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(Diet) Culture & Society

Understanding EDs

News & Research

Treatment & Recovery

Body Image

Food & Fitness

For a large portion of her illness, Equip Peer Mentor Stacy Jones blamed herself for her eating disorder. “I spent several years thinking I just had a problem with willpower,” Jones says. “I read so many books about developing willpower and became more and more discouraged—I figured I must've been the problem.”

Jones describes a feeling many people with eating disorders are familiar with—particularly those who struggle with 

 Despite the fact that BED is the most common eating disorder in the United States, it’s arguably one of most misunderstood and stigmatized. There's often a misrepresentation of binge eating disorder facts. 

The uncontrollable urge to eat large amounts of food (bingeing) characteristic of BED is often considered a personal failure in our 

-entrenched society, though we know it’s almost always a biological response to food deprivation. And because BED is more common among people in larger bodies, those with the disorder may feel even more exposed and vulnerable to 

People with BED might be used to hearing that binges — a symptom of their eating disorder — are the result of a lack of willpower. Not only is BED 

 an issue of willpower, but it’s a complex neurobiological mental illness, just like all eating disorders. The physiological, psychological, and emotional components of the disease are powerful and can’t be overlooked. Here’s what everyone should know about binge eating disorder facts.

Binge eating disorder facts: Why BED has nothing to do with willpower

: the most common eating disorder in the U.S., affecting about 2.8 million people; an illness that, unlike other EDs, affects males and females fairly equally; a 

 influenced by myriad genetic and environmental factors. Here’s what BED is 

: the manifestation of any sort of personal shortcoming.

“Let's remember that eating disorders provide a ‘false sense of control’ over our lives, starting with what we choose to eat or how our body looks,” Equip Dietician Gabriela Cohen says. “That ‘high’ or feeling of ‘pride’ from restricting gives a false sense of success. Ultimately, you are failing to actually take care of your body. Depriving the body of nourishment often leads to binge eating behaviors which are simply the response to that restriction.”

Cohen is describing one of many potential root causes at the heart of 

eating disorders: restriction. While food deprivation is considered one of the hallmark symptoms of anorexia, restriction is also a significant component of binge eating disorder because of something known as the “

, most binges are preceded by a period of restriction, because the physical hunger and mental exhaustion of food deprivation is unsustainable. In BED, the never-ending list of food “rules” and attempts to “be good” (i.e. restrict) result in inevitable “slip-ups” (i.e. binges), leading to a frustrating and potentially dangerous cycle of restricting, bingeing, feeling shame, and restricting again.

“That idea that binges are due to a lack of willpower can cause feelings of guilt, defeat, and anxiety, which in turn trigger even 

 binge eating disorder behaviors and the continuation of the binge-restriction cycle” Cohen says.

Jones agrees that any form of restriction can contribute to the difficulties of BED. “Oftentimes people address physical restriction but not 

 restriction,” she says. “Labeling food as ‘good’ and ‘bad,’ avoiding ‘unhealthy’ foods, and other forms of mental restriction are also likely to increase binge urges.”

Equip Therapy Lead Brittney Lauro also says the willpower mindset goes against our primal human need for nourishment. “In truth, our brains haven’t evolved all that much,” she says. “So when we apply the willpower mindset to something like cutting out sugar or carbs, it activates the deprivation fear in our brain. We were designed to operate this way because it’s what helped us survive: we would increase our intake of food when resources were available so we could survive when resources weren’t, like in a harsh winter. Even when we can intellectually understand that food is available, this primal fear of deprivation gets activated, leading us to binge eat, or feel out of control with our eating.”

It’s also possible for BED to serve as a form of emotion regulation. “For some, it might be a form of grounding, for others it might serve as a way to check-out or desensitize ourselves when painful memories or experiences are prompted,” Lauro says. “For those who are neurodiverse, binge eating might be associated with ‘stimming,’ or self-regulating.”

“Diet culture loves to moralize foods, thoughts, and behaviors, such as how restricting ‘bad foods’ should be viewed as a sign of strength that one should be proud of,” says Equip Dietician Gabriela Cohen. “When you restrict your diet, the body craves an influx of food. Giving in to this natural response through overeating or binge eating, is then is looked at as ‘failure’ in the eyes of diet culture.’”

Because this diet culture mentality is woven in the fabric of our modern society, it plays an undeniable role in the shame spiral. “We live in a society where we are conditioned to believe that if we just work harder we can do anything, like losing weight,” says Lauro. “The reality is that life isn’t that simple. The myths around willpower generate billions of dollars in revenue to the diet industry.” When willpower is marketed as the solution to everything, those with BED can be consumed with shame that their eating disorder behaviors are the result of their own lack of discipline.

Lauro adds, “In nearly all instances where I have professionally treated BED, as well as when I worked in the fitness industry, I have seen folks come in with the idea that their willpower will change it all,” she says. “I can see so clearly how this idea is normalized. We see it in the media, written on the walls of workout centers, and we hear it from healthcare professionals, colleagues, friends, and family.”

How to overcome the “willpower” mindset and actually heal BED

Considering the diet culture we’re all immersed in, separating from this mindset might be difficult — but it’s possible. Accepting and understanding the need for self-compassion and actionable steps toward treatment will help ensure long-lasting recovery from any eating disorder.

“The good news is, nearly all effective strategies for coping with and treating binge eating don’t require or involve willpower,” Lauro says. “Moreover, they don’t involve removing certain food groups from your life or home—in fact, this is often a surefire way to increase the probability of binge eating in the future.”

Because the restrictive behaviors at the root of BED inevitably perpetuate the cycle of 

, experts say establishing or re-establishing consistent patterns around food is critical to recovery. “First and foremost, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of a regular pattern of eating,” Lauro says. “What that means is three meals and two to three snacks eaten at regular intervals of time throughout the day, making sure to never go more than three to four hours without an instance of eating.”

While the contents of those meals and snacks may differ from person to person, the goal is to adequately satiate the body and brain to prevent the fear of deprivation. “For some people, having consistent eating instances as well as dietary variety will resolve or quiet down the binge eating,” Lauro says.

Cohen agrees that the primary treatment strategy for BED must focus on building regular eating patterns with the support of a team. “Yes, you actually need to eat to overcome BED,” she says. “With the support of a team, you’ll also be challenged to break your food rules and restrictions, and eat your fear foods consistently, because if restriction persists, the binge-restrict cycle will continue.”

Working with a team using enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy

Another effective strategy experts used to treat BED in an evidence-based modality called 

 or CBT-E. This modality is a multi-stage, highly individualized approach that includes monitoring and noting thoughts, which is vastly different from a typical food log or what you might see in a fitness app says Lauro. Monitoring is designed to be completed in the moment, which in and of itself serves as a way to slow down, or disrupt, the process of binge eating. Oftentimes, folks describe feeling like they get into a ‘spiral’ during binge episodes that leads to feeling out of control. By utilizing an evidenced-based tool like a monitoring record, you can intervene with the spiral and create an ‘in the moment’ pause.”

Establishing distress tolerance techniques

While binges can often occur as a result of longtime restriction, there are other potential psychological and emotional factors at play that people should be aware of as they move toward recovery. “Many people end up binge eating as a way to avoid emotions—and this can even serve as a survival technique, like in cases of trauma,” Lauro says. “Healing from binge eating involves learning to sit with discomfort and tolerate distress. You can certainly practice this on your own if you feel it’s accessible and safe, but if you’d like more support, or binging is tied to more intense experiences, I highly recommend working with an eating disorder specialist to assist creating a strategic guide to building up distress tolerance.”

Jones says it’s imperative to explore the emotions that arise in the moments leading up to, during, and after a binge from a place of curiosity to help better understand the causes behind it. To truly work through the challenges of the illness, confronting and navigating the unpleasant feelings underlying the disorder is paramount. “One of the foundations for recovering from BED is working through shame and learning binge eating disorder facts,” she says. “If you experience shame, know that society has placed it on you and it’s not yours to carry. When we relate to binges from a place of compassion it holds less power. This creates space for healing and moving beyond BED.”

If you or someone you love might be struggling with binge eating disorder, know that there’s support available. 

 with our team to learn more about virtual eating disorder treatment at Equip.

Bray, Brenna, Chris Bray, et al. “Mental Health Aspects of Binge Eating Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Mixed-Methods Study of Binge Eating Disorder Experts’ Perspectives.” Frontiers in Psychiatry 13 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.953203.

CBT-E. Accessed October 24, 2023. https://www.cbte.co/.

Binge Eating Disorder Isn’t About Willpower. Here’s What It Is About.

I was 17-years-old when I bought my first Victoria’s Secret bra. The year was 2001: 

 swept the Emmys, and I dove head-first into an 

 that would claim the better part of my next two decades. But back to that bra. It was shiny, black, and padded to such a comically cushioned point, my quickly diminishing breasts almost created the illusion of cleavage. But the straps were really the main attraction with every millimeter bedazzled in gaudy, era-appropriate rhinestones. I was obsessed with it. It represented everything I wanted to be at that point of time: sparkling, seductive, and—as the retailer assured me I would be if I kept investing in their products—

No seriously, that was the name of the bra: the Victoria’s Secret Very Sexy™ Push-Up Bra. But even with that absurd level of in-your-face co-opting and marketing of female sexuality, I never connected any dots between my own lifelong struggle with 

 to the largest lingerie retailer in the United States. That is, until Hulu released the three-part docuseries 

In all honesty, from the perspective of an obsessive pop culture analyst and women’s health advocate, the series was somewhat disappointing in that its main focus was on the misdeeds of the rich, white men behind the scenes—an important story to tell of course, but it felt like adding insult to injury to see the likes of Jeffrey Epstein stealing the spotlight from the victims in this re-telling. And while I’m referring to the literal victims of Epstein’s horrific crimes here, I’m also talking about others who suffered as a direct result of Victoria’s Secret's booming success: its female executives, its models, and the millions of consumers who bought into the dangerous fantasy it perpetuated.

Even though the villainization of Victoria’s Secret is well-deserved in so many ways, it’s imperative to understand that the company was not the first to equate thinness, whiteness, and a very specific allowance of curves to the notion of beauty. It is true that the retailer has been hawking that extremely narrow definition of sexiness 

 (doubling and tripling down on these efforts in 1982 and onward when controversial businessman Les Wexner took the helm). But 

 had been peddling a similar image since 1953, and Barbie’s unfathomable measurements debuted in 1959. And 

, women had been bombarded with weight, size, and shape ideals that were largely unattainable for the majority of bodies. Victoria’s Secret is not solely responsible for the creation of an impossible-to-most ideal, but the company is without a doubt one of the main contributors to the proliferation of body dysmorphia that has afflicted generations of women in record numbers. And it’s the culmination of all those images and messages over time that has played a part in the 

There’s another important truth to keep in mind here, however: eating disorders are not the inevitable by-product of an adolescence spent absorbing unrealistic, altered, and airbrushed bodies in the media. These potentially fatal 

 are rooted in biological, psychological, and social risk factors and triggers. In other words, to point a finger at a corporation like Victoria’s Secret, suggesting that the images it perpetuated are the single cause of these potentially fatal illnesses is ridiculously simplistic and just plain wrong. 

, and more. The bodies we see glorified in movies, television shows, and advertisements inevitably serve as our default standard, whether we consciously make that choice or not. And as 

 in our real lives can be for our mental and emotional well-being, it’s impossible to ignore the profound impact repeated, daily exposure to media images portraying one specific body type can and does have.

 that exposure to media images of ideal bodies is related to depression, stress, insecurity, and body dissatisfaction, which in turn is also related to eating disorder symptoms. While it's certainly not a direct and universal link that seeing these images will cause an eating disorder—if it were, everyone would have one—they are a clear part of a common cascade of risk factors setting someone on the path. If someone has genetic and brain-based risk factors, frequent media exposure to 'ideal' bodies can be the extra push,” says Cara Bohon, PhD, VP of clinical programs at Equip.

Besides being a potential trigger to those vulnerable to eating disorders, the imagery put forth by Victoria's Secret is a prime example of the underrepresentation that leads so many people to feel unworthy. Forty-plus years of Victoria’s Secret marketing would suggest the only characteristics worth pursuing are six-pack abs, voluptuous breasts, and able-bodiedness. The fact that only a sliver of the human population will ever embody those attributes has allowed Victoria’s Secret and other retailers to maintain a customer base all these years; by feeding consumers an incredibly limited notion of “beauty” defined by features 

 deemed beautiful (“they,” by the way, being mostly those aforementioned rich, white men who 

 hiring transgender or plus-size models), then they’ve ensured shoppers will keep coming back, shelling out money in hopes of getting a little closer to that seemingly successful supermodel smiling back at them from the pages of a magazine. 

But an unknown, incalculable number of individuals won’t just pursue that beauty ideal through their credit card; those predisposed to developing eating disorders due to genetics, health history, stress, or any number of 

 will sacrifice their lives in hopes of achieving that fantasy.

"I spent countless hours planning what I would do with my life once I finally achieved the thinner version of me. ‘Thinner Ally’ would graduate college, get married, love her job and finally feel confident—all things I was told wouldn't be possible until I stopped eating and exercised constantly,” says Ally Duvall, senior program development lead at Equip.

"Except, ‘thinner Ally’ was just a fantasy created by people in power hoping to make more of a profit from my body distress. I did graduate college, I am getting married and love my job—and none of that has anything to do with how my body looks or what brand of bra I wear,” she says.

And that airbrushed, glossy image of the Victoria’s Secret “Angel” really 

 fantasy—so much so that even the supermodels themselves weren’t “perfect” enough to fulfill it. In 2011, Angel Adriana Lima 

 she abstained from solid food in the nine days leading up to the brand’s annual fashion show. Last year, model Erin Heatherton 

 about using diet pills during her days as an Angel, and her former colleague Bridget Malcolm has been open about her 

. Add to all these extreme and life-threatening measures the fact that most catalog and advertising 

 anyway, and the result is a maddening, impossible-to-attain standard that no human could possibly meet—but many might die trying.

Mercifully, the Victoria’s Secret “Angel” concept 

, and with new leadership in place, the company has finally evolved past its myopic vision of beauty and brought in a group of 

 including inclusivity advocate Paloma Elsesser and gender equity campaigner and soccer star, Megan Rapinoe. It remains to be seen whether this rebranding effort can save the company’s tarnished reputation, but one thing’s for sure: it can’t undo the decades of damage it’s inflicted on countless women. Had I known at 17 what I know now, I may have reconsidered buying that bedazzled black bra circa 2001—or I would have at least known that abusing my body wasn’t a prerequisite to wear it and feel worthy.

If you or a loved one are struggling with body image distress, disordered eating, or other 

, it's important to get prompt help. Talk to your medical provider or 

Stice, E., & Shaw, H. E. (1994). Adverse effects of the media portrayed thin-ideal on women and linkages to bulimic symptomatology. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 13(3), 288–308. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.1994.13.3.288

Victoria's Secret Commandeered the Term 'Sexy' and it Contributed to the Millions Who Develop an Eating Disorder

Growing up in the golden age of teen magazines (aka the late ‘90s and early 2000s), I absorbed countless messages about what bodies “should” look like and how I could make mine look that way. Looking back at that time with modern-day vision, I can now clearly see that the majority of those messages were cringeworthy at best, and downright dangerous at worst. And while I like to think our society has come a long way in terms of how we think about and talk about bodies, I only have to go as far as Instagram or TikTok to see that we still have a lot of unlearning to do when it comes to diet culture.

Though it may not be as blatant today as it was in the ‘90s, 

—which is a set of beliefs that values thinness and weight loss above all, and often masquerades under the guise of “health” or “wellness”— has a significant impact on how we view and treat our bodies. To better understand the pervasive diet culture myths that continue to haunt us, I spoke with Equip Lead Dietitian Kristin Quill, RD and 

licensed psychotherapist Tessa Gordon, LMFT

. Here’s what they had to say about some of the most common myths they routinely debunk, where these ideas originated, and how to tune out diet culture noise, no matter where it’s coming from.

Myth #1: Carbohydrates are bad for you and you should avoid them

: From Atkins to Keto to Paleo and many others, fad diets have long villainized carbohydrates as the ultimate health underminers. In actuality, media figures have mostly had it out for this macronutrient because of its supposed hindrance on weight loss, not any real health effects. But not only are carbs 

 the enemy when it comes to nutrition, they are absolutely essential to overall well-being.

“Despite all the fear mongering done by diet culture, carbohydrates are actually very important to include in your intake throughout the day,” Quill says. “Glucose, the breakdown product of carbohydrates, is the 

most efficient source of energy for your body

. Your brain depends on glucose as its main energy source!”

Quill also points out that labeling certain foods as “bad” tends to increase fixation on that food and increases the likelihood of experiencing guilt or feeling “out of control” when eating it. “When you move away from rigidly labeling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ you create space to listen to your body and eat in a way that feels good for you, both mentally and physically,” she says.

Myth #2: You can never drink too much water

 It seems every magazine article I’ve ever read and every TikTok I’ve ever consumed has professed the benefits of ingesting water all day, every day, with no limit in sight. Those “benefits,” of course, typically revolve around weight loss. The truth, however, is that while water is vital, you 

 drink too much water!” Gordon says. “And it’s surprisingly easier than you may think.” Gordon isn’t just relaying this info as a professional: she’s actually lived the experience of chugging down too much H2O. “Take it from someone who learned this the hard way many years ago and found herself in the ER for simply drinking too much water,” she says. “While not my finest hour, I will say, I never ended up back there for that again.”

Influencers may claim that the more water you drink, the more aesthetic benefits you’ll see, but overhydration can lead to a severe electrolyte imbalance known as 

. “When you consume too much water in a certain amount of time, it dilutes the levels of electrolytes the body needs to function,” Gordon says. “The kidneys, which regulate the body’s balance of water and electrolytes, can’t get rid of the excess fluid fast enough. So the electrolyte level becomes diluted.”

One of the biggest risks of drinking too much water is 

, a condition that occurs when the blood concentration of sodium is abnormally low. “When sodium levels become low—hyponatremia—the extra water enters the cells and they start to swell, which leads to even more severe symptoms,” Gordon says.

A particularly confusing aspect of this myth is that the symptoms of water toxicity—lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, confusion, headache, muscle cramps, disorientation, etc.—are extremely similar to the symptoms of dehydration. So because of the overabundance of advice around excessive hydration, some people might drink 

 water to address certain symptoms, when they actually need to be drinking 

. And unfortunately, it doesn’t take all that much overhydration to experience water intoxication.

“It’s generally recommended not to drink more than 

, although many water bottles now hold that much or more,” Gordon says. “Water toxicity most commonly occurs in situations where someone has experienced excessive sweating and then over-replenishes, such as a hot yoga, intense workouts, spin class, or workout out in the sun.”

Myth #3: Your body is healthier when you weigh less

Consider this the reigning ruler of all diet culture myths. But no matter how many times this lie is repackaged and repeated in various forms, there is no truth to the idea that a lower weight equals a healthier body.

“Weighing less does not automatically translate to being healthier,” Quill says. “In fact, being underweight can lead to a host of consequences for mental and physical health, including worsened anxiety and depression, compromised bone health, weakened immunity, impaired digestion, and increased risk for developing 

 that found that a non-diet approach to wellness can produce similar improvements in metabolic fitness, psychology and eating behavior as a diet-centered approach—without all the harmful rhetoric and 

 approach to wellness, rooted in intuitive eating and size acceptance, led to lasting, sustainable health improvements while a diet approach did not.

“For people who are looking to improve their health, research shows that we can see sustained improvements in a variety of health parameters without a focus on weight loss,” Quill says. “Despite our society's obsession with thinness, we know that healthy bodies come in a variety of shapes and sizes.”

Myth #4: If you work hard enough, you can get the body you want (aka the body diet culture has told you you want)

 Repeatedly attempting the same impossible task over and over again inevitably has a negative impact on your mental health. And that’s just what I (and countless others) have done over the years, poring over celebrity diet and exercise plans, replicating their supposed methods, and ultimately being disappointed by the results. It turns out, even if the tabloids had correctly printed every detail of Paris Hilton’s early aughts food and fitness regimen (which I am certain they did not), and I followed it to a tee, I could have never been her doppelganger.

“If this was actually possible and attainable, wouldn’t everyone who worked hard enough and followed the ‘right’ plan have the body of their dreams by now?” Gordon says. “This myth exists to support diet culture. The lie is that your body weight and size is completely under your control, and if you do all the ‘right things’ then you can change your body to look how you want it to look. It oversimplifies weight to calories in, calories out, when it is far more nuanced. Body shape, size, weight, fat distribution, presence of cellulite, bones, ligaments, muscle mass, etc. are not determined solely by exercise and diet.”

No matter what the internet or any outdated article claims, weight and shape are not exclusively determined by diet and exercise. 

 genetics to race, ethnicity, age, gender, hormone levels, stress, health conditions, medications, sleep, mood, and trauma can contribute to why our bodies look and perform the way they do. Not to mention access to food, healthcare, and other services, which is hugely impactful as well, and largely out of our control.

“Suggesting that anyone can set a body goal based on weight and body size is unrealistic because it implies that the ability to change your weight and body composition is fully within your control. It sets people up for frustration and disappointment, and for an internalized sense of failure and shame when it doesn't work,” Gordon says. “And if any changes do occur, they are rarely sustainable.”

Myth #5: You only deserve to eat when you’re hungry

While “honor your hunger” can often be good advice, and is one of the core tenets of 

, it has its limitations. There are plenty of times when it’s totally fine—and, in fact, wise—to eat when you don’t feel physically hungry: you might need to eat before you’re hungry because of logistical concerns (you’re about to be in the car for a few hours and need to fuel up beforehand, for instance); or you might eat without hunger because you want to share a joyful experience with others (you just ate a satisfying meal but now your family is going out for ice cream).

 is an important part of having a healthy relationship with food, this is a nuanced topic,” Quill says. “Let's say it's 12 p.m. and you're not particularly hungry for lunch, but you’re heading into hours of back-to-back meetings all afternoon; it's important to eat something so you don't get ravenous later on. Even if you're not hungry for dessert at a family wedding, eating a slice of wedding cake can help you connect with the joy of the event. Food is more than just fuel—it can be a powerful way to connect to celebration, love and cultural traditions.”

Diet culture myths continue to permeate our society, and it can feel difficult to differentiate myths from reality. In general, Gordon recommends avoiding rules or beliefs that use all-or-nothing thinking, and looking out for language like “always/never,” “good/bad,” “should/shouldn’t.” When you notice yourself following one of those rules, take a step back and consider 

you’re doing so, and whether or not it serves you. “This can be a great place to start in getting curious about where the beliefs you have come from,” she says.

It can be difficult to rebel against diet culture, but it’s worth it. Doing so not only reduces your risk of developing an eating disorder and helps you support those in your life who might be struggling with one, but also frees up your mind from the guilt and judgment that accompanies so many of these beliefs. Ultimately, you are the number one expert on your body, and tuning out myths like these will help you tune into what your body truly needs.

Peechakara BV, Gupta M. Water Toxicity. [Updated 2023 Jun 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537231/

Bacon, L et al. “Evaluating a 'non-diet' wellness intervention for improvement of metabolic fitness, psychological well-being and eating and activity behaviors.” International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders : journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity vol. 26,6 (2002): 854-65. 

Bacon, Linda et al. “Size acceptance and intuitive eating improve health for obese, female chronic dieters.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association vol. 105,6 (2005): 929-36. 

Institute of Medicine (US) Subcommittee on Military Weight Management. Weight Management: State of the Science and Opportunities for Military Programs. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2004. 3, Factors That Influence Body Weight. Available from: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221834/

Debunking 5 Diet Culture Myths that Continue to Haunt Us

When it comes to defining and diagnosing eating disorders, many people tend to focus on problematic behaviors: 

, frequent post-meal bathroom trips, excessive hours at the gym, evidence of 

. While it’s impossible to ignore the significant role that disordered behaviors play in these illnesses, eating disorder thoughts can be just as harmful. In fact, detrimental or maladaptive thoughts are central to the multilayered nature of 

Put simply, eating disorder thoughts are thoughts that align with and contribute to the eating disorder mindset. They’re thoughts that arise not from your own mind, but from the logic of the illness, thoughts that fuel the values, choices, and actions desired by the eating disorder.

This sounds quite sinister (and it is), but unfortunately, it can actually be kind of tricky to identify eating disorder thoughts. That’s because many of the same thoughts that are characteristic of eating disorders have also become normalized in our society, thanks to 

. Constant self-monitoring, questioning, and shame around eating and exercise behaviors are, in some ways, expected and encouraged in our society. Meanwhile, we’re constantly told that only certain bodies have value, and that we should all be working toward attaining one of those bodies by becoming smaller. When our thoughts seem to align with these societal values, it’s easy to dismiss them as “normal,” or even good, when they’re quite the opposite.

To better understand how many of the “normalized” thoughts in our diet-centric world are actually disordered—and how to counter them—I asked Equip Therapist Lead Jonathan Levine, LCSW, to share five common examples from his clinical work. Here, Levine helps break down why certain thoughts are anything but “normal,” how to start changing cognitive patterns, and when to seek expert help.

Eating disorder thought 1: "I shouldn't eat all day so I can eat freely at the restaurant with my friends tonight."

According to Levine, one common thought that is often written off as a rational way to “save up” calories revolves around all-day restriction. In reality, minimizing or completely eliminating food during the day in an effort to “earn” an evening meal isn’t healthy or sustainable; on the contrary, 

it can set the stage for all types of eating disorders

“So many people feel as though they need to ‘earn’ their food or calories, and that in order to enjoy eating out, you need to be ‘good’ the rest of the day by not eating,” Levine says. “This transactional thinking and hyperfocus on controlling what, when, and where we eat is sadly normalized in our society, and is a sign that you may be struggling with 

Eating disorder thought 2: "I need to go for an extra long run/workout because of what I ate yesterday."

The flipside of “earning” food by restricting beforehand is “making up” for food by exercising away the calories afterward. But contrary to nearly all the messaging we encounter on a daily basis from social media, influencers, and fitness brands, you don’t need to pay penance for eating through physical activity.

Not only is the “calories in, calories out” view on weight loss considered 

outdated, overly simplistic, and completely inaccurate

, but there are also a slew of health benefits related to exercise that have 

nothing to do with calorie burn or weight

. When you view workouts solely as compensatory measures for consuming food, you increase your risk of developing eating disorders like bulimia by using exercise as 

“Having a meal or food item connected to compensatory behavior, like exercise, is a warning sign of disordered eating,” Levine says. “Food is not earned, it is required.”

Eating disorder thought 3: "I can't eat in front of people because they might judge what or how much I'm eating."

Many people who (even unknowingly) struggle with disordered eating harbor a lot of 

fear and shame around eating around other people

. There are various reasons different people might dread or avoid eating in front of others, but fear of judgment or rejection for food choices or eating behaviors are two big ones. Because eating disorders thrive in isolation, opting out of social situations that involve food can be a slippery slope, leading to increasingly disordered thoughts and habits.

“Deep anxiety around eating in front of others is a warning sign that your eating is regimented, controlled, rigid, or compulsive,” Levine says.

Eating disorder thought 4: "I can't eat it if I don't know the calories or can't log the calories."

The ubiquitousness of calorie counts on restaurant menus and the proliferation of food tracking apps has unfortunately normalized obsessive counting, tracking, and logging when it comes to eating. While some people may find nutrition information helpful or empowering, those prone to disordered eating can quickly become overwhelmed by the onslaught of numbers, and feel compelled to know and record the nutritional content of anything they consume. This desire to control every bite of food can spiral into an obsession and ultimately manifest in an eating disorder.

“Calorie counting in and of itself is a massive warning sign of disordered eating and possibly an eating disorder,” Levine says. “If you or someone you know struggles to eat something without specific nutritional info, or they compulsively log all that they eat into an app or note, that's a sign that there is disordered eating or an eating disorder present.”

Eating disorder thought 5: "I need to be a certain weight and definitely don't want to be a certain number."

For many people, numbers—on the scale, on clothing tags, on BMI charts, and more—have erroneously become barometers of health or self-worth. In reality, reaching or maintaining a specific weight has nothing to do with achieving or sustaining overall well-being, and striving for an arbitrary number can provoke unnecessary and detrimental stress, anxiety, and compulsive behaviors.

“A hyperfocus on one's weight as a metric of value is, sadly, normalized in this society where we equate thinness and beauty,” Levine says. “However, this value is also deeply related to eating disorder pathology and thoughts. If you are extremely concerned about being a certain number or fearful of going over a number, it's a good time to assess if you're struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder.”

If you or someone you know grapples with any of these thoughts or similar preoccupations around food, exercise, or body size, 

” to deserve support, and seeking out expert guidance sooner than later can help prevent an eating disorder from developing or becoming more entrenched. Working with a multidisciplinary team, including therapists, dietitians, medical doctors, and support members can make all the difference in permanent recovery and true health—both in your body and your mind.

Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2019. “Bulimia Nervosa.” Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2019. 

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/eating-disorders/bulimia-nervosa

NHS. 2021. “Benefits of Exercise.” NHS. NHS. August 4, 2021. 

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-health-benefits/

Thomas, Diana M., M. Cristina Gonzalez, Andrea Z. Pereira, Leanne M. Redman, and Steven B. Heymsfield. 2014. “Time to Correctly Predict the Amount of Weight Loss with Dieting.” Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 114 (6): 857–61. 