Is this “Self-Optimization era” fueling eating disorders?

Opinion, thoughts and feelings from a eating disorder specialized dietitian regarding the era of self-optimization.

I’ve been hearing a lot about self-optimization lately from in my community, on social media, and with clients. I mean, no one is straight-up saying, “I’ve been self-optimizing lately,” but there are plenty of clues. More and more people are wearing technology that tracks their health data. There is, of course, endless content on social media and podcasts dedicated to becoming your “best self.” We’re adding -maxxing to words now. And the message is clear: There is always more to improve, more to fix, and more to control.

After all, self-optimization is the pursuit of continually improving yourself by often by tracking, measuring, and changing different aspects of your life. My God, from what I’m seeing, it sounds like you can optimize your morning routine, your sleep, your gut health, your hormones, your workouts, your supplements, your productivity, your skincare, your screen time, your glucose levels, your steps, your protein intake, your relationships, your thoughts and, apparently, every other variable that might determine whether you are living your best possible life.

When I ask people what do they think about this self-optimization era, I get some interesting responses. Some people really love it, they love the data, they feel empowered to make changes, and they feel a sense of achievement when they are able to follow-through. Maybe they have noticed changes and improvements in life, and they’re happy about it. And then after a while, some of the same people starts to find the tracking and data overwhelming. Over time, the information starts to feel less like useful feedback and more like a guilt trip. It can start to make or break their day. If their sleep score is low, they feel like they’ve failed at sleeping. If they didn't reach their step goal, they feel shame about being “lazy”. If they didn't hit their protein target, they get anxious about muscle loss. The data that was supposed to give them information has instead become another way to judge themselves.

And I guess what I fear, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this, is: What happens when it’s never good enough?

To me, the version of self-optimization being sold to us doesn’t always create a greater sense of confidence or well-being. Instead, it can create another system to monitor, another set of rules to follow, and another way to feel like we’re falling short. And that can be particularly concerning when we consider eating disorder risk. The line between self-optimization and self-surveillance can become blurry, and when an eating disorder thrives on rigidity and over-control, the constant pursuit of “better” can quickly become something much more harmful.

More and more in my practice, I’m hearing both youth and adults with eating disorders adopting terms from the self-optimization lexicon. I get questions about how to protein-maxx, seed-cycle, and “metabolic switch”. The list goes on. When an eating disorder is looking for ways to maintain restriction or avoid eating enough food to support health, almost any rule can become something to latch onto. The language may have changed, but the underlying rigidity can look remarkably familiar. It makes me wonder if we’ve simply repackaged diet culture for a new generation, is it just same sh*t with a different font ?!

Here’s my take: I think self-optimization has become so pervasive, in part, because it offers us a sense of relief from our chronic anxiety. And we have plenty of reasons to feel anxious every day. How could we not, when we have immediate access to every piece of bad news happening around the world, endless polarizing and rage-baiting commentary, and constant opportunities to compare ourselves to the 1%? We’re also consuming information that is increasingly designed to capture and hold our attention by tapping into our most powerful emotions, hello fear?

All of us want to feel better and have some optimism for our future in the midst of all this mess. When so much of the world feels outside of our control, it makes sense that we might turn our attention toward the things that feel more controllable like our bodies, our health, our routines, and our behaviors. And honestly, this isn’t all that different from how eating disorders can function as a way of coping. They can offer a sense of control, predictability, hope, and even achievement during times when everything else feels uncertain.

I really believe that, despite the often well-intentioned recommendations that come from self-optimization culture, we need to acknowledge that there are very few hard-and-fast rules when it comes to health. And the pursuit of an ideal body or an “optimal” version of ourselves may come at a steep cost to our quality of life and mental well-being. We also need to do a better job of protecting youth from black-and-white messages before their brains are mature enough to understand nuance and context. So, the next time self-optimization enters the chat, take it with a grain of salt. What works for someone else doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for you. Maybe deciding to be imperfect can offer benefits that surprise us.

Disclaimer: the information provided is not intended as medical advice or to diagnose or treat a medical disease. It is strictly for informational purposes. Consult with your medical provider such as a dietitian before implementing any dietary changes, the information provided does not replace medical advice provided by your healthcare provider.

Created with AI assistance by Abby Hsiao, Dietitian

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