33,000 calories a day!

Yes I swear...

 I was watching this documentary last night on TLC about these 4 people who were sooo morbidly obese they were litterally eating themselves to death. And knew it. Their addiction to food was so severe that the one guy was bed bound and hadnt walked in 6 years. They also showed the fattest man in the world who weighs over 1,000 pounds. It was absolutely mind-boggling to watch this, I honestly felt sick but for some reason, was intrigued because their disorder has consumed their lives and its similar to how anorexia or bulimia can consume someone's life. It was really sad and made me feel very lucky to be nearly recovered and have those thoughts behind me but made me really want to help other people, as well as myself.

 

 Some of the stuff from the episode

one man spent 30 dollars on chocolate bars EVERYDAY and these were just snacks

also, he could eat up to 48 of those mini bags of chips EVERYDAY

and lastly, he ate the same amount as anormal man would eat in 2 weeks, EVERYDAY

 

insane.. 

I was watching it too!  I was really craving sweets and snacks, and whenever that happens I just turn on one of those obesity programs and remind myself how easy it would be for me to get back up to 230 pounds.  I know it's not what the people on the documentary are dealing with, but it is 100 pounds over weight and therefore, morbidly obese.  The good news is, I controlled myself last night and am now 185.5!  Woohoo!

I was watching this too, between segments of the Sugar Bowl. ;) I also taped it as motivation to never binge eat or eat unhealthy again! I was amazed at what those people stuffed into their bodies - it was just disgusting. I'm not even sure how it is possible to get all of that junk down, but maybe that's why i'm not 700 pounds.

I watched the show too! I felt so sorry that the one man could barely breath. When they showed them eating I actually got sick to my stomach. Needless to say I didn't even have my usual snack last night.Michelle

i watched part of it too, but i had to stop, it was making me feel sick >< ALL that FOOD!!! it was so...i felt so bad for them :(

oh my gosh----

yeah--I watched it too :)  (although I had seen it once before when they aired it a long time ago)

that one lady who's chocolate habit could easily cause her to gain 2 lb. EVERY SINGLE DAY?!!! holy crap----i feel so sorry for those people! I can't even fathom it honestly!

the most mind boggling for me??? who and WHY are people buying them food??? where do they get the money???

 

Original Post by sportstergirl:

the most mind boggling for me??? who and WHY are people buying them food??? where do they get the money???

 

 yes its cruel to essentially keep morbidly obese bed ridden people in such a state, but it must be demoralizing to be that weight and know it would take  years to get back to normal 

i saw this! really unbelievable. i noticed the way the people talked about food and eating was so similar to the way someone i know who is a recovered drug addict talks about his drug of choice. it really drove it home to me that what these people suffer from is a real addiction, not just a lack of self control.  

Woah I didn't even know that was possible...

Hopefully those people will one day realize that there health IS important and that they CAN change their lives around and get some serious help.

theres a programme on tonight abvout the worlds fattest woman shes 700+ lbs and they had to cut her out her house. 9pm tonihgt ill be glued to the TV

It's just as easy to get obsessed with putting food in as it is to get obsessed with keeping food out. Either way, it's a psychological and behavioral compulsion. And either way, it's gotta be hell.

I'm concerned because I saw one comment here from a young, underweight member with a stated problems with ED, feeling sorry for the subjects of the show because they were unable to control binging. When she hears us say, "gross," does that reinforce her feeling that gaining four pounds over the holiday means that her weight has "skyrocketed?"

Moreover...

Do we need to be careful what we say around 14-year-olds with eating disorders on this site? I think it's a fair question, since they are watching and participating in discussions had by adults who can have a sense of humor about food/weight/diets without exhibiting extreme behavior. If I joke, "I think all this holiday driving has made my right thigh thinner than my left," is that irresponsible to say around a child with BDD?

I'm new to the site, so please let me know if there is some kind of special message board culture in effect here. I understand that anyone can make up an identity and log on, and that there's no fool-proof way to deal with online problems... but addressing the particpation of a young girl with stated, obvious ED/BDD issues seems like a no brainer.

Moderators? Anyone?

 

yea i believe it, no self-control man..

Original Post by sportstergirl:

the most mind boggling for me??? who and WHY are people buying them food??? where do they get the money???

 

Exactly!

Something I've noticed about the people featured on these shows - they are very manipulative and sometimes real bullies.  They have everyone around them snowed and running to bring them whatever they crave.  It's a psychiatric problem not just a physical one.

Original Post by bluemag1:

It's just as easy to get obsessed with putting food in as it is to get obsessed with keeping food out. Either way, it's a psychological and behavioral compulsion. And either way, it's gotta be hell.

I'm concerned because I saw one comment here from a young, underweight member with a stated problems with ED, feeling sorry for the subjects of the show because they were unable to control binging. When she hears us say, "gross," does that reinforce her feeling that gaining four pounds over the holiday means that her weight has "skyrocketed?"

Moreover...

Do we need to be careful what we say around 14-year-olds with eating disorders on this site? I think it's a fair question, since they are watching and participating in discussions had by adults who can have a sense of humor about food/weight/diets without exhibiting extreme behavior. If I joke, "I think all this holiday driving has made my right thigh thinner than my left," is that irresponsible to say around a child with BDD?

I'm new to the site, so please let me know if there is some kind of special message board culture in effect here. I understand that anyone can make up an identity and log on, and that there's no fool-proof way to deal with online problems... but addressing the particpation of a young girl with stated, obvious ED/BDD issues seems like a no brainer.

Moderators? Anyone?

 

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Sara

Volunteer Moderator 

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Original Post by sportstergirl:

the most mind boggling for me??? who and WHY are people buying them food??? where do they get the money???

 

 That's exactly what I was thinking when I was watching it too... who is enableing these people to destroy themselves with food?!?! The family members that were interviewed seemed to be of the "well he/she will figure out a way to get it anyway" camp; which really is sad. The English guy apparently took a mortgage out on his home and spent HALF of it on food... wow.

the ones that can't even walk out of the bedroom? give me a break! i would say, "here is your salad and chicken breast. when you can walk, then you can walk yourself out and buy candy but until then, you are eating healthy" that's it. if you love them you would try and save them. would you shoot up a junky who's arms were blown off from a crack explosion? hell no!! same thing in my eyes. just sayin

the family members may be scared they might resort to running up huge debts or stealing to get their fix of junk food,so they just pander to them to keep them out of trouble

I watched a similar programme last night. It's very sad, as you said. What struck me is that these are just ... people. No one wants to get so large that they can't wear clothes and have to be transported to and from hospital in something designed for moving whales, you know? You just can't imagine.

yea and a lot of people dont view them as having eating disorders just as FAT people with no self control....yea well many would argue I am skinny with no self control. they are in more immediate health danger than i ever was but its reall sad i think.

Great job controlling yourself!  I am also classified as obese with 50 lbs overweight, and it IS so easy to balloon back up.  I have to watch myself all the time, especially by not finishing what my kids don't eat on their plates (hate waste).  Keep up the great work!  You control the food, the food doesn't control you.

 The enablers in these grossly morbidly obese have blinders on I think.  The one woman said she never noticed how big he really was until she saw a picture of him.  As a single mom of two very active kids, I can easily not look at the mess in their room (or on the kitchen table, the living room...) and still function around it.  That is until I get a visitor!  Also, the enablers all have issues with weight of their own, and all the emotional baggage being heavy comes with.  Feeding their giant partners might give them a false sense of reality, they may think "I don't eat like HE does, so I'm ok."  Everyone involved needs to get counselling, just as anyone affected by any addiction needs to.