Expert: Dawn McNamara - 1/1/2012

Question
I'm twenty years old and at 5'4 and 110 lbs  my weight is healthy but I know my relationship with food isn't. My eating habits have been poor for such a long time that it's become completely normal to me but even though I'm aware of it i cant seem to change them. I'm currently restricting my calorie intake to loose just a little more weight but every time I reach the target set I just end up making another.On top of this my daily calorie intake is steadily decreasing and I'm struggling to keep it much higher than 800 calories which I know is far too low.
It's taking up so much of my life, everything seems to be focused on food or what I weigh and I don't know what to do to change it or if I even can. I used to feel so in control of my diet but it's just controlling me and the more I try to improve it the worse it seems to be getting.
I'm not underweight and I don't over excursive so i don't know weather to get help or not. I don't think I have an eating disorder but I know there's a problem .

Answer
Hello there!
  First off, congratulations! Seeking an outside opinion is a wonderful first step to healing your current eating pattern. Your situation sounds remarkably like the road i went down twenty years ago before i became a full blown bulimic/anorexic. the fact that you see the dysfunction in your eating pattern is great. Yes 800 calories is way tooo low as you already know. A calorie count this low will add to your food anxiety and a crave for more food. It will also add to the distortions that you see and feel about your weight. on 800 calories a day your body is starting to starve, part of your preoccupation will be linked to your bodys craving for nutrition. The lower your calorie intake the more thoughts will creep in about food and diet, even if your not technically underweight. Your body knows its needs are not being met, it will start to crave and horde and add to the obsession.
 You are extremely bright and i can tell already that your gonna get this under control. I would absolutley employ the help of a nutritionist if you have access to one. Mine has helped me wonderfully. it sounds to me like your on the road to anorexia. Try to find one that is well versed in eating disorders. And be as candid and honest with that person as possible. Secrecy is your enemy not your friend. And if your tempted to skirt an issue or gloss over it, that is a sign that you need to plunge headlong into it.
I hope this helps,
Dawn