Not sure what to do! I have been counting calories off and on for years and I know it works, but I seem to be obsessing over food more and more lately. I hate and resent the calories counting and keep 'forgetting' or starting but not finishing.
I seem to be eating more emotionally and almost to spite myself, I am worried that the feelings attached, the attitudes and the moods are starting me down the road to some sort of eating disorder. I am unsure what to do about this?
Should I focus on a different kind of eating plan, take a break and focus on healthy foods, continue counting calories?
I know what I am doing is not working, once or twice I am ashamed to admit I have even wished I could throw up after bingeing on some food-luckily my gag reflex is easy and the ability to bring it up none, help please!
I would say that if you are certain that counting calories isn't working for you right now, and might even be leading you to unhealthy diet practices, then yes, stopping might be right for you. Focus on your food choices, keep in mind food portions, but don't worry about the total numbers so much. If you find that this isn't working and you start re-gaining you can always start up again. And maybe if you take a break, you'll be more remotivated to stick with the calorie counting.
You might want to ask in the more heavily trafficked "General Support" sub-forum about the emotional eating aspect. Maybe you're just plain sick of counting calories, or something else might be going on. But sticking with something that just plain isn't working now seems like a hopeless cause. Just don't give up totally!
Have you considered seeing a therapist or counselor? Many of them have specialties in food issues these days. Also, you might benefit from talking with a registered dietitian. Your doctor may be able to refer you.
Also, it might help to re-evaluate your calorie target. Undereating can lead to bingeing too.
Stop for now, and concentrate on eating healthier and getting a healthier view of food. It seems like you are almost seeing food as a burden, and it shouldn't be that way. You are feeling like you want to start purging and that is very serious. I definitely recommend if possible you try to find someone to talk to about it, these are very serious feelings and good lead you to serious problems. I am a recovering anorexic and I have to try hard to stick with it, but not go overboard and it can be a challenge. I got treatment almost 12 years ago. I have had to keep a food journal since, and still have to talk to someone on occasion when things get to be obsessive.
If I were you I would step away from the food scale and use your eyes more. If you have been measuring your foods for a while you know what the right portion looks like, if you have been eating a good amount of calories for a while your stomach knows what satisfied feels like.
Give it a small break and then figure out where to go from there.
You might check out some books like Intuitive Eating by Tribole & Resch, and also The Slow Down Diet, by Marc David. I don't agree 100% with everything in these books, but they helped my shift my frame of thinking.
Thanks everyone for your responses. Your right Cebsme food has become a burden, besides wanting to lose weight I can't eat gluten or lactose and often get resentful of that. It is so hard to follow that and I get contamination all the time, which messes with my health and then frustrates me even more!
Nothing like spending all day doing everything right then at the end of it having your stomach gurgle, blow up twice its size and various other things...all because someone used the cutting board for bread earlier and instead of washing it just brushed the crumbs off. Then I get a 1-2 day period where I am miserable. To top it off there are very few good substitutes for bread....anyway I rant.
Julie I will check into those books, I have been thinking last night and this morning and I think for a while I will just cut way back on portion size. I will use very small plates for meals and eat more veggies, snacks will be small and try to focus on health. I have been counting calories so long I know what sizes portions are by now, I can just guide myself that way. Maybe only weigh myself once a week...can't go longer than that I am too terrified I will gain again after working so long and hard to get it off!
Dilemma
