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Thinking about food ALL the time

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mek11
mek11 Posts: 2
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I ran into this problem the last time I tried to count calories and quit because it was too overwhelming and obsessive.

Since I started counting calories (and carbs and protein, etc) I've found myself thinking about food a LOT. Some of my habits have definitely changed- I don't snack as much, which is good- but I'm always thinking about food, planning my next meal, thinking what would be allowed in my allotted calories for the rest of the day. I know I shouldn't be haphazard, but it doesn't feel "natural" to be thinking about food this much!

Is there anyone else like me? How do you deal with it? Does it just gradually become easier over time?

Replies

  • Blugal1
    Blugal1 Posts: 92
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    I won't be any help because I know exactly what you're saying! The only thing that works is when I am very distracted - e.g. at a horse show, in a busy meeting etc. If I am just sitting at my desk at work or sitting on the couch at home, it is very dangerous.

    There seems to be some kind of weird push-back that the harder you try to regulate, the more you think about it.
  • Xatholasian
    Xatholasian Posts: 10
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    I have had the same trouble, getting so obsessive about food that I end up going over the allotted calories for the day... What I have done to curb this is figure out which foods are OK to go over the count with vs the ones that are not so great...

    For instance.. keeping fruit around will help, when you think about food, eat a banana or an apple, it will curb he appetite, it is 'good' calories for the most part and far better for you than the bag of chips out of the vending machine or whatever. It is what I do to stop obsessing about what will be eaten next.

    I also keep things like Flav-or-ice around (those frozen treats that are popsicle in a tube), they are low in calories but better for you than soda and some Kool-aids. It is sweet for those of you with sweettooths like myself and they won't hurt your calorie count as bad as the candy bar that won't satisfy you either.

    What I have found is that after a time I don't crave the 'bad things' any more and when I am feeling as though I just need to munch I just make sure that I am munching on things that are good for you rather than what I have a craving for.
  • downforthelasttime
    downforthelasttime Posts: 8
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    Make sure you're drinking enough water, and remember snacks are a good thing! Just be mindful of what they are. You may feel obsessive about food, but logging seems to come up as a tool for every successful weight loss plan. Lately, instead of saying to myself, oh, I can eat X because I have X calories left, I can say, nope, not hungry.

    If you really want something, identify what would fill that craving, but is not going to sabotage your day. In my case, Skinny Cow vanilla ice cream sandwiches at 140 calories got me past a rough spot where I was feeling deprived and having killer chocolate/sweets cravings. Now I can pass. It's a big deal for me since in the past, having any form of dessert in the house would result in immediate consumption until gone.
  • onawho
    onawho Posts: 196 Member
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    eat foods high in fiber too, they take longer to digest hence you are fuller longer. Nuts, fruits, veggies all fit this bill. Its summer time, watermelon, melons, berries, apples are all things that are in abundance now enjoy them. I like snacking on watermelon at night when I have a sweet craving, lots of water and sweet.
  • ToBeCountry
    ToBeCountry Posts: 81 Member
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    I ran into this problem the last time I tried to count calories and quit because it was too overwhelming and obsessive.

    Since I started counting calories (and carbs and protein, etc) I've found myself thinking about food a LOT. Some of my habits have definitely changed- I don't snack as much, which is good- but I'm always thinking about food, planning my next meal, thinking what would be allowed in my allotted calories for the rest of the day. I know I shouldn't be haphazard, but it doesn't feel "natural" to be thinking about food this much!

    Is there anyone else like me? How do you deal with it? Does it just gradually become easier over time?

    I do the same.
  • ewellhausen
    ewellhausen Posts: 1
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    One thing that has helped keep me from becoming overly obsessive about the calories is to plan out the meals I want to eat (or can fit into the calories) a day or two in advance. That way I limit the amount of time I think about it each day, but I also am able to make the wisest choices. This has really helped me stay on target and feel in control most of the time. I do make sure and leave a "buffer" for those times when something got switched around in the meal at the last minute!

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