Blogging Blunder

Well, as you can see, my brilliant plan to blog more often has failed miserably. I have started back to school since the last post and have found myself knee deep in homework almost every night. In fact, for the first time in my life, a few Saturday nights ago I found myself writing note cards. ON A SATURDAY.

Last Wednesday in my reporting class we were asked to browse a few blogs and come up with a story idea. As usual I found myself navigating my way around a fitness blog, when I discovered something I'd never heard of before. Orthorexia Nervosa. For those who have never heard of this eating disorder, you are not alone. Apparently it is a disorder that's fairly new to nutritionists and specialists. I was stunned to discover the symptoms were eerily similar to the very lifestyle I lead. Here are a list of the "warning signs."

According to Steven Bratman, MD, (the man who coined the term) orthorexia may look like anorexia nervosa, but it has significant differences. Maintaining an obsession with health food may cause a restriction of calories merely because available food isn't "good enough." Those with orthorexia may lose enough weight to give them a body mass index consistent with someone with anorexia (i.e., less than 18.5).
Eating only the "right foods" (and perhaps only at the "right times") can give those with orthorexia a sense of superiority to others. Relationships suffer as they become less important than holding to dietary patterns. (http://eatingdisorders.about.com/od/othereatingdisorders/p/orthorexia.htm)

Now, I realize this disorder is healthy eating at its most extreme, but this got me a little nervous about my own obsessive eating habits. Let's just say I'll be a little less restrictive when it comes to my caloric intake from now on!