Could Your Diet and Exercise Routine Be an Eating Disorder?

By: Danielle Goury
Reviewed by Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C

Many people diet and exercise with the goal of being “healthier.” However, for some, these habits can start to feel rigid, anxiety-provoking, or impossible to step away from. A common question that comes up is whether a dieting or exercise routine can cross the line into an eating disorder – especially if someone doesn’t appear “underweight” or fit the stereotypical image of anorexia. It’s very important to note that someone can have a serious eating disorder at any body size. 

Because restrictive eating and intense exercise are often normalized or even praised, it can be difficult to recognize when they’ve transitioned into an eating disorder. Understanding how these patterns actually show up in one's life—and affect both mental and physical well-being—can be helpful. Additionally, even if it doesn’t rise to the diagnostic criteria of an eating disorder, disordered eating can still be hard to deal with, and someone who is struggling with it is deserving of therapy and support.


Anorexia

Clinically speaking, anorexia nervosa is diagnosed based on a combination of behaviors, thoughts, and physical or psychological impact—not just weight alone. There are also diagnoses such as atypical anorexia (The DSM unfortunately contains weight stigma), where someone may meet many of the criteria for anorexia without being considered “underweight.” Here at The Eating Disorder Center, we believe that anorexia and other eating disorders are serious—regardless of the person’s weight or size. 


When Dieting Becomes Compulsive

Dieting is so socially praised that it can be difficult to recognize when it crosses a line into a mental illness. One key difference between intentional and compulsive restriction is flexibility. When eating becomes highly rule-driven and emotionally charged, it is probably no longer about health or personal preferences. Additionally, our practice does not support restrictive food rules overall—barring genuine health conditions or religious/ethical practices.

Restriction can become reinforcing because it often provides short-term relief. For some people, eating less reduces their anxiety and gives them the feeling that they are “in control” (which is false!)  or have some predictability in an overwhelming world. Over time, the brain realizes that restriction “works” to manage discomfort, even if it's causing a lot of harm in the long run. This can make these patterns really hard to interrupt or change, especially when they’re reinforced by diet culture or social praise.


Where Compulsive Exercise Comes In

Compulsive exercise frequently shows up near restrictive eating, and the two can reinforce each other. With compulsive exercise, it’s not about how often or how intensely someone works out, but rather the motivation behind it and the level of flexibility involved.

Some common signs of compulsive exercise can include: 

• Feeling driven to exercise according to rigid rules 
• Having a rigid exercise routine or schedule
• Experiencing guilt or anxiety when taking rest days
• Exercising to “earn” food or compensate for eating
• Continuing to exercise despite injury, illness, or exhaustion

In the context of restrictive eating, exercise can become another tool used in an attempt to gain control or manage anxiety. When dieting and exercise become tightly linked, it can be even harder to recognize when a routine that originally felt ‘healthy’ has started to cause harm. 


Why These Patterns Go Unnoticed

One reason restrictive eating and compulsive exercise can go on for so long is that they’re often praised by others and society. Diet culture rewards these behaviors. When behaviors are socially reinforced, the internal distress that comes with them often gets overlooked.

Many people don’t seek help because they don’t feel like they’re “sick enough” or worry they won’t be taken seriously. Eating disorders are not defined by appearance. What matters is how much mental space these thoughts and behaviors take up and how much they impact overall quality of life. 


Shifting the Focus Away from Labels 

A helpful question to ask yourself is whether your food patterns or exercise routine feel supportive or controlling. If flexibility feels impossible, anxiety increases when rules are broken, or routines begin to dominate daily life, those patterns are worth paying closer attention to and may be worth discussing with an eating disorder therapist.

Support is valid even if someone doesn’t fit a stereotype or meet every diagnostic criterion.


Takeaway

Questioning your relationship with food or exercise doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. More often, it means that you’re paying attention. Restriction and compulsive exercise can develop quietly and be reinforced by culture, making them easy to overlook and hard to change alone. 
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If food patterns or exercise feel controlling rather than supportive, help is valid and available – without needing to wait until things “get worse.”

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Schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to explore how eating disorder therapy or recovery coaching can help you to find freedom.​

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The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping children, teens, and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington, D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in Florida, Pennsylvania, and California. We provide eating disorder and EMDR trauma therapy in Rockville, Maryland and virtually throughout Maryland and Virginia. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com