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Obsessed

healthyandthin
healthyandthin Posts: 104 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I may not have an eating disorder but I may have a mental disorder...

I'm OBSESSED with eating right and losing weight, regardless if I am seeing results or not. I have to know the calories and ingredients of everything I eat. I have to make time for workout everyday or else I get extremely disappointed. I have to log everything on MFP right after a meal or workout, not to mention I probably spend 4 hours on the Internet reading forums on MFP or other weight loss articles.

It's quite an unhealthy obsession that's eating away studying or social time.

Does anyone else have this problem?

Replies

  • nurse_chris
    nurse_chris Posts: 189
    i am starting to get like what you described..... i dont know if its just being dedicated (thats how i like to think of it) or obsessive. After reading your post though, i think maybe the stress from stressing may be more detrimental to myself..... any ideas on how you are going to cope with this?
  • vwbug86
    vwbug86 Posts: 283 Member
    I've heard of this before actually. Here is an article that might help.

    http://180degreehealth.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-eating-disorders.html
  • vwbug86
    vwbug86 Posts: 283 Member
    Also found the Wiki article. It is called Orthorexia.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthorexia_nervosa
  • Erindipitous
    Erindipitous Posts: 1,234 Member
    I hate to say this, but I was definitely like that before I spiraled into an eating disorder that almost killed me.

    Just be careful, and be open to therapy if you feel it taking over your life. It'll save you.
  • smelmel
    smelmel Posts: 98 Member
    I sometimes get a bit obsessed too, the way I deal with it is I force myself to have a bad day , If I go out for dinner with friends and at least 1 rest day a week, if I don't do this I know that I will spiral out of control, not that I have ever had anorexia but I have read enough about it to see that once you start down that road it's extremley hard to turn back. try not to be too hard on yourself and remember if it's making you unhappy, guilty, relax it's not a race.:flowerforyou:
  • Shannoncore
    Shannoncore Posts: 135
    losing weight is an all the time thing. not a "when i feel like doing it". granted you need to find some other things to do with your time.
  • healthyandthin
    healthyandthin Posts: 104 Member
    i am starting to get like what you described..... i dont know if its just being dedicated (thats how i like to think of it) or obsessive. After reading your post though, i think maybe the stress from stressing may be more detrimental to myself..... any ideas on how you are going to cope with this?

    Definitely. The stress from stressing is mentally exhausting.
    To be honest, I couldn't take this obsessive lifestyle anymore so I decided to do something about it. I've been seeing a therapist for a month and I'm seeing a nutritionist this week. I don't like to discuss or reveal my weight loss problems to my friends or coworkers so it helps to have a professional outlet to talk about my thoughts and worries.
  • healthyandthin
    healthyandthin Posts: 104 Member
    Also found the Wiki article. It is called Orthorexia.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthorexia_nervosa

    Yes, orthorexia. I've had my run in with that during winter break when I tried to only eat 500 calories per day. I was only eating vegetables and fruits so they don't add up to a lot of calories. I have gotten a lot better since then, eating over 1200 calories per day.
  • ej_xo
    ej_xo Posts: 75
    Sweetie, all of this sounds extremely familiar.
    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE find your light, be the person you want to be and don't let your weight define you.

    I wouldn't want anyone to go through that kinda hell. I only know through experience; so continue seeing help, be sure to always eat enough and try to find the root-cause to all of this mental stress.

    Orthorexia and Anorexia are less about the food than they are about control and underlying issues, s work on finding those issues and then learn how to manage them in a healthy way. TRUST ME, and please feel free to ask me anything you want. I am always here for you.

    You are stronger than you think.

    ***ALSO, please read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/200808-struggling-slightly
  • jessicakaty
    jessicakaty Posts: 31
    Completely know how you feel. My days fly past me and I wonder where they've gone, because I sit there planning intakes and messing around with numbers/deciding what I can and can't have. Planning how to skip a meal or something. It's not healthy. I'm not personally ready to see someone yet, it is entirely physiological (I either overeat or eat hardly anything as you can see from my food diary) but there is also a huge desire to achieve skinny there, too.

    I think you need to step back, as hypocritical as this is, and think about what's more important to you: Being happy and free, or continuing an obsession? You could try learning how to lose weight more 'lightly' and less intensely, but it would definitely be difficult as it would for anyone who really wants to lose.
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