When does it become obsession?

dharr264

Ive been losing weight, eating right, and exercising using MFP and C25K. I've been getting the ads for pedometers on my MFP and starting to get interested. I mentioned it to my bf and he said, "Huny, I'm proud of your progress, but I just dont want you to get obsessed with weight loss, calories, and exercise. I mean, you talk about it all the time." I thought on this quite a bit. Yes I do talk about it a lot. I need to get the "pat on the back" a little more than just myself to keep me going. However, am I getting obsessed? What will buying a fitbit or jawbone really do for me? I will be tracking my steps, sleep and eating habits on yet another site, another app. I thought that this could just be my "happy hobby" but I dont want to start getting crazy OCD on my wellness. Where is the line?

stephgas

it becomes an obsession when it interferes with you living your life. when you can't go out to eat with the family and enjoy it because all you do the entire time is eyeball and measure and count, it may be an issue. carefully following a diet we set for ourselves can be time consuming - the planning, the logging, etc. but when you find that planning/counting/logging/etc overtaking anything you used to enjoy, it's a problem. when you can't go on with your normal daily tasks because of your planning/counting/logging, it may be a problem. if you think it's becoming that bad, you may want to step away from logging for a bit or speak to a professional counselor/therapist who works with OCD/addiction/eating disorders (many counselors treat all three in similar ways).

having said all of that, i have a fitbit zip and have been challenging myself to move more and get more steps per day. it doesn't really interfere with anything i do all day. i don't focus on it or obsess over it - now. i track on mfp and try to plan out my meals each day, but i don't obsess over it - now. i used to. good luck

DjinnMarie

I would call it a hobby for you, rather than an obsession. I often like browsing for new equipment for my gym, or new routines etc. I don't see it as any different than browsing for shoes or a new dress.

WickedPineapple

I agree that it's more like a hobby at the moment. However, even a hobby can be obnoxious if that's all you ever talk about. I'd say go ahead and get your fitbit, just don't talk about it as much. You might want to find other like-minded people (like on here, that's what we're here for!) to share and discuss with. I'd still let your BF know when you make progress though, to keep him involved.

Francl27

For me it's a hobby. I agree that it's when it starts interfering with other things in your life that it starts to be a problem - not being able to eat out with friends/family because you don't want to be tempted with some food or you're really stressed out about not being able to estimate calories for example. You don't sound obsessed to me though. I don't have much going on in my life at the moment so I talk a lot about it too, but I don't think I'm obsessed about it either... I just don't necessarily have much else to talk about, lol.

maroonmango211

This is how my partner used to respond when I would start up a conversation about new exercise equipment or a new study I read, and probably in part I was getting a tad obsessed because it was new and I was excited about it. After a while I think I laid off talking about it AS often as well as I think he really started to see that it was indeed a passion of mine but it in no way hindered our family time or our obligations. He also has joined in on getting fit and eating healthy and enjoys talking about it much more now as well. Like others have said it should be seen as a hobby or something you are passionate about, with the benefit of you getting something really great out of it!

Melonpaul

My boyfriend said the same thing. We actually started losing together and he's already reached his ideal weight and I'm still working on mine. He did mention I am getting a little OCD about counting calories but it's not taking over my life, I was able to eat out two days in a row last week and stay within my deficit. He's never really counted calories before so he doesn't understand how it works but he's now understanding it works for me.

But if you want to buy a pedometers or another other device that will aid you in your journey and it's not going to break the bank or take away from your daily life I say go for it! This is a lifestyle change and that means that we need to make changes that will better ourselves. If you think it'll help then do it. Best of luck!

IrisFlute

I think there are two separate areas of discipline we take on when we start to lose weight. One discipline is the obvious one: eating less. The other discipline is not talking very much about it.

It's a tough slog, losing weight, no matter which approach you take. You think about it a lot. And the only other people interested in hearing about it are others who are engaged in the same struggle.

Think about it all you want, and log and plan to your heart's content -- but if you keep it out of your conversation (except when asked) then you're not obsessed and you won't come across as self-involved and boring.

workout_ninja

you tend to find people who are not into fitness and healthy eating call you obsessed. Ive been called obsessed about it. Yes I talk about it alot and I exercise daily and I measure everything, but I still have healthy relationships and can go out to eat. Some people who dont do it will simply do not understand it and therefore call you obsessed. Dont worry about it - we will tell you the truth - we are all in the same boat!