I Can't Eat

_granola

You can still enjoy food and keep to 1000 calories. My dad always says; "Eat breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Queen and Dinner like a peasant."

If you eat a big breakfast and drink water throughout the day (hot water makes you feel full longer) then you won't be as hungry, and you can still enjoy food. There are tons of low calorie and filling meals out there!

Stay strong and remember, this is for you. Food is fuel, but it should also be fun and yum.

No. Stop.

Akimajuktuq

She's a bariatric doctor that I was referred to by my primary care physician, so this is technically her specialty. It's just hard, because, she's basically saying, "Food is fuel, stop thinking of it as enjoyable."

Wow, she specializes in bariatric medicine and doesn't want you to enjoy food (did she say that?)? Something is wrong here. Try to get another opinion, if that is possible. Also, trust yourself. If she's giving advice like that I wouldn't be able to trust her as far as I could throw her. 1000 calories is not adequate for most people, but I don't know your situation.

I'm eating about 1550 calories right now because I am still over 200 pounds. I almost never reach my goal but I am always full. I eat healthy food, for the most part, that is high in fat/protein and low in carbs. I have LOTS of food satisfaction and strangely (actually not strange at all), that is what keeps me from over-eating. When I have low food satisfaction, I want to eat and eat and never feel full.

I think making food the enemy will backfire. Unfortunately, food is not something that we can just "quit" so it is useful to develop a postive relationship with healthy food.

Akimajuktuq

No, you're absolutely right. I think the problem is that, I love food. I've spent the past two years going down from over 320 lbs by eating healthy, limiting my portions, and learning to appreciate foods that are good for my body. I think I'm just frustrated, because I've done all this work, the progress completely stalled, and now I'm basically being told that I should choose a protein bar over egg whites and spinach.

I looked at her, and I was like, "I don't think I would enjoy a protein bar for dinner. Can't I have egg whites and veggies instead?" And she said, "That's your problem. It shouldn't matter what it is, as long as it's fueling your body."

I felt like an idiot. Like she was part of some superior, high-thinking race of people that wouldn't deign to suggest that eating scrambled egg whites might be more enjoyable than eating a protein bar.

Am I completely wrong here? Is this how skinny, healthy people think of food, as a means to an end? The whole experience has just made me completely doubt my ability to make proper choices, and I think that's where the distaste for food has come from. It's not so much that I dislike food, or even nutritious food, just that I'm scared that I am just completely missing the point.

Meh.

Who has convinced you that you cannot eat whole eggs? I don't know an animal in nature that finds an egg and only eats the white. We are animals (at least physically-not looking for a religious debate!) and we need healthy, whole food. And a doctor recommending protein bars? Dump her.

The fat phobia that has been so heavily promoted since the 1980s sure hasn't helped the obesity epidemic. You just might discover some reasons why that is if you investigate things (lots of research) and not just talk to your doctor about what you can and can't eat. She has her own opinions, and from what I can tell, they are NOT health-promoting opinions.

karmahunger

@Granola,

What do you mean "No. Stop". That's not even helpful.

Graelwyn75

My suggestion? Dump her, find some other form of support to deal with the emotional issues behind your eating and attitude towards eating, and work from there. Once you deal with the emotional issues, the rest will fall into place. Eating 1000 calories and being convinced by some ignorant bariatric doctor who recommends artificial food(protein bars) over natural foods (eggs and veggies) is a recipe for disaster and as you can already see, is messing around with your head. You honestly don't need it. Get onto a sensible diet again, everyone stalls, read about plateaus and the different ways of breaking them, persevere and turn this unhealthy mindset around before it totally takes over. Food is fuel, but it is also one of life's enjoyments when you do fuel up.

_granola

@Granola,

What do you mean "No. Stop". That's not even helpful.

Read the rest of the thread. 1,000 calories per day is not healthy, especially with the way OP is being told to think about food. We are trying to help, not give ways to continue disordered eating behaviors and thoughts.

karmahunger

Wtf, "Granola" her doctor told her to go on 1000 calories a day. I'm not encouraging disordered eating habits. Maybe stop taking your anger out on people on the internet, who didn't say anything wrong, and instead focus on the reason you're on this site

cmriverside

OP - You're not "missing something". She said something you don't understand because it WAS an odd thing to say. Next time you see her, ask her to elaborate...she may not have meant it the way it came out, and if you tell her how it made you feel, she may be able to explain it a bit better.

People enjoy food. Thin people do, and if I were told I had to eat a Protein bar - for any reason - I'd tell the person, "Uh, no thanks." If you like egg whites and spinach, eat egg whites and spinach.

I don't like salmon. I live in the Pacific NW, and everyone likes salmon. Except me. If someone told me I had to eat salmon, I wouldn't learn to love it. I wouldn't eat. It comes up at parties and such all the time, because it's a classic NW food. I've tried it, several different ways. I'm not going to suddenly love it.

_granola

Wtf, "Granola" her doctor told her to go on 1000 calories a day. I'm not encouraging disordered eating habits. Maybe stop taking your anger out on people on the internet, who didn't say anything wrong, and instead focus on the reason you're on this site

No one is angry. I just don't think you understand what "disordered eating habits" means. It doesn't just include eating low calories. It includes thoughts and behaviors that the OP is describing, and anyone, including a doctor, who is encouraging those behaviors is doing damage.

One of the reasons I'm on this site is to help women, like the OP, from believing they need to starve themselves, hate food, and hate themselves to be healthy and fit.

karmahunger

I have an ED, first of all, so don't go acting all holier-than-thou.

And I don't feel it's your place to say anything against a DOCTOR.

It still didn't make snese for you to say "no. stop" to me. You clearly just believe you're a wiser person and can be rude.

_granola

I have an ED, first of all, so don't go acting all holier-than-thou.

And I don't feel it's your place to say anything against a DOCTOR.

It still didn't make snese for you to say "no. stop" to me. You clearly just believe you're a wiser person and can be rude.

Thanks for sharing your opinion. Sorry you feel the need to be so hostile, but I disagree. And if the OP decides to come back and talk more about this, I will continue to help her see that she does not need to do what this doctor is telling her to do.

yoovie

Wtf, "Granola" her doctor told her to go on 1000 calories a day. I'm not encouraging disordered eating habits. Maybe stop taking your anger out on people on the internet, who didn't say anything wrong, and instead focus on the reason you're on this site

No one is angry. I just don't think you understand what "disordered eating habits" means. It doesn't just include eating low calories. It includes thoughts and behaviors that the OP is describing, and anyone, including a doctor, who is encouraging those behaviors is doing damage.

One of the reasons I'm on this site is to help women, like the OP, from believing they need to starve themselves, hate food, and hate themselves to be healthy and fit.

granola baby I love you so hard right now. Im glad you try to help. We need more people like you

karmahunger

...that is stupid on so many levels. just because someone can't eat a tonne in a day doesn't mean they will be torturing themselves or begin to hate food. the point is to learn to think about things OTHER than food.

but you know what's best, right?

_granola

...that is stupid on so many levels. just because someone can't eat a tonne in a day doesn't mean they will be torturing themselves or begin to hate food. the point is to learn to think about things OTHER than food.

but you know what's best, right?

The OP said since she has been eating so little she has become "anti-food." She has no appetite. She is afraid she is eating the wrong things. The doctor she is seeing is telling her she shouldn't eat eggs and veggies and fueling her thoughts and behaviors. She finds no pleasure in eating anymore.

Eating so little does not usually lead to sustainable weight loss. Science tells us that, not just me. It is recommended that a child, from ages 2-3 years old, eat 1,000 calories per day. Not a healthy adult woman. A child.

karmahunger

It depends on someones size, such as height. I am short, and can quite comfortably eat 1200 calories a day.

Whatever. This is turning into a dumb argument.

OP: Good luck.

urloved33

It is always a work in progress (that is what I have been told lol) I have a problem wanting to eat too. Think of one food that you love (for me its cereal) and when I have not eaten for a long time I will start with cereal to get me back feeling like I want to eat.

kenazfehu

My brother had some really wise words one time, and although to most it'll probably considered bad taste and tacky...but the point is still relevant.

He was trying a new frozen dinner while I was over there and I asked him how it was, he sat there for a moment as though he was deep in thought, and after a minute he looked at me and said, "It's not really that good." Right afterwards he took another big bite as though it was the best thing on the planet. The response and the action didn't match so I asked him, "If it's not that good, why are you still eating it?" His response was simply,"Because, even though it's not that good, it'll make you poop."

His point was, it's just food. Sometimes it's good, sometimes its bad, but the whole point of food is to eat it, digest it, get what fuel we can from it, and let it go.

OMG; there's another one! My son says a version of that all the time "it'll make a turd."

I can't relate to not wanting to eat except for when I'm very sick. In that case, I have ginger ale until I feel better.

Please be advised that losing weight is hard work and the body needs fuel to do that work. 1000 calories isn't a lot of calories to plan into a day, so have a little fun with it. Decide on how many meals per day and draw that many plates, then pencil in what will be on each plate. I'd put a fruit or a vegetable on each one. Do several days' worth along with research into nutrition.

I think that if you practice putting together appropriate meals and come to understand that this food will help you, not hurt you, your appetite may return.

And P.S. - I could only support the protein bar as a meal substitute if you've been in the habit of grabbing fast food because you have no time to prepare a proper meal. Better to carry a protein bar for such emergencies. But if you have the time - I'd go for the spinach and egg, but the whole egg, not only the whites.

Maybe the doc gets a kick-back from promoting protein bars.

And double-PS: I used to think I loved food, too, only to slowly come to the realization that I was barely tasting the food I was wolfing down.

tdhighfill

My brother had some really wise words one time, and although to most it'll probably considered bad taste and tacky...but the point is still relevant.

He was trying a new frozen dinner while I was over there and I asked him how it was, he sat there for a moment as though he was deep in thought, and after a minute he looked at me and said, "It's not really that good." Right afterwards he took another big bite as though it was the best thing on the planet. The response and the action didn't match so I asked him, "If it's not that good, why are you still eating it?" His response was simply,"Because, even though it's not that good, it'll make you poop."

His point was, it's just food. Sometimes it's good, sometimes its bad, but the whole point of food is to eat it, digest it, get what fuel we can from it, and let it go.

me thinks me likes your brother's thinking! thanks for the laugh and reality. :drinker:

lieselLalor

I definitely agree with seeing a therapist or counselor because you don't just want your physical body to be healthy but your mind should be healthy as well otherwise in the long run you might be right back at this point. In the meantime if you are having problems eating food you can still get calories by drinking them. That might be a little bit easier than actually forcing yourself to put food in your mouth and swallow it. There are tons of protein powders out there that you can just add to water and get 100calories per 8oz. of water. Just take it one day at a time. If you eat something that you enjoyed and you felt good after eating then try to eat that once a day and maybe eventually you will find a second food and a third. One step at a time.

PLUMSGRL

quick! get a better doctor!!!

Smarter Science of Slim, Jonathan Bailor...read it.

xxwhitetigressxx

get a new dr! protein bars are not healthy, stick with what u enjoy and just work out a little harder ull get over the level it may just take a little time!

MissSusieQ

I'm on the 'ask her for a referral to a counsellor' camp. i think that's helpful advice.

she's a bariatric doctor, i'm inclined to believe that she knows what she's talking about, but obviously her delivery is making you struggle.

the other thing i'd add is spend your calories the way you want to! if you want to eat eggs and spinnach, eat them! she's given you the box, what you fill it with is your choice

AmyFett

She's a bariatric doctor that I was referred to by my primary care physician, so this is technically her specialty. It's just hard, because, she's basically saying, "Food is fuel, stop thinking of it as enjoyable."

Well, it's true though. Food is fuel. You eat to live, not live to eat. You're going to have to eat or you'll have bigger issues in the long run.

beelikethebug

It does sound like you need a second opinion. Doctors/specialists look at things from all sorts of different theoretical backgrounds, and since there isn't necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss/disordered eating, you may want to look for a doctor whose approach reflects the way you want to live/eat. If you want to look at food as being more than fuel (which is how I look at it), then find a doctor with similar ideas as you. To me, there is absolutely no reason that appreciating food for all it has to offer (not just nutrition, but the social/sensory aspects to it) has to be in opposition to weight loss.