Challenges with food and disliking your body can be an intense and persistent struggle, you may even start to wonder, do I have an eating disorder?

I would like to start by saying that if you are even asking the question of “do I have an eating disorder?” even if only in those far recesses of your brain, then you are struggling more than you have to and you could benefit from support regardless of whether or not you have a diagnosable eating disorder.

Do you find yourself “saving up” or “making up” for food eaten. Do you help yourself “earn food” through exercise? This is common around the holidays, but here’s why it’s problematic.

Have you noticed that many cookbooks and recipes are designed to feed four or more people? What about people who live alone? Don’t we deserve to eat well too? Of course we do! Here are a few tips on planning for and preparing easy meals for one person.

One of the biggest lies that diet culture sells you in subtle and not so subtle ways is that you aren’t thinner because you lack self-control and willpower.

And it is super convincing. You believe that your lack of self-control is what is standing in the way between a healthier, thinner and happier you.

If only you could stay on track

If only you could control your portion sizes better

If only you could keep your hands off of the “junk” food in the house

If only you drank more water

If only you didn’t stress or emotionally eat

It feels terrible to feel like it is all your fault. That there is something wrong with you. That you are lazy. That you lack self-control.

Did you know that dieting is the #1 risk factor for developing an eating disorder?

I didn’t know that when I was a teenager. And I suspect my parents didn’t either. We can’t guarantee that our kids will be safe from developing disordered eating or an eating disorder, but we can help reduce their risk by discouraging dieting in the first place.

What’s really awesome is that parents can be the first line of defense against dieting and disordered eating.

Has this ever happened to you?

You start getting into some sort of movement/exercise, you settle into a rhythm with it, you actually feel pretty good. You are sleeping better, your mood is elevated, you actually feel a little better in your body. You think you’ve got a good thing going.

Then you get on the scale… and it hasn’t gone down, maybe it has gone up.

So you stop. As far as you are concerned, if you are not losing weight, then clearly it’s not working.

Maybe you are someone that has had many previous New Year’s resolutions that were related to weight loss and fitness. In year’s past the excitement of a new beginning was palpable once the confetti settled - the promise of a new, fitter, thinner, healthier version of yourself. But maybe now you are someone that is beginning to question all the hype around weight loss resolutions.

After all, once that confetti does settle you are left with food rules that feel boring and you are finding yourself more and more “cheating” on your diet. But if you are someone that has relied on the “guard rails” of food rules from following a certain plan or diet to know how to eat, you may be finding yourself asking…

If I don’t diet, then what?