a little bit of forbidden food. This avoids the need to overeat these foods at a later date.
   • A less common type of anorexia is one in which binge eating and purging alternate. These patients may limit their eating habits to extreme limits, eating only very small portions at a time. After a certain period of denial, they eat a small piece of the pie, a normal meal, or have a complete binge. Then they punish themselves by exercising heavily or by purging (vomiting) what they have eaten. The most common form of this condition is characterized by extreme restrictions, but without binge eating or purging.
2. Do not start "diets". Only 10 to 15 percent of patients with an eating disorder are male. These conditions are overwhelmingly within the female segment of the population. Dieting is also a big trend among women. Diets can be dangerous, affect your mental health, and eventually lead to an eating disorder, such as anorexia. So stay away from dieting.
   • The bad news: Diets often fail. Omitting certain food groups and eating less than the nutritional advice is healthy can lead to many health problems. Statistics show that 95% of all dieters regained the lost weight within 1 to 5 years.
   • As described above, there are two primary reasons why diets don't work: often people consume too few calories to maintain this over a long period of time, or they deny themselves food that they really like. If one then starts to eat normally again, the weight will return after a while.
   • Individuals who are constantly dieting or yo-yo diets run the risk of decreased muscle mass, bone complaints, cardiovascular disease and a negative effect on metabolism.
3. Visit a registered dietitian to learn more about a healthy and balanced eating plan. Wondering how you can maintain a healthy weight without a diet? Go to a professional. It can help you develop a lifestyle-based eating plan that focuses on health, not weight.
   • A dietitian can determine what nutrition you need based on your medical history and allergies. In general, your diet should include fruits and vegetables, lean protein sources such as poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and whole grains.
   • Your dietitian may also suggest developing a regular exercise plan with your doctor. Along with a balanced diet, exercise can help manage your weight, prevent illness, improve your mood, and live longer.]
4. Think about childhood experiences that influenced your eating habits. Long-standing beliefs about food often promote an unhealthy diet. Think back to when you were younger and try to remember the rules you followed about eating. For example, maybe you were rewarded with sweets and consider this type of food a way to make yourself feel better. Some of these rules may have taken root and affected your current way of looking at food.
   • Talk to a therapist about any childhood disordered eating patterns that may have affected your current eating habits.

Warnings

• None of the above suggestions is medical advice.
• If you notice that you are refusing to eat or that you are eating drastically less, it is important to see your doctor immediately.