How to track without obsessing

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alliegator89
alliegator89 Posts: 42 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I feel like the body I want is impossible. I get very overwhelmed by all the diet and fitness advice out there. How do I choose the best, most effective plan? I am eating to lose 1 to .5 pounds a week. I work out 5-6 days a week with a mix of cardio and lifting. More cardio than lifting simply because I have yet to find a love for weight lifting. I am not weighing my food.

The biggest issue is that I was anorexic in high school. I don't know how to get in shape without starting to spiral down into an eating disorder. I can definitely stand to lose weight now... 6'2" at 207 pounds. I am scared to own a scale. I am also scared to own a food scale. I don't want to obsess over numbers, but I want to make sure I am on tract to lose weight. I get nervous that I am grossly underestimating how much food I am eating or how many calories I am burning. I also worry my workout plan won't make a dent. My husband says I am looking better, but I don't know if I believe that.

Replies

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    You should definitely get the food scale, bag the body one.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    Agree with Lis, if you need to buy a scale then opt for food over body for now. since you know your current weight, you can get a starting point for how many calories you should be able to consume. I like the links on my profile for estimating calorie needs (subtract 20% from the first 2 links, or health-calc also has a calculator to put in how much you should eat to lose x amount of weight - it's easy to use, just dials).

    That being said, it's all about being consistent. So, since you probably have a fair bit to lose (actually I have no idea waht a health weight range for your height is, so you might not have lots to lose), you might be able to get away with measurement logging for now. Once you get close to goal, that's really when accuracy will play the biggest role. But if you are consistent with how you measure, then you at least have a starting point to lower/increase from. Lower by 50-100 cals every month if you are not noticing changes in how you look and feel, and maybe once you get comfortable with logging you can consider weighing yourself for progress.

    Just remember that exercise is for fitness. So if you just focus on letting your diet do the weight loss work and focus on letting exercise help with your fitness level, energy levels, body composition, etc then you might have an easier time with this. So many people talk about how they aren't losing weight when they eat such and such a diet or eat 1200 cals and on top of that are working out like 20 hours a week. These are separate things that happen to help you out in related areas, but do not treat them as both being tools for weight loss.

    Actually, you might want to consider not working out aside from maybe light walks, nothing that makes you sweat. And just focus on monitoring how you eat. I remember in one of my classes a few years ago that anorexia can often be combined with over-exercising, so perhaps eliminating exercise for now could help.
  • Aemely
    Aemely Posts: 694 Member
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    It looks like you might not have a lot to lose based on the BMI calculator, just to get into a healthy range. In order to not overdo it, perhaps it would be safer for you to set MFP to lose .5 lbs. a week. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm

    I have never had an ED, but I'm not sure eliminating the scale altogether is a great idea. You could limit yourself to one weigh-in a month, at another location if necessary, to ensure you're not overdoing it. If you do count calories (and perhaps you should not given the previous advice, but... since you are here...), be sure to eat *all* of your recommended calories on MFP. If you eat the recommended calories *including* accounting for exercise, I would hope that would keep undereating in check.

    If in doubt, perhaps you could ask trusted buddy that doesn't have an ED for a little help, doing regular check-ins to make sure you are staying healthy? By the way, I'm currently on high normal weight looking to get closer to middle normal weight. I am happy to be where I am right now!

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  • galprincess
    galprincess Posts: 682 Member
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    This i can relate to i starved in early teens and binged and purged in early twenties, my advice is keep it simple eat foods you like i would recommend weighing portions not obsessively but so you get to know what a portion looks like. log accurately and make it fit that's all if you find yourself obsessing then take few days off and start again i did this a lot in first 6 months but now i don't obsess as its not matter of life or death its just being honest so you can get to where you want to be and logging is merely a tool to get there i weigh in randomly same time of day in same clothes so i know its accurate but no strict time scale sometimes i weigh weekly others monthly sometimes not for months.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    You don't need a food scale or a bathroom scale. You don't need pinpoint accuracy on your intake or workouts or your own weight. If you keep exercising and just eating less overall food or more overall low-cal food than previously, you WILL lose weight in time.

    Good luck!
  • missdibs1
    missdibs1 Posts: 1,092 Member
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    I don't know I am obsessed. K own a food scale. I use it. Even for strawberries. Since I have I've lost consistently and have no trouble keeping it off.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Maybe just use measurements and pictures to track your progress instead of a scale. Or share your concerns with your GP. I know mine wouldn't mind if I popped in once a month to use her scale if I didn't own one.

    Here's a link to help you visualize what a portion looks like. Not as accurate as a food scale, but then again, I've never used a food scale and I'm maintaining a large loss just fine.

    http://greennapkinnutrition.com/2013/02/honey-i-blew-up-the-plate/portions-2/

    One last thing to help you with your concerns about calorie goals...read this and all the links it references. Changed my life!

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242

    Edit: And keep lifting. It's the magic. :) If you really don't learn to love it, then at least find a bodyweight program that challenges you. The benefits of strength and resistance training are too many to ignore.

    One more thing re your statement about not getting the body you want. Are you comparing yourself to women like you (height, bone structure, etc.)? I may wish for slim hips and small thighs, but that's genetically impossible. Be realistic and aim for a healthy you!
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    Ive lost about a hundred pounds. I have 3 pieces of advice for people. 1) There's no 'the end' where youve reached your achievement and are done. You just end up doing more and being part of things you never thought you would. 2) Be consistent and you will see results. 3) Give it a good 60% effort, every day. That's maintainable over the long haul. 99% isn't. (for most people)
  • Cbestinme
    Cbestinme Posts: 397 Member
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    Mischievous_Rascal wrote: »
    One more thing re your statement about not getting the body you want. Are you comparing yourself to women like you (height, bone structure, etc.)? I may wish for slim hips and small thighs, but that's genetically impossible. Be realistic and aim for a healthy you!

    second the above comment, as someone who's always been bigger than peers, with the biggest thighs around. Would also second the advice you talk to your doctors-could it be that your weight and height are not really that far off from what you or they consider healthy? You mention anorexia in high school -is that something that is fully in the past or may recur-here your doctors may help? Some bodies are structured to be heavier, so if your physical, mental and emotional health are in good state, keep doing what you do, without any scales, especially if the scale may cause more problems for you (like anorexia etc). Your husband is giving you support but you don't seem to believe him, maybe a talk with a therapist can help sort out any potential other concern that leads you not to be happy with your body or believe your husband. Good luck!
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
    edited October 2016
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    yoovie wrote: »
    Ive lost about a hundred pounds. I have 3 pieces of advice for people. 1) There's no 'the end' where youve reached your achievement and are done. You just end up doing more and being part of things you never thought you would. 2) Be consistent and you will see results. 3) Give it a good 60% effort, every day. That's maintainable over the long haul. 99% isn't. (for most people)

    I like this post and this idea, doing things right most of the time. Lyle MacDonald talks about the 80% rule, that if you're doing the right thing that often, you end up winning. People get so all-or-nothing about this diet stuff, it's counter-productive.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    85Cardinals wrote: »
    yoovie wrote: »
    Ive lost about a hundred pounds. I have 3 pieces of advice for people. 1) There's no 'the end' where youve reached your achievement and are done. You just end up doing more and being part of things you never thought you would. 2) Be consistent and you will see results. 3) Give it a good 60% effort, every day. That's maintainable over the long haul. 99% isn't. (for most people)

    I like this post and this idea, doing things right most of the time. Lyle MacDonald talks about the 80% rule, that if you're doing the right thing that often, you end up winning. People get so all-or-nothing about this diet stuff, it's counter-productive.

    Yeah, Yoovie was cool. Been a while since I saw one of her posts. This is a 2 year zombie.
  • Cbestinme
    Cbestinme Posts: 397 Member
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    Yall are right this thread is apparently from 2 years ago!! Lol!!! Well I hope everyone is doing great!
  • ronjsteele1
    ronjsteele1 Posts: 1,064 Member
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    It's interesting that this thread popped up being that it's 2yrs old. Interesting because I'm actually starting to struggle with this issue of obsessing. I have a background similar to the OP's and have been away from an ED for 20+ years. But in some respects, the brain thoughts never really go away, they just fade. Now that I am having to lose weight I find myself struggling with the obsessiveness of the scale number, what I'm eating, how much I'm exercising, etc. It's taking A LOT of effort and talking with someone to work my way through this. Very frustrating to see some of this come to the surface again. :(
  • Cbestinme
    Cbestinme Posts: 397 Member
    edited October 2016
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    Maybe this thread found its way just for you :) glad to hear you are on a good path with talking to someone. Things can surface unexpectedly so good that you get all your support, resources and tools ready. Might it be easier for you to focus on the eating changes you are making, without using scales? It seems once you know how many calories you're allowed, you will lose weight so long as you keep to that number. Could that work for you, maybe plan meals, recipes etc when you have time so it doesn't seem too overwhelming? By the way please take anything I say with a grain of salt, I'm inexperienced and new to weight loss and eating disorders.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    To achieve a physique that is beyond the realms of the average person there is a requirement to be obsessed to some degree. However with a history of ED's it is crucial to be aware of when the line is crossed from ambitious to obsessed and disordered thinking.
  • Trish1c
    Trish1c Posts: 549 Member
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    I'm not sure how you track without become obsessed. I too had anorexia & all this logging made me a little nuts.

    I went on vacation at the beginning of October & stepped away (unplugged) while I was there. Eating & drinking whatever. It was the 1st time I was off MFP since restarting in July. It was helpful to take a break.

    I managed to only gain 1 pound despite my hard partying vacation ways. That helped me to understand that portion control & reducing my alcohol intake more than almost anything else, we help me take the weight off. It might not be for you.

    But I do advocate stepping away. When you see the old "bad habits" coming back acknowledge them for what they are -- unhealthy -- & change directions.

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