Different Types of Disordered Eating
There is a difference between making unhealthy food choices occasionally and having disordered eating. Some of us are consistently making unhealthy food choices and cannot stop. Your daily diet may consist of fried, sugary and/or fast foods. When your unhealthy eating habits affect your quality of life and you cannot change them it becomes disordered eating. This is not to be confused with the occasional unhealthy food choice.
There are many different reason why you eat when you are not hungry or do not stop when you are full. The DietQ Quiz is designed to show your diet type so you can understand why you do what you do. But that is just the start. You will be guided through a Plan that is a step-by-step method that has worked for thousands over two decades. Your DietQ Plan gives you unique solutions that work best for you. We are all different. Here is an introduction to the different types.
Type D
DietQ Type D, also known as “yo-yo dieting,” is defined by a tendency to lose and regain weight in a never-ending cycle of temporary diets. At the beginning of the cycle, you have healthy goals of losing weight and getting in shape. You get serious about whatever the particular diet is, stick to it, and even see measurable success. However, when you transition off of the diet, all the weight comes right back—perhaps even with a few extra pounds. The regaining of weight after a seemingly successful diet can make you feel like you've failed, especially if you've had this happen with many diets in the past. With the pounds back on, you're now faced with the prospect of starting over at a higher weight than ever before. In your endless search for the “perfect diet,” you head back to the magazines and websites to find your next dietary experiment. Then, the process starts over. Using your specialized DietQ Type D Plan's convenient hunger level charts, you will relearn your appetite cues, make healthy choices, eat when you're hungry, and stop when you're full. You'll also be able to identify the triggers that cause you to go off the diet...
Learn More
Type B
DietQ Type B, otherwise known as binge eating, is generally characterized by periods of compulsive overeating. These binges may last anywhere from a few minutes to a few days and often involve eating a variety of comfort and junk food in large amounts. A person with this Diet Q Type tends to center his or her life around binging, often stockpiling favorite foods and thinking about when the next binge will be. For some people of this type, binges may be followed by a period of food restriction. Living with binge eating can be a very destructive, self-defeating cycle of behavior. Those with DietQ Type B often find that all their thoughts are about eating, both in anticipation of binging and as a result of post-binge guilt and shame. Before and during the binge, a person may feel a sort of high, usually followed by a deep disappointment that only keeps the person trapped in the cycle. For some people, compulsive overeating may lead to extreme restricting or purging in an effort to negate their binges. A person with binge eating may experience various physical, mental, and social repercussions, such as the following: • Low self-esteem (both a cause and...
Learn More
Type S
DietQ Type S is most commonly known as emotional or stress eating. Individuals exhibiting this type of disordered eating use food in an attempt to regulate their emotions with external comforts. As a result, many of them struggle to manage their weight and feel like a failure that adds to their need to use food. Almost everyone has had the occasional “junk food after an awful day” moment, but, for those with DietQ Type S, food is linked to mood in a way that affects their everyday lives. Whether they're stressed about an upcoming work deadline or excited about a friend's new baby, it always feels like a good reason to eat. Underlying Causes of Type S Behavior There are a variety of genetic and environmental factors that can play into the development of Type S disordered eating. Mental health conditions like depression and anxiety are hereditary, and the intense emotions may lead some to soothe themselves with food. This can also be reinforced if a person grows up in a family where emotional eating was modeled for them (i.e., if you're sad, you need ice cream). As humans, we naturally tend to celebrate with food and seek to enjoy...
Learn More
Type E
DietQ Type E dieting is also known as “elimination” or “elimination dieting,” and it involves an obsession with getting rid of calories that one feels are excessive. Elimination behavior varies, but common methods include burning calories through excessive exercise, purging by vomiting, or using laxatives to eliminate digestive contents before calories can be absorbed. This can develop into Bulimia. Calorie elimination may or may not be accompanied by binging behavior but is generally initiated by a feeling of guilt or panic in the individual. For example, a person with type E might eat a large meal at a restaurant and then feel guilty for overeating. They may then go home and run on a treadmill for several hours to immediately burn off the “offending calories” and feel better. This can be the beginning of Exercise Bulimia. This type can develop a cycle of overeating and getting rid of the food that can be very hard to get out of. For this type, it's important to learn new skills that can help one to eat normally and abstain from the eliminating behavior in question. The recovery process requires patience with oneself and focuses on things like correcting negative self-talk and reviewing...
Learn More
Type R
People with DietQ Type R often start with an earnest attempt to lose weight in a healthy way. In fact, they may omit whole food groups or "unhealthy" food. However, as they reach their goal weight, they may feel that it is not enough and that they need to lose more or restrict more types of food. Individuals with DietQ Type R may feel compelled to restrict food or exercise excessively to lose weight. Over time, other people may tell them that they are too thin—but, when they look in the mirror, they still see themselves as “too fat.” They really do see themselves fat. The brain makes them see something that other people do not see. This can turn into an eating disorder called Anorexia Nervosa. For some DietQ Type R individuals, gaining weight becomes a strong, pervasive fear that affects every aspect of their lives. As this fear grows, they can become so obsessed with calories that they develop a full-fledged eating disorder, Anorexia Nervosa. This requires other professional help and your DietQ Coach can lead you to the appropriate resources. With the help of DietQ, a Type R person can achieve and maintain their ideal weight without...
Learn More
Type A
DietQ Type A is characterized by intense physical and emotional responses to certain “trigger foods.” Indulging in these foods can feel enjoyable and satisfying at the moment, but the end result is often a combination of guilt and disappointment. Trigger foods aren't just favorite foods; they're powerful temptations that are hard to turn down and which can lead to full-on binge eating. Everyone is different; we all react to certain foods in different ways. There are certain foods that can cause a Type A person to experience cravings or even trigger a binge. Until you identify the specific foods that are triggering you, you will likely continue to eat them in excess. When a binge occurs, you may decide to omit other foods from your diet or eliminate calories in other ways so that you can eat more of your favorites. Your trigger foods and the resulting poor decisions are part of a self-defeating cycle. You think tomorrow will be different, but the pattern repeats itself over and over. This is where mindful eating programs like DietQ can help. DietQ Type A is quite different from the other DietQ Types in that its habits can be somewhat subtle. Initially, Type...
Learn More