Topic Overview: Dieting is one of the leading risk factors in the development of an eating disorder. “Diet” means different things to different people. Typically, when we “go on a diet,” we lower our caloric intake by limiting what we eat. Sometimes we end up limiting it TOO much.

CED Docs’ Philosophy: The problem with dieting is that without guidelines or a support system in place, we can set unrealistic weight-loss goals for ourselves and lose control trying to attain them. That’s when eating disorders begin to unfold.

Two examples of eating disorders that can potentially develop as a result of dieting spinning out of control: Anorexia Nervosa, a disorder that is caused by an intense fear of gaining weight, and Orthorexia - an extreme take on healthy eating where the individual will not allow him or herself to eat anything that is not deemed “healthy”.

Tips/solutions: Healthy ways to keep your weight and health in check:

• Stop dieting
• Make healthy lifestyle changes for long-term health and weight maintenance
• Meet with a nutritionist to set realistic goals and specific challenges
• As opposed to eating multiple small meals throughout the day where you never allow yourself to be really hungry or really full and therefore never really satisfied, we at CED recommend eating three square meals and one snack a day.

Relevant articles:

• National Eating Disorder Association’s “kNOw Dieting: Risks and reasons to stop”
• National Eating Disorder Association’s “Listen to your body”
• Link between diets and eating disorders
• Info on orthorexia