The line between healthy and not

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sjspada
sjspada Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm struggling with dancing the line between obsessive and dedicated. Where do you draw the line of "healthy" when it comes to exercise and calorie counting?

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  • kac7700
    kac7700 Posts: 125 Member
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    I understand what you're saying. I think it's okay to be obessive for a while, then it becomes a habit and you can be healthy without having to think about it so much!
  • Teemo
    Teemo Posts: 338
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    I'm struggling with dancing the line between obsessive and dedicated. Where do you draw the line of "healthy" when it comes to exercise and calorie counting?

    What are you doing that some might consider to be obsessive? Give examples.
  • jlsironen
    jlsironen Posts: 39 Member
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    It's tricky. You're not looking to starve yourself or totally deprive yourself. You should be in control but not deprived. If you get crazy and go overboard with your calories, just know it's not a huge deal every now and then. Know you must make it up with an extra workout to create balance. Eat the things you like, you'll go much farther, if you plan your day/week ahead of time there will be less cause to stress and obsess! I'm starting to learn that planning makes all the difference in the world. I put my food it at the beginning of the day or the night before and make sure my snackies are available so I don't ever have to wonder what I'm going to have.
    I don't know if this helped or not lol. Exercise....this is so individual. I have friends who are determined to work out every single day and that works for them. I know I need at least 3 times a week. If I do more than that I feel like superwoman, if I don't make it then I do feel guilty. Don't obsess, make your plans to do whatever workouts you can and just do them. you don't have to be dripping sweat and about to pass out to have had a good session. Do what's comfortable and the intensity will come, you don't have to enjoy it but it shouldn't hurt (well, the soreness can be tough!).
  • sjspada
    sjspada Posts: 6
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    What are you doing that some might consider to be obsessive? Give examples.

    I feel obsessed with counting calories. I'm one of those people who likes lists and numbers normally and this has been a quick fixation for me. Since I started I am disgusted by things I used to love (like the BJ's nachos which are a ridiculous 1710 calories, over 500 calories over my daily allotment before exercise).

    Another example is that I forgot to log a snack I had and ended up being around 200 calories over since I compensated with dinner. When I realized this, I was really upset and the thought plagued me.

    I don't know whether it's better to be a little over or a little under when it comes to counting these things because I know I can't measure EXACTLY how many calories are in what I eat (unless it's pre-portioned) or that I burn off exercising.

    I'm starting to feel like an exercise junky. My day is ruined if I don't do any sort of exercise. Ruined.
  • janesmith1
    janesmith1 Posts: 1,511 Member
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    You just have OCD, but this is like "good" OCD. I now consider myself a Calorie Nazi. It happens and it's probably GOOD to realize how many cals you eat and what you eat. For instance, a real shockeroo to me when I first started in January was that 1 nut is about 30 calories and if you eat 10 of them, it's like 300 cals!!!!

    Wow! As much as I love nuts, a handful is like calorie city!!!

    So, relax you'll be okay, I'm hoping I calm down from this is a few years when I get to the point of having lost all the weight I need to. It will take years....
  • improds
    improds Posts: 2
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    I'm not sure .. but I've learn over the time to do everything in moderation ... including diet and exercise. Used to run and push the iron, now I still go for run, but most of time just for quick walk and taking my dog along makes me kind of happier. With diet, I feel when I've got enough. This app is a great guide to tell you that your mind is actually right. I eat whatever I feel like but only up to the limit. So if I have big breakfast I know I won't have big dinner ... and so on. I'm not fat and I'm not thin, and I certainly could lose few extra kilos, but no rush. Once I used to do this, I don't overeat myself and I never go too much over. Just keep walk/run my 7 -10km a day, everything looks OK and most important I feel good.
    ... it's my opinion and I don't push anyone to agree or disagree.
    good luck
  • Teemo
    Teemo Posts: 338
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    Well, I'm probably not the best person to respond to this since I've been accused of being obsessive but as a general rule: unless it adversely impacts my life (i.e., my mental or physical health) I consider it fine. Taking your examples below:
    I feel obsessed with counting calories. I'm one of those people who likes lists and numbers normally and this has been a quick fixation for me. Since I started I am disgusted by things I used to love (like the BJ's nachos which are a ridiculous 1710 calories, over 500 calories over my daily allotment before exercise).

    I also love lists and numbers... and spreadsheets, lol. My exercise log is a work of art with colors and labels and comments and formulas. I actually enjoy making logs more than I enjoy the actual workouts (and I enjoy the workouts a lot!). That said, those nachos sound awful for you. I don't think that makes you obsessive so much as it makes you knowledgeable about what you're eating.
    Another example is that I forgot to log a snack I had and ended up being around 200 calories over since I compensated with dinner. When I realized this, I was really upset and the thought plagued me.

    I don't know whether it's better to be a little over or a little under when it comes to counting these things because I know I can't measure EXACTLY how many calories are in what I eat (unless it's pre-portioned) or that I burn off exercising.

    This one is a little bit closer call, the real question is how upset were you? I also find as the process goes on I tend to mellow out. It's easy to get caught panicking or obsessing when you're on day 3 of your diet... but when you're on day 751 you're more in tune with what you should be doing.
    I'm starting to feel like an exercise junky. My day is ruined if I don't do any sort of exercise. Ruined.

    I'm definitely the wrong person to ask about this one though. I'm in a gym of some sort 7-days a week. :laugh:
  • amycal
    amycal Posts: 646 Member
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    I can relate to SOME of what you're saying although I don't think I am OCD. I too miss it when I can't work out. Tuesday I actually wanted a rest day but I made myself go because the blizzard forecast. Now I am glad I did because I couldn't go due to snow yesterday so my only exercise was show shoveling and cleaning.

    As for calories - I try not to worry too much for a few reasons: sometimes things are wrong. There are a multitude of websites that will give you a variance of how many calories you should eat based on your activity, age etc. The database can have errors, you may have actually burned more calories than the hrm reflecfted etc. So if it is within 10% I figure it evens out. Now that doesn't mean I want to be 10% over every day, but I know some days I am estimating more than others but its okay once in awhile.

    Also stress leads to production of cortisol which is detrimental to health and weight loss. It increases the production of belly fat. And I need to lose belly fat so if I worry about missing my goals all the time I am being counterproductive. The exercise does help with stress but your body needs rest too so it's okay to miss a day now and then.

    Good luck!

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