Do you guys stress about this as much as I do?

vikeschick42
vikeschick42 Posts: 28
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm gonna drive myself crazy over analyzing all of this. Anybody else do the same? I can't be the only one, can I? :)

I'm constantly thinking:
Am I eating enough?
Am I eating too little?
Am I eating the right things?
Am I working out enough?
Why isn't the weight coming off faster?
My bodybugg says I have a deficit of 750 calories a day (1.5 pounds a week). Why does the scale not match that?
I'm eating 1200-1400 calories a day, why am I only losing 1/2 pound a week some weeks?
Will TOM hurry up and get here/get over with so I can lose this water weight!!!
Can I take a day off and what will it do to my progress?
Am I eating too much sodium?
Will I ever get to my goal weight?

Ugh. Just venting I guess. But sometimes dieting is not only physically exhausting, but emotionally and mentally exhausting too. I'm not stressing about it to the point of panic or anything, but I do tend to think about all of this too much. I know I need to just trust the process, but it's hard, isn't it? Is anyone else in the same boat? Or am I the only OCD crazy person out there? haha

Replies

  • Diya13
    Diya13 Posts: 24
    I have the same problem with getting all OCD about this stuff. Try to relax, your body will adjust in its own way to your new lifestyle, and remember all these calculations are only estimates and weight will fluctuate from time to time. Friend me if you'd like some support! :-)
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,162 Member
    That is one problem, eating under 1500 is considered undereating so it doesn't do any good to your fat loss goals.
  • GabrielMaestas
    GabrielMaestas Posts: 88 Member
    Same boat....pretty common...it gets easier to manage in time...stay strong.
  • Tribix
    Tribix Posts: 12
    I can't say for sure, but the mentality of "being on a diet" may be part of what you are experiencing. I wonder if changing your outlook to be more aligned with a "lifestyle change" might bring you more peace. Lifestyle means you are in it for the long haul and you are doing all the right things so it will all pay off in the long run.
  • downtome
    downtome Posts: 529 Member
    Oh no, your not the only one! Everything you wrote, I do feel the same way. It can be so darn frustrating to be doing everything right and see nothing happening or only very little. I have lost 38 pounds in 11 weeks and now it's like nothing or barely anything. I have been struggling with losing these last 5 pounds...ughh! Everyday it's a question of what do I eat, how much, when will I lose, will I ever get to goal etc, etc,. Your right, it is VERY mentally exhausting and somedays I just want to forget about it all but I will keep going the best that I know how and hope that the efforts I have been putting in will eventually pay off! I do know what your feeling! Don't give up, just keep moving forward and we can all hope for the best. Here's to our success and motivation to keep going even when we get discouraged! Hugs
    Denise
  • Gogo76
    Gogo76 Posts: 581
    Hello, my name is Erin, and I am an OCD crazy person. :flowerforyou:
  • porcelain_doll
    porcelain_doll Posts: 1,005 Member
    It has taken 10 months of hard work to lose a measly 15 lbs. Frustration is one of the many feelings I go through on a regular basis!
  • StephieAmber
    StephieAmber Posts: 83
    I use to. It use to be things that worried me. But I found that it was because I wasn't fully embracing the lifestyle. Once I made the switch in my head to say "this is just how I live", those things didn't bother me on a constant basis.

    Now that's not to say when I go out to eat I'm not pouring over nutritional guides and eye bulging at the sodium and calorie content!! But I limit the times I go out, so I don't have to worry about it too much.

    I know I'm eating the right things. I know I'm working out enough. I know I'm losing weight the right and healthy way b/c of doing those other two things. Would I like it to come off faster? Heck yeah, who wouldn't. But y'know the nice thing about it coming off slower is that my body is getting a chance to readjust. I don't want to be a perfect weight and still have to hide behind clothes b/c my skin is gross.

    For me, I found that if I was questioning what I was doing, it was because I wasn't confident in the choices I was making. I didn't truly believe in my head and heart I was making the best choices for myself. And if I didn't believe it, then I worried about it. Once I gave myself over to trusting the choices I was making, the constant worry stopped..and let me tell you, the stress relief has been more than welcome.

    So trust and believe in what you're doing. If you're not, then re-evaluate and make decisions you can be confident in :)

    JM2C :)

    /hug
  • GinaJ2006
    GinaJ2006 Posts: 67
    Yes I was just feeling this way today. There is a lot of misinformation out there and it's hard to sort it out.
  • bobbidee
    bobbidee Posts: 1
    Oh my gosh, it's all I EVER think about. I get to the point where I want to scream. I am constantly thinking about what I should and shouldn't be eating; food is always on my mind. I calculate my BMI nearly every week and should theoretically be losing more weight. So I in turn stress about why I am not losing. It's a viscious cycle. I'm obsessed. It worries me too. So, no, don't think you're crazy. Your success is probably easily attributed to your OCD behaviors. --good luck girl, stay strong!!

    p.s. how do you like the BodyBugg-- my pops gave me a hand me down and I've never used it.
  • jewelzz
    jewelzz Posts: 326 Member
    OMGNESS!!!I didnt before but now I do
  • laurasimmons
    laurasimmons Posts: 575 Member
    I definitely feel the same way pretty much everyday!
  • pchann
    pchann Posts: 84
    We have been programmed throughout our lives that the word "diet" is somehow a bad word. A change of thinking helped me immensly. I'm not on a diet at all but there are many many foods that aren't in my diet. I crave the feeling good food does for my body and emotions. Discipline is a reward in itself. Get off the "diet", change to a healthier lifestyle, and your diet will follow because of the rewards.
  • eamartin
    eamartin Posts: 216 Member
    That is one problem, eating under 1500 is considered undereating so it doesn't do any good to your fat loss goals.

    1200 is considered minimal for women.
  • LBATL
    LBATL Posts: 76 Member
    I joined MFP last week and have noticed that I have become more obsessed than ever with weight loss since joining. I have been losing weight on my own since last year and have done it pretty much stress free until jumping on MFP. I just let my body lead the way . I eat when I'm hungry. When I'm hungry I eat until I'm my hunger is satisified and stop. I eat foods that make me feel good and full of energy. Tracking calories on here is driving me nuts plus I don't agree with the recommended 1300 cals a day MFP calculated. A dietician told me once I shouldn't go below 1500 calories to get to 150lbs and maintain it - so what gives MFP?! I've yet to hit a REAL plateau with my previous go with the flow mentality. Anyone else have this same experience with MFP? I'm wondering if it's worth it to keep logging and stressing...

    I feel most stressed out if my schedule is such that I have to eat out multiple times in a week. It's really annoying to have to strategically plan every meal to offset eating out. Even though it's annoying, I guess it's worth it in the end to see the weight continue to come off. Also the decision of whether or not to drink in social settings is a toughie for me. I don't want to waste calories on alcohol but also want to have a drink or two and have a good time. I just worry about feeling guilty in the morning if the scale goes up.
  • vikeschick42
    vikeschick42 Posts: 28
    Thanks guys for the responses so far. I think part of the problem is everyone keeps asking "how much have you lost"? It's like they expect me to say a bigger and bigger number each time. And when I only say 1 more pound they look at me like I'm secretly eating chocolate. I feel like I have to justify why I'm losing so slow. I don't want to starve myself or spend my evenings in the gym just to reach goal in 12 weeks. But it's all of the outside pressure that gets to me too. But I know I'll get there. This time around it really is more of a lifestyle change, than a diet. And maybe that's part of the frustration too. I'm losing slower than I normally do, but at least this time around I'm not so miserable and starving on 1200 a day.

    And to answer the question about if I like my bodybugg....yes I do. So far anyway. This is only day 9 or 10 for me though. But I love how when you download it to the computer it charts your spikes in calories/minute burned. So it's awesome to see the bars go higher during periods in the day when I was more active (as opposed to sitting at my desk). And it's REALLY cool to see the huge bump during my workouts. Keeps me motivated to keep on going. It also tracks my steps per day, which I love.
  • LBATL
    LBATL Posts: 76 Member
    Vikeschick - I tell people to stop asking! My parents are the worst offenders because they like to ask me every time I talk to them, which is almost everyday. I only tell them when I feel like it. When it comes to coworkers and stuff I'm more polite about it and remind them at "slow and steady wins the race"!

    I have also corrected people when they ask me about my "diet." I tell them I'm not dieting because I'm not. I'm just living differently now.
  • purplefreak60
    purplefreak60 Posts: 47 Member
    I can't say for sure, but the mentality of "being on a diet" may be part of what you are experiencing. I wonder if changing your outlook to be more aligned with a "lifestyle change" might bring you more peace. Lifestyle means you are in it for the long haul and you are doing all the right things so it will all pay off in the long run.

    I thinks that's a key statement! For those of us who've been on a 'million' diets in our lives, we know we have never really been successful and that is in our mindset. That is hovering in the back of your mind and making you crazy. Is this just # a million & ONE?

    This time I'm changing my lifestyle and its not just a word its REAL. I've incorporated exercise into my daily life and love it. I eat normal foods with portion control. I am finding new veggies and fruits that I love and adding them to my meals.

    Change your mindset, change your life. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
  • purplefreak60
    purplefreak60 Posts: 47 Member
    I can't say for sure, but the mentality of "being on a diet" may be part of what you are experiencing. I wonder if changing your outlook to be more aligned with a "lifestyle change" might bring you more peace. Lifestyle means you are in it for the long haul and you are doing all the right things so it will all pay off in the long run.

    I thinks that's a key statement! For those of us who've been on a 'million' diets in our lives, we know we have never really been successful and that is in our mindset. That is hovering in the back of your mind and making you crazy. Is this just # a million & ONE?

    This time I'm changing my lifestyle and its not just a word its REAL. I've incorporated exercise into my daily life and love it. I eat normal foods with portion control. I am finding new veggies and fruits that I love and adding them to my meals.

    Change your mindset, change your life. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    I'm not stressed about the whole process at all. This because I have put my trust in some basic principles which have always worked the last two times in my adult life where creeping weight gain needed to be addressed :

    1) maintain a reasonable calorie deficit
    2) eat healthy, nutritious food 90% of the time.
    3) exercise 2 - 3 times a week (for me that means weights and a bit of cardio) making sure to try and push myself a bit further each session
    4) keep well hydrated
    5) get plenty of rest
    6) give it time

    I guess a lot of this stress comes down to lack of knowledge and ultimately subconcious fear. If you can look at your situation rationally and apply some very basic scientific principles then fat loss becomes an enjoyable challenge rather than crushing burden.
  • swimz98
    swimz98 Posts: 9 Member
    I do too. I have only lost 4 pounds in 4 weeks! It is so frustrating....
  • misskimlilac
    misskimlilac Posts: 306 Member
    Right there with ya. I have all those things screaming through my head all day long. Just taking things one day at a time and when I see progress it reassures me that things are going as they should, it just takes time.
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