Michelle Duggar claims she was "bulimic" as a teen

[Rainytown]

I realize I'm going straight to hell for this one, but there's a pitchfork with my name on it...

 

http://www.people.com/people/article/0, ... 12,00.html

 

 

Quote

"I have been open with my struggles with the kids before," Michelle, 47, who is married to Jim Bob, 48, tells PEOPLE. "We talk about how God has brought us out of different things along life's way. When the girls were writing their book, they brought this up and I thought, if my sharing it is going to help another young lady, then I want to share it."

 

Michelle, who attended public school, says that both cheerleading and gymnastics would take up at least three hours or more of her day, but she still found it hard to keep the weight off.

 

"I found out that genetically I could put on weight easily, but with my activities, gymnastics and cheerleading, it was important for me not to," she says. "I would look around and compare myself to my friends, saying, 'oh my, she's so small,' or 'she has such skinny legs.' "

 

I have nothing but sympathy for those who struggle with eating disorders. It is a nightmare that so many deal with. Having said that, it seems the publicist Wurlitzer is cranked up to full volume right now.

 

New season. Delayed book FINALLY making its debut.

And I believe that Michelle Duggar was "bulimic" as much as I believe in Santa Claus.

[acheronbeach]

Yeah, my bullshit meter's going off as well.

Also, "genetically" she can put on weight easily? What the hell does that even mean? You eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight.

[GeoBQn]

Assuming that this is true, wouldn't several decades of pregnancy and baby weight be a massive trigger for her? She's also been following Weight Watchers, though she was never not-pregnant long enough to officially join. Do they have any kind of rules against people with eating disorders following their program?

[Rainytown]

This reminds me of last year's "struggling with anger" confession. I'm wondering if they're trying to stave off some less-than-flattering news that may be emerging from the SOTDRT.

Or, they're trying to get someone, anyone, to buy their book.

[Rachel333]

I mean it could be true, but it seems like eating disorders are one of the more acceptable illnesses to admit to, as long as you say it's in the past. See all the celebrities who talk vaguely about having anorexia in the past. I'm more impressed by people like Demi Lovato and Tracie Gold who have been open about their illness and the difficulty of recovery than the people who just claim they had an eating disorder years ago but are over it now.

If Michelle did have an eating disorder I think it was even more irresponsible to let her teenage daughters do weight watchers with her. It's dangerous enough for healthy teenage girls to diet as it is, but eating disorders have a strong genetic link and if Michelle had an eating disorder then most likely her children would be highly susceptible to having one as well.

[Luisainlondon1]

I am not saying it's not true. But why come up with something like this now when there's a book to sell? It's disgusting, they'd do anything to make money.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

It wouldn't surprise me. It's very common and she still seems to have a strong focus on weight.

[MysteryHaggis]

Also, "genetically" she can put on weight easily? What the hell does that even mean? You eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight.

Hormonal disorders (eg PCOS) can mean you put on weight on easily even if eating healthily. It also makes it very very hard to lose said weight. It is possible and I suspect relatively common.

That said, if she had PCOS, she wouldn't have a bazillion kids, so yeah, bullshit.

[Aggie2145]

Assuming that this is true, wouldn't several decades of pregnancy and baby weight be a massive trigger for her? She's also been following Weight Watchers, though she was never not-pregnant long enough to officially join. Do they have any kind of rules against people with eating disorders following their program?

As a person living with an ED, I can honestly say that a true bulimic is never a "former bulimic." I am fully recovered, and have been for the past ten years, but every day is a choice.

I joined Weight Watchers a few months after finishing my treatment, not to lose weight, but to ensure I continued to eat my minimum daily requirements without reverting back to counting calories. I disclosed my ED in my intake and there was no hesitation from WW at all.

[Rachel333]

Yeah, my bullshit meter's going off as well.

Also, "genetically" she can put on weight easily? What the hell does that even mean? You eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight.

People do vary on how easily they lose or gain weight, though of course the amount you eat is the biggest factor. She's also really short, so weight gain would show up pretty quickly on her and she would need fewer calories to maintain her weight than taller people would. (On the other hand, losing a couple pounds makes a much bigger difference on short people, so I guess there are pros and cons to each side.)

[Justme]

So she brings this up now, when her daughters are starting to sell their book. :roll: She'll do anything to get that attention back on HER! :cray-cray:

Maybe she was, maybe she wasn't. Not an appropriate time to disclose.

[realist51]

I definitely believe her, and I am not surprised. There is a direct correlation between obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorders. I have a theory that many fundamentalists are OCD and that the strict rules help them be less anxious. Similarly, many people with eating disorders use self-imposed rules about eating, exercise, and appearance to feel less anxious in general.

As for the "calories in calories out" comment, I'm sorry but, although it is widely believed, mostly by people who have never experienced otherwise, it is simply not true for some of us. I eat about 1,300 - 1,500 calories per day, I walk five miles (round trip) to and from work, I have a job with a middling level of activity, I do pilates and yoga several times per week, I do group exercise classes several times per week, I run/walk 5-ks at least once a month....and...I weigh over 200 lbs and am obese. I have been on Weight Watchers, Lindora, Dean Ornish, palo, Atkins, South Beach .... you name it, and I have tried it. With most of these programs, my weigh-in sessions invariably went something like this. Person doing the weigh-in: "Hmmm....you're down 1/2 ounce. Are you sure you are following the meal plan?" Me: "Yes. To the letter." Worker: "Are you drinking enough water." Me: "Yes, I measure it out in the morning and carry it around with me. Worker: "What about exercise?" Me: "Here's my log; you can check it. Also, I have evidence in the form of a read-out from my body monitor." Worker: "Well, maybe you aren't eating ENOUGH calories....." Repeat over and over and over and over.

I understand that many people are obese because of lifestyle choices, but some people are obese and it's NOT because of lifestyle choices. Really, it's hard enough to deal with without the misinformed, and often smug, comments. If it really WERE as easy as calories in-calories out, the departments of bariatric medicine the country over would not be struggling so to understand this issue.

[nolongerIFBx]

Hormonal disorders (eg PCOS) can mean you put on weight on easily even if eating healthily. It also makes it very very hard to lose said weight. It is possible and I suspect relatively common.

That said, if she had PCOS, she wouldn't have a bazillion kids, so yeah, bullshit.

Also hypothyroidism or Wilson's which are genetic. Or Metabolic disorder. The "You eat fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight" only works if your body is in perfect working order.

Yes, this is OT, but being one of those people who can do WW for 4 months without cheating or even using all my reward points and still not lose weight, it gets my goat when people say, "It's all about calories in, calories out", because for me and 100s of others, it isn't.

[snarkykitty]

I realize I'm going straight to hell for this one, but there's a pitchfork with my name on it...

http://www.people.com/people/article/0, ... 12,00.html

I have nothing but sympathy for those who struggle with eating disorders. It is a nightmare that so many deal with. Having said that, it seems the publicist Wurlitzer is cranked up to full volume right now.

New season. Delayed book FINALLY making its debut.

And I believe that Michelle Duggar was "bulimic" as much as I believe in Santa Claus.

Jim Bob's brand of fundieism with their "modesty standards" might have seemed like a great way to having to stop worrying about your weight. People with disordered relationships with food put a lot of pressure on themselves, and often look in the mirror dozens of times a day, compulsively touch/squeeze their "fat" areas, constantly weigh themselves, etc. It really can take over every thought and action. What a weight off your shoulders - literally - to not have to think about how you look compared to "everyone else", because vanity and pride are sins.

[Mama Mia]

Jim Bob's brand of fundieism with their "modesty standards" might have seemed like a great way to having to stop worrying about your weight. People with disordered relationships with food put a lot of pressure on themselves, and often look in the mirror dozens of times a day, compulsively touch/squeeze their "fat" areas, constantly weigh themselves, etc. It really can take over every thought and action. What a weight off your shoulders - literally - to not have to think about how you look compared to "everyone else", because vanity and pride is a sin.

Particularly if she was involved in gymnastics and cheerleading. I could see how becoming involved with a religous group that advocated NOT thinking about/ looking at/ showing off your body would be a tremendous relief.

[Kailash]

Particularly if she was involved in gymnastics and cheerleading. I could see how becoming involved with a religous group that advocated NOT thinking about/ looking at/ showing off your body would be a tremendous relief.

I was also thinking that it could partly explain why she loves being pregnant so much. I could see her thinking that pregnancy= not worrying about weight as much, since gaining weight is expected.

[tigerchild]

I struggle with binge eating. Like previous posters have mentioned, WW when I did it was helpful in many ways because it ensure that I a) met a minimum of intake, and b) encouraged me to stay balanced. IF you follow the guidelines that were presented (and sadly, I think a lot of people don't--they'll not eat all the points, ect, or will just eat them on crap vs. the fruit/veggie/proteins/water they encourage you to tick off too) it's actually a pretty nice program. Not unreasonable.

However, any kind of structure can also encourage dietary legalism. So I dunno if the Duggar women lean more towards that than the actual beneficial part of the program (and I haven't been to it in like 2 years so who knows what it's like now).

I actually know many many people who grew up in the same religious circles I did who are bulemics or binge eaters. It's the ONE THING that you get to control, and you get to still feel moral because sneaking a whole package of cookies/chips/multiple things and hiding the evidence isn't as "bad" as fucking everyone in sight. Hell, you don't even need to have anyone like you/look at you. Of course, Michelle did not grow up fundie either. So...don't know. But given the cheerleader/gymnastics thing I don't think it's out of the realm of possibilities that the woman's got food issues of one stripe or the other.

[fun2beme]

When I needed to lose weight (BWI was borderline obese), my doctor recommended the "calories in, calories out" method. It worked for me; I lost 45 lbs over one year but it was not easy. And once I lost a few lbs, I found my weight stagnating even though I was adhering to 1500 cals/day. But after discussing it with a nutritionist, I found that I wasn't eating properly; the calories I was consuming were low but skewed toward unhealthy food. When I started eating more veggies, the weight started coming off again. Over time, I added in more exercise but hit another standstill and my doctor told me that maintaining the same level of exercise was my problem; I needed to do more, like doing my daily 2-mile walk in less time if I wanted to continue losing weight. This was really frustrating since I was already exercising a lot and had to add to it. I felt like all the cards were stacked against me; my family has the stereotypical "hardy" Eastern European build; I have wide shoulders and hips and all the weight goes to my belly.

Then, once I got my weight in check, I went on a new anti-depressant and gain 20 lbs in a few months. It's taken me several months (with many, many discouraging times) to finally lose it. Losing this was harder than the 45+ I lost before. I still have to work really hard to keep my weight in the normal range and it kills me sometimes to see my friends who were blessed with high metabolism eat whatever they want.

I've wondered about which other thyroid problems affect weight loss. I have hypothyroidism so that's the only one I know much about and I'm fortunate that it has been controlled by medicine but I know many people with thyroid problems and it's a big factor in not losing weight. I'm just curious to know what some of these problems are if anyone doesn't mind sharing.

[maia sayet]

She used to be a dancer and cheerleader. It wouldn't surprise me if she was bulimic at some point in adolescence.

[ljohnson2006]

Maybe this is why the J'Slaves are so obsessed with what they feed their father, and his weight.

[Rainytown]

Again, please excuse my terminal cynicism, but I am thinking this is a ploy to a) sell books and b) drum up some interest in the new season. I'm sure the publicist was drooling when he or she considered how Michelle's "issue" will deflect some pretty ugly questions that will arise the next time Josh's new employer (or Josh himself) says something bigoted, someone in the press FINALLY decides to delve into the Duggars' religion and ties with Bill Gothard, etcetera.

The ratings for Duck Dynasty are half what they were one year ago. I'm sure TLC and whomever it is they employ to do publicity/PR is looking for any sympathy-producing story on this family they can find. Also, People is widely known for printing stories that are actually written by a publicist. It's not hard news.

[Dandruff]

My take on this is that they timed the book tour and "confession" with the new season, to try to maximize publicity without an embryo or fetus to help. I'm also trying to figure out how tater tot casserole and some of their other food choices fit into Michelle's dietary goals.

[ljohnson2006]

I think it's publicity for the new season. They know that Jessa's courtship is the only big thing going on. If J'Chelle is so obsessed with what she eats, why does she and her family, eat crap? Good modeling, J'Chelle.

[Rachel333]

I definitely believe her, and I am not surprised. There is a direct correlation between obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorders. I have a theory that many fundamentalists are OCD and that the strict rules help them be less anxious. Similarly, many people with eating disorders use self-imposed rules about eating, exercise, and appearance to feel less anxious in general.

I can see this. I have OCD and religions with a lot of rules always appealed to me. I suspect that OCD originally played a part in many religious practices. Martin Luther, for example, would spend hours confessing every single sin he could think of, even extremely mild ones, and it's understood that his obsessive doubt was part what led him to try to reform the church. On the other hand, I think my OCD was part of what led me away from religion. I had that obsessive doubt about everything (really mundane things too, but that obviously affects my life less than religion) and I could never let any topic go the way the way people at church told me I needed to. I didn't agree with the fundies, but the churches with looser interpretations of doctrine didn't work for me either.

I have an eating disorder as well, and it definitely helps me deal with anxiety. When I was younger I used to be very strict about my own modesty, which might have seemed strange if I hadn't been in a culture where women's modesty was already highly policed. I covered myself up because I was extremely uncomfortable about my body, but I was able to easily disguise that as a spiritual conviction. I almost enjoy all the rules that can come with an ED as well, and I figured out when I was very young (6, and not at all concerned about body image at that point) that not eating actually made me feel better. I was regularly fasting for spiritual reasons before I ever started thinking about my weight. I think if I had lived in another time or culture I would still have had an ED, but it might have taken a different form, like the religious anorexics in the middle ages who starved themselves to death for God.

I don't think religion can cause an eating disorder or similar issue, but I think the two can get really enmeshed for people who are already predisposed to these issues. I think religious fasting has served as a trigger for a number of eating disorders throughout the year as well. I've heard so many stories where someone's ED started with Ramadan or Yom Kippur or another church fast. Again, I don't think the religion is directly at fault, but it can certainly be dangerous for some people.

[FloraKitty35]

:roll: Oh for goodness sake, J'Uterus is just as big a fame whore in her own way as Kris Jenner is. :roll: