Obsessive About Counting EVERY calorie

Nutrition facts aren't going to ALWAYS be perfect ALL THE TIME..and the calories burned that it calculates are even less accurate, they are just estimates. These should serve as a GUIDEline to you..

My daily calorie limit is low, but if I want to eat more then I exercise. If you are worried about gaining weight, you could be sure to exercise.

Nobody is perfect, so don't beat yourself up

I like to think of it as... diligent. I want my weight loss to work, so I work the numbers. (Not EVERY day, mind you!)

Regardless of transgressions, I get back on track the next day. The best thing about this site is that I feel absolutely in control.

I have lost weight like clockwork by being "obsessive," and I feel great about it! Also, along the way, I have developed a much better sense of what different foods have to offer your body, so I am having to count less and less.:happy:

I wish I had that problem. I'm not strict enough.

In the UK nutritional information is only accurate +/- 20% of the ACTUAL content. Try and be roughly right... and I feel for you if you ever discover the nutritional value of a single cous-cous and end up with that on your plate someday...

You just have to stop it.

That's all.

It's not that hard.

I disagree. It CAN be that hard. It's easy to say "Just stop it" but when you're the one dealing with the obsession and compulsion to do it, saying "Just stop it" is like telling an alcoholic to "just stop drinking". Easy to say, impossible to do.

I think some people can easily count calories, log exercise and track water without any issues. I think other people become so focused on it that it takes over their life and drives them slowly insane. As someone who has been slowly driven insane by the ridiculous need to count EVERY single calorie? It is far more difficult to "just stop" than you think it is.

I haven't had this issue, but... my guess is that you need to learn how to estimate. Once you've learned how to be reasonably accurate, you can see how 5 calories won't matter, but 500 calories on something you eat regularly does matter.

Until you learn, you will need to focus more attention, as you learn how to estimate, you can relax a bit -- partly because you will know more and partly because you know what to worry about. You've already figured out that things like vegetables without labels can be estimated by weight. It is an estimate... different varieties will vary and it may also vary by season or where it was grown.. a Red Delicious apple grown in Michigan may have a different amount of calories than a Gala apple grown in New Hampshire. But you probably don't worry about that because the amount for a generic apple is close enough.

In order to be able to estimate, you need to to learn some "stake in the ground" points. So, for instance learn how many calories in a spoonful of your favorite condiments. Learn about dishes that can vary greatly depending on how they are prepared. Guess how many calories in something based on a general knowledge of the ingredients or even the ingredients on the label and then test your guess against the nutrition label. Be the most accurate about the things you eat regularly. If you only eat something once a year, does it really matter if it's 100 calories or 110? But if you eat it daily, 10 calories a day is roughly 1 pound by the end of the year, if you didn't change anything else.

Over time, you'll probably get more accurate about most things, and try not to "miss" in the same way every time. If you "round up" one time, "round down" another. If you keep doing that and checking occasionally when it's possible, you can get better at estimating over time. (Be careful with commercially prepared foods. Except when they make a big deal of it, restaurants tend to make things "tastier" by adding lots of fats, sugars and salts. So, the same dish that you can make at home for a certain amount of calories may be much higher at a restaurant. Many restaurants have nutrition information available now a days, at least in the U.S., so you can check your guesses again.)

Sorry that was a bit long... but in summary, I wouldn't worry about being obsessed at the beginning as you are learning a new way of eating, but if you get more obsessive over time instead of less, then it's time to figure out a different way of handling things.

Best wishes!

i fear losing control. wow i just answered my own question.

a slip up>>>"you couldn't even control yourself with FOOD of all things">>>you are fat>>>>you are on your way to becoming fat>>>>you have reversed all your hard work>>>you will never complete this>>>square one

thats what ALWAYS happens to me.

First things first---- cut out the negative self talk. Will putting yourself down get you anywhere? No. Everyone has eaten something and then regreted it. Just chin up, move on and do better with your next meal.

I have struggled with negative self talk too. You can overcome this.

You might ask yourself- would I say these things to my friend? sister? mother? if the answer is no--- then why is it ok to say it to yourself?

My 2 cents. hope it helps.