When does it stop being 'watching what you eat' and become a

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  • Mookz0r
    Mookz0r Posts: 143
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    There are a lot of things that I don't like about myself that I can't change. This I can change. This is I can control. I can't change who I am on the inside, but I can certainly change who I am on the outside.

    I think this is actually the big telling point that says that you've crossed over to obsession.

    You're no longer talking about being healthy, you're talking about the hope of changing who you are through weight loss, about gaining control. You're also expressing the fact you feel that "who you are on the inside" is somehow lost, can't be changed, isn't likeable, but the outside, the superficial - the bit that actually doesn't matter as much - can be... and so you want to shape it into something that's socially acceptable, but not actually beneficial to you.

    Think about it.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
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    Hey everyone, there's something that has been bothering me and I wanted to get some opinions...

    When does watching what you eat become an obsession? Is there anyway to tell when you have crossed the line from being careful into being obsessed? I ask because I've been having a lot of arguments with a person in my life who thinks that I am too obsessed with counting calories and, for lack of a better word, dieting. I've only recently joined myfitnesspal, but prior to joining I lost 13kgs in about 3 months. Because I lost the weight so quickly there has been a fairly noticable change in how I look and the clothes I wear (I literally bought a whole new wardrobe because nothing I owned fit). This person is forever telling me that I should gain some weight, or at the very least stop trying to lose more. I am towards the bottom end of my healthy weight range, but I want to drop another ten kilos. Technically this would put me in the 'underweight' category, but my frame is quite small so I won't look too thin. This person is telling me that I am unhealthily obsessed and that I need to stop thinking about numbers. Admittedly I am forever thinking about numbers and calories, and today I worked out that I spend an average of two - three hours a day looking up nutritional information and researching diets, bmi's, calories... I love doing it, it's like a hobby for me. Does anyone else do stuff like that? Or am I just a weirdo obsessed with counting calories?

    Okies.

    There is a very fine line and it is one that many people cross and do not realise until they are woken up with something like a sledgehammer to their mental state that brings them back into reality.

    To be underweight can be as unhealthy as being overweight, it is strongly advised that you think back to the weight you wanted to achieve at the very beginning. Are you there yet or have you passed it? If so, why are you suddenly wanting to take thing further?

    Regarding all this weightloss business, perhaps you could study for a home course in nutrition or something, get a qualification and help others. You see, by studying something you thoroughly enjoy and projecting it all outwards for the benefit of others, you will no longer be focussing on yourself all the time and then you will, perhaps, finally find a balance. If you really do love researching and learning about all this, you would probably soak up all the knowledge to do with nutrition really quickly - who knows where it could end!!

    Obsession is a very dangerous thing, don't let it control you, because given half a chance it will take hold before you even know what is happening.

    Look after yourself, you only have that one body and it can do wonders if it is healthy xxx
  • MisdemeanorM
    MisdemeanorM Posts: 3,493 Member
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    About the doctor though... Recently (like, 2 or so weeks ago), my mum went to the doctor and spoke to him about losing weight. She asked him how many calories she should be eating every day... And he told her to eat 600. Seriously. He said that people get de-motivated when they don’t start losing straight away and so she should start on 600 and slowly build up to about 800 – 1000. Now, MFP says that the lowest you can eat is 1200 a day, and yet a medical professional is recommending that my mum eats half of that. What do you all make of that? For informational purposes... My mum has quite a high bmi and it is in the ‘overweight’ category. I don’t want to give her weights and measures away because I don’t think she’d appreciate that, lol.

    Yes and no. One one hand, how long is "slowly work up to 1200." Eating 600 for a week is not going to screw up her metabolism, in fact it would probably be a good shock, but doing it for a month could be worse than doing it at all.

    Also, if your mom has a rather unhealthy BMI and is used to eating say 3000 or even more cals a day, well, going to 1200 is already a big shock to her body and she will lose weight!

    I'd say I did not agree with this doctor's advise because of the REASON he gave. Do it to see fast results so you will stick with it. She needs to do it because she wants to and sees healthy, albeit slower, results that last!

    I dont know what sort of DR she saw. Sometimes GPs or those not specializing in weight and health (and heck, even some who do!) go off old or outdated or just popular methods and not necessarily what is best long term. Sad isn't it?

    Let me rephrase my suggestion - find a reputable and recommended doctor specializing in health and weight loss and talk to them. You could also talk to an eating disorder Dr. Not to diagnose yourself or say you have one, but they know the ins and outs, they can help you find a healthy medium or they can tell you you are spot on for your body type and your goal.
  • YeaILift
    YeaILift Posts: 580 Member
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    Personally, I think you should just build some muscle while trying to lower your body fat. You'll maintain your "healthy" weight limit but your body composition will be completely different.

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