I think I'm obsessed about losing weight :/

chipjonz01

I am 5'2 and when I started this journey in July I was 164 pounds. I am currently 147.8 pounds and very excited about my progress, but I think if it's possible I might be overly excited. I weigh myself once a week, on Fridays, and in between weigh-ins, it's all I can think about now is the next weigh-in. I have a goal that I'm working to (130) but I also set short-term goals to keep me motivated. All I can think about is getting to each short-term goal. I know that I should be excited about my progress, but is it unhealthy to think about this too much?

cmriverside

It's unhealthy to think about anything too much.

If you feel you're obsessing, there are great Cognitive Behavior Therapy techniques you can Google. Intrusive thoughts are something I have to guard against too, so I get it. There are lots of ways to distract or change your thinking.

kermax39

Im a little obsessed too, I think to a degree its kinda normal when on a weight loss journey...IF you do actually need to lose weight.......If your certain u do and arent trying to aim for something thats unrealistic then maybe obsessed is the wrong word. I prefer to call it focused and determined :-) but if your worried that u feel its taking over other aspects of your life then by all means talk to someone.

jennifer_417

"Unhealthy" tends to be thought of in terms of whether or not it's disrupting your life in negative ways. I can get a little obsessive over any project that's succeeding, and I think that's natural and normal. However, if it causes you to go to extremes to where you're making physically unhealthy choices, or it dominates your thoughts in an extreme way for an extended period of time, to where it's interfering in a bad way with other areas of your life, then I'd be concerned.
Otherwise, I think it's fairly normal.

chipjonz01

So far it definitely dominates my thoughts while I'm at home. The best thing for me is when I'm at work, the gym, or out running errands, because then I'm too busy to think about it. It hasn't been a problem yet, but I hope it doesn't become a problem.

vespiquenn

jennifer_417 wrote: »

"Unhealthy" tends to be thought of in terms of whether or not it's disrupting your life in negative ways. I can get a little obsessive over any project that's succeeding, and I think that's natural and normal. However, if it causes you to go to extremes to where you're making physically unhealthy choices, or it dominates your thoughts in an extreme way for an extended period of time, to where it's interfering in a bad way with other areas of your life, then I'd be concerned.
Otherwise, I think it's fairly normal.

I think this is a pretty good explanation of when it's time to take a step back. You say it controls your thoughts when you're at home not doing anything, which often can be linked to boredom. What are you doing during these down times?

Also, unless I missed it, you do not mention your daily intake goal. Is it possible you are over-restricting? Back during my anorexic days, all I could think about was food because I obviously didn't get enough nutrition. It was so bad that I would dream about eating constantly. So there is the possibility that your body is flat out saying it's hungry, depending on your daily intake.

JeromeBarry1

No, it's not unhealthy to think about it as much as you are thinking about it. For one thing, you are learning the new habits of life you will need to maintain your lesser weight. Once you successfully learn these habits, you won't have to think about them so much.

trigden1991

Sometimes it takes some obsessive thinking to achieve your goals. Just remember that weight loss in not the be-all and end-all of your success.

ugofatcat

Obsession is what lazy people call dedication.

But I am curious to know your calorie and exercise program.

You have lost 17 pounds in 6 months, correct? So about 2.8 pounds per month? Sounds like hard work and consistency to me.

LivingtheLeanDream

I think its great you are excited about your progress, you are doing great. Maybe being excited keeps you focused, I know that's how it was with me and there's nothing wrong with that imo.

VeggieBarbells

I know I was a little obsessive about losing weight. I think it kinda goes with the territory if your serious about dropping those extra pounds. I see it as being focused and those with focus tend to achieve their goals. Only you can judge whether its too much or not. Good luck!