Thousands of people suffer with some sort of eating disorder, and the majority of them are using food as a way of coping with life. Even those with anorexia and bulimia are often using their eating habits as a way to deal with the problems they see themselves facing. So how do you go about coping without going overboard? Start by evaluating your eating habits and goals.

People tend to eat too much. That's the bottom line and the focus on those people is one reason other people tend to eat too little. If you're in one category or the other, start by putting a number on your eating habits. It's a lot of work but it will give you a very solid starting place.

Count calories for a week. Log everything you eat, but the key to establishing this starting point is to eat as you normally would. Don't scrimp on meals just because you know you're counting the calories. Start your diet next week. For the first seven days, simply keep a log of everything you eat.

That number may surprise you. You may discover that you don't need to eat any less, but only that you need to eat a bit differently. Instead of the twenty-eight malted milk balls you had as a mid-afternoon snack, you may need to search out some healthier options for the snack times.

Another key to evaluating your eating habits is to divide the caloric intake up over the entire day. One problem many people face is the tendency to eat nothing for breakfast, nothing at lunchtime, and then to gorge themselves at supper ? the worst meal of the day to overeat because the inactivity overnight won't work off any of the calories. If this sounds familiar, look for some ways to spread out your food consumption during the day. Don't like breakfast food? It doesn't matter. A salad is a perfectly acceptable breakfast, as is a donut as long as you're not overeating!

Pay attention to the myriad of dieting tips that make sense.

* Drink water instead of soft drinks ? not only will this help keep your weight under control, it's excellent for keeping skin toned.

* Talk to your doctor before you make dramatic changes in your diet.

* Remember that diet alone won't solve nearly as much as diet combined with an exercise regimen.

* Start by cutting the junk food and those less-than-healthy snacks.

* Before you drastically alter your diet, remember that your body has some specific needs. Not eating enough will do you as much harm as overeating.

Finally, the one rule that is probably part of every successful healthy eating routine ? It's okay to cheat now and then. You should occasionally ditch the cucumbers and carrot sticks in favor of malted milk balls. Life is more than careful attention to diet and if you lose sight of the joys, you're also going to lose sight of your goals for eating healthy.