Too Obsessed?

KristenRidl

Logging calories definitely made me uncomfortably obsessed. My thoughts seemed to consist only of calorie intake, food, what I would eat for my next meal, etc. I was finding it difficult to think of other things. My diet would become too restrictive, and this led to eating too much on several occasions. I have decided to STOP tracking calories all together. (And have stopped for about one month now.) I haven't noticed a decline in my weight loss, but I have noticed a better state of mind. As someone who has struggled with disordered eating, it is better for me to not worry about each calorie entering my body. I try to make healthy choices, eat appropriate portions, and workout 30 minutes/day. So far, so good. (And I still love logging into MFP.)

serenapitala

I am a little obsessed with logging as well, but I'm not super rigid. I'm (almost) always under my TDEE, but to varying degrees. On Christmas my family were less than supportive of my logging and when I break down everything in a dish because it isn't in the database people think I'm over the top. It doesn't really bug me. I also wear an armband calorie tracker. I'm down over fifty pounds. People can say what they want. MFP doesn't run my life, but it is a part of it. I'm sure there is a point at which it is too obsessive, but I don't know if you are there or not.

Sherbog

No...but perhapsn like cell phone respect you might want to be lower key and not attract attention or talk about it so much. Usually I wait untill no one is around to do my logging in.

StephCoff1969

My husband was saying it to me all the time at first.. I kept telling him it kept me focused and started showing him everything..
He then started asking me how many calories was in whatever he was eating... Ha.. I got him to sign up a week ago and he now comes home from work showing me his stats for the day... I call that a win, not an obsession...

Chikipiwi

I get that from some of my coworkers all the time... they swear they are concerned about me. Funny thing is, when I was eating all the bad foods they weren’t concerned at all... mmmm kind of makes you think????

MizSaz

When I first started, about a year ago, I tracked everything I put in my face down to the gram. No joke. And if it was something I couldn't track, I simply wouldn't eat it.

I was learning back then. I was becoming consciously aware of my eating habits so I could create healthier ones. For the first probably 3 months I was a calorie nazi. And in that time, I lost 20 pounds! Now that I've created that awareness and knowledge base for myself, I definitely HAVE dialed it back a little, mostly because I know that a cucumber will get me further than a serving of corn niblets, without having to look at it and see it in black and white, but I only know this because I've done my due diligence.

Don't sweat the commentary, unless of course, you find that you really are getting extreme. As long as you're living a healthy, balanced life, it's nobody's business but your own how you get there.

Colleen118

Logging everything keeps me on track. I don't think it is an obsession. "Obsession is the word the lazy use to describe the dedicated"

NICE! I like that quote!
It might be an obsession but it is a healthy one. IF they are complaining you are spending too much time on the app, then track and go, spend less time in the forums. If they are complaining about the minute it takes to log something, you have every right to defend yourself and tell them it keeps you aware and accountable to maintain what you have set as your goals and you are sorry it bothers them but it only takes a few seconds. If possible, log meals before you eat or go out with them. Plan what you will have and order just that, eat what you said you would. Then you don't have to take the time away from those friends.

My wuestion is though, are they jealous of your success and just too lazy to do anything to get healthy? I actually had an FB pal message me privately and asked me to stop posting my success statuses because I was putting her down and making her feel bad about herself because she CAN'T lose weight. I told her to remove me from her feeds or friends but that I won't stop sharing my success with my friends and family because I have a right to be proud and share those stories the same as I would when my daughter graduates high school....

koshkasmum

I don't know if I'd call it an obsession, but I am logging food and exercise as accurately as I can a minimum of twice a day. It takes all of 5 minutes. I do it for my health because everything I have read indicates that people who log what they eat have better weight loss success than those who don't.

I really don't understand why this would bother family and friends. Do other personal care activities like showering and brushing your teeth seem obsessive to them, I wonder? Perhaps there is something else at work here. Maybe having a good example of someone taking responsibility for their own health and well being is uncomfortable for them.

Thewatcher_66

Well...when I'm hanging out with friends or having dinner, almost everyone at the table will pull out their smart phones to check messages, send texts, etc. I take mine out to log what I've eaten. I only tell them what I'm doing if they ask me. I try not to throw anything in anyone's face. However, if someone asks me, I feel that is my obligation to tell them what I'm doing especially if they are living unhealthy lifestyles themselves. If I didn't, I guess it would make me a pretty lousy friend.

I will also add that I've been pretty successful in getting a few personal friends to sign up for it and they are also having success. As for the haters, as the old expression goes, "misery loves company."

slboling

Sometimes when you are focused on your goals then everything else is secondary. When friends/family are not a part of that goal they feel that you have focused away from them when that is not an intent.

Thewatcher_66

SlBoling, I think you nailed it.