I've been very interested in this thread -- many, many good points.

I, personally, find that dieting/lifestyle change is my way of controlling my eating disorder -- so I can positively say it is "the medication that controls my disease", not a disease in itself. It makes me aware of my faults, makes me take a step back and decide if something I eat is for an emotional fix or for actual nutrition, etc. Although counting calories can become an obsession for me, I'm trying to put food "in it's place" and not obsess so much about the things I can't have and enjoy the things I can.

I think you create an eating disorder out of food control -- either loss of control of what you consume or too strict control over it -- but it's all a matter of the "happy medium" needed to lose weight in a healthy way, with no rigid restraints.

Hi !

Is it an eating disorder?? hmmm.. this is a very valid and thought-provoking question. It got me sitting here thinking about it and yes - maybe it is one but, maybe I just think that because it I haven't thought (or realized) that perhaps I already have an eating disorder and that's why I now weigh this much. I LOVE (I repeat - LOVE) food and didn't see what I was doing to myself by enjoying it whenever I wanted (and don't forget I also ate WHATEVER I wanted). This in itself is an eating disorder much like drug users, alcoholics and gamblers - it is self-satisfaction. In a way it's a means to an end, only for the end to NEVER arrive.

So now I ready to LOVE (I repeat LOVE) myself and take care of me, my body,mind and soul. I have others who rely on me everyday (my kids and hubby) and I wouldn't do drugs, drink or gamble if it hurt them so, why do I do this???

I'm on the road to recovery and just like other addictions it's a one-day-at-time thing and maybe it's good that it's on my mind. If it wasn't then maybe CHEESECAKE would be on my mind instead! ha! ha!

Keep strong and keep going!! We are all here and ALL want the same thing!

chunkomommy

I think that the American Food Industry is the one with the disorder (I'm including the government agencies that so call "police" the industry in this statement.)

"I think that the American Food Industry is the one with the disorder "

I agree--- like I've posted elsewhere, should it really even be LEGAL for a place to sell a Triple Stacker Burger with over 1,000 calories?!?!!? I mean, seriously, how is that healthy for ANYONE!?

They just simply shouldn't be allowed. It just shouldn't. ::sigh::

As laid back about weight loss as I am, I don't do most of that stuff. But, ok. I want to drop pounds I do what I have to, but you could say that about a job. Is it disordered to check your work a few times to make sure you've done it correctly. Is is disordered to check several times to make sure you don't run over a kid in a parking lot. What I'm saying is improving ones health does take some attention, just like anything worth while in life.

Jen, I know exactly what you're getting at. My very first post on 3FC was me saying that I was afraid that focusing on losing weight would trigger my ED behaviors, most of which I have fully overcome. Because I would rather be fat than obsessed with every aspect of what goes into my mouth, I have refused to engage in most of these behaviors. I know that calorie counting, journaling, etc, work for a lot people, but for me I fear that they're a one-way trip back into binge eating.

Lisa

LisaF -- I agree with you -- I can go from obsessing over what I will shovel into my mouth to obsessing over what I'm not going to or can't eat. I'm still working on the happy medium -- counting calories, journaling, etc., at least to me, puts too much emphasis on the food -- exactly what I do when I binge, etc. As soon as I tell myself I can't have something, that is all I think about until I eat every last crumb of it and then some. I think with an ED you will always have a power struggle -- but taking control is not a disorder in itself, but can become one if I'm not careful of my approach.

See, I tend to think my behavior was more compulsive when I was actively overeating on a regular basis. I wasn't paying attention to my body's cues on hunger, instead just stuffing it with mindless eating. Just as someone with anorexia would starve hers and not pay attention to her body's cues on hunger. Both are health endangering in their own way. Anorexics may have more immediate heart problems, but having eaten my way to obesity, I was getting warnings from doctors.

I pay much more attention now to whether I'm actually hungry or not.