The rise of disordered eating. Is this you?

Are you a disordered eater?

Disordered eating is becoming more and more common, especially in big cities like London, where food is always on offer, life is hectic and working patterns are not always in line with natural circadian rhythms.

First of all what is disordered eating?

Disordered eating is not an eating disorder per se but it is a group of eating behaviors "that don’t meet diagnostic criteria for recognized eating disorders but may still negatively affect someone’s physical, mental, or emotional health."

Disordered eating may include

• Grazing and snacking all day rather than having a proper meal.
• Restricting food during the day to splurge in the evening (not to be confused with IF)
• Binge eating
• Eating without following a precise eating pattern
• Obsessing about calories and food
• Following fad diets to lose weight
• Not recognizing your hunger and fullness cues
• Emotional eating
• Engaging in punishing exercise regimes to make up for a larger meal

In a nutshell what I define a “stressed-out relationship with food” where food becomes a worry rather than nourishment and pleasure.

We should eat for energy and to feel good, not engage in fights with our bodies and minds about food. We should eat intuitively and according to our body's needs, not according to a set of rules dictated by the dieting industry and societal pressure.

The downside of disordered eating

This type of relationship with food can have consequences on both our physical and mental well-being down the line.

• Eating in a state of “stress” that can be detrimental on your digestion and nutrient absorption
• Confusing your fullness and hunger centres (or to better say hormones)
• Reducing your basal metabolic rate and (in some cases) making it more difficult to lose weight
• Eating an unbalanced diet that can affect your blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity
• Nutrients deficiencies
• Overeating
• Bloating and gut issues
• A sense of dissatisfaction with your body and body image that can affect your confidence
• A sense of frustration and feeling that "nothing works for you" in terms of healthy eating and healthy lifestyle changes, bringing you to go back to unhealthy habits or binging
• A continuous yo-yo dieting

These consequences are more visible in women over 40s, where the first sign of hormone imbalances start to appear, slowing down your metabolism and making it more difficult to lose those extra few pounds, no matter how much you exercise.

A diet won’t fix disordered eating but changing your mindset and your relationship with food will.

If you are a disordered eater, you will need a long program of support that slowly will change your eating and lifestyle habits to help you lay the foundation of healthy eating habits and reconnect you with your body.

I help women just like you to move on from disordered eating and yo-yo dieting to a more balanced and happier relationship with food.

I am now available for consultations

Book your complimentary consultation here https://calendly.com/claudia-armani or visit my website here thehealthygourmet.co.uk

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