Body Type and Binge Eating Disorder: Every Body Is Different

There is a common misconception that an individual with binge eating disorder has a certain body type (What Does Binge Eating Disorder Look Like?). When it comes to binge eating disorder, as well as other eating disorders, there is not one way a person's body will look. You cannot tell just by looking at someone whether or not they struggle with an eating disorder of any type. Body type and binge eating disorder are not necessarily linked.

You Don't Have Binge Eating Disorder If You Have a Certain Body Type?

When I was struggling with binge eating, I was at an average weight. This is, unfortunately, not what most envision when thinking of someone with this disorder. As a dancer, I naturally lead an active life which made all the eating I was doing not affect my body appearance to a large extent.

Because we stereotype how a person with an eating disorder is supposed to look, no one guessed that I could possibly have a problem. The more we assume about eating disorders without actually being educated, the more individuals who may suffer are overlooked.

Eating Disorders Come in All Body Types, Shapes and Sizes

Binge eating disorder comes in all body types. You by no means have to look a certain way to have an eating disorder. Thinking, "I don't look sick," is a great way to convince ourselves we don't have a problem. When this happens, we get further and further away from beginning to recover from this illness.

When we begin to realize that the appearance of our body has nothing to do with how we are affected by our eating disorder we can see that we may need to get help. I think many people believe that if they don't look "sick enough" they do not deserve or need treatment. I can admit I felt this way at one point in time. I will tell you this, if you have an eating disorder or are using eating disorder behaviors, you are more than deserving of help. There is no point you need to reach before treatment options can be put in place. Early intervention can literally save your life.

I did not "look" like I had binge eating disorder, my body type wasn't what people stereotyped, but that did not mean I wasn't suffering. Not having that stereotypical appearance kept me sick for longer than I should have been. Reflect on how your illness makes you feel, not on how it makes you look. If you are unhappy with that, get help. You deserve it.

Find Grace on Twitter, Facebook, and on her personal blog.