Not being able to see your fit body image after weight loss and still seeing the fat body or as we are starting to refer it as “phantom fat” is not anorexia.
Anorexia is basically an eating disorder while being obsessed with having a thin body, and an irrational fear of gaining weight. The person who has anorexia has a distorted body image of themselves.
After significant weight loss there is this condition referred to as phantom fat. Phantom fat is when a person after a significant weight loss is unable to see their new fit body. All they see is their old fat body image, and not the new fit body staring back at them from the mirror. Although phantom fat is not an acknowledged mental condition, it is clearly a temporary mental disorder that needs to get more attention.
Phantom fat or not being able to see your fit body after weight loss is a temporary mental disorder that needs to be addressed. [Tweet this!]
Anorexia is usually coupled with a distorted body image that changes how the person perceives and thinks about their own body. A person with anorexia sees themselves as overweight when in reality they are being underweight.
Being unable to see your fit body after significant weight loss is also due to a distorted body image that a person has of their body after weight loss. However, a person with phantom fat see himself or herself as overweight when in reality they are being in the normal weight range. Or in case we are talking about weight loss while being obese, phantom fat will result still seeing oneself as obese when in reality one will be overweight. 
It comes as no surprise that phantom fat is not considered yet a mental disorder, while anorexia is accepted as a serious illness. Think about this: we haven’t really accepted the fact that carrying around excess weight to the point of being obese and overweight are not just usual conditions but serious health issues that need to be addressed.
How can you tell if you have anorexia or you are experiencing phantom fat after weight loss?
Here is a quick comparison on how to tell anorexia and phantom fat apart:
[table caption=”Characteristics of anorexia vs phantom fat” width=”400″ colwidth=”200|200″ colalign=”left|left”]
Anorexia,Phantom phat
Eating disorder,Temporary mental disorder
Distorted body image,Distorted body image
Obsessed with having a thin body,Obsessed with having a fit body
See own body as overweight when in reality body is underweight,See own body as overweight when in reality body is normal weight
[/table]
If you think that you or someone you know has anorexia, don’t be afraid to talk to someone about it. Get help, because anorexia is a serious condition that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
Don’t confuse seeing yourself fat while being fit for having anorexia. Please, educate people around you that looking fit now while being overweight for a long period of time before that does not mean that you have anorexia. Struggling with accepting your new fit body image after significant weight loss is not what having anorexia is like.
Do you think that you are experiencing phantom fat after significant weight loss? Click here to find out in a few easy steps if you are suffering from phantom fat >>>