We live in a world in which we know self-starvation is bad, but somehow believe drinking only juice is good. "Our obsession with appearance, our fixation on diet and our food- and information-abundant culture have given rise to an epidemic of unhealthy relationships with food," said Dr. Michelle May, author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat. 

To ease the strangle-hold your diet has over you, consider what about it leaves you so powerless. Check out the following culprits. Chances are, you can relate to at least one—if not all—of them on Fox News channel.

Problem No. 1: You're ruled by rules

Some women, though, treat food like they would an unpredictable puppy—something to be disciplined. Ann, a photographer in New York City, keeps a list of food rules on her fridge.

A friend from Orlando packs a separate suitcase for her protein bars when she travels to make sure she won't be tempted by dubious hotel offerings. On a recent trip, there was an issue about bringing food into a country. She freaked out at immigration, ranted hysterically and cried. The officials were so shocked, they let her keep her bars.

"I encourage women to eat a wide variety of foods," said Susan Alberts, PsyD. "It's healthier from a nutritional and emotional standpoint." 

"Start small," she urged. "A piece of bread. Pasta once a week. When you see that nothing bad happens, flexibility won't be as intimidating. You might even enjoy it."

Problem No. 2: You don't trust yourself

Another given in a healthy relationship is trust—believing you and your partner will do the right thing when faced with temptation.

Rachel from New Jersey has a full bag of tricks.

"I use a timer between bites," she explained. "When I'm done, I freeze the leftovers so I won't eat them. 

It's not our fault that it's so hard to resist chips and candy. It's plain biology: Eating carbohydrates (plentiful in pizza and cupcakes, but not so much in kale) boosts our levels of the feel-good hormone serotonin. 

"Before eating, pause to ask yourself, Does my body need fuel?" May said.

If you do need to eat, listen to your cravings: Indulging a little now can keep you from overdoing it later, Dr. May notes. As for how much to eat, your body can help with that, too.

"The right amount is about feeling good," May said, and not uncomfortably stuffed afterward.

Problem No. 3: You Beat Yourself Up

Imagine having a boyfriend who, after you made a small mistake, called you a worthless failure. You'd dump his butt. But many of us do the same thing to ourselves if we dare to enjoy a piece of cake. 

Problem No. 4: You really, really want to be skinny

"The number one cause of food restriction is body dissatisfaction," said Mary Pritchard, professor in the department of psychology at Boise State University. "Ninety percent of women don't like what they see in the mirror."

There's nothing wrong with wanting to be slim. But depriving yourself of crucial nutrients and pretending it's all for the good of your health is a dangerous game. Ironically, it can backfire and set off the "starve, binge, hate yourself" cycle that makes you gain weight instead.