Will I ever stop thinking about food?!

marquel622

It hit me this morning, just now, as a matter of fact, that all I do is think about food...
A little back story, I have never been "fat". I've always thought I was "fat", I have always been on some sort of diet, deprivation plan, always striving to be thin. I gave birth to three children, the first 2 I only gain 24 lbs with each and the weight was off in 2 weeks. With my third I quick looking at the scale when it 200 lbs and I had a few weeks to go. After she was born I hovered around 175 for a while and then joined WW and got down to 147. That was 8 years ago. Since then my heaviest is 155, my lowest was 136. I settle in around that 147 mark for several months at time, then I will start creeping back up and get serious again and the cycle repeats. I am happy to say that I am a better, healthier person in recent years. I try to eat right, make good choices. I work out regularly, alternating running with some strength training and I am trying to incorporate more stretching to maintain my flexibility, after all I am not getting any younger.

But this morning, I realized, despite just having breakfast an hour ago, here I am thinking about lunch. Thinking about how many calories, how it is going to taste, if I will be satisfied. I stopped what I was doing and thought, what the hell man, all I do is think about food. Is this what it means to stay thin? Obsess and be miserable? I read articles, I read recipes, I talk to fit people, always seeking this nonexistent answer to the how to have my cake and eat it too. I don't want food and the desire to be thin to monopolize all my thoughts.

How do people stay fit, make good choices, stay motivated and focused without obsessing about food?

Tiamo719

It shouldn't be this hard, right? If you stop and think about it, it's only food. Why the obsession? Yet, we still obsess. Sometimes if I put a small altoid in my mouth, I forget about food.

It's mind over matter. You need to learn who has control, you or your subconscious?

RaspberryTickleChicken

hmmm I remember obsessing about food when I followed the advice to 'eat 3 meals with 2 snacks' daily.

The regiment put food in the constant forefront of my mind because every few hours I was going to eat & it was incredibly stressful to figure out what to eat. Even though I am a bit of the 'A-Type' personality I have never obsessed about food or eating before.

SO for me, I decided that the widely preached & practiced eating style was not for me. It was causing more stress & angst than helping. I went back to 3 meals a day & food went back to being a mere necessary fuel for my body instead of something I constantly had to think about.

@OP - maybe try a different eating regiment? Or make small adjustments to the contents of what you are eating so that you stay satisfy longer?

Maintaining I think often times is a bit trickier than just flat out losing. I'd just really encourage you not to be afraid to continually to tweak your meals & exercise to reinforce the good habits you've worked so hard to develop. Good luck!

maeld51

You will always think about food, but the way you think about it will change.
Just like I still think about smoking but know I will never smoke again;
I will eat everyday, just not the unhealthy way I was eating before.
I've been logging over 2 years, it does get easier!

forevermaryb

op, THANK YOU for putting into words exactly how I've been feeling. For almost 2 years, food is nearly all I think about. There certainly are other things that cross my mind, but I would say a vast majority of my internal musings are centered around food-or exercise so I can have more food. I started my weight loss process in January 2013 and reached my goal in May 2014 (65 pounds). I've been maintaining within a 3 pound range since (although I have seemed to hit a glitch in my process somewhere and have stayed at the top of the range without going back down). I feel GREAT. I've never been more physically fit in my life. I actually have come to enjoy exercising, which is something I could never say before in my 47 years. I love eating lots of fresh vegetables and lean meats and don't really enjoy processed food. I do love to eat out, but I limit it to 1 or 2 meals/week. However, I still obsess about food. I just finished my lunch and am already planning the next time I eat. I am planning on a salad with some lentils instead of my "old" snacks of cookies or ice cream and I am looking forward to it. But I am still thinking about it!

Francl27

I'm in the exact same boat.

annette_15

Hear hear

MallieRose91

I am a year and 2 months in. I went from 267, morbidly obese class 2, to 144 which is in healthy range for my height of 5'7. I still am wanting to lose another 10 or so pounds and then gain some muscle. I honestly know EXACTLY what you are talking about. My entire day is what am I going to eat, how many calories is it, is it going to satisfy me, what will it taste like, what time I will eat, and I literally plan my meals out for a week in advance. Yet, I still think about it all day unless I have something distracting me such as homework, my 4 year old, etc. I even created a new mfp profile with my goal weight and set it to maintaining weight just to see and get excited over the increase of calories I would be allowed a day. hahaha I really hope it isn't a life long thing!

funchords

Not to be contrary, but all animals think about food all the time. Even modern western humans, most who live in food abundance, organize their daily, weekly, and yearly lives around food.

I wouldn't obsess over obsessing about food. It is harder for us who are prone to put on weight and must work harder than others to keep it off. Some frequent awareness of that fact strikes me as simply normal.

xmichaelyx

For me, the key is to find foods that fill you, rather than ones that make you more hungry. This is why I avoid sugar, breads, and other carb-heavy foods, and stick to fat and protein.

I also eat less calories during the week (when my life is a little more regimented) and then eat pretty much whatever I want on the weekends.

gothchiq

I wish I had an answer! I have the same problem. The only way I know that comes close is to stay busy, don't be idle or just sit in front of the TV in your spare time. Do things, read books, make sure your attention is well focused on something that isn't food.

Deena_Bean

My guess is yes, I'll always think about food. Now my thoughts are about what I should eat next...sort of have to have it to live, so I'm thinking it will always be a thought. Some people only think about what they want to eat - I think about what I need to eat.

KANGOOJUMPS

try thinking more about red wine.

QueenKristine7

KANGOOJUMPS wrote: »

try thinking more about red wine.

I second the red wine!

neandermagnon

obsessing about food can be a direct response to eating too little... check your calories, if you're trying to do too big a deficit then a smaller deficit may be the answer.

Francl27

gothchiq wrote: »

I wish I had an answer! I have the same problem. The only way I know that comes close is to stay busy, don't be idle or just sit in front of the TV in your spare time. Do things, read books, make sure your attention is well focused on something that isn't food.

Oh gosh I tried the book things last night. I think I read the same page 6 times because my mind kept going back to food.

And sorry but I laughed at the 'it's a sign of eating too little'. Really not. It's a sign that I love eating.

ncfitbit

Hmm, I totally get this concern. For me though, when I am eating well and mindfully I find that the thoughts I have about food are much more welcome thoughts than my thoughts about food when my eating is not controlled. For example, "Ooh, driving by my favorite fast food. That sounds good. I think I'll stop since I haven't eaten lunch yet." or "what's the calling me from the pantry?". In other words, just thinking ahead isn't necessarily bad if it means you will stick to your plan. Actually, one thing that's helped with my planning/staying on plan this week is I've been trying to cook once and eat twice just for convenience sakes, but I''ve found that it has also reduced having to "think about" the meal the second day. I know what it's going to be and I know I will be satisfied and fine with it.

LeannJeffers

Also in the same boat. Today I told myself "just for today i will not eat sweets" I have a terrible habit of grabbing a sweet snack after lunch and today I didn't. Small victory for me but I feel positive. Sometimes it's the little things that help!

Francl27

LeannJeffers wrote: »

Also in the same boat. Today I told myself "just for today i will not eat sweets" I have a terrible habit of grabbing a sweet snack after lunch and today I didn't. Small victory for me but I feel positive. Sometimes it's the little things that help!

Haha that's my personal battle too. My mom's phonecall saved me from it today.

kommodevaran

I think a lot about food, but I love food, so it's not a problem.