So, I was reading
an old post by Kate Taylor on Slate from 2007 where she compares people who practice a "CR" (Calorie Restricted) diet to those who suffer from Anorexia. The acquaintances she interviews swear by their CR diets, but both are affected very differently by the diet. One guy seems okay, satisfied with his life, etc. He says that the benefits of his diet are the affects on his libido and brain function. He is less selfish, calmer, and has a lower libido, allowing him to be able to focus on other things. The other person, after practicing a CR lifestyle for a while ends up taking it too far and weighs a mere 94 lbs at 5'4. He used to be 5'11 until he got spinal stenosis which compressed his spine. That's 7 inches!
He admits that he took it too far, yet still believes a CR diet is the way to go.
Highly calorie restricted diets and Anorexia might have a little too much in common. CRers believe that they are doing something healthy for themselves, that the lifestyle will lead them to happier, more fulfilled life, but often-times Anorexics have the same belief. The two groups, if we should even separate them, can and have proven to have detrimental results, so why are CR diets sometimes (especially of result) applauded by some doctors/scientists while Anorexia will confidently be seen as bad, unhealthy, and sick?
I suppose it all depends on how far you take it and what people believe your motives are.
How much restriction is too much though? Some scientists believe calorie restricted diets are better for us and will help us live longer, but is developing a psychological disorder such as Anorexia, along with other mental and physical issues that come along with starvation inevitable-- Is it worth it? Is CR dieting a disorder on it's own? And the bigger questions I ponder ...
Are the people that consciously practice this type of diet and advocate it already disordered and just in denial? and Will any diet requiring you to be overly conscious of the food you're intaking inevitably lead to obsession and illness?
So, I was reading an old post by Kate Taylor on Slate from 2007 where she compares people who practice a "CR" (Calorie Restricted) diet to those who suffer from Anorexia. The acquaintances she interviews swear by their CR diets, but both are affected very differently by the diet. One guy seems okay, satisfied with his life, etc. He says that the benefits of his diet are the affects on his libido and brain function. He is less selfish, calmer, and has a lower libido, allowing him to be able to focus on other things. The other person, after practicing a CR lifestyle for a while ends up taking it too far and weighs a mere 94 lbs at 5'4. He used to be 5'11 until he got spinal stenosis which compressed his spine. That's 7 inches!
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Comments (20)
Simple answer CR diets are sometimes beneficial, anorexia never is. Plus I wouldn't make the assumption that all anorexics believing they are doing something "healthy" for themselves. Many of them know the damage they are doing but other aspects are worth more to them than health (such as control, image, etc.). CR diets are more of a type of disordered eating instead of an eating disorder. But then again it would depend on the person's motives for being on the diet and how it affected their health both mentally and physically. Moderation is always the key, just about anything in excess is bad for you. But that is just my opinion.
You're confusing this diet with Orthorexia Nervosa, not Anorexia. The former are more concerned with health, as these "calorie restricters" are. Anorexics are concerned with being thin, even if it's at the cost of their health. In fact when they feel less healthy is often when they feel they are doing "well" in their quest for thinness.
I think that the difference is this diet does not take precedence over a person's well-being. It should enhance it. Once they become obsessed and put it before more normal priorities, like family, work, hobbies, then it's a disorder. Remember that a lot of things are on a spectrum. It's not always just black and white.
I don't know that most doctors would agree with this diet. Maybe the "alternative medicine" types, but I don't think most normal ones would. Those that DO agree with it probably would say that individuals on this diet should eat the very lowest amount to maintain their body weight, like their resting metabolic rate, right before their body goes into starvation mode and starts destroying lean muscle mass (as is what happens during starvation). Most anorexics do not eat this amount, or do not wish to.
Honestly, the credentials are based off of studies with rats, where they were "semi-"starved, and lived longer. Rats have different metabolisms than humans. I really don't buy the study. Think about when humans probably ate like this. Most of them were lucky to live long enough to reproduce.
I'm a HCG girl. That's 500 calories a day, but we do it for 40 days at a time. I definitely consider myself an addict to the diet, but I've lost 77 pounds on it. I'm still 200lbs at 5'3", so I can't call it a problem yet. :)
The way you talk about it, I'm getting the feeling that it's more than just counting calories and making sure there's a deficit for weight loss. How restricted are these diets?
I think all this attention to calories will lead to obsession
Restricting calories can be addicting to some people and spiral down a slippery slope to eating disorder status. Two years back I obsessively counted, watched, and restricted calories going from a healthy 1500 to less than 400 + exercise. I lost 25 pounds in seven months (125 to 100 standing at 5'3"). I don't want to obsessively count calories ever again because I know how messed up your brain becomes when you worry about whether you ate too many raisins and went over the allotted daily amount. Ugh.
it's important to be aware of how addictive weightloss can be, and to get an informed picture of what is healthy. Magazines etc tell us that stars keep "fit" by eating nearly nothing, so we are impressed that they do what we sort of wish but don't really want to do. (bc we lovve to see results quickly but most people also love to eat). Plus, the body weight that gets promoted by the media and by diet-product advertisers is usually underweight. we know it, but people's reactions make this realistic picture blurry. Also we all know that eating disorders are glamourized. Many people feel envyious towards people with anorexia "I wish I could just stop eating like you". They ignore the onsequences when talking like this bc they probabaly cannot imagine them.
Being thin isn't being healthy. I used to be quite slim (107 at 5'4)..it was far from extreme, but at a higher weight (120-ish) I just tend to feel better. Not cold, not hungry, and not like my knees hurt one another when they rub together when I sleep. How can something be healthy if I feel more shitty?
Calorie restriction is good for people who tend to eat too much and tend to be chubby. If you are 5'4 and weigh 200 lbs and eat 3500 calories a day, it may be beneficial to "restrict" it to 1500.
If you eat just enough to maintain an already sort of slim figure, more restriction is obviously not healthy. And I doubt that eating as little as 500 calories can EVER be healthy. How should your body absor all the vitamims and minerals needed? I think it is better to "renew" your system with food+excercise. I think it's safe if you have a really stable self-esteem...stable enough to not be ready to hurt yourself in ANY way, but just d what *really* is the best for you and regardless of other people's judgement, and are educated on nutrition. Everyone should ask themselves this.
calorie restriction can mean eating 1,500 calories a day instead of 2,000. a CR diet does not have to be eating like 300 calories a day. that's not a diet, that's an eating disorder.
CR is supposed to be about getting the highest amount of nutrients per calorie...effectively reducing your need for excessive calories.
And I've read reports of people on CR diets who's libido actually increases.
I agree with the first poster and meetmeunderthestars. CR diets are different than anorexia nervosa. People who follow the CR lifestyle are concerned about health and getting the most nutrients out of the minimal number of calories that your body needs. When done correctly (and not as a guise for other things) people who practice CR will adjust the number of calories depending on their body's needs and the amount of activity that they do.
being overly conscious of the food i'm taking in has led to my health today. It's a balanced diet that has me eating 1500-1750 calories a day which is decent for my height and weight. Don't forget, "calorie intake" is just an average amount doctors calculate for the general public and don't work for everyone.
I think that the difference is this diet does not take precedence over a person's well-being.
Jewelry cardsMetal labelsFabric labelsZip PullersBarcode labelsShoes hangersMetal buttonsJewelry tagsSize hangersBelt hooksThe idea of CR diets is only healthy when there's so much food around you. i.e. America.
It's way too easy to consume 3000+ calories without realizing it. In other countries, the plates are smaller and it's difficult to get over 2000 calories without trying.
this post and the comments are extremely triggering
I didn't know it was called CR dieting, but I guess it makes sense. I've been monitoring my calorie intake for about half a year now, but only so I don't go over a certain amount. I know I need to eat, and to spread out my meals to help my digestive system, so I don't think I'm taking it too far. . . But it's scary how carried away a person can get. :-/
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@iscaphia@xanga - totally agree! it's crazy how much you can eat without realizing it until you start adding it up!
Last time I looked into a CR diet I had the exact same calorie base as the diet the nutritionist put me on when I was trying to lose weight: 1250. The problem was when I tried to integrate optimal nutrition into that...