Are Dieting Behaviors Signs of an Eating Disorder?

How dieting and weight loss attempts sabotage our true, authentic health.

Written by Sabrina Stadelman and Cristina Luibil MS, RD, LDN

In our culture, dieting and weight loss attempts are common and even normalized. People may start dieting as young as middle school or high school (sadly, sometimes even earlier). This cycle of dieting and intentional weight loss continues well into adulthood. Why? Because for most people, diets just don’t work, and folks keep trying and trying, expecting a lasting change (which never comes). This isn't because these people are failures; it's because dieting and restriction are often more harmful than helpful.  Think about it– have you or anyone you know ever tried a diet (only once!) and met the goal without being fatigued, low energy, cranky, and craving the foods you really enjoy? I’m going to wager the answer is no. I’m also going to bet that once the diet was stopped, all the weight lost was quickly regained (FYI- this is called weight cycling and is a common symptom of yo-yo dieting).

The Diet Trap

Most of the time, diets involve some form of restriction. Diets are designed to reduce the amount of food/calories we consume. They often do this by eliminating certain foods or food groups, or by establishing rigid rules about when, what, and how much someone is “allowed” to eat. The problem with this is that we are all unique. We all have differing appetites, hunger levels, food preferences, and different nutrient needs. Diets do not know your body. Only you know how certain foods or food combinations make you feel. Only you know how hungry you are at any given moment. Only you know what foods will satisfy you, and what your energy levels are like. For this reason, following a rigid diet plan might actually be denying your body what it needs. This practice of ignoring your body's signals can lead you to feel disconnected from your body. 

Chronic dieters, as well as those struggling with eating disorders or disordered eating, often struggle to tune into their hunger and fullness cues. They may feel unable to trust their body or feel anxious or out of control around food. These feelings may lead to a cycle of restricting and then bingeing. 

Feeling out of control around food, thinking about food all the time, restricting, or eating when not hungry are signs of disordered eating. People experiencing any of these symptoms may turn to another diet as the answer to help them regain control. This is actually what is keeping them stuck. Food preoccupation, food cravings, weight gain or slowed metabolism, and the restrict-binge cycle are biological responses. When you diet and restrict calorie intake, your body believes you are starving. These are all signs that your body is doing what it's supposed to do to survive. 

When you are restricting food intake, your body shifts into survival mode. It slows metabolism to prevent you from starving. Food cravings increase because when we ignore our body’s hunger signals, they have to get louder and more intense for us to listen. Our bodies are not working against us; they are fighting to get us to fulfill our basic needs for energy and nourishment. This is often why dieting leads us to feel so disconnected from our bodies. When we try to restrict, our minds and bodies are no longer working together. Our minds are telling us to eat less, while our bodies are begging for nourishment. 

Diets and Eating Disorders

When we restrict food intake, food cravings increase, and our metabolism slows down. This can lead to an inability to lose weight or possibly weight gain. Many people see this as a personal failure and then think that to correct it, they need to be stricter with their diet. This cycle can quickly result in an eating disorder. 

The less nourishment our brain and body receive, the more we crave and think about food –it is a survival mechanism. In our culture, thinness and a “healthy” diet are praised and idealized. However, trying to achieve this ideal can have many consequences. Restrictive diets, eating in the absence of hunger, the restrict-binge cycle, and preoccupation with food are all warning signs. The problem with diets is that they teach us to ignore our hunger and fullness cues and often result in disordered eating habits. Diets will also lead to weight cycling, as dieting has been proven to increase the likelihood of weight gain. Diets may not only be a symptom of eating disorders; they may be the reason that many people develop eating disorders in the first place. 

Many people engage in diets to improve their health, and may even be told to do so by professionals. However, there is evidence to show that diets may actually be more harmful than helpful in the long run. So, how can we focus on making health-promoting choices and learn to properly nourish our bodies without dieting?

Authentic Health Without Dieting

Intuitive Eating focuses on listening to your body and learning to trust, respect, and listen to your hunger, fullness, and satisfaction around food without restriction. It focuses on treating your body with respect, no matter its shape or size. It teaches people to nourish their bodies from a place of respect and self-care, rather than a desire to change them. It involves permitting yourself to eat at any time you desire food and stop when you feel content, even if there is still food left on your plate. It teaches you to tune into your body and learn the difference between feeling physically hungry and emotionally hungry (and what this even means!). It also means eating what will satisfy and nourish your body, rather than what you think you “should” eat. Most importantly, it teaches you to use this information to determine what, when, and how much to eat based on how you feel, rather than based on food rules.

Studies have shown that intuitive eaters are less likely to have disordered eating and eating disorders. They are less likely to experience drastic weight gain or weight cycling. They have better mental and physical well-being and eat a wider variety of foods. They often even have better health markers, such as lower cholesterol levels. Intuitive Eating is true, authentic health.

Dieting and restriction have kept so many of us trapped in a cycle of disordered eating that often negatively impacts our health in the long run. Our bodies do so much for us, and they deserve respect and proper nourishment. Our bodies are smart, and will usually tell us what we need, once we learn to block out the diet noise and trust our own unique hunger and fullness cues again. 

If you're tired of dieting, looking to start an intuitive eating journey, or even if you're just looking for support, Aterra Nutrition can help. Click the link below to get in touch with us.

LEARN MORE: INTUITIVE EATING

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Disclaimer: The information shared in this blog is for general educational and informational purposes only. It may not be tailored to your specific health needs as it is written here. This content is not intended to replace personalized medical advice, nutrition counseling, or medical nutrition therapy. Any recipes or suggestions provided are meant to inspire and should be used at your discretion. Always consult with your own registered dietitian, physician, or healthcare provider before making changes to your nutrition, lifestyle, or treatment plan. If you choose, Aterra Nutrition would be happy to help you in your own, individual nutrition and intuitive eating journey.