DRUNKOREXIA…a term coined for a new trend in young girls…a habit that includes starving oneself in order to compensate for the calories that will be consumed by alcohol during that night’s festivities.  A lot of young college women are using drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine, in addition to alochol to suppress appetites.   

Hold up…now really?!?! does this make any sense?? I mean if you think you’re going to get into those skinny jeans by not eating, but consuming those budweiser beers in bulk that tend to rack up 150 calories & 11 carbs a pop (and with college drinkers…you can multiply this number by 5-10 or more which is usually the amount consumed in one night of partying!!!).  One night of booze could add up to a days worth of calories….with ZIPPO nutrients.  Smart?? I don’t think so…no way are you gonna get that bod you want…probably only a nice rounded beer belly lovely right?!

In an article from the New York Times, Douglas Bunnell, director of outpatient clinical services for the Renfrew Center, based in Philadelphia, summed this craziness up in one statement, “There are women who are afraid to put a grape in their mouth but have no problem drinking a beer.” WHAT?????

Psychologists are saying that this type of disorder, just like any other eating disorder comes from much deeper issues, usually rooted in the need to numb some type of emotional pain or compensate for negative feelings towards oneself.  Girls and guys, they can get rid of this anxiety with substances or the rush provided by bingeing and purging.

Its a very interesting phenomenon that is rising rapidly in college environments and is starting to have serious reprecutions on college men and women’s mentality, physical abilities, self-concept, school commitments, etc.  It takes over you and turns you into a different person.  Please please please read up on this disease here and really consider the personal accounts that make drunkorexia a serious reality these days. Even check up on some of hollywood’s biggest role models…now all of whom are considered to be the epitome of a drunkorexic.

I have also written an opinion editorial in response to this trend…a lot of material in which i just stated above, but I wanted to give you some food for thought and hopefully it will wake up some of you, allow you to assess your lifestyle and consider if its really worth it.  Enjoy….

Martini…please!  Food for energy…no thanks. 

            No food? Just Booze.  That is the new trend with young people today.  Women are afraid to put a grape in their mouth, but have no problem taking beer bongs and chugging martinis; something is wrong with this picture.  Drunkorexics, college-age binge drinkers, typically women, bank their calories, starving themselves during the day to anticipate a night full of drinking in order to stay well within their calorie range.  This is a perfect example of how bad America’s obsession with being skinny has gotten.  Losing weight and being thin has become a cultural imperative for young women.  The social acceptance that goes along with great looks as well as the “cool and hip” label that alcohol provides is what fuels this crazy phenomenon.  Drugs, like cocaine and amphetamines, are being coupled with these practices in order to further suppress appetite.

            This unhealthy addiction is associated with serious eating disorders.  Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating disorder, drug abuse; all of these alone can prove to be incredibly damaging, can you imagine the combination? Starving oneself, then consuming mass amounts of alcohol, just to purge later not only has serious health repercussions, but also signifies probable emotional and psychological pain, most likely the roots of this behavior.

            Is it really worth putting that much stress on your heart and esophagus, just to be celebrity skinny and enjoy nightlife at the same time?  Pop-stars such as Tara Reid and Lindsey Lohan are role models for the drunkorexics around the world.  But c’mon, what do they have going for them, honestly?  They have no job and no brains.  Now they have no insides too.  Not to mention the 10 years they gained due to the aging effects this torture has on your appearance.

            As an eating disorder survivor, I know first hand the physical and mental exhaustion that accompanies food struggles.  For anorexics, food is like alcohol for alcoholics.  It is their drug.  And just like addiction victims, the “drug” or disease in this case, takes control, and the hardest task is bouncing back.  I feel for young women and men struggling with what I did, but on the other hand, I don’t sympathize with people that add more baggage to an already serious problem.  One addiction is hard enough on your body and every-day function, why add substance abuse to the list?  Yes, it might temporarily ease the pain or anxiety of eating, but once that hangover wears off, your right back to rock-bottom, but now with two diseases, not one.  The hole just got that much deeper.

            It’s unfortunate that external features, rather than inner beauty are defining attractiveness.  The media, as well as the latest glorification of celebrity rehabilitation is to blame.  The media objectifies women, putting great stress on fit bodies, blonde-haired models, and post-rehab change.  It personifies an unrealistic reality that every girl has to be model-thin in order to be sexy.  There is not one magazine or E! segment that does not cover the latest diet tricks, exercise gimmicks, and re-hab miracles.  Wake up! This media coverage is all fake! Journalists create diet plans and flash them on the covers of SHAPE and SELF to get people, like me and you, to buy the magazine.  Tinsel Town’s finest go through grueling hours of not eating and exercising day in and day out to try and achieve this “ideal” look.  And for what?  Nothing!  After all, in the end, the photographs are all airbrushed anyway.  This “ideal” that is stimulating the drunkorexic movement does not exist. It’s not worth taking your body to almost fatal measures to achieve a state that is not real. 

            My suggestion, face your issues.  If a woman struggles with body issues, seek help.  Believe it or not, there are many more individuals in the same boat.  Don’t use alcohol as your counselor.  It’s only temporary.  But more than anything else, be true to yourself.  Face your fears, live life to the fullest, and remember, everything in moderation is the key to true happiness.

I know you have heard this over and over again, but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. You may think you are cutting calories by skipping breakfast, but rather you are depriving your body of what it needs to get your day started. According to cnn.com, breakfast refuels your body and jump-starts your metabolism. If you do not eat breakfast, the body goes into starvation mode and slows down the metabolism, which is not desirable for any of us.

Also, by eating breakfast you are most likely preventing a mid-morning snack that could result in the binge eating of fats and sweets to satisfy your body. A friend once told me that if you eat breakfast within the first hour of waking up you are less likely to consume large portion meals later in the day. I have stuck by that rule and it has definitely worked for me. I have more energy throughout the day and I do not eat those huge lunches I used to. I made the conscious decision to start eating breakfast and I saw results; I lost 10 pounds. Think about it…. if you can eat food (breakfast) and lose weight, why not?

Healthy breakfast items include:

• whole grain cereal and skim milk
• low-fat and non-fat yogurt
• a whole grain bagel with natural peanut butter
• eggs beaters or egg whites
• oatmeal
• fruit

My favorite breakfast meal is Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal, sliced banana and a glass of skim milk. This particular oatmeal contains 3 grams of fat, 6 grams of fiber, 7 grams of protein, 2 servings of whole grains and only 160 calories. Fiber and protein make you feel fuller for longer so oatmeal is always a smart choice.

Giving YOU the SKINNY on health and fitness… one post at a time

For those of you not in the know SMG stands for Sarah Michelle Gellar. I’m a BTVS (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) fiend…that’s right, I just admitted it on the Internet. Over the years I’ve grown an appreciation for Ms. Gellar both as an actress and a person. What does this have to do with a health and fitness blog you ask? This recent quote I found, and just had to share, from an SMG interview:

“Look, it’s crazy for people to try to be as thin as we are. We have personal trainers and personal chefs. It’s our job to look this way.”

Thank you Sarah, ever so much, for telling the truth. So next time you’re tempted to buy that magazine promising to reveal “celebrity dieting tips” (and trust me, we all are), remember that they have professionals keeping them that thin. Concentrating on keeping your body healthy and active will keep you happy, and may just prevent you from going crazy.

Giving YOU the SKINNY on health & fitness… one post at a time

Stability balls…you know they’re good for core training, but how do they work? How do you know what size to buy? What kind of exercises can you do on them? An article from MSN’s Ask the Experts can give you some answers.

The unsteadyness of a stability ball can increase the level of difficulty in your everyday workout. Sitting or lying on the unstable surface engages core ab, leg and back muscles that you use to keep yourself stable while performing your exercise. Also, the slope of the ball allows you to have a wider range of motion.

The size of a ball could be difficult for a beginner to determine. Usually the rule goes, the smaller you are then the smaller the ball should be, but if you are just starting out choosing the next size down will make the exercises a bit easier. Check out this chart provided by Martica Heaner:

Heaner also suggests to do traditional isometric core strength exercises (such as the plank-holding a push-up position and holding it for 5 to 30 seconds) before you even start working out on the ball. She stresses caution when doing ab work on the ball because if your abs aren’t strong enough for the extra challenge you may overstress your spinal discs.

Finally, once you are ready for some stability ball action, try some simple exercises first. Work on some arm exercises like bicep curls or overhead presses while sitting on the stability ball. Just remember to take it slow and have fun!

Giving YOU the SKINNY on health & fitness… one post at a time