Fear of Mexican Restruant Foods

   I have been trying to be real to myself -not that all of this is bad, it is just differant than what I used to do before I started being health conscience- and here is what it comes to:

I do not ever use any spreads or dressings or anything additional to my foods

I have learned to love, love, LOVE plain oatmeal!

I used to eat about 350-900 calories a day (stoped begining of this month to streghthen my metabolism). Now it is (little more or less but about) 1200.

I spend a good amount of my day counting calories or wondering how many I have left or wondering how many calories is in that particular food, ect

I never eat snacks unless if my stomach is growling loudly

Check my weight every day

I will not ever drink calories unless it is skim milk-I normally drink water and sometimes at night hot caffine-free tea

Found out that at the lunch table, I can pack a single slice of lite whole wheat bread and fold it so it looks like a sandwich and just eat that and no one will notice

And the most pittiful, I cry when my family makes me go to a Mexican Restruant and I now hate to eat out. I don't cry in front of them but, none the less I cry.

I am a 14 yr old girl 5'2", 95lbs. Maintaining. Starting weight was 120lbs!

 The first three are good but I think I need to slow or even stop all together the other obsessive habits. I ever more shall hate Mexican Restruants or any restruants but I don't want it to ruin my day, unless it should? Anyone with advice or information or in the same boat? 

Sorry for the length, thanks for reading, and please respond! 

Just one question: Where are you parents?  You need to start by sharing this with them and you NEED to start counseling for this.  You most certainly have an eating disorder.   If you cant talk to your parents, then try a friend, or a friend's parent, or a teacher.     I think you realize this already, but just need to hear it from all of us. 

Sweetie,   you most definately have an eating disorder.  I am 5 foot 1 and when I was your age, I was 111 pounds.  I thought I was 'too fat' and went down to 105.   That is skinny enough for that height.

Now that I am approaching 48, the thought of me ever being anywhere near 95-111 pounds turns my blood to ice.   Skinny is not a good look on anybody, you are a growing young lady,  start to appreciate and celebrate your curves, you do not want to look like a 12 year old boy from the back, after all !

We can try to support you here, but please speak to either your folks or your school principle.

Lots of love,

Vickie 

1200 calories is an improvement from what you were eating before, but 1500 calories is the absolute minimum for a growing teenage girl. You are only fourteen, and you still have a lot of growing to do (a lot of it goes on inside, where you might not be able to see it). A lot of these behaviors are hurting you and are unhealthy, as you seem to have realized....I really suggest that you talk to someone. I've struggled with an eating disorder in the past, and not to scare you or anything, but it only gets worse if you don't do something to change your behavior. :/

I am not supper skinny and I don't want to be. I want to stay at where I am but just to stop some of these awfull habits I have just realized. I don't have an eating disorder but just some fears.

 The thing is, my parents are rather forceful and I found some books in the basement that was my mom's(with notes) about an eating disorder she has! It is all about emotional eating and the pain that connects with that and pleasure they find in foods. I read her notes and it is so hurtful to read the hurt she has gone through and how she is addicted to some foods.

 As I said earlier though, I don't think I have an eating disorder but I just need to get rid of these habits without telling my parents, it will only make things worse. Anyway, I have not always been like this and I can change without gaining any weight-espeically if they are not healthy for me physically or mentally I just need to know want IS healthy. I can change easily, I need to know change to what. aigirl14 I had no idea that I (being 14) need to eat 1500! Thank you, everyone! One last question, how do you feel about Mexican Restuarnt foods? Surely someone is atleast a little afraid of them? Thank you everyone again, you are all a huge help!

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calc ulator.htm

This site allows teenagers to determine how many calories they need.  Additionally, if you enter your stats into a BMI calculator you are classified as underweight. 

As fas as what you are doing right, the only one I agree with is the skim milk.  Drinking just water and milk is fine.  The rest seem to be over the top.  (If your stomack is growling, you are just slowing your metabolism down already.)

Mexican - I love it.  It's my absolute favorite - I'm sure I eat well over 1500 calories in a meal, but it's wonderully delicous. 

Could you at least talk to a friend about it? Someone to keep you accountable at lunch at least?

Original Post by world_of_crayons:

 One last question, how do you feel about Mexican Restuarnt foods? Surely someone is atleast a little afraid of them? Thank you everyone again, you are all a huge help!

I have heard of people that don't like Mexican food, but afraid is something I have never heard anyone say before. What about it are you afraid of?

Yeah I learned the 1500 calories thing from using this site. :)  I know you say that you are maintaining and don't want to gain weight, but you are technically underweight. You have a bmi of 17.4, and anything under 18.5 is considered underweight (here is a link with a bmi calculator if you don't know or understand what a bmi is). To gain a healthy amount of weight, you need to be eating at least 2,500 calories a day...since you are underweight, the 1,500 calories is definitely not enough for you.

http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

Your original weight of 120 pounds was perfectly healthy! :) Like it was seriously perfect. I promise. I'm not sure of the reasons why you chose to lose weight, but you really didn't need to. I suggest that you gain at least ten pounds...just to be back at a safe weight. I know it's scary to gain weight...my lowest weight at 5'7" was 108 pounds, horribly unhealthy, and I was convinced that I didn't need to gain weight. Twenty five pounds later, I am much happier, healthier, and I look better too.
So I suggest you head over to the weight gainers forum? There's a lot of good info and people over there who would be morrrreee than willing to help you. :)

Btw, lingering eating disorder issues, I have a really hard time eating in restaurants since I don't really trust other people making my food. So I totally understand the fear thing you are talking about. But when I relax and just try to enjoy it, I actually like Mexican food. :)

As much as it pains me to say this -- this young lady is at a perfectly acceptable weight for her age and height.  She is NOT considered underweight by the standards set forth for children under 21.  Go to this page to check this out.

Having said that, however....  1500 calories per day is the minimum for an absolutely SEDENTARY female -- and I don't know any who are allowed to actually stay in bed reading 24/7.

You should be eating between 1700-2700 calories dependent upon your activity level.  Yes, I'm serious -- 1700-2700 PER day.

that's not to say they can't all be healthy calories, nothing says you have to spend your days eating twinkies and skittles -- or even mexican food.  But almost ALL food has a place within a normal "diet" plan -- and when you restrict, you run the risk of it turning around and biting you on the butt.

A child of 14 will continue growing until 21-23 -- not always growing "up" as in height -- but internal organs continue to grow, the brain continues to grown, bones continue to harden.  By restricting your diet you are placing your body at terrible risks for problems later on in life -- usually when you least expect them.

YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY WEIGHT TO LOSE.  YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY WEIGHT TO LOSE.  and, just in case you didn't hear me -- YOU HAVE NO WEIGHT TO LOSE.

ugh this is a bothering post to me..

regardless, girl you need to eat more. starting as soon as possible! Please tell your parents about this because it really sounds like you have an ED and you need help before it gets too out of hand. eating this little is making you unhealthy. trust me pretty much all my friends are around 100lbs and eat like 3000 calories a day and maintain. you need to eat more or you will keep loosing until your underweight and at that point its going to be much harder to get out of it.