Or is the competitive under eating on mumsnet harmful?

[foreverlobsters]

Full disclaimer- I have a history of eating disorders myself so am possibly over sensitive to this.

Have been reading through another currently active thread as well as what we eat in a day etc (which I occasionally post on and do find interesting). Why do people feel the need to post about their extremely low calorie days on here, or give potentially harmful advice? What's the incentive exactly- and are these people lying about how much they really eat or is most of the mumsnet population in an extreme calorie deficit? Do these people not see how selfish and damaging these posts can be?

Yanbu - I also have a history of disordered eating and inwardly cringe every time some one announces they’re on 1200 calories.

Take some personal responsibility and don’t click on those threads.

Really, you shouldn’t read threads about eating and then be surprised about the content.

I thought 1200 was normal ish if you were trying to lose. But posting all your meals is a bit odd. And as for the famous massive salad ....

I agree! I've read some really shocking things on here to do with weight and food

That combined with the fat shaming in the most unexpected of posts speaks to a sinister culture around food and bodies on Mumsnet

Mumsnet is terrible for fat shaming and promoting disordered eating. I think it’s something MNHQ should make more of an effort to combat it tbh.

MFP recommended 1200 kcal

Yanbu. There was a thread the other day where someone said they have a bmi of 18 and regularly don't eat for 24hrs and lots of posters chimed in with the usual people just don't know what healthy bodies look like anymore, people are just jealous because you are slim, you sound perfectly healthy to me

Given the rate of disordered eating amongst women, I don't think that it is particularly surprising though that it rears it head a lot on mumsnet. I think a lot of them don't even recognise(or perhaps want to?) that they have disordered eating so don't actually understand how harmful their posts are.

YANBU. There is a real competitive under-eating vibe to a lot of comments.

I think, for those that had or have an ED, these threads can be triggering and should be avoided. It's pretty easy to avoid threads by the titles.

I certainly don't think the threads are damaging or selfish.

The infamous Mumsnet chicken that can last for a week of meals…

After I saw that, nothing surprises me anymore.

@Gorl

Mumsnet is terrible for fat shaming and promoting disordered eating. I think it’s something MNHQ should make more of an effort to combat it tbh.

yes this ^ I also have a history of ED and it's shocking how much posters encourage bad diets and starving yourself as a lifestyle.

The fat shaming and teeny tiny competitiveness is awful

Why do you click on them if you find it damaging?
MN is full of people telling you that their way of eating/ dieting/ exercising is the right way and anyone doing anything else is wrong. Just do your own thing and take it all with a pinch of salt.

lots of posters chimed in with the usual people just don't know what healthy bodies look like anymore, people are just jealous because you are slim, you sound perfectly healthy to me

Yes I hear this all the time!

Yanbu. The stealth boasting about eating tiny amounts bothers me.

You should know that you really shouldn't reas those threads.
If you have an eating disorder you're never truely free, it's like an addiction. So you are triggering yourself reading this stuff.
Just stop.

@TertiusLydgate

I think, for those that had or have an ED, these threads can be triggering and should be avoided. It's pretty easy to avoid threads by the titles.

I certainly don't think the threads are damaging or selfish.

Do you not think that it damaging to say that regularly not eating for 24hrs when you are already at the very lowest of healthy bmi is healthy? Or that telling posters to restrict their calories to 800 a day and they will feel great is damaging?

Whilst I haven't read the thread, I think yabu. Are you saying that if there's an 'what do you eat in a day?' Thread, posters who don't eat very much in a day, are not allowed to post?

@traintraveller

Why do you click on them if you find it damaging? MN is full of people telling you that their way of eating/ dieting/ exercising is the right way and anyone doing anything else is wrong. Just do your own thing and take it all with a pinch of salt.

You're right in that I probably shouldn't be clicking on them, but I enjoy mumsnet and when I see a title about food/weight etc the urge to click is extremely strong. Some of stuff I then read is pretty shocking and it seems I'm not the only one who thinks it should be moderated a little better.

@PizzaCrust

The infamous Mumsnet chicken that can last for a week of meals…

After I saw that, nothing surprises me anymore.

I’ve only ever seen this referenced, not the original comment. Was it a whole chicken doing the bulk of dinners for a whole family for a week?? Or was it that the chicken would be used, in some way, in meals for a week (because I can believe that if you count making stock and using that). Was it that a chicken could do one person for a week?

I once read a post where the poster said they found fruit so sweet they could only manage to eat a piece once every couple of months. That really shocked me

Yesterday I ate pizza for breakfast, chilli con Carney for lunch with half a gargic bread and then take away fish and chips with two butter cobs, 1 pint of milk washed down with 2 cans of coke.... today I’ve had 4 rounds of toast for breakfast, gin and red wine for lunch with a packet of biscuits, Indian take away for dinner!! 😂😂

Sorry isn’t that relevant but thought I’d share.

I agree but I think a lot of people aren’t very active on MN or have no idea how to measure calories. I eat 1800-2100 calories per day and burn 200-500 by walking a fast paced 10-15k steps in one go everyday + exercise on top 3 x a week. I am almost 5 ft 7 have a BMI of 24 and Severe PCOS and Hashimotos and am still losing weight. So I’m sorry but there are people on here who have no clue what they’re doing.

I just don't bother with the how much do you eat/is this a lot of food type threads. They are all a bit pointless.

MNHQ police other topics, why not this one?