-
Both men and women of all ages who appear quite thin, people who appear to be at a normal weight and people who appear overweight can be members of the pro-ana movement. What unites them is a desire to severely control their food and ideally lose weight in the process.
Those who subscribe to the movement may appear quite normal. They may be able to handle being around food, and it may even seem that food disappears from their plates. Likewise, some who are simply light eaters may appear to be pro-ana, but are in fact, not.
This is to say that it may be impossible to know at a glance if a person is pro-ana. -
While pro-ana definitions vary slightly, the general consensus is that a pro-ana person accepts anorexia as a part of their life and works to maintain or create thinness by severely restricting calorie intake.
Many pro-anas have a revulsion to fat and heaviness that exceeds the normal spectrum of feelings. Often, pro-anas feel that being heavy is the worst thing possible.
Pro-anas often believe that anorexia is more about discipline and keeping their bodies in line than it is about any psychological problem. Because of this, they tend to be slow to stop the anorexia from progressing.
Pro-anas maintain their lifestyle by eating very small amount of food and foods with very little caloric substance to them. They also develop methods of distracting themselves when hunger pains come and often use long exercise sessions to burn off any unwanted calories. -
The body does need some food to survive, so anas choose food carefully. Foods with little caloric substance are best. Lettuce, cabbage, clear broths and soups and celery are a few examples.
Pro-anas also avoid foods with few calories, but with calories that come from sugar, ie. many fruits or low calorie processed food. Carb-heavy foods like breads and pastas are off the list.
Water is a big part of the ana lifestyle. It is calorie free and helps the body feel full. Drinking large amounts of water between food intake and drinking plenty of water while eating will cause you to eat less. - If you are eating in a way that severely limits what kind of and how much food you intake, take care to eat vitamin- and nutrient-rich food. Instead of snacking on low-calorie diet foods, stick to small portions of vegetables and lean meats to make sure that your body is getting some of the proteins, nutrients and vitamins it needs to function properly. Multivitamins can also help make up for deficiencies caused by a restrictive diet.
- It goes without saying that severely limiting your food comes with severe medical risks. Anorexics are at risk for heart failure, comas and even death. Regular medical checkups will help an ana stay aware of any health conditions that may result from their eating choices.
-
One of the best ways to keep from eating is to make sure that you are busy doing something else so that your mind does not wander to food.
Practical distractions include cleaning the house, walking the dog and organizing files. These are the tasks we all need to do regularly, but they often fall by the wayside. Making sure that you are on top of practical duties can help keep you away from the kitchen.
Creative distractions include journaling, studying a craft, painting, writing or listening to music or watching movies can feed your soul while preventing you from feeding your body.
Personal distractions include finding other anas to share tips and tricks with can help you stick to your choices. Spending time with people who understand what you are dealing with can be a great way to adhere to your goals.
