Family members on MFP?

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ruffledviolet
ruffledviolet Posts: 260
in Motivation and Support
I love this site so much and find it so helpful that I want to get my parents in on it. BUT I do not want to be "friends" with them because I have an ED, and I just don't want them stalking me like they did on FB before I deactivated my account there. But I think I may spill the beans soon. I don't want to be selfish and I know both my parents could really use the support here.

My mom is a cancer survivor and a diabetic. She's had five kids and is a bit overweight - I don't really notice because she's my mom and I think she's perfect the way she is, but she's always trying to lose weight. Right now she's on the paleo diet - which really helps her blood sugar, but she hasn't lost that much weight, and I don't think she really likes it. She also hasn't been pooping much. (I won't be able to invite her here after this post!)

My dad has heart disease (and OCD diagnosed by me). He gains weight until he is just under 300 lbs and then diets until he's under 200 lbs. Then he gains it all right back. He never feels full and could eat a whole pie of pizza or a whole package of hot dogs. His crash diet that he relies on is not very healthy at all. He starts with only eating cereal. After a few days he only eats cheerios. Then he cuts it down to only a few ounces of cheerios a day. Throughout the whole thing he only drinks water. He drops weight crazy fast, but his restless leg syndrome gets really bad, and like I said he gains the weight right back. I've tried to get him to eat healthier, and my mom has tried to shrink his portions, but it doesn't help.

I also don't know if my parents would really use MFP because they're older and impatient with computers (mainly my dad), and none of us have smart phones.

Replies

  • kennie2
    kennie2 Posts: 1,171 Member
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    my mum uses it and she absolutely loves it!
  • Tomhusker
    Tomhusker Posts: 346 Member
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    I have a few family and friends on MFP now. When anyone asks me how I am losing the weight, I simply tell them MFP. Then I give them the website, and the phone app. I let them decide if they want to do it.

    Currently the following family members have accounts here:
    My Wife
    My youngest son
    My Daughter
    2 of my brothers
    2 of my sisters-in-law
    One cousin

    AND, each of them have brought in at least one friend I also have quite a few friends with accounts.

    The parallel is a bit off, but I compare it to having the cure for cancer and not sharing it with those who need it. I am looking at getting some business cards made up with MFP info on them so I can just hand them out when I am asked. I get asked a lot because I am not shy about talking about my weight loss.
  • ratkins811
    ratkins811 Posts: 190 Member
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    my teen boys followed me here. lol
  • leafsan
    leafsan Posts: 21 Member
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    You don't have to friend your family on here, but I have both of my Parents on here and we're friends. It's not so bad because we're all living together at the moment and we are trying to support each other.
    I'd say, share the wealth, and friend them only if you want to!
  • justsummie
    justsummie Posts: 320 Member
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    I pretty much forced my husband to join (had to set-up his account and everything for him) now he is addicted AND doing better than me! Damn it! LOL.
  • Xaspar
    Xaspar Posts: 726 Member
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    If they used them enough to stalk you on FB, they can figure out how to work this program. Don't keep it all to yourself if you think it would help them. As long as you are doing the right things with diet and exercise and not doing things that WOULD cause alarm, there is really no reason to worry because it's about as up front as it can get here. And if you ARE, well, then I can only hope you would see the proof in the pudding and know that they are caring about you big muchly when they show concern.

    My .02
    ~Namaste
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
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    I'm gonna be the one to say it. This sounds like a cry for help to me. You're far too young and far too beautiful to be plagued by an eating disorder. I know that to you it feels like your family is stalking you, or "getting in your business" but that's a parents job. If they didn't, I would wonder what's wrong. Hiding MFP from your family isn't going to hide your eating disorder from them. I'm sure it's apparent in both physical and emotional ways.

    I hope you find peace within yourself and I hope that you reach out for help in the right places to help you understand your body and to come to terms with you, your weight, and food as a friend instead of an enemy.

    You shouldn't have to suffer through an ED hon.
  • ruffledviolet
    ruffledviolet Posts: 260
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    The parallel is a bit off, but I compare it to having the cure for cancer and not sharing it with those who need it. I am looking at getting some business cards made up with MFP info on them so I can just hand them out when I am asked. I get asked a lot because I am not shy about talking about my weight loss.
    I was thinking about making my own MFP advertisement t-shirt.
    I pretty much forced my husband to join (had to set-up his account and everything for him) now he is addicted AND doing better than me! Damn it! LOL.
    well that blows! but good for him. i hear its easier for men to lose weight though. so it's okay, i'm sure you're doing great!
    If they used them enough to stalk you on FB, they can figure out how to work this program. Don't keep it all to yourself if you think it would help them. As long as you are doing the right things with diet and exercise and not doing things that WOULD cause alarm, there is really no reason to worry because it's about as up front as it can get here. And if you ARE, well, then I can only hope you would see the proof in the pudding and know that they are caring about you big muchly when they show concern.
    it's not that i don't think they can figure out how to work it, i think they may think it's too much work to log everything. and scroll through the database. nothing i'm currently doing would cause alarm, but i still want my privacy when it comes to what i post on the forums, what i post in my blog, what i say to friends, etc. i also have my livejournal account under the same name, and that is certainly something that would cause alarm. actually it would cause a lot more than alarm. but idk if they'd think to google my username here to find me on other sites.
    I'm gonna be the one to say it. This sounds like a cry for help to me. You're far too young and far too beautiful to be plagued by an eating disorder. I know that to you it feels like your family is stalking you, or "getting in your business" but that's a parents job. If they didn't, I would wonder what's wrong. Hiding MFP from your family isn't going to hide your eating disorder from them. I'm sure it's apparent in both physical and emotional ways.

    I hope you find peace within yourself and I hope that you reach out for help in the right places to help you understand your body and to come to terms with you, your weight, and food as a friend instead of an enemy.

    You shouldn't have to suffer through an ED hon.
    Unfortunately, diseases don't discriminate against age or beauty. Also, I'm about to be 20. i've had an ED since 8th grade. most ppl develop ED's in there early teens...
    Anyway, since I'm living at home I've been doing pretty well eating normally. It's when I'm stressed and living on campus that I decide I don't have time to eat. Luckily or unluckily for me I am pretty good at hiding things. I hid SI from them since I was in 6th grade. They found out last year because I was threatened by a school official. That's a whole other story though. Anyway, as I said in a response to someone else, it's not really my diary that I'm afraid of them seeing.
  • Cccaroline
    Cccaroline Posts: 196 Member
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    My daughter is now on here:)

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