Mfp causing binge eating?

lookthinfeelfat

I have a separate account for logging but after another binge I feel I want to explore if any one else has found mfp at first a blessing and then a curse?!
I honestly don't remember ever binge eating until I started mfp 3 months ago. I was obsessed with diet before but using mfp has only made me focus on it more! Now I did want and do want to lose a few vanity pounds, my bmi wavers between 18.5-19. When I started mfp got to my goal weight, which was bmi 18.5 and my god I felt fab and looked amazing. But. It was not really sustainable.It was really hard work. Anyway I don't want to ramble on with me me me, I'm wondering if people consider giving up mfp just to get on with their lives more easily.

Mhaigh27

I'm sorry you've felt like this place has become a curse to you. =[
Generally, keeping a dairy of your daily diet really helps people maintain their weights if they are still struggling to keep themselves accountable.
I think you should take a break.
You have taught yourself all about portion control, your body knows when it feels full and it's time you enjoy what you worked so hard for.
Vanity pounds are not going to mean a thing in the long-run of your life. You are not going to look back in 10 years and think "wow i am so glad i kept those extra 5lbs off" you are going to think of experiences and people you meet, so leave with confidence that you now HOW to eat better for your size and relax.
People will notice your smile, not that extra 5lbs, and you will be a much happier person for it.

WorkInProgress323

A BMI of 18-19?? That's tiny! God I hope you're not real tall.

Anyway, I love MFP, even with all the crazies on here. Do what works for you.

lookthinfeelfat

Oh gosh it's not the people who are a curse! not at all, I've found many people with similar stories to me ( vanity pounds, binge eating) but just haven't found discussions on people wondering whether they should continue to use mfp. I am petite by the way but make no mistake I go through the same thought processes and battles with food as people who are heavier. I guess mfp has made me see I am obsessive about food/looks - it's not a nice discovery really and I can't see a doc helping me as such as I am quite healthy, fit and happy really. I guess it's just part of the journey (life).... I'm trying to have fitness goals and forget about how I look but I think that is v hard. I don't know what I'll do really.... I would be interested to see if anyone else has felt the same. Thanks for your input though guys I'll certainly take it on board.

WorkInProgress323

Come to think of it... my daughter quit MFP because it made her obsessed with food and her size. Maybe it's just not for some people?

How long have you been on here?

Dewymorning

MFP is only a tool, and it is a tool that can help develop both healthy and unhealthy habits.

You need to evaluate whether or not it is the right tool for you.

hannydeee

I never struggled with binge eating until I started using MFP either. Yes, I had times where I would overeat (that's how I got here!) but never before did I deliberately go out of my way to buy thousands of calories worth of food to then eat in one sitting.

I don't know why it happened; maybe it's the 'all or nothing' logic that MFP seems to give us. As soon as you see the red you think "*kitten* it" for the day and try and make the most of it, eating everything you could possibly be craving, before going back to sticking to the green and the deficit.

I'm not logging anymore, and just using MFP for the social side of things.

vilasini2

Could your obsession with MFP be associated with an obsession with food, dieting, fitness, and hence your physical self? Maybe looking a little deeper at the issue would help. you have identified your obsession and it is often the obsession that keeps you hooked into the whole body image thing. Personally I am loving MFP, fill it in once a day and forget about it. It really helps to keep me on track and realistic about how much I can eat.
But I also have had that obsession drama, and thanks to yoga and meditation and just realising that I am perfect however I am really has helped me. Get active about exercise and healthy lifestyle, not about eating food. Only eat what is healthy and healing for your body and forget the rest....get help with obsessive personality traits.

vilasini2

If you are binge eating and eating way over your body's needs, then there is a problem...seek advice, stop thinking that a website can fix you, you could use a book instead, its all the same. deal with your obsessive habits. Get active and into activities that will distract you from eating. Remember food is only **** waiting to happen....I have been there and done that, but am on top of it now. Right now I am changing my way of eating, eating to suit my metabolism and lifestyle..as well as changing my lifestyle, and just found the website to help me to know that I am eating enough calories and nutrients, and to guage how the exercise I do effects the caloric intake.....good luck...please stop being a slave to women's magazines and this male dominated world of the "ideal" female image. IT is all bull**** and you are perfect however you are. Love yourself, truly find your inner self and love all of you, and that will be what teh world will recognize as you. I know so many beautiful women and not many at all are looking like models or actors, and they are beautiful just as they are. Work on this and then you will be amazed how your relationship to food will change. I know I have been there and done it and I never want to go back.

tigersword

I don't think it's MFP causing your binging. I'm pretty sure it's your very low, borderline unhealthy weight that's causing your binging. Your body is fighting for survival.

freemystery

I can see your point OP, but I think that saying that MFP causes the binge is unfair.

If I am tracking my calories and I bank a lot or I overeat by just one calorie or whatever the reason, and I binge... well that me. That's my fault, I binged. The tracking tool didn't make me do anything, it doesn't have that sort of capacity. If I am using it to enable unhealthy habits, again that's not the site. That's my habit that is being enabled.The habit would have to exist in the first place for it to go to that unhealthy place. It doesn't "give" me anything, I choose to take and interpret as I wish.

I'm sorry that this site hasn't been helpful to you but I think some root cause analysis is probably in order. I wish you luck and hope that you can find yourself in a healthier place in every sense of the word.

SpicesOfLife

i have noticed how ive become really obsessed with calories, macros, etc.. too ever since i started using mfp. but if its the only way for me to achieve my goals (tried long enough without mfp) then im willing to accept that ill be thinking about my diet a lot of the time.

sometimes i have to take a step back and remind myself that a month ago it didnt matter if i went over my carbs or if i needed more protein for the day. that i didnt work out just because i had a treat.. and still lived happily!

ndj1979

ummm no, the only thing that is causing you to binge eat is yourself…..own your problems, face them, and defeat them.

I am not even sure if this is a serious post ….

gigihotetz

the same thing has happened to me about a year ago. i used mfp, lost 10 pounds, then binged and gained 20! My problem is that I am OCD when it comes to anything that I do, and I started restricting calories too much. That therefore lead to my body uncontrollably binging. My advice, use mfp to get as close to your goal daily calories as possible. even if that means you go a little over. I am learning that the hard way as long as your body has proper nutrition, you won't fall backwards

Chezzie84

ummm no, the only thing that is causing you to binge eat is yourself…..own your problems, face them, and defeat them.

I am not even sure if this is a serious post ….

^^this.
unless mfp is buying the food and stuffing in your mouth, then you are to blame for your overeating

Timelordlady85

Sorry you feel that way OP, for me its been the total opposite. This site has been AWESOME for my eating and staying within my macros and calories.

TashTag

I too have also become obsessed but I think its exactly what I needed. A wake up call if you will. I have not mastered it yet but I am enjoying the sense of community so far.

Erikalynne18

what are you calorie goals set as? when I first joined mfp set me as 1200 cal and although I could get by... I was so hungry and wanted ALL the food!!! I did some research and increased my calories to 1700 after 2 months of the 1200 cal thing. I was MUCH more satisfied then and less tempted to want to eat everything lol (also, I continued to lose weight). 1200 cal seems to be the default for many people, but for some it just isn't enough.

SanteMulberry

In my opinion, binge eating is a symptom of malnutrition--your body is driving you in a search for nutrients--both micronutrients and particularly protein and fat among the macronutrients. If you follow the correct diet (cutting out non-nourishing food and concentrating on nutrient-dense food, particularly vegetables, but also protein) you will no longer have the urge to binge. I have seen food diaries here where the women (and it is invariably women who do this) eat insufficient protein, almost no fat or vegetables. I always think to myself, "I wonder how long it will be before they are complaining about relapsing into binge eating and weight gain?"

Don't believe anyone who insists that WHAT you eat is not important.

BoxerBrawler

I hear you... It is a blessing and a curse for me personally.

I can be very much OCD so my logging, tracking, counting, weighing just has to be spot on and when I am over my calories or macros I get angry. I don't feel guilty or have the all or nothing attitude but the anger will force me to restrict which in turn will cause me to have the urge to binge. However, I know that the urge to binge is caused by not eating enough calories. Honestly, I could blame MFP all day long because yeah... before I was here counting and logging and all that, I was doing it on my own. I managed to lose almost 80 lbs without this system and since I've been here it's been difficult to lose my "Vanity" pounds. But I don't blame MFP, I could take a break or walk away entirely by now because I have been educated, etc.

I do like to be able to track my calories and stay within my range and I have to admit that I love watching my exercise calories eat up the number of calories I've consumed. But that's more vanity.

Anyway, yes I have def changed since I have been here but I don't blame MFP, I take ownership and responsibility for my own actions, feelings, thoughts, urges, etc. If I want to stop feeling the need to binge, I have to eat more during the day simple as that. A computer system can't dictate to me what, when or how much to eat. I am the only one who can decide that. Everything here is a tool meant to assist with weight loss and a healthy life style.

Then again..... I tend to "complete" my entry several times throughout the day to make sure I am getting the dreaded RED "You are eating too few calories blah blah blah". Stop me from losing weight? really? tell it to Ghandi.

1princesswarrior

Technically with a bmi of 18-19 you are borderline underweight. Maybe you are binging because you are not eating enough to fuel your body, maybe you need to reevaluate your relationship with your body image and food. I think a doctor is the first place you need to go to to discuss this behavior and the obsessive needs behind it. They will help you. I have an obsessive personality and two of my doctors are monitoring my weight loss to make sure I don't lose too fast and don't become obsessive with the numbers game that we all play.

BoxerBrawler

Double post

lookthinfeelfat

Well thank you everyone for your opinions just some info I am eating 1500 -1700 cals a day and eating back all exercise calories which average about 200-300 a day. 5 days out of 7. I'm not starving myself. My binges are about 1000cals in one sitting, every few days. Secondly I am responsible for what I buy, and eat and I'm not blaming mfp! although I can see how some people thought that. It's good to see a mix of responses, some people sharing similar thought patterns, others with solutions. This is the motivation and support section of the forum and I feel I have def got that from some responses. I'm still not sure where to go from here! But thanks

nomeejerome

MFP is not the problem. It sounds like it is time to reflect on your own behaviors.

lookthinfeelfat

Just to clarify- I'm not saying mfp is the problem! I know it's me, I was wondering if this tool effected other peoples behaviours and thoughts, feelings over food/body/image. Tbh. It's not a black or white subject really. It's not the same for everyone of course I'm seeking out people who shared a similar experience not passing on blame.

Also just to clarify I am 1.58 tall and about 103-105lbs depending, active day job , naturally lean. When I say I eat back my exercise cals I mean I will end up eating 1500 plus 2-300 more. I'm not obsessive about going into the red by 100-150 cals. I know I'm vain, I've admitted it already. Can't imagine a doc would really be interested, it's not cancer! I do read -about nutrition etc I do eat healthily nearly every day but I have these binges and it's that bit I don't understand .

LuvonLuv

This question made me examine myself. I would've said that mfp made me more "aware" of my eating and exercise habits. But after self-examination, I believe that I have become "obsessed" since using mfp. I think it's especially those charts...I check my weight graph daily to see the trends. But while "obsessed" I am....I like having this tool keeping me in check with myself. I think if I did not use it, I would not be able to monitor myself properly.

Besides, the encouragement I get from reading various posts is something great. I'd rather use it than go back to where I was before. Binge eating...I can't say that I've experienced that...but I do reward myself for my hard work.

SpicesOfLife

Just to clarify- I'm not saying mfp is the problem! I know it's me, I was wondering if this tool effected other peoples behaviours and thoughts, feelings over food/body/image. Tbh. It's not a black or white subject really. It's not the same for everyone of course I'm seeking out people who shared a similar experience not passing on blame.

Also just to clarify I am 1.58 tall and about 103-105lbs depending, active day job , naturally lean. When I say I eat back my exercise cals I mean I will end up eating 1500 plus 2-300 more. I'm not obsessive about going into the red by 100-150 cals. I know I'm vain, I've admitted it already. Can't imagine a doc would really be interested, it's not cancer! I do read -about nutrition etc I do eat healthily nearly every day but I have these binges and it's that bit I don't understand .

well maybe your body is lacking something important that you arent giving it. it would be easier if people could look at your diary.

also: i had a little peanutbutter issue the other day so i realised my body was craving things and so adjusted my goals. lowered carbs, upped fat and now there is a place for peanutbutter in my diary and i feel much better.

LuvonLuv

Just to clarify- I'm not saying mfp is the problem! I know it's me, I was wondering if this tool effected other peoples behaviours and thoughts, feelings over food/body/image.

So my straight answer would be: YES

lookthinfeelfat

And I hit 50carb 20 protein and 30 fat 99.% of the time, binges included! I eat 5-10 portions of fruit and veg everyday and have been taking multi vits for years- so it's not through an unhealthy diet or purging.

WendyTerry420

I don't think it's MFP causing your binging. I'm pretty sure it's your very low, borderline unhealthy weight that's causing your binging. Your body is fighting for survival.

BoxerBrawler

Yes, this tool has totally affected me in both good and bad ways. It has taught me a lot about health, nutrition, proper foods, sustainable life style, etc. It has made me crazy obsessive about my food choices. Ups and down, goods and bads, pro's and cons. I think it is a helpful tool and can be dangerous as well. I never felt the urge to binge until I decided to restrict my calories down to 1000 a day, which worked for a while then I had to bump them to 1100, now they are at 1200 which is still restrictive for me and I do feel the urge to binge at night, but I don't and I won't. I love my weight loss, I love seeing the scale go down, I love hitting my calories and macros, I love exercise, I love knowing about food, I love tracking and knowing exactly where I am at at any given moment.

Sometimes I think "yeah... it would be nice to just give it all up and be "normal" again" But what is normal? I was happy and unhealthy back then, I didn't not have a bad body image ever and I still don't but I have to say that I prefer to be skinny, fit, have muscles, etc.

I can tell you that what you are feeling will pass... this is all a journey and as you progress you'll figure it out and get it all under control one way or the other. Things will normal out.