"eating disorder" thrown around loosely
Replies
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Everyone thinks they're an expert, nobody pays $50k to go to school to actually become one these days.Everyone's enrolled in "Google University "0
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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.
^^^ this
being afraid to eat because you're afraid of gaining weight is a symptom of an eating disorder, and it's often one of the things that people have before they go on to develop a full blown eating disorder. It is very much a red flag.
if the OP didn't actually mean that she was afraid to eat in case she gained weight, then maybe she should have said what she did mean. because people generally take what you type on the internet at face value. And if you ask a question on the internet but don't word it well and get answers that you didn't want, you can just ignore them. No-one's compelled to follow any advice given on the internet. If it's wrong, or not appropriate, then just ignore it.0 -
People often use "eating disorder" instead of "disordered eating". They're two different things. And I think it's fair to call out disordered eating when you see someone doing it, since it can turn into something worse.
fair comment0 -
I have an eating disorder...I am addicted to eating well.
That's an actual eating disorder. It's called Orthorexia.. It hasn't been added to the DSM, but it is highly recognized in the eating disorder community.
"Orthorexia is a proposed eating disorder or mental disorder characterized by an extreme or excessive preoccupation with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthful"
I hope you are okay!!
...and here we are. The guy (or girl) says he likes to eat well. You make it into Orthorexia.
Over-reacting, much?
The above person wasn't told they had orthorexia. It was pointed out that the disorder exists. That's not the same thing.0 -
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.
I responded to that post and advised the op to talk to a professional. Her exact words were:does anyone else feel scared to eat (thread title) even healthy things? In case it puts you weight on?
That is disordered eating. Being afraid to eat because you might gain weight isn't ok. She later back pedaled and said that's not what she meant. However, I only responded to the thread title and first post.
I was also responding to the second poster who said:I don't feel scared to eat, anything. It's just when it's already in my stomach, I feel gross; even when it's something healthy.
That is disordered as well. Eating shouldn't make you feel gross. Maybe they didn't mean exactly what they typed, but it's hard to infer a different meaning without being able to talk to them or to know anything about their history or background. I responded to what they put in the thread.
I don't throw around the term "eating disorder" too often, but I've been here long enough to know that there are definitely a lot of people with disordered relationships with food. And I do urge them to seek help when I see them because otherwise, they don't have a shot at sustaining any kind of healthy relationship with food (and weight loss).0 -
I do think some people over use the term orthorexia. Different people have different eating habits and preferences. That does not make it a disorder. It is a disorder if it is disruptive to the person's life or loved ones (in a real way, not just that they are annoyed the person won't eat donuts and pop tarts), or if it is having a negative impact on the person's physical, nutritional, or mental/emotional, or social health. But, just because some random person on the internet doesn't like that person, it doesn't mean they have an eating disorder. I also think being paranoid of imagined disorder is a problem as well, and should not be encouraged. I think there is an issue of control. Some people want to control what other people eat (whether they want everyone to eat by their definition of healthy or they want everyone to eat a specific food item that they enjoy such as poptarts for example). I also think there is a lot of projection on here at times. People see what they dislike in other people, but keep the drama going from their own responses to it (maybe they do that for fun). Perhaps we all do this at times, maybe it's part of human nature (or human boredom or how people deal with avoiding their own issues, maybe more than one reason). Sorry, just kind of needed to get that off my chest. Btw, no one has ever or would ever call me orthorexic, so this is not a personal reaction to anything, just from what I read in the forums. I'm not personally upset with anyone. This is not a serious issue for me, just an observation. Perhaps I missed something, as would be likely on internet forums. This is not a response to anything or person specifically or any recent event. And this doesn't only happen with eating disorders. People will also throw around other mental disorder terms. There is probably a lack of education on what the real definition of many mental disorders are.0
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I agree that the term does get used way too often. It's not rare to see someone told they have an eating disorder because they eat under a certain number of calories. Eating disorders are way more complex than that and obviously the people who are throwing the term around don't have the knowledge or experience to understand that.0
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I do think some people over use the term orthorexia. Different people have different eating habits and preferences. That does not make it a disorder. It is a disorder if it is disruptive to the person's life or loved ones (in a real way, not just that they are annoyed the person won't eat donuts and pop tarts), or if it is having a negative impact on the person's physical, nutritional, or mental/emotional, or social health. But, just because some random person on the internet doesn't like that person, it doesn't mean they have an eating disorder. I also think being paranoid of imagined disorder is a problem as well, and should not be encouraged. I think there is an issue of control. Some people want to control what other people eat (whether they want everyone to eat by their definition of healthy or they want everyone to eat a specific food item that they enjoy such as poptarts for example). I also think there is a lot of projection on here at times. People see what they dislike in other people, but keep the drama going from their own responses to it (maybe they do that for fun). Perhaps we all do this at times, maybe it's part of human nature (or human boredom or how people deal with avoiding their own issues, maybe more than one reason). Sorry, just kind of needed to get that off my chest. Btw, no one has ever or would ever call me orthorexic, so this is not a personal reaction to anything, just from what I read in the forums. I'm not personally upset with anyone. This is not a serious issue for me, just an observation. Perhaps I missed something, as would be likely on internet forums. This is not a response to anything or person specifically or any recent event. And this doesn't only happen with eating disorders. People will also throw around other mental disorder terms. There is probably a lack of education on what the real definition of many mental disorders are.
Very well said. Couldn't have said it better.0 -
I have an eating disorder...I am addicted to eating well.
That's an actual eating disorder. It's called Orthorexia.. It hasn't been added to the DSM, but it is highly recognized in the eating disorder community.
"Orthorexia is a proposed eating disorder or mental disorder characterized by an extreme or excessive preoccupation with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthful"
I hope you are okay!!
...and here we are. The guy (or girl) says he likes to eat well. You make it into Orthorexia.
Over-reacting, much?
The above person wasn't told they had orthorexia. It was pointed out that the disorder exists. That's not the same thing.
Exactly! I wasn't claiming he or she had Orthorexia. I was just explaining that it is a legit disorder. I'm not a person who will label people with anything- diagnosis or otherwise!
Knowledge is power, if you have information- share it (hopefully in a thoughtful, kind way. There's no need to be pejorative or nasty! Kindness breads kindness, my friends.)0 -
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.
Just because they're overweight doesn't mean they have to eat less than 1000 calories... nor does it mean it's healthy to do so. You're advocating for eating disorders... it's not right. It's not right whether a person is 100 pounds or 300 pounds.0 -
Everyone thinks they're an expert, nobody pays $50k to go to school to actually become one these days.Everyone's enrolled in "Google University "
Very true!
(some silly people- like me- are actually paying the absurd amounts of money to actually become one, though.)1 -
I have an eating disorder...I am addicted to eating well.
That's an actual eating disorder. It's called Orthorexia.. It hasn't been added to the DSM, but it is highly recognized in the eating disorder community.
"Orthorexia is a proposed eating disorder or mental disorder characterized by an extreme or excessive preoccupation with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthful"
I hope you are okay!!
...and here we are. The guy (or girl) says he likes to eat well. You make it into Orthorexia.
Over-reacting, much?
The above person wasn't told they had orthorexia. It was pointed out that the disorder exists. That's not the same thing.
My problem lies with psychological "disorders" that are mostly made up. Like Orthorexia. Yes, I'm sure at the extreme, it is a burden. Like the guy who only ate French fries for 20 years. There are big nutritional deficits being created there.
But the first post in this sequence says, "I have an eating disorder...I am addicted to eating well.
The second post says,.."blah blah, I hope you're okay".
C'mon, he doesn't have a disorder because he likes to eat well. You guys take things to such extremes.
If anyone really believes the DSM, well, that's another thread.0 -
There is probably a lack of education on what the real definition of many mental disorders are.
I just want to clarify that when I said "the real definition" I did not mean text book definition. I mean from first hand experience of growing up around people and being cared for by people that struggle with "mental illness" and specific "disorders". I personally have very little trust in the current state of psychology and psychologists (and for good reason). And, yeah, that's a whole other thread.0 -
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.
can you point us to anywhere on here where somebody has told you that you have an eating disorder? i'd like to see who these so-called "experts" are that you claim are telling you such things.0 -
Everyone thinks they're an expert, nobody pays $50k to go to school to actually become one these days.Everyone's enrolled in "Google University "
ha! google is for suckers. i don't even need access to the interwebz, i just stay at a Holiday Inn Express!
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By some standards I would have had an eating disorder in 7th and 8th grade because I would only eat 1 to 2 meals a day (and no one realizing that a lot of it had to do with at home circumstances).
Now, to an extent I probably do have "disordered eating" because there are times where I ask myself "am i going to get fat from eating this?" but that is usually when I am eating a cookie or something like that. Unfortunately, that comes from when my mom was alive and she would basically berate about my weight and how she wished I would have looked like a college cheerleader or dancer and why did i have to be the fat kid and blah blah blah. it also doesn't help when my husband says to me "I'm hungry. O wait, you are counting your calories today."
I think when someone comes on and says "I'm eating such and such calories" that it can be cause for alarm. but in the amount of time I have been on mfp, when someone says that, it usually means they are eating too little.
My cousin was 569 this time around when he started trying to lose weight (his heaviest in his life was 1200), and he is now down to 371ish (he drinks 2 shakes a day and one meal). Do i say "that's not right you need to do this instead." nope, because eventually he will learn.
Psychology is an area that i don't understand so therefore i can't give advice on. But some here on mfp have been on here for years, and so they give their 2 cents in hopes to help out and maybe the old saying "another year older, another year wiser" holds some truth.
Also OP, congratulations on the weight loss!!!!!!!!!!0 -
Everyone thinks they're an expert, nobody pays $50k to go to school to actually become one these days.Everyone's enrolled in "Google University "
ha! google is for suckers. i don't even need access to the interwebz, i just stay at a Holiday Inn Express!
If you're a Florida resident the cost at USF was only about $40,000 a few years ago. I did not go to google university but my interpretation of research might be different than yours. I google so it's easier for MFP members to understand. Burro, this is NOT directed at you. xo!0 -
Just reposting one of my previous posts, people. Food is not a cure all.
and once again...From The Way To Cook, written by Julia Child and published in 1989.
"Because of media hype and woefully inadequate information, too many people nowadays are deathly afraid of their food, and what does fear of food do to the digestive system? ... I, for one, would much rather swoon over a few thin slices of prime beefsteak, or one small serving of chocolate mousse, or a sliver of foie gras than indulge to the full on such nonentities as fat-free gelatin puddings."
"The pleasures of the table — that lovely old-fashioned phrase — depict food as an art form, as a delightful part of civilized life. In spite of food fads, fitness programs, and health concerns, we must never lose sight of a beautifully conceived meal."
and....
“Life itself is the proper binge.” ― Julia Child0 -
like the op I read the post from the young lady and she was clearly trying to get the point across that because of all the different ideas she was unsure what to eat. Not that she was afraid of food and then the experts jumped in slamming her. One even went as far as to say that doctors know nothing about good foods, only a dietician does. Perhaps it would be best that if you suspect someone has a disorder recommend: that they see a health care professional instead trying to treat them yourselves.
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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.
^^^ this
being afraid to eat because you're afraid of gaining weight is a symptom of an eating disorder, and it's often one of the things that people have before they go on to develop a full blown eating disorder. It is very much a red flag.
This and this. I have seen the beginning to end of some people weight problems and the one with the disorderly behaviors were far worse off in my opinion and the people involved first hand and otherwise. And the one obese person who took the healthy approach looks a ton firmer and healthier inside and out.
Also not accusing you but nobody wants to admit to that kind of problem and in my experience i have heard several people say the same as the OP and all of them have been hospitalized for health problems due to malnourishment0 -
By some standards I would have had an eating disorder in 7th and 8th grade because I would only eat 1 to 2 meals a day (and no one realizing that a lot of it had to do with at home circumstances).
Now, to an extent I probably do have "disordered eating" because there are times where I ask myself "am i going to get fat from eating this?" but that is usually when I am eating a cookie or something like that. Unfortunately, that comes from when my mom was alive and she would basically berate about my weight and how she wished I would have looked like a college cheerleader or dancer and why did i have to be the fat kid and blah blah blah. it also doesn't help when my husband says to me "I'm hungry. O wait, you are counting your calories today."
I think when someone comes on and says "I'm eating such and such calories" that it can be cause for alarm. but in the amount of time I have been on mfp, when someone says that, it usually means they are eating too little.
My cousin was 569 this time around when he started trying to lose weight (his heaviest in his life was 1200), and he is now down to 371ish (he drinks 2 shakes a day and one meal). Do i say "that's not right you need to do this instead." nope, because eventually he will learn.
Psychology is an area that i don't understand so therefore i can't give advice on. But some here on mfp have been on here for years, and so they give their 2 cents in hopes to help out and maybe the old saying "another year older, another year wiser" holds some truth.
Also OP, congratulations on the weight loss!!!!!!!!!!
Why would eating one or two meals per day mean somebody has an eating disorder, I don't get that bit, I wonder why some people would think that?
I only have two meals per day and no, I do not have an eating disorder before anybody thinks I do :laugh:
and to the OP, I agree that "eating disorder" is thrown around too much and usually by people that really haven't got a clue what they are on about.0 -
I do think some people over use the term orthorexia. Different people have different eating habits and preferences. That does not make it a disorder. It is a disorder if it is disruptive to the person's life or loved ones (in a real way, not just that they are annoyed the person won't eat donuts and pop tarts), or if it is having a negative impact on the person's physical, nutritional, or mental/emotional, or social health. But, just because some random person on the internet doesn't like that person, it doesn't mean they have an eating disorder. I also think being paranoid of imagined disorder is a problem as well, and should not be encouraged. I think there is an issue of control. Some people want to control what other people eat (whether they want everyone to eat by their definition of healthy or they want everyone to eat a specific food item that they enjoy such as poptarts for example). I also think there is a lot of projection on here at times. People see what they dislike in other people, but keep the drama going from their own responses to it (maybe they do that for fun). Perhaps we all do this at times, maybe it's part of human nature (or human boredom or how people deal with avoiding their own issues, maybe more than one reason). Sorry, just kind of needed to get that off my chest. Btw, no one has ever or would ever call me orthorexic, so this is not a personal reaction to anything, just from what I read in the forums. I'm not personally upset with anyone. This is not a serious issue for me, just an observation. Perhaps I missed something, as would be likely on internet forums. This is not a response to anything or person specifically or any recent event. And this doesn't only happen with eating disorders. People will also throw around other mental disorder terms. There is probably a lack of education on what the real definition of many mental disorders are.
I like this response0 -
Wish I had a nickle for every time someone accused me of having an "eating disorder" on this website because I occasionally eat under 1200 calories. (I also occasionally eat way more, which is why I'm still fat)
I'm a little person. I don't NEED 2000 calories a day, but that's what I was eating when I didn't know better and that's how I got fat. I'm super happy for (and jealous of) people who can eat that much and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Some of us just have to eat a whole hell of a lot less to battle this bulge.
Also, 10 lbs is a lot more visual weight (and health-compromising belly fat) on someone my size than it is on someone of average height. That doesn't give me "body dysmorphia". It gives me 4 pants sizes too big.
.
.
.
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Though some of the people on this forum genuinely care about people who might have eating disorders,
most just like to make fun of little people.
others need to attack people with lower calorie needs to self-justify their own much higher intakes.0 -
Wish I had a nickle for every time someone accused me of having an "eating disorder" on this website because I occasionally eat under 1200 calories. (I also occasionally eat way more, which is why I'm still fat)
I'm a little person. I don't NEED 2000 calories a day, but that's what I was eating when I didn't know better and that's how I got fat. I'm super happy for (and jealous of) people who can eat that much and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Some of us just have to eat a whole hell of a lot less to battle this bulge.
Also, 10 lbs is a lot more visual weight (and health-compromising belly fat) on someone my size than it is on someone of average height. That doesn't give me "body dysmorphia". It gives me 4 pants sizes too big.
.
.
.
.
Though some of the people on this forum genuinely care about people who might have eating disorders,
most just like to make fun of little people.
others need to attack people with lower calorie needs to self-justify their own much higher intakes.
Never truer words spoken in my opinion!
The bolded, final sentence of yours is exactly what I think they are doing too, but I could never put it into words like that.
I am on 1200 calories per day too and have been accused of
having an eating disorder
not eating enough
being in starvation mode
damaging my metabolism
I am none of those, however some people just cannot accept that some of us can survive quite nicely and lose weight into the bargain on `1200 calories. Perhaps they are jittery because it really does work and they don't like it as it proves their theories wrong.
(now all I have to do is wait.....)
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I just choose the best choices, and if i want to eat something, i do. One day is maybe at worst going to put me behind a bit, but looking at the big picture, for the rest of my life, i just eat best as i can and record it, and then tweak it if i dont like today's choices.
I've lived on total junk food for a long time and i didn't die.. i dont know how my body survived just on desserts, sugar, fudge, etc...
I do believe i have a food addiction, and i say that as a matter of fact. however, i dont go all victim mentality and then wallow around, i just know I am too attracted to some foods, and i know waht i have to set aside for now. Thats it. I wont drive myself nuts, i just look at the overall big picture and go with that. Eventually this weight will go away. I just have to keep at it.
That is how I keep myself sane in all this.0 -
Also not accusing you but nobody wants to admit to that kind of problem and in my experience i have heard several people say the same as the OP and all of them have been hospitalized for health problems due to malnourishment
Really? Every single person that said anything similiar to what I said that you know ended up in the hospital for malnourishment?
I guess that means I am headed to the hospital soon even though I think I am very healthy and my doctor agrees.0 -
If I eat dessert before dinner would that make my meal out of chronological order... this disorder?0
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Obviously people don't understand what an eating disorder is. According to the FAO, the average person in the world needs a minimum of 1800 calories a day to maintain their weight and yet, people here will say 1200 to lose weight is starving yourself.
http://www.fao.org/hunger/en/0 -
Also not accusing you but nobody wants to admit to that kind of problem and in my experience i have heard several people say the same as the OP and all of them have been hospitalized for health problems due to malnourishment
Really? Every single person that said anything similiar to what I said that you know ended up in the hospital for malnourishment?
I guess that means I am headed to the hospital soon even though I think I am very healthy and my doctor agrees.
OP where should I send the get well soon card? :laugh:0 -
Also not accusing you but nobody wants to admit to that kind of problem and in my experience i have heard several people say the same as the OP and all of them have been hospitalized for health problems due to malnourishment
Really? Every single person that said anything similiar to what I said that you know ended up in the hospital for malnourishment?
I guess that means I am headed to the hospital soon even though I think I am very healthy and my doctor agrees.
I believe what that poster meant was that most people in the grips of an eating disorder often protest that they feel just fine, all the way to their collapse, internal organ damage, and extended hospital stays. Go onto any pro-ana site and you will find people subsisting on 500 calories a day who insist that "THEY FEEL JUST FINE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"
Not feeling ill effects is not always the best way to judge health, as with many disorders, your sickness can literally override the very real physical dangers.
I also doubt many people here are exclaiming those who eat 1200 are in the grips of an eating disorder. I don't know how long you've been watching these boards, but you'll find many, many, many posters who come in here eating 1,000 calories, 800 calories, 500 calories a day - and YES - those people do need to be told there is a problem and urged to seek help.0
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