“Omg I just ate a whole pint of Ice Cream.  I am so fat!!! Off to the gym to work it off”

“I just demolished the whole jar of Peanut Butter….GAINZZZ”

“I just ate a whole pizza!!!  Oh well it will all go to my glutes!!  How bout that booty pump!!”

These are common status updates you may see from people in the fitness industry.  People laugh when the person post it doesn’t appear to have a weight problem.

A lot of people post these statuses with a lighthearted tone but there’s nothing funny about binge or compulsive eating.

We  binge or compulsively eat when we deprive ourselves.  Many in the fitness industry are constantly on a “plan” that’s focused on giving some desired aesthetic result so they are in a constant mode of deprivation.

With deprivation comes bingeing. 

I have gone to fitness workshops where the panelist said that after he did a fitness contest diet, they would eat until they got sick and then go right back and start eating and eating again.  He even admitted it was a sickness.

These are the types of the role models the fitness industry has to offer

Outside of the fitness industry if the writer was overweight or obese, we would call this binge or compulsive eating and nobody would be laughing.  In fact, most people would be judging the writer as lazy, out of control, or gross.

Unhealthy Attitudes toward food and body dysmorphia

I will go on record as saying that I believe that many in the fitness industry have unhealthy attitudes toward food and suffer from body dysmorphia.

The name of the game is  self imposed suffering, punishing, and self loathing.  Nobody ever makes positive changes in their lives by punishing themselves and being self loathing.  You make changes in your life by being kind to yourself, encouraging yourself, and not intentionally choosing a life of suffering.

If you follow many fitness industry personalities, then it becomes obvious that they have unhealthy attitudes toward their bodies.

It’s the constant need for validation by posting selfies or posting self perceived “flaws” so followers will say, “No way!  You got this girl!”

Constantly putting out these types messages will soon begin to infect followers if they are not careful.  The followers (who are usually not in as good of shape as the fitness personality) will begin to think they are not enough because if this person who they see as a role model is constantly pointing out flaws,  the follower will begin to wonder, “What does that say about me?”

This is one of the main reasons I’ve unfollowed most fitness personalities.  My life is not built on the superficial and I’ve got more important things to worry about than if I have a six pack which is not even sustainable long term.

It’s all from the same place….

If the person who was constantly posting pics for validation or pointing out flaws was out of shape and obese, we would judge them as having low self esteem.

If the person who was making jokes about binge or compulsive eating was obese, we would judge them as having no will power, being lazy, or gross.

Guess what?

The truth of the matter is that it is all the same.  It’s all from the same place.

The Fitness Industry personality and the Obese individual are both coming from the same place.

They are coming from a place of deprivation, of suffering, of not feeling as if they are good enough.

Obese people sneak food because they think if people knew the truth about what they ate, they would be judged and people would not like them.

Fit people sneak food because they think if people knew the truth about what they ate, they would be judged and people would not like them or think they were credible in their jobs…so they post it to make a joke out of it.  That way it doesn’t seem as much of a transgression.

Obese people deprive themselves of the food that they really want to eat because if they do, then they’re “good” and fit to live.  They deserve to deprive themselves because they’ve failed.  Fat is failing.

Fit people with unhealthy attitudes toward food deprive themselves because they must suffer.  SUFFERING is where it’s at…ANNIHILATE YOURSELF IN THE GYM and SUFFER so everyone can see what a great martyr you are.  YES!!! They have to deprive themselves because otherwise they are failing.

Deprivation leads to Bingeing

Period.

This will not lead to long term success for either the obese or fit person.  Both will crash and burn.

Let’s stop making a joke out of binge and compulsive eating

According to http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.com, Binge Eating Disorder is the most prevalent of eating disorders.

Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States, affecting 3.5% of women, 2% of men,1 and up to 1.6% of adolescents.

It’s not a joke

 Binge eating actually speaks to so much more than food.  It speaks to deprivation, but it also speaks to a hunger that cannot be filled with food.  Whether it’s the hunger for meaning or validation, it speaks loudly to a hunger for something.  

Whether obese or super fit, when one is bingeing and compulsively eating there needs to be some self awareness and truth telling.

If you have a problem with binge eating, then I encourage you to get help.

Please talk to a therapist or nutritionist who specializes in working with people with eating disorders NOT an online coach who has not been carefully been vetted.  If they call themselves fat online or are constantly posting negative remarks about their bodies, then that’s a red flag.