10 Ways You Might Be Restricting Without Realizing It
Because eating disorder behaviors are so normalized and praised in our culture, it can be really easy to restrict without even realizing it. Practice owner and founder, Lauren Reiker, RD, is here today to shed some light on this topic. Take it away, Lauren!
You might have heard that restriction is the number one driving force behind feeling out of control with food. Feeling out of control with food can play out in various ways such as binge eating, eating until you feel physically uncomfortable, feeling like you can't keep certain foods in the house because you will eat it ALL (GASP), and/or thinking about food all day. Not to mention did you know that restiction of food mimics addiction? Yes, read that again. So generally the people that have rules around food and/or are micromanaging food feel addicted to food. But what does it mean to “restrict”?
10 Ways You Might Be Restricting Without Realizing It
You save up your calories for dinner, special occasions, and/or the weekends.
You count calories, points, macros, aka you have to do math when it's time to eat.
You limit certain foods. This could include cutting out food groups such as carbs and/or bread. Maybe you eat them but you only allow yourself to eat them at certain times.
You are particular about the ingredients in your food and it's not because you have food allergies.
You exercise to earn food.
You ignore your hunger cues or put off eating despite what your body says. There are times when you second-guess your hunger.
You do not ask yourself what sounds good but instead “what should I eat? or what is the healthier choice?”
You eat based on what other people around you are eating.
You stop eating after (insert arbitrary time).
You label food as good/bad and unhealthy/healthy.
Also, you could be restricting in a way that has nothing to do with food itself:
Emotional Restriction
Yes, did you know that suppressing emotions - not being able to name emotions, and/or not allowing yourself to feel emotions - can lead to feeling out of control with food? Hear me out! Let's say you have a bad day at work and you don't take the time to feel your feelings or maybe even talk about them. Then you come home and cannot seem to stop eating? Or stop thinking about food? Typically, we notice a significant correlation between unprocessed feelings and the increase in eating disorder/disordered eating behaviors. Learn more about how to feel your feels here.
Moving Forward
If you are ready to stop restricting or need help figuring out how to feeling your feelings, reach out to the Collaborative Counseling and Nutrition Team today!
Collaborative Counseling & Nutrition is an outpatient nutrition and body image counseling center, with locations in Indianapolis and Carmel, that provides compassionate, holistic eating disorder treatment. Through practicing mindfulness, intuition, and Health At Every Size, we are on a mission to help you find a true state of well-being! We take an anti-diet, weight-inclusive approach with all our clients and work to help guide you towards a way of healthy living designed by you, just for you! This post is for education purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for treatment for an eating disorder. If you are looking for a registered dietitian or therapist to assist you on your recovery journey, please reach out today!
