How to Know When You’ve Crossed the Line Between Eating Healthier and Disordered Eating

While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to eat healthier, workout a little more, and possibly lose weight, there is a point in which a healthy goal becomes an unhealthy obsession. And when you’re in the midst of making all these lifestyle changes, it isn’t always clear when you’ve crossed that line.

Today we’re going to talk about what disordered eating is, why it can be so dangerous, and, perhaps most importantly, what some of the warning signs are and how to get help.

What is Disordered Eating?

Living in a word filled with mixed messaging regarding what a healthy lifestyle looks like, it can be easy to form a disordered relationship with food, exercise, and body image.

And while it’s easy to think that only younger women struggle with this, the reality is that disordered eating affects people of all ages, sexes, genders, races, ethnicity, weights, and athletic abilities.

Unlike anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, there’s no set diagnostic criteria for disordered eating. However, it is still a serious issue that often requires the support of a care team, particularly a registered dietitian and a therapist.

The best way to define disordered eating is by explaining the difference between it and eating disorders.

Individuals with disordered eating may exhibit many of the same symptoms as someone with an eating disorder, such as fear of gaining weight or calorie restriction, but they don’t fit all of the diagnostic criteria for a specific eating disorder as defined by the American Psychiatric Association.

If an individual fits all but one criteria for an eating disorder, they may be diagnosed with Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED), which was previously known as ENDOS. Research has shown that individuals with OSFED are just as likely to be hospitalized or experience serious health consequences as those with other diagnosed eating disorders.

However, if the someone is more concerned about what they’re eating rather than how much, they may be at risk for orthorexia. Initially defined in the mid 1990’s, orthorexia is characterized by an unhealthy obsession on the quality, rather than the quantity, of food. Specifically, the food must be considered “clean,” “healthy,” or “pure.” As with anorexia, orthorexia is a restrictive disorder, as the individual restricts any foods (or food groups) that they believe to be unhealthy.

Regardless if you are restricting calories or specific foods, it’s important to reflect on your feelings surrounding food, exercise, and body image to see if you’ve crossed the line from a healthy to an unhealthy relationship with each. But before we get to the warning signs, let’s quickly explain why disordered eating can be so dangerous.

Dangers of Disordered Eating

As disordered eating doesn’t get talked about enough, many are unaware of the serious side effects it can have on mental and physical health, including:

• Nutrient deficiencies
• Increased anxiety
• Depression
• Social isolation
• Electrolyte and fluid imbalances
• Low heart rate and blood pressure
• Bone loss
• Gastrointestinal disturbances
• Fertility issues
• Progression to anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, or bulimia nervosa – all of which can be life-threatening

Warning Signs of Disordered Eating

So how can you tell if you or someone you’re close to is developing (or has developed) a disordered relationship with his or her health? While not all-encompassing, here are some warning signs to look out for:

• Self worth is based highly on body shape and weight or ability to stick to a restrictive diet
• Strong feelings of anxiety at the idea of eating foods that you don’t consider to be “healthy” or “clean”
• Compulsive checking of ingredient lists and nutritional labels
• Rigid thoughts about food being “good” or “bad” leading to strict restriction of a large number of foods
• Preoccupation with food, exercise or body image that negatively affects quality of life, such as refusing to go out to eat with friends
• Feeling out of control around food
• Frequently engaging in “fat” talk, such as criticizing the size of a specific body part or your body as a whole
• Feeling like you have to “make up” for eating too much, or after eating a food that you consider to be “bad”
• Rigid exercise routine that leads to extreme feelings of guilt if a session is missed
• Obsession with social media accounts that embody your perceived “perfect” body and/or eating habits

While disordered eating warning signs are often behavioral, physical signs may exist as well, such as:

• Feeling faint or dizzy when going from sitting to standing
• Frequent weight changes
• Constantly feeling fatigued and low energy
• Difficulty concentrating or focusing

Asking for Help

Despite what social media and magazines may have you believe, having the “perfect” body isn’t the most important thing in the world, nor is it very realistic, and it certainly isn’t worth compromising your health and relationships.

If you feel that you’re suffering from a disordered relationship with food, exercise, and/or body image, making an appointment with a registered dietitian or therapist is a great first start. Depending on your individual needs, they will be able to assess the best care plan for you.

Additionally, talking to a friend or family member that you trust is extremely important. Re-establishing a healthy relationship with eating isn’t easy, so it’s nice to have someone that understands what you’re working through and can be supportive.

Wanting to get help now? The National Eating Disorders Association has a helpline that’s available Monday-Thursday from 9am-9pm ET and Friday from 9am-5pm ET as well as a great searching tool for finding nearby clinicians that you can make an appointment with.