Bodybuilding Eating Disorders

[BendtheBar]

I was watching an MSNBC special on female bodybuilders, and they talked with a Harvard professor about the eating habits of bodybuilders. I decided to do a bit more research on how bodybuilders are viewed by the scientific community, and found this article:

Do You Have an Eating Disorder? If You Are a Dedicated Bodybuilder, Some Shrinks Think You Do!

By Bryan Haycock, MS

When you think of eating disorders you may typically think of anorexia (Def: Refusal to eat anything until you are extremely thin and malnourished) or bulimia (Def: Eat all you want then go in the bathroom and make yourself throw up until you are thin and malnourished). Recently some Harvard docs have decided its time to define yet another eating disorder, a disorder specifically seen in one particular population, bodybuilders. You may have been aware that we bodybuilders have qualified on several criteria (DSM-IV) for eating disorders like anorexia or even bulimia. Certainly our preoccupation with food has led some researchers/therapists to think of us as having "issues" with food. Now they are sure we have a problem and want to help us by clearly defining it. They call this new type of eating disorder, "Eating Disorder, Bodybuilder-Type" or simply ED, BT.

According to the proposal by the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, ED, BT is characterized by "rigid adherence to a high-calorie, high-protein, low-fat diet that is consumed in the form of pre-prepared meals and supplements eaten at regularly scheduled intervals. Women with this disorder frequently refused to eat out at restaurants or at friends' houses because of their need to be certain that they were ingesting the precise amounts of calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates that they believed necessary to maintain their physique."

These Harvard docs said that individuals with this disorder are known to routinely prepare all of their meals for the day in advance, packaging precisely measured quantities of specific foods (lean chicken or fish with steamed vegetables) in small containers to be consumed at prescribed hours throughout the day. They go further to report that if their eating routine was disrupted, individuals with ED, BT typically experience "intense anxiety", and often engage in compensatory behaviors such as eating a protein bar to substitute for a missed meal.

Your probably thinking I made this up but I assure you, these people are dead serious about defining this new eating disorder. Here are the specific criteria used to identify an individual with ED, BT:

(1) Refusal to maintain body fat at a healthy level (defined in women as the level necessary for normal menstrual cycles to take place) accompanied by a desire to maximize muscle mass.

(2) Intense fear of gaining fat or losing muscle, even though body fat is below normal, as defined above, and degree of muscularity is far above average.

(3) Strict adherence to a rigid diet with at least 2 of the following features:

(a) At least 5 meals per day, consumed on a regular schedule, for example every 3 hours.

(b) Meals all consist of high-calorie, high-protein, low-fat foods or food supplements.

(c) A significant amount of time and money is spent acquiring, preparing and eating these specialized meals.

(4) Disturbance in the way in which one's body composition is experienced or undue influence of body appearance on self-evaluation.

(5) Social and occupational opportunities are frequently given up because they interfere with the composition or timing of meals.

There you have it, the definition of this bizarre bodybuilding eating disorder. You would think that they would classify the eating habits the average sedentary overweight person as a disorder. After all, their eating habits lead to chronic disease and premature death. I don’t know about you but I am proud to have this new eating disorder, bodybuilder type that is!

[RickB]

It's a choice...damn! I know this stuff can turn you obsessive, but it was a choice that got you there first. If you changed hobbies, it would go away. Pretty easy imo.

Also talking with Catherine Basile, she said the BB type of diet is helpful for anyone with reactive hypoglycemia. It prevents dips and spikes in insulin. So if they are eating that way to fight that, do they have an eating disorder?

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by RickB

It's a choice...damn! I know this stuff can turn you obsessive, but it was a choice that got you there first. If you changed hobbies, it would go away. Pretty easy imo.

Also talking with Catherine Basile, she said the BB type of diet is helpful for anyone with reactive hypoglycemia. It prevents dips and spikes in insulin. So if they are eating that way to fight that, do they have an eating disorder?

It seems that anything that is carved into a habit can be labeled a disorder. This is "negative" psychology for you. I prefer the positive psychology outlook...it doesn't create conditions and victims but looks to empower.

Positive psychology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Negative psychology = what conditions do I have?
Positive psychology = what can I do to maximize myself as I am?

I am no expert on positive psychology, but I do not want some numbskull doctor analyzing my habits and putting me into boxes. It's often done so without much common sense.

[glwanabe]

Originally Posted by RickB

It's a choice...damn! I know this stuff can turn you obsessive, but it was a choice that got you there first. If you changed hobbies, it would go away. Pretty easy imo.

Also talking with Catherine Basile, she said the BB type of diet is helpful for anyone with reactive hypoglycemia. It prevents dips and spikes in insulin. So if they are eating that way to fight that, do they have an eating disorder?

Agreed.

Seriously, A disorder? C'mon. This sport requires that food intake be monitored and consumed in a strict fashion inorder to compete at a competative level.

Is a baseball player OCD if he spends large amounts of time batting? No, he is practicing for his specific sport. diet with bodybuilding is just another facet to be worked.

I can't believe that we are still having these conversations about this sport. In fact I see this from another tangent as well.

It's ok to be healthy, and exercise to be a little better, just don't work so hard as to become a champion. wanting to be the best makes those around you feel uncomfortable because your that much better than them. Don't stand apart, fit in.

Hows that mentality working for us in our schools? It's not, and it's the same attitude as being discussed here as well. In effect they are saying, don't be first, it makes the person in last place feel bad.

This is pissing me off.

[RickB]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

It seems that anything that is carved into a habit can be labeled a disorder. This is "negative" psychology for you. I prefer the positive psychology outlook...it doesn't create conditions and victims but looks to empower.

Positive psychology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Negative psychology = what conditions do I have?
Positive psychology = what can I do to maximize myself as I am?

I am no expert on positive psychology, but I do not want some numbskull doctor analyzing my habits and putting me into boxes. It's often done so without much common sense.

I agree 100%

[glwanabe]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Negative psychology = what conditions do I have?
Positive psychology = what can I do to maximize myself as I am?

I am no expert on positive psychology, but I do not want some numbskull doctor analyzing my habits and putting me into boxes. It's often done so without much common sense.

Our society is based on the negative, and it was not always that way.

Whats the old saying, the strong survive. evidently thats not fair to the weak.


My daughter plays volleyball in a YMCA group league. They don't keep score, and there are no winners. Yet the coaches gather up a collection and give trophys at the end of each season. WHY?

You didn't win anything, so why are you getting a trophy? Thats not real life, and is setting a bad example of what these kids can expect in life. Most of these young girls are far overweight BTW. Ok, there FAT!

I know this was about supposed eating disorders of BB, but it really is yet another facet of our society to make the winners look like the bad guys.

[LtL]

People who lack the discipline that bodybuilders do are constantly trying to bring us down and put negative labels on what we do: ED BT, Bigorexia, OCD. Whilst I concede that we do display SOME of the symptoms of the above, it is done in a positive manner and to label it an illness or disorder, is to go searching for negatives and to view what we do in the wrong light.

By training and dieting I am making a positive decision to improve myself. Am I happy with how I look now? Yes. Will I continue my cut to get to a lower bodyfat percentage? Yes. Do I HAVE to stick to my routine? No. Will I? Yes. Why? Because I want to and because I can.

LtL

[IronBuildingBlock]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I was watching an MSNBC special on female bodybuilders, and they talked with a Harvard professor about the eating habits of bodybuilders. I decided to do a bit more research on how bodybuilders are viewed by the scientific community, and found this article:

great article man. lotta good info here. you know i find it hard to believe there are doctors out there that are waisting time and money on this. you would think that they would turn their focus to obesity. the disease that is attacking our whole population including our young kids. without an inner desire for a better "you" kids will quit caring about their bodies and be more likely to be overweight leading to obesity depression and anxiety. this isnt the message i want my kids to see.

[sneezingstardust]

I think it's all about balance.

When it comes to the point that if you fall off your diet, or you eat something not on plan, miss a meal, etc. and you FREAK OUT, then it would be something that might be considered a "disorder". I know that when I was anorexic, eating a calorie over what I was "supposed to get"...man...that was detrimental. I'd starve myself even more over the following days to make up for it. THAT'S what I would call an eating disorder.

Yes, I'm still obsessive over macros, and what I eat. But it's not to the point where if something goes wrong I'll try to do damage control. So I think it's alright. Plus, I'm healthier than I've ever been, and healthier than a good % of the world's population, so I'd rather have this "healthy disorder" and live long and happily, then sit on my ass all day eating oreos and watching TV, and die at an early age because of heart disease.









































































































.........but the oreos do sound pretty damn good right now.

[glwanabe]

I confess,

Oreos are my krptonite. Good thing I'm bulking currently. However I have been a lot better lately, and don't make nearly as many trips to the holy blue package of goodness.

I also have to remember something my 12yr old Daughter said one day. "Is everyday your cheat day dad."

Burned.