weight loss versus obsession?

BeautyFromPain
BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started my journey on MFP April of 2011. I was all fine and dandy, losing weight whilst changing bad habits, replacing them with new ones. Coolio!

I became so obsessed with calorie counting/macros, (after a year) that I decided to just use this website for support/motivation and not count calories. Just eating healthy and exercising? No problem.

I have started to become a bit OCD about food and weight loss. I never stop thinking about it. When my last meal was? When my next one is? What will I be having? How will it help me to achieve my goals? Have I lost any weight in the past day? When will I reach my GW by? I have even said no to going out with friends/family to lunch in case there isn't anything healthy where they are inviting me to.

I don't know how to change this thought process, but I am starting to scare myself..

When does it change over from weight loss to an obsession? And how far is too far?

Replies

  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    Between your username and your post title, I got nervous coming in here.

    It's definitely good that you can acknowledge there's something off/wrong/unhealthy about starting to see food as "numbers" instead of nutrition, or seeing weight loss--as you said it--as an obsession rather than a lifestyle.

    It looks like you're doing what I would recommend first: take a break from tracking and just focus on healthy eating and fitness.

    How LONG have you been doing this? (Just the "healthy eating and fitness" instead of tracking everything thing)?

    You'll be getting people in here throwing out the "ED" word, so I don't want to scream that. But I do also know that those sorts of running thoughts quickly spiral into it.

    If you need to talk, you can friend me, since I've been down that pretty awful road (and many have here)--but weight loss should be a lifestyle that's healthy, and that means mentally and emotionally too. Obsessions, in general, are usually unhealthy... particularly when it starts to become obsessive-compulsive.
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    Between your username and your post title, I got nervous coming in here.

    It's definitely good that you can acknowledge there's something off/wrong/unhealthy about starting to see food as "numbers" instead of nutrition, or seeing weight loss--as you said it--as an obsession rather than a lifestyle.

    It looks like you're doing what I would recommend first: take a break from tracking and just focus on healthy eating and fitness.

    How LONG have you been doing this? (Just the "healthy eating and fitness" instead of tracking everything thing)?

    You'll be getting people in here throwing out the "ED" word, so I don't want to scream that. But I do also know that those sorts of running thoughts quickly spiral into it.

    If you need to talk, you can friend me, since I've been down that pretty awful road (and many have here)--but weight loss should be a lifestyle that's healthy, and that means mentally and emotionally too. Obsessions, in general, are usually unhealthy... particularly when it starts to become obsessive-compulsive.

    My username has a completely different meaning from the song..
    (Before I started losing weight I was depressed and extremely suicidal, when I started exercising I was taken off the antidepressants and happier than ever- so therefore I believe I am more beautiful, on the inside and out.)

    I have not been tracking since middle of August- so just over a month..

    I think it could be because I hold pretty high expectations of myself. I used to be a dancer and I still feel the pressure of needing to be "perfect," and when I don't reach that I feel like I have let myself down..
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    bump
  • wannabeskinny27
    wannabeskinny27 Posts: 25 Member
    You're not alone I do the same obsess over every calorie and if i have gained a pound or lost a pound
  • goonas
    goonas Posts: 205
    Rather than think about your next meal, how about forward planning, plan out your meals a week in advance, so you know what you are having for the main meals, that way there is nothing to think about, no need to think each day about what to have for dinner etc.

    As for weighing yourself all the time, how about give your scales away to a friend? and go and weigh yourself over at their house, you won't want to intrude too often so that's your motivation to not get on the scales too often.

    You are looking great, and you seemed to have made a big difference in your life and not just with the actual numbers of weight loss.

    Do you feel like you may lose focus if you leave MFP? if that happens could you creep back to how you were?

    With what you've achieved there is no need to feel like you've "let yourself down"
  • alg121710
    alg121710 Posts: 16 Member
    I'm working on some of those issues as well and I'm reading some Geneen Roth books about compulsive eating. Worth checking out if you haven't already : )
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    Rather than think about your next meal, how about forward planning, plan out your meals a week in advance, so you know what you are having for the main meals, that way there is nothing to think about, no need to think each day about what to have for dinner etc.

    As for weighing yourself all the time, how about give your scales away to a friend? and go and weigh yourself over at their house, you won't want to intrude too often so that's your motivation to not get on the scales too often.

    You are looking great, and you seemed to have made a big difference in your life and not just with the actual numbers of weight loss.

    Do you feel like you may lose focus if you leave MFP? if that happens could you creep back to how you were?

    With what you've achieved there is no need to feel like you've "let yourself down"

    THAT'S the thing though.. I DO forward plan, all my meals for the week on the sunday but still doesn't stop me being OCD and a perfectionist about it.

    I think if I stopped on mfp I could stay with eating healthy and exercising whilst being fine imho, because I feel like I have made some good food habits (just not necessarily mental ones)
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    I dunno, maybe because I work in a Gym and I'm a fitness student this is just normal?
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
    That used to be me, but along the way somewhere I gave that up. I almost went too far in the other direction and am reeling myself back in. I think some of the 'obsession' has to remain to stick to this long term - well forever - becuase I have yo-yo'd the last 5 years until now... this time I want to keep the weight off, so some 'obsession' will have to be involved or why wouldn't I go back to my old ways? (ways that are creaping up on me recently)

    I think you need to find a healthy balance.

    good luck.
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    That used to be me, but along the way somewhere I gave that up. I almost went too far in the other direction and am reeling myself back in. I think some of the 'obsession' has to remain to stick to this long term - well forever - becuase I have yo-yo'd the last 5 years until now... this time I want to keep the weight off, so some 'obsession' will have to be involved or why wouldn't I go back to my old ways? (ways that are creaping up on me recently)

    I think you need to find a healthy balance.

    good luck.

    Sure, but how far is too far?
    And just what is a healthy balance?

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