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This is really bothering me...

I thought this site was to track calories and encourage healthy eating.  Many of the posts I've read and have responded to are regarding people who don't want to eat - like Loriklorik saying that starvation is healthy for you because your body will adapt or Heathers claiming that she's full to the point of vomiting after 1200 calories a day when in fact she just doesn't WANT to feel full because 'how can I lose weight if I'm stuffed?'

My question is - is this site a "PRO-eating disorder" site and if its not, then why do the moderators not banish threads that promote starvation?  If the opinions of starvation dieters are taken factually by people, they can (and will) hurt someone.

But if you notice, every thread about starvation has tonnes of reply's about how awful starvation is. Of course it's not pro eating disorder.

Would you prefer threads about starvation to be delted and the issue shoved into the dark? Or there in the open where people can share their opinion and recieve some honest facts about  it.

it bothers alot of us, so you are in the majority... it is not a pro-ED site, but it attracts all kinds of mindsets. the moderators dont have time. its up to the members to try to help them. some are helpable. some, not so much.

It doesn't need to be 'shoved in the dark' but like I said they speak of starvation factually and that will hurt or kill someone.  Maybe they should make a different section for eating disorders and not bunch it in with general weight loss - they obviously do not want to hear the cold hard facts of it - they defend it to death - sometimes literally.  Besides I didn't say banish all questions regarding ED's just the ones promoting it.

what watergirl said

Personally, I just ignore any threads that even hint at an eating disorder.

For me, I know that eating the way that some people choose to is not healthy.

I am glad that there is a place for people to talk about the problems that they are facing - and that they aren't alone.

I truly don't think seperating people with ED's from people losing weight is the best idea. it's the road to clique, misinformation and pro-ED without a doubt. People are going to feel strongly about their opinions. We always do. But there's enough information here for people to make their own choices and at least if people are reading it here they're also reading the information people helpfully post after it as apposed to turning to pro-ana sites or the such for their information. I don't think there's much of a chance of someone taking whats written factually because in most threads i've seen, members have been fairly concientious about posting up the facts about starvation. But you can't just censor people thats why people turn to pro ED sites in the first place. And also means the issue never gets raised.

I guess the answer is to find a new site that doesn't promote starvation.

If this were an anti-drug and alcohol site the people boasting about doing drugs and alcohol would be banished...but I guess some people like to read about how joe-blow lost 30 pounds in 2 months - it gives you hope doesn't it?

it bothered me a lot when I first started using this site last year too -- so much in fact, that I stopped using this site for a few months.

I had a pretty bad ed when I was a teenager.  I have been dealing with these issues since then.  And reading those posts sort of stirred it all up again.  Still happens occasionally.  So I recognize that it's not in my best interest to read those posts.  So I don't.

I wish I could help those people. I wish that someone could and would help those people. I wish that there were more options offline to get good ed treatment...  But right now, I've got one primary thing I've got to worry about and that is my own health.

Once I take care of that - who knows - maybe I'll have the ability and time and emotional fortitude to help some ed people in my own community.... 

You can only do what you can do.  We are each responsible for our own actions and must trust ourselves to do what is right for ourselves first and foremost.

This site doesn't promote starvation.

If you read through the posts, there are a LOT of people who offer help to those with eating disorders. But in the end, it's up to the people who suffer from them. We can't tell them what to do - we can only offer support to get the help they need.

If you have a problem with reading these so-called "pro-starvation" posts, then just ignore them. It's not like you're being forced to read them.

Hopping in.

Hi, I'm a moderator. :)

Why are we not banishing the pro-ED threads? Because it's a tricky issue.

Part of it is.. some of the people who come in here eating 900 or 1000 calories. They simply don't KNOW better, and they can be taught. And we want to help them.

For those that DO know better, though.. it's still a tricky issue, for us. There's liability issues, all around, so Erik and Igor are trying to figure out the absolute best way of handling this, as we have to be very delicate.  Remember, folks, that Calorie-Count is a business and has to be run under certain rules :/

Now, let me tell you what YOU Can do.  PLEASE read this!
If there's a post you feel violates the Calorie-Count.com post guidelines, PLEASE report it!  Please!

That said, amy, if you feel you need to find a new site, than we can't stop you, but you are making a terrible mistake. Why let a few bad eggs ruin a site for you?  Do you think we're ALL pro-Ana? Because if you do, you haven't been paying attention.

I'd say that the majority of people on this site are anti-ED, and are trying to lose weight healthfully.  We post on the boards and in our journals about our struggles, and we learn and grow together.  Be a part of THAT community, amy.

Meanwhile, for ALL of you, the moderators and Erik and Igor ARE trying to find the right path. I know we aren't moving quickly and, on behalf of all of us, I apologize for that. The best thing to do, though, is to not let them take this site away from you.

Thank you! :)

Well said, Howard.

I'm so glad you broght this up! I was beginning to feel sick with some of the things I was reading and I too truly began to wonder if I should keep visiting.... I wouldn't go to another site... this was the first time I felt comfortable even putting in my two cents so I would have just stopped all together... but I'm glad to know I'm not the only one feeling that way... but I do understand the legal ramifications also... that can be very tricky! I would not want to be in the shoes of the deciding parties... hard one!

But thanks for letting us all know that you don't condone it!

No, both personally and as a moderator, I (and we) do NOT condone the use of unhealthy means to lose weight. That is not what this site was designed for, and it is NOT the message we want to send.

I'm not disputing that some people just don't know any better most of which are looking for help.  My problem is with the posts that say "starvation is not bad for your body" and the reason I read them is because I am a mom.  I have a daughter who one day may be looking at sites like these and see that some people say its ok to starve yourself in order to lose weight.  All it takes is one person to give a very wrong impression and ruin years of education and knowledge.  This site is open not only to adults who 'know better' and this is the problem that I have.

Unfortuntately, some of these posters are beyond any of our abilities to help. They really need professional medical help. Best we can do is encourage them to get it.

So, Amy, what you're suggesting is mods remove posts that say it's okay, preferable even, to consume only a few hundred calories?

The site does not promote EDs. It would be easy to banish the entire forums, but this is where people find the support many of them need to have to use the rest of the site.

Yeah, all the starving posts bother me, and heh! You should see what I've got locked away in my journal because of such posts! I'm not at all charitable about some of these posts, believe me, but I'd probably be banned were I to post some of the thoughts I've had! :-D

So I respond to some of them, when I can stand to, but a lot of the time, I'm just sooooo sick and tired of seeing them, I don't respond. I know I'm not alone in this.

Yes, this site encourages healthful eating and healthful habits. I wouldn't be here otherwise.

I am a binger.  BED is also an eating disorder and not healthy and can cause many other health problems. 

I can tell you this site has helped me tremendously.  I have gone from binging every day to eating very healthy most of the time and binging on the average of once a week.  I found other bingers here and we support each other and work together to overcome our triggers. 

I don't see it that CC supports binging just because they let us use their forum.  I do see it as a healthy tool which is really helping me develop a healthy lifestyle. 

I have witnessed other bingers make great strides here, too. 

I have read some of the other ED threads where anorexic and bulimics post.  I don't see that CC is supporting those lifestyles either.  They seem to me to be reaching out for support in their daily goals and struggles just like everyone else here.

garnet77 - that is EXACTLY what I am saying.

redrock - You probably didn't come here boasting about how great binging is for your health.  I think its GREAT that it helps people with ED's...the problem I have is with the posts PROMOTE eating disorders.

okay, but where would the mods draw the line? Do they remove posts cause someone said they got drunk and suggest their friends do it? Or cause someone is saying they tried some diet pill and it's great despite the heart palpitations and seizure they had cause they lost 5 pounds? It's a really delicate thing, censoring someone.