the mental battle

NewLeaf

NewLeaf

New member
I am just curious if theres any others out there who feel like I do. That this food is almost like an addiction. Maybe by saying that I'm using it as a crutch, but there are days where I really feel that way. I don't recall a time when I wasn't battling some struggle over food, weight loss, calorie in take, exercise etc. Its constantly in my thought process and its getting old!

I get up, eat breakfast and I'm already fantasizing about whats for lunch. Or analyzing what I won't eat. Or thinking about how I won't snack on this or that. Or the enjoyment of how great my bowl of soup is going to taste. Oh its soup for crying out loud!! :) Not a massage.. not a million dollars. Yet this consumes a lot of my waking hours.

And then I love Dr. Phil's commentary on bette r eating habits.. how if its not in your house, you can't eat it. HECK yes I can still drive to the grocery store at 10pm for my ice cream fix!! I will go and do that. Is that insane or what.. its no wonder I don't weigh more!

What I want to know is..when I get to that goal weight.. what will I do with the mental anguish that I currently go through now about food etc? DO you ever conquer it? Is it a life long struggle?

Just looking to know if anyone else.. feels the same way too.
 
A lot of us here have at best an ambivilent relationship with food. Otherwise we wouldn't be trying to lose weight from eating so much of it! Personally my problem is that I am a boredom eater AND an emotional eater, so not only do I associate different times of the day with eating, I'll associate moods and thoughts to it that really shouldn't be. My best diet would be one where I'm always kept at least a little busy with something interesting to me... but my other problem is that I'm lazy ;)

Part of the process of successfully losing weight over the long run is to find a method to deal with your food neuroses in a way that's best for you. I've adopted a rubber band to snap my wrist with whenever I think about eating when I'm don't actually need it. I'm not sure that would work for you though.

You know, I read a study once, on people who were neurotic worriers, who spent their entire time thinking about what-ifs, etc... what they did to help them NOT think about worrying things is to tell them to constantly think about them, and write them in a journal. So maybe you can start a little journal to carry around with you, and whenever you fantasize or worry about food, you write that thought down. What happened in the study is eventually the people's mind literally got bored of thinking those same thoughts over and over, especially once they could see that most of their thoughts are recurring, and eventually it just stopped on its own.

I don't know if that would work for you at all, but its an idea!
 
I"m going to have to look into either one of those concepts. They both sound good. And its good to know that I'm not entirely alone. Although I knew everyone here would have some sort of struggle with food.

I am a worrier, obsessor you could say,and deal with anxiety. So its not a shocker that food plays into this! :) I'm just tired of the whole game..so hopefulyl that will be my best motivator in stepping out of this role. I've had great spans of time in my life where I didn't struggle like I do now. So I know its some place in me! :)
 
Alot of people go through this, your not alone, that's why I'm here!!

I find myself doing that also, wondering hmmm what can i have for lunch meanwhile it's only 9am... it's worse when I'm at home, cause there's the fridge, cupboards, kids are snacking and so on. At work I focus on my work and come here!!! I try to bring my lunch so that I have no other options!

At home I will try to keep busy, doing laundry, helping kids with homework, tidying up, going for walks, and I try to keep healthy food in the house that I know I will enjoy!!

I'm probably rambling!!! Just a few things that help me!

cheers,
michelle
 
Thank you!

You know what I used to do when I was on a great healthly kick was when I wantd to snack and didn't need any food, I'd make myself go exercise instead. It took my mind off the food and reminded me why I had to work so hard to lose the weight in the first place! :) Hope that helps someone else!
 
i think its a shift in mindset, doesn't have to be huge. initially, i'd say use your obsession to your advantage by planning fantastic healthy food and doing some enjoyable activities. also, if you are trying to lose weight, its fair enough that there will be times when you are busting for a snack, icecream or something - ive found i just observe these thoughts and make a decision to see if i can get past it just to find out what that's like! remind yourself that this is a 'hard bit' and that's okay, you can get through one hard bit at a time. you're not missing out, you're regaining control and treating your body with the respect it (you) deserve!

make that big mountain in your way an enjoyable journey - don't feel you have to struggling up it - walk around it instead..
 
I've definetely have this problem. This eating-not eating relationship in my mind causes me to think about it all day. I'm not completely consumed by these thoughts, but when I think about eating something I shoulded I tend to debate it for a long period of time, like ten minutes or something then ultimately decided on a glass of water or a run on the treadmill (which we just got two weeks ago :D). I hope that soon I won't be plagued by these thoughts. Then I can get on with my life nad not be all " I wonder if this will be bad to eat..."...

good luck to you!
 
Thank you for this post. I was just thinking the same to myself when I came across this. It's so great to see everyone helping each other out like this. I really feel like I found a great forum :)

To answer your question personally, I don't think this battle will ever be over for me because the goals I set for myself are impractical and sometimes even unhealthy. I feel like I will always want to revamp my diet, change my gym routine, lose more weight... change all these things in an infinite number of combinations. It is frustrating because like you said, it's just food for crying out loud! I often feel like I'm on the outside looking in at myself saying "it's only food! You're healthy enough, you have so much to be grateful for. So smile already, it's a new day!"

Rationally, I know that happiness and true beauty do not equate looking emaciated. I just want to be happy with myself... What will it take?
 
I hear ya Tree!!

Thanks to everyone who responded. Its really given me comfort knowing I"m not alone or some abnormal freak for having these obsessive type thoughts regarding food. I wish it wasn't a controlling factor in my life, but until I get a handle and am able to substitute that habit for a better one, it will always be a battle. So hopefully this forum, my attitude are a step in making these permanent changes!!
 
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