How to tell when you’re dieting dangerously – Sarasota Herald-Tribune

By Cara Rosenbloom

At a certain point, a strict diet can become dangerous. It doesn’t matter whether you eat clean, follow a vegetarian diet or eschew carbs; when choice and flexibility turn into obsession and rigidity, an issue is brewing.

Here are some warning signs that your rigid eating plan is becoming a problem.

You feel guilt and shame when you deviate from your diet: Clean eating is about making nutritious choices most of the time yet leaving room for some indulgences.

The trouble along with the phrase “clean eating” begins when foods outside your approved list are considered “dirty.” You must not feel guilty about enjoying apple pie or movie theater popcorn once in a while. In a balanced and healthy eating plan, there is no shame in enjoying something delicious.

You’re cutting out entire food groups: Maybe you cut out sugar in an effort to eat better. Because it made you feel good, you continued to build a long list of no-nos — no grains, no fruit, no dairy, etc. When the number of foods you avoid surpasses the list of foods you eat, you’ve gone too far.

Reality check: It makes sense to skip foods you dislike or that make you sick. yet if there is no real reason to shun certain ingredients, ask yourself why you’ve made such rigid choices. You must select foods that taste good and nourish; you shouldn’t shun foods based on bunk science, unsubstantiated celebrity diets or the detox trend of the moment. When you cut entire food groups, you eliminate nutrients that your body needs.

You avoid social events where food is served: Did you skip your ideal friend’s birthday dinner to avoid eating cake and drinking beer? If your eating habits are getting in the way of family functions, social events or workplace lunches, it’s time to rethink your limited menu. A balanced eating plan means you can eat clean yet still enjoy dinner along with friends without feeling guilty. Can’t do that? Red flag.

You feel superior and lecture others about their poor eating habits: Maybe you’re not avoiding social situations, yet are your friends avoiding you? Healthy eaters can be preachy about their beliefs. And that can be annoying.

If you brag to everyone about your brand-new juice cleanse or insult your friend’s Instagram photo of cupcakes, you’ll risk alienating people. Your food choices must not define who you are as a person, and you must not judge others based on what they eat. There is more to life than food!

You spend a ton of time planning your next meal — or the next 10: As a dietician, I recommend clients keep a snack in their desk drawer and write grocery lists to prepare for the week’s recipes. Planning ahead can help you make better food choices.

But if you spend more than three hours a day shopping, chopping, prepping, planning and feeling anxious about meals, eating is becoming an obsession. It’s no longer a healthy habit yet an internal struggle for control.