Do I have a problem...

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mericol
mericol Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone else use MFP to see how little they can eat in a day? I know this is the wrong way to do it but numbers scare me.

I see that I have eaten 200+ calories for a meal and I feel HORRIBLE about it. If I am planning a meal and the total comes to 200+ I freak out and start taking things out to make it come under 200. Even if it is fruit I get upset.

I have been averaging around 700 calories a day but after exercise it is around 450-500.

I know all about starvation mode and I keep telling myself that I could eat more and try and get to 1200 each day but then I feel so guilty if I do :(

I'm not hungry and I have been getting good results from doing it this way but I don't really think it's healthy.

Do I have a problem or do other people go through this?

Replies

  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    You're right, this isn't the right way to do it.
    Calories are vital, they are good, they are the fuel that gives you energy and that ultimately, keeps you alive.

    Please find yourself some professional support, this is not healthy at all.

    Edited to add:
    Here's some info from the forum rules, you may find it useful:

    Eating Disorders are medical conditions requiring professional medical attention. MyFitnessPal does not permit the endorsement of any ED behavior, and strongly recommends that anyone suffering from the symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, or Compulsive eating make use of the resources offered by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. You may reach the ANAD hotline by phone in the US: 847-831-3438 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, Central Time) or on the web at http://www.anad.org/site/anadweb/
  • sarahmctaggart
    sarahmctaggart Posts: 24 Member
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    What is your gut telling you?!
  • russelljclarke
    russelljclarke Posts: 836 Member
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    Insane. If you know all about starvation mode you wouldn't be doing this
  • asyouseefit
    asyouseefit Posts: 1,265 Member
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    Yes, you have a problem. And maybe a developing eating disorder. Please seek help before it goes too far!
  • mizfrankie
    mizfrankie Posts: 100
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    Recently I have been watching Supersize vs Superskinny which is a UK tv show (not sure where you live) and they have a portion of the show dedicated to food control issues. I definitely think this is something worth talking to your doctor about. If that really scares you because you do not want to change then I REALLY think you should speak to your doctor. I hope you will be okay but there can be some very awful results from under eating. Being skinny is great but being malnourished can lead to many diseases so please be careful. x!
  • beautyonhold
    beautyonhold Posts: 25
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    i definitely think the way you're doing it is dangerous. You shouldn't be scared to eat. If you lower yourself to that few calories, you may lose the weight you want, but you'll find that you'll either develop a severe eating disorder, or you'll go back to eating the way you were before and you'll put the weight back on. It's important to understand that you're working towards becoming healthy - which means that even if you're going over your calorie intake by a few, if it's from a piece of fruit you ate or a healthy snack THAT'S OKAY. 700 calories is way too little to be eating in one day, please get some help or talk to a nutritionist. Maybe someone can plan out a meal schedule for you. Good luck.
  • margo36
    margo36 Posts: 222 Member
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    You maybe getting good results now but your weight loss will will eventually stop because you are starving yourself. This is unhealthy and your body is not getting enough nutrients. You need to seek help ASAP.
  • mericol
    mericol Posts: 2
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    Ok maybe I already knew It was a problem.

    I just wanted to see if anyone else has experienced it and how they got over it.

    I do know that under eating will do more bad than good but I just can't seem to let myself eat more.

    I guess it might help if I talk to a professional about it. Easier said than done.
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    Yup. You should be netting what MFP tells you to which is likely, at LEAST 1200. You're not doing it right and I suggest you stop. This is anorexia nervosa.

    A friend of mine on here ended up in the hospital for exactly what you're doing. Now her body is pretty much going haywire in bad ways because of the deprivation.

    Good luck.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Ok maybe I already knew It was a problem.

    I just wanted to see if anyone else has experienced it and how they got over it.

    I do know that under eating will do more bad than good but I just can't seem to let myself eat more.

    I guess it might help if I talk to a professional about it. Easier said than done.

    Please do talk to a professional. I know this is hard to do, but I think you just have to.
    Your life is too important to take such risks.
  • lydt5880
    lydt5880 Posts: 90 Member
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    Ok maybe I already knew It was a problem.

    I just wanted to see if anyone else has experienced it and how they got over it.

    I do know that under eating will do more bad than good but I just can't seem to let myself eat more.

    I guess it might help if I talk to a professional about it. Easier said than done.

    In your gut you already knew it was a problem and did the right thing by reaching out about it. I think anyone can get sucked in by all the numbers etc and having the CONTROL of being able to use number and it have physical and life changing results that we initially enjoy.

    It is not healthy and eventually will become a nasty and vicious circle of not wanting to be anorexic but not wanting to gain the pounds back. However the only safe way to lose weight that will benefit you in the long term is to do it through eating a minimum of the 1200 cals and exercise with eating most of them cals back.

    Without sounding harsh- whats the point of being thin if you are hooked up to a drip in hospital?
  • jellybaby84
    jellybaby84 Posts: 583 Member
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    Insane. If you know all about starvation mode you wouldn't be doing this

    And if you understood food related psychological disorders you wouldn't be making comments like that.

    You can have all the medical knowledge and nutritional information in the world and still starve or binge yourself to death. Logic doesn't always come into it.

    I understand totally where you're coming from OP. I'm in a very similar position and trying to get my calories up to avoid weeks of crash dieting followed by binges. Feel free to add me if you want.
  • 1a1a
    1a1a Posts: 761 Member
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    Although on the other side of the scale (eat to much, need to rein it it), these two things I have found helpful regarding attaining an understand of what a healthy sized meal is. One, I watched a two part doco called "Living in a house with food obsessives" (which incidentally is quite good and I highly recommend it). The key thing I got out of watching this was the notion that each meal should contain one cup of carbs, a deck of cards of protein and 3 cups of veg.

    The other thing that helped was watching "cook yourself thin". All of their meals come to about 500, 600 calories and every episode I've seen, the participant has successfully dropped 1 or 2 dress sizes just by cooking sensibly at home and doing some exercise. So, my brain tells me, if they can lose eating healthy and well then so can I.

    No harm in getting some professional help with it though, good luck what ever your course of action.
  • nettie1969
    nettie1969 Posts: 107
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    Ditto al the above .... get some professional help and fast.

    In the meantime, you can try what I do. Like you I was only eating around 200 cals per meal - not by choice but because I couldn't eat more than that before 'gagging'. So, after exercise each day I was only averaging around 7 or 800 calories (if that).

    My doctor advised to eat smaller meals more often - so I have added an extra snack into my day.... Usually a yoghurt or something similar. That way, I am getting more of the nutrients (calcium etc) that my body needs and gradually increasing my calorie intake. He also suggested I raise my calorie goal to 1500 per day while we work on my mental attitude. I never get near that and still only barely make 1200 per day before exercise, but it has gone some way to lessening my "fear" or that 1200 number.

    Never mind "starvation mode" - my doctor does not really believe in it, however he did point out that the average adult woman needs at least 1200 calories just to carry out basic functions - Even more for someone your age.... Malnutrition is a much bigger problem if we continue to eat too little good healthy food (has many of the same symptoms of "starvation mode")

    Again .. I stress go and see your doctor but (I know how hard that can be) if you would like some support on here I am happy for you to 'friend' me and email any questions etc you have.

    It may sound really strange coming from someone who is now 50lbs overweight but I have been battling an eating disorder most of my adult life (I am now 42) - the difference this time is that I am not just focussing on what/when I eat but working on my attitude to food. For me, it was never about being 'skinny' or seeing myself as being 'fat' - food was a tool. It was pretty much the only thing in my life that I can control! I can choose to eat or not - where, when and how much. Yes, it is still a battle - changing your attitude to food will take a lifetime. I still battle everyday. But with help and a willingness to change you can get better.

    All the best.
  • sarahmctaggart
    sarahmctaggart Posts: 24 Member
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    Why do you say that it is "easier said then done"? The great thing is that you are already half way there because you have admitted that you have a problem. Have you got a good friend that you can talk to about this and can support you to speak to someone professionally?

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