Measuring food CAN be a lead way towards eating disorders

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AusteenaHayes
AusteenaHayes Posts: 91
in Introduce Yourself
Okay I just want to make things clear about measuring. It can possible, not always, but possibly lead to an eating disorder. Or even could lead to a relapse as well. Measuring foods DOES NOT work for EVERYONE.
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  • bidimus
    bidimus Posts: 95 Member
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    I'm unclear. Are you talking about measuring food and shooting for realistic goals? Or measuring foods but not using any goals which wouldn't make a lot of sense.

    Inversely setting unhealthy goals can and likely will lead to an ED but that isn't the fault of measuring.

    By my thinking when you measure and plan it can become a habit but unless you set unhealthy goals it can only be good.
  • sparacka
    sparacka Posts: 137 Member
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    Come again?

    Anyone for whom measuring their food results in an eating disorder likely already has an unhealthy relationship with food and disordered patterns of eating.

    Eating disorders, though they have physical effects, are mental diseases. Mental diseases are not caused by the use of food scales.

    Weigh your food, kids.
  • schelly81
    schelly81 Posts: 161 Member
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    Okay I just want to make things clear about measuring. It can possible, not always, but possibly lead to an eating disorder. Or even could lead to a relapse as well. Measuring foods DOES NOT work for EVERYONE.


    I could see it as being a trigger to a pre-existing eating disorder. Of course measuring foods doesn't work for everyone. Neither does just eating when you're hungry or just eating clean.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    still mad about the "what am I doing wrong" thread...? You know, the one where you asked for help and then folks figured out that you were eating more than you think, burning less than you think, and having no success.

    In case you forgot, it was this one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1392667-what-am-i-doing-wrong

    trying to shame the folks that TRIED to help you by giving you appropriate answers is sad.

    Please seek help. You need it.
  • W31RD0
    W31RD0 Posts: 173 Member
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    Okay I just want to make things clear about measuring. It can possible, not always, but possibly lead to an eating disorder. Or even could lead to a relapse as well. Measuring foods DOES NOT work for EVERYONE.

    More like:
    It can possible, not always, but possibly, but maybe, but maybe not, kinda, sorta, in the realm of an event that could transpire, lead to an eating disorder. But most likely not.

    If you are measuring you food you know how much you are putting in your body. Obviously if you have a compulsive personality, logging may be a problem. But logging food never caused a ED.

    It's like saying everyone with anorexia has used a toilet, ergo toilets cause anorexia.
  • Jim_Barteck
    Jim_Barteck Posts: 274 Member
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    I'm unclear. Are you talking about measuring food and shooting for realistic goals? Or measuring foods but not using any goals which wouldn't make a lot of sense.

    Inversely setting unhealthy goals can and likely will lead to an ED but that isn't the fault of measuring.

    By my thinking when you measure and plan it can become a habit but unless you set unhealthy goals it can only be good.

    She's right.

    Measuring isn't for everybody. Maybe it's right for 90%. Or even 95%. But it can also lead to obsessive behaviors which can be extraordinarily unhealthy for some individuals.

    Different people react differently to different stimuli, and there's no "one size fits all" solution.

    There are certainly other ways to ensure that you're in a calorie deficit without having to resort to measuring your foods. Millions of people manage to successfully lose weight without resorting to measuring their foods, so it's not like it's impossible or even extraordinarily difficult to do.

    I think her point is that reflexively advising every single person who asks for advice to start measuring their food (as some do) isn't necessarily the best option every single time. For some - or maybe even most - it might be. But there are plenty of steps between not caring at all about what you eat and weighing every bite you eat that can be taken. That's a dangerous road for some to go down, as anyone who worked with EDs can tell you.
  • SCV34
    SCV34 Posts: 2,048 Member
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    Okay I just want to make things clear about measuring. It can possible, not always, but possibly lead to an eating disorder. Or even could lead to a relapse as well. Measuring foods DOES NOT work for EVERYONE.

    You are right it does not work for everyone. Are you speaking from experience or just stating an opinion?
  • SCV34
    SCV34 Posts: 2,048 Member
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    There is more to it than just measuring the food, afterall one can stil overeat or not eat enough even with the measuring.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    I'm unclear. Are you talking about measuring food and shooting for realistic goals? Or measuring foods but not using any goals which wouldn't make a lot of sense.

    Inversely setting unhealthy goals can and likely will lead to an ED but that isn't the fault of measuring.

    By my thinking when you measure and plan it can become a habit but unless you set unhealthy goals it can only be good.

    She's right.

    Measuring isn't for everybody. Maybe it's right for 90%. Or even 95%. But it can also lead to obsessive behaviors which can be extraordinarily unhealthy for some individuals.

    Different people react differently to different stimuli, and there's no "one size fits all" solution.

    There are certainly other ways to ensure that you're in a calorie deficit without having to resort to measuring your foods. Millions of people manage to successfully lose weight without resorting to measuring their foods, so it's not like it's impossible or even extraordinarily difficult to do.

    I think her point is that reflexively advising every single person who asks for advice to start measuring their food (as some do) isn't necessarily the best option every single time. For some - or maybe even most - it might be. But there are plenty of steps between not caring at all about what you eat and weighing every bite you eat that can be taken. That's a dangerous road for some to go down as anyone who worked with ED can tell you.

    check the link I posted.

    OP already has an ED. was asking for help. didn't get the answers she wanted, now she's all poopy.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,324 Member
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    Okay I just want to make things clear about measuring. It can possible, not always, but possibly lead to an eating disorder. Or even could lead to a relapse as well. Measuring foods DOES NOT work for EVERYONE.

    okay i just want to make things clear about walking. it can possible, not always, but possibly lead to breaking a leg. or even could lead to walking off a cliff. walking DOES NOT work for EVERYONE.

    it can become an obsession, but the concept is solid.
  • Jim_Barteck
    Jim_Barteck Posts: 274 Member
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    check the link I posted.

    OP already has an ED. was asking for help. didn't get the answers she wanted, now she's all poopy.

    I don't need to check it. I already read it.

    I stand by what I said.
  • BlueLadyBug22
    BlueLadyBug22 Posts: 156 Member
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    I believe anything diet/exercise related could lead to an eating disorder. That doesn't mean everyone should stop their diet and exercise routine.
  • Jim_Barteck
    Jim_Barteck Posts: 274 Member
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    I believe anything diet/exercise related could lead to an eating disorder. That doesn't mean everyone should stop their diet and exercise routine.

    I could be mistaken. But I don't remember anyone saying they should.
  • tycho_mx
    tycho_mx Posts: 426 Member
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    Okay I just want to make things clear about measuring. It can possible, not always, but possibly lead to an eating disorder. Or even could lead to a relapse as well. Measuring foods DOES NOT work for EVERYONE.

    How about posting/reading weight-management related forums? I bet there is correlation for that, too.
  • DarkMoon30
    DarkMoon30 Posts: 63 Member
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    Okay I just want to make things clear about measuring. It can possible, not always, but possibly lead to an eating disorder. Or even could lead to a relapse as well. Measuring foods DOES NOT work for EVERYONE.

    Nothing works for EVERYONE

    And ANYTHING is possible
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I've been cooking since I was knee high to my mom and helping her in the kitchen...she taught me how to use measuring cups, spoons, and a food scale in preparing a proper meal. These things are just tools...treat them as such.

    I don't think measuring in and of itself leads towards ED...I think the ED already exists if this is an issue...perhaps measuring and what not exacerbates the disorder, but it does not cause it.
  • Jim_Barteck
    Jim_Barteck Posts: 274 Member
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    it can become an obsession, but the concept is solid.

    ...which is exactly the point she was making.
  • sheermomentum
    sheermomentum Posts: 827 Member
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    It can also lead to channeling an already obsessive behavior into a positive path. That is true whether your food obsession leads you over-eat to begin with, or to under-eat.
  • W31RD0
    W31RD0 Posts: 173 Member
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    check the link I posted.

    OP already has an ED. was asking for help. didn't get the answers she wanted, now she's all poopy.

    I don't need to check it. I already read it.

    I stand by what I said.

    And obviously not measuring isn't right for her, because whatever she is doing isn't working.
    it can become an obsession, but the concept is solid.

    ...which is exactly the point she was making.

    Could you please list what can't become compulsive for those who are predisposed to being compulsive?

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