Embark on a transformative journey from Orthorexia Nervosa to full recovery and holistic well-being. Our certified medical nutrition therapy dietitians provide compassionate care to guide you toward lasting healing and empower you to reclaim food and body trust and freedom, embracing life with a renewed sense of wellness and vitality.
At Side By Side Nutrition, our dietitians provide personalized, one-on-one medical nutrition therapy and counseling specifically tailored for individuals facing Orthorexia Nervosa, a condition where the pursuit of healthy eating becomes rigid, stressful, and isolating. It's common to start with good intentions, but when food choices begin to dominate daily life or cause anxiety, it may be time to seek support.
Orthorexia can be overwhelming, both for the person struggling with it and their loved ones. It is a serious eating disorder that requires immediate help. Recovery is possible.
Our approach is grounded in a holistic philosophy that prioritizes behaviors and overall well-being, fostering a positive relationship with food and our bodies, and practicing self-compassion rather than fixating on numbers. This philosophy forms the foundation of values-aligned, intuitive, sustainable health and well-being. Our focus lies in assisting clients in cultivating a sustainable, empathetic, respectful, and trusting connection with food, body image, and self.
Our dietitians are based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Woodinville, Washington. We work with patients from all over the state and country, providing in-person and online nutrition counseling.
It’s not officially listed in the DSM-5, but more and more people are showing signs of it, especially in today’s culture where "clean eating" and wellness trends are everywhere.
Orthorexia isn’t about how much someone eats, like anorexia or bulimia. Instead, it’s about what they eat—specifically, an obsession with eating only foods they see as healthy or “pure.” Over time, that focus can get so extreme that it starts to interfere with everyday life, social events, relationships, even physical health.
The word itself comes from Greek: “ortho” meaning correct, and “orexis” meaning appetite. And while wanting to eat well is a good thing, orthorexia crosses a line. It turns healthy eating into something rigid and fearful, rather than flexible and nourishing.
If this sounds familiar—for you or someone you love—it’s worth talking to a dietitian or mental health provider. There’s help, and there’s a way back to a healthier relationship with food.
Intense Fixation on Healthy Eating: Those with orthorexia are fixated on the quality and nutritional value of their food. They may dedicate significant time to researching, planning, and preparing meals to ensure each meal meets their perceived health standards.
Strict Dietary Rules: People struggling with orthorexia often impose strict and inflexible dietary regulations, dictating what foods are deemed "pure" or "clean." This may involve eliminating entire food groups, vilifying specific ingredients, or strictly adhering to particular diets like veganism or raw food diets.
Emotional Distress: Despite their pursuit of health, when suffering from orthorexia, people may experience significant emotional distress regarding their dietary choices. Feelings of anxiety, guilt, or failure may arise if they stray from their self-imposed dietary restrictions.
Social Withdrawal: Orthorexia can lead to social withdrawal as individuals may avoid social gatherings or events where they cannot control the available food choices. This behavior can strain relationships and foster feelings of isolation.
Nutritional Deficiencies/Imbalances: The intense focus on a limited range of "healthy" foods may result in nutritional imbalances or deficiencies. Paradoxically, the quest for optimal health may lead to adverse health outcomes.
Right now, if you or someone you love is struggling with orthorexia, no doubt you feel overwhelmed. Complete recovery is possible and support is available. Our team of dietitian nutritionists, specializing in the treatment of orthorexia, is uniquely qualified to collaborate with you and your treatment team, guiding you toward a full recovery!
Orthorexia Nervosa has the potential to impact individuals from diverse backgrounds, but certain groups may be particularly vulnerable. It's worth noting that orthorexia isn't formally classified as a distinct mental health condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), and research in this area is still developing. Nonetheless, the following demographics may be more at risk of developing orthorexia:
A History of Eating Disorders: Those who have a history of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or other eating disorders might be predisposed to developing orthorexic behaviors, as transitions between different forms of disordered eating can occur.
Perfectionists: People who consider themselves “perfectionists”, characterized by an intense need for control, order, and achievement, may be more prone to orthorexia. The pursuit of a “clean” or “perfect” diet aligns with these perfectionistic tendencies.
Health and Wellness Professionals and/or Enthusiasts: People involved in health and wellness, including fitness professionals, nutritionists, or those who frequently engage with health-focused content on social media, could be at heightened risk of adopting extreme dietary habits.
Athletes: Athletes who participate in sports where there is a big focus on weight and/or appearance may be more susceptible to orthorexia due to pressure to maintain specific body standards as well as pressure to eat a certain way for the sport. These pressures can lead to the normalization of strict dietary rules.
Anxiety or Obsessive-Compulsive Traits: Those with pre-existing anxiety disorders or obsessive-compulsive tendencies may be more inclined to develop obsessive thoughts and actions regarding food purity and health.
Vegetarians and Vegans: While not all individuals following vegetarian or vegan diets experience orthorexia, those with these dietary preferences may face a slightly increased risk due to their specific focus on ethical or environmental food choices.
History of Trauma: People who have experienced trauma (physical, emotional, or sexual abuse), might adopt orthorexic behaviors as a means of gaining control in response to their past experiences.
Young Adults and Adolescents: Orthorexia often emerges during late adolescence or early adulthood when young people gain independence in their food choices. Peer influence, social media, influencers, and pressure during this developmental phase may contribute to the onset of orthorexic tendencies.
Though these are high-risk groups, orthorexia can affect people who don’t fit into these categories. Likewise, people who “fit” in these categories aren’t necessarily suffering from orthorexia. Additionally, it's critical to understand that striving for a healthy diet isn't inherently problematic. Concerns arise when dietary restrictions lead to significant distress, impair daily functioning, or negatively impact physical, mental, or social health.
We believe people are meant to discover true nourishment through a self-compassionate, self-accepting, and holistic lens. In our practice, our clients are empowered to become their own nutrition experts. Our role is to gently lead them towards body trust and acceptance, and ultimately, open up their lives to more.
We want to work with you.
The Side by Side Nutrition team has a team of 12+ outpatient registered dietitians. We provide online nutrition counseling to patients in Colorado and around the country. We offer one-on-one and family nutrition counseling for patients either online or in person, with offices located in Colorado Springs and Fort Collins. We specialize in eating disorder recovery and body image healing.
RD - Registered Dietitian
RDN - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
MS - Masters of Science
Strive to create a safe and nurturing space for individuals on their journey to wellness.
Understand the profound impact that eating disorders can have on one's life.
Are committed to fostering a supportive community where every client feels seen, heard, and understood.
Work from an intuitive eating, HAES (Health at Every Size) Informed Approach.
Believe everyone has the right to high-quality care – accessibility and inclusivity are at the core of our values.
Stand firm in our belief in the possibility of full recovery.
Continually invest in our education to stay at the forefront of the field.
Are committed to ongoing learning.
Channel all our resources into becoming the best eating disorder nutritionist counselors.
Are dedicated to guiding our clients toward a life of lasting health and empowerment.
Our devoted team of nutrition experts specializing in eating disorders is dedicated to guiding clients toward a journey of healing that transcends fear and shame. By addressing concerns around food and dismantling negative body image perceptions and behaviors, we empower clients to reclaim ownership of their relationships with food and body and to shift their outlook, beliefs, and behaviors towards love, respect, and acceptance. This transformation paves the way for sustainable recovery and lasting wellbeing. Together, we strive to eradicate feelings of shame related to food and body image, identify triggers that fuel self-doubt, and nurture a trusting relationship with both food and body, creating space for our authentic selves and true values to emerge and thrive.
Recognizing that each individual holds the key to their own healing journey, our diverse team of medical nutrition specialists facilitates a process of self-exploration and empowerment. Recovery from an eating disorder and disorder eating extends beyond overcoming the eating disorder; it involves cultivating a rich and empowered life through healing around food and body image.
Our holistic approach begins with an in-depth initial evaluation, delving into your individual needs by exploring your history with food, body image, and overall health. With your consent, we engage in a collaborative process to grasp your objectives and hopes for our collaboration and your journey toward full recovery.
Our approach is centered on breaking free from the constant thoughts and behaviors associated with the eating disorder that keep individuals stuck in a cycle of distress. Together, we embark on a transformative journey to build trust in the body's natural cues and become intuitive and trusting eaters, allowing for a renewed sense of freedom and openness in life.
Our focus goes beyond merely managing symptoms; we aim to facilitate a profound transformation in how body image is perceived, fostering self-acceptance and a genuine appreciation for one's unique self. By breaking down the mental and emotional barriers imposed by the eating disorder, we empower our clients to embrace a life free from never-ending negative food and body image thoughts, nurturing a newfound sense of joy, purpose, and opportunity. Follow-up sessions are central to our collaborative efforts. We thoroughly explore your connection with food and body, addressing obstacles and co-creating personalized strategies. We delve into body image examination, dismantling external pressures of food and body negativity, and establishing supportive frameworks as necessary. Our objective is to assist you in broadening the spectrum and adaptability of your eating habits, learning to nuture and tend to your body's signals of hunger and satisfaction, and cultivating a joyful relationship with both food and body.
Throughout your journey, we offer unwavering support, navigating the inevitable ups and downs. We celebrate your progress and stand by you as you cross the finish line. Our mission is not only eating disorder recovery but also the cultivation of a life that is rich, meaningful, and fully aligned with your values. We believe in the importance of this journey and the therapeutic relationship, and our dedicated dietitians are here to guide you every step of the way.
TESTIMONIALS
Our team of Expert Dietitian Nutritionists Have Been Featured In:
We are committed to ensuring that our clients have access to healthcare, and we make every effort to facilitate this. We accept insurance plans such as BlueCross Blue Shield (Anthem/Regence), United HealthCare (Optum), Aetna, and Cigna.
An outpatient team consists of a dietitian, therapist, and primary care physician at minimum. Sessions are highly individualized and change from week to week depending on the needs, goals, behaviors, and journey of each client. Our dietitians are constantly assessing the needs, progress, safety, and next steps with their client’s short and long term goals in mind.
An outpatient team works collaboratively to ensure clients get the best care for their recovery while staying in their day to day life. Clients in eating disorder recovery being treated on the outpatient level will typically visit with their dietitians 1-2x/week, therapist 1-2x/week, PCP monthly, and psychiatrist as needed.
Dietitians at Side By Side Nutrition work with teens and adolescents ages around 9+ and up. With treating adolescents for an eating disorder, we typically use a modified family based treatment approach which involves treating the entire family. You can learn more about Family Based Treatment for eating disorders here.
Body dysmorphic disorder, also known as BDD, is a mental health condition characterized by excessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in one's appearance. This condition can affect individuals of any gender identity, including male, female, transgender, or non-binary. While it often emerges during adolescence, BDD can persist into adulthood and can affect individuals at any stage of life.
Health at Every Size™ is a compassionate care framework that recognizes and promotes body diversity and holistic health. We recognize a focus on intentional weight loss causes harm, does not improve health, and further invokes weight stigma and discrimination. We believe any person in any size body can pursue health and create positive behavior change that prioritizes their individual health desires.
Intuitive Eating is an approach to eating that incorporates building body trust, intuitive responses, emotional awareness, and listening to your body. It encourages self-compassion, curiosity, trust, and a gentle attitude towards food in order to cultivate and maintain a sustainable, healthy, and trusting relationship with food and body image.
In summary, all Registered Dietitians (RD or RDN) are qualified nutritionists, but not all nutritionists hold the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential. The term "nutritionist" is not regulated, allowing anyone to use it, which complicates distinguishing individuals with comprehensive nutrition education (e.g., CN or CNS) from those with minimal training such as weekend courses or self-study.
The Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD or RDN) designation is nationally recognized and provides certain assurances. It indicates that the individual has met specific criteria, including obtaining at least a bachelor's degree in nutrition science, completing a supervised practice program of over 1200 hours, passing a national registration exam, and fulfilling extensive continuing education requirements for license renewal. Our dietitian nutritionists are also licensed in states where licensure is mandatory.
Other practitioners who may identify as nutritionists, such as health coaches, holistic nutritionists, nutrition therapy practitioners, and personal trainers with "nutrition certifications," may lack formal nutrition training. Consequently, their services are ineligible for insurance reimbursement nationwide because they are not recognized as nutrition experts.
Recent “graduate” from Side by Side Nutrition. I started working with SBSN to figure out how food worked after having an eating disorder for years. And I’m so happy I got so much more than that! SBSN introduced me to Self-Compassion and met me with an approach that never included shaming me. I looked forward to our sessions every week, even if I hadn’t done any of my work, because I knew she’d be understanding and work with me to figure out what I needed to make it happen. And none of that compassion and presence was lost when we had to switch to telehealth. When I started, I didn’t think healing from an eating disorder was possible. And I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I’d come out of it with an unshakable love for my body (certainly not a plus size body with chronic illness)! I’m so glad circumstances sent me here because I know I wouldn’t have gotten to this place with my previous dietician! I am STRONG, I am CONFIDENT, and I am in LOVE with myself! Thank you so much for helping me on my journey here! It wasn’t easy, but it was so worth it!
— Michaela Myers