Last week a client came in for her first follow-up session. She recapped her week and said, “I feel
like I’m thinking about food all the time, should I be?” I have to say I hear
this a lot. I dug a little and a lot of this client’s food thoughts were of the
planning variety. She also had a little insecurity over whether she was doing
all of this right. I reassured this client. “You’re learning a new language and
it’s not second nature yet. Of course it’s taking up mind time.” And then the
follow up “not to worry, over time I don’t want you thinking about food 24/7
but some degree of forethought is always good.”
Not all food thoughts are created equal.
I was sent this link about a disorder called Orthorexia.
This article questions this diagnosis as being anti healthy, conscious eating.
I feel differently. It’s one thing to vet the foods you put into your body. It’s
another if situations where you cannot control food choices are completely
avoided or if food concerns outweigh food pleasure. It’s a fine line. Even some
of the criteria for orthorexia sound a lot like things I recommend…planning your food day etc.
My advice is that the more on top of healthy eating you are, the less you
should be thinking about food. I tend to think the most destructive food thoughts
are when food is off. I’d take
deliberation over guilt any day. Only you know if your food thoughts are
bringing you sanity or stress.
Would you say you
think about food a lot? Are these thoughts generally positive or negative? What’s
your feeling on the disorder orthorexia?
