Thoughts on Pro-Anorexia Diets

yarwell

Alert the media! Someone posted something sensible on MFP.

meerkat70

I don't think your comment is actually relevant to the discussion at hand. the thread is about pro-ana, and your anxieties about the term 'starvation mode' appear to have nothing much to do with the OP's original comments.

The OP used the term, I asked her to define what she meant by it ?

Simple enough really. Telling people losing weight on a nutritionally adequate diet at 1000 calories doesn't seem helpful, but we can all sign up to the idea of not eating so little that you don't get enough nutrients that you can do harm.

And now you've managed to turn yet another thread to your pet subject. Do you have a tally chart on your wall or something?

meerkat70

Alert the media! Someone posted something sensible on MFP.

Where?

yarwell

However, at 600 calories? That would be close to impossible unless you were chowing down multivitamins or living on a juicing plan that somehow, magically, provided /all/ your nutrients.

There are a number of formulated commercial diets that do precisely that. No, you wouldn't want to live on them for the rest of your life. But they might help you lose 100 lbs and get somewhere in the healthy range reasonably quickly.

You can't eat enough vitamin D, need to be out in the sun or taking a supplement. If you were also short of iron and vitamin K on 2000 calories I think you just showed that looking at calories alone is misguided in judging the completeness or health of someone's diet.

Weathers58

yarwell:

Have thought a little less about diet and whether you should try anger management?

Chill dude. Your crusade is neither helpful or relevant

Goal_Seeker_1988

Idk bout starvation mode but I def. know a thing bout malnutrient... I put my body into malnutrient from over exercising and not consuming enough calories... This went on for months until one morning @ work I passed out turned blue in the lips and white in the face... My blood pressure drop dangerously low... and my blood sugar dropped down to around 26!!! They called 911 and I was rushed to the ER where they did extensive test and found nothing.. I followed up with my doctor and that's when she asked me how much I was consuming and how often I was working out... She had me to start eating 5 to 6 meals a day... So yea, idk bout the starvation but def. understand malnutrient!

roachhaley

UGH. Why are there SO MANY of these kind of threads??

"I dont understand why people can't just eat their calories"
"Why do people starve themselves"
"People who dont eat 1200 calories a day are destroying their bodies"

etc etc etc

Maybe those people have an eating disorder. Maybe those people dont actually NEED 1200 calories. Maybe those people overate yesterday and want to make up for it today.

It's really none of your business and if it bugs you so much dont look at their food diary and don't talk to them about what they eat.

Does my mere existence bother you that much? Does the fact that I eat under 1000 calories a day just grind your gears SO much that you need to point me out and analyze me and ask questions about me? I don't go around asking how people can eat over their calorie goal.

I'm just so sick of this. LET PEOPLE EAT WHATEVER THE **** THEY WANT.

SuffolkSally

I struggle as when I eat a diet that is healthy (containing mainly protein, veg, fruit, good fats and grains) I struggle to eat enough calories. I was previously extremely underweight and probably looked like I had an ED, but infact I never I thought I was eating a 'healthy' balanced diet but it was less than 1200 cals (I was unaware as I did not count as I wsn't trying to lose weight) however this came with alot of affects. So yeah I understand the importance of eating more than 1200 a day as over a long time it can seriously cause damage (it did to me)

However the only way I have kept weight on (I'm a healthy weight now) is adding in junk to my diet (aswell as healthy foods) but now I don't feel good eating stuff like that, but I know if I cut it out I won't even reach 1200. So i'm sort of in a rut

I eat 1650 a day with no junk! It's a bit off topic but if you'd like to discuss add me as a friend...

rml_16

You need calories for your brain, muscles, and cells to survive and anything less than around 1200 calories a day is starvation.

Can you define "starvation" please, as used in this sentence.

I am not in favour of anorexia or extreme diets, but I am even less in favour of junk science.

I just want to point out that concentration camp victims were fed a diet of around 1,500 calories a day, then forced to work so much that they burned it all off and more. You know the results of that.

So, yes, one can starve to death -- and even be considered anorexic -- while eating 1,200 calories a day.

I don't think the vast majority of us who are mentally healthy, though, are going to be exercising so much that 1,200 isn't a perfectly fine number of calories for weight loss, if that is what we choose.

Personally, when I listen to my hunger signals and fill my body with healthy foods, it can sometimes be a struggle to eat above 1,200 calories. I gained weight because I was eating a lot of high-fat, high-calorie junk. Not large meals, but small meals that packed a ton of calories, and not quality calories.

EDITED TO ADD: I realize there are higher-calorie healthy foods, but I'm simply not hungry after eating them, so that's what makes it difficult to eat more. Some days, I do. Some I don't.

huntingforhipbones

UGH. Why are there SO MANY of these kind of threads??

"I dont understand why people can't just eat their calories"
"Why do people starve themselves"
"People who dont eat 1200 calories a day are destroying their bodies"

etc etc etc

Maybe those people have an eating disorder. Maybe those people dont actually NEED 1200 calories. Maybe those people overate yesterday and want to make up for it today.

It's really none of your business and if it bugs you so much dont look at their food diary and don't talk to them about what they eat.

Does my mere existence bother you that much? Does the fact that I eat under 1000 calories a day just grind your gears SO much that you need to point me out and analyze me and ask questions about me? I don't go around asking how people can eat over their calorie goal.

I'm just so sick of this. LET PEOPLE EAT WHATEVER THE **** THEY WANT.

THIS. I have issues with appetite due to medication and sometimes struggle to hit my calorie goal - I don't think I'm following a "diet", and if I'm getting a good amount of protein, fat and nutrients in, does it matter if I'm a few calories below goal?

Also the term "pro-anorexia diets" makes me feel really uncomfortable - anorexia is not a diet, it's a MENTAL ILLNESS that manifests itself in the control of food intake. You can't just follow an "anorexia diet" until you're skinny and that's it - you'll end up either mentally ill, binging, or gaining all the weight back.

As a recovered bulimic, posts like this really anger me. Why the hell is it anyone's business what issues anyone else is suffering through? Yes, you eat all your exercise calories and believe eating under X number of calories = death, good for you, no need to evangelise about it. Have you never considered that these suffering girls may or may not be mentally ill and UNABLE to eat more? Condescendingly judging them will get you nowhere. Live and LET LIVE.

elexichoccyeater

UGH. Why are there SO MANY of these kind of threads??

"I dont understand why people can't just eat their calories"
"Why do people starve themselves"
"People who dont eat 1200 calories a day are destroying their bodies"

etc etc etc

Maybe those people have an eating disorder. Maybe those people dont actually NEED 1200 calories. Maybe those people overate yesterday and want to make up for it today.

It's really none of your business and if it bugs you so much dont look at their food diary and don't talk to them about what they eat.

Does my mere existence bother you that much? Does the fact that I eat under 1000 calories a day just grind your gears SO much that you need to point me out and analyze me and ask questions about me? I don't go around asking how people can eat over their calorie goal.

I'm just so sick of this. LET PEOPLE EAT WHATEVER THE **** THEY WANT.

It is for one simple reason..people on here are not judging, they care!
I care when I see person harming their bodies, I care when I see photo's where people are so thin they look skeletal, I care when I see a diary where there is no nutrients to sustain a normal life. The same as I care when people eat so much they are suffering from untold illnesses.
It is a site where we ask others like ourselves for support and help... therefore we look at diaries to support and suggest help.
I therefore feel I have an obligation to help those who are harming themselves xxx
and yes they can eat what they want but don't ask for support in self destruction.

roachhaley

You need calories for your brain, muscles, and cells to survive and anything less than around 1200 calories a day is starvation.

Can you define "starvation" please, as used in this sentence.

I am not in favour of anorexia or extreme diets, but I am even less in favour of junk science.

I just want to point out that concentration camp victims were fed a diet of around 1,500 calories a day, then forced to work so much that they burned it all off and more. You know the results of that.

So, yes, one can starve to death -- and even be considered anorexic -- while eating 1,200 calories a day.

I don't think the vast majority of us who are mentally healthy, though, are going to be exercising so much that 1,200 isn't a perfectly fine number of calories for weight loss, if that is what we choose.

Personally, when I listen to my hunger signals and fill my body with healthy foods, it can sometimes be a struggle to eat above 1,200 calories. I gained weight because I was eating a lot of high-fat, high-calorie junk. Not large meals, but small meals that packed a ton of calories, and not quality calories.

EDITED TO ADD: I realize there are higher-calorie healthy foods, but I'm simply not hungry after eating them, so that's what makes it difficult to eat more. Some days, I do. Some I don't.

I think it's odd how most people on these forums dont support eating 600 calories a day with no exercise (600 net calories) but will turn around and support someone not eating back their exercise calories, which can cause an even larger deficit than some VLCDs have

roachhaley

UGH. Why are there SO MANY of these kind of threads??

"I dont understand why people can't just eat their calories"
"Why do people starve themselves"
"People who dont eat 1200 calories a day are destroying their bodies"

etc etc etc

Maybe those people have an eating disorder. Maybe those people dont actually NEED 1200 calories. Maybe those people overate yesterday and want to make up for it today.

It's really none of your business and if it bugs you so much dont look at their food diary and don't talk to them about what they eat.

Does my mere existence bother you that much? Does the fact that I eat under 1000 calories a day just grind your gears SO much that you need to point me out and analyze me and ask questions about me? I don't go around asking how people can eat over their calorie goal.

I'm just so sick of this. LET PEOPLE EAT WHATEVER THE **** THEY WANT.

THIS. I have issues with appetite due to medication and sometimes struggle to hit my calorie goal - I don't think I'm following a "diet", and if I'm getting a good amount of protein, fat and nutrients in, does it matter if I'm a few calories below goal?

Also the term "pro-anorexia diets" makes me feel really uncomfortable - anorexia is not a diet, it's a MENTAL ILLNESS that manifests itself in the control of food intake. You can't just follow an "anorexia diet" until you're skinny and that's it - you'll end up either mentally ill, binging, or gaining all the weight back.

As a recovered bulimic, posts like this really anger me. Why the hell is it anyone's business what issues anyone else is suffering through? Yes, you eat all your exercise calories and believe eating under X number of calories = death, good for you, no need to evangelise about it. Have you never considered that these suffering girls may or may not be mentally ill and UNABLE to eat more? Condescendingly judging them will get you nowhere. Live and LET LIVE.

Yeah, the "anorexia diet" stuff makes me mad as well. A diet is something you have control over. I don't have control over the way I feel about food.

Also, I usually hit my goals as far as nutrients as well. I actually developed healthier eating habits when I was in the worst part of my ED (because I needed to make every calorie count), and so now when I more than I used to, I eat healthier food than I did a few years ago when I hit 1200 every day.

rml_16

You need calories for your brain, muscles, and cells to survive and anything less than around 1200 calories a day is starvation.

Can you define "starvation" please, as used in this sentence.

I am not in favour of anorexia or extreme diets, but I am even less in favour of junk science.

I just want to point out that concentration camp victims were fed a diet of around 1,500 calories a day, then forced to work so much that they burned it all off and more. You know the results of that.

So, yes, one can starve to death -- and even be considered anorexic -- while eating 1,200 calories a day.

I don't think the vast majority of us who are mentally healthy, though, are going to be exercising so much that 1,200 isn't a perfectly fine number of calories for weight loss, if that is what we choose.

Personally, when I listen to my hunger signals and fill my body with healthy foods, it can sometimes be a struggle to eat above 1,200 calories. I gained weight because I was eating a lot of high-fat, high-calorie junk. Not large meals, but small meals that packed a ton of calories, and not quality calories.

EDITED TO ADD: I realize there are higher-calorie healthy foods, but I'm simply not hungry after eating them, so that's what makes it difficult to eat more. Some days, I do. Some I don't.

I think it's odd how most people on these forums dont support eating 600 calories a day with no exercise (600 net calories) but will turn around and support someone not eating back their exercise calories, which can cause an even larger deficit than some VLCDs have

I'm trying to figure out why you're quoting me here, since I didn't say anything about that.

kritterxx

UGH. Why are there SO MANY of these kind of threads??

"I dont understand why people can't just eat their calories"
"Why do people starve themselves"
"People who dont eat 1200 calories a day are destroying their bodies"

etc etc etc

Does the fact that I eat under 1000 calories a day just grind your gears SO much that you need to point me out and analyze me and ask questions about me? I don't go around asking how people can eat over their calorie goal.

Thank you! This thread is frustrating.
If you're someone who's trying to recover from an eating disorder, eating 1200 is just.. the most awful thing, I can't describe it. When I went through my recovery process (and failed it), my nutritionist actually allowed me to eat 800 calories a day, because I just couldn't tackle 1200. You can't go from 0,200, 400 calories a day to 1200. It just can't happen. And often it's hard to figure out what to eat, and if you're at that stage, people will turn to binge foods - hence the junk you might be seeing in other people's diaries. I didn't know how to meet 800 calories, god no. So suddenly it was "well... pizza's high in calories so maybe I'll have a piece just to make numbers meet". Which is not the right thing to do.
I hate it when people chide others off for how little they've eaten. One thing we're meant to listen to - our bodies. If you are not hungry, don't force yourself to eat something just to make sure you have adequate numbers in your food diary, just so you don't get told off.
There's a community on here of people with EDs, and for the most part we stick to each other. There's a reason for this.

roachhaley

You need calories for your brain, muscles, and cells to survive and anything less than around 1200 calories a day is starvation.

Can you define "starvation" please, as used in this sentence.

I am not in favour of anorexia or extreme diets, but I am even less in favour of junk science.

I just want to point out that concentration camp victims were fed a diet of around 1,500 calories a day, then forced to work so much that they burned it all off and more. You know the results of that.

So, yes, one can starve to death -- and even be considered anorexic -- while eating 1,200 calories a day.

I don't think the vast majority of us who are mentally healthy, though, are going to be exercising so much that 1,200 isn't a perfectly fine number of calories for weight loss, if that is what we choose.

Personally, when I listen to my hunger signals and fill my body with healthy foods, it can sometimes be a struggle to eat above 1,200 calories. I gained weight because I was eating a lot of high-fat, high-calorie junk. Not large meals, but small meals that packed a ton of calories, and not quality calories.

EDITED TO ADD: I realize there are higher-calorie healthy foods, but I'm simply not hungry after eating them, so that's what makes it difficult to eat more. Some days, I do. Some I don't.

I think it's odd how most people on these forums dont support eating 600 calories a day with no exercise (600 net calories) but will turn around and support someone not eating back their exercise calories, which can cause an even larger deficit than some VLCDs have

I'm trying to figure out why you're quoting me here, since I didn't say anything about that.

Sorry, I meant to say something else but guess I forgot. I was replying because you mentioned eating above 1200 calories a day but still burning it all off therefor creating a large deficit. Which is basically what people are encouraging when they say not to eat back exercise calories.

roachhaley

UGH. Why are there SO MANY of these kind of threads??

"I dont understand why people can't just eat their calories"
"Why do people starve themselves"
"People who dont eat 1200 calories a day are destroying their bodies"

etc etc etc

Does the fact that I eat under 1000 calories a day just grind your gears SO much that you need to point me out and analyze me and ask questions about me? I don't go around asking how people can eat over their calorie goal.

Thank you! This thread is frustrating.
If you're someone who's trying to recover from an eating disorder, eating 1200 is just.. the most awful thing, I can't describe it. When I went through my recovery process (and failed it), my nutritionist actually allowed me to eat 800 calories a day, because I just couldn't tackle 1200. You can't go from 0,200, 400 calories a day to 1200. It just can't happen. And often it's hard to figure out what to eat, and if you're at that stage, people will turn to binge foods - hence the junk you might be seeing in other people's diaries. I didn't know how to meet 800 calories, god no. So suddenly it was "well... pizza's high in calories so maybe I'll have a piece just to make numbers meet". Which is not the right thing to do.
I hate it when people chide others off for how little they've eaten. One thing we're meant to listen to - our bodies. If you are not hungry, don't force yourself to eat something just to make sure you have adequate numbers in your food diary, just so you don't get told off.
There's a community on here of people with EDs, and for the most part we stick to each other. There's a reason for this.

Its so strange how the number 1200 has changed throughout my life. I remember my first diet back in my junior year of high school, I ate 1200 calories a day but usually went over, so when I actually hit 1200 I was really excited and that was considered a good day.

Nowadays if I go over 800 it's a really really bad day.

Sometimes I have "good" days where I get to 1200 or even over but that's usually because I was in a situation where there wasn't any other way to get out of eating, for instance when my in laws invite us over for dinner.

rml_16

I'm trying to figure out why you're quoting me here, since I didn't say anything about that.

Sorry, I meant to say something else but guess I forgot. I was replying because you mentioned eating above 1200 calories a day but still burning it all off therefor creating a large deficit. Which is basically what people are encouraging when they say not to eat back exercise calories.

True. But the vast majority of people are not burning enough calories to put themselves into that life-threatening position. My example was extreme to illustrate a point, and in extreme cases (when done purposely to onesself), it's actually called exercise bulimia.

However, I think if done short-term for weight loss goals it's not that dangerous.

The issue with only eating 600 calories total versus eating 1,200 and burning 600 is that when you eat 1,200 you get the vitamins and minerals from those foods even though you're burning the calories.

I'm an advocate of eating if you're hungry and stopping when you're not. Sometimes that means low net calories. I do tend to feel hungrier when I exercise, and so eat more. But I rarely am able to eat all my exercise calories back unless I go to a restaurant or a party or something.

dad106

You need calories for your brain, muscles, and cells to survive and anything less than around 1200 calories a day is starvation.

Can you define "starvation" please, as used in this sentence.

I am not in favour of anorexia or extreme diets, but I am even less in favour of junk science.

I just want to point out that concentration camp victims were fed a diet of around 1,500 calories a day, then forced to work so much that they burned it all off and more. You know the results of that.

So, yes, one can starve to death -- and even be considered anorexic -- while eating 1,200 calories a day.

I don't think the vast majority of us who are mentally healthy, though, are going to be exercising so much that 1,200 isn't a perfectly fine number of calories for weight loss, if that is what we choose.

Personally, when I listen to my hunger signals and fill my body with healthy foods, it can sometimes be a struggle to eat above 1,200 calories. I gained weight because I was eating a lot of high-fat, high-calorie junk. Not large meals, but small meals that packed a ton of calories, and not quality calories.

EDITED TO ADD: I realize there are higher-calorie healthy foods, but I'm simply not hungry after eating them, so that's what makes it difficult to eat more. Some days, I do. Some I don't.

I think it's odd how most people on these forums dont support eating 600 calories a day with no exercise (600 net calories) but will turn around and support someone not eating back their exercise calories, which can cause an even larger deficit than some VLCDs have

I'm trying to figure out why you're quoting me here, since I didn't say anything about that.

Sorry, I meant to say something else but guess I forgot. I was replying because you mentioned eating above 1200 calories a day but still burning it all off therefor creating a large deficit. Which is basically what people are encouraging when they say not to eat back exercise calories.

Actually some people set up MFP to include exercise calories.. so when they exercise, they don't need to eat them back.

laurieblair2012

The plan my doctor has me following starts at a base of 1000 calories per day. I exercise 5 days a week (mostly cardio right now) and burn about 400-500 per day, and I am to eat back about half of those calories. I drink a lot of water. The foods I eat are (ideally) lean proteins, lots of green veggies, and a limited amount of fruit due to sugar concerns, and at least one daily cup of coffee. I've been doing this for 11 weeks and have never felt like I was starving. I take a good combo of vitamins and amino acids, I get quality sleep, and I really haven't felt this good in years. I go to the doctor once a week for a BP check, weigh in, and consultation. My weight loss has been steady and sustainable thus far. Do I think this particular calorie plan would work for everyone? No...but it works for me. To each her (or his) own. Best wishes to all.