Dr. Phil: Eating Disorder Warning Signs

From Eating Disorder Warning Signs (comments in red are mine)

Eating disorders are what Dr. Phil calls a "silent epidemic." In the beginning, girls may choose to restrict their diets or to purge for one reason, but they end up continuing to do so because it becomes an addiction. (This is my biggest fear about Kimkins!) Early intervention (Kimkins admins can't help with that, not even for a $70 fee) is crucial because once an eating disorder gets a grip on someone, it's far more difficult to treat.

There are warning signs that you do need to be looking for. "First off, you never see them eat. You'll see them push their food around the plate, but you'll see every kind of avoidance technique you can imagine (a significant Kimkins trait) because they regard food as poison," Dr. Phil explains. "If they're acting around food as though it's toxic or poisonous, that should be a clue for you."

Also, has your child been dressing in baggy clothes? "You're going to see really bulky sweaters and baggy pants to hide the weight loss and disguise the body," Dr. Phil says. "Look for extreme behaviors. Look for deception. Look for hiding."

Additional warning signs:
A significant change in apparent appetite (SNATT, anyone?)
Excessive weight loss and an intense fear of weight gain (Another Kimkins characteristic... "I've been stalled for 2 days!")
An unnatural preoccupation with food and calories (veggies measured in a jello cup?)
An obsession with clothing size, scales and mirrors
Routine secrecy, such as leaving the table immediately after eating to go behind closed doors
Avoidance of family meals or events at which food is present (Have heard this at Kimkins a lot, too)
Wearing bulky clothes to hide weight loss
Excessive exercise (Oops, no exercise needed if you want to look like Kimmer!)
Social withdrawal and moodiness (Heidi Diaz! Wonder Woman! Any number of alter-egos!))

From The Show
Eating Disorders

Related Links
Overcoming an Eating Disorder
Resources

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All my Kimkins venom aside, this is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week and I really want you to be AWARE. You can't dabble in anorexia in the quest to lose weight. You can't starve your body even for a short time without suffering damage. And losing weight that way means short-term weight loss - do you really want to have to lose all those stinking pounds again?

Be safe!