how not to obess..please help

mrsbuzz

Today was my first day counting calories and working out. I did well other then I feel like I am obessing about about calories and what I am eating. I don't want to do this because I go crazy and make myself nuts and then I just give up. How do you just eat normaly without obessing? I know I need to make healtier choices but its hard to to freak out. Please help!

beethedreamer

you just get used to it, or so i'm hoping :P

i obsess about every amount of everything that i eat and my family thinks im crazy. but thats okay because i know im being healthier and im making a change for the better.

eventually our bodies will know how much food we need to eat on a daily basis without having to count every little calorie.

angiereid

if you figure it out let me know

Mindful_Trent

I try to plan my meals out in advance (the evening before or in the morning), that way I know that what I'm eating is okay. If you're going out, then try to look up nutrition info ahead of time, or at least make a plan based on where you're going. I think it's okay to obsess over this to a certain extent, because educating ourselves and becoming aware of exactly what we are eating in an important part of this process. Over time, you'll just *know* what the healthier options are, and you'll be able to fit things in without necessarily having to plan everything out or obsess/worry over it.

Melis25Fit

I've been here 4 months now, and the obsession is still here....
I think you've just gotta learn to trust your judgement. I'm working on that.

gbbasketballll24

I think at first it seems like your obsessing because you haven't usually done this but soon you will know how many calories are in almost everything you eat and you will be able to do it in your head without it feeling like obsessing. Think of it this way diabetics have to do this all the time and they have made it into a part of their daily lives so you will be able to too. Just stick with it.

ambercole

You just get used to it. Even my coworkers are used to me doing it. If they want to know how many calories are in something they always come to me. i'm like the go to "healthy person" at work, and, i'm ok with that.

jalovec

It's really hard not to obsess- I'm doing this with a friend, and both of us have been a bit obsessive... One thing that helps is trying to eat roughly the same thing for one of your meals each day (e.g. I have the same thing for breakfast most days). That way, for at least one meal, you can relax, knowing you're having a healthy meal without having to enter your calories.

Holton

One thing that works for me is to plan my whole day out and enter my foods in the morning. Obsession is still a part of it, but by planning my day, I have done most of it in one sitting and then just have to eat what I said I would!

MammaEllis

NOT thinking about what we eat every minute of the day is what got us fat. Right? So, call it obsessing or call it being mindful, either way, its a requirement for our new life style

Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods

Certified_Femail

ooops sorry double posted

Certified_Femail

Yes I think you are right about that. If you plan the next day trust me you are not going to want to go in the RED. I hate going in the red lol. I just now came to the community to ask a question in this obsession department. I am obsession over lemon bars. I splurged last week and now I can NOT stop thinking about them Im going crazy. Seriously almost a panic feeling as i was driving home from work. Kinda like im trapped and can NOT eat any. a deff panic feeling. I dreamed all night about them. So planning the last 4 or 5 days ahead made me NOT make any. I dont know what to do. I almost feel like just make it get it over with already sheeesh. lol but i havent. I been doing this now for 20 days or so and have not weighed. I dont ever go by a scale so I wont get on one for a few more weeks. But then i started panicing what if the scale says no lbs lost lmao......My head is spinning around:explode: :explode:

LaraeTX

it may be an obsession, but it's a good one. I still eat some of the things that i love, like pizza. My stomach has shrunk and doesn't require a whole pizza anymore, I'm satisfied with just 2 slices. I have turned so many friends and co workers onto this site and they have all done so well. If you stick with it, it becomes more of a natural thing, and not really considered an obsession anymore. You are more aware of what you are eating and naturally make healthier decisions. There will be days that you have a bad day, but your body needs that sometimes. Just forget about it and start fresh the next day. Good luck to you.

npryor100

I feel like it's an obsession as well. Even worse is when you are trying to stick to a budget AND a calorie plan.

Find what works for you, even if that's taking small steps (for months I ate close to 2,000 calories before getting used to 1,200-1,500 calories a day). I really liked the advice I heard on the biggest loser to vary your calorie intake per day....eating restrictively 2 days a week, moderately 3 days a week and giving yourself a break 2 days a week. It keeps your body guessing and you don't feel like you're always on a diet.

Abarb1

Just take it slow one day at a time....Really i eat anything i want i am just more conscious of what it is.. As the time goes by you just want to start eating better... You start reading labels and what is in what and start making better choices...There is nothing wrong with that.. It's kind of fun everyone starts asking you about how many calories are in certain stuff... Really you are helping others by giving them the information... it's all good...Think of what you are doing for yourself...The support of one another is great..... God Bless and hang in there it well be worth it after all....

xarrium

It's tough... I still don't feel like I can fully trust myself to "know" the calorie content of everything such that I'm not "in the red"... what's started to work for me is paying more attention to the nutrients themselves (carbs/fat/protein) and finding a balance between those. I always let myself have a day off--no logging anything--so I can give my brain a rest and not feel guilty...

As long as it's not interfering with your life or making you starve yourself, I don't think there's anything wrong with being "mindful"... just keep in mind that one day in the red isn't the end of the world!!

rfialkiewicz

This is one thing I believe is OK to obsess about. Being healthy is a good obsession.

I've become a human calorie calculator. When I look at a food I see a number hanging over it that is the caloric content. It's a little scary, but it's worth it.

jsecret

I thought it was terrible to worry over every meal too! Now it seems I log everything when I am making it and then sit and enjoy the meal. If I try to log after eating I spend the entire meal worryng about the calories involved, the exact measurements, what to remember, etc. It's become a part of life. A good part.

lupuslady

Once you have been doing this for awhile, you will have the calories memorized and you will be able to relax. You need to remember this is not a diet, it is a change of life experience. You will soon figure out that beef is higher in calories than chicken. Veggies and fruits are the good guys. No desserts for awhile, but vanilla wafers are ok.
' 'give yourself a break make it a learning experience..

keith0373

I just obsess in a different way. I eat what I like for the most part and even have some adult beverages, but I make myself burn the calories first. I am constantly trying to figure out whether I want to get up and go to the gym in the morning, go for a walk or our little work gym at lunch, and figuing out what my wife and I are going to do for exercise in the evenings. If I don't do the exercise, I don't allow myself the food. I have been in the red once in 5 months and almost always overestimate the food and underestimate the exercise.

andrewajm

its all about getting started the obsessing does go away i was exactly the same and i struggled at first i never thought i could make this happen.i was going to bed and obsessing and waking up and obsessing ..the best advice i can give you and please do this for yourself is to try as hard as you can to eat foods that are fairly healthy at meal times and lerave yourself enough calories for a little junk at night..make sure you eat all your calories do not leave any behind thinking your doing better because you didnt eat all your calories your allowed it doesnt work for many reasons most importantly you have to eat to lose weight permanantly.if you go into starvation mode your body will just start to store fat...eat all your calories try to exercise a little if you can and eat the things you love in smaller amounts..binge once in a while maybe once or twice a month thats what i did and honestly im finding it easy now and ive stopped obsessing completely..its a mindset if you tell yourself you cant have stuff all the time it wont work..i eat snack chips 28 grams a bag almost nightly and a couple of cookies becayuse i have the calories to do it..i oreder pizza ands wings twice a month and go crazy lol..and i dont gain ..you cannot gain weight with a few splurges a month but you might retain some water for a few days that might appear like you have gained weight..it goes though ..you can do this just dont give up it takes a little time and as a life lesson its something you need to learn how to do for many other things in your life...good luck and god speed my friend..go gettem tiger!

KarenBorter

I try to plan my meals out in advance (the evening before or in the morning), that way I know that what I'm eating is okay. If you're going out, then try to look up nutrition info ahead of time, or at least make a plan based on where you're going. I think it's okay to obsess over this to a certain extent, because educating ourselves and becoming aware of exactly what we are eating in an important part of this process. Over time, you'll just *know* what the healthier options are, and you'll be able to fit things in without necessarily having to plan everything out or obsess/worry over it.

This ^^ that way you know. This takes planning. I usually plan my snacks the night before (to take to work) and my breakfast. Sometimes I can even figure my lunch out before hand. I think as you get used to it you won't be so overly cautious. ALSO this site is teaching you not only how to eat, it's teaching you to know what portions LOOK like (for instance I know what 4oz of chicken looks like now) and that will help you when you are eating out. It is also going to teach you how to read labels.

You'll do FINE! enjoy the ride ... it's very rewarding!

Certified_Femail

humm that is interesting.......i knew about shocking your matab that way is good but didnt think 2 days a week to not worry about it....seems to much. Maybe because i picture myself stuffing my face with a hamburger lmao.....lol o and lemon bars which i dream about all last night and hopefully not tonight. sheesh

allief

I obsess also. It is an ugly circle for me.

mrsbuzz

thanks that really helped

HealthyChanges2010

NOT thinking about what we eat every minute of the day is what got us fat. Right? So, call it obsessing or call it being mindful, either way, its a requirement for our new life style

Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods

I loved your response!!:flowerforyou: Very wisely put

So consider this a bump ....to hopefully help others that are in this exact spot the OP once was...

eengr86

I use the Iphone app. I treat it like a game. I don't consider it obsessing as much as a challenge. For me, this has taught me that I was loading up at breakfast. The other thing it taught me is desserts are packed with meaningless calories. If I stay away from anything with refined sugar, pasta, rice or potatoes it really helps with not being hungry. Also, for me, if I can make it 3 days without the previous listed foods, the cravings for them stop.