Obsessed

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candistyx
candistyx Posts: 547 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
When I am dieting I get fascinated by the mechanics of it. I read about the science, I get fascinated by the math, I want to think about food and exercise and when and what and how ALL the time.

I ...want to live my life as well as diet but the obsessing makes it hard. I don't find older interests as interesting because I tend to have phases of interest in things anyway.

Last summer I was really productive in terms of ...well I was getting into computer programming and I learned a lot that summer.
But this summer I basically made a few sorts in C and... that's it! And I didn't learn anything new in the process, just refreshed old knowledge.

I want to get back into computer stuff but this interest in dieting is getting in my mental way, and because technically I need it, it's hard to let go. I know mental moderation is the key, but ...anyone have any advice on how to practice moderation in *thought* while trying to practice moderation in eating? Hehe.

Replies

  • lexrobin2
    lexrobin2 Posts: 33
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    maybe all of us who have struggled with our weight have something in common: obsessive compulsiveness. we all got this way somehow, obsessive eating. try yoga or meditation for mind control. maybe read a self help book. the human brain is so interesting and easier to control once you understand how it works.
  • MochaMixAZ
    MochaMixAZ Posts: 844 Member
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    I hear you. I'm completely obsessed with food - addicted. I think about it all the time - whether it's planning it, planning how to avoid it, planning how to burn it off.... If I'm not eating it, I'm thinking about next time I will. I swear it's an addict's cycle.

    So, I'm sorry I don't have much advice on it - but if you figure it out, I'd like to know how.

    The idea of mental training makes sense - doing meditation, and yoga, and all that. Makes REALLY good sense. I'm not so good at that, tho....

    Best of luck to you! And, maybe - it's not such a bad thing to obsess if you're heading in the right direction?
  • snowbunnies
    snowbunnies Posts: 38
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    Try reading about the hacker's diet... Link here: http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/

    It was created by an engineer for other engineers. It might help you get a more logical and less emotional view point on losing weight.
  • emfoley2
    emfoley2 Posts: 30 Member
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    Try to combine your interests by programming something diet-related. Maybe program a MyFitnessPal add-on like more sophisticated reporting on a category that interests you - I would love a quick way to track my nutritional categories over a whole week instead of just a day, say. Or try to reverse engineer a MyFitnessPal feature like the calorie tracker just as a learning exercise.
  • candistyx
    candistyx Posts: 547 Member
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    Try to combine your interests by programming something diet-related. Maybe program a MyFitnessPal add-on like more sophisticated reporting on a category that interests you - I would love a quick way to track my nutritional categories over a whole week instead of just a day, say. Or try to reverse engineer a MyFitnessPal feature like the calorie tracker just as a learning exercise.
    I've been thinking about doing something like that a lot actually... it's just a matter of deciding what specifically.
    I was thinking of making something akin to the iphone app but where you can set different calorie goals over different days while maintaining the same weekly deficit (or even biweekly), because the body doesn't work on a one day at a time basis, it changes more in relation to long term trends, and I don't think most people eat the same or feel the same levels of hunger every day.
    Course if I did that it'd have to be for android (or the web) because I don't have a mac.
  • kklindsey
    kklindsey Posts: 382 Member
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    It will get better but you will always be thinking of it. Right now while you are new to it and losing it is fascinating and all that time you spend thinking about it will help you learn and do better at it. I am like you and I go in phases. I am all about one thing until I burn out on it then I pick something else and run with it.

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