Eating Disorders and Changing MFP for the better

MeenaKeepRunning

Hi guys,
So I'm relatively new to this website, but since I've been here I have noticed that although the majority of people approach fitness and weight loss in a healthy way here, there are also quite a few people who have really messed up relationships with food. I've come across so many people who have a very high anxiety level surrounding food, and from thier descriptions seem to be suffering from potentially dangerous eating disorders. I know this is probably an expected side effect of social conditioning today, but as someone who went through an eating disorder when I was younger, I feel quite passionate about changing the mentality surrounding food.
Although the issues are personal and pyschological, I think the habits are encouraged by the dieting industry. In particular, I think a big problem which traps many people is a focus on calorie restriction. Now, we all know less calories in and more calories out is the fundemental and important rule of weight loss, but so many people do not recognise that it is just as important to make sure you eat enough to fuel your body correctly. This leads to a host of yoyo dieting problems for a start, if not something more serious.
I was thinking- maybe MFP should have a minium calorie goal you should meet per day. So instead of having a limit, it should be a goal brackett within which you shoud aim to reach. It would re-enforce the idea that eating too little and eating too much are both not good options, and emphasise balance and health over restriction.
I really don't think its great for people to think: under the limit= green=good and over=red=bad. You can be starving yourself and be 'in the green' and 'on target' which is a dangerous message to send. Obviously this target range can all be adjusted, but I think it would be a good way to encourage a healthier notion of food than one that centres around just restriction.
What do you all think? Would this be useful or not? I'm not saying its the way to solve eating problems, but in my experience the little changes do make the difference...
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts xx

BarbieAS

Yeah, I think that it's a pretty common idea for the daily goal to be a range rather than a set number.

There's been a thread in the "Website Suggestions" forum for awhile that gets periodically bumped with people supporting this idea. I have no idea what MFP thinks of it, or what the exact formula or implementation would be like, but in theory I totally agree.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1063465-let-s-encourage-eating-at-the-calorie-target-not-under

julianadelbosque

Couldn't agree more. I eat and exercise in a healthy manner, but right now I'm 53 calories over and the red really bothers me. My dinner is logged and I'm about to run so I will be in the green at the end of the day, but that red is not good for my brain!

lua_

Part of ED recovery is learning that calories aren't bad, and that if you go over your calories a few times, you won't get fat if you maintain a calorie deficit/maintenance over time. I agree that it is triggering to see red when I go over, but a healthy mindset can rationalise that horrid "YOU HAVE FAILED" voice into "wait, this a website. I control what is okay and what is not okay for my body, and I'm staying healthy and living my life". Being obsessed with what colour your MFP scale shows is just like being obsessed with the number the scale shows