Hey, guys.

I'm not a low-carber, but this diet has always fascinated me, because of my own issues with eating. I'm anorexic and have been for 6 years now, and I have at times developed a fear of carbs due to this, but these were times when I was only consuming about 300 calories a day, so I pretty much had a fear of food in general.

I'm maintaining my weight now, although I plan on losing again soon, in a month or so when I leave for college. Right now Im around 95-96 lbs at 5'4" so technically Im underweight, but it suits me. Im not as mentally sick now as I have been, but I still must wonder... how does one put so much effort into counting carbs and focusing on food and not mess themselves up mentally? I just dont understand how mentally normal people can "diet" in such a restrictive fashion and not find it completely addicting. If I ever did Atkins, it would start out as a low carb diet, and then Id start cutting everything else out.

But then again, Im already vegan, which means I dont eat meat, dairy, or eggs. I have extremely low cholesteral, at least. lol

And another thing- isnt Atkins primarily a meat based diet? I wont ever eating meat again, because Im an animal activist. So for me, Atkins would mean Id just be eating fruits and veggies... that cant be healthy, can it? Im not saying anorexia is healthy... but why do eating disorders get such a bad reputation when Atkins is glorified. Neither seem very healthy to me.

Hopefully, I will learn the answers to these questions by hanging around here. Feel free to enlighten me, if you can.

Because EATING DISORDERS lead toward DEATH. They kill because people with eating disorders starve themselves into organ failure as the body consumes its own muscle tissue (including the heart) in a desperate attempt to survive. Because eating disorders involve completely erroneous perceptions of the body as "fat" or "needing to lose weight" while, for example, weighing only 95 pounds at a height of 5'4". A healthy weight range for a woman at 5'4" would be 110-130 pounds, depending on bone size. If this range is achieved by low carb eating, the person will look slender, svelte and be fit and energetic.

Atkins and the mainstream lowcarbing plans lead to HEALTH.

Low carbing will NOT cause a person to lose below a healthy weight. Only starvation can do that. this was proven in the 1930's when the Arctic explorer Stefansson & a colleague ate only meat and fat for 1 whole year. He lost only 6 pounds despite being fit and athletic to begin with, and maintaining a very active life.

Low carbers move toward better blood test numbers, more energy, less body fat, more muscle, better hormonal regulation, digestive health and so much more.

I hope that you will continue with whatever therapy has been helping you and that you won't stop it when you go to college. Everything in your post says that your recovery is not yet completely on the right track. I wish you all the best and hope that you will find your way to health.

I am just a bit sceptical about the sincerity of the post that begins this thread (in the Journals section) as the member's name is the reverse of "PETA rules".

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is a group which is involved in many activities including trashing all low carb plans. Their methods in many areas are extreme and not always honest.

What do you mean extreme? Like splashing paint on womens fur coats? The funny thing about that to me is that when that happens, those women will just go buy ANOTHER fur coat, meaning another animal is going to die, BECAUSE of PETA.

Oh Tofi, you are SOOOOOOOOOOOooooooo Sharp!!!

Cheers Kathy

Tofi is the sharpest knife in our drawer today!

Ooooh, I'm impressed. I tend to try'n figure out what usernames stand for or say, but that one was quite confusing. Wouldn't have occured to me to read it backwards.

You smaaaaht!

WOW great job tofi I would never have seen that.

good catch tofi! positively brilliant!

For "Petarules" backwards: our bodies are meant to eat for fuel and health and LIFE. feeding it veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, animal protein and healthy fats doesn't deprive our bodies of nutrients. you don't need bread to live....so what are you really restricting? you do however need fat and protein ....however you choose to get it is up to you. if you are still alive at 80 pounds, what do you think your life will be like? do you think you will be with a boyfriend or husband? (if you are, i doubt it will be the kind you would want!!) do you think you will have children? (how ...without your period?) do you think you will be smiling? and laughing and enjoying life? (hooked up to a glucose feeding tube??) do you think people will look at you like you are thin and pretty and healthy? (with your hair falling out and a sunken hollowed vacuous face? they will look at you like you are sick and stare and wonder and for a second, maybe feel sorry for you). what about all the pain you will put the people who love you through? wouldn't you rather spend the next few years getting a healthy life that brings you good things? life throws some curveballs and is not always good or easy or fair. but get out there and give yourself the best chance possible to have some good things. striving for a death weight guarantees beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will never have a chance at anything. (like striving for an A (health) and maybe you'll end up with a B or at least PASSING.....but if you strive for an F(death or close to it) , you have just ensured that you will definitley indeed fail)

an eating disorder is a long drawn out and very painful suicide. you seem like a bright girl. and you are going off to college!!!! that is great! think of the things you can do when you are there! you can begin a whole new life for yourself. instead of making your goal to get really skinny, set your sights on good grades and good friends....and dream a lot about your future and what you want. maybe to get a degree that will one day prevent other young girls from wasting such a hopeful life and going down that same deadly road!! i'm sure they will thank you for years to come. maybe one of those people (or you) will discover the cure for aids or will be healthy enough to tend to her sick grandmother who looks so forward to her visits from her granddaughter??? who knows what good any of us can do if we are not here or not healthy enough to participate in life?

i hardly think an 80 pound skeleton is who PETA would want as their spokesperson........

one more thing, extremely low cholesterol is extremely unhealthy. more so than high cholesterol. especially linked to many mental disorders.........your brain and WHOLE body requires cholesterol to survive.........

All though no 2 people with eating disorders are a like, complex emotional issues are usually a key factor. (Ex. underlying psychological disorder)
The difference between an eating disorder and Atkins (Or WW, Slim fast, etc) is that with the ED there is an underlying issue that isn't being delt with. Rather than face the issue that's eating them, they turn their emotions inward - resulting in restriction, excessing exerising, binging/purging, binging, etc. Rathing than truly expressing how they feel (angry, sad, depressed, etc) they say they feel "fat". Fat is not an emotion or feeling.



Which is why people who have been diagnosed with EDs should not be on any kind of diet, unless it is under the supervision of their therapst or nutritionist. They see eating plans like "Atkins" as an excuse to continue their disordered behavior, when in reality they are not following Atkins at all, but their own distorted version of Atkins.



If this is true and you are not here for activism purposes, you really should be seeking professional help rather than posting on a low carbohydrate board.

First off, all eating issues aside, PETA is a radical animal rights organization that has been linked to known terrorist organizations, such as ELF and ALF. They do not promote animal rights so much as they DEMAND everyone fall in line with their radical way of thinking. What if I demanded that you eat only meat, then use scare tactics when you didn't think like me? It's absurd. FWIW, I'm deeply suspect of anyone claiming moral superiority because they are vegan. Seems like more of an emotional hangup than a rational lifestyle choice.

As far as eating, today's research is pointing out what knowledgeable low-carbers have known for years; this is the way to eat for health. All that low-fat garbage is just that, garbage. Moderate your carbs and your health will improve. Of course you will need to battle your demons with regards to the eating disorder (and I hope and pray you can fix those problems before they kill you).

Kent

My fiances aunt has an eating disorder. She is 6 foot tall and only weighs 105 pounds. Here is a warning for those who do have an eatind disorder. My fiances aunt now has a new problem and that is that her body has turned to her skin for food. Her skin from head to toe is tuning brown and black and her doctors tell her that its permanent damage. So if you are starving yourself just so you can look better. Trust me you are only going to end up looking worse in the end.

I wish there was a cure for this sickness!

the fact that "seluratep" hasnt responded also is telling.

dear "seluratep":

if you would like to stop your anorexic behavior i sincerely suggest eating nothing but MEAT.