Societies Normalisation of Disordered Eating

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Logan Strouther. Logan is a Specialist Support Officer at First Steps ED, where he provides integrative psychotherapy. Logan is passionate about disordered eating behaviours which have been normalised in society, and both the negative and positive impacts they can have.We start the conversation on the topic of rumination, and how many people engaging in ED behaviours will think about these 24/7, causing thoughts around food and body to persist all the time.We then talk about "what I can eat in a day" videos and how they can driver comparison, and may not be accessible for all. We speak about the benefits and challenges these videos propose.Another topic we discuss is using apps to track your food intake and exercise, and Logan shares his personal experience. We discuss how behaviours can be disordered, but not always meet the diagnosis for an eating disorder. Logan provides brilliant tips on becoming more trusting in yourself so you are able to step away from tracking calories.We speak about the gym culture and where to draw the line of disordered eating, and with this speak about restrictive practices along with "cheat days".Finally, we speak about the idea of good and bad foods, and how nutritional information and guidance has to be provided on a societal level rather than an individual level, which can often miss out on the nuance of eating disorders. We also discuss replacing natural foods with low sugar, fat, and carb options, and the thoughts around this in society.To find out more about Logan and his work, you can follow Logan on Instagram @ed_psychotherapy.Please note that this episode discusses a number of behaviours which may be triggering to some individuals. The purpose of this episode was to highlight the normalisation, yet problems associated with these behaviours. Please tread lightly and check in with yourself along the way.