Think — Melainie Rogers MS RD

Melainie Rogers, eating disorder survivor, nutritionist, and founder & CEO of BALANCE Eating Disorder Treatment Center, shares her story of recovery.   ALOHA: How did the eating disorder begin? M.R: I’d just moved for a job and I gained a little weight. And then I was dumped on the same day that my grandfather died. I decided to cope with the grief by dieting. I lost some weight and quickly became obsessive—I weighed myself daily. I began running (which I hated), and before long I was doing marathons. ALOHA: What did it take away from you? M.R: Friendships, happiness, time,...

Gluten-free, paleo, vegan—these nutritional philosophies are frequently discussed and debated. But how often are they socially acceptable ways of sustaining an eating disorder? Of course there are situations where these diets are motivated by illness, love for animals, concern for the environment, or a doctor’s recommendation; however, in many cases they’re a strategy for maintaining control and saying no to the buttery cupcake or the Chicken Alfredo. Here are five signs that your diet may be an eating disorder in disguise: 1) You avoid social events, family gatherings, dates, and trips. Tara used to meet her girlfriends every Thursday night...