When it comes to healthy eating and being mindful of what we put into our bodies, it can be easy to become fixated on the idea of being “perfect”. However, this pursuit of perfection can quickly turn into an unhealthy relationship with food.
Orthorexia is a condition that involves an unhealthy obsession with eating only “healthy” foods. While being mindful of what we eat is important, orthorexia takes it to an extreme level that can be detrimental to one’s physical and mental health.
If you’re concerned that you might have an unhealthy relationship with food, take our orthorexia quiz to find out:.
1. Do you spend a large amount of time planning your meals and researching the nutritional content of foods?
It’s not uncommon to want to be knowledgeable about what we eat and make informed choices. However, if you find that you’re spending an excessive amount of time researching and planning your meals, it could be a sign of orthorexia.
This behavior can also lead to feelings of anxiety or guilt when deviating from your strict dietary plan.
2. Do you feel guilty or anxious when you eat something that you consider “unhealthy”?
Feeling guilty or anxious after eating something that you perceive as “unhealthy” can be a sign of an unhealthy relationship with food.
The constant pressure to eat only “clean” foods can lead to a restrictive mindset, causing you to feel guilty or anxious when you eat something that doesn’t fit into your dietary plan.
3. Do you avoid social situations that involve food because of your dietary restrictions?
If your strict dietary plan is causing you to avoid social situations or events that involve food, it could be a sign of orthorexia. This behavior can lead to feelings of isolation or loneliness, which can affect your mental health.
4. Do you feel like you have to compensate or “earn” your food after overindulging?
Feeling like you have to compensate for or “earn” food after overindulging can be a sign of an unhealthy relationship with food.
This behavior can also lead to restrictive patterns of behavior, such as skipping meals or over-exercising, which can have negative impacts on your physical health.
5. Do you feel like you’ve lost control over your eating habits?
If you feel like you’ve lost control over your eating habits, it may be time to reassess your relationship with food.
Orthorexia can cause a preoccupation with food that can lead to feelings of anxiety or guilt when not adhering to a strict dietary plan. Additionally, feeling like you’re not in control of your eating habits can be a sign of disordered eating.
6. Do you find that your dietary restrictions are impacting your daily life?
If your strict dietary plan is impacting your daily life, it’s important to take a step back and evaluate your relationship with food.
It’s one thing to make informed choices about what we eat, but it’s another thing entirely when those choices are negatively affecting our quality of life.
7. Do you find yourself judging others based on their food choices?
Judging others based on their food choices can be a sign of an unhealthy relationship with food.
It’s important to recognize that everyone has their own unique relationship with food, and it’s not up to us to judge or shame others for their choices.
8. Do you constantly compare your own eating habits to those of others?
Constantly comparing your own eating habits to those of others can be a sign of orthorexia.
This behavior can lead to feelings of inadequacy or self-doubt, and may even cause you to adopt extremely restrictive eating habits in an attempt to “keep up” with others.
9. Do you feel like you need to constantly improve or perfect your diet?
If you feel like you need to constantly improve or perfect your diet, it could be a sign of an unhealthy relationship with food.
The constant pressure to be “perfect” can lead to obsessive behaviors and negative impacts on your mental health.
10. Do you feel like your eating habits are controlling your life?
If you feel like your eating habits are controlling your life, it may be time to seek help. Orthorexia can cause a preoccupation with food that can lead to negative impacts on your mental and physical health.
It’s important to recognize when your relationship with food has become unhealthy and take steps to address it.
: Results
If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, it’s important to speak with a healthcare provider or mental health professional about your relationship with food.
Orthorexia can have serious impacts on your physical and mental health, and it’s important to get the help you need in order to develop a healthy relationship with food.