Do you ever wonder if you're getting too obsessive about food?

42carrots · December 2014

I've been thinking about this lately because it's a complex issue for me, I've always been interested in food on many different levels - politically, ethically, socially, culturally, and also just really loving to eat food in general. I guess my diet would be categorized as pescatarian, I've been vegan and vegetarian in the past, but also eat fish from time to time in recent years. I was moderately overweight during my teen years and into my 20s despite being quite active and playing a lot of sports, there was always junk food around my house, and i didn't really learn how to make proper food choices until I learned myself over time when I got a bit older. I worked in a health food store while in university and learned a lot about healthy food choices, but I can't say I've ever in my post-childhood life been happy with my weight or body composition, even though for the past few years I've been at the upper or the mid-point of a healthy BMI value for my height, I don't feel content with myself.

I never really believed in counting calories as I thought it would be labourious and not effective, and at the back of my mind I probably also wondered if it would contribute to my vague food preoccupation/interest/obsession, however you would choose to classify it. Then I decided to give MFP a try about a month ago and am astonished at how effective it's been for me so far, not only in terms of losing weight, but giving me a sense of empowerment and control over my diet in a way that I never really have before. My goal was to lose 14 pounds, and after a month I'm down 6, and feel as though I can likely maintain this rate of loss without too much difficulty. I've never, ever been able to do this before. I do worry a little though (or at least wonder if I should worry?), that I'm spending too much time planning out meals and thinking about food choices and weight and diet throughout each day. Part of the reason I'm able to dedicate the time and energy right now is because I left my full-time job recently to return to school full-time, so I'm able to spend more time at home preparing food instead of getting whatever is available out on the go.

For the most part I'm feeling very positively about it all, but there's that nagging feeling sometimes that I'm turning a blind eye to how much head space I give it. The way I've been thinking about it is that getting to my goal weight is sort of a project, I've learned so much about making better, more balanced and measured food choices, and my thought process is that eventually it'll become more intuitive and I won't have to spend so much time planning and weighing foods and just generally thinking about food all the time. I'm also thinking it'll be easier when I'm able to raise my caloric intake to a maintenance level. Ultimately I feel really empowered, which feels good, but I also worry that perhaps I'm rationalizing and from an outsider perspective it may seem obsessive, so I don't really talk about it with anyone. I just thought it might be helpful to get some outside perspective and see if other people have had similar experiences, and what you found helpful or problematic.

middlehaitch · December 2014

Never had a problem obsessing over my calorie counting. I don't think you will once you have done it a bit longer and it becomes second nature to you.
You have already thought through what effects it may have on your personality, and that the planning sessions will get shorter the more you log.
You are just exploring a new methodology in depth, enjoy it.
Cheers, h.

EtreMieux · December 2014

Not sure I'm the right person to answer this, but it talks to me on a personal level. I've been on MFP many times (as in, I do it for a certain amount of time, maximum has been a whole year) but I always end up stopping for a while, and I don't think that's bad.

I'm not criticizing MFP - it works, very well. But just like 42carrots, I have experienced moments when I find that ALL I think about is 'what I'm going to eat next, how it fits within my daily allowance, if I want to eat that how much I'll have to exercise to keep within my allowance and if I'm 200 kcal over it isn't that bad, is it?' It just takes up too much of my time, although I recognize that's my own fault for thinking that way. Doesn't take away from the fact that it happens. My solution so far has been to focus on eating well and exercising regularly, and using MFP when I've fallen off the wagon to get back on tracks and getting my sense of proportions back on. This being said, I have never had more than 10kg to loose, and it's my own personal way of dealing with it, fitness isn't one-size fits all

Liftng4Lis · December 2014

THIS is why people take diet breaks.

spamarie · December 2014

I know what you mean. I also wonder if it's normal to think about food as much as I do!

But I don't see how else it's possible to lose weight without thinking about food a lot. Sure, you do develop healthy habits over time which becomes more automatic, but my eating was never particularly horrendous yet I still found myself 30 pounds overweight. It creeps up on you when you're not thinking about it. So I think about it. I keep a food diary and I prep food in advance for the week, which pretty much forces you to think about what you're going to eat.

Francl27 · December 2014

Well you said it yourself... you've always been interested in food. I think it's normal to think about it more when you restrict it. You pretty much have to, I mean, I've always loved food, but before, when I thought about food, I was just going to the fridge and have some, then I could think about something else... Now I can't do that so obviously I'll think about it for longer. So yeah, I think about food pretty much all the time.

47Jacqueline · December 2014

I don't obsess abouut food, but I read an article in the WSJ about people getting EDs from obsessing over specialty diets like Paleo, Vegan, etc.

pattyjoshockley · December 2014

I can really relate to the original post. I have had thoughts that my preoccupation with food and dieting was becoming a bit of a problem. I devote a lot of time planning out my meals, exercise and shopping. I read a lot about weight loss and nutrition as well as the latest diets. Food, exercise and dieting have become a HUGE part of my day. I have tried many of the diets out there, but have never been able to stick to a specific plan for the long term. They all work in the short term, but what can I stick with?

Knowing that my relationship with food was really messed up to begin with I have to give myself some room to reeducate myself and really focus on the issue. MFP has helped me to keep track of what I am choosing to eat and also gives some good feedback over time as to what is working for me. I am starting to get a handle on how much I need to eat and how much I actually burn. I don't fit perfectly into the charts and guidelines given. MFP requires honesty in your food tracking to yield accurate feedback which is why I spend so much time weighing and measuring food.

So, my conclusion is that I don't have an ED. I am kind of nerdy and enjoy all the numbers. I am learning better habits and more realistic expectations. I will probably spend a lot less time on my food once the healthier habits become second nature. It is getting easier as the choices that work for me are becoming automatic.

42carrots · December 2014

Thanks for your input everyone, I really appreciate it. I know food and nutrition is a very personal thing that affects everyone differently. I love how respectful and supportive this forum is, it makes a difference. Ultimately right at this point, I know I feel better physically, particularly in terms of things like mood and energy levels, which is very significant. One thing I neglected to mention was that I had always been under the impression before that calories from alcohol were "metabolized differently" and basically didn't matter, so I would drink pretty regularly as there is quite a bit of social drinking in my circle (lots of musician and artists types, that old cliche). So, probably a significant part of why I'm feeling better is that I'm drinking a lot less, which means fewer calories but also all the other health benefits that come with it. Even if I just have a couple drinks, I feel noticeably worse the next day than if I don't drink at all. I've never really considered my alcohol consumption to be problematic in a general sense, but nonetheless it's been a good lifestyle change to cut way back.

It seemed like a good idea to write this and solicit opinions to sort of "check myself" in a sense, so your input means a lot. You all made lots of good points, and I agree that (hopefully) the most likely scenario is that once I get more and more practiced with gauging portion sizes and being able to roughly remember and estimate caloric information, maintenance (when I get there) should be more intuitive and take up less of my day. And if there is back sliding, MFP can always be used a little more intensively or meticulously to regain ground.

vvvalentines · December 2014

I'm definitely more food-focused than most people, which I think is in some ways a cause of my being overweight (constantly seeking new recipes and having lots of different foods in the house,) in some ways a symptom (thinking about food all the time as The Enemy or something I need to "break up with,") and in some ways a potential "cure" (the same motivation to find new recipes and cook new things for myself makes it fun to find foods that fit in my diet.)

I used MFP religiously for a little less than a year and was pretty successful with it, but definitely got to a point where I was obsessing over the numbers, how much I could restrict, and constantly looking for ways to cut calories or tricks for feeling more full, etc. It's probably part of my nature to go overboard on personal projects. In any case, I took a few months "off" of dieting/calorie-counting. While I did gain back a little of the weight I'd lost, it helped me a lot to think about how my "relationship" with food has changed through MFP and through constantly thinking about food and nutrition. I won't ever be someone with a 1,000 day logging streak, but I think in the future I'll try to keep track of myself and my feelings better so I don't get to a point where I've overwhelmed myself with the numbers of weighing, measuring, tracking, and all the extra obsessions I put into it.

jgnatca · December 2014

I was diabetic type two for years, now in remission. I will eat like a diabetic the rest of my life. That means every meal, every snack is planned. It does take up a lot of head-space.

The day I started a medically supervised liquid diet, I got a huge migraine from not thinking about food. I mean, how much planning can you do with five meal replacement drinks and a half-cup of skim milk? I was so happy when those two weeks were over.

That being said, I think I am much more obsessive with my iPhone than I am about food. I use that obsession to my advantage. Log everything.

GlucernaBrand · December 2014

I really like your approach to managing diabetes, jgnatca. It sounds practical and something that works well for you. ~Lynn /Glucerna

Cortneyrenee04 · December 2014

I'm a lot like you and I also think of my weight loss as a project and even a hobby. I love learning about all aspects of it. I do have obsessive days where I tell myself I have to find something else to do or think about but they're not often.

hearthwood · December 2014

I think obsessing over food would spell weight gain. I never have, I get cravings for certain things every now and then, but that's it.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics · December 2014

I think for some people it's an issue and for others it isn't. I rarely take logging breaks and I've been calorie counting for nearly 4 years. It just doesn't bother me to do it. Honestly I find that it's a lot less stressful for me to pre-log food.

But I know others find that it makes them feel a lot more disordered and in that case I think there are some strategies that can be enacted to make food logging temporary. Things like eyeballing proper portion sizes, mindfulness toward getting a certain number of servings of vegetables and/or protein, and mindfulness of limiting servings of less nutrient dense foods, for example.

MoiAussi93 · December 2014

This is a real problem for some people. There is actually a mental disorder for people who become too obsessed with eating "healthy". I read this a few months back and send it to a couple of friends...it talked about this exact issue and I thought it was something important to keep in the back of my mind so I don't end up like this. [url/]http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/25/orthorexia-when-healthy-eating-becomes-an-obsession.html

I read about nutrition and have made a lot of diet modifications, but I try not to be obsessive. I don't weigh everything, and I do still eat out...partly for that reason...I don't want to get so obsessive I must live my life in a bubble and can't enjoy a meal at a restaurant or at a friend's home.

I think almost everything in life is the 80/20 rule. What you do most of the time determines your result. The occasional splurge is not going to hurt you...the key is to make sure the exceptions stay exceptions and don't become the new rule.

42carrots · December 2014

MoiAussi93 - that's a good point. I've still been eating out from time to time with friends and family, but I find it causes me juuust a little bit of stress if I do it more than once or twice a week because I can't accurately log what I've eaten. I think this will be a more temporary feeling until I reach my goal, also it being the holidays doesn't help. That being said, I don't let it stop me from enjoying meals in social situations, which I think is the most important part. I'm also at a point right now where my finances are more limited, so it's actually been a good thing in a few ways - I'd rather eat at home because it's easier to track, but it's also waaaay cheaper, so it's twofold, avoiding eating out ends up being healthier, more budget-friendly, if not a little more trending toward the anti-social side.

Thanks for the link to that article as well, I've heard about healthy eating food obsession in the past and I think that's definitely where my concerns lie, they probably just articulate it better! I actually started focusing more heavily on healthy eating in recent years because I'm the kind of person who has a sensitive system which includes various skin problems and random ailments, so most of my healthy eating fixations over the years have been in an effort to find out if I have food sensitivities that contribute to autoimmune issues and things like inflammation. Still have never really been able to find out if it's any particular foods, or maybe just luck of the draw genetically.

MoiAussi93 · December 2014

I have a little stress too when I eat out for the same reason...the huge amount of estimation that goes into logging it. But I just try to find something that looks close enough and move on. I don't let myself spend more than a few minutes trying to log it.

I think as long as it doesn't get in the way of us enjoying ourselves, we're doing fine. I understand exactly what you're feeling though and have some of the same thoughts.

krawhitham · December 2014

Yes, times a million. MFP way is exactly like a crash diet for me in the way that I could never, ever stay on MFP every day of my life for the rest of my life. I couldn't even follow logging/weighing foods for the majority of this year because of life.

Different things work for different people, no diet, nor MFP is a "one size fits all" to lose weight. We all have our own battles to fight and win in this regard.

meganjcallaghan · December 2014

i've gotten pretty obsessive for day to day logging and whatnot but whenever there's a potluck or something like that I will go whole "hog" and make me a giant food baby without worrying about it at all, so i seem to be able to turn the obsession off if i want to, for now...at least there's that

Mediocrates55 · December 2014

I do get obsessive, and am starting to fall into that cycle again. Had a sit down with my husband a few nights ago and gave him my login information so he could check on my diet. I was borderline anorexic from grade school thru high school. Some days the stress of the counting and the labels and the feeling of just having to put food in my mouth is almost too much. I'm doing my best to fight back positively and not allow the sneaky hate spiral to get too deep. It's almost like it's TOO MUCH control to have, by logging and watching everything. I'm trying though. One day at a time. Every day has the potential to be better than the day before. I want to be fit and strong and not define myself by the number on the scale (whether high or low).

Kevalicious99 · December 2014

Honestly .. MFP is the most obsessive place on the planet. That can be a very good or bad thing. I read about people saying "I am going to log for the rest of my life". I think my sister put it best ... "that is for dieters". I agree ... I have been in maintenance for 5 months and haven't logged a single calorie .. it can be done without being obsessive. The whole .. I need to log is more for people with food issues .. and that is not me.

42carrots · December 2014

Kevalicious - that's exactly what I thought, too. That MFP was for people who are overly obsessive and pedantic about exercise and food, without bothering to really learn anything about it I thought it seemed dumb, and like a huge waste of time. I thought I left my dismissive know-it-all days behind a decade ago for the most part, but signing up here has been yet another eye opener, I knew less than I thought about nutrition, and relatively speaking still know next to nothing about life in general I'm sure, haha.

AngelAura777 · December 2014

I am obsessed with food as well and I have had so many ups and downs with my weight! I work with it I think about it all day and I love to cook. I let it get me down for a while until I decided I wanted to use it in a positive way and study nutritional medicine. Hopefully I can learn how to look after my body more and help other people in the process.

42carrots · December 2014

Studying nutritional medicine sounds awesome! Good way to turn a potential weakness into a strength instead, best of luck.

BMK1986 · December 2014

I think the fact you're able to come on here, post that and self check is a good sign all in of itself. Coming from someone who has gone to the extreme of literal calorie counting obsession and is in a treatment program now fighting to get my life back on track, I still can't give it up so instead I'm learning to spin it in a positive. It can get out of control in some people if its allowed to, but its such a personal thing that what happens with one person is not necessarily how the next will react. I think your ability to talk publically about it on here is going to help if you ever do start sliding that way because people can call you on it before it gets out of control. That being said it doesn't go that way for everyone, and I hope for your sake it never does

NoelFigart1 · December 2014

Sometimes a bit. Simply due to hunger, I'm looking forward to and planning meals a great deal.

If I start making life-limiting choices based on food (refusing to travel, or socialize, for instance), I'll need to re-*kitten*. But right now, I feel like I need to accept my appetite is broken, and I've got to track to eat the right amount. At least, until I can get some device that would notify me when I need to eat and how much based on my metabolism or something. I don't think something like that exists yet.

cwolfman13 · December 2014

It depends...there are a ton of people here on MFP who are total head cases with this stuff and way over the top. There are tons of people who are afraid of going out to eat at a local restaurant because they don't know exactly how many calories are in X, Y, or Z. There are loads of people who are afraid to even hit their GOAL...it's like they don't know the definition of that word...so they way under-eat and become ultra fearful of food. There are tons of people who do all kinds of hand ringing if they go over their goal by a few calories. There are tons of people who flip the hell out because they have a little water retention that is showing up on the scale...but they think they did something wrong and need to cut more. There are tons of people who over exercise and don't take rest days because they're obsessed and think if they stop moving for one minute they're going to turn into a beached whale or something...

For me, this was simply a tool...I liken it to training wheels on a bike. I logged for a good 9 months and lost about 40 Lbs. I didn't worry about the occasional meal out at a restaurant or a holiday or special occasion here and there like so many do...I am and always will be a big picture kind of guy. I used this tool to help me learn, not just to get to some number on the scale...like I said, training wheels...so when I went into maintenance I stopped logging and have maintained going on 20 months now without logging.

It just depends on the person...I think this place can be horrible for a lot of people and I feel sad for a lot of people here.

jgnatca · December 2014

GlucernaBrand wrote: »

I really like your approach to managing diabetes, jgnatca. It sounds practical and something that works well for you. ~Lynn /Glucerna

Kind of ironic, isn't it, LynnGlucerna, when it was the Glucerna high protein that I learned to hate? LOL.

sheepotato · December 2014

I am a neurotic person so when I track I get really obsessive with it. I had to adapt to find ways to use it without overthinking it. I try to prelog for the day so I can track without worrying too much about it, but I do find that even when pre-logging sometimes I will swap out planned meals or snacks for more nutrient or calorie efficient options. After the first few months even though I was steadily losing on target I still worried I wasn't doing it efficiently enough. So even though I was experiencing success I knew I had to just stop for a while.

It was cathartic for me to take a break and try to maintain without logging. I had found that my obsessive quest to memorize the calorie content of foods I ate often and repeatedly weighing the same foods over a few months had helped me get a bit better at eyeballing. At maintenance I had way more calories in the day for margin of error, so that takes a lot of the pressure off. In doing so, an unexpected thing happened to me I started being able to just pay attention to my body's natural cues. I don't need to look at a clock or check the log to know when it's time for food anymore. It just feels like it's time and even though I do occasionally still weigh things out I will stop eating when I'm sated. It was an unexpected victory for me, but one that I am grateful for. It gives me confidence that I will be able to maintain when I am at my goal weight.

So for my mental health's sake, I have a long term plan where I have some months on where I restrict and track and then a break where I just focus on maintaining without logging but I make sure to get in cardio and strength training during that time so that I will be in better shape when I do eventually hit my goal.

Sometimes it's frustrating for me to put so much effort into being healthier but still be carrying extra weight when I know I could have been at my goal weight long ago if I had done it in one go. I just have to keep reminding myself that the weight loss is not my goal, improving my health is. Taking care of my mental health is part of that.

JoRocka · December 2014

It's a tool... so no- I don't obsess over it- because how I feel/look and function in my day to day life- slots nicely with how I manage my food so its' fine.

Do you ever wonder if you're getting too obsessive about food?

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