Are fitness apps bad for your health?

In my clinic I’m seeing an increase in the number of patients who seem to have issues with something known in the profession as Orthorexia – an unhealthy relationship with so called ‘healthy eating’ where they make up their own rules about what they should and shouldn’t eat. Orthorexics become obsessed about eating only ‘healthy food and will beat themselves up when they break their own ‘rules’. These rules are often very rigid, and by adhering to these narrow rules they will often deprive themselves of essential nutrients; orthorexics can experience malnutrition.

Whilst Orthorexia isn’t yet listed on DSM 5 (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), it is a recognised term in the world of eating disorders. All too often this ‘healthy eating’ is aided and abetted with a fixation and reliance upon, a fitness app, helping to justify and measure the self-made ‘rules’.

It often starts with the download of a fitness app that tracks the calories their body is using and apps or diaries tracking food eaten, which then give a recommended daily calorie allowance. The principle seems to be ‘Eat less and exercise more’. This means the client is unhealthily focused on food and sometimes over-exercising to free up more calories, if they’ve eaten more than their ‘allowance’. The use of technology makes it seem OK and the right thing to do in the quest for healthier living and a new shape.

The people that have visited me are those for whom group weight-loss programmes are unappealing, leaving them feel uncomfortable or uninspired. Instead, over time, some have developed an obsession which starts innocently enough with a desire to be healthy,  and is influenced greatly by things they see and hear via press and social media.

When I work with clients who have rigid attitudes to food and exercise, I endeavour to identify the root cause of their issues. Where they have problems around self-esteem or body image, we will focus on that as a priority. I will then work with them to develop a more balanced approach to eating, drinking and activity.

For people who tell me they have willpower issues or eat too much or too fast, I will give suggestions in hypnosis for noticing when they are hungry or full. I’ll suggest that they eat their food slowly, preferably at a table. I will also encourage them to be aware of what they are putting in their mouths, rather than eating unconsciously while doing something else. I want them to appreciate and remember what they have eaten and not feel guilty when they’ve had the occasional treat. Whilst people do lose weight with these apps, they are missing the point; being healthy isn’t about being a specific weight or exercising to burn a set amount of calories, it is all about balance; physically and emotionally, as well as eating-wise.