Obsessed with food and diet!

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karahunts
karahunts Posts: 64 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hey guys,

I guess I just need some support/advice because I can't really talk about this with my friends/family.
When I started paying attention to my health I was already at a healthy weight, 18 years old about 121lb, 5'2'. But I was still unhappy with my body/diet because I was eating a lot of crappy foods!

Now I have been eating 1400 calories per day with regular exercise and went down to 115ish. however lately I just feel really stressed out with this. I want to maintain this weight and not lose more but I feel so horrible when I eat more than 1400 calories and I have been slacking in exercise. for the past week I have been eating around 1600 to even 1800 calories and the scale is just going up!

I just feel really overwhelmed because I am constantly counting calories and wont eat anything if I don't know how many calories it has. I am also very afraid of increasing calories to maintain because I feel like if I do, I will just gain the weight back.

I constantly think about this stuff all day and I feel awful!

Replies

  • danapenguin
    danapenguin Posts: 161
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    I am the same way. i have only lost 2 pounds so far though, but i iam constantly thinking about what I need to eat or when I should eat or what I should eat and exercising and what kind of exercising and all that crap! I annoy myself! I can't talk about it to anyone because they always roll their eyes at me and tell me I don't need to worry about my weight. I am 5'1" and 122lbs but my body fat % is 33%!!
    Its hard to talk to someone about this and ask for advice and stuff. It starts to take over your day, but it will be worth it in the end!
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
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    No advice but I understand the obsession. I've spent a fortune of books and Fitbit and BMF and spend hours looking at the forum. It's practically all I do in my spare time. I stopped for a while and put on weight again. It's so hard to find a happy medium.
  • kenzietate
    kenzietate Posts: 399 Member
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    Hey guys,

    I guess I just need some support/advice because I can't really talk about this with my friends/family.
    When I started paying attention to my health I was already at a healthy weight, 18 years old about 121lb, 5'2'. But I was still unhappy with my body/diet because I was eating a lot of crappy foods!

    Now I have been eating 1400 calories per day with regular exercise and went down to 115ish. however lately I just feel really stressed out with this. I want to maintain this weight and not lose more but I feel so horrible when I eat more than 1400 calories and I have been slacking in exercise. for the past week I have been eating around 1600 to even 1800 calories and the scale is just going up!

    I just feel really overwhelmed because I am constantly counting calories and won't eat anything if I don't know how many calories it has. I am also very afraid of increasing calories to maintain because I feel like if I do, I will just gain the weight back.

    I constantly think about this stuff all day and I feel awful!

    Someone once told me that to find their maintenance calories they added 100 cals a week until they stopped losing and then just stayed there. That might be easier for you to do rather than making a large jump. Plus it allows your body to adjust rather than being shocked by the added calories. Just make sure you stop when you stop losing and not when you start gaining. Good luck!
  • marygee1951
    marygee1951 Posts: 148 Member
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    Well, I can't give maintenance advice because I just started and have a long way to go, but what Kenzie says seems to make sense to me.

    But I can talk about being obsessed with food and diet. I feel the same way. I spend a lot of time on the boards, and reading books on weight loss, and planning my menus, and writing in my journal. I'd like to get out and walk or go visit friends, but can't now due to some physical health problems I have. I'm hoping that when I lose about 25-30 pounds more I'll be able to slowly add some activity.

    Pick up a good book, or do some crossword puzzles or soduko puzzles - or try a new recipe! Shake things up a bit. And there's nothing wrong with thinking about food - as long as you keep it positive - think about your success and how you can keep it going.

    Good luck to you. :flowerforyou:
  • emibrus1
    emibrus1 Posts: 59
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    Question - How often are you jumping on that scale?

    It'll drive you crazy, Lady! If you did the exact same thing/ate the exact same thing/thought the exact same thoughts for a week the odds on that scale will move (and it won't always be in your favor). It's just how your body makes tiny alterations every day. Most people recommend not getting on it at all and relying instead on measurements. But more often than not they check 1x every 2 weeks.

    The adding 100 calories a week is a great plan so far I've been told.
  • karahunts
    karahunts Posts: 64 Member
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    Ahh thanks a lot everyone! I am going overboard, especially with the scale (I won't even say how often I weigh myself :s ) but I'll try to relax a little. I will try adding in 100 calories at a time and be patient with the weighing. Thanks again guys, I'm glad I'm not the only one experiencing this but I will try not to get too carried away!
  • shano25
    shano25 Posts: 233 Member
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    The 100 calorie add-on is great advice. And pick the exercise back up. You've added calories and started exercising less so that could be making you think that it's all because of the extra calories you're eating. And don't forget that stress can make you hold on to weight.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
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    Keep in mind that your weight fluctuates naturally from day to day. Give yourself a 3-5 pound window and aim to stay within it instead of having a drop dead number that you have to stick to. If you go up a couple of pounds and stay there for more than a couple of weeks, you might want to cut back a little just to get back into the middle of your window again but otherwise you need to enjoy your life! Hide the scale or even better, if you have somplace like a gym that you can weigh yourself occasionally, get rid of the home scale and weigh yourself at the gym no more than once a week.

    If you continue to be obsessed you should seek professional help. Obsession with your weight can lead to more serious eating disorders.

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