Fine line between counting/logging and obsessing?

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  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited February 2015
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    amandarunning wrote: »
    Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated...

    Sorry, but this is absurd. Fits? Thinspo? whatever.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    lessismoreohio wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Lrdoflamancha wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    amandarunning wrote: »
    Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated...

    This is ridiculous.

    Ridiculous probably.... But it is also the truth...

    This is a bunch of fitspo garbage and it's insulting to people who actually develop obsessive attitudes towards their diet.


    Troll
    Who are you calling a troll? The person with the insipid quote? Or sidesteel?
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    amandarunning wrote: »
    I kind of like the quote but hey ho each to their own...

    Personally I've often been told, "you're obsessed" "you don't need to lose weight" or "you exercise too much" and frequently those feeling in a position to comment are simply deflecting their own (over) weight and (lack of) fitness issues.
    How do YOU know what THEY are thinking and feeling?
  • ryanhorn
    ryanhorn Posts: 355 Member
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    I think a true test of if you should change your habits boils down to is it affecting your relationships with others?

    If friends simply mention that you're obsessed and poke fun at it, that's one thing. If you're losing friends because you sit on your phone the whole meal and freak out about everything that you're putting in your mouth or if you are constantly talking about MyFitnessPal, it's time to reexamine your priorities.

    I was certainly there when I was losing weight, but after I saw it affecting some friendships, I realized no number on a scale to me is worth the relationships I form with people
  • Virkati
    Virkati Posts: 679 Member
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    Let others think what they want. What matters is what works for each of us as individuals. I'm doing exactly what I need to do in order to reach the goal I've set for myself. I have my doctor's permission, his support, and everyone else can go suck a toad. They don't matter. Their opinion is of no consequence. They aren't living my life, in my body, with everything that goes right or wrong with this body based on the food choices made in the past and in the present.

    Don't worry about the words used by others to describe what they think they see, and what they think they understand. It's your life and your body. Do what is best for you and tell them to suck a toad!
  • cotewalter
    cotewalter Posts: 111 Member
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    As others have said, I'd rather obsess about it then be unhealthy again. It's what works. People think obsessing is a bad thing in all circumstances. Keep doing what works!
  • amandarunning
    amandarunning Posts: 306 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    amandarunning wrote: »
    I kind of like the quote but hey ho each to their own...

    Personally I've often been told, "you're obsessed" "you don't need to lose weight" or "you exercise too much" and frequently those feeling in a position to comment are simply deflecting their own (over) weight and (lack of) fitness issues.
    How do YOU know what THEY are thinking and feeling?

    Wow...just wow.

    Edit - just has to google thinspo....seriously wow!
  • yhealthy2000
    yhealthy2000 Posts: 111 Member
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    In the beginning, logging seems tedious and overwhelming. Logging consistently, like you are doing, is best. People may think you are being obsessive, but will soon know you are serious about your health! They may get curious and want to follow you:) Logging does become second nature. Remember to enjoy a meal you do love once a week. And log it!! If you go over, balance out your meal next day. It's been great for me! I've been logging for a little over a year now!! One more thing: life is too short...enjoy this process!! Best to you!!
  • gurlyang
    gurlyang Posts: 3 Member
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    I always get criticized for counting calories from the people around me. They ask me how I lost the weight and I tell them about calorie logging. Most of the time they have negative responses. So I just say well it works for me and for some it just doesn't. Please add me. :)
  • fatso954
    fatso954 Posts: 3 Member
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    Think of counting calories as being creative. You're creating a new body. And let's face it, nobody else in the universe is going to create it for you. Obsess away I say.
  • ROBtheMFPmachine
    ROBtheMFPmachine Posts: 59 Member
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    I swear I was just thinking about this a couple hours ago, as I found myself almost obsessing because I wasn't able to precisely calculate the number of calories of some chicken I ate when I was hungry after exercising (I estimated roughly). I was wondering, am I obsessing like some people I know who have other obsessive/compulsive behaviors that annoy me (including but not limited to eating disorders)? I think the point is that, yes, tracking and counting calories is kind of obsessive--but it's important not to obsess while engaging in that kind of obsessive process. Sometimes you have to "let go" and not worry about being precise, or accounting for every last calorie eaten or burned. If you stop tracking/counting calories because you are afraid of being obsessive, then you'll gain weight again. The moral of the story seems to be that you should monitor yourself, make sure that you're not excessively obsessing, that you are being reasonable, knowing that tracking/counting IS a positive thing. :D
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
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    I dont know, it is similar to "obsessively" not eating carbs, or gluten, or dairy or whatever other techniques people use to lose weight. Exercising, taking diet pills or shakes...the list can go on.

    I think people are ignorant when they DONT count calories, or at least take a look at the nutrition label before they eat. What is so wrong about being educated, and using that education to keep yourself healthy?
  • Icandoityayme
    Icandoityayme Posts: 312 Member
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    When you have eating problems and need to control them, yes you can become obsessive because you are having to learn a new way of living. You want to make sure you are doing things correctly and in a way that is healthy for you. Not everyone can just eat whatever they want when they want and how much they want without gaining a ton of weight. I know my guy can, but I can't. I think obsessiveness becomes a problem when you think you have to be perfect and seeing a red number throws you into a depression or ruins your whole entire day. Life happens, beating yourself up doesn't change it, you learn from it and do better tomorrow.
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
    edited February 2015
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    For me, I can tell I've crossed the line from diligent to obsessive if I feel certain emotions. Do I fear going out to eat at a place where I don't know the calories? Do I get anxious if a work emergency gets in the way of my evening workout? Does a less-than-ideal macro balance stress me out? And the overarching question: is my physical appearance more important to me than enjoying all the other aspects of my life? Seriously, what good is it to have the body for a smoking hot dress if I'm too scared to go out to a restaurant I can wear the dress to? What good is it to look killer in lingerie for a sexy evening with my husband if I'm going to spaz when he offers me a glass of wine?

    I use this tool when I have goals I'm trying to achieve, and it works very well. But I also know that this tool can become problematic for me, and it's healthy for me to take breaks and practice intuitive eating from time to time. If I gain a few pounds, I gain a few pounds - I know how to lose them. I want a healthier me overall, and health goes beyond the body.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    amandarunning wrote: »
    Obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated...

    No, obsessed is the word used if it's taking more of your time than it should and you are preoccupied with it when you shouldn't be. Once you are done logging and you have your calories figured out for the day, you should be done. If you are spending a lot of time looking over your calories when you shouldn't be, you have an obsession problem.
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
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    I think a lot of people who maybe have never had a weight problem or have only needed to maintain weight or just lose 15 pounds once in a while can be quick to slap the "obsessed" label on those of us who need to count calories. I love food, and if I'm not weighing and tracking my food then my estimate of portion sizes tends to grow over time, and my internal idea of how often I can eat cake tends to go up and up and up LOL.

    The thing is, either you're counting calories ... or you're not. There's no middle ground. You can't count some of your calories some of the time and expect it to work. So if you're going to do it, you do it right. If that's "obsessive," so be it, I guess?

    IMO it's only a "problem" if you're letting it control you, like having so much anxiety about not knowing the exact calorie data or portion sizes that you avoid social situations for example. Sometimes counting calories means making a good faith conservative estimate, making a plan for the day, whatever, and moving on with your life.

    But yeah, I have IRL friends who know I've lost 160 pounds and are impressed by that, but also clearly "don't entirely approve" that I weigh my food at home and track my meals in a diary like MFP essentially forever. I try to quietly demonstrate that I don't let food control me -- they see me eat pizza or cake and drink booze, or take seconds of delicious dish, but you can't worry too much about what other people think either LOL.
  • Tickwomp
    Tickwomp Posts: 27
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    More like- fine line between accurate logging and poor logging.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    dakotababy wrote: »
    I dont know, it is similar to "obsessively" not eating carbs, or gluten, or dairy or whatever other techniques people use to lose weight. Exercising, taking diet pills or shakes...the list can go on.

    I think people are ignorant when they DONT count calories, or at least take a look at the nutrition label before they eat. What is so wrong about being educated, and using that education to keep yourself healthy?

    I do not count calories for much of the time, nor do I look at nutrition labels that much anymore. So, I am ignorant?
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
    edited February 2015
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    dakotababy wrote: »
    I dont know, it is similar to "obsessively" not eating carbs, or gluten, or dairy or whatever other techniques people use to lose weight. Exercising, taking diet pills or shakes...the list can go on.

    I think people are ignorant when they DONT count calories, or at least take a look at the nutrition label before they eat. What is so wrong about being educated, and using that education to keep yourself healthy?

    I don't know that it's helpful to divide the world into calorie counters and non-counters and then choose sides for a holy war. Like, I count calories and I respect that some people don't need to, or that they simply have other priorities. I hope that my friends who don't count calories respect the reasons why I do so. Everybody doesn't need to be the same and have the same behavior for us to respect each other.

    I think the OP was a question not about whether people who don't count calories are wrong, but whether judgements some people make about calorie-counting are wrong or if they have a point.

    ETA: I disrespect people for other reasons all the time because some people be crazy. I'm just saying this doesn't need to be one of those reasons.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    I actually don't see anything incompatible with logging and loving food. One of the reasons I like logging is that it usually tells me I have enough calories in my day to eat whatever it is I want to eat.

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