Red Flags of Disordered Eating and 7 tips to develop a healthier relationship with food
If you are concerned about your own or someone else’s eating behaviors, it is important to know what to look for. Disordered eating patterns and eating disorders are not the same. Eating disorders are clinical diagnoses, while disordered eating refers to abnormal eating patterns that do not meet the criteria for an official diagnosis. Disordered eating can include frequent dieting, limiting food choices, assigning moral value to the food, restricting calories or other nutrients, or engaging in extreme exercise habits. Eating disorders are more severe and life-threatening mental illnesses that involve a distorted body image and an unhealthy relationship with food. To learn more visit the National Eating Disorders Association.
Here are some red flags of disordered eating that may indicate a problem:
1) Unusual eating habits
Changes in meal times and food choices can be a sign of an unhealthy obsession with food or a disordered relationship with eating. Signs of this may include skipping meals, avoiding certain food groups, or only eating at specific times. These behaviors can lead to guilt, shame, or anxiety around food, and disrupt normal hunger cues/satiety signals.
2) Extreme food restriction
Restricting the intake of calories or certain food groups should not be done without medical guidance. Extreme food restriction can lead to serious health consequences including malnutrition, dehydration, fatigue, and weakened immune function. Before making any major changes to your diet (e.g. cutting out entire food groups or drastically reducing calorie intake), it's important to seek medical guidance.
3) Excessive exercise
While physical activity is beneficial, too much exercise can be a red flag and lead to overuse injuries, fatigue, and other health problems. It's important to recognize the difference between healthy exercise habits and compulsive behaviors that may indicate an underlying issue with body image or disordered eating.
4) Preoccupation with food
Obsessively thinking about or planning food choices could be a warning sign. It can lead to restrictive eating patterns, tracking calories, and feelings of guilt or shame.
5) Feeling guilt after eating
When you experience a sense of guilt, shame, or embarrassment after meals, it could be an indication that there are deeper problems such as body image worries, too-restrictive eating habits, or fear related to certain foods.
Here are 7 tips to develop a healthy relationship with food:
1) Listen to your body
Learn how to recognize when you are truly hungry and when you are simply bored or stressed. Ask yourself if the food you are about to eat is really satisfying or if it’s just a distraction from something else. Recognizing how certain foods make you feel can help you make better choices in the future. Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that Works, by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, is an excellent resource for those looking to build a healthier relationship with food. This book offers practical strategies and guidelines to help individuals become mindful of their eating habits.
2) Try not to use food as a reward system
Sometimes it can be tempting to reward yourself with food. Instead of using food as a reward, focus on celebrating your successes in other ways such as taking a yoga class, hanging out with a friend, or having a spa day. This helps form healthier habits and reduces the temptation to use food as an emotional crutch.
3) Don’t label certain foods as “good” or “bad” – all foods can fit into a healthy diet in moderation.
All foods can fit into a healthy diet in moderation, and it's important to not label certain foods as “good” or “bad.” Enjoying treats like cake, ice cream, chocolate, and other sweets on occasion is perfectly OK. Aim for balance by including a variety of healthful foods more often than unhealthy ones. When choosing between two different snack options, opt for the one that provides more nutritional value such as fiber, vitamins, or minerals. Try to limit the intake of processed foods and calorie-dense snacks. At each meal focus on eating real whole foods to provide your body with the essential nutrients it needs.
4) Respect your body and practice self-care
Taking care of your body is essential in building a healthy relationship with food. This means respecting yourself by getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, and engaging in physical activity to stay active. Check out these tips for self-care.
5) Challenge diet culture
Dieting can be a form of self-harm and it’s important to challenge the voices in your head that make you feel like you need to restrict food or lose weight. Start by becoming aware of the messages around food and body image that come from the media, family, friends, and society. Some great social media accounts to follow for anti-diet culture content include:
6) Learn to accept and appreciate your body
Focus on what your body can do rather than how it looks. Find ways to be kind and compassionate towards yourself, even when you make mistakes or engage in unhealthy behaviors. Remember that there’s no “perfect” body type and that every person is beautiful in their own way.
7) Seek professional help
If you’re struggling with disordered eating, it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional. A therapist can provide support and guidance as you work on making healthier choices and developing healthier beliefs about food and body image.
With these tips, you can develop a healthier relationship with food and prevent disordered eating. Eating should be a pleasure, not a burden. So take the time to enjoy your meals and recognize when it’s time for help if you need it. It's possible to find peace with food and with yourself - and you deserve it.
