Anxiety triggered by dieting?

Beet_Girl
Beet_Girl Posts: 102
in Getting Started
I'm just getting started with this dieting thing. It's probably been a couple weeks since I started logging all my food and working out every day. However, ever since I've started, I've had such bad anxiety! I am diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, but it has been well under control these past few years. But watching what I eat is enough to put me on edge throughout my day.

I'm not sure what it is about this exactly that is triggering these feelings. I think it has something to do with having to pay attention to what I am eating. It used to be something I didn't think much about and therefore didn't worry much about.

Anyone else experienced this? How can I get over it? Obviously I can't just relax about eating and eat when/what I feel like, because then I will continue to gain weight.

Replies

  • corinneselene
    corinneselene Posts: 306 Member
    I can completely relate. There was a time when it started to almost take over my life hah, its all I thought about. That, I do have to say, is pretty unhealthy. I am not a medical doctor but I can only speak of my experience. Until I was able to let go of the anxiety just around food, my weight and general perception of myself was I able to take a more healthy approach to this website. Unfortunately, a program where you are 'forced' to log every single morsel has the potential to be triggering since it becomes somewhat ritualistic.

    These are some of the things I did to reduce some of the anxiety...
    1. Talk to someone: a friend, counselor, or just someone else on MFP
    2. I tried to have more fun with it by increasing the amount of friends I had and concentrating on the positive aspects of this journey
    3. Did things to help me relax, slow jogs, reading trashy books/watching trashy TV, yoga, breathing
    4. Walk away because its not worth it...GAD can kill your day, your week, your month. It doesnt mean you cant come back later but you need to take a moment to regroup

    If you wan to add me, you are more than welcome.
  • Sunbrooke
    Sunbrooke Posts: 632 Member
    I don't get full blown anxiety, but I got a sort of constant nervous energy. I couldn't sleep and I had very little appetite. I think some of it for me was the increase in adrenaline from working out, and some was the stress of starting a new thing and counting calories. Mine went away after about six weeks. Now I am able to relax, and eat and sleep normally.
  • moontyrant
    moontyrant Posts: 160 Member
    One of the things you can try is to create a loose plan of attack in the morning: oatmeal for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, pasta dish for dinner. Live your life as normal, then at the end of the day log everything you can remember. If you don't know exactly how many grams of noodles went into the pasta, guestimate. Don't sweat condiments, zero calorie drinks or spices. Acknowledge that some days you are going to eat more calories than your goal. That's okay, because some days you're going to eat under your goal. Take a break from logging every now and then. Schedule a day where you ignore MFP and eat some pizza. it's okay because you're coming back to it the next day. Try new things.
  • darkenedforest
    darkenedforest Posts: 3
    I can relate a lot. I have anxiety/social anxiety that can get very severe..I stopped going to therapy and stopped medications last year but I think I will be returning and attempt to keep up with it this time, because it's a struggle every day and I can't do it alone anymore. Luckily I didn't have any nasty side effects for the meds. Don't be afraid to seek help if you can. Good luck
  • BackInTheSaddle13
    BackInTheSaddle13 Posts: 47 Member
    I have pretty bad anxiety and panic attacks and I have learned to get them under control but here is just an idea of what you could be going through.

    I don't know how you are but I feel like if things are PERFECT they aren't right. Is it possible you're so focused on perfection with counting numbers that it's getting your anxious? I kind of went through something similar when I started really counting. If I saw any red numbers I would get all freaked out that I was not perfect that day. I took some time to get used to keeping it simple and not stressing. I still have moments. Just remind yourself that any healthy step is GREAT one! Some days are better than others AND you can do this!

    All the best!


    One thing I was going to add that helped me was having some super simple go tos, oatmeal, sandwich stuff, chicken breast, chopped veggies. That way when you need to eat something quick you know you have easy and healthy foods that won't cause you calorie counting stress.
  • sue_langley
    sue_langley Posts: 63 Member
    Yes it feels so stressful for a long while then as things become more routine you feel better and better

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