Food Rules my Life! How Can I Enjoy Eating again?

kuftae
kuftae Posts: 299 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It's not that I'm some huge overweight person without discipline who caves into to their desires for binging on a regular basis-- my profile pic is how i usually walk around. I'm not going to be on the cover of a magazine but I'm happy with my appearance. I've been at maintenance for a while.

The problem is that food rules my life. I don't even enjoy eating. All I think about is food-- whether I am off my diet or doing well and hitting my macros-- i'm like an addict who can't get his fix... or got his fix and still wants more! Even when I am looking good I am still not satisfied, or at least not as much as I could be. One things for sure, I definitely don't enjoy food anymore. I don't know how i got like this.

I got off counting calories for the past two weeks and I gained 10 lbs--- in 2 weeks!! I can literally eat anything until I'm stuffed and then eat more. Doesn't even matter what it is. I'll be full and you can put raw spinach in front of me and I'll choose to eat it. I literally do not know what my limit is for how much i could consume in a day... I'd probably only be limited by time.

I'm inexperienced in this so I don't know if it is at the level of a disorder at this point but I need to deal with my mental state and attitude towards food before I try to cut and get back to where i was 2 weeks ago. My plan for now is to eat at slightly above maintenance and focus on increasing my lifts. I think that seeing and feeling some success in the weight room will be a good step towards recovery.

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to start working on this? Any books or other stuff to read, watch, listen to? Anyone been in a similar position? Just in general, how do I start enjoying food again and stop it from ruling my life?

Thanks in advance for the advice.



Replies

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,630 Member
    Focus on other stuff ...

    Start working on your Master's Degree or PhD
    Volunteer
    Train for an event
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Logging food, knowing what and when I was going to eat and how much and when I was going to lift recently started ruling my life. For me I'm just taking a full out logging break. I'm not trying to lose weight anymore. I'm focusing on my gym performance, eating a variety of nutritious foods, getting enough protein and fats, loving myself, and that's that. I'd suggest the same for you but you said you gained 10 lbs not logging over two weeks. Perhaps focusing on performance goals will help you as well.
  • upoffthemat
    upoffthemat Posts: 679 Member
    Maybe you can pre-log some meals so you always know where your calories will be. Map out your intake ahead of time for awhile so you don't have to worry about it. See where you end up and adjust.

    You might have to log for a longer time than most or even the rest of your life, but if that is what it takes it probably isn't the worst thing in the world.

    On the good side, I hope I can look close to as good as you look when I am done losing weight. You obviously have done a lot right. Take pride in that and give yourself some credit.
  • kuftae
    kuftae Posts: 299 Member
    Zella_11 wrote: »
    I'm sorry to hear that you are struggling with this--it is tough. First, I must say that you look fantastic--strong, muscular, lean. Secondly, I can tell you that you can overcome this obstacle--you recognize there is an issue, and (I know this sounds cliche) that is the first step. I had this issue a few years ago, and it got rough. What helped me was to look within--the underlying issue in my case was anxiety. I came to realize that my obsession with food and calories and macros and my workouts was a symptom--not the problem. Again, I'm not claiming to have answers for you--I'm only sharing my experience. Quiet reflection, journaling, meditation, music, traveling, therapy, social engagement, and increased sleep allowed me to shift my focus and help me understand that I was struggling with a lack of peace and self-acceptance. Is it possible that you have lost balance in your life--socially, romantically, intellectually, spiritually? Once you can see where the imbalance is, you can shift your attention there...

    Hope this helps. At the very least, know that it will be okay, and you will figure this out. Try to be patient with yourself and take each day as it comes for awhile. Give yourself the compassion you need right now. All the best. -K

    Thank you. I read your post a few times through.
  • Zella_11
    Zella_11 Posts: 161 Member
    edited May 2016
    @kuftae

    I'm glad I could be helpful. You will get through this. Be kind to yourself. -K
  • ashleyylo
    ashleyylo Posts: 101 Member
    I think it's great that you've recognized the place you are in.

    Do you think that a tunnel vision focus on food allows you to avoid focusing on something else in your life? For me, when I become more obsessive on food, it is usually a sign that there is something bigger going on for me, and a focusing on food is like a distraction from something in life I can't/don't want to deal with...relationships, work, depression, etc.

    I am in total agreement with Zella_11's post above. spot on.

    it could be that the time you spent in strict control of your eating/calorie counting is now rebounding...it makes sense that once you allow yourself the freedom to "eat whatever", that it might go overboard for a while. If you were feeling deprived or overly restricting your intake, this would definitely contribute to this period of feeling that you can eat everything non stop.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    You walk around half flexed, shirtless, and glossy?
  • kuftae
    kuftae Posts: 299 Member
    edited May 2016
    LazSommer wrote: »
    You walk around half flexed, shirtless, and glossy?

    yeabro. problem?
  • williammuney
    williammuney Posts: 2,895 Member
    It's ok brah just do IF and pound a steak and potatoes
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
    edited May 2016
    williammuney wrote: »
    It's ok brah just do IF and pound a steak and potatoes

    I like your style. I bet IF really could help original poster here. When you know you're not eating for a while, you start thinking differently about food.

  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    kuftae wrote: »
    LazSommer wrote: »
    You walk around half flexed, shirtless, and glossy?

    yeabro. problem?

    No, I would too if I looked like that.
  • kuftae
    kuftae Posts: 299 Member
    85Cardinals wrote: »
    williammuney wrote: »
    It's ok brah just do IF and pound a steak and potatoes

    I like your style. I bet IF really could help original poster here. When you know you're not eating for a while, you start thinking differently about food.

    I ran IF for a while. It did work pretty well for me. I'll have to keep that in my back pocket.

    I really do want to be able to eat like a normal person tho-- 3 meals a day, stop when I'm full and enjoy the process of eating too! I'm going to work on this, but IF is certainly something I might look into doing.

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