Is MFP a breeding gound for eating disorders

I have an eating disorder. At the moment I am using MFP for the wrong reasons, which is to track calories. I know that deleting the app, for me, will mark a significant step in my recovery. This is a long way off, but I couldn't contemplate hitting the right target, or being above it. At the moment, only getting the "you're not eating enough message" is acceptable to me.
However this is personal to me, and my eating disorder certainly did not begin as a result of using my fitness pal. What I will say is that listening to my body, knowing that some days it needs more calories than others, some days enjoying snacks at an impromptu get togethers with friends, or just having a bar of chocolate because I fancy it etc... thats the ultimate aim.
I think it is an enabler, but if it wasn't for MFP I would log calories in/out manually anyway. Its not to blame. If someone is going to develop an ED, it won't happen solely because of MFP. It could be a trigger for relapse or for someone who was going to develop one anyway.

i agree with some aspects I really wish MFP would reword the "you are undercalories"

Here is my personal take. MFP is a tool, how the user intends to utilize its functions is solely on them. Neither you nor I can control that. Personally, this tool alone does not breed disorders (IMO).


Now, people who promote ED's, their post are deleted and the threads are addressed (closed and/or moved off the main forums). If someone has an ED, binge issue or feels this site is leading to an ED, we evaluate the entire thread. If the thread has a lot of people who encourage recovery, provide helpful information and support, then we let it stay up (in fact, I generally join threads just to ensure they get all the information they deserve). Although, there is a huge difference between encouraging disorder eating and mentioning you have one. I have been in hundreds of threads where users get a lot of support to get help. Even in the past week, I have joined threads where I posted this link: http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1575987-eating-disorder-resources


In terms of group that support disorder habits, they are not allowed either. But we cannot take action until they are brought to our attention. Please keep in mind, there are a handful of mods to address all the issues on this board. Considering there are thousands of new post and a lot of new groups a day, we can only do as much as our users bring to our attention or I stumble upon during my daily post whoring.

Ok so recovering bulemic here. It happened about 11 years ago. I KNOW that if I'm not smart about my weight loss it can trigger my obsessive eating disorder thoughts and I start going all crazy. But that's why when I'm trying to get back into eating healthy or losing weight I go in carefully. I don't start until I feel at peace and my body says "now is the time". I make sure that I set correct and healthy calorie goals and track them carefully with MFP BUT not TOO carefully. If I go over I don't allow myself to feel guilt or shame. I accept it and try to be on goal the next day.

I am VERY aware that I am now at a higher risk of slipping back into an eating disorder when trying to lose weight and I know that's unhealthy. So I stay zen with the whole thing. This time around i havnt even started weighing or measuring myself. I'm focused soley on re-establishing a healthy relationship with food. ( by this I mean not snacking constantly on the job since I work by myself at night and am always eating chips and pop etc). I will eventually start to weigh and measure but not until I feel certain that it's "safe".

I guess my point is. At 18 I was actively bulemic. I'm 28 tomorrow and I understand that it's like being a recovering alcoholic, I may always be at risk. But to me MFP is a healthy and positive environment that helps keep my mind right while I navigate a potential mine field. I need to lose... Want to lose about 80lbs. I'm up over 200. But I'm going to do it slowly and happily, in moderation with the least amount of shame possible, (cause everyone has a sad day or two). I think this place is really great. I LOVE the challenge of hitting my macros. It makes me feel like a bad *kitten* body builder lol. And when I logged my workout today I felt like a god! It was my first workout in like, a year. Kickboxing class, woot woot.

I don't want to be skinny, imma curvy black mamma, my goal is 150lbs. I want to just get back to being strong and fit. But in my attempt to be the healthiest version of me I just have to be careful to not let unhealthy thoughts sneak in.

Just sharing my thoughts as someone that's struggled with an eating disorder.

Ok so recovering bulemic here. It happened about 11 years ago. I KNOW that if I'm not smart about my weight loss it can trigger my obsessive eating disorder thoughts and I start going all crazy. But that's why when I'm trying to get back into eating healthy or losing weight I go in carefully. I don't start until I feel at peace and my body says "now is the time". I make sure that I set correct and healthy calorie goals and track them carefully with MFP BUT not TOO carefully. If I go over I don't allow myself to feel guilt or shame. I accept it and try to be on goal the next day.

I am VERY aware that I am now at a higher risk of slipping back into an eating disorder when trying to lose weight and I know that's unhealthy. So I stay zen with the whole thing. This time around i havnt even started weighing or measuring myself. I'm focused soley on re-establishing a healthy relationship with food. ( by this I mean not snacking constantly on the job since I work by myself at night and am always eating chips and pop etc). I will eventually start to weigh and measure but not until I feel certain that it's "safe".

I guess my point is. At 18 I was actively bulemic. I'm 28 tomorrow and I understand that it's like being a recovering alcoholic, I may always be at risk. But to me MFP is a healthy and positive environment that helps keep my mind right while I navigate a potential mine field. I need to lose... Want to lose about 80lbs. I'm up over 200. But I'm going to do it slowly and happily, in moderation with the least amount of shame possible, (cause everyone has a sad day or two). I think this place is really great. I LOVE the challenge of hitting my macros. It makes me feel like a bad *kitten* body builder lol. And when I logged my workout today I felt like a god! It was my first workout in like, a year. Kickboxing class, woot woot.

I don't want to be skinny, imma curvy black mamma, my goal is 150lbs. I want to just get back to being strong and fit. But in my attempt to be the healthiest version of me I just have to be careful to not let unhealthy thoughts sneak in.

Just sharing my thoughts as someone that's struggled with an eating disorder.

I totally agree with what you have put, i was anorexic in my youth, and have always had a love hate relationship with food, MFP def helps me stay on the right side of the tracks.
thank you for sharing your experience x

Nope,
MFP not a breeding ground for ED's.
A tool is a tool,
Can walk down street, find a big piece of wood.
Most will see that piece of wood and think to use it for something positive, burn it, chip it, make it into something, but will always get a minority few who will pick it up and use it to kill someone with.
Just 1 of those sad facts of life

I know that wasn't meant to be funny, but when I got to the last part, it struck me as hilarious :laugh:
That's Friday for ya...just makes me giddy :blushing: