Fine line between counting/logging and obsessing?

tammylee57

I am often accused by non-dieters of "obsessing" over calories. Do I? I guess the answer is "yes". I know that to maintain my weight loss I must forever "maintain" my caloric intake. Is that obsessive? I don't know. But YES I log everything I put in my mouth and YES I have my phone out in restaurants trying to find caloric numbers before ordering. I am tired of it...weary of it...sometimes hate it... but I KNOW that if I overeat (too many calories) ...I will gain weight. How to respond to that voice that questions "obsessing" .... whether it be someone elses or my own?

NewMeSM75

I think you have to be obsessed to a certain extent. It becomes a part of who you are. Like second nature.

gothchiq

I tell them I don't care if it's obsessive, I only care that it works.

RaspberryTickleChicken

If you can't change the situation then the only thing you can do is to change your own perspective.

When you're eating out & if the eatery has their menu online, pre-log it before you get there to have a meal with your friends & avoid some of the teasing.

I'm not sure how long you have been in maintenance but initially I was just overwhelmed with the fact that I may have to log my food for the rest of my life. But now going on 2 years, it really has become a seamless part of my routine - so frankly I don't even notice it any more. Sort of like an auto-drive mode like when automatically reach for my seatbelt before starting the car.

And obsessing is only a bad thing when it starts to have a negative impact on your quality of life. If being vigilant & diligent to keep the progress made is obsessing then I say so be it!

Best of luck to you!

mojohowitz

Obsessive is the ONLY thing that works for me.

999tigger

If you get the results and it works then I wouldnt worry about it. I spend a lot of time thinking and montoring my diet, but my logging and counting could always be ightened up. I choose a level of attention that suits me, which is at a level to give me max benefits for effort taken, but not too much. For isntance worrying about 50 calories isnt really going to do it for me, since its pointless and I can exercise that way more eaily. Theres a point of diminishing return and common sense. Get your priorities right and keep things in perspective.

kristen6350

Obsessive works. If it works, who cares what others say.

JayRuby84

My girlfriend has told me that and it feels like an accusation, not complimentary. But I'm seeing good, consistent results. If it's obsessive to make sure I'm getting enough protein, fat, carbs/ fiber - all those goodies that make me stronger and healthier, then so be it I'm happy.

SideSteel

I would ask yourself how the logging behavior affects the quality of your life. If you find that it's creating problems then I would seek other methods that allow you to either stop logging or reduce the frequency of it.

amandarunning

Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated...

SideSteel

amandarunning wrote: »

Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated...

This is ridiculous.

farfromthetree

I am right there with you...I guess there are worse things I could obsess about!

logicalinks

Some people (those who don't count calories) call it obsession when it's actually focus. Obsessing would be if it happens all the time, even when you're not eating or preparing a meal. Focus is when you're doing the work related to monitoring your intake.

And aside from that... let your friends think what they will. If it's working for you, don't worry about it. I plan to count calories for the rest of my life. It's not burdensome anymore. It's just what I do now.

Robin1109

I saw this on Buzzfeed the other day and it made me laugh! Any MFP'er will totally understand!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/catesevilla/hold-on-i-just-need-to-log-this#.pvWBz2Red

GeorgeRosie

Thank you for asking this question and for the positive answers. I am trying to stay focused on my weight by logging everything that I eat because it works. I have lost 60 pounds and I don't want to gain a pound of it back.

belinda_73

been there. when i stop counting is when the calories start creeping back up and before you know it, you are back to square one. I wish I could be a little more obsessed again.

Lrdoflamancha

SideSteel wrote: »

amandarunning wrote: »

Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated...

This is ridiculous.

Ridiculous probably.... But it is also the truth...

_lyndseybrooke_

I'd just say, "I don't care. It's working." I really enjoy logging, believe it or not. It's a habit and just part of my daily routine. I'm maintaining now and I still log every single day, and will continue to do so long-term. My husband is used to it and, aside from playful teasing, he has no problem with it. Some people can lose the weight, stop logging, and maintain just fine without calorie counting - but not many. Quitting counting calories is one of the reasons why most people gain their weight back. I have no plans to do that, so I do what needs to be done, regardless of what anyone else thinks.

There are things that I think are going too far, like bringing a food scale to a restaurant or being so strict that you worry about things like holidays when it's totally unnecessary to do so, but that's my opinion and I wouldn't actually say something negative to a person that does that, as long as I wasn't genuinely worried about their health. People need to learn to mind their own business. I'll say things on MFP that I'd never say in real life because it's rude to call someone out like that in person. People here are asking for help - unless you're asking someone for help in real life, they should keep their advice to themselves.

PwrLftr82

No, there is a huge difference between logging diligently and being obsessed. I got to a point in logging where all of my macros had to be perfect and if they weren't I'd have a breakdown that usually including binging on bags and bags of chips, jars of PB and nutella, anything I could get my hands on (including once, an entire jar of pickled beets). I would scrutinize my diary for HOURS a day. I wouldn't eat anything I hadn't prepared myself because I couldn't guarantee the accuracy of nutrition. THAT is obsessive. Logging your food does not make you obsessive.

jgnatca

I heartily used my obsessive nature to stick with the tracking this long.

I do think that some may take the tracking so far that everything is weighed/measured, all the time. The motive may be, "if weighing and measuring is good, more measuring will be better." There has got to be a law of diminishing returns, however.

The weighing and measuring is a great wake-up call on what a real portion is, and how many calories we are really consuming. But after that initial lesson, getting ever finer in our calculations won't significantly improve outcomes.

SideSteel

Lrdoflamancha wrote: »

SideSteel wrote: »

amandarunning wrote: »

Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated...

This is ridiculous.

Ridiculous probably.... But it is also the truth...

This is a bunch of fitspo garbage and it's insulting to people who actually develop obsessive attitudes towards their diet.

SideSteel

PwrLftr82 wrote: »

No, there is a huge difference between logging diligently and being obsessed. I got to a point in logging where all of my macros had to be perfect and if they weren't I'd have a breakdown that usually including binging on bags and bags of chips, jars of PB and nutella, anything I could get my hands on (including once, an entire jar of pickled beets). I would scrutinize my diary for HOURS a day. I wouldn't eat anything I hadn't prepared myself because I couldn't guarantee the accuracy of nutrition. THAT is obsessive. Logging your food does not make you obsessive.

You must be lazy according to this thread.

ntnunk

I get this accusation from my wife on a fairly regular basis. Suffice to say it's definitely annoying but I don't let it bother me. I'm getting results, logging is usually a pretty seamless part of my life at this point, I have my methods and processes down for most situations I find myself in, I'm planning/expecting to do it forever and that thought doesn't concern me in the slightest. Is logging, or comments and reactions regarding my logging, annoying sometimes? Yes. But it's far less annoying than being fat.

It helps, in my case at least, that I've noticed my wife mainly makes that accusation when she's annoyed that I've asked about something she's made because neither of us have any clue how much of anything she put in it.

Frankly, comments from anyone other than my wife, my kids, or my parents are met with less-than-polite responses from me. Particularly is said commenter is overweight themselves.

dawnmcneil10

Is it really any different than looking at a price tag before buying something?

bwogilvie

SideSteel wrote: »

I would ask yourself how the logging behavior affects the quality of your life. If you find that it's creating problems then I would seek other methods that allow you to either stop logging or reduce the frequency of it.

These are wise words. I'm at maintenance and still logging food. It takes at most 5-7 minutes a day, most of the time: a minute each for breakfast and lunch (I'm pretty consistent in what I eat then), and somewhat longer for dinner. It doesn't bother me, nor does it detract from my quality of living. If it begins to do so, I'll seek alternatives.

SideSteel

dawnmcneil10 wrote: »

Is it really any different than looking at a price tag before buying something?

It depends entirely on the individual.

cwolfman13

At one point, I definitely crossed the line from just trying to hit my goals and becoming obsessed. I didn't care what most people thought about it, but I did care about what my wife thought about it and how things were impacting our relationship.

Basically, I was to the point where I didn't want to go out on dates and eat out...I couldn't sit down and just enjoy a meal and a couple glasses of wine with my wife because I didn't know exactly how many calories was in what or if it was going to throw my macros off or what if this or what if that.

I remember the tipping point actually...I had booked a couple of nights over a weekend at a local resort for a birthday getaway for my wife. We got there and everything was great...until we headed for dinner that evening. Here I am at a 5 star restaurant trying to treat my wife and I'm thinking about just ordering a garden salad because I'm scared to death of anything else. I couldn't even sit out on the balcony with my wife and enjoy a bottle of wine.

It was ridiculous and my wife told me so...she basically told me that she liked me better when I was fat, but fun. That was it for me...I had become overly obsessed to the point that this was no longer healthy (and health was my whole purpose for starting this in the first place).

I stopped logging and keeping my diary shortly after that...that doesn't mean I'm not mindful of what I'm doing...I am. But I started focusing my energies on my fitness aspirations and focusing my diet on simply making more healthful choices overall rather than obsessing about a number. I've been able to maintain, more or less for over 1.5 years now without logging and obsessing about every little calorie...worrying about some silly dollop of ketchup, etc.

I just eat healthfully and I work out..it works for me and I'm a lot more fun to be around these days...and I actually enjoy a nice, indulgent meal out and don't think much of it anymore.

cwolfman13

amandarunning wrote: »

Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated...

Oh please...

AmigaMaria001

I am exactly the same way! I've been doing this for over a year now with no end in sight. You said it best when you said, "I KNOW that if I overeat (too many calories) ...I will gain weight." I'm never going back to being lazy and fat - if it takes being obsessive then so be it!

tammylee57

Thanks everyone! I find it kind of odd that I hear/read that you don't need to diet...that you only need to change your lifestyle? Isn't it true ...that the lifestyle change they are speaking of (usually) is reducing the amount of calories you eat? Isn't it all "obsessive" in that you have to be aware and sensitive to WHAT you are eating and how many calories it has? If it's a "lifestyle" change ( really kind of being overused IMP) ...it's STILL counting calories, even if it's disguised as eating more fruits and vegetables and avoiding sweets and junk. Same thing...??? Anyway... I just don't consider maintaining weight loss for over 7 months by counting calories and logging them into MFP as being a negative thing? I think attentive, strict, and conscientious are better words than obsessive. If I didn't log, I would often be unaware of how many calories a day I have eaten..especially outside of home. It is no wonder our country has an obesity epidemic...I had no idea until using MFP how many calories most restaurant dishes have. WOW

SideSteel

tammylee57 wrote: »

Thanks everyone! I find it kind of odd that I hear/read that you don't need to diet...that you only need to change your lifestyle? Isn't it true ...that the lifestyle change they are speaking of (usually) is reducing the amount of calories you eat? Isn't it all "obsessive" in that you have to be aware and sensitive to WHAT you are eating and how many calories it has? If it's a "lifestyle" change ( really kind of being overused IMP) ...it's STILL counting calories, even if it's disguised as eating more fruits and vegetables and avoiding sweets and junk. Same thing...??? Anyway... I just don't consider maintaining weight loss for over 7 months by counting calories and logging them into MFP as being a negative thing? I think attentive, strict, and conscientious are better words than obsessive. If I didn't log, I would often be unaware of how many calories a day I have eaten..especially outside of home. It is no wonder our country has an obesity epidemic...I had no idea until using MFP how many calories most restaurant dishes have. WOW

I understand what you are saying but it's not necessarily true that you always have to be aware of the number of calories you are consuming.

It is possible, over time and with the correct resources, for some people to learn eating habits that allow them to respect hunger/satiety cues and use that, along with good food selection habits, to eat a reasonable range of calories for their goal.

It's not simply "eating whatever you want" but it's also not "mentally tracking calories" either.

I think the reality is that there are many people who are here for whom calorie counting is the only method that has worked, so they are willing to do whatever it takes to use that method.

Perhaps for some people this might be true, but it's also a possibility that they have not yet learned the habits necessary to have success without logging.

Fortunately, it's quite possible to learn those habits WHILE you are tracking intake so that AT SOME POINT you do not have to keep logging.