Are The People On Here more Susceptible To Eating Disorders?

245

Replies

  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    I'm on MFP trying (and succeeding) to either gain 10-15 pounds or lose 10-15 pounds. Should I get help too?

    If you can't decide whether you are trying to gain weight or lose weight...Then absolutely...you should seek help too.


    I alternate between the two because I find it difficult/impossible to add muscle when not eating at a surplus and also find it difficult/impossible to eat at a surplus without also adding fat...so I eat at a surplus to add muscle and fat and then eat at a slight deficit to lose more fat than muscle. Later. Rinse. Repeat. MFP is the tool I use to track.


    TL;DR: MFP isn't just for people trying to lose 50+ pounds.

    ETA: Oh, and body composition matters more than scale weight anyhow.
  • There are some people who are more susceptible to developing an eating disorder (which I like to consider a very specific flavor of obsessive-compulsive disorder) than others. I'd say we're all at least a little obsessive here, as you almost have to be if counting calories is going to work for you, but there are definitely some of us who are more anxious than others and who are thus more at risk of going down that road. I'm not sure data exist to say definitively whether more people with that predisposition tend to use calorie-tracking apps and sites like this, but I wouldn't be surprised if that particular flavor of anxiety were overrepresented in our sample here.

    Yes, yes, yes!!! I had to take a break at the beginning of the year because I had dropped my weight too low. Prior to MFP, I never paid any attention to calorie counting (I just ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was full), but it became obsessive and I got down to about an 18.9% BMI. I put some weight on and have really tried to not let it get to that point again...I have General Anxiety Disorder and a mild form of OCD, so weighing food, and counting my calories down to the decimal point took over my life...for awhile :smile:

    If that's you in your photo--and it's current--I'd suggest changing your goal weight (looking at your ticker). I hope you've reached a healthier place.
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
    I'm on MFP trying (and succeeding) to either gain 10-15 pounds or lose 10-15 pounds. Should I get help too?

    If you can't decide whether you are trying to gain weight or lose weight...Then absolutely...you should seek help too.

    Yes, you should. Addiction to Smarties?
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
    I'd also like to mention it's not completely calorie relevant to when you're not eating enough as long as you're eating every 4 - 6 hours more than 150 calories and your goal is still to lose weight then you shouldn't be doing any damage to your body because it's not being sent into starvation mode or lack of nutrients

    if you're not trying to lose weight you should absolutely be eating more than 2,000 calories a day

    /thread... apparently the nutritionalists and dietetic associations recommendation that got everyone fat in first place ha infiltrated us...

    Body doesn't digest food in 4-6hrs... can take up to 72hrs to fully digest all the food. So only risk starvation mode after 72hrs no eating.

    Also 2000 calories or more? Why? Does it ever occur to you some people are short.. like REALLY short and do not require the same as you tall giants?

    Te problem is everyone is lumped into one group here no one is individually given attention to what they do, their height, weight, diet habits, genetics etc.
    So no, first off 2000 might be too little, and might be too much. No one can tell anyone that without countless tests. And considering we are a living organism, the test results also can be affected day by day.

    However for god sakes will people stop saying you will go into starvation mode if you do not eat every few hours... I mean what is the point of having a stomach and digestive tract if you never gave the body to actually fully digest the food...

    Your body has evolved over thousands of years, through feasting periods and periods of famine. I'm pretty sure 1-2 days isn't bad considering 72hrs is limit at when it will def slow metabolism down, in fact not even going into starvation mode, but actually changing the heat of body by using adaptive thermogenesis as most people here are not at the low end on body fat percent that the body would actually go into true starvation mode....

    Why do people get these things wrong every day every single time... Really annoying!

    I agree.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    I'm on MFP trying (and succeeding) to either gain 10-15 pounds or lose 10-15 pounds. Should I get help too?

    If you can't decide whether you are trying to gain weight or lose weight...Then absolutely...you should seek help too.

    Yes, you should. Addiction to Smarties?

    Hey! I shared that with my closed group of 91 of my closest MFP friends in total confidence. I never dreamed it would be used against me in the forums.

    (Why is everyone here so MEAN???)
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I think it's more likely that people with eating disorders would be drawn to MFP than MFP making anyone more susceptible.

    Eating disorders are often about feeling out of control in other aspects of your life, and being able to control your food intake. MFP not only allows you to control your intake, but to micro-effing-manage it.

    (Edited because "macro-effing-manage" was an interesting freudian slip!)

    This.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I'd also like to mention it's not completely calorie relevant to when you're not eating enough as long as you're eating every 4 - 6 hours more than 150 calories and your goal is still to lose weight then you shouldn't be doing any damage to your body because it's not being sent into starvation mode or lack of nutrients

    if you're not trying to lose weight you should absolutely be eating more than 2,000 calories a day

    /thread... apparently the nutritionalists and dietetic associations recommendation that got everyone fat in first place ha infiltrated us...

    Body doesn't digest food in 4-6hrs... can take up to 72hrs to fully digest all the food. So only risk starvation mode after 72hrs no eating.

    Also 2000 calories or more? Why? Does it ever occur to you some people are short.. like REALLY short and do not require the same as you tall giants?

    Te problem is everyone is lumped into one group here no one is individually given attention to what they do, their height, weight, diet habits, genetics etc.
    So no, first off 2000 might be too little, and might be too much. No one can tell anyone that without countless tests. And considering we are a living organism, the test results also can be affected day by day.

    However for god sakes will people stop saying you will go into starvation mode if you do not eat every few hours... I mean what is the point of having a stomach and digestive tract if you never gave the body to actually fully digest the food...

    Your body has evolved over thousands of years, through feasting periods and periods of famine. I'm pretty sure 1-2 days isn't bad considering 72hrs is limit at when it will def slow metabolism down, in fact not even going into starvation mode, but actually changing the heat of body by using adaptive thermogenesis as most people here are not at the low end on body fat percent that the body would actually go into true starvation mode....

    Why do people get these things wrong every day every single time... Really annoying!

    I agree.

    Yes, I agree with this also. And I laughed about "Does it ever occur to you some people are short.. like REALLY short and do not require the same as you tall giants?" ROTFLMAO :laugh:
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    I think a lot of the reasoning behind the type of disordered eating you see here is ignorance.

    I agree with this. The General Population just has no clue how diet & exercise work. I know I didn't till I started doing research. Because there is so much contradictory stuff out there some of that research was trial and error. I spent the first two weeks of my weight loss journey just reading and looking up nutritonal information on the stuff I was currently eating before I made any changes.

    Also, What jof' said. This is My "Fitness" Pal. Fitness can be a lot of things; from the people who have a hundy to lose, to ultra runners, to cardio bunnies, to body builders. Fitness is lots of different flavors and we each have our own goals and what we do plays into those goals....so maybe we shouldn't be so judgemental.
  • It can be easier to suppress hunger when exercising. I fell into a trap briefly of exercising off 700 calories a day while only eating 1200. I was NOT losing weight fast, but I was getting weaker fast. I noticed myself not having strength and having what seemed like a rapid loss of strength in my lifting workouts. And that propelled me to eat more every day, which led to the plateau breaking and the gradual return of strength(still not finished undoing the damage). I realized how drastic the difference was between what I had been eating to pretty much maintain(gained a few pounds over several months, but I was not eating enough to gain rapidly) and what I was eating to lose, and I realized that it was MUCH too large a deficit. My strength and running capacity declining in the course of a month taught me a lesson and I'm not going back there!
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    I'm on MFP trying (and succeeding) to either gain 10-15 pounds or lose 10-15 pounds. Should I get help too?

    If you can't decide whether you are trying to gain weight or lose weight...Then absolutely...you should seek help too.


    I alternate between the two because I find it difficult/impossible to add muscle when not eating at a surplus and also find it difficult/impossible to eat at a surplus without also adding fat...so I eat at a surplus to add muscle and fat and then eat at a slight deficit to lose more fat than muscle. Later. Rinse. Repeat. MFP is the tool I use to track.


    TL;DR: MFP isn't just for people trying to lose 50+ pounds.

    ETA: Oh, and body composition matters more than scale weight anyhow.

    The advice still stands...you need professional help with your overeating /lack of muscle building problem ...This site had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the development of your disorder.
  • anggxo
    anggxo Posts: 102
    I'm on MFP trying (and succeeding) to either gain 10-15 pounds or lose 10-15 pounds. Should I get help too?

    If you can't decide whether you are trying to gain weight or lose weight...Then absolutely...you should seek help too.


    I alternate between the two because I find it difficult/impossible to add muscle when not eating at a surplus and also find it difficult/impossible to eat at a surplus without also adding fat...so I eat at a surplus to add muscle and fat and then eat at a slight deficit to lose more fat than muscle. Later. Rinse. Repeat. MFP is the tool I use to track.


    TL;DR: MFP isn't just for people trying to lose 50+ pounds.

    ETA: Oh, and body composition matters more than scale weight anyhow.

    The advice still stands...you need professional help with your overeating /lack of muscle building problem ...This site had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the development of your disorder.

    Cutting and bulking is a disorder?
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    Cutting and bulking is a disorder?
    Isn't that why people get personal trainers?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Cutting and bulking is a disorder?
    Isn't that why people get personal trainers?

    No. Cutting and bulking is mainly about nutrition. Strength training is a part of bulking - the part that makes it useful. A lot of people who bulk (and cut) do not use trainers
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I'm on MFP trying (and succeeding) to either gain 10-15 pounds or lose 10-15 pounds. Should I get help too?

    If you can't decide whether you are trying to gain weight or lose weight...Then absolutely...you should seek help too.


    I alternate between the two because I find it difficult/impossible to add muscle when not eating at a surplus and also find it difficult/impossible to eat at a surplus without also adding fat...so I eat at a surplus to add muscle and fat and then eat at a slight deficit to lose more fat than muscle. Later. Rinse. Repeat. MFP is the tool I use to track.


    TL;DR: MFP isn't just for people trying to lose 50+ pounds.

    ETA: Oh, and body composition matters more than scale weight anyhow.

    The advice still stands...you need professional help with your overeating /lack of muscle building problem ...This site had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the development of your disorder.

    I do not think you understand the concept of cutting/bulking.
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    Cutting and bulking is a disorder?
    Isn't that why people get personal trainers?

    No. Cutting and bulking is mainly about nutrition. Strength training is a part of bulking - the part that makes it useful. A lot of people who bulk (and cut) do not use trainers

    "Bulking and Cutting Myth
    In the muscle magazines you always hear about ‘bulking’ up then ‘cutting’ down before a contest, should you do this too? Probably not. Professional bodybuilders and very advanced bodybuilders (those who have been lifting seriously more than 7 years) benefit from bulking cutting but in my opinion, beginners and intermediates do not. In fact, there are many disadvantages for beginners and intermediates. Wild weight swings are not good for your body. Obesity is an epidemic in the western world and most beginners and intermediates are no exception. The last thing an overweight or obese beginner should be encouraged to do is to “bulk”! Even more important for a beginner or intermediate bodybuilder than learning to lift weights is to learn what good nutrition is and being able to control their bodyfat levels. There is no reason at all that a beginner or intermediate bodybuilder cant gain muscle AND lose fat at the same time with good nutrition, weightlifting and cardio. It is much easier (and healthier) to keep your body fat low year-round than it is to pig out for a few months and then have to diet for 4 months to get all the fat back off. Why not be ripped all the time rather than just one month a year????? It’s easier, better for your body, looks better, AND its easier – who likes dieting anyway!"


    http://scoobysworkshop.com/bulking-and-cutting/
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Cutting and bulking is a disorder?
    Isn't that why people get personal trainers?

    No. Cutting and bulking is mainly about nutrition. Strength training is a part of bulking - the part that makes it useful. A lot of people who bulk (and cut) do not use trainers

    "Bulking and Cutting Myth
    In the muscle magazines you always hear about ‘bulking’ up then ‘cutting’ down before a contest, should you do this too? Probably not. Professional bodybuilders and very advanced bodybuilders (those who have been lifting seriously more than 7 years) benefit from bulking cutting but in my opinion, beginners and intermediates do not. In fact, there are many disadvantages for beginners and intermediates. Wild weight swings are not good for your body. Obesity is an epidemic in the western world and most beginners and intermediates are no exception. The last thing an overweight or obese beginner should be encouraged to do is to “bulk”! Even more important for a beginner or intermediate bodybuilder than learning to lift weights is to learn what good nutrition is and being able to control their bodyfat levels. There is no reason at all that a beginner or intermediate bodybuilder cant gain muscle AND lose fat at the same time with good nutrition, weightlifting and cardio. It is much easier (and healthier) to keep your body fat low year-round than it is to pig out for a few months and then have to diet for 4 months to get all the fat back off. Why not be ripped all the time rather than just one month a year????? It’s easier, better for your body, looks better, AND its easier – who likes dieting anyway!"


    http://scoobysworkshop.com/bulking-and-cutting/

    This goes to show that you really do not understand it.
  • deevatude
    deevatude Posts: 322 Member
    beansprouts.........are u mad?
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    I think a lot of the reasoning behind the type of disordered eating you see here is ignorance.

    I agree with this. The General Population just has no clue how diet & exercise work. I know I didn't till I started doing research. Because there is so much contradictory stuff out there some of that research was trial and error. I spent the first two weeks of my weight loss journey just reading and looking up nutritonal information on the stuff I was currently eating before I made any changes.

    Also, What jof' said. This is My "Fitness" Pal. Fitness can be a lot of things; from the people who have a hundy to lose, to ultra runners, to cardio bunnies, to body builders. Fitness is lots of different flavors and we each have our own goals and what we do plays into those goals....so maybe we shouldn't be so judgemental.

    ^ THIS!
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    Many men develop eating disorders as a result of trying to “bulk up” and build muscle mass.
  • anggxo
    anggxo Posts: 102
    There is no reason at all that a beginner or intermediate bodybuilder cant gain muscle AND lose fat at the same time with good nutrition, weightlifting and cardio.

    lol no. Small newbie gains are possible, but for the most part, it is not possible to gain significant muscle while eating at a calorie deficit.
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    There is no reason at all that a beginner or intermediate bodybuilder cant gain muscle AND lose fat at the same time with good nutrition, weightlifting and cardio.

    lol no. Small newbie gains are possible, but for the most part, it is not possible to gain significant muscle while eating at a calorie deficit.

    So you think that you know more than Scooby?
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    There is no reason at all that a beginner or intermediate bodybuilder cant gain muscle AND lose fat at the same time with good nutrition, weightlifting and cardio.

    lol no. Small newbie gains are possible, but for the most part, it is not possible to gain significant muscle while eating at a calorie deficit.

    So you think that you know more than Scooby?

    Most people know more than scooby

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Ey1ch2Koc
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Many men develop eating disorders as a result of trying to “bulk up” and build muscle mass.

    Source? Or is this you own opinion, for what that is worth?
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    There is no reason at all that a beginner or intermediate bodybuilder cant gain muscle AND lose fat at the same time with good nutrition, weightlifting and cardio.

    lol no. Small newbie gains are possible, but for the most part, it is not possible to gain significant muscle while eating at a calorie deficit.

    So you think that you know more than Scooby?

    I know more than the whole gang, except maybe Velma, because she's the brainy one.
  • kimberliiw
    kimberliiw Posts: 242 Member
    Whether you believe in the process of cutting and bulking or not I don't think it's an eating disorder. It could be if carried to an extreme, the same as eating ice cream isn't an eating disorder unless done in a pathological way.
  • Cranktastic
    Cranktastic Posts: 1,517 Member
    There is no reason at all that a beginner or intermediate bodybuilder cant gain muscle AND lose fat at the same time with good nutrition, weightlifting and cardio.

    lol no. Small newbie gains are possible, but for the most part, it is not possible to gain significant muscle while eating at a calorie deficit.

    So you think that you know more than Scooby?

    I know more than the whole gang, except maybe Velma, because she's the brainy one.

    meddling kids:grumble:
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I haven't read the comments yet, but most of us came here, because we already had an eating disorder of some sort. It comes with the territory. I wouldn't blame the site for that. It seems to me like there is a bit of confusion between the chicken and the egg.

    I just saw some of the comments and I would just like to say, roooby roooby roooo!
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    There is no reason at all that a beginner or intermediate bodybuilder cant gain muscle AND lose fat at the same time with good nutrition, weightlifting and cardio.

    lol no. Small newbie gains are possible, but for the most part, it is not possible to gain significant muscle while eating at a calorie deficit.

    So you think that you know more than Scooby?

    Most people know more than scooby

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Ey1ch2Koc

    :laugh:
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    I just saw some of the comments and I would just like to say, roooby roooby roooo!

    30c977bd-dac9-4ad8-9f94-62d3b19010c4.jpg
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Seems to be a lot of confusion here about what an eating disorder is......and what OCD is.....and what cutting and bulking cycles are.....pretty piss poor thread of ideas...


    MFP is a tracking tool which may attract people susceptible to eating disorders, the act of tracking calories does not in itself cause eating disorders. Correlation=/=causation.