Most people try to lose weight at least once in their lives. Cutting calories and exercising are typically the two methods of doing this, so it's understandable to be limiting the amount that you're eating. However, it's also possible to take it too far. If you're on a diet or purposefully eating fewer calories than usual, check this list to find out if your eating habits are a sign of a severe problem.
When It's Unintentional
If you mean to be on a diet and you're losing weight, that's great. However, some people limit their caloric intake without really thinking about it. If you're going through your day without eating, or your meals are tiny portions, it could be something more than a diet. Inexplicable weight loss can signal a lot of problems, including eating disorders.
If you're not sure if you qualify for this, consider talking to a doctor. They can tell you what a healthy caloric limit is for you to abide to in order to lose weight. If you're way below that and can't seem to boost your consumed calories, it's time to seek help.
When Food or Your Body Disgusts You
People who feel disgusted when they think about eating or who obsess over their bodies - no matter what the scale says - often have eating disorders.
For example, perhaps you don't want to eat even when your body is sending physical signs that you're hungry. If the concept of eating makes you feel sick, especially if it's because you're ashamed of how you look or feel, this isn't a healthy way to live.
Alternatively, if you've been working hard to cut calories and been losing weight, but you still spend a lot of time feeling strong, heavy hatred towards how your body looks, you could have a condition called body dysmorphic disorder that can often lead to eating disorders.
What To Do
If you think that there's even a chance that you have an eating disorder, you need to seek help. Beating an eating disorder alone is nearly impossible, and it's better to work at improving your self-perception and your eating habits with medical assistance.
If you think you have a problem, talk to your doctor. If your doctor agrees that you aren't eating enough, are too thin, or the way that you perceive yourself is wrong, they will most likely refer you to an eating disorder center.
These centers are focused clinics that devote their time to people who have difficulty eating enough. Whether you're currently on a starvation diet or you just can't stop berating yourself for how you look, even after losing weight, the nutritionists and psychologists who work at these facilities can help.
Starving yourself is never healthy. In the end, the real goal should be being satisfied with how you look. If you know that your BMI is already at a healthy level or even lower than normal and you're still determined to lose more, get help from a local clinic like Center for Change eating disorder treatment center.