There are more links between food and mental health disorders than we think. Of course, there are issues with regards to body image, but food addiction is something that’s not just related to people who are overweight or are unhealthy. Food addiction can form unhealthy habits in even the healthiest of people. What are some of the signs of an unhealthy obsession with food? What can you do to fix this?
Signs of Unhealthy Obsession With Food
Food Is An Automatic Reaction
If you’ve had good or bad news, and your first thought is to go for food, this could be one of the signs of an obsession with food. It’s important to remember that food is something that should be enjoyed, but for some, it can prove to be a knee-jerk reaction to something.
You Obsess Over Calories
We all have a friend who is obsessed with calorie counting. This is such an unhealthy attitude to have towards food. It isn’t just excessive anxiety for no reason. If you don’t come in under your calorie limit on one day, you can beat yourself up about it. And this can lead to health concerns, especially if you are really trying to restrict your calorie intake.
You Try Extreme Diets
Now, it seems there are more extreme diets than ever. If you go back in time, you will see that extreme diets aren’t a modern fad.
The wine and eggs crash diet was recommended by Helen Gurley Brown in 1962. You go through a bottle of wine a day! This isn’t just ludicrous, but it’s dangerous!
Not only are you dangerously under-eating according to this diet, but you could easily prime yourself for rehab treatments due to alcohol addiction.
Extreme diets are everywhere now, and you only have to do a simple internet search to find a plethora of them. It’s far better to eat a well-balanced diet including superfoods such as berries, avocados, and lots of fresh vegetables.
Fixing The Issue…
Of course, it can take some time to address these problems, not least admitting there is a problem in the first place. But generally, an unhealthy obsession with food falls into five categories. You could be a diet addict, a social switcher, someone who restricts food, an orthorexic eater, or an emotional eater. Each category requires a different resolution, but for anyone that has an obsession with food, professional help will always benefit.
It’s important to remember that unhealthy obsession with food isn’t just about the unhealthy aspects, even those that are strictly organic in their food choices could obsess over every detail, and read every label, thinking something that’s processed could be hazardous to their health. In actual fact, any balanced diet is still one of the healthiest attitudes towards food.
This is, of course, scratching the surface of the issue, but we all deserve to have a healthy attitude towards our meals and we all deserve to enjoy food and all its varieties. There are so many reasons behind these types of issues, but if we can spot the signs early on, we can enjoy food in a healthy manner.
19 comments
I am an emotional eater for sure. That is why I have always struggled with my weight, but I try. I don’t always win, but I try to pick healthier options.
I am chubby and love to eat! I has been this way my whole life. It is something I need to think about as I get older, I do recognize that I can easily eat for reasons other than hunger, and that needs to be dealt with!
I am for sure a stress eater But I recently became gluten free so I find it harder to binge eat or over eat because I can only eat really good foods, like fruits and vegetables. I really do pick better options now because of it though.
Gosh, food is used to celebrate things, so I think it becomes really easy to have an unnatural obsession. I for one realize that food is nutrition and nutrition is your body’s medicine and self-defense against diseases, so I think we have to eat for health, and eating for celebration comes last.
I have say this is so me. It took me over 30 years to figure it out. I am working to ensure my children don’t grow up the same way!
I’m definitely an emotional eater. I work hard to identify my feelings and to avoid certain foods but I don’t do well at it at all. I keep trying though!
This is such a great post. My friend is an emotional eater and it’s taking a toll on her health now. No matter how or what we said to alert her, she never would listen. Food can be such a comfort to us all but yet too much unhealthy food is not good at all for our bodies!
I can remember being young and consuming all sorts of unhealthy food. Now that I’m older I watch what I eat and I try to keep my kids from eating unhealthy also. It’s so easy to become a stress eater now in days
I can admit that I crave some foods strongly. It tends to be fast food too.
It’s not easy to solve this issue when you’re in denial. Once you realize that though, that’s when you can start changing your diet for the better. It can really take a toll on our health.
I think to an extent some amount of obsession with food is normal. But yes the line between normal and abnormal can be really thin. This is definitely a very informative post about unhealthy food obsession.
I know many people who eat emotionally, or out of boredom. Food used to be a weakness for them, and some have made better choices.
You really need to analyze yourself and check to see if you are doing any of these things especially if you’re so concerned with losing weight. It’s definitely unhealthy and something that could really ruin your health.
I have such a love hate relationship with food and my weight. I have lost a bunch but its still a struggle
Eating disorders are very real problem in. I can’t say I am an emotional eater but I do love my comfort food.
Such a nice read. Sometime we think that there is nothing wrong with us when it comes to food but this article is a mind opener too. Good thing I have never encounter any of this yet.
This is totally me. I am definitely an emotional eater. When I have good news I eat, I get depressed, I just eat period. Then I go on a weight loss binge just to gain it all back. It’s a never ending battle.
I know that when I get bored I eat… or when Im just sitting at a desk all day… Then I look at the scale and get frustrated with my weight. Vicious cycle.
I am so an emotional eater. With having so much added stress going on lately, I eat. Then I guilt about it… vicious it is.