The terms "disordered eating" and "eating disorder" are often used interchangeably—but they represent distinct concepts that impact someone’s physical and mental health. Living in a world saturated with diet culture and body image pressures, it's not surprising that we’re hearing more and more about these topics. Many people struggle with one or the other, often without even knowing it or ever getting help.  This is why it’s sadly not shocking that 22 percent of children and adolescents globally suffer from disordered eating. Plus, eating disorders in teens and young adults at least doub ..read more

I’m five, wearing my pink tutu as I bike around the block. I’m not consumed by how the bike ride will change my body or if I’m burning calories. I move my body for the pure sake of moving – alive and free.  Fast forward eleven years and I’m dripping in sweat, three layers of clothing, my mind consumed by the repeat soundtrack – do more. You aren’t worthy. You aren’t enough. My day is measured by MyFitnessPal.  At sixteen, movement rapidly shifted from empowerment to all-consuming. The parallel between my worth and the way I moved my body rapidly grew to what I now know was exercise ..read more

There are many eating disorder books that help us heal and learn for ourselves, but also better understand what a loved one might be going through. That’s why we turned to the Project HEAL community for recommendations. With so many to choose from and highlight, we wanted to focus on the ones that have impacted the people in our community the most.  If you’re looking to add some eating disorder books to your queue, here are the ones that came highly recommended by your peers.  Apply for Support 8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder This isn’t just a book about how to overcome y ..read more

Childhood trauma, such as emotional neglect or physical and sexual abuse, is a known risk factor for developing a negative body image. Eating disorders and PTSD are highly comorbid, with comorbidity up to 62%. Furthermore, 90% to 100% of eating disorder sufferers have reported experiencing at least one traumatic event in their lives. For some, eating disorders can serve as a maladaptive coping skill or even an avoidance tactic to protect our minds from the dark spirals of trauma. Like many mental health struggles, we often see such a responsibility for healing – both swiftly and up to societa ..read more

In our hyper-connected world, many of us have asked ourselves (more than once) “should I delete social media?” We know it’s impacting our mental health. We feel the constant pressure to be liked. We feel we need to show up in a certain way. While we love a good TikTok or viral trend, we’re also exhausted. This is especially true for those of us suffering from disordered eating or eating or body image disorders. If this sounds familiar to you—or you notice feelings of anxiety, depression, insecurity, comparison, or discontent creeping in after scrolling—it might be time to finally answer the q ..read more

Written by Eiman Mir Mental health experts have long known that eating disorders do not discriminate. Whether it be size, gender, or socioeconomic status, eating disorders can present themselves in the lives of any seemingly unaffected individual. Despite this, eating disorders are mistaken to only affect high-income individuals. The media regularly fails to represent the diverse population of individuals affected by eating disorders, both limiting the audience's understanding of the illness and further stigmatizing it. The sufferers featured in the news and protagonists in films and mov ..read more

Written by Tara Criscuolo Eleven years ago this May, I entered residential treatment for an eating disorder. It was a ranch-style home in rural Oregon that housed and treated 12 patients at a time. During my five-week stay, all of the patients who came and went were cisgender women. In the entirety of my eating disorder treatment experience – including several months in lower levels of treatment that preceded and followed my residential stay – I remember just three men, a handful of patients with larger bodies, two or three non-binary people, and a few mixed-race folks. I remember no Bla ..read more

Written by Elizabeth Starbuck GROWING UP It’s hard to trace exactly a time or age when I first realized I was “big,” but one of my first memories of someone telling me that I was much larger than other girls my age – particularly my other female cousins – was around age 7. From that point on, I was forever aware of my size. I grew up in a mixed-ethnicity household, and a lot of elements of my physical appearance brought me confusion and, ultimately, disdain. Both of my parents represented the ideal beauty standards of their respective ethnicities – my African American father was tall, mus ..read more

Written by Jessica Thiefels Eating Disorders Awareness Week is an annual event dedicated to raising awareness about eating disorders, promoting understanding, and providing support to individuals affected by these conditions. It typically happens in the last week of February and many organizations, like Project HEAL, dedicate this week to educating, providing resources, and fundraising so they can continue supporting those in need.  If you’d like to learn more about Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW), take part, or simply better understand the many nuances of eating disorders and dis ..read more

Written by Leslie Jordan Garcia, MBA, MPH Each one of us is a multi-faceted person with many identities and traits. In my opinion, this fact alone guarantees that we are all inherently and uniquely beautiful. You are infinitely valuable because you are. However, it is our nature to connect with those who are most like us. And, in a battle to heal from an eating disorder, finding help that you resonate with is not only desirable but can make the difference in getting the help you need. Period. As a fat, Black woman who battled the dark depths of Binge Eating Disorder, I know firsthand how ..read more