Is anyone getting obsessive?

dophilia
dophilia Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
All I've been thinking about is losing weight, exercising and watching what I eat.

I think most of yesterday was spent planning out an exercise routine, looking up new exercises, looking up books on diet and exercise and honestly some time spent feeling bad about eating. I am eating normally though and I'm not over-doing it with exercise.

I feels like it's getting excessive. Did anyone else get like this at the beginning of their weight loss journey or am I just being over overzealous?

Hope you all have a nice day!

Replies

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    I wouldn't call it obsessive. I need to preplan and prepare what I'm going to eat for the day, therefore it is. My exercise is already on a schedule so there isn't much to think about unless I decide I want to go on a bike ride.
  • xKR1PTONITEx
    xKR1PTONITEx Posts: 39
    Yeah i was pretty obsessed with my weight loss but it gotta say it helped me get to were i needed to be. I only felt bad about eating junk food. But the obsession kept my training and sticking to my diet year round.
  • cinds77
    cinds77 Posts: 18
    I went through a short phase like that at the start - but once the exercise and new diet became a habit and just a normal part of life, I got over it.

    I don't think it's a bad thing at the start if you're learning new things about diet and exercise, the more you know I think the better chance you have of developing a healthier lifestyle for the long term.
  • dophilia
    dophilia Posts: 4 Member
    I'd just like some peace of mind from it, y'know? I guess I should give it some time, see if I tone it down a bit. It's slightly irritating that it's on my mind 24/7.
  • GatorDeb1
    GatorDeb1 Posts: 245 Member
    "Getting" ? :wink:
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    It's normal to be that way at first!
  • TheSatinPumpkin
    TheSatinPumpkin Posts: 948 Member
    as above but now its part of my routine which is good.
  • dophilia
    dophilia Posts: 4 Member
    Yeah, it has settled down but I'm over-joyed because I've lost 2kg since Thursday! I'm amazed, I went on the scale expecting to be the same weight. So happy!
  • sho3girl
    sho3girl Posts: 10,799 Member
    i need to find the obssessive back
  • fwhittaker
    fwhittaker Posts: 104 Member
    Yep totally did that. Then lost the obsessiveness and instead couldn't be bothered. Then found a balance.
    I think the obsession at first was a good thing because it made me reset my brain and motivated me to make the changes I needed to. Don't worry about the obsession - I'm sure it is helping you at the moment and will calm down :0)
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    There nothing wrong with having a plan and finding new ways to improve on this plan.
  • mzbek24
    mzbek24 Posts: 436 Member
    In my opinion, it doesn't really matter if it is (Or you imagine it would look that way to others), as long as you're okay with it, it's not making you feel worse, and it gets you where you'd like to be in terms of your goals :)
    For me sometimes it's like me and my partner out to lunch: on phones logging our food on MFP, and I'll be logging mine to see if I can eat something else, but I won't go and get it just in case it won't fit. In my mind that's a little nutty but hey I've never lost this much weight in my life and I'm happy lol.
  • llUndecidedll
    llUndecidedll Posts: 724 Member
    No. I'm actually going back and forth between good days and bad days. Try as I may, I can't become obsessive about my weight... even though, I'm morbidly obese. I will try my best not to quit this time, though. I think I need something to help with my self-control. It's hard battling a decade's long depression while trying to lose half of your bodyweight, but I will try to not give up this time. Maybe being 'obsessive' is the way to success?
  • vismundcygnus27
    vismundcygnus27 Posts: 98 Member
    The first couple of times I tried losing weight, I was the same way. I have an addictive/obsessive personality, so it's very easy for me to fall into that pattern. That's why I was very leery about counting calories - I know I have a tendency to go overboard, and I've gone through periods where I had a quite unhealthy relationship with food.

    Thankfully, I've been able to stay pretty reasonable and level-headed this time around. You should probably be fine, and it's likely that you'll level out soon, but it wouldn't hurt to be mindful of it. If weight loss begins to cause you a lot of stress and anxiety, that's really not going to be helpful in the long run.
  • dophilia
    dophilia Posts: 4 Member
    The first couple of times I tried losing weight, I was the same way. I have an addictive/obsessive personality, so it's very easy for me to fall into that pattern. That's why I was very leery about counting calories - I know I have a tendency to go overboard, and I've gone through periods where I had a quite unhealthy relationship with food.

    Thankfully, I've been able to stay pretty reasonable and level-headed this time around. You should probably be fine, and it's likely that you'll level out soon, but it wouldn't hurt to be mindful of it. If weight loss begins to cause you a lot of stress and anxiety, that's really not going to be helpful in the long run.

    That sounds a lot like me, I had a very poor relationship with food when I was 15 and it took me 2 years to recover and then...well I smoked a lot of weed and had a lot of munches which is why I put on weight. No more of that!

    I just got a bit worried with the obsessiveness because it reminded me of how I was when I was 15.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I feel more obsessed with the idea of "being thinner' and get depressed since I don't seem getting anywhere near "being thin".
  • bcerk
    bcerk Posts: 41
    I was definitely obsessed for a long time. When I first started using MFP, I wasn't seeing the results I wanted. Whatever the issue may have been (inaccurate measurements of food, inaccurate exercise reduction, etc) i was not losing weight, or rather, not the amount I wanted to lose. I felt like I was losing my mind and was going crazy over anything I ate. If I went over my calorie goal, all hell broke loose!

    Finally, I decided to delete it because I didn't feel that it was healthy for my mind and soul. I decided to just eat healthy when I was hungry. I also started lifting heavy weights during my workout (routine is now cardio for 20 minutes and legs/arms, depending on the day). I was still not seeing results and instead was seeing the number on the scale go up :( I dont know if that was due to lifting weights, but it really took a toll on me and lead me to be sad for days...

    Starting two days ago, I redownloaded MFP. I am going to try and keep a level head about it this time and eat well and keep up with my exercise routine.

    I think it's all about balance and self control. I will give it a go again

    Good luck!
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    You're probably just as obsessive about food without MFP but you tend to not categorize those thoughts as unhealthy because they're comforting.

    "I need to make breakfast. What should I have?" *Stares in refrigerator for 5 minutes* "Oh, I'll have this and then I'll eat that later for lunch. "

    *Driving to work*
    "I should stop by Starbucks and get one of those pumpkin drinks. Should I get a muffin too? Yeah, I had a really small breakfast."

    *At work*
    "Someone brought donuts. Na I had a muffin. Looks like everyone is going out for lunch. Where should we go? They have a great lunch special at El Phoenix. I hope we go there. I love their fajitas and they have the best rice."


    You get the idea. I think you have the same thoughts about food either way. You just notice it more when you're checking what you're already naturally thinking about. Before you would just let it slide and go with the first idea in your head. Now you're making decisions instead of just coasting downstream without paddling.
  • JtKeil
    JtKeil Posts: 1,389 Member
    I spent most of yesterday browsing fitness blender videos, reading the MFP blog, checking WW and bbc goodfood for recipes, and well, you get the idea.

    I have this week's exercise routine all planned out and my food list as well. I'm quite happy doing this because spending so much time on my health and fitness has done me so much good. Being committed to this lifestyle does require time and effort, some people may find it excessive but in my opinion you can't put too much time towards your health...I have to live in this body so I may as well take care of it.

    Also, when I was nearly 300 lbs, I would purposely avoid everything to do with healthy living, fitness, diet and I was in denial about it all. Reading/planning everything out keeps me focused on what I want, and I enjoy it anyway.

    My advice to you is, if you are happy and it's working don't worry about it. It's only excessive/obsessive if it's taking away from important areas of your life or if you are unhappy with it. Everyone has an obsession of some kind, might as well makes yours fitness.

    Good luck to you :wink:
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
    Yeah i was pretty obsessed with my weight loss but it gotta say it helped me get to were i needed to be. I only felt bad about eating junk food. But the obsession kept my training and sticking to my diet year round.

    ^^ This and I possibly still am 4 years on. I love it, I love what I have learned and I have come so far! I would regard it now as a hobby, and no harm in picking up more of those as you get older!
  • SheGlows
    SheGlows Posts: 520 Member
    "If you don't have the mental capacity to be that obsessed about what you're trying to get... Then motherf*cker you won't never have it."

    -CT Fletcher
  • vismundcygnus27
    vismundcygnus27 Posts: 98 Member
    The first couple of times I tried losing weight, I was the same way. I have an addictive/obsessive personality, so it's very easy for me to fall into that pattern. That's why I was very leery about counting calories - I know I have a tendency to go overboard, and I've gone through periods where I had a quite unhealthy relationship with food.

    Thankfully, I've been able to stay pretty reasonable and level-headed this time around. You should probably be fine, and it's likely that you'll level out soon, but it wouldn't hurt to be mindful of it. If weight loss begins to cause you a lot of stress and anxiety, that's really not going to be helpful in the long run.

    That sounds a lot like me, I had a very poor relationship with food when I was 15 and it took me 2 years to recover and then...well I smoked a lot of weed and had a lot of munches which is why I put on weight. No more of that!

    I just got a bit worried with the obsessiveness because it reminded me of how I was when I was 15.

    Yeah, I felt the same way the first time I tried using MFP and tracking/planning things - I have a history of mood problems and anxiety, and the intensity with which I started tracking every bite of food that I ate worried me because it reminded me of old habits. I've been much better about it this time around - I've been diligent about watching my calories and such, but I'm much less neurotic about it than I was the first time I gave it a go.

    A little obsessiveness isn't a bad thing, but if you know that it could eventually slide into something worse, then a little self-awareness is key. Which is not to say that you should give up on trying to lose weight, but it's super important to try to keep a healthy relationship with food and exercise, not just for your physical health, but for your emotional health.
  • tinallen863
    tinallen863 Posts: 50 Member
    It may seem obsessive to others who are careless about what they put in their body or who stay thin without effort, but for me logging every bite and documenting exercise is the only way my weight is under control. So no matter what you call it, I choose to be in control of my body! :tongue:
  • george7527
    george7527 Posts: 267 Member
    Hi you are not alone iv been dieting/execising for the last 38 years and still doing the same and still not happy with the results can't seem to help myself even when people say I look good I take it all the wrong way as if iv gained weight ect

Categories