Today we are gonna cover a topic that is something we talk about pretty much constantly… your nutrition. NOW here’s where this episode is different, today we are gonna examine what you do when you hit the obsession wall. Does it happen to everyone? Of course not, but it happens to enough people, and it’s happened to us… before we start, we are not therapists and we are not registered dieticians, if you are exhibiting symptoms of disordered eating, pls seek professional help. Disclaimer is outta the way, so let’s chat, yeah?

WHAT’S NORMAL?
We talk about tracking your food a lot, like a lot a lot, and we’ve talked about portion sizes and whatnot before, so what’s a normal amount of obsession when it comes to tracking your nutrition?

1. You track your food, but you don’t agonize over every single calorie or macro. “Good enough” is completely acceptable in our opinion… so you went over five calories on your dinner, who gives a shit? Those five calories will disappear relatively easy in the wash and you won’t fuck your goals.
2. You take breaks. Do you get food tracker burnout? I do. If this happens, take it as an excuse to take a break for a week or so. Still stick to your general overall plan, but don’t track your calories.
   • Remember the 80/20 plan? This is why we love it so much, it gives you the daily allowance of fucking off for a meal or a snack, and sometimes that’s all the mental break you need to stay on track.
3. You indulge from time to time. You understand that not everything has to be perfect all the time and there’s definitely room in your day for a cookie or scoop of ice cream after a shitty day.
   • Watched a video the other day that said “diet culture has ruined us because it’s acceptable to come home and drink half a bottle of wine after a bad day at work but if you have ice cream you’re a failure.” Amen, sister.
4. You don’t feel guilty after you eat. This is a big one when it comes to warning signs. If you’re feeling some shades of guilt for your food choices, it may be time to talk to a therapist and registered dietician.
   • We could talk about this in more depth, but again, not professionals in this arena so we are gonna stop there and suggest seeking help if you’re struggling with this. If you need to be pointed in the right direction, please send us an e-mail and we can help you find someone to help.

WHAT’S EXTREME?

1. Tracking your food can be a slippery slope, we’ve both been there, so don’t do what we did! This podcast really should have just been called “Learn From Our Mistakes” but that’s a shit pod name from a marketing and branding standpoint so here we are.
2. Orthorexia is the heart of the topic today. By definition, Orthorexia nervosa is perhaps best summarized as an obsession with healthy eating with associated restrictive behaviors. However, the attempt to attain optimum health through attention to diet may lead to malnourishment, loss of relationships, and poor quality of life.
3. Warning signs:
   1. A preoccupation with eating “optimally” can crowd out other meaningful aspects of life, such as social activities, work, or heck, just eating for pleasure.
      • Feel unhappy with their bodies
      • Overfocus on themselves, especially how they look to other
      • Depend on external performance standards and approval (but never feel quite good enough, even if they do well)
      • Struggle to maintain strong and supportive relationships
      • Health-conscious people, athletes, coaches, and other folks in the wellness industry are more prone to orthorexia than others. 
4. Now let me say, that just because you track your food and try to eat healthier, DOES NOT mean you have orthorexia, but if your behavior starts to spiral, then maybe it’s time for a discussion.
5. How’s your relationship with food? How concerned are you with the “health factor” of the food on your plate every meal? Things to check yourself on to make sure you’re still operating within the safe realm of food tracking. Do you do any of these?
   • Often feel anxious about food
   • Feel guilty about nutrition “transgressions” 
   • Spend a lot of time and/or energy planning and/or evaluating your food choices
   • THESE can be signs that you should re-evaluate your relationship with food.
6. I lifted this litmus test from a Precision Nutrition coach e-mail I got last week: If you’re going on a long road trip, and the only place to stop and eat is McDonald’s… what would you do? Does it bother you? Would it piss you off? Would you be anxious? What would you order? THINK ABOUT IT. You don’t need to answer us right now. 🙂

HOW DO I FIX IT?

1. First and foremost, if you think you’re struggling with disorder eating, TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL. Again, if you need help finding someone, e-mail us. We are fucking great at Googling shit when our friends need help. Eating well shouldn’t be a chore or a punishment, it’s meant to enrich your daily life and help you feel better… don’t twist it into something horrendous.
2. Look for influencers who preach body neutrality and intuitive eating.
3. Know that it’s okay to transition off of “tracker mode” from time to time, or permanently. If something like 20 calories of rice is ruining your day, then Houston, we have a problem.
4. Hire a coach. They can be expensive, but sometimes you need the extra hand holding, make sure you find a coach that aligns with your philosophy.
5. FOR MORE INFO: We just scratched the surface today, so I attached an article from the National Library of Medicine in the show notes. If you really want a full deep dive into the topic, that’s where you can find it.

It’s just food, dude. We all gotta eat it, we need it. Pls make sure you find a happy place with it in your brain, life is hard enough, you don’t need to crucify yourself over your food choices.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6370446/#:~:text=Orthorexia%20nervosa%20is%20perhaps%20best,and%20poor%20quality%20of%20life.