3 Warning Signs That May Indicate Eating Disorder Behaviors
Unfortunately, many disordered eating behaviors are normalized in our society.Thus, many people do not realize that their ‘normal’ behaviors can harm their health and well-being.
While everyone experiences eating disorders differently, here are three potential warning signs of someone struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder:
Negotiating When Feeling Hungry
Typically, when the body sends hunger cues, you honor that hunger by eating. However, for individuals with eating disorders, hunger cues are typically ignored or suppressed. For those going through eating disorder recovery, there can be a fine line between honoring feelings of hunger and fullness and falling back into old eating disorder patterns. For instance, you may find yourself second-guessing whether you are really that hungry or if you should really be eating right now. When you begin to question your food and eating, this may be your sign to reach out to your team and loved ones for more support around meals and snacks.
Experiencing Compensatory Thoughts
Movement and exercise are great ways to boost your energy and mood and also help you become your strongest self. Nevertheless, for those with eating disorders, movement is often used to compensate for eating certain foods or just eating in general. It is not engaged in for enjoyment but rather for punishment or to feel deserving of food. For example, when you are eating out at a fast food restaurant, you may notice a sudden urge to go for a run to “burn off the calories” or begin to think about not eating the rest of the day to “make up” for the “cheat” meal. Not acting on these urges is essential, and they may be important signs for you to connect with your support team.
Anxiety Around Not Eating Fruits Or Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain essential nutrients that nourish the body. However, the “healthism” conceptual trap can lead to shame around missing fruits and vegetables for a day or two, especially for individuals with eating disorders, fruits and vegetables are seen as safe food options.
There are many cuisines and meals with no fruits or vegetables, which can potentially make these meals more intimidating, “unhealthy,” or “not worth” eating. However, it is important to remind yourself that not having a fruit or vegetable every single day will not dramatically impact your health and that health depends on more than the food you eat. If you feel anxious about eating a meal without a fruit or vegetable, this may indicate that you should reach out to your support team to challenge these judgments.
BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, located in New York City, offers free consultation calls to help you explore next steps. We provide in-person programming seven days a week and are in-network with UnitedHealthcare (UHC), Cigna, Emblem, and Oscar, with Aetna coverage coming soon. Support is available, and recovery is possible. Schedule a free consultation call with our admissions team here and stay connected with BALANCE on Instagram here.
This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Tori Barkosky (she/her).
Tori is a recent graduate of St. Catherine University, having earned a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Nutrition Science. Tori is passionate about all things related to intuitive eating, HAES, mental health, body respect, eating disorders, and disordered eating. She also geeks out on neuroscience and loves studying the brain and its anatomy. Tori currently works as a Mental Health Practitioner at an eating disorder clinic. Outside work, she enjoys practicing yoga, exploring nature, and drinking coffee.
