1 in 11 women will develop an eating disorder in their lifetime—this is not just a personal issue, it’s a public health crisis.
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDAW), taking place from Monday, February 24 – Sunday, March 2, 2025, is a public health campaign dedicated to raising awareness, educating communities, and providing support for those affected by eating disorders and disordered eating.
Summary
Why National Eating Disorder Awareness Week Matters More Than You Think
If you’ve ever struggled with your relationship with food, exercise, or body image—you are not alone.
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDAW), taking place from Monday, February 24 – Sunday, March 2, 2025, is a public health campaign dedicated to raising awareness, providing education, and sparking conversations about eating disorders and disordered eating. The goal is to highlight the prevalence of these issues, provide resources for those affected, and break the stigma around seeking help.
1 in 11 women will develop an eating disorder in their lifetime, and even more will experience disordered eating behaviors without ever receiving a diagnosis.
This topic isn’t just important—it’s personal. At SHINE FIT, we work with women every day who are unlearning toxic fitness narratives, breaking free from guilt around food, and discovering how to move their bodies in a way that feels good, not punishing.
This is why we’re talking about it.
What You Need to Know About Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating
Eating disorders don’t discriminate, but they disproportionately affect certain groups:
📌 95% of people diagnosed are between the ages of 8 and 25.
📌 People in larger bodies are 2.45x more likely to engage in disordered eating—yet they are half as likely to receive treatment.
📌 People of color are half as likely to be diagnosed due to systemic bias in healthcare.
And while clinical eating disorders affect millions, the reality is that many more people experience disordered eating behaviors—chronic dieting, extreme restriction, or guilt around eating certain foods—without realizing it.
For so many women, diet culture has made these behaviors feel "normal."
Why SHINE FIT Cares
I’m Coach Jess, the Head Coach & Founder of SHINE FIT, and this issue is deeply personal to me.
For years, I thought my eating habits were just part of "being healthy." I tracked every calorie, felt guilt over eating “bad” foods, and believed I had to earn my meals through exercise. At the time, I didn’t realize this was disordered eating, and probably undiagnosed Orthorexia.
And I wasn’t alone.
I’ve coached hundreds of women who have come to SHINE FIT with a similar mindset—thinking exercise is a punishment, struggling with body image, and feeling like fitness is only about shrinking themselves.
That’s why I built SHINE FIT to be different.
At SHINE FIT, we help women exercise to change the way they feel, not the way they look.
Fitness should be about:
✅ Strength, energy, and mental well-being
✅ Confidence in your own body—at any size
✅ Feeling good instead of guilty
Because the truth is, you don’t have to hate your body to take care of it.
3 Common Eating Disorders You Should Know About
Understanding eating disorders is a critical step in identifying harmful patterns and supporting those who may be struggling. Here are three of the most common eating disorders:
1. Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia is characterized by severe food restriction, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image. People with anorexia often:
Severely limit food intake, sometimes to dangerous levels.
Engage in excessive exercise or other compensatory behaviors.
Experience significant weight loss and potential health complications, such as heart issues, osteoporosis, and hormonal imbalances.
2. Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia involves cycles of binge eating followed by purging behaviors, such as vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative use. Signs of bulimia include:
Frequent episodes of consuming large amounts of food in short periods.
Feelings of guilt and shame after eating, leading to purging behaviors.
Fluctuating weight and possible health complications, such as digestive issues, dehydration, and heart irregularities.
3. Orthorexia Nervosa
While not officially recognized in the DSM-5 (the diagnostic manual for mental disorders), orthorexia describes an obsession with “clean” or “healthy” eating to the point where it negatively impacts a person’s well-being.
This can look like:
Fear of eating anything perceived as "unhealthy" or "impure."
Extreme restriction of food groups, often leading to nutritional deficiencies.
Anxiety around social situations involving food.
While many people strive to eat healthy, orthorexia crosses the line when it controls a person’s life and leads to excessive stress, fear, or isolation.
What You Can Do This Week
If you’ve ever struggled with food, exercise, or body image—or you know someone who has—this week is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and take action.
Here’s how:
💡 Educate yourself. Read up on eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors. A great place to start is NEDIC (National Eating Disorder Information Centre).
💡 Recognize the signs. If you or someone you know struggles with food guilt, extreme restriction, or body image concerns, know that support is available.
💡 Shift the narrative. Let’s stop tying exercise to weight loss and start embracing it for the confidence, community, and mental clarity it brings.
This week, I challenge you to think differently about fitness, diet culture, and self-care.
And if you’re looking for a fitness space that supports this mindset shift, SHINE FIT is here for you. Book a No Sweat Intro to learn how we help women build a healthy relationship with exercise—one that’s rooted in joy, not guilt.
Because movement should feel good. And so should you. 💛
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