History of eating disorder and now using myfitnesspal

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dannipilon87
dannipilon87 Posts: 4
in Introduce Yourself
Just wondering if anyone has a hx of an eating disorder and is now using myfitnesspal and whether or not you are finding it helpful or triggering you back into old behaviours? I'm 168cm, currently 66kg and my BMI is smack bang in the middle of the healthy weight range. I've set my daily calorie goal at 1400cals and also allow myself to eat back some of what I exercise.
I had a comment the other day from a friend who is also doing myfitnesspal that my calorie goal is set too high and i'm eating too much and I shouldn't be eating back any of what I exercise. I found this really triggering and I automatically went into a place in my head that I hadn't been for a long time. I am now 26 and had anorexia from the age of 15-21. I was hospitalised 9 times and scheduled under the mental health act for 2 years because of my lack of insight. I now consider myself recovered and am simply trying to eat and exercise healthy, and im actually enjoying using myfitnesspal, but i'm just wondering if there's anyone else out there with similar experience of ED (now recovered) and using myfitnesspal. xoxo

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  • darksomebelle
    darksomebelle Posts: 21 Member
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    I was bulimic first, then anorexic, from the ages of 14 to about 29. I'm 35 now, and recovered. I started using MFP to help me lose the little bit of weight I needed in a healthy way. I certainly don't think you are eating too much. I'm 5'3 and 138 lbs. (160 cm, 62 kg) I eat 1800-2000 calories and am losing about half a pound a week. Add me if you want...I'm always willing to talk about ED and my recovery. :)
  • apachebat
    apachebat Posts: 119 Member
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    Just wondering if anyone has a hx of an eating disorder and is now using myfitnesspal and whether or not you are finding it helpful or triggering you back into old behaviours? I'm 168cm, currently 66kg and my BMI is smack bang in the middle of the healthy weight range. I've set my daily calorie goal at 1400cals and also allow myself to eat back some of what I exercise.
    I had a comment the other day from a friend who is also doing myfitnesspal that my calorie goal is set too high and i'm eating too much and I shouldn't be eating back any of what I exercise. I found this really triggering and I automatically went into a place in my head that I hadn't been for a long time. I am now 26 and had anorexia from the age of 15-21. I was hospitalised 9 times and scheduled under the mental health act for 2 years because of my lack of insight. I now consider myself recovered and am simply trying to eat and exercise healthy, and im actually enjoying using myfitnesspal, but i'm just wondering if there's anyone else out there with similar experience of ED (now recovered) and using myfitnesspal. xoxo

    What a thoughtless thing to say. 1400 is reasonable and you could probably even go higher.
  • NaomiLyn15
    NaomiLyn15 Posts: 388 Member
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    I am in the same boat, except I have only been in recovery for about 10 months. I think that 1400 + exercise calories is a very healthy amount for your height. I eat anywhere between 1800-2200 calories a day (depending on exercise). I don't lose very quickly though because I am still fixing my metabolism and trying to convince it to work properly. But, I feel well fueled on that amount and have seen small losses over the last couple of months. Don't eat less if that is triggering to you. If you find that someone or something triggers you, don't keep doing it. I have had to remove friends on here because they became triggers for me. I have also had to have some hard conversations in real life with friends who were triggering me.

    So, tell your friend that you are a doing this in a healthy way and that MFP is set up to have you eat back your exercise calories and you are doing this weightloss in a healthy sustainable way. Good luck and friend me if you would like.
  • 1968samuel
    1968samuel Posts: 176 Member
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    1400 is not too high. Keep doing what you're doing.
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
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    Great job on Recovery! :) Add me if you like <3 Support is key!
  • Bilbobradshaw
    Bilbobradshaw Posts: 79 Member
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    I'd definitely say that whether or not MFP is triggering is up to you and how you use it. Looking up healthy intake ranges and balancing your workout to that range (ie not over doing it) can help you stay on track. I've used MFP as a place to make sure I'm getting enough calories without binging, as well as a place where I can be proud of the physical exercise I've done (as opposed to using exercise as a punishment or a means to an end). If someone is making you feel sketchy about your own body, kick them off your friends list. Friends play a big role in motivating on here, and MFP is what you make of it. If this person knows about your history, they're being absolutely crazy by commenting on your intake in ANY WAY.

    Some things I've found that make MFP a more positive (less thought consuming experience) are:
    1. Set your cal goal about 50-100 cals higher than you'd like. If you're anything like me, you get a lot of satisfaction from seeing you've stayed under, and but feel equally awful to see you've gone over. The best way to avoid this kind of emotional crash is to set yourself up to never have to see that negative red "you're ____ over your goal" thing. With how often you'll likely be under, it will all balance out.

    2. Change your macros to reflect nutrients you want to MEET, rather than things you're trying to avoid (ex I have mine to show iron and calcium instead of sugar and sodium). This will encourage you to eat to fulfill nutritional needs, not to avoid food.

    3. If weighing yourself makes you crazy, only allow yourself to step on the scale once every two weeks. Do not make MFP about "losing weight", make it about getting your body what it needs to do the things you want to do.
  • Smeltzer2
    Smeltzer2 Posts: 210 Member
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    I an 70 had an eating disorder for 54 years. From age 9 to 60. I rather dietedcpyrfed compulsive oceratevor all binge. Von 2093 I asked God to make a normal eater outvifvne. View gacevjept 80 lbs off for over ten tears. Today I got out my winter clothes and I am nit up a size or three down a size or two everything fits. God tookvtgemm. Took the mental obsession with food away. My fittbessvgekps necsee what I am eating and I use edmondo app to track exercise. View do nit dwell on every morsel am fearful of food no longer. With God. Myfittbess and others to cheer me on it is not frleardul but a joy. Keep up the good work. Harriet
  • z_lo7
    z_lo7 Posts: 2
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    Hey people im new to this lol. Well i was my biggest when i was 18, 5'9 295lbs. My weight lost journey has been filled with up and downs. Currently after 2 years im 230 lbs and to be honest im starting to slack off alittle bit now that i became more social. Its hard when i go out to eat. I see all my friends eaying like crazy and im just there try to keep my mind of food. How do you guys control that?

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