I think I have an eatting disorder

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2

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  • bellabonbons
    bellabonbons Posts: 705 Member
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    No. It's not an eating disorder you're being smart. There is a celebrity chef that does the same thing because she doesn't want the calories so she chews her desserts gets the taste in her mouth and then spit it out at least you're satisfied and your need for sugar without swallowing the calories that's not a eating disorder.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,137 Member
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    bellabonbons wrote: »
    No. It's not an eating disorder you're being smart. There is a celebrity chef that does the same thing because she doesn't want the calories so she chews her desserts gets the taste in her mouth and then spit it out at least you're satisfied and your need for sugar without swallowing the calories that's not a eating disorder.

    That's part of her job. Wine tasters do a similar thing. That does not apply to the average person. You are in no way qualified to tell the OP that she doesn't have an eating disorder and if the OP was developing one what you've said could be extremely unhelpful. One single behaviour doesn't make an ED but you know nothing about what other behaviours or thoughts she has.
  • vegmebuff
    vegmebuff Posts: 31,389 Member
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    bellabonbons wrote: »
    No. It's not an eating disorder you're being smart. There is a celebrity chef that does the same thing because she doesn't want the calories so she chews her desserts gets the taste in her mouth and then spit it out at least you're satisfied and your need for sugar without swallowing the calories that's not a eating disorder.

    Which one does this?
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
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    Giada
  • beautifulsparkles
    beautifulsparkles Posts: 314 Member
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    Makes me wonder how healthy chewing gum is
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
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    beautifulsparkles wrote: »
    Makes me wonder how healthy chewing gum is

    Depends how you use it. I've worked with women with eating disorders that use gum as a way to minimize cravings and not eat for days. I chew gum when I'm not hungry but want to eat anyway. One way is seriously unhealthy the other I would call neutral.
  • haninesloss
    haninesloss Posts: 12 Member
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    No, you're being in control. Having an eating disorder means to go to extremes just to avoid gaining a few extra pounds. I'd say you're being smart.
  • PixelPuff
    PixelPuff Posts: 901 Member
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    ReadyWillingEager wrote: »
    withoutasaddle wrote: »
    No. It is a common behavior of many with eating disorders, but the action itsel does not mean you have one. Anorexia is defined by weight alone (not caloric intake). Bulimia and BED include huge binge sessions. Chewing and spitting (c/s) falls into neither of the definitions, and while EDNOS/OSFED is a blanket for most of the rest of those with EDs who don't fall into one of the former categories, c/a is not a requirement. It also does not cause stomach/mouth ulcers- just as chewing (and "spitting") gum does not. That's a myth. What's more, eating disorders are mental illnesses. If your mentality about food is healthy, you need not worry. If your reasons for c/s are because of a bad relationship with food, it wouldn't hurt to see a therapist before it becomes more out of hand.

    Anorexia is not defined by weight alone, actually. There needs to be an extreme fear of gaining weight and caloric restriction as well.

    Actually, anorexia is mostly defined by the weight. Bulimics have their term changed to anorexia the moment they become underweight, binge/purge and all. They may binge and 'purge' using laxatives [which is not restriction], and be considered anorexia.

    Sorry, just technicalities, I did my term paper on eating disorders. xD;
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
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    PixelPuff wrote: »
    ReadyWillingEager wrote: »
    withoutasaddle wrote: »
    No. It is a common behavior of many with eating disorders, but the action itsel does not mean you have one. Anorexia is defined by weight alone (not caloric intake). Bulimia and BED include huge binge sessions. Chewing and spitting (c/s) falls into neither of the definitions, and while EDNOS/OSFED is a blanket for most of the rest of those with EDs who don't fall into one of the former categories, c/a is not a requirement. It also does not cause stomach/mouth ulcers- just as chewing (and "spitting") gum does not. That's a myth. What's more, eating disorders are mental illnesses. If your mentality about food is healthy, you need not worry. If your reasons for c/s are because of a bad relationship with food, it wouldn't hurt to see a therapist before it becomes more out of hand.

    Anorexia is not defined by weight alone, actually. There needs to be an extreme fear of gaining weight and caloric restriction as well.

    Actually, anorexia is mostly defined by the weight. Bulimics have their term changed to anorexia the moment they become underweight, binge/purge and all. They may binge and 'purge' using laxatives [which is not restriction], and be considered anorexia.

    Sorry, just technicalities, I did my term paper on eating disorders. xD;

    Truth. People should be aware though that weight alone doesn't constitute anorexia, though it is a requirement to be diagnosed. If a person only meets the weight requirement and it is the result of a different medical issue they would not be diagnosed with anorexia.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    In my experience, if a person is starting to wonder if they are acting in an unsafe or unhealthy manner with food, that horse is long out of the barn. Please sell a professional evaluation as soon as possible.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    Howdoyoufeeltoday wrote: »
    It's a form of disordered eating called chewing and spitting. It can get a lot worse and it usually leads to one of the more commonly known eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia. Chewing and spitting along can cause mouth and teeth issues and it can also cause stomach ulcers and things like that because when you chew your brain signels your stomach to start producing stomach acid but without any food in the stomach the acid can irritate the lining.

    Advice: chances are your diet is overly restrictive which is why you're craving so much sugar. So up your calories and allow yourself to have some treats once in a while. If you still can't stop after that then maybe seek some help into figuring our why you're so fearful to eat the food.

    Good luck to you! :)

    So, gum is bad?

  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
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    haninesloss wrote: »
    No, you're being in control. Having an eating disorder means to go to extremes just to avoid gaining a few extra pounds. I'd say you're being smart.

    On what planet is chewing food to get the taste and then spitting it out not an extreme behavior?
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    haninesloss wrote: »
    No, you're being in control. Having an eating disorder means to go to extremes just to avoid gaining a few extra pounds. I'd say you're being smart.

    On what planet is chewing food to get the taste and then spitting it out not an extreme behavior?
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    haninesloss wrote: »
    No, you're being in control. Having an eating disorder means to go to extremes just to avoid gaining a few extra pounds. I'd say you're being smart.

    On what planet is chewing food to get the taste and then spitting it out not an extreme behavior?

    Baseball players and sunflower seeds. So, chewing and spitting is fairly common. Seriously though, they do it for the ensuing boredom and the 'meat' of the seed. I doubt many are doing it for the taste. Then again.....

  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    Maybe this is the next new trend in "fine dining"...spit buckets beside each table.

  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
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    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Howdoyoufeeltoday wrote: »
    It's a form of disordered eating called chewing and spitting. It can get a lot worse and it usually leads to one of the more commonly known eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia. Chewing and spitting along can cause mouth and teeth issues and it can also cause stomach ulcers and things like that because when you chew your brain signels your stomach to start producing stomach acid but without any food in the stomach the acid can irritate the lining.

    Advice: chances are your diet is overly restrictive which is why you're craving so much sugar. So up your calories and allow yourself to have some treats once in a while. If you still can't stop after that then maybe seek some help into figuring our why you're so fearful to eat the food.

    Good luck to you! :)

    So, gum is bad?

    Please see my earlier comment on gum. People should understand that context matters. I'm trained to diagnose using the DSM 5, I am a licensed therapist in the state of North Carolina, and I have worked with women struggling with eating disorders. I am not, nor do I claim to be, an expert on the topic of eating disorders but with the content posted here, I assure you what I am saying is sound.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    tara_means_star wrote: »
    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Howdoyoufeeltoday wrote: »
    It's a form of disordered eating called chewing and spitting. It can get a lot worse and it usually leads to one of the more commonly known eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia. Chewing and spitting along can cause mouth and teeth issues and it can also cause stomach ulcers and things like that because when you chew your brain signels your stomach to start producing stomach acid but without any food in the stomach the acid can irritate the lining.

    Advice: chances are your diet is overly restrictive which is why you're craving so much sugar. So up your calories and allow yourself to have some treats once in a while. If you still can't stop after that then maybe seek some help into figuring our why you're so fearful to eat the food.

    Good luck to you! :)

    So, gum is bad?

    Please see my earlier comment on gum. People should understand that context matters. I'm trained to diagnose using the DSM 5, I am a licensed therapist in the state of North Carolina, and I have worked with women struggling with eating disorders. I am not, nor do I claim to be, an expert on the topic of eating disorders but with the content posted here, I assure you what I am saying is sound.

    Context is critical when discussing something via the interwebz. Cannot see the posters facial expressions, body language, etc. I forget the %age of communication is non-verbal but it is high. I was responding to the poster I quoted then saw your post later. I do not think it will crash the site. I am not, not a licensed therapist, but I've ironically worked with a few who are and have eating disorders. My experience is much less then your own and it is not my profession. For some the following apply: texture, smell, mixing of certain foods, lack of food availability in their personal living space(personal choice not economic), physical, sexual, mental, emotional abuse in past are triggers to an extent. On-going therapy, behavior modification, understanding food is fuel (good luck I still suck at conveying this to a few) and the acknowledgement we need food for daily activities. Again, I have had convos about the DSM 5 with a licensed therapist who has an on-going eating disorder so I sort of know my around the mental and physical aspects of what you speak but am not a professional at it. If I get really confused I have 2 good friends who are behavioral psychs at the local hospital.

  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
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    When I say context matters, I'm not really talking about the nonverbal stuff, although you are correct that it is really important. What I'm really meaning is that the context of the behavior matters. I.e. chewing gum is an acceptable activity but not when it is used to reduce hunger pains so that someone can continue restricting and going days without eating. In this scenario, the context in which someone chooses to chew gun is critical. Most people don't realize that disorders in general rely heavily on context. For instance, if two people engage in the same behavior, but in different cultures, it might be considered a disorder in one culture and not in the other. Disorders are generally, in some part, based on whether the behavior is culturally acceptable or not. That is a bit of an oversimplification, but still true. All of this is what I mean when I'm talking about the context of something mattering. As for the OP, if this is the only concerning behavior she engages in, there is no reason to call it an eating disorder. This is simply a behavior to watch, as it gets out of control for many people and develops into something more clinically significant. For the people saying it's a good idea...it's not. This kind of behavior is often part of eating disorders and while it doesn't sound as if it currently is for the OP, it can be a dangerous slope.
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
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    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    haninesloss wrote: »
    No, you're being in control. Having an eating disorder means to go to extremes just to avoid gaining a few extra pounds. I'd say you're being smart.

    On what planet is chewing food to get the taste and then spitting it out not an extreme behavior?
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    haninesloss wrote: »
    No, you're being in control. Having an eating disorder means to go to extremes just to avoid gaining a few extra pounds. I'd say you're being smart.

    On what planet is chewing food to get the taste and then spitting it out not an extreme behavior?

    Baseball players and sunflower seeds. So, chewing and spitting is fairly common. Seriously though, they do it for the ensuing boredom and the 'meat' of the seed. I doubt many are doing it for the taste. Then again.....

    No. They're still eating the seeds, and chewing food and then spitting it out to avoid swallowing it is not "fairly common."

    How is anyone justifying this bizarre and frankly gross behavior? Did MFP become a pro-ana site when I wasn't looking?
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    haninesloss wrote: »
    No, you're being in control. Having an eating disorder means to go to extremes just to avoid gaining a few extra pounds. I'd say you're being smart.

    On what planet is chewing food to get the taste and then spitting it out not an extreme behavior?
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    haninesloss wrote: »
    No, you're being in control. Having an eating disorder means to go to extremes just to avoid gaining a few extra pounds. I'd say you're being smart.

    On what planet is chewing food to get the taste and then spitting it out not an extreme behavior?

    Baseball players and sunflower seeds. So, chewing and spitting is fairly common. Seriously though, they do it for the ensuing boredom and the 'meat' of the seed. I doubt many are doing it for the taste. Then again.....

    Isn't what they are spitting out the shell, which is inedible?
  • AlexaAdkins
    AlexaAdkins Posts: 8 Member
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    I would be careful. I used to do this a lot before I started battling anorexia, being able to control food like that and restricting yourself gets addicting once you start losing weight. It's much better to have a healthy diet and let yourself have a treat every once in a while. Treats are fine in moderation!

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