Food blogging: The newest eating disorder?

This picture is giving me, to quote WG reader Kelly L., a mouthgasm. But could it give me an eating disorder, too?

One of the first food-documenting blogs I ever read was For the Love of Oats. I remember thinking, “How on earth does this woman manage to make PB&J on an English muffin look so outrageously delicious? How is it that her pictures make me crave oatmeal, even though I just downed an entire bowl 10 minutes ago?”

Then I stumbled upon tastespotting.com and uncovered the world of food porn, which I blogged a little about here. Mostly these sites make me feel a) culinarily inadequate and b) hungry. But it doesn’t go much farther than that. Then I got this fascinating letter from reader Rebecca of I Wanna Be a Domestic Goddess that made me rethink the sitch in a whole new way. Read on (reprinted with her permission):

“…Anyway, I was writing with a question that I have been pondering and you popped in my mind as the person who might provide me with some insight. In fact, you may have addressed it at some point but I cannot remember. It's about food blogs. I grew obsessed with them over the summer. As in I had (and still have) about twenty of them bookmarked in my favorites.

And then I had this brilliant idea to start one. Worst. Idea. Ever. My entire day became focused on food. What would I eat? What would others (blog readers) think of what I ate? Would others say, "Well that's why she's overweight" when they read/saw what I ate? There were times when I would actually "hide" what I was eating from my blog. How insane is that?!? I hid my food from the Internet! It was the most obsessive I have ever been about food and I have been pretty obsessive about food at various points in my life.

So I had to shut down my food blog. But that whole experience had me reading other food blog with brand new, enlightened eyes. I am going to make a generalization here about body image. But I have never seen a food blog written by someone who was overweight. In fact, some of the food blog writers are so skinny that it kind of scares me. In many of their "about me" sections, they write about how they lost so much weight and how the food blog helps them lead a healthy life. But is it really "healthy" to be detailing every stomach grumble, every Goldfish cracker consumed, every thought about food, every guilty pleasure and putting it all out there for others to comment on? To me, it has grown to be the opposite of healthy. It seems obsessive. Comments like "I was not hungry but I ate six chocolate chips even though I should not have" scare me!!!!

In fact, I have almost grown to loathe some of the food bloggers who I am sure are the sweetest people on Earth. When I read their daily entries, all I can think is God, I hate this girl. Who lives their life like this?!?!? LOL! So ridiculous, right?

I know that I could just stop reading them but I have very few guilty pleasures (except Gossip Girl…and the new 90210…and Greek on ABC Family) and food blogs seem to be one of them.

So I guess my question is, is food blogging an eating disorder in disguise? You have blogged and I have certainly read many places about the value of food journaling in weight loss. (I know, through my own weight struggles, that food journaling is the WORST thing I can do. It actually makes me overeat. Weird, right? The less I pay attention to the details of what I eat, the more likely I am to eat better. It seems counterintuitive.) But it almost seems like food blogging is taking it to an unhealthy extreme.

Does this make any sense? I promise I am not writing this as a bitter, failed food blogger. Rather, just someone who tried it out (like, you know, how Katie Holmes tried wearing Tom's jeans recently) and realized that it was seriously messed up.”

OK, first – excellent Katie/Tom analogy, Rebecca.

Second, how interesting is this point she raises? Now that I think about it, many food bloggers (when I see their pics) do tend to be thin. And I can absolutely see how it would get addictive - taking pics of everything you eat, feeling like you have to tell the world about any morsel to pass your lips. I stop by a few food blogs occasionally and the pics always leave me drooling, so I can't imagine the preoccupation it would induce in the person actually doing the writing and eating.

I am really excited to hear what Weighting Game readers think about this. I don't think food blogging would be considered a diagnosable eating disorder (and good luck ever getting an insurance company to cover it!) but I think it could cause a preoccupation with food and weight, which is an unhealthy and unhappy way to live and totally predisposes you to a future ED.

Any food bloggers out there? Has documenting your daily meals caused any sort of obsessive thinking? How about food blog devotees?

Comments

I am so glad this topic was brought up. I recently "stumbled" upon food blogs a few months ago, and though WTF is this?! I am a devoted WG reader, and thought, are these food blogs helping or hurting women? (and I only say women because 99% of food blogs are by women) I have never seen an overwt one either; most of them were overwt, but have lost wt and are now "trying to live a healthy lifestyle". Alot of these blogs are people that are vegan, gluten free, or avoid other food groups, which everyone who's ever had an eating disorder knows, is a big RED FLAG. Most of the blogs the girls talk about how many calories they eat a day and I have barely seen one more than 2000 a day, and most of these girls workout daily. Now I am a RD, and Leslie got her degree in nutrition, so we know that 2000 cals is the MINIMUM for someone who isn't working out. Granted everyone is different, but I feel, mostly these girls are undereating and someone who reads their food blog will think "I should only be eating this much".

Sorry.. I have alot to say. So I do not have a food blog, and everytime I look at them, I think like Rebecca "I should not be looking at this, this is messed up!" But it is a somewhat guilty pleasure, just like The Hills is to me.

I would like to hear from someone who has a food blog, and I am tempted to comment on one of these girls' food blogs to read this day of WG to get their opinion. It seems to me that one in particular- Katheats.com, seems to be taking over the world. Kath is getting her masters in nutrition too and wants to be a R.D.- weird coincidence huh? Sorry for being so wordy but I think these food blogs could become a serious problem for women and expectations to live up to how they eat- since like Rebecca pointed out, they say things like "I ate 2 handfulls of chocolate chips and then felt fat and sick!" Come one... give me a break!

I have a confession: I've never read a food blog. I have so many issues with food as it is that I have steered clear of the genre. I don't even like looking at food magazines or cooking shows so "food porn" is not really up my alley.

Reading your and Rebecca's descriptions though reminds me a lot of how ED'ed girls on Pro-Ana sites compare their food journals. you know: "I ate 600 calories today, I was soooo gooood!" or "I totally pigged and had dinner at my moms [gory list of food consumed]. I'm gonna fast for the next two days to make up for it." And then someone else will reply with their detailed menu of food eaten, contemplated and not eaten for the day.

Giving up my food journal was the most freeing thing I've ever done:)

Thankyou SO much for bringing this up.

Recovering from an eating disorder I can't HELP but be constantly on my guard for ANY sign of disordered behaviour in other people. I'm tuned into it constantly. And I've often thought this about food bloggers. Why do they need to do this? What do they get out of it? More to the point why the HELL do I lurk compulsively on their sites and get some weird kick out of reading them?

Charlotte's point about food journals on pro-Ana sites is true. I'm not saying that it's necessarily the same thing for everyone, but I used to spend time on those sites when I was ill (shoot me) and the parallels are undeniable, whether the food blog authors are aware of it or not.

I've often been tempted to post shots of my fridge and my daily food on my blog, but I've stopped myself. It's exactly the same urge that drove me to do it when I was sick - to hold myself accountable to an unnecessary degree, to hold my moments of failure and virtue up for the world to see and judge.

TA x

can not wait to see what people have to say about this as Ive been baffled.
more from a REALLY PEOPLE? YOU HAVE THE TIME FOR THAT? perspective and not a clinical one but so curious none the less.

have to admit Id not thought of it from the "look how little I eat" perspective.

M.

Oh, dear goodness, after clicking on some of those links ... I'm hungry. I swear I just ate ... well, an hour ago. But now, I must bake cookies. Yes, cookies, need cookies.

Okay, um, I've never read a food blog before reading this, so have no real opinion. I do think, like Charlotte said, food journals can help some people, but could lead others to a disorder, and so food blogging could easily be the same way. After a period of really bad eating (read: traveling or being around my mother) I will keep one for a few days, to get back on track, but longer than that and it becomes an obsession, and I freak out over a chocolate chip, and it's not healthy. If I was BLOGGING about my food, I would turn into a total freak, and definitely be going towards an ED. (and not the kind treated with viagra.)

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Wow. Hm. I have a food blog. But it seems that my food blog is not the same species of food blog that you're talking about. I don't list everything I eat, I basically pick one topic a day and talk about it (mondays=recipes, tuesday= whatever I feel like, wednesday= exercise, thursday= random, friday= rant). Listing everything I eat would be like a food twitter and I really don't see the point of that. Why does anyone care what I eat, unless it's a random recipe they can try?

For the record, I'm technically overweight, but you wouldn't call me overweight to look at me (yay exercise). So I guess I just break the mold :)

Just popped back in to read more - fascinated by this topic! - and had to say to Lethological: Your blog is NOT what we are talking about here, girl. Your blog is sane and normal and just fine. Click thru some of the links Leslie posted and you'll see what I mean. I hereby pronounce you absolved;)

It's interesting that Rebecca writes that NOT writing down everything she eats helps her not to obsess, but seems counterintuitive. I would say that it is that exact behavior that MAKES people obsessive!
Food journaling may or may not help people lose weight, but will it them to live a healthy life? A life in which they can eat without worry? Where they won't be jumping on the scale every morning and using that number as a barometer for how their day will be?
I don't spend a lot of time on the kind of food blogs that detail every morsel eaten, because it reminds me too much of my ED days. I'll read cookbooks, food magazines, and blogs that celebrate food as a part of life, but not ones that turn it into a sin.

While I agree that some of the blogs go overboard, it is a gross over generalization to say that all food bloggers are thin because of disordered eating. Many of them are thin simply because they care about health (hence the reason they have a blog in the first place). Also to the comment "you have time for that?" do you realize that many of the blogs (like mine) have advertising which means that it is a part time job for many people, so yes, we certainly do have time for a part time job, what's so bad about that? For the majority of bloggers their site is a way to combine things that interest them, belay that to the public, and make some money doing it. No harm done. If someone reading the blogs has disordered eating and reading the blog is making that worse, that is not the responsibility of the blogger but of the person themselves to stop reading them. Why should we all stop blogging because someone is twisting our way of life into an unhealthy disorder? The answer is, we shouldn’t.

There are a few food blogs that I'll look at every now and then, but they actually inspire me to eat...to eat good real food, generally, and show me how great a figure one can maintain while still eating three square meals and snacks (I'm still trying to relearn that eating does not make one fat, eating crap does). There are a few that seem a tad obsessive and anything with calorie counts I tend to avoid like the plague.

On a personal level I can't journal what I eat at all, because it just makes me crazy, regardless of how effective it may be, the effort involved breaks my heart and wrecks my wee head.

I'll chime in!

I have a food blog, and no I'm not very skinny and no, I do not have an eating disorder.

I like food. And exercise. And I like talking about them. I like hearing people's thoughts and experiences about them. Before I started my blog, I really felt that nobody felt how I felt re: food and weight. Nobody did what I did, re: food and weight. But I found out that - wait, they do! Lots of people do! It was nice to feel the support and community that comes from a food blog.

I've lost 20 lbs, and I'm striving to lose another 30. I'm working with both a nutritionist and a trainer to meet these goals. I'm not crazy and I'm not obsessed. It's a hobby - a part time job. It's an aspect of my life, but it's not my life. And yes, I take pictures of everything I eat every day (almost). But it doesn't run my life.

Lots of food bloggers have completely healthy and normal views of food and exercise. That's not to say that's case with everyone, but don't color a whole group by a few bad apples.

I've come across some of the blogs in my own blogging journey. I don't really understand the need to publicly journal what you eat. I suppose it's the desire for support and approval that might drive the bloggers, but it comes across as an obsession. Also, I would totally lie. I would never tell my readers that I ate a "Gotta have it" sized ice cream from Coldstone in a waffle bowl for dinner. No, I would say I had brown rice and steamed veggies. Additionally, I don't have the time, as evidenced by my own lack of regular blogging.

I do understand food journalling for weight loss, but I truly believe the journal needs to be thrown out once the goal is met.

I am a fairly new food blogger who has been reading food blogs since February. I am at a very healthy weight for my height, but I would like to lose a few lbs in a healthy way so that I can feel really great for my wedding next summer.

I have found that blogging about what I am eating and reading other blogs has been a great experience. I have learned about a lot of natural, healthy foods that are not a part of my cultural upbringing, and because of that I am eating so many different and new foods now. I find it interesting to see how other people deal with listening to their bodies and hunger cues vs. what they actually eat, and how they maintain a healthy lifestyle while still enjoying each and very meal.

I could, however, see how it could become obsessive, but I think that is up to each individual to decide for himself. I find Linz's love of oats blog and Kath's katheats blog as well as many others to provide a lot of great information and ideas to me, and am thankful to have found that community.

Good post Leslie. I found the link (even though I was going to come read, i promise!!)here on Katheats. Im afraid you might be in for a shitstorm. She has a zealotous following. (how come none of my readers ever mail me presents!?)

I get paid to blog, and I still struggle to find time to get one post up a day.

Think if Kath, only using her because she is so popular (and very very sweet), spent as much time blogging about breast cancer awareness as she does about food, think of the difference she could make in the world.

I look at blogging as a way to help people. I RARELY blog about myself, Im either answering questions, or offering tips on how others can live healthy. I like to facilitate discussion, and engage with my readers because i want to help and teach people. You write and teach people how to love themselves for who they are and spread awareness about issues women face today.

Its food. I cant imagine being that committed to something im going to shit out later. im starting a water blog

im back.

im a recovered bulimic and my life revolved around food for 5 years. Looking back, I am pissed beyond belief that I wasted so much time so consumed with something so trivial.

Just because the food is healthy, the obsession is not.

Addiction is defined as something that gets in the way of your everyday life- preventing you from doing the things you need to do. Putting off work to get posts up, making food and plan decisions based around what you will have to post later, lugging a camera everywhere, posting ever single morsel that goes into your mouth. is it really that important?

Its tiring being that obsessed with food. I know, Ive been there. Dont you food bloggers just want to take a break sometimes? you know, live your life?

it's unfair for people to make gross generalizations about food bloggers. not everyone is obsessed with what they're eating in a negative way. i enjoy cooking and sharing my recipes with other. i also do it because i like to write, and i definitely several (real life) friends because of the blog. plus, WE MAKE MONEY OFF OF BLOGGING. some people make a LOT of money off blogging. im just so sick of people projections their own problems on others. just because i write a food blog doesnt mean i'm obsessed.

i dunno if im being lumped into this, but im not trying to generalize anyone. i know i have a scewed veiw of food just being being fuel for me after my past. my thing is i just dont understand where the motivation to take pictures of everything you eat comes from. isnt it more of a chore than fun? only talking about food blogs that chronicle everything...

just an honest question. i wish i had that kind of work ethic- maybe i wouldnt be drowning in laundry. :)

This topic is soo interesting...
First I want to say sorry, I did not mean to offend any food bloggers out there by saying that you have an eating disorder or promote one or anything. I am a dietitian and work with all kinds of people including eating disorders, and having had an ED myself many years ago, I can see how these food blogs could become something dangerous to certain women who already revolve their lives around food. An ED makes you absolutely OBSESSED with food, which is what these food blogs seem to portray. But I guess some like Modelbehavior incorporate other interests besides food, which I think is good to show people that you are interested in other things besides food. And I didn't know you guys get paid!? This must be a crazy business catching on. I will just have to be more on the lookout if I hear my clients talking about this. Thank you all for the intriguing discussion today.

I don't consider myself a food blogger. I tried...and had a similar experience to Rebecca of I wanna be a Domestic Goddess.
My blog morphed into something that is mostly related to "health." My workouts, some of my meals, my issues with blancing desires to lose weight with my desire to practice Intuitive Eating. I don't have nearly as many readers as some blogs. Sometimes I enjoy that, I have no audience to be accountable to, and other times, I wish people thought I was cool enough to check my blog every 3 hours and gobble up every word I write.

BUT regardless if someone is willing to take the time to blog once a day or more, obviously there has to be a level of obsession/dedication to the particular topic, be it food, fat or politics. And that might not always be a bad thing. It is what it is.

oh yeah..and I'm fat

I don't have an ED and I'm not overweight, and I was reading this thinking "I love food blogs! How can printing recipes and reviewing restaurants and reminding me of the food I miss from home (Hawaii) be automatically seen as obsessive?"

Then I looked at some of your links, and uh, no, those are not the same kinds of food blogs I've been reading. Actually, most of them seem really boring. I mean, from my quick look anyway it doesn't look like we're talking about interesting recipes or anything I can't make myself in a couple minutes. Is that an ED thing, to be interested in pics of someone else's oatmeal or sandwich or yogurt?

I'm not trying to be dismissive here--apparently I'm ignorant of this whole thing. Might someone explain it to me?

One reason I blog is to add levity to a situation with the potential to make women feel bad about themselves. I don't post all my food. I would go crazy and I don't want anyone to compare their eating to mine. I want to share ideas.

RD Christin's EatLikeMe at self.com was the first food blog I read. It was interesting to see how she fueled her marathon training. I was blown away by the emotion that many readers had toward her food choices. Too much, too little, too healthy (what?).

I cannot speak for other bloggers, but I do it for fun and because I appreciate food. Some people just love food. By the way, people don't assume chefs have eating disorders.

I am glad I joined the the food blogging community, which has been nothing but supportive and welcoming to me and my co-blogger, Mark. Not everyone in my real life shares my interest in cooking and nutrition, and the blog gives me the chance to discuss topics of interest with others who are interested as well.

And of course, Mark makes funny video posts

I have a food blog, but I do NOT count calories. I eat dessert and chocolate every day! This is why I blog:

1.) To add more variety and nutrition to my meals. For example, the other day I had a tuna fish sandwich with potato salad. But I also added nutritious apple and cucumber slices. You do not have to do this every time, but it's good to do so when you can.
2.) Photographing my meals also helps make them healthier. The easiest way to make a plate of food look pretty (at least for me) is to add fruits and veggies for the bright array of colors.
3.) I usually only post photographs of new meals, to keep it interesting. It is fun for me to photograph my meals because I get to see the different way sunlight and indoor lighting can make the same meal look very different. Also, it is fun to use the differnt functions on the camera, like macro, to capture your food close up. And it is a fun challenge to arrange and plate your food in an appealing manner. Kind of makes me feel like a food stylist!

I also read a lot of food blogs, BUT I still do what is best for my own body. I don't just blindly follow anybody else's example. Someone might eat three snacks a day, but I might need two snacks one day, and four snacks on another day. I do what is best for me, not what is best for someone else.

Also, I can see how blogs could lead to an unhealthy obsession with food, or even trigger an eating disorder. Please discuss with your medical doctor/registered dietitian if reading these blogs, and/or starting your own blog, is a good thing for you to do, regardless of whether or not you already are restricting your food/calories or if you are currently in recovery from an eating disorder.

Anyway, I read food blogs because:
1.) Introduces me to new foods: wheatberries, Greek yogurt, sprouted bread, etc.
2.) New meal ideas: A waffle sandwich, salmon sandwich, various oatmeal creations.
3.) New recipe ideas: Bloggers try out different recipes,and let you know the results.
4.) Food product reviews.

I don't think anyone here is grouping all food blogs together. We are SPECIFICALLY writing about those blogs that seem either obsessive or borderline. Where people (mostly women)punish themselves for eating chocolate, or for eating more than a set number of calories. NOT the blogs that celebrate food!

Does every food blogger/reader have an ED? No. Does every food blogger/reader have body issues. Of course. We wouldn't be human if there wasn't something about our bodies that we'd like to change.
Only the individual blogger or reader can make the determination if being part of the blogging community is helpful or detrimental to their (mental) health.
I wouldn't say I'm "obsessed" with food, but why shouldn't I pay very special attention to something that I do 3+ times a day 24/7/365 and that could kill me if I don't do it right? Not enough people do and that's the real problem. Did anyone stop to think that Kath essentially IS promoting Breast Cancer awareness? Not to mention all cancer and heart disease!
We all do this for different reasons and get different things out of it. I wish more people were interested in diet and nutrition - we'd be a much healthier society.

I have a food blog. I also read several food blogs (including Katheats) daily.

I will admit that my relationship with food has had its ups and downs (never an ED though), but I started my blog because I finally have a good relationship with food. Plus, I enjoy it. I like to cook it, look at it, photograph it, etc.

Also, I am currently overweight. I am not using my blog to showcase a weight loss effort, but I do feel like I am losing weight now because of my good relationship with food.

And I have to agree with Andrea...why shouldn't we pay close attention to what we eat? There are so many people who don't and it IS a problem.

I have tons of thoughts/feelings about this and I could go on forever and ever debating both sides, so I'll spare you the reading. :) However, I'd LOVE the recipe for those cookies in the picture up top if it is available - YUM!! :)

Kath is promoting breast cancer awareness and has a team for Susan Koman race for the cure. She talks about it alot on her blogs and has raised alot of money so far. Just saying.

I too have become slightly obsessed with food blogs, but I've began "weening" myself off of the ones that just post the same generic oatmeal breakfasts and other boring meals. What's the point of reading what other people are eating if they don't provide recipies or advice? Especially if they aren't eating anything that exciting or different from what I am already eating? I am not under the impression that these girls have EDs but I also think food blogging has more benefit for the blogger than the reader. It does force people to eat healthier if they know others will be viewing (and let's face it...judging) their daily consumption but I eat too...it's not that exciting!

Hi! Your post looks interesting. I love the picture it looks yummy. Thanks for sharing some of some good sites.

I am a healthy food blogger, and I would say that it is a gross overgeneralization to say that all bloggers have eating disorders. I do worry that they may encourage obsessive behavior in vulnerable readers--the comments sections on some of these blogs can get a little bit scary. That is why I try to keep my blog a mostly numbers-free zone.

Why do I blog? 1. Because I love cooking and eating and I am much more apt to cook myself interesting and fun meals when I know I will be posting about them and 2. Because for some people, it is not at all obvious how to eat healthily and moderately and still eat treats every now and then without feeling guilty. Culture is messed up. I spent too much of my life obsessing about food, and my blog is my small attempt to share that you can eat healthily and manage your weight without counting things or feeling hungry or guilty all the time.

I found this post by way of a couple of the food blogs I follow and I have to say, the timing on it is a bit surreal to me.

I am one of the food bloggers that writes and photographs everything she eats. I also have an eating disorder (binge eating) and I am over weight. I started my blog as a source of accountability for my adventure into intuitive eating. I am open and honest is every post that I make about my choices and I hope that my blog teaches people that it is possible to listen to your body and feed it what it needs. I do post recipes and talk about my general day to day life that often time influence my food choices. I take the pictures as a display of art, I do my best to make sure my photos are beautiful and I am often told that they are.

I have only had one binge since I started my blog a couple of months ago. That binge happened 2 days ago and I posted about it. I was ashamed and scared to do it but the out pouring of love I recieved from the food blogging community was astounding.

me again, I am wordy, I know.

My point is that, yes, I am sure that I am not alone in the fact that ED is rampant in the food bloggind community. But instead of rash generalizations, look at the other side and realize that the blogging can also be a source of inspiration and healing.

I am not ashamed to admit that I read food blogs because I have suffered from some sort of ED or DE for well over 15 years. Anyone who’s ever had an ED knows you never become fully, magically cured. So if your food-vice switches from starvation or binging/purging to ogling food-porn, well that’s a step in the right direction.

I’m also not so narcissistic as to assume that everyone who is into food blogs has an ED or DE just because I do. That is a vast overgeneralization. Some people just really love food. Most men I know think about food (interspersed with thoughts about sex, of course) 24/7, and no one would ever accuse them of being “obsessive.”

But regardless of whether you are a healthy-eater, disordered-eater or somewhere in between, food blogging obviously provides a positive and supportive community for its members. I’ve never seen anyone leave a comment like, “How could you eat all that, you disgusting fat pig? Oink.”

Great topic! I'm recovering from a long battle with anorexia, and I visit this blog frequently for some witty "food for thought" (couldn't resist a pun) and it really helps me put my relationship with food into perspective. I'm still not 100% recovered, but I'm getting better.

My thoughts on food blogs? For me, they're evil. I recently gave up vistiting "pro-ana" forums and stopped using my obsessive calorie-counting online journal about a month ago and I'm the happiest I've been in a long time! Food blogging might be therapeutic for some people, but I've found that I tend to get WAY too obsessed over the little details, right down to every last calorie.

And I do occassionally take photos of my food, but only to email them to my mom to prove that I can actually cook without setting my apartment on fire! :P

I really like that this issue is being addressed. I love to read food bloggers websites, but for myself, I know that when I keep a food journal it turns into a downward spiral of disordered eating (like Rebecca). I'm not sure quite how it happens, but all the sudden I'm obsessing and am trying so had to gain control that I completely lose control. Every now and then I try keeping a journal again, but most of the time it has negative results.

I think its very dependent on the person... food journaling helps some and hurts others. Maybe it just comes down to how our individual minds work?

I am so freaking psyched about all of these thoughtful responses - some excellent, well-made points. I'm still sorting through it all...you guys rock.

Wow. This post was really a "hello, Ashley!" to me. I've been through an ED and can become very obsessive about food/exercise... especially when continually surrounded by it. I follow these blogs on a daily basis, but sometimes I will get critical of myself when I'm not eating or exercising as good as the other blogger. They also elicit all sorts of food cravings!

I think it's something we need to sort through ourselves. I love the bloggers behind these food blogs, but maybe there's some way to keep it under control for me.. because I agree with Sagan- it IS very dependent on the person.

Wow....what a great topic, as I've had some thoughts on the subject ever since I stumbled upon food blogs a few months ago.

For me, I have a history of anorexia, bulimia, AND binge-eating. (I know - I hit the jackpot!) In all seriousness, reading others' food blogs can either have a positive or negative effect on me personally. Sometimes I read about how active everyone is, and how little/healthy they eat, and it makes me feel so guilty. That leads to binges. However, at times I really enjoy looking at all of the amazing recipes, not to mention the reviews of various health products.

I'd say it definitely depends on the person. I can see a "pro-ana" stance on certain sites, but on others I love seeing the excitement of great, healthy food.

Thank you SO much, Leslie, for a wonderful topic. I've enjoyed reading what others think about this subject! :-) And it's got my brain going....amazing for a FRIDAY.

Just to add another twist: what about men's blogs like Mark's Daily Apple, where he talks not only about fitness but quite often about what he eats/what we should eat, and blogs like Modern Forager? I don't hear these men being called out as having EDs or DEs, but they are arguable as 'obsessive' as any of the bloggers mentioned about.

I completely agree that the reasons behind a person blogging about food or reading a food blog could be negative. But there also seems to be to be a bias towards assuming female bloggers in particular have these issues, and I wonder why that is. I would agree with those above who have said that we shouldn't assume the worst, and who have cited the incredibly positive feedback of the blogging community about what these women eat. From what I've seen, the vast majority of these bloggers maintain a healthy lifestyle.

On a final note, just because they have blogs about food doesn't mean that this is what their lives revolve around--it is the subject their blogs revolve around.

I actually just learned of many of these food blogs mentioned in the past few weeks. When I first saw what some of the bloggers were eating, I was like "whoa, that's really not that much!". Granted, I am overweight so my response probably wouldn't shock anyone, but I am also trying to lose weight in a healthy manner by using SparkPeople. I was thinner pre-pregnancy, and I was also very much into fitness and health growing up, so I know the difference between fueling properly and starving myself.

So, I took one of the girl's daily food intake and plugged it into SP's calorie calculator, and you know what, it was about 1600 calories. Even being overweight, SP has me eating between 1200-1550 cals per day to lose an avg. of 1 lb per week.

All that aside, the foods most were eating were healthy, all natural, non-processed foods! Definitely something that I haven't done in a long time, especially when giving WW Points a try. Seriously, who is going to eat a banana when they can have 100 cal cookies bag?

I think that some food bloggers might definitely do the things detailed above, but I don't. Some days I just don't feel like whipping out my camera & so I just don't. It's not that much different from when I didn't have a food blog, though, because I used to take pictures of everything that I cooked to put into my portfolio. [Mostly baking, for when I needed to show prospective clients.]

I don't think having a food blog has disordered my eating at all, but I definitely think this was an interesting post. I see how people could become disordered and obsessive from it. I have a few food blogs in my mind that popped up as soon as I read this post. I won't name names [or URLs, heh], but yeah, there are a few who I worry about.

More...

I did notice that many of the girls were of a healthy weight and/or thin (but not sickly), and I thought to myself, "hmmm, maybe this is something I should give a try - eating real foods, counting calories and exercising! Genius!". These are real people, living real lives, and eating! I think if you calculated some of their menus, the calorie counts would be fine. If many do have/had an ED, and if they post what they're truly eating, serving as a source of therapy, then who are we to judge? To each their own method to success.

I'm not saying that everyone is like me, and I've never had an ED, but for me, it really has been an eye-opener for what I put in my mouth. I'm full, I have energy, and I feel good. For me, the blogs have had a positive impact on my relationship with food.

Great topic, Leslie! And what an awesome discussion. Being the news junkie that I am, I just wanted to add the results of a new study about taking pictures of food. Anyone else seen it? Basically, it finds that taking a picture of a meal before you eat helps you lose weight because it makes you think more carefully about what you're about to it - the same concept as food journaling, only more powerful, according to the study. It talks about "photo diaries" as a good thing, and a helpful tool for people who are trying to lose weight. But I definitely can see how it could go the other direction.

Interesting topic! I do read a few food blogs, but I've never thought of it in that way.

I am a foodie. I like food, I enjoy cooking, I like trying new things. I find it interesting read food blogs from that point of view, hear about things I may never have had the chance to try, get ideas, etc.

I see it as people talking about what they are interested in, the same way that I post pictures of my gardens. However, I do see how it could cross the line into disordered eating, if a person has that tendency.

I'm a food blogger, and I'm not siding one way or the other - quite frankly, it does freak me out when people post about how they had four chocolate chips or exactly one ounce of wine - but I do have to say this, because it really irritated me: Kelly T/Grounded Fitness, you seem to condemn food bloggers on here, but you sure don't have a problem posting comments on many of their blogs, including mine, with a link advertising your site.

Bottom line, I think the whole issue boils down to this: If you don't like them, don't read them. There are several that are too extreme for me, and I don't visit those. It's simple.

Hrm. I tried to read all the comments but, um, there's a lot. :-)

Obsessive ANYTHING is unhealthy. If you blog about food because you're interested in it, you like cooking/experimenting, you want to inform others, whatever - great. No problem. If you blog because you are fanatical and paranoid about every single crumb you put in your mouth and you focus on it every second of the day - unhealthy. I think it's not the activity that's the problem - it's the mindset. Like with everything else, really.

I think food journaling is very helpful as a "retraining" method for people who have spent a lifetime eating mindlessly. It is a very helpful way to learn to be aware of what you're eating and why. I used it very successfully - for a few months. But I think in that context, after a few months (weeks, even?) you've gotten all the benefit you're going to get. By then, you should know how and when and why to eat, and if you're still dependent on a journal, it's probably not helping.

V.

WOW! Lots of great comments! Thanks for this post. I'd thought I'd quickly add my 2 cents...

I do have a food blog, and I often post almost all of my meals and snacks...but I am also a competitive athlete training 7 hours a day. My blog is in a way more for me to journal my "fueling" process. I write about snacks and how they've held me through my practices. I have product reviews for new bars I have tried. I often look back on my OWN blog, to see how my intake on one day might compare to another day. Yes, I know that somedays we eat more than others...and I DO NOT count calories, but I do use it as a tool to go- hey, that breakfast kept me really well fueled...or hey, that lunch had a little too much fiber in it to workout so soon afterwards.

I have found that I am one of those people who really doesn't do well with out food- especially with exercise. I get tired really fast, and I get cranky and grouchy....so my blog is a tool for me to produce the best kind of training diet possible.

I definitely do agree though that there are certain people who should and should not have a food blog...and maybe even read food blogs. It could easily become a dangerous obsession for someone with disordered eating.

But I do have to say that food blogs also provide a lot of really great information- besides meal ideas and recipes, bloggers often post about health studies and new research. For example, I once found a link on a bloggers page for that video on the McDonald's 5 yr old hamburger. (Have any of you all seen it?!) Anyways, it was shocking and I immediately passed on the info to many friends/family, and it completely changed my mindset on fast food (not that I was a fan before). There are also a lot of really bubbly and fun bloggers who are incredibly uplifting with their posts- creating infectious good moods & positive mindsets..or commenters who are supportive and encouraging. For me, it's an overall positive environment.

Sorry to ramble, just thought I'd share my exp.Thanks for this post!

Firstly, great topic Leslie, there are obviously a lot of intense feelings about it out there in the 'sphere.
I guess to me there are two types of food blogs - those that post pictures and recipes and general food love, and those who chronicle their own eating habits and follow certain dietary requirements? That might even still be too much of a generalisation, but there is definitely a divide between the two.

I LOOOVE the first kind of blog, i've been known to lurk at food blogs every now and then. The second kind? I've looked at those when on a diet, but not really at any other time, they tend to be a bit less exciting, even if the photos are gorgeous.

I think it depends on the REASON you're blogging or looking at the blog really. Are you blogging or reading to lose weight/stay accountable/show off/get inspiration or are you doing it to share your love of food and knowledge?

Hey everyone! I should have posted sooner but I was overwhelmed by the response. I just wanted to say "thank you" for sharing your thoughts, opinions, and personal experiences. You all have given me SO much to think about.

And thank you, Leslie, for giving the topic a forum!!!

I tried my food intake for almost a month on SparkPeople over the summer, but I didn't like it -- it took too much time and I already knew what I was eating (since I tend to eat the same foods so often). I can see your point about people who blog about everything they eat maybe being a little "too on top of things."

I have tried so many diet programs without success and nearly gave up, and then I bought and tried Fat Loss for Idiots. It is a no-nonsense approach that really worked for me!

This is a very interesting topic. I wrote about the same issue on my blog (linking back to this post). If you are interested in reading more responses, please check it out. www.carrotsncake.com

I agree that this is very interesting. Bottom line-the discussion can go both ways because everyone is different. Personally, I have been blogging all of my meals recently, but if I'm too busy (like over the summer) I don't blog nor do I worry about it. It's just something I enjoy doing if I have the time because I have gotten so many new ideas from it, and reading has inspired me to try many more new foods. It's especially helpful being a vegan because getting a balanced diet is more of a challenge, so blogging helps me to kind of keep track of that. Also, I've found it helpful recently as I'm training for a half marathon because I log my runs and am able to remember what I ate around a specific run if a certain food or combo worked well for me. I have also experienced an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating), and that's what first led me to Christin's EatLikeMeBlog because I was really trying hard to focus on food groups and eating a balanced diet rather than the numbers...

Whenever I first started reading EatLikeMe I was still counting calories and trying to lose weight, but I slowly changed my mindset. In the past year I have transformed, and I have the food blogging world to thank largely for that I believe. I don't feel obsessive or compelled to do anything. I usually just photograph my meals unless I pack a snack to take with me when I photograph my meal. Otherwise, I normally don't take the time to take a picture when I get up off the couch to munch on something. I could continue on this subject forever, but it wouldn't do any good because I believe food blogging can be good or bad depending on the individual.

Sorry, but I left something out that I really wanted to address - why is veganism a RED FLAG for an eating disorder? It's not like not eating meat and dairy cut out all food. I eat a wider variety now than I used to as an omni. I could see how someone would use it as an excuse not to eat something since lots of foods when eating with groups of people are not vegan. Still, I don't see that many bloggers, vegan or not, that I can fairly conclude they aren't eating enough. I know I don't starve myself and that I am happy and full of energy, so I guess that's where I have to stand on this subject.

Here's my take. I can only speak for myself...but if others are like ME, then we all have some food or weight or body issues...or perhaps we had them in the past. The healthy way to approach these sites is to learn from them- become enriched. Learn how other people DEAL with hunger and satiety; what IS a normal portion of oatmeal? What is a Chobizzle :-D See, we get joy out of the blogs as well as friendships. The product reviews are fantastic. There are many reasons that people have blogs and equally many reasons that we read them. I think that as long as we keep the balance and not get obsessed, then it's a healthy thing.

I find this all really ridiculous. How can someone blame others for their mistakes. Isn't food recording pushed by RDs? Food blogging is the same thing, just with pictures. Why bash on people who are happy.

I am currently in the middle of a crazy uncertainty about whether I should continue reading food blogs or not. I started reading eatlikeme and I thought it was great, I saw someone who still ate peanut butter and (sometimes) dessert and exercised and didn't obsess, so that was really helpful. Then I read others as I realized there were more out there and some of them seemed scary obsessive about things, but I thought it would be fun to start my own food blog. That lasted about a week when I realized I was becoming so caught up in taking pictures, writing about them, thinking about them, ahhh! It made me crazy and made all of the calorie counting freak out feelings I used to have come back. But I've still been reading food blogs. Oh, when will it end!

I write a food blog. I celebrate food, not eating. Confused? Fast food focuses on eating. I focus on ingredients and technique. My blog isn't about being full, it's about being satisfied.

As a food writer, I feel passionately that we need to connect to the food we eat, not just open a package and gobble. My goal is to take the intimidation out of preparing food and get people back in the kitchen. My motto is: Real food. Real life. It ain't always pretty.

I read several food blogs every day, all of them written by people who care about food too much to abuse it. The know where the ingredients come from, how to prepare them best and what to combine it with.

Has all this focus on food given me an eating disorder? No, it's deepened my appreciation of fresh, simple ingredients and made me hungry for culinary knowledge, not donuts.

Yea, I had an eating disorder a lot of things scream eating disorder to me. I am still recovering I think.... I don't think I'll get over thinking I'm fat or not good enough. Anytime I eat it's like ARGH WHY AM I DOING THIS! But I am not skinny anymore, just left with the thoughts. lol.... anyway I agree with people saying that it might lead to eating disorders. The term is so vague though... it basically says anything that is not normal or excessive... so there is room to debate that blogging is a disorder. And yes, there is a point where you wonder whether these people are not eating enough. Then you have to realize that some people lie and others do have problems... most people though are probably simply bored and have nothing better to do but work out and count what they eat....

I'm a foodblogger because I love food & blogging, and I'm not obsessed with either. Some blog about food simply because it's fun and/or profitable. I realize there are people with serious issues but this is kind of ridiculous, especially the 1st comment by Melissa: "a lot of these blogs are people that are vegan, gluten free, or avoid other food groups, which everyone who's ever had an eating disorder knows, is a big RED FLAG." So all vegans and people with food allergies are now suspected of having disorders? Because I'm vegan and choose to not eat dead animals I'm now red-flagged as hiding an eating disorder? Sorry, but no. Lumping everyone together who is a vegan, allergic to wheat, or who simply like to write about food, into some warning category of secret disorders is really off the mark, and self-projection. Just because some have a disorder doesn't mean that everyone else who's ever put food in their mouth and taken a picture of it shares that ailment.

I have to chime in here. I am a food blogger. No - I do not document and photograph every morsel of food I eat. In fact, I read a lot of food blogs and have yet to see one where they document & photograph every bite. Yes... I agree that would be a bit obsessive and like any obsessive behavior, should probably be looked into (just like checking your blog stats too often, email, comments on posts... anything to an obsessive degree can be a problem).

I write my food blog because I want to encourage people to get back into the kitchen and to sit down to dinner as a family. We are all busy, and I know that I love looking for resources on the internet. I post recipes, stories, ideas, etc. for myself to document - because truly often times food sparks memories and capturing those memories is a lot like journaling to me. I also have my food blog for others who are looking for simple ways to get their family back to the dinner table... to make that a priority.Not all food blogs are the same..just like people.

Six and a half years ago I discovered I had celiac disease. Translation? I needed to be gluten-free for the rest of my life. Learning to cook gluten-free was a challenge- not a choice- but I rolled up my sleeves and tackled it head on. I'm lucky. I love to cook. Learning to bake gluten-free was a tougher challenge. There were, what? Two- maybe three- gluten-free cookbooks out there. And they were less than inspiring. The gluten-free diet was presented without humor or passion (or even, if I am honest, anything approaching a tempting recipe). I began blogging in 2005 as a way to not only share my growing pile of gluten-free recipes but to help others starting out on their gluten-free journey- I wanted to let folks know that cooking gluten-free is not only doable- but delicious- that gluten-free doesn't mean dreary, tasteless or boring. And I posted "food porn" pics of my recipes to prove it! Food bloggers have all sorts of reasons why they blog. We're a diverse bunch.

I think it's a mistake to generalize all food blogs as being run by eating disordered, ultra skinny girls. I know there are many food blogs that focus on the person's weight, what they eat, how many calories they consume, etc., etc. However, most of the food blogs I read tend to focus on all types of recipes and have nothing to do with weight size. And there are plenty of food bloggers who aren't tiny.

Years ago, I dealt with an eating disorder and even though I'm no longer obsessive and at a healthy weight again, I can still get triggered. So I avoid food blogs written by people obsessed with calories. Instead, I choose to read food blogs written by those who cook/bake from scratch and use fresh ingredients. There are lots of great food bloggers out there and to generalize all of them as having eating disorders just isn't fair.

As a non-blogger with an eating disorder, I just have to say that the "symptoms" detailed here are absolutely in sync with 'true' medical eating disorders. I would never make the generalization that all food bloggers are this way, but certainly those who fit the description above may be toeing a line.

I consider myself a pseudo-food blogger; I post one (often Italian) recipe a week and also follow the blogs of many foodies--whom I would describe as people who love and blog about food/recipes, not calories per se. I have to admit, I had never even *seen* the type of "food blog" described here--probably because following someone's daily eating habits just wouldn't interest me very much.

After reading the comments here and visiting some of those blogs, it's clear to me that there are two different types of "food blogs": one that provides recipes and cooking/baking tips (I would say foodie blogs) and another that are really more food/eating journals; they certainly seem to have different motivations behind them as well as different readerships, and unfortunately, the latter seems to have much more of a connection with potential eating disorders (of writers and readers), IMHO. Although I truly hope that's not the case :(

I think maybe the problem here is semantic - none of the food bloggers I know (myself among them) blog about dieting. We cook and eat. If we diet, we don't talk about it on the blog. It's the difference between a cookbook and a diet/nutrition book. Sometimes there's some crossover, but they aren't synonymous by definition.

My speculation is that a food blog doesn't make you obsessive, rather - any disorder the author has to begin with will likely manifest in the blog. I guess the majority of food blogs on my feed are foodie blogs and the body types range from rail thin to plump - but they are all great cooks and wonderful people. I don't generally read diet blogs and I don't diet (chemo will help put dieting in perspective very quickly), so I can't speak to the nature of those blogs. Anyway, fascinating topic!

I just shared this with my fitness & health board. I think food blogging can go too far - like with anything, it should be in moderation. I think food journaling is good, but not necessary to share with the world.

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THis is an amazing post. Wow! I am in recovery from an eating disorder, and I am apprehensive about food blogs as well. total obsession over it!, i think there are so many on the spectrum of healthy to unhealthy. katheats.com is a healthy one, but others are not. where do we draw the line?

they do become obsessive, i have started blogging less about food and more about recovery b/c of this.

I think there are 'good' blogs and 'bad' blogs. There are good ones that really promote good eatings. A lot of food blogs I read stress a lot on having oatmeal for breakfast and we all know how healthy oatmeal is. And judging by the photos, it's never a tiny bowl. It's always topped with lots of ingredients. I think blogging is a way for the bloggers to share their lifestyles with other who are interested in their lives. It's kind of like a psuedo-celebrity phenonmenon. I took recently got addicted to reading these blogs and I totally understand how this could lead to the path of ED. But I think it's the readers' responsibility to decide what to read. I do tell myself that I should be reading the NY Times website instead of food blogs, but with all the stresses in life, reading blogs is a destresser in a way. But I've to admit I spend too much time on them and should scale back. My life would be so much more productive.

To a degree I'm a food blogger, but I have an ED. I don't tend to post my daily intake - God, how embarrassing! But I post about my recovery, slip-ups, thoughts and feelings around food as well as those events or people in my life that affect my behaviou around food. Admittedly, it's a very self-obsessed blog but it's for my own use relly; so I can get support from others like me, and so I can write out of me my frustrations, slip-ups and achievements. I have blogged about every morsel eaten before though, I was so obsessed I forgot to live. Fortunately I have more of a life now and not enough time for over-obsession, I'm just shaking the remains of a demon.

Virginia

"Think if Kath...spent as much time blogging about breast cancer awareness as she does about food, think of the difference she could make in the world."

I think the fact she's blogging about how to maintain a healthy life could inspire people to become healthier. In turn, this reduces their risk of diseases as a whole. Let's face it - food is much more a part of our daily lives than breast cancer, unless you are living with the illness or it is especially close to your heart. It is not something that can be blogged about everyday if you are not suffering with it and I think anyone who tried to do this who wasn't recovering or in the midst of cancer would be making a mockery of those who are fighting it.

Yes, some food bloggers can come across as obsessive but there's much more to it than photography. Definitely not all bloggers seem obsessed. Anyway, it seems to me that many people are projecting their own disordered views about food onto bloggers. This is unfair.

While more common among girls, eating disorders can affect boys, too. They're so common in the U.S. that 1 or 2 out of every 100 kids will struggle with one, most commonly anorexia or bulimia. Unfortunately, many kids and teens successfully hide eating disorders from their families for months or even years.

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This was a truely fascenating post... I recently found food blogs and got sort of mind boggled by them, and bookmarked several for
"guilty pleasures" but when you think about it, the longest most intereting ones tend to be made my very thin girls, recovering from and ED or leading/hiding one... I'm not sure wether reading them is totally unhealthy, and I think it's not reading a few with a healthy attitude that will make your mind filled with ED thoughts, it's reading obsessively and maybe even blogging everythin for the world to judge or comment on, even if your original intentions were positive.