guilty

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desirez131
desirez131 Posts: 72 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Whenever I eat I feel guilty. Doesn't matter if I have a salad, cereal, an hardboiled egg, or soup, or pizza. I regret it. In my mind I am constantly thinking, "What could I have done to make that an healtier choice?" If I know it was REALLY bad I will just skip dinner all together (my only real meal is lunch). I'm starting to wonder, is this normal behavior? Does anyone else experience this?

Please feel free to post your thoughts or your experiences!
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Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Whenever I eat I feel guilty. Doesn't matter if I have a salad, cereal, an hardboiled egg, or soup, or pizza. I regret it. In my mind I am constantly thinking, "What could I have done to make that an healtier choice?" If I know it was REALLY bad I will just skip dinner all together (my only real meal is lunch). I'm starting to wonder, is this normal behavior? Does anyone else experience this?

    Please feel free to post your thoughts or your experiences!

    I don't think this is normal and you might want to seek help regarding this, in case this turns into something worse.
  • LovelyLifter
    LovelyLifter Posts: 560 Member
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    Whenever I eat I feel guilty. Doesn't matter if I have a salad, cereal, an hardboiled egg, or soup, or pizza. I regret it. In my mind I am constantly thinking, "What could I have done to make that an healtier choice?" If I know it was REALLY bad I will just skip dinner all together (my only real meal is lunch). I'm starting to wonder, is this normal behavior? Does anyone else experience this?

    Please feel free to post your thoughts or your experiences!

    I don't think this is normal and you might want to seek help regarding this, in case this turns into something worse.

    ^^^^ this please.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    Agree with Steel and Lifter. Guilt is not a feeling you should associate with a salad or hard boiled egg, or really food in general.
  • sexikc
    sexikc Posts: 153 Member
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    Ma'am you shouldnt feel guilty about eating. Period. Maybe you you have been too induglent for 2 weeks straight or more, other than that. YOu shouldnt feel this everytime that you eat. This is not normal and not ok. I have never felt guilty for eating a candybar...much less a salad cereal or hard boiled egg. If you cant get this under control y talking to us...friends and family....talk to someone else and find the root..Food is good for you...you need the nutrients in food to live. Food is the friend not the enemy.
  • jordanreddick
    jordanreddick Posts: 197 Member
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    I can understand feeling guilty if you didn't make the right choices foodwise, but skipping meals all together because you ate a salad or feeling guilty because you ate negative calorie foods is not a good thing. This advice is coming from someone who is always below her calorie goal. Go see your doctor...
  • Jonahisout
    Jonahisout Posts: 31
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    This seems to be something that is pivotal in an eating disorder.
    Guilt can swing both ways, sometimes causing people to overeat, and at other times causing people to under eat.

    What every is causing you to eat less or eat more, you will need to find it out and get to the bottom of it.

    Also, remember that you need to LOVE yourself and that you also need food to continue living in this world and to enjoy your time here.

    Lastly, No one makes it out alive, the death rate is 100%. so just remember to enjoy your life and don't bother with living your life to meet other peoples standards, or even to satisfy your self-judgement.
  • ASH0424
    ASH0424 Posts: 49 Member
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    I also want to add this to what everyone else said to which I agree with.
    Read this, and I know you might not believe me, but it is true.

    You are beautiful INSIDE and OUT!!

    We are all here for various reasons, but each of us is beautiful.
    I just want to emotionally support you here.
    If you'd like add me.

    Ash
  • jonward85
    jonward85 Posts: 534 Member
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    Ma'am you shouldnt feel guilty about eating. Period. Maybe you you have been too induglent for 2 weeks straight or more, other than that. YOu shouldnt feel this everytime that you eat. This is not normal and not ok. I have never felt guilty for eating a candybar...much less a salad cereal or hard boiled egg. If you cant get this under control y talking to us...friends and family....talk to someone else and find the root..Food is good for you...you need the nutrients in food to live. Food is the friend not the enemy.

    I'm sorry...i read this and all i could think of was "Fish are friends..NOT Food!"

    Back to topic...I agree you shouldn't feel guilty to eat. Now if you just started this journey for a little while it might be natural, but as an everyday thing.....i think help might be in order if it continues/gets worse.
  • wens273
    wens273 Posts: 7
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    I think you maybe need to get some help with your views of food and eating, I work in psychiatry and this sounds like the start of something that could get out of hand it's maybe better to deal with it now before it does. You don't need to feel guilty whether it was healthy or it wasn't to eat what you did eat. What you do is merely a choice and the consequences are you eat within your goal or you don't. Guilt shouldnt come into it. But you have to believe that, it's not as simple as someone telling you it.

    Please talk to someonel about it maybe your GP. Or maybe start by searching the Internet for CBT related to eating disorders. I'm NOT saying you have an eating disorder by any stretch, but the thinking is in a similar vein and the methods to tackle it would also be the same. look after yourself.
    All the best
    Wx
  • LaurenLite
    LaurenLite Posts: 87
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    This is the beginning of an eating disorder. Please talk to your doctor so he can get you on the right track before it progresses. Feeling like you could have made a better choice is one thing (we allllll feel that sometimes) perhaps regretting a tremendous meal once in a while, but if you feel GUILTY after eating a salad or putting anything in your mouth, that is a sure sign that you're walking down a dangerous path. Food isn't a luxury, it is a necessity. I've lost two friends to EDs and I've seen that road in person. You have to want to make the change and you have to want to get rid of that guilty feeling, though.
  • Linda_Darlene
    Linda_Darlene Posts: 453 Member
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    Whenever I eat I feel guilty. Doesn't matter if I have a salad, cereal, an hardboiled egg, or soup, or pizza. I regret it. In my mind I am constantly thinking, "What could I have done to make that an healtier choice?" If I know it was REALLY bad I will just skip dinner all together (my only real meal is lunch). I'm starting to wonder, is this normal behavior? Does anyone else experience this?

    Please feel free to post your thoughts or your experiences!

    I don't think this is normal and you might want to seek help regarding this, in case this turns into something worse.

    This! Please.
  • Linda_Darlene
    Linda_Darlene Posts: 453 Member
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    This is the beginning of an eating disorder. Please talk to your doctor so he can get you on the right track before it progresses. Feeling like you could have made a better choice is one thing (we allllll feel that sometimes) perhaps regretting a tremendous meal once in a while, but if you feel GUILTY after eating a salad or putting anything in your mouth, that is a sure sign that you're walking down a dangerous path. Food isn't a luxury, it is a necessity. I've lost two friends to EDs and I've seen that road in person. You have to want to make the change and you have to want to get rid of that guilty feeling, though.

    This, too! :flowerforyou:
  • desirez131
    desirez131 Posts: 72 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I am just terrified to gain the weight back, the little that I have lost and I want to lose more. I know it's no excuse but as a fulltime worker/single mom I don't get as much exercise in, so I am constantly trying to figure a way to lessen the amount of food I eat. I'm making my salads lighter, eating 1 of something instead of 2. I've just noticed the looks & comments I get when I do share my eating habits with people.
  • sexikc
    sexikc Posts: 153 Member
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    I'm sorry...i read this and all i could think of was "Fish are friends..NOT Food!"

    Ok someone is super silly....lol But I am glad everyone if giving this young lady nice solid advice
  • jonward85
    jonward85 Posts: 534 Member
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    I'm sorry...i read this and all i could think of was "Fish are friends..NOT Food!"

    Ok someone is super silly....lol But I am glad everyone if giving this young lady nice solid advice

    You gotta laugh in life, otherwise there is no fun at all. Classic Van Wilder, "Don't take life to serious, you'll never make it out alive."
  • wens273
    wens273 Posts: 7
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    That's natural to worry when you've put time and effort into losing weight, it's not easy for any of us, but if you eat too little you retain water and you body goes into starvation mode. Then you think your gaining weight and it can easily spiral. It's so much more important to be happy in yourself. Pease get some help. I don't know how old your kid(s) are but is there some type of exercise you can do with them? walking even. It teaches them about benefits of exercise. And will help you. Exercise also helps mood. As does appropriate nutrition. It's harder to think straight if your brain is starved of vitamins etc!
    Try to concentrate on the things you do well, the things your good at, your goals in life - not just about food but about all things that have you looking forward, don't concentrate on what's been but what's going to be. Write these things down, write down good pieces of advice, things that make you laugh, things you like about yourself, things other people like about you. And when you are struggling or feeling guilty look at this and remind yourself what a wonderful person you no doubt really are. Our weight goes up and down but it shouldn't dictate to us how we feel about ourselves. As you build your confidence and self esteem you will feel more incontrol and less like food has control. But speak to your GP to direct you to some CBT. It doesn't have to be a psychologist a lot of counsellors are trained in CBT ( cognitive behavioural therapy) your GP should be able to direct you to someone who is trained. But the are also a lot of CBT based things on anxiety, self esteem etc on the Internet that might give you a start.
    Wx
  • nlwilliamson
    nlwilliamson Posts: 225 Member
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    It does sound like the beginning of a very unhealthy relationship with food. Obsessing over calories will not get you anywhere. I sometimes have a similar thing, if a meal is larger in calories than 400 I sometimes regret it, but not to the extent your feeling, I usually just tell myself to chill out and I'm over it but in your case (from what it sounds like) Please seek some professional help to make sure this doesn't get out of hand :)
    Best of luck xx
  • desirez131
    desirez131 Posts: 72 Member
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    That's natural to worry when you've put time and effort into losing weight, it's not easy for any of us, but if you eat too little you retain water and you body goes into starvation mode. Then you think your gaining weight and it can easily spiral. It's so much more important to be happy in yourself. Pease get some help. I don't know how old your kid(s) are but is there some type of exercise you can do with them? walking even. It teaches them about benefits of exercise. And will help you. Exercise also helps mood. As does appropriate nutrition. It's harder to think straight if your brain is starved of vitamins etc!
    Try to concentrate on the things you do well, the things your good at, your goals in life - not just about food but about all things that have you looking forward, don't concentrate on what's been but what's going to be. Write these things down, write down good pieces of advice, things that make you laugh, things you like about yourself, things other people like about you. And when you are struggling or feeling guilty look at this and remind yourself what a wonderful person you no doubt really are. Our weight goes up and down but it shouldn't dictate to us how we feel about ourselves. As you build your confidence and self esteem you will feel more incontrol and less like food has control. But speak to your GP to direct you to some CBT. It doesn't have to be a psychologist a lot of counsellors are trained in CBT ( cognitive behavioural therapy) your GP should be able to direct you to someone who is trained. But the are also a lot of CBT based things on anxiety, self esteem etc on the Internet that might give you a start.
    Wx

    I am taking a vitamin and on nice nights doing walks with him (he is 8 months). It's just very tiring sometimes. On another note, I am generally a happy person. I don't look at myself with hate, it's more so "can be improved". I am a bit of a perfectionist.
  • wens273
    wens273 Posts: 7
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    I am taking a vitamin and on nice nights doing walks with him (he is 8 months). It's just very tiring sometimes. On another note, I am generally a happy person. I don't look at myself with hate, it's more so "can be improved". I am a bit of a perfectionist.

    Maybe some work on loving your imperfections then ;-)
    There's NOTHING in life that's perfect, but pretty damned close is probably good enough?

    Walking sounds a good idea, It must be hard especially working with a young baby. And it'll get harder work pushing him as he gets heavier! Instant training program. Not to mention the chasing once he gets on his feet.

    Look after yourself
    Wx
  • strbryt
    strbryt Posts: 488 Member
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    Like the others I don't feel like it is a healthy behavior. Now in saying that I will also say that I know many people including myself who have lost a lot of weight gained some back and even just worked hard at losing it that either feel that guilt or over analize every morsel of food that we take in. I tend to not eat very much on Thursdays in fear that I won't be able to work it off by friday morning before my weigh in. I probably didn't help any I am sorry.

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