Question; only for serious people. No judging.

77TiffanyIrene77
77TiffanyIrene77 Posts: 16 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
A few years ago I was watching a show; Intervention, and it was about eating disorders.

Now; I would rather drink any day than eat. Rather it's water, juice, milk anything... I would rather drink than eat. Well I'm finally off soda and onto water and 0 to low calorie drinks.

My issue is;
I sometime's get this horrid craving for something salty and/or crunchy. Or even just something sweet that I know I shouldn't eat. Well on Intervention I seen a girl who was anorexic and she would chew it and then spit it out into a cup... Just for the taste, to help with the craving so she wasn't getting all the calories.

My question is wouldn't she still be getting the calories?
If not, if I'm maintaining my calories under what my DV should be, is it bad to use the Chew & Spit method to get rid of the cravings?

Please honest answers. No judging...
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Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    That is an extremely bad idea unless you are working on having an eating disorder. Plan your calories for the day so you can have a little treat, completely chewed and swallowed. Losing weight isn't about depriving yourself of everything, it's about learning to eat in a sensible way that you can live with the rest of your life.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    Yes, you shouldn't chew/spit. A big reason is that it can contribute to other, more dangerous disordered behaviors. I believe there are some physical side effects that have to do with effects on the teeth and glands, but emotional side effects in addition to encouraging other ED behaviors would include a negative change in how you view yourself and food.
  • sparkle814
    sparkle814 Posts: 78 Member
    If you just chew something and none of it goes down your throat into your stomach...I would have to assume you're not getting any calories from that. I could be wrong though. I think the hard part would be to actually pull that off. I've had the same thought in the past but once I get something tasty it's going in my belly lol.
  • Skyebella27
    Skyebella27 Posts: 62
    Could you find a healthy alternative instead? I buy Twistos instead of chips and granola bars instead of chocolate bars.....I think that would be better for you.

    I would be afraid that the chew and spit method would be scary because what if it goes too far? As far as the calorie count goes, I'm not sure...
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    Just plan for some salty snacks in your day. I have pretzels, Cheez-it's, chips, and other salty snack pretty much every day and just make sure it fits in my macros.

    Chewing and spitting is an early step towards an eating disorder. It's best to just not head down that road at all.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    By the way, if you are drinking fluids more than eating, your salt cravings could be valid. We need a certain amount of sodium and it can be thrown off by overconsumption of beverages without enough salt to offset it. Don't take risks with your electrolytes. (I have no idea if imbalance is a problem for you, but based on the limited info in your post, thought it might be worth a mention.)
  • EmilyEmpowered
    EmilyEmpowered Posts: 650 Member
    I do not think it is a good idea, personally.

    Part of this process is learning that you don't have to be eating/tasting/chewing all the time. Also, if you find yourself craving those things, the best thing to do is to fit them in your day.

    If I am having a lot of cravings, I will plan my day early and include a dessert or a snack that I KNOW I won't be able to turn down. That way, its already in my diary and fits into my goals.

    Chewing/spitting is an eating disorder of its own. It is not something I would recommend anyone start. It will send you on an unhealthy path with food. That is just my opinion :flowerforyou:
  • billr42
    billr42 Posts: 12 Member
    Think about this for a minute, are the habits of a girl who needed an intervention because of an eating disorder the habits that you want to copy? That doesn't sound like a good idea.
  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    Carbohydrate digestion begins in the oral cavity. There is an enzyme known as Amylase found in saliva that starts the process of breaking down carbs for energy. So yes, you can start getting calories from food that contains carbohydrates. Protein and fats have to enter the stomach to have calories absorbed.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amylase
  • joshdann
    joshdann Posts: 618 Member
    Think about this for a minute, are the habits of a girl who needed an intervention because of an eating disorder the habits that you want to copy? That doesn't sound like a good idea.
    This is a valid point.

    If it helps at all, I have figured out a way to satisfy my one craving weakness: coffee. Of course black coffee itself isn't all that bad, but I like espresso, with milk, with sugar. I made myself a deal: if I want starbucks, I walk there. For me that means a 3.5 mile round trip on some mildly hilly roads. So, I end up burning more calories than I take in, but I still get my treat. This is, of course, in addition to the normal exercise I'm doing. Perhaps it's possible for you to do something similar?
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    That girl was VERY sick. Not a good idea to do ANYTHING she was doing.
  • Ericacarrino
    Ericacarrino Posts: 7
    Bad behavior to "learn" or try......I have battled with food my whole life......I am 32 and now I finally understand that you can eat (for the most part) ANYTHING you want....as long as it is done in MODERATION....Yesterday I woke up craving a Cadbury chocolate bar, so I ate that day knowing I was going to eat that chocolate bar later on. I still stayed within my calorie goal and didn't feel any guilt or shame after eating half of it.

    To deny yourself the pleasure of eating something you crave is very unrealistic, just eat it in moderation and/or try to find a lighter/healthier alternative.

    Cheers!
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    If you have horrid cravings for stuff from time to time, why not indulge? Fit it into your daily goal and go from there. Total restriction is the road to failure, period. No one eats perfectly all of the time. Or even close to it. NO ONE.
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    Horrible idea, it's better to just scratch the itch, as long as it fits your calories, eat or drink it. Otherwise you're just setting yourself up for a fall.

    Rigger
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    hit your calories. eat a sustainable diet. don't spit, swallow. if you're not planning to swallow then don't put it in your mouth.
  • EmilyEmpowered
    EmilyEmpowered Posts: 650 Member
    Think about this for a minute, are the habits of a girl who needed an intervention because of an eating disorder the habits that you want to copy? That doesn't sound like a good idea.

    & ^^^THIS!^^^
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,342 Member
    There are NO foods that you cannot indulge in once in a while. Chewing and spitting is a symptomatic behavious or disordered eating (hence a girl needing an intervention doing it). It's also gross.

    Your diary is closed, and your comment about preferring to eat than drink is ambiguous. How many cals are you on a day that you don't think you can spare some for a treat?
  • Livingdeadnurse
    Livingdeadnurse Posts: 140 Member
    I would change my diet up to allow some salty snacks instead of trying to emulate bad habits. I agree with some other posts. If you are drinking alot and exercising. Your body maybe signalling you need some added salt. There are alot of health salty snacks.
  • kiwigirls
    kiwigirls Posts: 4 Member
    Enough said on the spit/swallow idea. Hopefully you won't find anybody on here that would encouraging this kind of dangerous behaviour. I find that if I want to treat myself to something I just promise myself to have it as a treat/dessert after my next main meal. By the time I have eaten the healthy main meal I often find I am satisfied with just half of what it was that I was hankering for and sometimes not want it at all. Its only a small exercise of will to delay your treat to the next meal time but I find it to be a really successful strategy. Good luck on your weight loss journey.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Not judging but this is one pretty good way to continue to develop an eating disorder.

    Would not recommend.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    hit your calories. eat a sustainable diet. don't spit, swallow. if you're not planning to swallow then don't put it in your mouth.

    I giggled.

    Sorry, I'll see myself out.
  • BattleTaxi
    BattleTaxi Posts: 752 Member
    That is an extremely bad idea unless you are working on having an eating disorder. Plan your calories for the day so you can have a little treat, completely chewed and swallowed. Losing weight isn't about depriving yourself of everything, it's about learning to eat in a sensible way that you can live with the rest of your life.

    This!
  • pattyci
    pattyci Posts: 24 Member
    Why put yourself at risk by an such an unhealthy habit? The behavior is not normal and sets you up for an eating disorder. If you want to be safe and actually adopt a healthy lifestyle, it's truly about moderation. No short cuts. Budget your calories for the day and save a few for snacks. Don't flirt with danger. Period.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Think about this for a minute, are the habits of a girl who needed an intervention because of an eating disorder the habits that you want to copy? That doesn't sound like a good idea.

    & ^^^THIS!^^^

    Quoting for emphasis.
  • arose544
    arose544 Posts: 31 Member
    I'm not sure about all the side effects but i do know one thing, its not as easy as it sounds. I work in a test kitchen and try to chew/spit all the time. Its really hard not to swallow once its in your mouth, espcially if its something you like. And not to mention its kinda of a gross sensation. What about only taking only a bite or two to satisfy your cravings? I know...easier said then done.
  • mountaingirl1961
    mountaingirl1961 Posts: 75 Member
    Tiffany - I have to wonder based on your post how many calories you're eating in a day? It's been proven scientifically that reducing your caloric intake beyond a certain point will slow down your metabolism and will make it so that weight loss is increasingly difficult. It is a vicious, ugly cycle which, combined with an eating disorder, can and will screw up your metabolism for a very, very long time.

    You have to give your body calories so that it will burn them. There's been a lot said about this on this board.

    Don't be afraid of eating, dear. Seriously. Use some of the tools on this board to figure out how many calories it's healthy for you to eat based on your weight AND FITNESS goals. Remember that you can NOT diet your way to health... that you have to exercise, too, otherwise you're losing muscle and water weight as much as fat. Muscle burns calories far more than fat does, so again - help keep your metabolism revved up by EATING and EXERCISING. Be patient - trying to lose more than a pound or 1.5 lbs in a week will have you losing muscle, not just fat - which, again, is counterproductive because it will slow down your metabolism. You want your metabolism working FOR you, not AGAINST you.

    I treat myself to Triscuits when I'm craving something salty. They're not as bad as some other choices. I indulge in Triscuits when I've gotten enough caloric headroom in my day to fit them in. It's not hard to do if you think about it... it doesn't take a whole lot of walking to burn 120 calories.

    Good luck, and don't walk towards an eating disorder. Having a healthy relationship with food can be a real challenge, but it'll serve you better than an ED will.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Fit foods you crave into your day. Really want some chocolate covered pretzels? Leave the cheese off dinner (or whatever) and fit a serving in there.

    If you simply deny yourself the things you want, you will end up bingeing on them eventually.

    And..... taking eating tips from an anorexic girl? Come on.
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    Think about this for a minute, are the habits of a girl who needed an intervention because of an eating disorder the habits that you want to copy? That doesn't sound like a good idea.

    THIS!!!
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    Think about this for a minute, are the habits of a girl who needed an intervention because of an eating disorder the habits that you want to copy? That doesn't sound like a good idea.

    ^This, for days!
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    Fit foods you crave into your day. Really want some chocolate covered pretzels? Leave the cheese off dinner (or whatever) and fit a serving in there.

    If you simply deny yourself the things you want, you will end up bingeing on them eventually.

    And..... taking eating tips from an anorexic girl? Come on.

    QFT!

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