In today’s episode, Elaina Efird, Registered Dietitian and Eating Disorder Specialist, joins us to help clarify the fine line between disordered eating behaviors and clinically diagnosed eating disorders. She explains how the level of obsession and obsessive behaviors with food, weight, and body image can be a key indicator, emphasizing the importance of recognizing early signs of unhealthy patterns, and we touch on the growing awareness of conditions like Orthorexia, which can still be incredibly harmful, while not formally diagnosed.

We also explore how societal pressure and social media contribute to disordered eating behaviors, and the importance of fostering healthy relationships with food, both for ourselves and for the next generation. Elaina shares practical tips on mindful eating practices and how to prioritize health-focused behaviors over pure aesthetics.

We discuss fostering healthy eating behaviors in children from a young age, and honoring children’s natural hunger and fullness cues, rather than forcing them to finish their plates, which can disrupt their innate ability to regulate food intake. We chat about how establishing boundaries around mealtimes, encouraging mindful eating, and creating consistent family rituals can set a strong foundation for a positive relationship with food. By modeling healthy behaviors and avoiding restrictive food practices, parents can help prevent future disordered eating patterns in their kids.

“We need to shift the focus away from how our bodies look and towards the behaviors that truly define health—eating well, moving in ways we enjoy, and managing stress.”

- Elaina Efird, RD

“Hunger and fullness cues are innate cues since birth. We, as adults, have learned how to ignore them.”

- Elaina Efird, RD

This week on Here’s the Deal:

• Eating disorders are all-consuming, while disordered eating can ebb and flow in impact
• Societal pressure to avoid fatness fuels disordered eating
• Professional help should be sought early when food obsession negatively impacts life
• Early recognition and professional support can prevent the progression from disordered eating to a full-blown eating disorder
• Setting boundaries around food behaviors, especially with children, fosters a healthy relationship with eating
• Mindful eating practices like focusing on your five senses can help reconnect with your body’s cues
• Kids often have a natural sense of hunger and fullness—trust them, and avoid forcing them to clean their plates
• Teaching children to sit down for meals and focus on their food helps build lifelong mindful eating habits
• Role-modeling a positive relationship with food and not restricting certain foods can prevent children from developing secretive or binge behaviors later in life

Connect with Elaina Efird, RD:

• Elaina Efird, RD on Instagram
• Efird Nutrition

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of Here’s the Deal: Fitness, Nutrition, and Mindset for People Who Don’t Want Life to Suck, where we challenge the common understanding of what it means and what it takes to be fit and healthy! If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

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