Chew / Spitting - opinions please.....

[htpink]

As opinions were requested...i completely agree with the others that chew/spitting is an eating disorder and needs real help to be combatted.

I have been disturbed for some time reading about this habit and the justification for it. I haven't said anything because its an open forum and i wouldn't want to take away anyone's support system.

However this really bothered me...

I had read about your chewing and spitting and how it had helped you.....I chewed n spat a muffin

...this is what i have been worried about - this is supposed to be a forum to support people losing weight in a healthy and positive way. It is not supposed (I thought) to be a place to give people ideas and hints as to how to lose / maintain weight in an unhealthy way that involves developing an eating disorder.

Would we feel comfortable having threads of people reporting how many laxatives they'd managed to swallow in a day, how many times they had thrown up, how they had managed to get their bmi to 15 by eating only a lettuce leaf a day? I wouldn't and, i'm sorry if it offends anyone but i don't feel comfortable reading such open posts about a chew/spit disorder either

Especially as Karen, you are clearly such a vibrant, cheerful, happy and outgoing person - i am worried that vulnerable people who would like to be that way too think an eating disorder is the way to go to achieve such a life!

Best of luck - i love reading about your antics on the dating scene but really would love to read that you are getting some help for this

 

[Gen]

Especially as Karen, you are clearly such a vibrant, cheerful, happy and outgoing person - i am worried that vulnerable people who would like to be that way too think an eating disorder is the way to go to achieve such a life!

Oh my god... you took the words right out of my mouth... I just didn't know how to phrase them as well as you...

I have been concerned about this for quite some time that vulnerable people would think this was an 'easy' option but unfortunately it is just another eating disorder and needs to be addressed properly..

Karen i am 100% behind helping you in any way I can and I really hope you don't take any of this as criticism... it would be sooo much worse if no one cared

lots of love chick

 

[natayou]

gosh just realised that my questions could sound like i was considering trying chewing/spitting, I am just curious as to HOW karen thinks that this behaviour actually helps her??
It sounds a pretty depressing thing to do, have all that food and not to actually eat it?
I can't get my head round it and have to admit that I was pretty shocked when i read on the dieting and dating life that you were doing it, I recall that you wrote that you had some chips saveloys and something else to have a chew and spit session and then got a call to go to the pub so threw the lot in the bin, that to an outsider is pretty shocking Karen and god knows I am NOT judging you at all, I dont know what to suggest to combat this, but do think that you should try and stop
best of luck
nat xxx

 

[Karen1972]

Thanks guys so much for all your opinions - i didn't expect to get so many responses!!

I know it's not a normal to do but is a crutch for me at the moment.

My aim is to slowly wean myself off of it once i start introducing food to swallow during LL management.

The main question of this thread was how it compares to chewing gum, I guess the overall conclusion from the replies is that it is similar in ways of causing ulcers but could lead to deeper psycological issues with food.

To be honest i'm quite blase about it... as i'm sure you can tell... I've done LOTS of reading about it on the internet and it's all full of "could be's" and "maybe's" - noone seems to know how it would affect someone....

My reasons for wanting to stop are not from a health point of view because nobody has really convinced me (here or elsewhere that it is an unhealthy thing to do!) for me it's too expensive and also very time consuming.....

So thanks again guys... time to put this thread to bed!

All the best,

 

[bondgirl]

Ouch I'm so sorry my post was seen in such a negative light....please under no circumstances did anyone influence me to chew spit and my intention really wasn't to come across otherwise.

I was just trying to put my views across

Ooops sorry Karen we cross posted....laid to rest now

 

[bigal6]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Hmmmm still not convinced that there is any danger to doing this.... but if it stops me putting on weight then it's an acceptable alternative to swallowing!!

Without it i'm not sure i would have got back to my goal weight.

Thanks again folks!

Hi Karen,

could you consider the part of your post that I have underlined. Perhaps this is the danger. Some might argue that we are trying to rationalise a behaviour we are not entirely sure about. Others might see it as a potentially damaging change in our relationship with food.What happens if the chewing and spitting "stops working".If we become dependent on it as a means of managing our weight then we will have to find alternative strategies.If we employ the same rationale as we did with chewing and spitting the purging,regurgitation etc can become "more acceptable" in our eyes. Where do we draw the line. It can be argued that total abstinence is an "effective way" of losing/managing our weight but it kinda buggers up our chances of getting a telegram from the Queen on our 100th birthday.
This is just my perspective on the subject I think that it is important that we don't let the "benefits" blind us to the potential dangers.
Take care

Alex

 

[natayou]

. It can be argued that total abstinence is an "effective way" of losing/managing our weight but it kinda buggers up our chances of getting a telegram from the Queen on our 100th birthday.


Alex

????????
Alex do you really think that, surely obesity buggers up those chances more??

nat

 

[bigal6]

Obesity won't lengthen your lifetime..but in my experience people who don't eat/drink at all tend to die quicker.

Alex

 

[Gen]

Obesity won't lengthen your lifetime..but in my experience people who don't eat/drink at all tend to die quicker.

Alex

Hi Alex

Do you mean people who don't eat/drink at all forever die quicker or are you referring to a VLCD for a short period of time?? I took it up at the first one..... as that would be fairly obvious

very interesting post tho

Gen xx

 

[xxluckyxx]

Karen , i think alot of people are worried about you and this chewing / spitting thing . It does seem like a eating disorder and it is going to be another battle for you to get thru . Thinking about you and hope you battle this one soon xxx

 

[bigal6]

Hi Gen,
yes I meant people who if they don't eat/drink at all would be able to argue that that it was an "effective" way to lose weight.You can't argue with that part of their logic if they don't eat they will lose weight. The downside is that if they don't eat they die. That is as you say fairly obvious. The point I was trying to make was if their thinking is skewed then, in their mind, the potential benefits(weight loss) outweighs the potential consequences(death)

Alex

 

[kazz]

The point I was trying to make was if their thinking is skewed then, in their mind, the potential benefits(weight loss) outweighs the potential consequences(death)

Alex

Now that is a scary concept...

 

[devonbabe]

OK. you may not like this but what the heck...

in my opinion you're trying to kidd yourself that its OK to chew and spit, when really you know its just another form of eating disorder and you're trying to justify the reasons why in your mind its not 'too' bad to be doing this.

are you wanting support form one of us saying 'yeahh its ok to do it. well its not. and you blimming know its not OK to do this.

you said youve always had eating disorders...is that an excuse to use chew/spit as another alternative 'therepy' to make you feel better?

i think you need to go back to basics...ie:why have you got an eating disorder? and what can you do about it?

chewing and spitting isnt an answer at all. stop pretending its ok. you're not in control anymore.

you've lost your power to the power of food.

its a revolting thing to do..belurghhh.. it makes me feel sick when i think about it...how absolutly vile. buying all that expensive food, jamming it in your mouth, stuffing your gob till your cheeks are full like a hamster, then having a good old chew and then flobbing it out...hummmm...very ladylike

have a good day
x

 

[JEM]

OK. you may not like this but what the heck...

in my opinion you're trying to kidd yourself that its OK to chew and spit, when really you know its just another form of eating disorder and you're trying to justify the reasons why in your mind its not 'too' bad to be doing this.

are you wanting support form one of us saying 'yeahh its ok to do it. well its not. and you blimming know its not OK to do this.

you said youve always had eating disorders...is that an excuse to use chew/spit as another alternative 'therepy' to make you feel better?

i think you need to go back to basics...ie:why have you got an eating disorder? and what can you do about it?

chewing and spitting isnt an answer at all. stop pretending its ok. you're not in control anymore.

you've lost your power to the power of food.

its a revolting thing to do..belurghhh.. it makes me feel sick when i think about it...how absolutly vile. buying all that expensive food, jamming it in your mouth, stuffing your gob till your cheeks are full like a hamster, then having a good old chew and then flobbing it out...hummmm...very ladylike

have a good day
x

Here was me thinking this was a diet support forum :sigh:

I'm not sure how judging someone helps with an eating disorder.....after all, most of us must have one (of some sort) otherwise we wouldn't be overweight in the first place.

Jem

 

[Gen]

Here was me thinking this was a diet support forum :sigh:

Hi Jem

It is a diet support forum.... but its not an eating disorder support forum.....

My fear before no one spoke out about this was that other vulnerable people would think chewing and spitting was a realistic way to maintain their weight loss or speed it up. It is an eating disorder so therefore there are psychological issues attached.

I'm not getting personal on this one but I for one am glad that there is more details coming out about this and that people are speaking out at last.

I do agree that we all have food issues and reasons for these... but in my opinion Bulimia/Anorexia/Chew & Spit is taking these issues to a different level... I'm not in anyway judging anyone who does this because to be honest we are all only a heartbeat away from it if things get bad enough ... but encouraging it is a total different ball game...

 

[natayou]

In response to Alex

I understand what you mean now....thought you were refering to vlcd...then re read and saw the AT ALL bit lol,
thought provoking !!
nat x

 

[flirty40greeneyes]

Whilst I don't condone "chew and spit" - and agree with Gen that we don't want anyone else to think it is a realistic way to lose/keep off weight, I think Karen was very honest here, asked for opinions .... got them and will make her own mind up based on them. I feel like Jem she needs support not criticism and hope this thread does not develop into a bash Karen thread.

 

[KD]

Here was me thinking this was a diet support forum :sigh:

a

I think it's refreshing for someone to tell it 'as it is'.

 

[Gen]

Whilst I don't condone "chew and spit" - and agree with Gen that we don't want anyone else to think it is a realistic way to lose/keep off weight, I think Karen was very honest here, asked for opinions .... got them and will make her own mind up based on them. I feel like Jem she needs support not criticism and hope this thread does not develop into a bash Karen thread.

Hey Bev

To be honest that is why I am not getting personal on this one... Karen knows she has my support.... so really I was speaking in general terms....

Glad to see ya back chick

love

 

[sonkie]

Whilst I don't condone "chew and spit" - and agree with Gen that we don't want anyone else to think it is a realistic way to lose/keep off weight, I think Karen was very honest here, asked for opinions .... got them and will make her own mind up based on them. I feel like Jem she needs support not criticism and hope this thread does not develop into a bash Karen thread.

I totally agree here with Beverley, its not the way to keep the weight off, but Karen needs help and support to get her out of her habit......! Put downs and criticism doesnt help anyone.