Dieting is a common part of modern life. Many people adjust their eating habits in pursuit of better health. In most cases, these efforts are harmless and can even be beneficial. However, there are times when your eating habits may cross a line and become more serious than originally intended.
Eating disorders are complex mental health conditions marked by extreme, obsessive, or unhealthy behaviors around food. What might start as a few small changes can slowly spiral into rigid rules, fear, guilt, and a preoccupation with food and body image.
So how can you tell when your new eating routine is no longer just a “diet”? Here are 8 key signs that your healthy intentions may be turning into harmful patterns.
1- Labeling foods as being “clean” or “dirty”
“Clean eating” is a widely used phrase to describe a diet of minimally processed foods. However, it does not have any basis for determining the health quality of certain foods, scientifically speaking. It instead can imply a secondary category of “dirty” foods. These words place food on a moral spectrum, with “clean” foods being those to strive for and “dirty” to avoid at all costs. Using these words may inflict guilt and shame when consuming foods deemed as “dirty”.
Eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and minimally processed foods is not problematic in itself. But putting food on a moral spectrum of “good” vs “bad” can impact the way you see food and how you feel about yourself when you eat them.
2 – Cutting out entire food groups or overemphasizing one group
Reducing certain food groups like carbohydrates, fats, or sweets and increasing protein are popular methods of dieting. However, completely removing an entire food group can lead to serious health problems, including vitamin and mineral deficiencies, headaches, fatigue, and digestive issues such as constipation and alterations to the gut microbiome1.
High restriction can also increase the risk of binging on restricted foods2. This can lead to something called the “binge-restrict” cycle, a recurring pattern where a person alternates between severely restrictive food intake followed by excessive eating. The cycle often starts with a period of strict dieting and restriction, which can lead to strong cravings and eventually overeating. Following a binge, a person may feel shame or guilt. This repetitive cycle can create an unfavorable relationship with food3.
3 – Excessive use of food and eating rules, regardless of physical symptoms or hunger levels
Some structure around eating can be helpful for certain people, but when food rules become rigid, excessive, or start interfering with daily life, they can do more harm than good. Strict food rules often set unrealistic expectations that are difficult to maintain and can lead to anxiety, guilt, or shame around eating, especially when these rules are followed at the expense of hunger cues, energy levels, or overall well-being.
Food rules are often self-imposed, but can be influenced by external sources like social media, diet culture, family beliefs, or misinformation from popular media. When these rules take precedence over your body’s signals and basic needs, it’s a red flag that your diet may be veering into disordered territory.
4- Purging via excessive exercising, laxative use, or vomiting
Many dieters incorporate more movement into their routine to build strength, boost endurance, or burn energy in moderation. But when exercise becomes extreme, compulsive, or is used as a way to “undo” eating, it may signal a shift into disordered eating.
Excessive exercising is intrusive to your daily life, continued despite negative consequences (like fatigue or injury), and compulsive or addictive in nature where a person can lose control4. Some warning signs include discomfort with rest or inactivity, using exercise as a permission to eat, and maintaining an excessive, rigid exercise regimen despite injury, weather, fatigue, or illness4.
Purging behaviors, such as self-induced vomiting or laxative misuse, are even more serious signs of disordered eating. Vomiting isn’t a dieting behavior. It can lead to severe health issues including electrolyte imbalances, damage to the esophagus, and dental erosion.
Similarly, laxatives, which are meant to relieve constipation, can be misused in an attempt to feel “empty” or to falsely flush out calories5. In reality, laxatives do not significantly affect calorie absorption and their misuse can cause dehydration, digestive issues, and long-term damage to the colon5.
5- Developing an intense fear of gaining weight
It’s normal to care about your body and want to feel good in it. However, when the fear of gaining weight becomes intense or all-consuming, it may be a sign of disordered eating. This fear can show up as extreme anxiety around eating certain foods, constant body checking, or feeling panicked after consuming more than planned. It can also drive behaviors like skipping meals, over-exercising, or avoiding social situations that involve food. When weight gain feels like a threat to your identity, self-worth, or sense of control, it’s no longer just about health. It may be a warning sign of a deeper issue that may require support.
6- Preoccupied with nutritional facts labels, calorie counting, or tracking macros
It’s common for someone on a diet to become more mindful of nutrition labels. Checking macronutrients or ingredient lists can be part of making informed choices. But when those labels begin to control what, when, or whether you eat at all, it may signal a deeper issue. If you find yourself feeling anxious about eating something without a label, avoiding foods you once enjoyed, or rigidly following numbers instead of listening to your hunger or needs, that’s a red flag. What starts as awareness can quickly turn into obsession, which can harm both your physical and mental well-being.
7- Poor body image or distorted self-perception
Many dieters aim to change their body composition by adjusting how they eat and exercising. While wanting to feel stronger or healthier is common, it becomes concerning when thoughts about your body are overwhelmingly negative. If you find yourself constantly criticizing your appearance, avoiding certain clothes, or skipping events because of how you feel about your body, it may be more than just dissatisfaction, it could be a sign of disordered eating. When body image starts to dictate your self-worth or daily choices, it’s a strong indicator that your relationship with food and your body may no longer be positive.
8- Strict food restriction
While some people choose to reduce their food intake as part of a diet, it’s not the right approach for everyone. Severely limiting calories or cutting out entire food groups can be unsafe or unsustainable, leading to nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, irritability, and an unhealthy relationship with food. When restriction becomes extreme, such as skipping meals regularly, ignoring hunger cues, or feeling guilty for eating, it can be a warning sign of disordered eating. Eating less isn’t always better, especially when it comes at the cost of your physical health or emotional well-being.
Sources:
- L. P. Mora-Flores et al., “The role of carbohydrate intake on the gut microbiome: A weight of evidence systematic review,” Microorganisms, vol. 11, no. 7, p. 1728, Jun. 2023. doi:10.3390/microorganisms11071728
- Mayo Clinic Staff, “Binge-eating disorder,” Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/binge-eating-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353627#:~:text=Dieting%20or%20limiting%20calories%20throughout,self%2Dimage%20and%20certain%20foods. (accessed Jun. 20, 2025).
- K. E. Giel et al., “Binge eating disorder,” Nature Reviews Disease Primers, vol. 8, no. 1, Mar. 2022. doi:10.1038/s41572-022-00344-y
- A. Baker Dennis and R. Nickols, “Excessive exercise,” National Eating Disorders Association, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/excessive-exercise/#:~:text=Researchers%20have%20defined%20excessive%20exercise,2%2C3 (accessed Jun. 20, 2025).
- A. Denise Baker, “Laxative misuse,” National Eating Disorders Association, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/laxative-misuse/ (accessed Jun. 20, 2025).
