Signs of disordered eating.

If you’ve found yourself putting those words into a search engine, it’s probable that you’re suspecting something isn’t quite right in your relationship with food.

Maybe you’ve noticed you’re thinking about food more often than not.

Maybe you’ve noticed yourself feeling guilty or anxious around eating and exercise.

Maybe you’ve caught yourself feeling increasingly unhappy in your body.

It could be one of the above, or it could be all of the above.

And it’s becoming increasingly normal to experience those thoughts in the wake of the booming social media wellness industry. With the sheer volume of content being shared on a daily basis, the lines between prioritising your health and disordered eating are becoming increasingly blurry.  

What is disordered eating?

If you’re experiencing problematic thoughts or behaviours about food, eating, exercise, and body image, it’s possible you’ve crossed the line into disordered eating.

These thoughts and behaviours might be affecting your physical health, mental health, social connections, and quality of life.

Disordered eating is not to be confused with an eating disorder. But just because it doesn’t have a diagnostic label, it doesn’t mean it isn’t harmful or worthy of taking action.

Disordered eating is falling into a massive grey area with the rise of online nutrition content. In fact, it’s becoming increasingly common in amongst a culture that’s constantly telling us to change our bodies or control our food. So, if any of the following feels relevant to you, it could be worth reaching out for support.

You have developed rigid food rules.

These might be more measurable rules such as:

·      Avoiding foods you deem as ‘bad’, ‘unhealthy’, ‘a calorie trap’, or ‘wasted calories’.

·      Following set portion sizes.

·      Eating at set times of the day.

Or they may be less obvious such as:

·      Waiting to feel hungry before eating.

·      Stopping even though you’re not full.

·      That sense of needing to ‘earn’ food (e.g. with exercise, having a ‘good week’).

You feel guilt or anxiety around food.

This might feel like:

·      Mental maths (e.g. if I don’t eat now, I can eat more later).

·      “I need to be stricter tomorrow”.

·      “What will they think of me if I eat this”.

·      “I can’t tell anyone I’m eating this”.

Assigning morality to food and eating behaviours is a strong signal that something has gone awry in your relationship with food.

You frequently restrict your food.

This can take on many forms:

·      Cutting out food groups.

·      Cutting out your favourite foods.

·      Eating small portions.

·      Constantly volume eating to avoid feeling hungry.

·      Skipping meals.

·      Ignoring hunger or waiting for hunger.

There are times you feel out of control around food, or you experience binge eating.

Binge eating often means to eat a large amount of food in a short period of time. It might happen once, or it might happen a few times. Regardless of the amount of food that is eaten, feeling out of control around food is also a sign of disordered eating.

It might look or feel like:

·      Feeling unable to stop eating.

·      Eating very quickly.

·      Eating to beyond the point of comfortable fullness.

·      Eating in secret.

·      Feeling disconnected or like you’re on autopilot while you’re eating.

·      Throwing leftovers away to stop yourself from finishing them.

·      Not keeping certain foods near you or in your home.

Interestingly, restricting food is often one of the strongest determinants for feeling out of control around food.

You compensate for eating.

In an attempt to un-do or make-up for eating, you might:

·      Skip meals.

·      Exercise.

·      Purge, take laxatives, or other supplements in a bid to manage digestion.

·      You might feel driven to compensate before you’re able to continue with normal eating.

Exercise feels compulsory.

Exercise is an important part of health and wellbeing. Where it becomes disordered however is when it feels less about enjoyment and more like a chore that needs to be done before you can go on about your day.

This can look like:

·      Feeling unable to rest

·      Exercising when you’re sick, injured, exhausted, or in inappropriate weather.

·      Feeling guilty or anxious if your routine is missed or disrupted.

·      Picking an exercise based on its ‘calorie burn’ opposed to doing something you enjoy.

·      Avoiding exercise altogether because you don’t feel good enough.

Your social life is ruled by your food and exercise regime.

Food is about so much more than just nutrition. Food often plays a big role in social connection, whether it be a celebration or a low-key catch-up.

If disordered eating is impacting your social life, you might be:

·      Avoiding social events that involve food.

·      Pretending you’ve already eaten or are going to eat later.

·      Restricting or changing your food choices around social eating events.

·      Skipping events if they clash with your exercise plans.

·      Increasing how much exercise you’re doing to compensate for the social event.

·      Picking the lowest calorie option on a menu or bringing your own food.

·      Feeling conscious of others’ opinions on your food choices or eating behaviours.

Physical health changes.

Regardless of body weight, disordered eating can impact your physical well-being.

This might feel like:

·      Feeling tired or weak.

·      Feeling cold.

·      Feeling irritable or have difficulty concentrating.

·      Poor sleep.

·      Low libido.

·      Digestive symptoms.

You spend a lot of time thinking about food and your body.

We have to think about food to some extent. And experiencing body image concerns from time to time is a normal part of the human experience. It becomes disordered however when it takes up a significant portion of your day, for example you might consider food or your body as your ‘Roman Empire’.

This might look like:

·      Constantly looking at yourself in reflections, or chronically avoiding your reflection.

·      Weighing yourself often or avoiding knowing your weight.

·      Comparing yourself to others.

·      Avoiding having your photo taken or picking apart photos that you’re in.

·      Frequently making plans on how to change your body or eating.

·      Thinking about your next meal, next shop, or next day of eating.

·      Frequently counting calories, reading labels, or weighing food.

What do I do now?

If any of the above has resonated with you, its highly likely that your relationship with food, exercise, or your body has become disordered.

Maybe the thought of getting help is comforting, or maybe the thought of getting help is absolutely frightening.

What would help look like?

• Evidence-based education and myth-busting.

• Personalised support and resources to suit your lifestyle and health goals.

• Compassionate care that acknowledges your past experiences of diet culture.

What is help not?

• Another diet.

• Punishment or belittlement.

• Seeking help does not require you to let go of your health and wellness goals, rather it helps reformulate your plan so that you’re not sacrificing your physical, mental, or social wellbeing.

If you think support could be helpful, you can learn more about working together or booking an appointment through the Restore Nutrition website website.