How to stop thinking about food?

nomorefatplease2

I feel like I'm obsessed with food. I think about it constantly, even if I'm not craving anything, I'm not hungry, and I don't have an urge to eat. Like, I think about what I'm going to eat way in advance. In the morning, I think about what I want for breakfast. After breakfast, I'm already thinking about what I want for lunch and dinner. And if there's a specific item of food I've been wanting, it keeps popping into my head all day. While I'm doing homework... "BAGEL." While I'm cleaning... "BAGEL." While I'm trying to focus on a lecture... "BAGEL." While I'm practicing piano... "BAGEL." While I'm eating a bagel. "BAGEL."

It's honestly annoying, and it's something that's always deeply troubled me. I've heard a lot of thin people say that the reason they're thin is that they just don't think about food. Sometimes they forget to eat. Eating is just something that they do, as routine as any bodily function. It makes me wonder if something is wrong with me. Is anyone else like this? What can I do to make it stop? I want food to stop being such a distraction.

magicretreat

You're not alone in feeling that way. I am the same way. You described it perfectly. I'm always thinking about food and what I'm going to eat. At work, I will take my first break, and have a snack, within 20 mins of returning to work, I'm already watching the clock for lunch time. I haven't found a way to destract myself from this issue either. I honestly don't understand people who forget to eat. Personally, I tend to be an emotional eater. I think I focus on food so much so I don't have to deal with other things going on. Eating makes me feel better and who doesn't want to feel better? (Until I'm done eating that is... ) if you want, feel free to friend me.

Cortneyrenee04

I'm the same way and I always thought there was/is something wrong about it. It used to be really bad because I wouldn't only think about food, I would WORRY about it in a way. I got in control of that, thankfully. Once I changed my diet and started planning my food, I was back to thinking about food all the time. (I have to have fresh, healthy food by my side at all times or I'll make bad choices.)

Anyway, when I find myself obsessing, I will read something, take a walk, or exercise to get my mind off food. I also try not to watch cooking shows or other things food related!

jimmy28

I've always thought about food too. I've caused a lot of hangups in my family over my obsession with it in the way they respond to me around meals and portions. It got really bad when my diabetes was out of control and I was on all the blood sugar medicines and I was starving all the time. I haven't stopped thinking about it and obsessing over it, but I have stopped a lot of my expression of it and bad habits. I know I learned it from my parents, I'm not blaming them. They learned it from theirs probably and so on. We do what we can.

One of my fears from starting back mfp was that it would put me back into the mode of having to act on my obsession. I have to measure it, plan it, organize it and focus on every morsel that goes in my mouth and I didn't want to have to think about it every day all day long. My rail thin sickly friend doesn't think about food and doesn't eat when he's stressed about something. He doesn't ever get hungry. I've been food obsessed since I was 6 or 7 and have always battled my weight, so I definitely think it has to do with how people are wired.

The busier I am and the more mental energy I'm expending the less time I have to get distracted by food. If your job or daily routine doesn't keep your mind busy enough, you might have to come up with something to focus on that doesn't involve food and redirect your mind to it everytime you find yourself thinking about food. I like to 'write stories' in my mind or plan trips or activities or focus on solving problems. I tell myself it helps a little since I'm planning my healthy meals early and make sure I have room to squeeze in something I'm craving like the one beer I've planned for today.

Not to be teachy, but obsessive thoughts are so hard to get rid of because they get reinforced eventually in whatever way. You build up tension on something thinking about it, and then something relieves it This could be what you wanted or a compromise. Either way you have a huge reinforcement and will increase your likelyhood to obsess on it. The only way is to break the cycle as best you can or direct it somewhere positive at least so it's not hurting you.

I'm there with ya.

lizzybathory

I've never succeeded in getting rid of my food thoughts, but I did succeed in distracting myself from them.

In the months before I got married, it wasn't my intention to go on a diet (because who has time for that) but I kept myself so busy with all the minute little details, I ended up accidentally down 5 pounds anyway.

Maybe picking up some new hobbies, and ones that are easy to think about during spare minutes at work or on the road, would help? It's fantasy football season, there's an idea... I do a ton of reading, and my reading sessions usually end up being at least a few solid hours where I'm in another world, not thinking about food.

thinnerrugger

I totally get what you are saying. Totally.

Before my sleeve surgery July 2014, I would think about food, but bad food. What bad food will I eat today? The last thing I was in the mood for was protein. It was all about the yogurts, and fruits and boxes of cereal, one in 4 days. It would be ordering Chinese food and not sharing the full size portion, eating it all myself.

I wouldn't count or measure. I even forgot some basic food values and how many carbs are in a certain staple of this lifestyle.

So, here's a positive twist.

There is a way when having food in the forefront of my mind works for me. If talking about my weight, a most horrific topic unless i'm losing) talking about food, measuring food, logging food and weighing in @ dr.'s office - being accountable - brings food to the forefront of my mind, that's a good thing. I need to take note and pay attention. Because I can't gain THIS weight back. Not THIS time. So, I'm going to use it as an advantage. If I want to succeed, I have to.

samuelsson

You. Me. Same page.

I think of it like this: I think about food (and my weight) frequently. Maybe even quasi-constantly. So what are my options? I can:

1) get mad // frustrated // disappointed at or in myself for having these thoughts
OR
2) acknowledge or observe that I am having these thoughts and not react emotionally or behaviorally to the thought

It's separating the thought-action connection. I can have a thought. But I don't have to JUDGE myself because of that thought, or act on it (i.e. "BAGEL" = EAT BAGEL), or have any emotional response to the thought whatsoever.

Am I a bad person because I think about food? No. Am I an unworthy person? No. Should I feel ASHAMED? Ahhh, this is the tough one, but the answer is no. I didn't consciously choose to have the thought. But I know that I have a troubled relationship with food and my body and eating in general, so I shouldn't be surprised to have lots of thoughts related to these areas.

I have come to realize: Having the thoughts isn't the problem. REACTING to the thoughts -- either telling myself I'm a bad person because I'm obsessed with food and weight and then beating myself up about it, which can trigger (no surprise here) emotion eating, or trying to deny the thought only to have it pop back up every few seconds -- is the problem.