Dear Prudence,
I think my relationship to food is unhealthy, but I’m not sure what to do about it. I often forget to eat or drink. I don’t notice that I’m hungry until I’m starving. Today I ate nothing until 5 p.m., when I realized I was really hungry, at which point I ate yogurt to tide me over until my boyfriend came home for dinner. I don’t think I’m anorexic. I’m at a standard weight, but I do tend to neglect myself unless I’m reminded to eat. If my boyfriend’s here, I eat with him, but alone I tend to forget. I’m also embarrassed about my diet. I’m a lifelong vegetarian, but that doesn’t mean I always eat healthy—my favorite foods are bread and cheese.
Sometimes I buy more vegetables with the intention of eating healthier, but then if I fail to live up to that, I feel terrible about wasting food. I sometimes think I maintain a thin-ish physique by eating unhealthily but restricting how much I eat. I don’t weigh myself often, but I do scrutinize my reflection in the mirror every day to see if I’ve gained weight. I recently lost my job and started going to the gym regularly and now I’m worried that I might be putting my health at risk by exercising without addressing my eating habits. Additionally, my boyfriend and I have been discussing trying for a baby. I know I need to get my nutrition in check before becoming pregnant. But I’m not sure where to start. I know that whatever changes I make need to be ones I can stick with in the long term.
—Forgetful Eater