"eating disorder" thrown around loosely

NashvilleScott

around here on MFP I see.

If anyone doesnt eat enough calories for the masses, they are told they have an eating disorder.

If anyone goes under the needed calories for a week, the masses tell them they have an eating disorder.

A post I saw earlier where someone said they were scared what they were eating wasnt healthy and they were told they had an eating disorder.

If you do not eat the "right" foods you are told you have an eating disorder.

Guess what folks? Most of us are on here because we are or were fat. You get fat because you have an eating disorder! I think its A-OK to to eat a little less or not eat the "right" foods if it is going to drop some pounds. Obesity can cause heart disease, diabetis, self esttem isses, emotional stress etc etc etc. If you have to have a different type of "eating disorder" and you are already very large, you do what you gotta do.

I have lost quite a bit of weight and have not done it the "right" way according to most of the "experts" on here. I can tell you I feel 1000% better now than I did 70 pounds ago in every shape form and fashion however.

Just kills me when people are here trying to better themselves and doing a good thing and people constantly want to tell them they have an eating disorder and need to seek professional help or a doctor. In a perfect world we would all like to be able to run 10 miles, eat all the veggies and go to the gym 3 hours per day and see the best doctors and nutritionists.. Time wise, emotionally and financially that is just not possible for everyone.

So I commend everyone who is dropping weight in order to become healthier even if you have a temporary "eating disorder" for a period of time to do it. In the long run, it is still much better than being obese for the rest of your life!

I am sure I will get flamed for this, but that's ok.

yarwell

Just kills me when people are here trying to better themselves and doing a good thing and people constantly want to tell them they have an eating disorder and need to seek professional help or a doctor. In a perfect world we would all like to be able to run 10 miles, eat all the veggies and go to the gym 3 hours per day and see the best doctors and nutritionists..

+1

The majority of people don't do formal exercise, and many would rather eat their organs than go to a gym.

At least in the UK this stupid 1200 calorie thing isn't "a thing" at all :-)

EtreMieux

Actually, I quite agree with this.
One side of my family is stick-thin, the other side is on the heavy side of weight.
As a result, if I eat less one week, I am thought of as anorexic, if I eat more for a week, the other side screams 'overeater' at me. Sometimes, you can't win, I guess ! So I think the best one can do is do something that works for you, be it fast weight loss, slow weight loss, juice fast or weight watchers...
I just think it's best to keep a leveled head!

quirkytizzy

I think you fail to realize the nature of this site, which can and does attract many people with unhealthy relationships towards food. Being overweight is unhealthy, but so is being underweight. Couple that with fear of eating (which is a fine way to destroy yourself) and with the obsessive nature that counting calories can bring, and YES, we do wind up with many folks here who struggle with undereating disorders.

In no way, shape, or form should the other extreme of what many of us are trying to do (lose weight) be celebrated or encouraged. We are here to develop healthy relationships with our bodies. Fearing food and our bodies is not the way to do this. So when we see it, we call it out and suggest help.

You do those who are ill, who are teetering on extremely dangerous behaviors, a disservice by saying what you've said.

deksgrl

Anorexia will kill you faster than being fat will, in general. So when someone comes here at already an unhealthy low weight and talks about eating less than 1200 calories a day, yes, it is cause for alarm. Not everyone comes here because they were fat, many come here because they *think* they are fat when in reality, they are not.

NashvilleScott

Anorexia will kill you faster than being fat will, in general. So when someone comes here at already an unhealthy low weight and talks about eating less than 1200 calories a day, yes, it is cause for alarm. Not everyone comes here because they were fat, many come here because they *think* they are fat when in reality, they are not.

I apologize for not being more clear. I am talking about only people who are overweight and doing what they have to do to lose the weight. I know there are some that come here to maintain fitness or even gain weight, but the majority are people like myself who have or had a considerable amount of weight they needed to or do need to be lose to improve health.

deksgrl

It is also unhealthy to recommend that people with smaller amounts of weight to lose to eat low calorie diets. People who have a lot of weight to lose can afford to eat low calorie, but the people with less amount to lose risk losing lean body mass which is unhealthy as well as sending their hormones into an unbalanced state which actually works against weight loss. So when you see people protesting about less than 1,200 in most cases that is very solid advice, unless the person is very petite to begin with, or unless the person is severely obese.

cbumbalough

I agree with you (and I am positive you mean people that need to lose weight, not the underweight still trying to lose weight). I have no problem with being accused of undereating, but I do occasionally get an opinion that I don't care for and I think is ridiculous. I had a "friend" message me that I was better off drinking poison rather than a diet soda. Well, FYI to him, I do know they aren't good for you, but one on occasion is better than me going out and getting a box of Krispy Kreme to demolish. Pft to him. I know he was "trying to help" but his message was a little extreme.

People are different. If I underate, I'd fall off the wagon in a second. There are others who do better eating in a lower calorie range. More power to them!!

NashvilleScott

It is also unhealthy to recommend that people with smaller amounts of weight to lose to eat low calorie diets. People who have a lot of weight to lose can afford to eat low calorie, but the people with less amount to lose risk losing lean body mass which is unhealthy as well as sending their hormones into an unbalanced state which actually works against weight loss. So when you see people protesting about less than 1,200 in most cases that is very solid advice, unless the person is very petite to begin with, or unless the person is severely obese.

I didnt neccesarily "recommend" anything. I am just stating that when people are 300,400 whatever pounds, its great that they are doing anything they can do get the weight off. We have lots of fat stored and each person can observe how eating less effects them personally. Rather than people telling them what they are doing is wrong and telling them they have an eating disorder, how bout encouragement for what they are doing and then helping them educate themselves on how they may be able to do it more safely or efficiently?

I can only speak for myself, but I have lost almost 70 pounds in less than 6 months and want to lose about 30 more. According to the so called experts here, I have an eating disorder, I do not eat enough and I am in "starvation mode" most of the time, which IMO is just plain wrong. I do not have an eating disorder, I admit I sometimes may eat too little (especially based on the amount I burn) and I guarantee I am never starving. If i were starving, I would eat! I am doing what I need to do to get the weight off so I can add the weight lifting and running and I use this site to educate myself as to how I can maintain and make life changes in the future to be more healthy. I was depressed, I was fat (fatter than I am now), I felt like crap, I couldnt do much without losing my breathe, etc etc etc. Now I feel great, both emotionally and physically despite doing most everything wrong, starving myself and eating the wrong foods according to many here on MFP.

quirkytizzy

Merely because you have lots of fat stored does NOT mean you can safely live off it. Fat has no nutrients stored. Yes, your body can cannibalize the calories. It cannot cannibalize protein, calcium, etc etc.

Therefore, one must eat - and sometimes significant amounts - if they are to lose weight healthily. If you don't, you're just setting your body up for more pain and destruction down the road.

lynn1982

Anorexia will kill you faster than being fat will, in general. So when someone comes here at already an unhealthy low weight and talks about eating less than 1200 calories a day, yes, it is cause for alarm. Not everyone comes here because they were fat, many come here because they *think* they are fat when in reality, they are not.

I apologize for not being more clear. I am talking about only people who are overweight and doing what they have to do to lose the weight. I know there are some that come here to maintain fitness or even gain weight, but the majority are people like myself who have or had a considerable amount of weight they needed to or do need to be lose to improve health.

I just want to point out that one can be overweight and still have an eating disorder if they are severely restricting food. (Granted, it's not technically called anorexia because one needs to be underweight to fulfill the technical definition.) I agree with your original post, but eating disorders are mental illnesses that use food. Someone can be overweight and come on here and develop an unhealthy relationship with food (or perhaps already have that relationship) where calories are the enemy and they see themselves losing a ton of weight while netting 500 calories. If that's the case and they have fear foods, etc. then perhaps they do need professional help. It is much easier for someone to get help for an eating disorder if their body has not yet started to eat itself and the person is still at a healthy weight (or is overweight). Of course, the problem then becomes trying to find such help, but that's another issue. I also think many posters who do point this out to people could go about it differently - rather than berating the person, which often happens on here, perhaps send a PM or a more polite public message.

amandatapar

I think people in your real life though sometimes have problems seeing people get skinnier even though you are completely healthy too. I lost down to 140 pounds years ago and people at work were worried that I was anorexic because I didn't eat the same stuff they were eating. They weren't used to me being that little and it seemed like they were trying to sabotage my efforts some. I don't take what people say to me with too much stock because I am doing this for me not for anyone else.

judithmckenzie

Loose weight, get fit, become healthy - but above all do this for yourself and forget what others are saying / doing.

Hexahedra

I did use the term "Eating Disorder", but that was for an 18 year-old girl who ate 300 calories a day.

NatureChik1985

For the time I have been here I have noticed that there are a lot of people practicing some form of disordered eating. There is undereating, demonization of food, over eating (binging), fear of food and a long list of other red flags. I myself think there are more people on here in denial of their disordered eating than those who have a healthy relationship with food. This is why I don't except friends on here. This is probably one of the worst forums for disordered eating and I have been to some bad ones but it is the best logging system.

xstarxdustx

around here on MFP I see.

If anyone doesnt eat enough calories for the masses, they are told they have an eating disorder.

If anyone goes under the needed calories for a week, the masses tell them they have an eating disorder.

A post I saw earlier where someone said they were scared what they were eating wasnt healthy and they were told they had an eating disorder.

If you do not eat the "right" foods you are told you have an eating disorder.

Guess what folks? Most of us are on here because we are or were fat. You get fat because you have an eating disorder! I think its A-OK to to eat a little less or not eat the "right" foods if it is going to drop some pounds. Obesity can cause heart disease, diabetis, self esttem isses, emotional stress etc etc etc. If you have to have a different type of "eating disorder" and you are already very large, you do what you gotta do.

I have lost quite a bit of weight and have not done it the "right" way according to most of the "experts" on here. I can tell you I feel 1000% better now than I did 70 pounds ago in every shape form and fashion however.

Just kills me when people are here trying to better themselves and doing a good thing and people constantly want to tell them they have an eating disorder and need to seek professional help or a doctor. In a perfect world we would all like to be able to run 10 miles, eat all the veggies and go to the gym 3 hours per day and see the best doctors and nutritionists.. Time wise, emotionally and financially that is just not possible for everyone.

So I commend everyone who is dropping weight in order to become healthier even if you have a temporary "eating disorder" for a period of time to do it. In the long run, it is still much better than being obese for the rest of your life!

I am sure I will get flamed for this, but that's ok.

THANK YOU for this! To each their own and what works for them while staying healthy both physically and mentally.

sarahelizabeth2276

I find myself holding both sides of this. I do think "eating disorder" is thrown around much to freely around here. I have personal experienced the horrors of anorexia and bulimia, though. I find myself worried with some people's caloric intake and might urge them to truly look at whats going on for them self. I am not a doctor (eventually I will be!!) and I can not diagnose nor treatment people with any form of any eating disorder (Binge eating, Anorexia, Bulimia, EDNOS, etc.) I personally make the conscious effort not to use diagnostic terms on these forums, simply to illuminate misunderstandings or any stress. I find it more helpful to look at specific behaviors (ie- eating under 500 calories and having a goal weight thats considered under weight)

I do think the general population assumes that when an individual who loses a drastic amount of weight and has different eating habits, they have disordered eating or even an eating disorder. which, may be true- though it also may be far from the truth. It's a dialectic; both can be true (even though they're opposing truths.)

As a child (age 8-13) I struggled with severe anorexia and bulimia. I was standing at the nearly the same height I am now (5ft and few inches) and I never broke 80lbs. (though prior to my eating disorder I was weighing in at a healthy 115pounds.) I usually weighed in between 72lbs and 76lbs. I ate between 0-100 calories a day and never ate more than 800 calories a week. I would set my alarm for 3am and walk (or run) the streets of my town untill 7am, when I returned home and faked sleeping in my bed. I literally was a walking skeleton. My checks were hallow, every rib was visible, my hip bones held my childrens pants on my body, my tail bone and bottom was constantly bruised from sitting and having no fat for padding, it was hell. I started purging (self-induced vomiting) the tiny bits I did eat. It was a living nightmare. I wound up have numerous (15) lengthy hospital stays-each one ranging from 2 weeks to 12 months.) I spent 18 months away from my parents at age 12 because I fell into a coma and was deathly ill. Iived in a specialized eating disorder hospital. To this day, doctors are baffled at my survival.

Unfortunately, though, in my late teens (15-17 years old) - after a stint of recovery-like behavior (weighing around 115lbs)- I began bingeing uncontrollably and skyrocket to 280-something pounds in less than 2 years. I ate all day everyday. At 17, I went back into treatment and began getting help.

Eating disorders destroy lives and I am grateful to be in somewhat of a recovered state now. I hate when I see these diseased terms being throw around. If people are genuinely concerned for someone, send them a personal message or get curious about whats going on for them. We are all here with the intent of losing weight. It looks different for everyone. We all gained weight in different ways and inevitably we will all lose it in different ways to.

I'm sorry for my long rambling response... I just don't want to discount either side of this situation.

Eating too much or too little is unhealthy. We don't know if people have or don't have eating disorders- we can only support them with the knowledge we do know.

Again, sorry for my rambling.

NashvilleScott

I find myself holding both sides of this. I do think "eating disorder" is thrown around much to freely around here. I have personal experienced the horrors of anorexia and bulimia, though. I find myself worried with some people's caloric intake and might urge them to truly look at whats going on for them self. I am not a doctor (eventually I will be!!) and I can not diagnose nor treatment people with any form of any eating disorder (Binge eating, Anorexia, Bulimia, EDNOS, etc.) I personally make the conscious effort not to use diagnostic terms on these forums, simply to illuminate misunderstandings or any stress. I find it more helpful to look at specific behaviors (ie- eating under 500 calories and having a goal weight thats considered under weight)

I do think the general population assumes that when an individual who loses a drastic amount of weight and has different eating habits, they have disordered eating or even an eating disorder. which, may be true- though it also may be far from the truth. It's a dialectic; both can be true (even though they're opposing truths.)

As a child (age 8-13) I struggled with severe anorexia and bulimia. I was standing at the nearly the same height I am now (5ft and few inches) and I never broke 80lbs. (though prior to my eating disorder I was weighing in at a healthy 115pounds.) I usually weighed in between 72lbs and 76lbs. I ate between 0-100 calories a day and never ate more than 800 calories a week. I would set my alarm for 3am and walk (or run) the streets of my town untill 7am, when I returned home and faked sleeping in my bed. I literally was a walking skeleton. My checks were hallow, every rib was visible, my hip bones held my childrens pants on my body, my tail bone and bottom was constantly bruised from sitting and having no fat for padding, it was hell. I started purging (self-induced vomiting) the tiny bits I did eat. It was a living nightmare. I wound up have numerous (15) lengthy hospital stays-each one ranging from 2 weeks to 12 months.) I spent 18 months away from my parents at age 12 because I fell into a coma and was deathly ill. Iived in a specialized eating disorder hospital. To this day, doctors are baffled at my survival.

Unfortunately, though, in my late teens (15-17 years old) - after a stint of recovery-like behavior (weighing around 115lbs)- I began bingeing uncontrollably and skyrocket to 280-something pounds in less than 2 years. I ate all day everyday. At 17, I went back into treatment and began getting help.

Eating disorders destroy lives and I am grateful to be in somewhat of a recovered state now. I hate when I see these diseased terms being throw around. If people are genuinely concerned for someone, send them a personal message or get curious about whats going on for them. We are all here with the intent of losing weight. It looks different for everyone. We all gained weight in different ways and inevitably we will all lose it in different ways to.

I'm sorry for my long rambling response... I just don't want to discount either side of this situation.

Eating too much or too little is unhealthy. We don't know if people have or don't have eating disorders- we can only support them with the knowledge we do know.

Again, sorry for my rambling.

Great post!! Glad to see you have things under control now and good luck on becoming a doctor, I'm sure you'll be a great one!

BigGuy47

Rather than people telling them what they are doing is wrong and telling them they have an eating disorder, how bout encouragement for what they are doing and then helping them educate themselves on how they may be able to do it more safely or efficiently?

In other words you're saying, "Be nice to people". Nothing wrong with that.

Threads can often get right to the point. Advice offered is sometimes brutally honest. The message can come across as harsh,but the desire to help is usually genuine. Anyone embarking on a weight loss journey should prepare themselves with thick skin.

Regarding the thread, "I'm afraid to eat". How would you expect people to react? Saying you're afraid to eat is a sign of an eating disorder. I think she probably used the wrong words in the thread title, but I'm not at all surprised that she was called out. Part of changing your lifestyle for the better is developing a healthy relationship with food. Being fearful of food is unhealthy.

Hypothetically would it be OK to use the term "eating disorder" in threads titled:
I eat tissue paper and water to fill my stomach is this OK?
I vomit after big meals, should I count these calories?
I'm eating 700 cal a day, why do I still look fat in the mirror?

If you do not eat the "right" foods you are told you have an eating disorder.

I've never seen a thread like this. Actually quite the opposite. Typically someone will chime in about eating something that may not be considered healthy. A couple people might say, "Don't eat that crap" and then the IIFIYM crowd pummels the nay sayers.

gfroniewski

I have an eating disorder...I am addicted to eating well.

sarahelizabeth2276

Great post!! Glad to see you have things under control now and good luck on becoming a doctor, I'm sure you'll be a great one!

Thank you so much!