Obsessed with Food

HealthyNFit4Life

Hi everyone!! I am a binge eater, who has gone up and down in weight (significantly) for years. I think that myfitnesspal is a GREAT tool to help you stay on track and lose weight. However, it forces us to THINK about food, the numbers (weight, calories, etc.). I think my ultimate goal will be to eat healthy, have the right amount of servings for each food group, have moderate portions, and not binge!! There are ways to eat healthy without counting calories, but I'm nervous to do it because I'm scared to go over. For those of you who have issues with food, what do you think about myfitness pal, as it forces you to be more aware of food??

mccarol1956

I have had issues with eating all my life. I have battled anorexia and bulemia, and then I just started binge eating. Not a good way to live. I like being aware of what I put in my body, I like being held accountable for what I do eat. It does not always stop the binges but it slows them down and has actually changed the kinds of food I binge on. Yes, it makes me think about food all the time but in one form or another I have always done that.

So far this site is helping me tremendously. I think it will continue to help.

SnazzyTraveller

i was just thinking about this. actually i have been for a while now and somedays it drives me nuts with all the numbers... fibre, sugar, fat, carbs... i remember when i thought about more important things. i dont know what binge eating is defined as (e.g. X calories in X time) but sometimes i feel like im eating way too much and its "out of my control". why do u say youre a binge eater? how do u define it?

i have the same goal as u. maybe most people do who knows, but i really just want to eat proper portions and not worry about this number game.

HealthyNFit4Life

I don't know exactly how to definite binge eating, but I think it's more the "symptoms" that matter. For me, I will sometimes just eat and eat until I can't eat anymore. This is usually triggered by an emotion (stress, sadness, etc.) Sometimes I will eat like a gallon of ice cream while standing up lol. When I binge, I eat very fast and feel "out of control." I think thinking about the numbers can relate to people who are emotional eaters, who have an eating disorder, and just anyone who feels that they struggle with overeating.

Sometimes I think it is better to keep track of what you are eating, because you feel more in control, and are hopefully less likely to binge. But sometimes I think it's not so healthy to obsess over the numbers. I have a lot of friends who are thin, and they do not count calories. They eat what they want, when they want, eat normal portions, and try to make healthier food choices. I wish I was like that and want to be!

Feel free to add me for support

ayamagali

I think about this too! I feel MFP is helping me get healthy and hopefully over time it will be ingrained in me and I can stop obsessing. I'm a south beacher, which advocates not calorie counting, but then I was eating way too little. But I love the idea of not being tethered to all the stats.

mccarol1956

I don't know exactly how to definite binge eating, but I think it's more the "symptoms" that matter. For me, I will sometimes just eat and eat until I can't eat anymore. This is usually triggered by an emotion (stress, sadness, etc.) Sometimes I will eat like a gallon of ice cream while standing up lol. When I binge, I eat very fast and feel "out of control." I think thinking about the numbers can relate to people who are emotional eaters, who have an eating disorder, and just anyone who feels that they struggle with overeating.

Sometimes I think it is better to keep track of what you are eating, because you feel more in control, and are hopefully less likely to binge. But sometimes I think it's not so healthy to obsess over the numbers. I have a lot of friends who are thin, and they do not count calories. They eat what they want, when they want, eat normal portions, and try to make healthier food choices. I wish I was like that and want to be!

Feel free to add me for support

This would be you describing me! That is how I binge too.

lovedtorun

I love MFP because it does make me look at what I am eating... although I become obsessed with my calorie count and if I go over I feel ashamed of myself. It makes me feel like I am dieting and I want to be able to eat anything.. just in moderation. But when I see it in my food journal I panic if its unhealthy! I will either give up or eat way under my calorie count which isnt good either. For now I am just going to focus on healthy choices and not the calorie count. I am using the benefits of MFP friends to keep me motivated and on track! Good luck. I know you can do it!