6 Signs Your Keto Obsession Has Spiraled Into An Eating Disorder

With its hyper-focus on macronutrients and carb counting, the way many people do the keto diet today can lead some people to an unintentional unhealthy relationship with food. The desire to be healthy isn't bad. It's when it turns into an obsession that it becomes a problem.

Here are six signs a well-intentioned diet, whether it's the ketogenic diet or any other way of eating, has likely devolved into disordered eating: 

In a way, it's "easier" to choose these processed foods—along with high-fat, virtually zero-carb foods like bacon and butter—instead of fresh foods like vegetables, which naturally contain some carbs that are harder to calculate as precisely. So, if you are hyper-fixated on being "high-fat, low-carb," while giving little regard to any other aspects of your food or how those foods are making you feel, that's a red flag. 

Not wanting to go over your certain macronutrient thresholds (namely carbs and to some extent protein), or being unsure whether or not something is considered "keto" could leave you feeling hesitant to eat enough food. This can cause a significant decrease in overall caloric intake and, in turn, deficiencies in vital micronutrients such as electrolytes and macronutrients your body needs to function on the most basic level. This nutrient depletion can manifest in you feeling run down with less energy than before you started—which might even make you feel like you're not doing keto "hard" enough and cause you to further restrict.

Whether you are going out to eat, going to a friend's house, or planning meals at home, if you experience anxiety or high levels of distress anytime food is involved (especially when "safe" or "healthy" options aren't available), that's a major indicator that something is not right. If you adjust your social plans or, in extreme cases, avoid eating altogether because it is too overwhelming to find keto-friendly options, you need to re-examine your relationship with a ketogenic diet.

Many times, I have seen binge eating start as a result of underlying shame and anxiety surrounding food—which could happen with any diet, including keto. Following a binge, you may then compensate for it by being ultra strict as a punishment...only for it to all fall apart at the end of the day. It's a vicious cycle. If you're on this binge-deprive-binge roller coaster, it's time to hit pause.

Being aware of your food is good. Mindful eating is a great skill to hone, and meal planning is a very useful tool for staying organized and accountable. But if tracking macronutrients, meal prepping, perusing keto blogs and Instagram accounts, and cooking take over the majority of your thoughts and time, that's a sign your keto enthusiasm has morphed into an obsession. In fact, a telltale sign of orthorexia is spending hours each day thinking about what you're going to eat next and what types of food might be served at upcoming events. Following a ketogenic diet should never inhibit you from living your life and fulfilling your other obligations or investing in your relationships.

Part of the problem in effectively identifying when you yourself are experiencing orthorexia is that you think what you're doing is right. Often, with orthorexia comes a superiority complex that the way you are eating is the ideal way of eating—and that some people just don't "get it." An unusual interest in the healthfulness of what other people are eating is another warning sign of orthorexia, so if you find yourself silently (or not so silently) critiquing someone's decision to order a slice of pizza or indulge in the pre-dinner bread basket, it may be time to check in with yourself instead.

First, let me make one thing clear: No one has to go keto, and there are a number of dietary approaches that can lead to great health. That said, the ketogenic diet, done properly, can have some great fat-burning, brain-boosting, anti-inflammatory, and craving-crushing properties. What I do have a problem with, though, is how the ketogenic diet is often done today. It is also important to note that just about every way of eating can be done improperly. So no matter how we choose to eat, we have to make sure we have really nailed down the "why" and "how." Meaning why you're doing it (i.e., your goals) and how to accomplish that in a sustainable way—which I dive into below. 

Here are some tips to help you take a more balanced, intuitive approach to your keto diet:

Not too complicated, right? I suggest that people try a plant-heavy keto diet for eight weeks. Committing to eight weeks of keto helps create metabolic flexibility (so you can go from being just a "sugar burner" to having the ability to seamlessly alternate between burning fat and sugar for fuel), but most people don't actually need to be in ketosis long term. So after eight weeks, I often suggest ramping up the carbs slightly in an approach I call cyclical ketotarian: four to five days per week you eat a keto diet, and the other two to three days you incorporate additional carbs in the form of fruits and starches like sweet potatoes and rice. This cyclical method allows for a balanced, intuitive approach that just about anyone can benefit from. To make sure this diet is safe for you, get lab tests done and consult with your doctor. Also remember, you must drink a ton of water to burn fat.

Of course, shifting your mindset and mending your relationship with food won't happen overnight. So remember to give yourself grace—wellness is a journey.