Counting calories = eating disorder?
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I have a fuel disorder because I check the gas gauge when I drive my car. Ummm, no!0
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Not at all. Just be careful not to become too obsessed with counting, as that can lead to an actual eating disorder.0
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Ugh, our moms are exactly the same. I'm pretty slender though, but I like to count my calories to maintain my frame. And according to MFP I can eat up to 1900 calories a day so I have room to eat A LOT. My mom tries to shame me by saying "you can stand a few pounds" and crap like that. But to me though, counting calories is fine just as long as you don't get obsessive about it0
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It's only a disorder when you get really obsessive about it. In the middle of the night, I get up and put some butter on a few Rice cakes. They never go in my diary because I am someone that is not obsessive. Obsessive is when you eat the min calories and go out with friends and just drink a diet coke instead of having dinner.0
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unfortunately it is! I read somewhere that everything you do in order to "compensate" eating is an eating disorder. Even working out to burn the calories you eat.0
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Ok, then. Your comments suggest that your mom has her own issues that she projects. Do not share your eating habits with her. Realize that her misplaced opinions are based on her own insecurities and fears. Love her, but she is not in a place to give you advice about your eating habits.
I'm going to add the caveat that you need to look out for your health first and weight loss second. I'm so tempted to reduce calories for that faster scale response but realize that my strength goals will suffer, along with my ability to stick to it! I'm older, 45, and have been up and down. I've wasted years being overweight and obese (man, I hate admitting that) because I didn't take the time to love myself, and what I'm doing, to feel better.
An eating disorder is not brought to bear by counting calories. It's a varied emotional/behavioral disorder. You may be susceptible, as your sister was. That is a legitimate worry. However, your mother seems to have problems with varied eating habits. She will not likely change, so it's up to you to change how you react to her comments.0 -
pollypocket1021 wrote: »SkinnyMiss053 wrote: »If you don't live with your mother and you are buying your own food, don't divulge anything that would cause her unnecessary worry for you that comes out in the form of ridicule.
Anything causes that. She told her friend that I eat a piece of chocolate each night and that I will soon look like a whale.
pff.
Yeah you've just got to learn to ignore that! My mother is teeny tiny and has been 105 lbs her whole life- even after having 5 babies! She thinks she's 'fat' at 112 lbs now she's ridiculous. She's always poking me and saying you really should watch what you eat or you really need to lose a few lbs. It sucks and sometimes it gets to me but I just brush it off! I know she loves me and just wants me to be comfortable and happy since typically I'm relatively small too just let my eating get waaaay out of hand and stopped being active
changed that now though! Sorry for the novel but I can relate to having a mom like that!
Omg, do we have the same mom??
I could have written the same thing about my mom (110lbs after 5 kids, and thinks she's fat)
What is wrong with them!? I'm terrified to have kids because I'm worried I won't lose the baby fat I don't think my mom
Ever had baby fat..not that I remember anyway! She'd pop them out and look all thin and great again!0 -
There are all sorts of eating disorders, It's not unbelievable for an overweight person to have one. You should/need to seek professional help before it gets really out of hand and you do long term damage to yourself.0 -
That has nothing to do with it. You need help. NOW.0 -
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Please take good care of yourself. Please seek help. My teen is exhibiting signs of a potential ED. I started with her doctor and a nutritionist. I've seen with a friend how devistating it can be. Again. Please for your own sake take care and get assistance getting healthy.0
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Counting calories is not disordered...but binge eating most certainly is.0
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SkinnyMiss053 wrote: »Hi there. I'm new here and I would like to lose 10-20lb. Not sure how much yet. Depends on how I feel. I'm 5'2, 22, female and mfp gave me 1200 calories but I set it to 1350 because I feel like I might binge if I eat so little. I'm not active, but still.
Anyway, my mom thinks counting calories is an eating disorder. I don't live with her but I know she will bug me about it often. My sister got close to anorexia once and now she thinks I will head down the same road.
But I don't feel like I would be able to maintain without counting, because if I let myself get fat once I would surely do it again if I didn't keep myself accountable?
Do you think counting calories forever is an eating disorder or wrong in any way?
No to both questions. You need to do what works best for you in order to lose and then maintain your weight.
It just sounds like mom is having some fears.0 -
OP, let me echo everyone who said not to speak to your mom about it. She displays disordered thinking and doesn't seem able to differentiate your way of thinking from hers or your sister's.
And give yourself credit for manually resetting your calorie goal because you thought 1200 was too low for you. You already seem more self-aware than your mom.0 -
unfortunately it is! I read somewhere that everything you do in order to "compensate" eating is an eating disorder. Even working out to burn the calories you eat.
So, counting calories is an eating disorder?
Exercising is also an eating disorder?
And, if you log these things to find caloric balance, that is an eating disorder?
If this is what you are saying, you are sorely misinformed.
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barbecuesauce wrote: »OP, let me echo everyone who said not to speak to your mom about it. She displays disordered thinking and doesn't seem able to differentiate your way of thinking from hers or your sister's.
And give yourself credit for manually resetting your calorie goal because you thought 1200 was too low for you. You already seem more self-aware than your mom.
Do I ever agree with this. The last person to speak to about any aspect of food and/or exercise or dieting is someone who is already disordered. Not engaging, or disengaging if you end up getting pulled in, are the best things you can do.
A simple, "Okay, I understand," works, or simply changing the subject, or even leaving the conversation if neither of those work.0 -
Thanks everyone. I fell asleep after I wrote this do I have only just now read all the responses.
Some FR's would be welcome if you want. I just joined yesterday and only have 1 friend so far.
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SkinnyMiss053 wrote: »Hi there. I'm new here and I would like to lose 10-20lb. Not sure how much yet. Depends on how I feel. I'm 5'2, 22, female and mfp gave me 1200 calories but I set it to 1350 because I feel like I might binge if I eat so little. I'm not active, but still.
Anyway, my mom thinks counting calories is an eating disorder. I don't live with her but I know she will bug me about it often. My sister got close to anorexia once and now she thinks I will head down the same road.
But I don't feel like I would be able to maintain without counting, because if I let myself get fat once I would surely do it again if I didn't keep myself accountable?
Do you think counting calories forever is an eating disorder or wrong in any way?
My mom was anorexic in her early 20s and she became that way by carrying a calorie counting book and knowing exactly how many calories she was taking in at all times. But, she was only eating like 500 calories a day. You can become obsessive about it and that can become an eating disorder although counting calories on it's own is not one.0 -
SkinnyMiss053 wrote: »Hi there. I'm new here and I would like to lose 10-20lb. Not sure how much yet. Depends on how I feel. I'm 5'2, 22, female and mfp gave me 1200 calories but I set it to 1350 because I feel like I might binge if I eat so little. I'm not active, but still.
Anyway, my mom thinks counting calories is an eating disorder. I don't live with her but I know she will bug me about it often. My sister got close to anorexia once and now she thinks I will head down the same road.
But I don't feel like I would be able to maintain without counting, because if I let myself get fat once I would surely do it again if I didn't keep myself accountable?
Do you think counting calories forever is an eating disorder or wrong in any way?
I am on this site, so I have obviously counted calories, but still, yes, I agree with your mother. If counting calories for a while (be it months or years) helps you lose weight or gain weight or whatever your goal is, and if it helps you understand how to make better eating choices for the rest of your life, it is a tool. If it is something you need to do forever to eat, it is a disorder. If for whatever reason, there is a long history of years of very bad eating patterns, leading either ot obesity or being extremely underweight, or becoming bulimic etc, then counting calories for life might be a better choice than the alternative. But feeling at only 22 that you need to spend the rest of your life counting calories or you will get fat, this is disordered thinking IMHO.0
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