The “zero-size” trend of a few years ago has given way to healthy eating and a fit look. Of course, the media's “thin body = beautiful body” message hasn't entirely faded. Don't assume these messages are harmless — what starts as a small preoccupation can, for some people, slide toward disordered eating. To help you take stock and get to know yourself, we've prepared a gentle self-check. Do you truly control your eating, or do food and calories control you? This short check can help you understand yourself and the place food holds in your life.
A note before you begin: this is a gentle self-reflection tool, not a diagnosis. If any of it resonates, please know that support is available and it's always okay to reach out.
- My weight has dropped or risen quickly recently.
- When I go out to eat with colleagues, I find excuses not to eat.
- I usually divide foods into “good” and “bad.”
- When I'm very hungry, I use things like diet cola, coffee, tea or gum to suppress my appetite.
- I use food to reward myself.
- I feel uncomfortable when I don't weigh myself.
- Eating creates a feeling of guilt in me.
- My weight generally fluctuates constantly (for example, going up or down 2–3 kg).
- I constantly worry about whether I look good.
- I constantly worry that my body isn't thin enough.
- When I'm well below my ideal weight, I feel I've taken control of my body.
- I often eat even when I'm not hungry.
- I think all day about what I should and shouldn't eat.
- I constantly worry about food and my weight, but I don't tell anyone because I think they won't understand.
- I'm very afraid of being weighed.
- Even though others think I'm thin, I see myself as fat.
- I feel that if I lose weight, I'll be happier than ever.
- I usually eat little in front of others, but much more when I'm alone.
- I swing between eating nothing and eating to the point of being stuffed.
- I usually eat until I feel completely full.
- I feel uneasy when I can't burn off what I've eaten with exercise.
- In the past year, I experienced uncontrolled (binge) eating at least once.
- When I ate uncontrollably, I tried to make myself vomit / used weight-loss pills / used diuretics or laxatives / exercised excessively.
- When I eat, I feel good emotionally — but afterwards I feel guilty and unhappy.
- At least once a day, I talk about or think about topics like “diet” and “calories.”
Give 1 point for each “yes” and 0 points for each “no.”
0–4 points: You may have a few questions about nutrition, but this isn't affecting your mental wellbeing. You're more interested in how foods benefit your body than in their calories. What matters to you is being healthy — so even if the number on the scale shifts a little, you carry on unbothered.
5–13 points: Take care — you seem to think about eating a little too much. Set the self-monitoring aside and stop seeing numbers on your food. If this continues, there's a higher chance of developing disordered-eating issues. Remember, the one in charge of your eating is you, not the calories in food.
14–16 points: Your relationship with food is a little troubled. It's worth mending that relationship soon and learning to love yourself. Remember, “fat” and “thin” are not the words that sum up your body's beauty. End this troubled relationship with food, stand in front of the mirror and tell your body you love it as it is. You can change it however you wish — just never lose your motivation and self-confidence.
17 points and over: It's time to face this honestly — you may be dealing with an eating disorder. Please seek help from a psychologist and dietitian and begin a treatment plan, so you can overcome this and take back control of your life. Your beauty isn't determined by the calories in food. What matters is truly nourishing your body and spirit with healthy, balanced eating. The time to take back control is now.
This is a sensitive topic. If you're struggling with your relationship with food or your mental health, please reach out to a doctor, dietitian or mental-health professional — you deserve support.