Numbers & obsession

Saunz5

Hey!
Is anyone else obsessed with numbers like me? I can't figure out if it's a good or bad obsession. It keeps me on track usually. I try to perfect them to fit my 40/30/30. I've done really well for the past week or two! But it's also driving me crazy at the same time! Maybe I'm just crazy?

SideSteel

My personal opinion is that if you get to the point that you're obsessing over things that are tracking/intake related, then it's time to stop logging food entirely provided that you don't have a medical condition that would require intake tracking.

DontStopB_Leakin

My personal opinion is that if you get to the point that you're obsessing over things that are tracking/intake related, then it's time to stop logging food entirely provided that you don't have a medical condition that would require intake tracking.

^This.

Obsession is not healthy. Ever.

Chief_Rocka

It helps to consider how big of a difference obsession over the small things makes. The answer is: it makes no difference at all, so they're not worth worrying about.

Think about it his way, can you tell me *exactly* how many calories you burned today? If not, then there's really no point in trying to hit your calorie goal on the head.

Saunz5

The tracking helps keep me in line... When I don't track, I tend to over eat. I have difficulties listening to my body. It's easier said then done.

Saunz5

I rarely even hit my calorie goal anyway, I get close to it though! It's the macros that I obsess about. It's difficult to hit my calories with the foods I eat.

Sarauk2sf

One other thing to consider is that fats and proteins are a minimum - trying to get exact on all the macros will drive people crazy and is just not necessary.

Saunz5

I've gotten pretty good at it actually! My macros are set at 40/30/30 and over the past week or two I've hit it quite a few times!

Chief_Rocka

One other thing to consider is that fats and proteins are a minimum - trying to get exact on all the macros will drive people crazy and is just not necessary.

^This. Percentages aren't a good way to go set up macros anyway. Go to the setting your calories and macros sticky, and do it that way. Hit your minimums, and the rest of your calories can come from anywhere.

Sarauk2sf

I've gotten pretty good at it actually! My macros are set at 40/30/30 and over the past week or two I've hit it quite a few times!

Being looser on those will hopefully help you stop obsessing about them so much. It is so much less work to hit your calorie target if you are not trying to get your macros exact.

Saunz5

My calorie goal is 2000 and my macros are 40/30/30. I'm doing the stronglifts program. So far its been working!

Sarauk2sf

My calorie goal is 2000 and my macros are 40/30/30. I'm doing the stronglifts program. So far its been working!

It may be working but your OP indicated that trying to hit those percentages is challenging, so why try to hit them exactly when it is not necessary?

Saunz5

What's OP? And if I don't hit them, then what's the point of having them?

Saunz5

And it's not hitting them that's challenging really...it's just the fact that I obsess over the numbers....I have to perfect them by rearranging food (types and amounts) to get them that way. I am a vegan with celiac disease so I'm somewhat limited by food choices... I just get stressed out because I feel like I'm always in the kitchen and trying to get meals ready for the day. If I don't eat every few hours I get cranky, emotional, and anxious...My stress level shoots through the roof. This is what happened last night.

Chief_Rocka

What's OP? And if I don't hit them, then what's the point of having them?

^^exactly

SideSteel

And it's not hitting them that's challenging really...it's just the fact that I obsess over the numbers....I have to perfect them by rearranging food (types and amounts) to get them that way. I am a vegan with celiac disease so I'm somewhat limited by food choices... I just get stressed out because I feel like I'm always in the kitchen and trying to get meals ready for the day. If I don't eat every few hours I get cranky, emotional, and anxious...My stress level shoots through the roof. This is what happened last night.

I would stop all tracking for a couple of weeks.

Sarauk2sf

What's OP? And if I don't hit them, then what's the point of having them?

OP = original post (or original poster depending on the context). You have them to see what your minimum g are for fats and proteins.

However, if you are obsessing to much about them I would take SS's advice and stop tracking for a while.

Saunz5

Me not tracking would be counter-productive though... I am taking today off from tracking...That's the best I can do and I'll be lucky if I can be strong enough for this.

SideSteel

Me not tracking would be counter-productive though... I am taking today off from tracking...That's the best I can do and I'll be lucky if I can be strong enough for this.

It's clear to me that you have an obsession with tracking and therein lies the problem. You are indicating that you may not be strong enough to abstain from logging and this is a red flag to me.

I would suggest that you consider getting professional help, and I don't say this with any judgment towards you. Mental health is very important.

Saunz5

Yeah, I'm still working on that too...

Saunz5

When I said strong enough for this I meant that to mean not going overboard...eating too much. That's why I need to track. It's one extreme or the other if I don't track. I am recently out of an eating disorder of NOT eating...So I'm proud of myself for what I've done in the past month. DEFINITELY made lots of progress with an occasional slip of over-eating.