Having just finished high school, Georgia Houston was doing everything you're told to do to stay healthy - filling up on vegetables, limiting sugar and fats, and exercising regularly. Others would applaud how healthy she was, and family friends were even complimenting her, often seeing her running around the local area.
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But just like with the chocolate she was so actively avoiding, you can have too much of a good thing.
Gradually over a year, she became fixated on being healthy, eventually almost completely cutting herself off from regular life.
"I became obsessed with it, and I took that to the extreme," said Georgia. "I became really anxious around food - I would say no to foods if I hadn't prepared them myself, or if I didn't think it was healthy enough, and I definitely wouldn't have eaten out. I would run every day, and would get anxious if I didn't run.
"I went from being happy and outgoing, and I turned into a 19-year-old who would spend all of my time in my room, because it fitted my 'healthy' routine."
Her behaviour was driven by eating disorder Orthorexia, an obsession with eating 'healthy' foods. It was her parents and her boyfriend who realised something was wrong and eventually stepped in. Georgia went to see a psychologist, then a nutritionist and dietitian to help get her eating back on track, but even with professional help, it wasn't an easy path.
"You're constantly fighting so many conflicting messages. I was being told [by professionals] that I had to learn eat unhealthily. I remember seeing a dietician and she said, 'I want you to eat a Magnum', but everywhere around me was saying everyone is overweight and not to eat it. So that was hard," she said.
Georgia believes the rise in Orthorexia comes from social media and the clean eating movement, which she labels, "so dangerous". Her diet at the time was also almost exactly textbook what social media was telling her was healthy - poached eggs and vegetables for breakfast, a big salad for lunch with protein and maybe some rice, then roast vegetables and quinoa for dinner - "but never bread, I was afraid of bread".
Now 24, Georgia says her diet is more balanced - she still goes out for pizza or a kebab occasionally. Wanting to help others in the same position, she completed degrees in psychology and nutritional science, and is in the final year of a masters of nutrition and dietetics. She now works as a nutritionist for her own business, GH Nutrition, and nutrition clinic Feedinc.
Georgia said the industry is still learning more about Orthorexia, and it can often be difficult to pinpoint when there's something wrong.
"If you feel guilty around food or if it makes you feel anxious, that's a real warning, or if you feel like you have to work off your food or are thinking about food all the time."
Georgia will speak about her experience, alongside other Canberrans stylist Jemma Mrdak and athlete Elise Wilson, at the Rise and Inspire breakfast at The Social Club, Kingston on Sunday April 29. Tickets available at Eventbrite.
