Episode 118: How a 10 yr old Became Anorexic & How She Found Healing interview with expert Christy Roberts from Emerging Health (Body Positivity Series)

This is the 18th episode in our incredible Body Positivity Series. This life changing series will help you see, think and feel differently about your body. Listen to all the episodes and share them with the people you love!  Start being proactive about how you think and feel about your body today! The magic happens on the mat.
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Christy is a certified Functional Nutritionist and has a dietetic degree from Michigan State University. She is also a Certified Lifestyle & Functional Medicine Coach and certified personal trainer.  Her passion for health and fitness is fueled from own her personal journey of healing from anorexia nervosa and bulimia.   And today we get to hear the tools that have helped her reach her best health over the last 4 decades.  Every day, Christy turns the painful experiences of her past into a purpose to help others reach their ultimate health as well. 

Instagram: @coachchristy_emerginghealth

What led a ten year old to eating disorders?

1. Book “Gaining”by Aimee Liu points out some kids are just more prone to wanting perfection. 
2. Need for control.
3. Felt a need to punish myself for feeling “bad” emotions.
4. I got compliments on my maturing thin figure.  Fed my obsession.
5. Because I was anorexic, my body craved food…then I couldn’t stop binging and then I HAD to purge to relive myself of the guilt and disgust I felt for eating food. 
6. Cutting out certain foods made me feel clean.  It took me decades to realize this need to feel clean stemmed from sexual abuse I experienced from a close relative.  Parents need to know that sexual abuse is often a trigger for eating disorders…Because of shame, confusion and guilt. I never told my parents. I never told anyone. 

You said you were in such a dark place…What flipped the light bulb on for you?

• One my dad came crying to me and in a very sincere and loving way helped me understand that I was not only hurting myself. I was hurting my family. “I am only hurting myself” is the biggest lie someone with disordered eating tells themself.  
• I started to educate myself. 
• My mom had me put more input into what was made for dinner and planning out meals. 
• I went on to study nutrition in college and absorb everything I could about food and how it affects the body and brain.

What would you tell parents?

1. Break the secrets and the hiding wide open. Have very open conversation with them. “You are only as sick as the secrets you keep.”
2. Come from a place of love not judgement.  They are already feeling so much shame.
3. Help them connect what food does for their body versus telling them food is good or bad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNvkSi0XrL0
4. Help them understand how it is affecting their health and their family
5. Educate yourself and offer resources to your loved one so they can