Are You too Obsessed with Eating Healthy or Eating Clean?

Are You too Obsessed with Eating Healthy or Eating Clean?

Are you on a journey to eat the cleanest, best-sourced food as much as possible? And are you also a firm believer that it’s not just about what you eat, but the quality of the ingredients matters too? In today’s wellness-driven world, many people aim to eat healthily, but when does a focus on “clean” eating cross the line into an unhealthy obsession?

Unfortunately, this intense focus can quickly spiral into an exhausting, all-consuming fixation on food purity, robbing individuals of peace and flexibility in their diets.

Orthorexia nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by an obsession with eating healthy, often starts with good intentions. While the term “orthorexia” isn’t yet formally recognized in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), many mental health professionals and dietitians see it as an emerging form of disordered eating.

Unlike anorexia, which centers on limiting calories and weight loss, orthorexia is marked by the obsession with the quality, purity, and cleanliness of food. Although the initial goal might be to eat healthily, orthorexia leads to inflexibility, often at the expense of other parts of life, and can compromise overall health, both mentally and physically.

People struggling with orthorexia typically experience:

• Constant Anxiety About Food: Thoughts about food dominate daily life, often leading to stress or anxiety over meal choices.

• Avoiding Social Events Involving Food: The need for control over food can make social dining situations overwhelming or even unbearable.

• Rigidity and Rules: Setting strict, self-imposed rules about what is allowed or forbidden, often avoiding foods they deem impure or unhealthy.

• Guilt and Shame: Deviating from these self-imposed food rules can lead to intense guilt or shame.

• Physical Health Issues: Despite the intention to be healthy, orthorexia can lead to nutrient deficiencies, weight loss, and physical exhaustion from a restricted diet.

For those with orthorexia, this obsession creates a painful struggle, robbing them of a relaxed relationship with food and interfering with personal relationships, mental well-being, and often physical health.

If you’re wondering whether your approach to healthy eating may be taking over your life, this quick quiz can help you recognize whether orthorexia could be affecting you.

Do You Have Orthorexia? Take This Quiz to Find Out

Answer each question as honestly as possible:

1. Do you spend significant time each day obsessing over the quality or purity of your food?

2. Do you feel stressed or anxious when food choices are out of your control?

3. Do you avoid eating with others to maintain control over your food choices?

4. Have you eliminated entire food groups to avoid what you consider “unhealthy” foods?

5. Do you feel a sense of guilt or shame if you break your dietary rules?

6. Is your diet increasingly restrictive, and do you continue adding more “forbidden” foods over time?

7. Has your focus on food quality interfered with your relationships or daily activities?

8. Do you feel superior to others who don’t follow your dietary rules?

9. Has your focus on food purity led to noticeable weight loss or health issues?

10. Do you feel that your overall happiness and self-worth are deeply tied to your dietary choices?

If you answered “yes” to several of these questions, you may be experiencing orthorexia tendencies. Recognizing this is the first step toward finding freedom and healing.

Orthorexia is a serious condition that can lead to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. If your relationship with food feels overwhelming, rigid, or painful, it’s time to reach out for help. Working with an experienced dietitian hypnotherapist in disordered eating can guide you to develop a healthier, more balanced relationship with food.

Ready to Reclaim Joy and Flexibility with Food?

Take the first step today and schedule a Strategy Call with us who understands your emotions with food. Together, we’ll work toward a sustainable, joyful approach to eating that supports your health without consuming your life. You deserve a balanced, fulfilling relationship with food, and support is just a step away.