I don't enjoy eating anymore

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WhisperAnne
WhisperAnne Posts: 453
in Motivation and Support
I don't enjoy food anymore. I eat to stay alive, not for the actual pleasure of food. And I miss that. I do love food, but food has become "How many calories is this? should I eat it? will I gain weight?" and I get miserable and don't want to eat. I was craving my favorite snack, chocolate pretzels last week, went and bought a small bag, took a bite of one..and nothing. The joy I used to get from this snack was gone. I was truly disappointed. I had to give the bag of food to a friend because I no longer wanted them. Same with peanutbutter and jelly. My favorite food ever, and I I made a sandwich a few days ago took a bite. Nothing again. Sure it tasted good, but the old happiness I used to have from eating it was gone.

I do know I'm not happy at this point in my life, and I'm sure depression is tying in with my lack of joy with food. But besides that I just really resent food. Because no matter what I eat I cant enjoy it because I worry about calories. I freaking hate it and I want to cry. Who else has gone through this? advise?
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  • WhisperAnne
    WhisperAnne Posts: 453
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    I want to be able to eat and not worry about calories. I don't want to pig out, but I'd LOVE to not count calories anymore. But I don't want to gain weight either.
  • JustinAnimal
    JustinAnimal Posts: 1,335 Member
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    Been through it. Not to sound dramatic, but eating and drinking good foods / adult beverages is my wife and I reason for living. Almost serious on that one. Not to sound depressing, but you get used to it.

    Not sure how much weight you're trying to lose, but you start allowing yourself to have days where you don't care. I know that, when you try that now, but there will come a point when you truly say "Eff it!" and actually allow yourself to go back to those things. You just have to commit to a day where you know you aren't counting the calories and are trying to have fun.

    All I can say is hang in there. It'll get better and your healthy eating IS worth it. HANG IN THERE!
  • Slasher09
    Slasher09 Posts: 316 Member
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    I had that same sort of feeling when I had an eating disorder. I am not saying that you have one, but you could be heading towards a very bad relationship with food. I like to watch portion sizes and the like as well, but when I notice that my heart races a little bit when I put 11 baby carrots on my plate instead of 10, I have to take a step back. Sometimes having a "cheat day" helps me a lot. Sometimes it makes me anxious. From your pic you seem to be on the smaller side and it is obvious that you want to make healthy choices. There is nothing wrong with that. But just like peanut butter and chocolate pretzels, that need to always make good choices may also need to be in moderation. HTH
  • jfrankic
    jfrankic Posts: 747 Member
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    I strongly recommend that you invest the $19 and get this eBook. Then stop counting every calorie and use the diary for just general purposes. http://www.niashanks.com/sane-and-simple-nutrition-guide/

    OCD eating habits and the attitude about food that you are experiencing are not healthy. It's hard to break free from these, but you can do it. Read the book and DO the written exercise. It is a real eye opener. Baby steps, you'll get there.
  • MagicalLeopleurodon
    MagicalLeopleurodon Posts: 623 Member
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    I went through it when i was anorexic. Food would make me have a panic attack. Are your calories super low? I start to resent food when im looking at everything and going, "i cant have ANY of this!!!"
  • mfoster1019
    mfoster1019 Posts: 152 Member
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    I feel the same way a lot of times. I just recently told someone the other day that I no longer look forward to going out to eat because it's too much of a chore and complicated. All I think about is the calories in it and whether it will cause me to gain weight. For me, going out to eat should mean I get to go have what I want and be able to enjoy it. Not necessarily pig out and over do it, but to at least be able to order something that sounds really good. I don't want to have to go to a restaurant and only be able to order a salad or vegetables because that is the only thing that keeps me within my calories.

    Although counting calories keeps me sane because I know what I'm eating and how much, it also drives me insane because I am so worried about going over! You aren't alone!!

    I'm not sure I have any advice because I haven't been able to get over this myself.
  • WhisperAnne
    WhisperAnne Posts: 453
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    I went through it when i was anorexic. Food would make me have a panic attack. Are your calories super low? I start to resent food when im looking at everything and going, "i cant have ANY of this!!!"

    I always think that! no I eat 1300-1500 calories a day. I admit above 1300 I get upset but I know 1500 is okay.
  • pattycakes80
    pattycakes80 Posts: 118 Member
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    the only time i did not enjoy food was when i was severely depressed. and that was one of the key factors in assessing just how depressed i was. my favorite foods did nothing for me. i ate to live, shoving granola bars down my throat just to shut my stomach up. i was really sick, though. but that is a story for another time.

    while losing weight, i find that i have a different view of food. i am more responsible with my decisions, but let's face it: old favorites are still going to be delicious. i have avoided most fast foods as a rule, but i am 100% certain that mcdonalds french fries are still made of heaven and puppies and sunshine. there were times i pretend that i am above junk food, all high and mighty with my new-found control, but i slowly realized that i did not need to avoid junk food. that in moderation, i could change my entire relationship with food and begin to construct an appreciate for wicked desserts, but in moderation. i think that is the sign of health and progress. i will still have pizza once/week. just not the fries or wings that went with it.

    in short: assess your stress. make sure there are not any factors around you causing you to feel depressed. i don't think you are trying to state that you over eating poor foods. i can see you still wanted to treat yourself but it wasn't working. check yourself out and see what you find. :)
  • WhisperAnne
    WhisperAnne Posts: 453
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    I feel the same way a lot of times. I just recently told someone the other day that I no longer look forward to going out to eat because it's too much of a chore and complicated. All I think about is the calories in it and whether it will cause me to gain weight. For me, going out to eat should mean I get to go have what I want and be able to enjoy it. Not necessarily pig out and over do it, but to at least be able to order something that sounds really good. I don't want to have to go to a restaurant and only be able to order a salad or vegetables because that is the only thing that keeps me within my calories.

    Although counting calories keeps me sane because I know what I'm eating and how much, it also drives me insane because I am so worried about going over! You aren't alone!!

    I'm not sure I have any advice because I haven't been able to get over this myself.

    I could cry because you sound just like me.
  • SharonCMach
    SharonCMach Posts: 305 Member
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    I know how you feel. I restrict my calorie intake alot during the week just so I can eat decently on the weekend. However, I always feel bad about it on Monday and workout like crazy during the week to make up for it. It's really starting to stress me out. :frown:
  • WhisperAnne
    WhisperAnne Posts: 453
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    I want to be like my boyfriend who is skinny and never counts calories. I want to be like my aunt who is fab and fit who has told me she never counts. She just knows to eat healthy. How the hell do I overcome not being obsessive with counting and just eat good foods and know I don't have to worry about gaining weight?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    You are developing a very unhealthy relationship with food. My guess is that you don't really understand how any of this works from an actual scientific and mathematical standpoint...if you did, you would realize that you're not going to gain weight from eating a peanut butter sandwich or a chocolate covered pretzel.

    Honestly, you don't look like you have any weight to lose...I'd strongly suggest backing away from the food scale and calorie counting until you can get your head straight...seek out professional help if necessary. These kind of unhealthy relationships with food and disordered kind of thinking can quickly spiral into full blown ED if you're not careful.

    This is one of the many reasons I caution so many people I know personally about calorie counting. It can work very well, but you have to be able to maintain a healthy relationship with food. I don't log anymore and have maintained my weight for around 8 months...I just make good nutritional decisions 80-90% of the time and allow myself some good time 10-20% of the time, all while maintaining my fitness regimen. By the end of my losing I was really getting obsessive about everything and I just needed to back away...I've been doing just fine.
  • Gettinghealthysarah
    Gettinghealthysarah Posts: 25 Member
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    I want to be like my boyfriend who is skinny and never counts calories. I want to be like my aunt who is fab and fit who has told me she never counts. She just knows to eat healthy. How the hell do I overcome not being obsessive with counting and just eat good foods and know I don't have to worry about gaining weight?

    Check out the book 'have your cake and skinny jeans too'! It was life saving for me! I am still over weight but this past month has been such a relief following these principals!
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    I reached a point like this in my diet. I would actually cry in the driveway of my friend's house before a party because I knew there was delicious food inside. I actually broke into tears at a restaurant once because they were out of quinoa burgers. It wasn't a full blown eating disorder, but it was a miserable time.

    I dieted through a year with 4 weddings, and all the receptions, rehearsals, showers, etc. associated with them. There were a lot of parties and a lot of dinners and my weight was fluctuating up and down like mad for two months.

    My therapist wanted me to quit the diet entirely before things got any worse but I wasn't ready yet. I wanted to hit my goal, and I did a few months later (ticker shows weight to lose because I'm back for round two after the holidays). But I had to find a compromise.

    At the time I chose to accept slower weight loss, raise my calorie level (up to 1900 on workout days), and stop beating myself up after events. In the end, you have to decide what your priorities are. I'd recommend taking a diet break and eating to maintenance for a little while. Being miserable is not the way to do this. It's not worth it and you deserve better.
  • chopper_pilot
    chopper_pilot Posts: 191 Member
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    stop thinking about food so much. replace those thoughts with thoughts of something constructive. like... what are you doing with the new body you are creating?

    nothing?
  • WhisperAnne
    WhisperAnne Posts: 453
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    I'm not trying to lose weight by the way. I'm happy at my 125pounds. I just want to STAY this size, eat healthy and not count. Is that possible? is it possible that one day I can sit down like a normal person and eat say a cheeseburger and fries, without worrying abut calories?
  • bumblebreezy91
    bumblebreezy91 Posts: 520 Member
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    I feel the same way a lot of times. I just recently told someone the other day that I no longer look forward to going out to eat because it's too much of a chore and complicated. All I think about is the calories in it and whether it will cause me to gain weight. For me, going out to eat should mean I get to go have what I want and be able to enjoy it. Not necessarily pig out and over do it, but to at least be able to order something that sounds really good. I don't want to have to go to a restaurant and only be able to order a salad or vegetables because that is the only thing that keeps me within my calories.

    Although counting calories keeps me sane because I know what I'm eating and how much, it also drives me insane because I am so worried about going over! You aren't alone!!

    I'm not sure I have any advice because I haven't been able to get over this myself.

    I could cry because you sound just like me.

    This is exactly how it is for me, too. Both of you.
  • pattycakes80
    pattycakes80 Posts: 118 Member
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    stop thinking about food so much. replace those thoughts with thoughts of something constructive. like... what are you doing with the new body you are creating?

    nothing?

    i believe that is easier said than done. the more you try not to think about something, especially in the face of a disorder, the more you obsess.
  • WhisperAnne
    WhisperAnne Posts: 453
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    stop thinking about food so much. replace those thoughts with thoughts of something constructive. like... what are you doing with the new body you are creating?

    nothing?

    i believe that is easier said than done. the more you try not to think about something, especially in the face of a disorder, the more you obsess.

    I agree!
  • SharonCMach
    SharonCMach Posts: 305 Member
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    I'm not trying to lose weight by the way. I'm happy at my 125pounds. I just want to STAY this size, eat healthy and not count. Is that possible? is it possible that one day I can sit down like a normal person and eat say a cheeseburger and fries, without worrying abut calories?

    Again, I know how you feel. I think maintaining the weight is so much harder than losing it. You think "I worked so hard to lose it and I don't want to gain it all back." :sad: It's so frustrating!! You can eat a cheeseburger & fries like a normal person, but I don't think you/I will ever not worry about the calories. :cry:

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