Will I ever stop thinking about food?!

marquel622
marquel622 Posts: 17 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
It hit me this morning, just now, as a matter of fact, that all I do is think about food...
A little back story, I have never been "fat". I've always thought I was "fat", I have always been on some sort of diet, deprivation plan, always striving to be thin. I gave birth to three children, the first 2 I only gain 24 lbs with each and the weight was off in 2 weeks. With my third I quick looking at the scale when it 200 lbs and I had a few weeks to go. After she was born I hovered around 175 for a while and then joined WW and got down to 147. That was 8 years ago. Since then my heaviest is 155, my lowest was 136. I settle in around that 147 mark for several months at time, then I will start creeping back up and get serious again and the cycle repeats. I am happy to say that I am a better, healthier person in recent years. I try to eat right, make good choices. I work out regularly, alternating running with some strength training and I am trying to incorporate more stretching to maintain my flexibility, after all I am not getting any younger.

But this morning, I realized, despite just having breakfast an hour ago, here I am thinking about lunch. Thinking about how many calories, how it is going to taste, if I will be satisfied. I stopped what I was doing and thought, what the hell man, all I do is think about food. Is this what it means to stay thin? Obsess and be miserable? I read articles, I read recipes, I talk to fit people, always seeking this nonexistent answer to the how to have my cake and eat it too. I don't want food and the desire to be thin to monopolize all my thoughts.

How do people stay fit, make good choices, stay motivated and focused without obsessing about food?
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Replies

  • Tiamo719
    Tiamo719 Posts: 256 Member
    It shouldn't be this hard, right? If you stop and think about it, it's only food. Why the obsession? Yet, we still obsess. Sometimes if I put a small altoid in my mouth, I forget about food.

    It's mind over matter. You need to learn who has control, you or your subconscious?
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
    hmmm I remember obsessing about food when I followed the advice to 'eat 3 meals with 2 snacks' daily.

    The regiment put food in the constant forefront of my mind because every few hours I was going to eat & it was incredibly stressful to figure out what to eat. Even though I am a bit of the 'A-Type' personality I have never obsessed about food or eating before.

    SO for me, I decided that the widely preached & practiced eating style was not for me. It was causing more stress & angst than helping. I went back to 3 meals a day & food went back to being a mere necessary fuel for my body instead of something I constantly had to think about.

    @OP - maybe try a different eating regiment? Or make small adjustments to the contents of what you are eating so that you stay satisfy longer?

    Maintaining I think often times is a bit trickier than just flat out losing. I'd just really encourage you not to be afraid to continually to tweak your meals & exercise to reinforce the good habits you've worked so hard to develop. Good luck!
  • maeld51
    maeld51 Posts: 3,415 Member
    You will always think about food, but the way you think about it will change.
    Just like I still think about smoking but know I will never smoke again;
    I will eat everyday, just not the unhealthy way I was eating before.
    I've been logging over 2 years, it does get easier!
  • forevermaryb
    forevermaryb Posts: 108 Member
    op, THANK YOU for putting into words exactly how I've been feeling. For almost 2 years, food is nearly all I think about. There certainly are other things that cross my mind, but I would say a vast majority of my internal musings are centered around food-or exercise so I can have more food. I started my weight loss process in January 2013 and reached my goal in May 2014 (65 pounds). I've been maintaining within a 3 pound range since (although I have seemed to hit a glitch in my process somewhere and have stayed at the top of the range without going back down). I feel GREAT. I've never been more physically fit in my life. I actually have come to enjoy exercising, which is something I could never say before in my 47 years. I love eating lots of fresh vegetables and lean meats and don't really enjoy processed food. I do love to eat out, but I limit it to 1 or 2 meals/week. However, I still obsess about food. I just finished my lunch and am already planning the next time I eat. I am planning on a salad with some lentils instead of my "old" snacks of cookies or ice cream and I am looking forward to it. But I am still thinking about it!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I'm in the exact same boat.
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Hear hear
  • MallieRose91
    MallieRose91 Posts: 159 Member
    I am a year and 2 months in. I went from 267, morbidly obese class 2, to 144 which is in healthy range for my height of 5'7. I still am wanting to lose another 10 or so pounds and then gain some muscle. I honestly know EXACTLY what you are talking about. My entire day is what am I going to eat, how many calories is it, is it going to satisfy me, what will it taste like, what time I will eat, and I literally plan my meals out for a week in advance. Yet, I still think about it all day unless I have something distracting me such as homework, my 4 year old, etc. I even created a new mfp profile with my goal weight and set it to maintaining weight just to see and get excited over the increase of calories I would be allowed a day. hahaha I really hope it isn't a life long thing!
  • funchords
    funchords Posts: 413 Member
    Not to be contrary, but all animals think about food all the time. Even modern western humans, most who live in food abundance, organize their daily, weekly, and yearly lives around food.

    I wouldn't obsess over obsessing about food. :) It is harder for us who are prone to put on weight and must work harder than others to keep it off. Some frequent awareness of that fact strikes me as simply normal.
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
    For me, the key is to find foods that fill you, rather than ones that make you more hungry. This is why I avoid sugar, breads, and other carb-heavy foods, and stick to fat and protein.

    I also eat less calories during the week (when my life is a little more regimented) and then eat pretty much whatever I want on the weekends.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    I wish I had an answer! I have the same problem. The only way I know that comes close is to stay busy, don't be idle or just sit in front of the TV in your spare time. Do things, read books, make sure your attention is well focused on something that isn't food.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited October 2014
    This content has been removed.
  • Deena_Bean
    Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
    My guess is yes, I'll always think about food. Now my thoughts are about what I should eat next...sort of have to have it to live, so I'm thinking it will always be a thought. Some people only think about what they want to eat - I think about what I need to eat.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    try thinking more about red wine.
  • QueenKristine7
    QueenKristine7 Posts: 25
    KANGOOJUMPS wrote: »
    try thinking more about red wine.

    I second the red wine!
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    obsessing about food can be a direct response to eating too little... check your calories, if you're trying to do too big a deficit then a smaller deficit may be the answer.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    gothchiq wrote: »
    I wish I had an answer! I have the same problem. The only way I know that comes close is to stay busy, don't be idle or just sit in front of the TV in your spare time. Do things, read books, make sure your attention is well focused on something that isn't food.

    Oh gosh I tried the book things last night. I think I read the same page 6 times because my mind kept going back to food.

    And sorry but I laughed at the 'it's a sign of eating too little'. Really not. It's a sign that I love eating.
  • ncfitbit
    ncfitbit Posts: 1,058 Member
    Hmm, I totally get this concern. For me though, when I am eating well and mindfully I find that the thoughts I have about food are much more welcome thoughts than my thoughts about food when my eating is not controlled. For example, "Ooh, driving by my favorite fast food. That sounds good. I think I'll stop since I haven't eaten lunch yet." or "what's the calling me from the pantry?". In other words, just thinking ahead isn't necessarily bad if it means you will stick to your plan. Actually, one thing that's helped with my planning/staying on plan this week is I've been trying to cook once and eat twice just for convenience sakes, but I''ve found that it has also reduced having to "think about" the meal the second day. I know what it's going to be and I know I will be satisfied and fine with it.
  • LeannJeffers
    LeannJeffers Posts: 486 Member
    Also in the same boat. Today I told myself "just for today i will not eat sweets" I have a terrible habit of grabbing a sweet snack after lunch and today I didn't. Small victory for me but I feel positive. Sometimes it's the little things that help!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    LeannJeffers wrote: »
    Also in the same boat. Today I told myself "just for today i will not eat sweets" I have a terrible habit of grabbing a sweet snack after lunch and today I didn't. Small victory for me but I feel positive. Sometimes it's the little things that help!

    Haha that's my personal battle too. My mom's phonecall saved me from it today.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I think a lot about food, but I love food, so it's not a problem.
  • wmcmurray61
    wmcmurray61 Posts: 192 Member
    Do you THINK about food all the time or are you really just hungry? If you are constantly hungry it may be that your deficit is too big. I think about food alot but not all the time. I distract myself with other things because it's too easy to get compulsive about food. I let myself have treats. They are built in. If you are feeling deprived of all your favorite foods then that may be causing you to think about it too much. Just some ideas.
  • mmerry5
    mmerry5 Posts: 69 Member
    edited October 2014
    I feel the same way. Been in maintenance for just over a year and I still think an awful lot about food. I think I just really like to eat. I especially like sweets and try to make sure I always work some in. I run and walk to earn more calories, and to be more healthy. I also try to save up some calories for the weekend, so that I can splurge a little then. There have been times (not recently) where I actually dream about food! I remember once or twice having a dream where in the dream, I actually knew that I was dreaming, and there's a plate full of goodies to sample and I swear I could taste them in my dream. It was awesome! LOL.

    I do think it gets a little easier and as someone else mentioned you change the way you think of food. I am thinking much more about how to make lower calorie but still delicious food. For the most part I eat what I want, just not as much or it might be made a little differently to save calories.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    AH I'm so happy you posted this. I think about food so much that I've been wondering if I have legitimate mental issues or some disordered thinking (but then I tell myself that I'm good about hitting my goals and will still stuff my face once in a while so it can't be anorexia... and don't worry, I'm a perfectly normal weight and my goal weight is in a healthy range for me)

    I need to stop thinking about food too... honestly though, the week that was easiest for me recently was when I was going out of town for training so I only had internet when I got home and I was pretty busy. I was only on MFP for maybe 15 mins a day... meanwhile I tend to have it on in the background at work all day everyday to track water and such. So I think MFP makes me think about food more than I would normally! Is that weird? I guess I am pretty active on the forums...

    How long do you spend on MFP everyday?
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    edited October 2014
    I think I must be odd.

    I love to eat but have never been obsessed with food or my body. I do find that automatically eating three meals a day plus a 9PM snack makes it something I think about but not something I obsess about. Just like I don't think about what I'm going to wear much or brushing my teeth. I choose things I enjoy eating and savor them, and move on.

    I don't have rules, but I don't really snack because I don't keep food at work and I'm not in the habit of snacking at home.

    I do think about cooking because I'm feeding other people - my family and sometimes my in-laws, visitors, etc. I love to cook and I cook very well. But I will often make cookies or a cake or something really fancy without doing more than just tasting it.

    Logging has definitely made me more calorie conscious though, and when people talk about food I will often say how many calories it is. Not something I ever would have done before I started here.
  • Basilin
    Basilin Posts: 360 Member
    edited October 2014
    I love thinking about food all the time. Why is there shame in that? :anguished: I think it's fun to figure out meals and see what's in them. I like reading books on how to bake bread, how to make your own yogurt and cheese, what makes a good batter, watch cooking shows and competitions, learn how to grow vegetables, maintain and herb garden, window shop at farmers markets, analyze foods at the grocery store, read social commentary of diet and cuisine, read recipes, chat with friends who are foodies, stalk other people's dairies here, and of course savor meals and try new foods! I find that most people I know don't concentrate on food as much as I would like to, haha.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    edited October 2014
    Treat this as opinion:

    It's possible that the issue is in some part hormonal in that as you lose more and more weight your hunger may naturally upregulate in an attempt to regain weight.

    It's also possible that there's an environmental component to this.

    It's also possible that it relates to your calorie and macronutrient intake and how those interact with satiety.

    It's also possible that it relates to your individual food selection and how that interacts with satiety.

    It's also possible that the continual micromanaging of calorie intake contributes to your continual thinking about calories.

    I'm probably leaving out other factors.

    I would take a guess that it is a combination of more than one of the above manifesting itself into continual thoughts about food.

    That's just my opinion though, and I'm just a random guy on the internet.
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
    Nothing wrong about thinking of food. Its what we do about it that counts. :D
  • apparations
    apparations Posts: 264 Member
    I never want to stop thinking about food. I love food!! But we have a complicated relationship :)
  • Kellyfitness128
    Kellyfitness128 Posts: 194 Member
    I've been obsessed with food ever since my eating disorder (that I've recovered from) when I was 16 (now 23). It consumes the majority of my thoughts.. even while I'm eating, I think about when I'm going to eat next. I'm glad I'm not alone! Yet, I've come to accept the fact that that's just the way I am- lol, I LOVE food. Hence, I'm majoring in nutrition with the intent on becoming a dietitian so I can focus on food all day long and it will be normal ;) I often wonder though if most people think about food like this or not. Maybe it is actually normal? I think most people love food :P
  • notyouraveragetalia
    notyouraveragetalia Posts: 223 Member
    I think that even if I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted, truly without concern for health or mental stability or vanity, I would still think about food a whole lot. So I guess I would rather be thinking about food in a way that nourished my body rather than a way that trashed my body.

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