I am scared of unclean food - Pls HELP!
Shouliveshappy
Posts: 161 Member
Hi, I have an issue with eating anything that i deemed as unhealthy. Which is hurting my social life. I only eat clean or when i can count calories (healthily). Today, i didnt join lunch as it was a pizza hut lunch, i hid at the lobby to eat 1 apple, handful of almonds and 1 cup of yoghurt. I think this is affecting my mental health (GREATLY) and i am already worrying what will be for dinner later (going to go out again!). I am constantly searching for nutrition of the restaurants. I am leading my life with counting of calories and macros.
I hardly want to go out and socialise because food choices are unhealthy. My head is clouded with thoughts of food and exercise. I cant function well. I need help, anyone experienced this before?
I need support or anyone who can give me advice !
I hardly want to go out and socialise because food choices are unhealthy. My head is clouded with thoughts of food and exercise. I cant function well. I need help, anyone experienced this before?
I need support or anyone who can give me advice !
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Replies
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A therapist can give you support and advice. A nutritionist might also be a good resource for you.0
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It sounds a bit unhealthy, as you have mentioned
I would seek medical help. I once went through something similar, and I became a lot happier when I began thinking of foods as neutral. There does not have to be "good" or "bad" or "healthy" or "unhealthy" foods. Perhaps look into the concept of IIFYM? I wish you luck. There is so much more to enjoy in life 0 -
Sounds like you have an unhealthy obsession with your control over food. You should probably not be talking to a community of randos and instead a doctor or therapist.
It's awesome that you recognized this unhealthy relationship on your own!0 -
You need to seek professional help0
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How is yogurt "clean"? It's full of bacteria and is packaged. Your classification system makes no sense. Seek professional counsel.0
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You have to remember that when you are invited out it is not always about the food. It is about socializing. If you need to, eat before you go out but still go out with friends. They will understand that you are trying to be healthy and that you have already eaten. Another option is to look at the menu ahead of time and decide if there is something that you would enjoy but still stay within your calorie budget. There are a lot of resturants that are offering healthier choices. The important thing is to get out and be social and don't let the lack of food choices hold you back.0
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Funnily enough, when I first saw the thread title, I thought you meant 'unclean' in a Biblical sense.
Anyway, like others mentioned, a nutritionist would be a great resource for you! I, too, worry about counting calories and eating healthy; however, I do not let it get in the way of a social life. I still go out to restaurants and eat the occasional greasy slice of pizza at a meeting. The key is accounting for it in your food log in order to make sure that you do not exceed your caloric intake and nutrient requirements.0 -
Recognition of this issue is one step in the right direction. But, people here are right... you really need to go and see a therapist or dietician. Or both.
I feel you, though. I panic now when I know I'm going to eat something that I deem as fattening, etc. The way I deal with it now is.. still have those foods, but make up for it in my workout - and make sure to not make it a regular thing.
Good luck.0 -
I would talk to someone to help work through the added stress this is causing. You can find coping skills and start to minimize the impact so you can start being able to enjoy yourself more on outings by taking the food focus out of them.0
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Please read up on IIFYM. Also professional help is nothing to be ashamed or afraid of. There is no such thing as 'clean' or 'dirty' foods. Moderation is key and accepting that will allow you to release some of the control. It's hard, I get it. I've never really had a totally healthy relationship with food and I'm not saying I do now, but I'm getting there and I no longer panic when asked out to dinner. I plan accordingly and take a step back from the numbers to look at the life happening around me.0
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You have to live life! Stop labeling food as clean and dirty! Just go and watch how much you eat. Save calories so you can eat a bit more!
For example, this past Saturday I ate breakfast normally (2 jumbo eggs on a slice of WW toast), for lunch I just had some almonds and a piece of fruit and for dinner at Dos Caminos (nyc), I had a blast with family and friends:
2 shots tequila
Guacamole and warm tortilla chips
Mac and cheese
Black beans
Roasted red snapper
All for about 900 calories, which was under my goal for the day!
I forgot to mention I had also worked off 500 calories earlier in the day.
You see, there is no need whatsoever to avoid socializing at restaurants! Just take a bit more care in planning your day.
Avoiding fun is a recipe for disaster!0 -
This is called an eating disorder (orthorexia comes to mind). Seek professional help. Recognizing you have a problem is the first step, so you're already moving towards recovery. Good luck.
Staying off MFP might be good in the meantime.0 -
what others are saying. worry less about the content (not that that isnt important, but you are focusing wayy to much on that right now), and more about the size of portions. if you cant do that without worrying then you need to seek professional helpYou have to remember that when you are invited out it is not always about the food. It is about socializing. If you need to, eat before you go out but still go out with friends. They will understand that you are trying to be healthy and that you have already eaten. Another option is to look at the menu ahead of time and decide if there is something that you would enjoy but still stay within your calorie budget. There are a lot of resturants that are offering healthier choices. The important thing is to get out and be social and don't let the lack of food choices hold you back.
also this0 -
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thorsmom01 wrote: »You need to seek professional help
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You should never really avoid social situations just because less healthier foods are there. Flexible dieting/IIFYM really helps you, and you can still lose weight.
I'd seriously have a talk with a nutritionist/dietician as well as a therapist. Don't let this get too out of hand!0 -
To echo everyone else... yes, seek help.0 -
EvgeniZyntx wrote: »How is yogurt "clean"? It's full of bacteria and is packaged. Your classification system makes no sense. Seek professional counsel.
Yes, but full of good bacteria that your gut needs. Yogurt isn't inherently bad, although some yogurts are healthier than others.0 -
1.) get help.
2.) there is no such thing as "unclean foods" unless it fell on the floor and is covered in dog hair
3.) see number 1.0 -
Perfect response...I TOTALLY agree!Please read up on IIFYM. Also professional help is nothing to be ashamed or afraid of. There is no such thing as 'clean' or 'dirty' foods. Moderation is key and accepting that will allow you to release some of the control. It's hard, I get it. I've never really had a totally healthy relationship with food and I'm not saying I do now, but I'm getting there and I no longer panic when asked out to dinner. I plan accordingly and take a step back from the numbers to look at the life happening around me.
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It sounds like you may have taken calorie counting a bit too far. I do favor chain restaurants because you can see their nutritional info and plan out what you're going to eat, but don't let it stop you from enjoying life. Pizza hut has a salad bar doesn't it? most restaurants have some healthy options.0
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This is exactly what happens when people deem "bad" and "good" food.
OP seek help, you have some major issues going on.0 -
"My head is clouded with thoughts of food and exercise." That's a red flag... I think it's ok- in fact, desirable- to be conscious of what we are eating, but it shouldn't fill our heads with it 24/7.
Find the happy medium (somewhere between eating anything and everything and the obsessed/paranoid state you are in now). If it takes professional help to find it, then it would be money well spent. Good luck to you!0 -
Shouliveshappy wrote: »Hi, I have an issue with eating anything that i deemed as unhealthy. Which is hurting my social life. I only eat clean or when i can count calories (healthily). Today, i didnt join lunch as it was a pizza hut lunch, i hid at the lobby to eat 1 apple, handful of almonds and 1 cup of yoghurt. I think this is affecting my mental health (GREATLY) and i am already worrying what will be for dinner later (going to go out again!). I am constantly searching for nutrition of the restaurants. I am leading my life with counting of calories and macros.
I hardly want to go out and socialise because food choices are unhealthy. My head is clouded with thoughts of food and exercise. I cant function well. I need help, anyone experienced this before?
I need support or anyone who can give me advice !
I feel you, I went through therapy for an obsession with counting calories/macros. Professional help is the only way to get a better relationship with food. Trust me, I've been there
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This sounds a lot like a case of orthorexia. I used to have it, you really need to seek out professional help.0
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Shouliveshappy wrote: »Hi, I have an issue with eating anything that i deemed as unhealthy. Which is hurting my social life. I only eat clean or when i can count calories (healthily). Today, i didnt join lunch as it was a pizza hut lunch, i hid at the lobby to eat 1 apple, handful of almonds and 1 cup of yoghurt. I think this is affecting my mental health (GREATLY) and i am already worrying what will be for dinner later (going to go out again!). I am constantly searching for nutrition of the restaurants. I am leading my life with counting of calories and macros.
I hardly want to go out and socialise because food choices are unhealthy. My head is clouded with thoughts of food and exercise. I cant function well. I need help, anyone experienced this before?
I need support or anyone who can give me advice !
You probably need professional help if you are afraid to eat many foods.
What is unclean food to you? What is healthy to you?
Why have you gone so extreme? Do you think you can only get fat if you eat processed foods? Most restaurants offer salads. Will eating a salad occasionally from a restaurant make you sick or fat?
A calorie is a calorie. They are not clean or unclean calories. The calories of an apple, yogurt and nuts add up just the same as a "unclean" item. A pizza is not devoid of nutrition. A salad is not devoid of nutrition. If you eat too many calories of any food then you will gain weight.
You might move to a mostly clean food diet with exceptions made to accomadate your work/social life. If eating out once a week or something is part of what your social group does then allow for it.0 -
This is exactly what happens when people deem "bad" and "good" food.
Categorizing food as “good” or “bad” does not lead to eating disorders in most people, any more than categorizing the cleanliness of your house as “clean” or “dirty” causes germaphobia/OCD issues or categorizing spaces as “open” or “confined” causes claustrophobia in a vast majority of the population. You can’t take a narrow, surface level look at a mental issue and conclude that a single factor leads to a complex phobia, there is way more going on here.
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Perhaps a medical doctor could help you with anxiety.0
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Please read up on IIFYM. Also professional help is nothing to be ashamed or afraid of. There is no such thing as 'clean' or 'dirty' foods. Moderation is key and accepting that will allow you to release some of the control. It's hard, I get it. I've never really had a totally healthy relationship with food and I'm not saying I do now, but I'm getting there and I no longer panic when asked out to dinner. I plan accordingly and take a step back from the numbers to look at the life happening around me.
Thanks all. I will try to personally loosen up first, for about 2 weeks. If it doesnt work, i will then seek professional help. Have anyone of you personally tried IIFYM? I've read up on it. Basically it means, eating ANYTHING as long as it fits my macros of carb, fats and protein.Actually the main issue is, i dont know how many calories i should be eating to maintain my weight. I've tried online calculators, but i dont really trust them....They set me at 1600 (for 3 times / week of light activity).
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