Restrictive eating can be subtle or obvious. It can look like skipping breakfast, always choosing the low-calorie option, or using caffeine to curb your appetite. It can also look like avoiding food groups despite no medical necessity, obsessively tracking your macros in an app, or “saving your calories” for a night out. Sometimes it comes in waves and other times it can feel like it takes on a life of its own. It can leave you second-guessing your choices, overthinking and over-planning your eating, and feeling anxious in social situations involving food.

Overeating, despite already feeling full, often to the point of illness, is incredibly frustrating. Binge eating can involve extensive planning and feel like a runaway train. More often than not, you might not even know why it’s happening. Binge eating hurts – physically and emotionally.

There’s no question that you’re not alone when it comes to disliking your body, but that doesn’t make it any less painful. You’re so preoccupied with your appearance that it’s all you can think about, sometimes even when you’re with friends. Having a bitter relationship with your body might mean you both obsess over and avoid your reflection, clothes, and normal situations where you feel “on display.”