What's a normal amount to think about calories/your weight?
I've had periods of disordered eating in the past (not an eating disorder but I have similar thoughts/behaviour patterns just not to the point of being a diagnosable disorder) and it usually comes and goes in phases. For example I'll have a period of about 6 months-a year where I very excessively diet and lose weight then I'll pretty suddenly realise how stupid it is and stop doing and gain back to a healthy weight. My current weight is 6 stone 11, up from my recent low of 6 stone 4 (I've been lighter than that a couple years ago) so I'm a healthy weight again but I still don't know how to tell whether I'm being normal about food and my weight again.
I've changed my daily calories from 1000 to 1600-1700 but I still exercise kind of obsessively and find myself mentally adding up calories and saying I haven't earned eating a certain food or thinking that if I go for a meal out or something I have to starve myself the next day to "make up for it". But the problem is, idk to what extent it's disordered eating and to what extent it's just normal health conscious behaviour/wanting to avoid getting fat.
I've changed my daily calories from 1000 to 1600-1700 but I still exercise kind of obsessively and find myself mentally adding up calories and saying I haven't earned eating a certain food or thinking that if I go for a meal out or something I have to starve myself the next day to "make up for it". But the problem is, idk to what extent it's disordered eating and to what extent it's just normal health conscious behaviour/wanting to avoid getting fat.
Original post by Anonymous
I've had periods of disordered eating in the past (not an eating disorder but I have similar thoughts/behaviour patterns just not to the point of being a diagnosable disorder) and it usually comes and goes in phases. For example I'll have a period of about 6 months-a year where I very excessively diet and lose weight then I'll pretty suddenly realise how stupid it is and stop doing and gain back to a healthy weight. My current weight is 6 stone 11, up from my recent low of 6 stone 4 (I've been lighter than that a couple years ago) so I'm a healthy weight again but I still don't know how to tell whether I'm being normal about food and my weight again.
I've changed my daily calories from 1000 to 1600-1700 but I still exercise kind of obsessively and find myself mentally adding up calories and saying I haven't earned eating a certain food or thinking that if I go for a meal out or something I have to starve myself the next day to "make up for it". But the problem is, idk to what extent it's disordered eating and to what extent it's just normal health conscious behaviour/wanting to avoid getting fat.
I've changed my daily calories from 1000 to 1600-1700 but I still exercise kind of obsessively and find myself mentally adding up calories and saying I haven't earned eating a certain food or thinking that if I go for a meal out or something I have to starve myself the next day to "make up for it". But the problem is, idk to what extent it's disordered eating and to what extent it's just normal health conscious behaviour/wanting to avoid getting fat.
The following should not be considered as medical advice. If you require medical advice, speak to a qualified medical professional:
Look at the following for ideal body measurements:
https://www.kolorshealthcare.com/blog/guide-to-ideal-height-weight-charts-for-men-and-women/
https://www.livestrong.com/article/356765-healthy-body-measurements-for-a-woman/
Look at the following for body type: https://www.calculator.net/body-type-calculator.html
The idea is not about getting fat or thin. It's about being healthy. There is a sufficient buffer zone between fat and thin. The one-off isn't going to impact much over the longer run, so long you stick to the standard diet over the long haul. If it's on a regular basis e.g. a couple of days a week, then you would need to revise your diet.
Original post by Anonymous
I've had periods of disordered eating in the past (not an eating disorder but I have similar thoughts/behaviour patterns just not to the point of being a diagnosable disorder) and it usually comes and goes in phases. For example I'll have a period of about 6 months-a year where I very excessively diet and lose weight then I'll pretty suddenly realise how stupid it is and stop doing and gain back to a healthy weight. My current weight is 6 stone 11, up from my recent low of 6 stone 4 (I've been lighter than that a couple years ago) so I'm a healthy weight again but I still don't know how to tell whether I'm being normal about food and my weight again.
I've changed my daily calories from 1000 to 1600-1700 but I still exercise kind of obsessively and find myself mentally adding up calories and saying I haven't earned eating a certain food or thinking that if I go for a meal out or something I have to starve myself the next day to "make up for it". But the problem is, idk to what extent it's disordered eating and to what extent it's just normal health conscious behaviour/wanting to avoid getting fat.
I've changed my daily calories from 1000 to 1600-1700 but I still exercise kind of obsessively and find myself mentally adding up calories and saying I haven't earned eating a certain food or thinking that if I go for a meal out or something I have to starve myself the next day to "make up for it". But the problem is, idk to what extent it's disordered eating and to what extent it's just normal health conscious behaviour/wanting to avoid getting fat.
The normal/healthy amount to be thinking about it is very little/never.
The fact that you know (and potentially controlling?) roughly how much you're eating each day (which still isn't very much, especially given that you're doing exercise as well) is kind of a sign that something's not quite right, in fact the whole of the second paragraph (and bits of the first) suggest this.
From what you've described it seems like these thoughts might be starting to take over/control a lot of your life? The effects this can have, both mentally and physically, can be really serious. You won't get fat overnight, or even in a few weeks or months. I've had similar issues with food and exercise in the past and, although it took some time to realise and come to terms with it, I'd now much rather be a bit chunky and actually happy and healthy, than skinny, weak and miserable. Your body is the least interesting thing about you. You need food just to function, and food is so much more than just fuel; it's not something to be earned or made up for.
I'd really recommend speaking to a professional about this, before it escalates into something potentially more serious and controls your entire life.
I don't know if anyone has ever expressed their concern for you? They're not trying to make you fat or unfit or whatever; they're doing it because they genuinely care about you and want the best for you and your future.
I really hope things start to get sorted for you
I have a history of disordered eating including to the point of diagnosable eating disorder in the past. Have been in recovery for a number of years. I care very little about my weight and calories - the only time I start to think about it is when my clothes start to feel a bit tight. I have managed to lose weight healthily after gaining a stone due to medication and even at that point I did not think about numbers beyond a rough estimate of how much I was eating and whether I was doing some exercise every day.
What you describe does not donut healthy or "normal" at all.
What you describe does not donut healthy or "normal" at all.
Original post by bl0bf1sh
The normal/healthy amount to be thinking about it is very little/never.
The fact that you know (and potentially controlling?) roughly how much you're eating each day (which still isn't very much, especially given that you're doing exercise as well) is kind of a sign that something's not quite right, in fact the whole of the second paragraph (and bits of the first) suggest this.
From what you've described it seems like these thoughts might be starting to take over/control a lot of your life? The effects this can have, both mentally and physically, can be really serious. You won't get fat overnight, or even in a few weeks or months. I've had similar issues with food and exercise in the past and, although it took some time to realise and come to terms with it, I'd now much rather be a bit chunky and actually happy and healthy, than skinny, weak and miserable. Your body is the least interesting thing about you. You need food just to function, and food is so much more than just fuel; it's not something to be earned or made up for.
I'd really recommend speaking to a professional about this, before it escalates into something potentially more serious and controls your entire life.
I don't know if anyone has ever expressed their concern for you? They're not trying to make you fat or unfit or whatever; they're doing it because they genuinely care about you and want the best for you and your future.
I really hope things start to get sorted for you
The fact that you know (and potentially controlling?) roughly how much you're eating each day (which still isn't very much, especially given that you're doing exercise as well) is kind of a sign that something's not quite right, in fact the whole of the second paragraph (and bits of the first) suggest this.
From what you've described it seems like these thoughts might be starting to take over/control a lot of your life? The effects this can have, both mentally and physically, can be really serious. You won't get fat overnight, or even in a few weeks or months. I've had similar issues with food and exercise in the past and, although it took some time to realise and come to terms with it, I'd now much rather be a bit chunky and actually happy and healthy, than skinny, weak and miserable. Your body is the least interesting thing about you. You need food just to function, and food is so much more than just fuel; it's not something to be earned or made up for.
I'd really recommend speaking to a professional about this, before it escalates into something potentially more serious and controls your entire life.
I don't know if anyone has ever expressed their concern for you? They're not trying to make you fat or unfit or whatever; they're doing it because they genuinely care about you and want the best for you and your future.
I really hope things start to get sorted for you
Things are de-escalating rather than escalating at the minute, I had a period last year/early this year of eating barely 1000 calories a day and I'm now eating nearly twice that and am back up to a healthy weight. There isn't really much a professional could or would be willing to help with, as mental health services deal with patients who are severely underweight so aren't really going to entertain someone who's a healthy weight and eats 1700 calories a day saying they have problems with eating.
Original post by Anonymous
Things are de-escalating rather than escalating at the minute, I had a period last year/early this year of eating barely 1000 calories a day and I'm now eating nearly twice that and am back up to a healthy weight. There isn't really much a professional could or would be willing to help with, as mental health services deal with patients who are severely underweight so aren't really going to entertain someone who's a healthy weight and eats 1700 calories a day saying they have problems with eating.
How are you defending “healthy weight”? BMI, although it can be a useful tool, cannot measure an individual’s health. It also can’t distinguish between fat and muscle, so for someone who’s a bit more active and has a bit more muscle than average their BMI will be a bit skewed. Also different people require different levels of body fat to be healthy. If you’re female, do you have a regular period? If you don’t, or have a tendency to lose it easily, that’s a sign that your body is not happy and you’re not eating enough and/or exercising too much. Oestrogen is really important for bone density. Have a look into RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport), also Bobby Clay and her story.
It is hard that with the NHS they’ll usually only help people who meet certain (usually weight-based) criteria; this does not by any means invalidate your experiences or struggles and does not mean that you are “not sick enough” or “healthy enough” for professional help. If you could talk to someone, like a parent or someone you trust, about it, that would be a great start.
Also here’s a link to the Beat website: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/
And their help finder:
https://helpfinder.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/?utm_source=beat&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=helpfinder2023&utm_content=notification-bar
Original post by bl0bf1sh
But going through cycles like this doesn’t sound all too healthy either – severe restriction for periods of time like you’ve described can have severe consequences on your health long term, for example on bone density. Osteopenia and osteoporosis can be hard to reverse and this gets increasingly difficult with age; your bones will break more easily and you’ll be forced to stop exercising so you can heal.
How are you defending “healthy weight”? BMI, although it can be a useful tool, cannot measure an individual’s health. It also can’t distinguish between fat and muscle, so for someone who’s a bit more active and has a bit more muscle than average their BMI will be a bit skewed. Also different people require different levels of body fat to be healthy. If you’re female, do you have a regular period? If you don’t, or have a tendency to lose it easily, that’s a sign that your body is not happy and you’re not eating enough and/or exercising too much. Oestrogen is really important for bone density. Have a look into RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport), also Bobby Clay and her story.
It is hard that with the NHS they’ll usually only help people who meet certain (usually weight-based) criteria; this does not by any means invalidate your experiences or struggles and does not mean that you are “not sick enough” or “healthy enough” for professional help. If you could talk to someone, like a parent or someone you trust, about it, that would be a great start.
Also here’s a link to the Beat website: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/
And their help finder:
https://helpfinder.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/?utm_source=beat&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=helpfinder2023&utm_content=notification-bar
How are you defending “healthy weight”? BMI, although it can be a useful tool, cannot measure an individual’s health. It also can’t distinguish between fat and muscle, so for someone who’s a bit more active and has a bit more muscle than average their BMI will be a bit skewed. Also different people require different levels of body fat to be healthy. If you’re female, do you have a regular period? If you don’t, or have a tendency to lose it easily, that’s a sign that your body is not happy and you’re not eating enough and/or exercising too much. Oestrogen is really important for bone density. Have a look into RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport), also Bobby Clay and her story.
It is hard that with the NHS they’ll usually only help people who meet certain (usually weight-based) criteria; this does not by any means invalidate your experiences or struggles and does not mean that you are “not sick enough” or “healthy enough” for professional help. If you could talk to someone, like a parent or someone you trust, about it, that would be a great start.
Also here’s a link to the Beat website: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/
And their help finder:
https://helpfinder.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/?utm_source=beat&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=helpfinder2023&utm_content=notification-bar
I'm defining health by using the new BMI measurement as the traditional BMI can be over generous to short people. I'm 5'0 and my current weight is 6 stone 11 so my traditional BMI is 18.6 and my new BMI is 19.6 so according to the new BMI I'm well within the healthy weight range. And the exercise I do is mainly running and going for long walks so not anything that makes me build muscle to the point it would skew my BMI measurement. I also have regular periods and have only lost my period due to dieting for about 6 months three or four years ago. So I definitely wouldn't say I'm still actively struggling with disordered eating, just trying to get over it in a way that still allows me to stay skinny without being too obsessive over it.
I had a different situation where I gained more than 30 kg and struggled with my relationship with food. One thing that really helped me was to consult a nutritionist. They provided advice that acknowledged my past habits and helped me develop a healthier approach without falling back into old patterns. For weight management, I also decided to buy wegovy online after discussing it with my doctor. It’s important to address both the mental and physical aspects of eating and weight.
(edited 8 months ago)
Original post by Ndifian
I had a different situation where I gained more than 30 kg and struggled with my relationship with food. One thing that really helped me was to consult a nutritionist.
I generally avoid any sort of health professionals, I’m yet to receive good advice from them
Original post by Anonymous
I've had periods of disordered eating in the past (not an eating disorder but I have similar thoughts/behaviour patterns just not to the point of being a diagnosable disorder) and it usually comes and goes in phases. For example I'll have a period of about 6 months-a year where I very excessively diet and lose weight then I'll pretty suddenly realise how stupid it is and stop doing and gain back to a healthy weight. My current weight is 6 stone 11, up from my recent low of 6 stone 4 (I've been lighter than that a couple years ago) so I'm a healthy weight again but I still don't know how to tell whether I'm being normal about food and my weight again.
I've changed my daily calories from 1000 to 1600-1700 but I still exercise kind of obsessively and find myself mentally adding up calories and saying I haven't earned eating a certain food or thinking that if I go for a meal out or something I have to starve myself the next day to "make up for it". But the problem is, idk to what extent it's disordered eating and to what extent it's just normal health conscious behaviour/wanting to avoid getting fat.
I've changed my daily calories from 1000 to 1600-1700 but I still exercise kind of obsessively and find myself mentally adding up calories and saying I haven't earned eating a certain food or thinking that if I go for a meal out or something I have to starve myself the next day to "make up for it". But the problem is, idk to what extent it's disordered eating and to what extent it's just normal health conscious behaviour/wanting to avoid getting fat.
I pretty much never think about my weight. If I gain weight, I'll just be like 'oh I gained a bit', and that's it (vice versa). I;m only worried if I gain/lose a lot during a short period of time, like 2 weeks (which is never). I don't think about calories either. I just eat whatever is sufficient, but I try to maintain a balanced diet. If I consume a lot of junk food one day, the next day I think to myself, 'how can I make my diet more balanced and more nutritious?'.
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