Are You A Normal Eater or Disordered Eater?
Diet culture has infiltrated our society so it can be really hard to determine if we are a normal eater or if we are disordered especially when everyone around us seems to be engaging in disordered eating and dieting. I mean...what woman isn't pursuing weight loss by cutting calories, eliminating carbs, running their ass off on the treadmill, or going keto? This leads us to believe that we are “normal" because everyone else is doing it which leaves us feeling like we need to be doing the same. There is no need to change if everyone around us seems to be doing the same thing right?
Something I’ve learned as I’ve turned 30 is that a lot of people do cocaine. Business owners, lawyers, hairstyles, and even school teachers. One might even be consider this to be “normal” behavior. But does that make it acceptable and healthy since it seems like everyone else is doing it? I may sound like your mother here, but if everyone was jumping off a bridge would you line up to do it too?
I know, I know, this may be an extreme example because it’s not like you’re gonna lose your home over your dieting addiction but you will lose your sanity, your relationships will suffer, and you will certainly miss out on life’s precious moments...similar to a person suffering with any other addiction, because when you are dieting, that is all that you have time for.
Meal prep.
Counting and tracking calories/macros/points.
Thinking about food and your scale all day everyday leaves very little room for anything else.
I have compiled a little list for you of what normal eating may look like and we will definitely touch on disordered eating as well so that you can access for yourself which category you fall into.
Normal eating is going to the table to eat and leaving satisfied.
It’s is choosing food that you enjoy and making sure you’re getting enough of it to feel satisfied.
You’re giving some thought to your food but you aren’t restricting yourself and living in a life of “shoulds” and "shouldn'ts".
Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat for hunger, because your happy, sad, or because you are celebrating a special occasion.
There is no set meal times or frequency with normal eating.
A normal eater can leave cookies on the plate knowing that they can have more tomorrow if they desire.
As a normal eater you may over eat at times and feel stuffed or uncomfortable, but there may be times that you under eat too and feel as though you need more.
Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for imbalances or moments of “overeating” and "under eating."
As a normal eater food takes up a fraction of your life rather than your life revolving around food and exercise.
When you are eating normally, you will respond to your hunger in the same way that you do when you have the urge to pee. When you have to pee you don’t second guess it or shame yourself for having to go… you just go! You don’t distract yourself with gum, tea, or a diet pop. You just go. Hunger is a bodily response… it is necessary for survival just like peeing!
Normal eating is flexible. Adapting daily with your hunger, mood, and circumstances. And normal eating isn’t about the food. It’s about your intention and your ability to listen to your body, that’s it!
Disordered eating:
Check any of the following that apply:
-I avoid certain foods or food groups.
-I track my intake (points,calories,macros).
-Food/dieting affects my social life.
-I often feel guilty when I eat foods that I think I shouldn't.
-I hide what I am eating from others.
-I can not eat a meal without overthinking it.
-I think about food often.
-I skip meals and/or fast.
-I often feel anxious when I am invited out for dinner.
-I order foods that I think are the lowest calorie at a restaurant instead of getting what I want.
-I find myself binging or overeating in the evenings or on weekends.
-I use exercise to work off what I have eaten.
If you have checked off more than one of these, your relationship to food is worth healing. We often think that we need to be a bed-ridden and emaciated as an anorexic because asking for support when in fact 95% of eating disorders fall into the EDNOS category which is "Eating Disorder Non-Specified". This means that almost all people suffering with disordered eating aren't given a title of "Bulimic" or "Anorexic".
If your relationship with food is affecting your mental health and affecting your quality of life, it is worth seeking support for. You do not need to wait until you are "sick enough." The fact that your quality of life is impacted is more than enough to reach out.
If you desire to heal the relationship with food so that you can actually enjoy eating again, ditch dieting forever, and let food be easy, there are 2 spots opening up for one on one coaching with moi in April.
In our 4 months together, I will guide you into becoming an intuitive eater, help you make peace with food, and having you falling in love with your damn body again! 4 months may seem like a long time, but you have been riding the struggle bus that is yo-yo dieting for YEARS and that sh*t takes some time to heal and recover from.
If you are ready to dive deep your can email me at: misshalafitness@gmail.com or head to the services list on my website to apply for 1:1 coaching. <3