Exercise is an amazing way to boost mental and physical health but for some it is a dark abyss of obsessiveness. While overtraining and eating disorders do not always go hand in hand, for some exercise can be a form of purging.

Those using exercise as a way of purging, e.g.: kcal in/kcal out, may experience intense anxiety, depression and/or distress if unable to exercise, discomfort with rest or inactivity, feeling not good enough, not fast enough or not pushing themselves hard enough during a period of exercise.

Americans spend over $40 billion on dieting and diet-related products each year.

The average woman is 5’4” and weighs 165 pounds. The average model is 5’11” and weighs 117 pounds.

Most fashion models are thinner than 98% of American women.

If mannequins were women, they would be too thin to bear children.

67% of women 15-64 withdraw from life-engaging activities, like giving an opinion and going to the doctor, because they feel badly about their looks.

35% – 40% of dieters will develop an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are an adaptive and effective attempt to cope, numb out, comfort, distract and express feelings.

They are used as a way to manage what one takes in and what one keeps out, e.g.: food, people, emotions, etc.

Of all psychiatric disorders, eating disorders hold the highest mortality rate due to natural and unnatural causes.

25 million American women suffer.

25% of all reported cases are male (7 million).

60% of those who obtain specialized treatment for an eating disorder become fully well.