Males are the unsung victims of eating disorders. There are many men out there who suffer from eating disorders, and may not even know it. Especially since ours is country where men “must” “buck up or shut up,” they tend to not voice their issues.
Eating disorders tend to show up in men who work out excessively. When I say excessively, I do not mean that you like being in the gym, I mean that you spend every moment of your free time working out and trying to lose weight. For example, many male models and bodybuilders have eating disorders because they are so obsessed with the way that their bodies look. It isn’t only male models and bodybuilders that suffer from eating disorders, any man can have them.
When it comes to men, there is a high success rate when it comes to treating eating disorders. If you think you may have a problem, schedule an appointment with your doctor so they can measure your BMI in correlation to your height and weight, and see if you are actually so “healthy you are unhealthy.”
To break a good habit, that is actually turning bad, it can be hard. You will not only have to change your lifestyle, but you will have to be open and honest with your emotions. Even if you do not think that your good habits have turned bad, you still may want to access yourself with your answers to the following habits. Here are a few signs that you may have an eating disorder.
I weigh myself multiple times a day
Weighing yourself multiple times a day is a sign that you are extremely concerned with your weight. The more concerned you are with your weight, and specifically weight loss, the more likely it is that you have some sort of eating disorder. Eating disorders come in many different shapes and forms, and over concern with your weight it is a good sign that you may have one.
I take laxatives for my weight
If you are taking laxatives to control your weight, you are heading down a dangerous path. Laxatives as a weight control is a terrible idea. Your body misses out on vital nutrients that it gets from food sitting in your gut for a while. Laxatives move food out of your intestines faster, meaning that your intestines are not able to grab any nutrients from them. This can result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies and dehydration. If you are looking to lose weight, there is no quick fix. You will have to put in hard work and eat a healthy diet.
Friends and family have voiced concerns about my eating habits
Your friends and family are more likely to notice bad habits before you even do. I mean, that’s what they’re for, right? If your friends and family have voiced concerns over your eating habits, you may want to take them into consideration. Remember, they are only looking out for you and want what is best for you.
I feel like I can never be good enough
Do you look at the men on the front of magazines and think you will never be able to achieve that type of physique? Well guess what, with the right exercise and diet plan, you can. Looking good and feeling good about yourself go hand in hand. Even if you are looking your best, if you do not feel your best, you will never be good enough. You will have to work on your mental roadblocks as much as you work on your physical ones.
I check for “fatness” daily
This is a sign that you have an eating disorder. If you are constantly checking yourself for weight gain, you are more likely to have an eating disorder. Remember that one extra calorie is not going to affect your weight. If you believe that it will, you need to discuss this with your doctor.
I plan my day around burning calories
If you plan your day around going to the gym, this is not necessarily a bad thing. If you spend every extra moment that you have exercising, then this could be bad. There really is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Over exercising is very bad for your body. It can create unnecessary injury and your body does not have enough time to recover properly. Your body needs the rest, about 24 hours between workouts, to be able to heal properly and build muscles. Over exercising can actually kill you, so be careful with how much time you spend in the gym.
If you’ve thought to yourself, “yes, I do this” to any of these, you may want to talk to a healthcare professional. They will assess you and your condition to determine the right path to recovery that you should take.
Make sure that you go to a healthcare professional if you feel like you do any of these things, or anything that is similar. It is important to your health and the longevity of your life. As stated above, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Being overly obsessed with your weight and physique is not only narcissistic, but it can be very troubling for your health. Many times, when you are obsessed with your weight, you will miss out on key vitamins and minerals that your body needs to operate. Once you begin to lose these vitamins and minerals you begin to notice that you are more tired and fatigued.
If you do some of these things, you may not be diagnosed with an eating disorder. Although it is very rare, some of these habits can be the result of even worse conditions. You will need to be open and honest with your doctor so that you can both find out what it is going on.
