Need help with my OCD....

I haven't actually been diagnosed with OCD, but I'm very obsessive.  I tend to focus on things too much and obsess over them, like this weight loss thing.  I get obsessed with calorie counting, the scale, exercise, everything related to losing weight.  It doesn't usually work because it ends up driving me crazy.  This time around, I am trying not to obsess as much.  I have stopped counting calories, I actually started weighing myself more often that way I see the daily fluctuations and I'm getting used to them.  I've been losing steadily, lost 20lbs already in a matter of weeks by just getting to the gym and getting my food in order.  But now the obsessive thoughts/feelings are here again.  I'm afraid of the scale like before, I feel compelled to weigh my food and count the calories, if I don't know the calories, I won't eat it.  Like yesterday I was at a Holiday party, and I knew this day was coming for a while, but I decided that I would let myself eat and drink and enjoy myself - which I did - but now I feel guilty.  I might have gone like 500 calories over maintenance, but I had a good workout yesterday and went to the gym this morning.  So all in all, its not like I got off track, it was planned, but I hate the guilt.  My goal is to lose 5lbs a month, which I already have done for December, which is one of the reasons why I let myself indulge yesterday, but I'm getting all obsessed again.  Anyone can relate?

If you think your enthusiasm is turning more into obsession and if it's negatively affecting your ability to lead a normal life,  it may be something you need to talk to a doctor about.  There are all kinds of therapies available which may help you regain a sense of perspective.... with weight-control and possibly with other aspects of life.

OCD is a medical condition, just like diabetes, cancer or any other illness and there is treatment, therapy, medication and some alternative treatments are showing great promise. Inositol and fish oil in particular help many people with OCD. Make an appointment with your Dr. Talk to them and see what they suggest. Do some reading on the net about Inositol and fish oil. One form of therapy for OCD is forcing yourself not to do the compulsive behaviors. Some people can try this on their own depending on the severity of the OCD, others need a therapist or group setting to help them along.

Kate, I tend to be the same way about having certain things CONSUME me!  I do take fish oil regularly--but have never been formally diagnosed with OCD.  In some ways it tends to help with things.  I became quite an accomplished pianist as a child (into my adult life) because I absolutely OBSESSED over practice!!  I practiced 2-3 hours daily and felt extremely guilty if I didn't!  I now feel the same way about my "fit quest".  :/ 

As littleshellys suggested, you can make an appt. with your doc if you feel you should.

Good Luck!

MJ

I also have OCD and I tried one day weighting the food and it lasted until lunch, I became too obsessive, right now I'm obsess with the scale, I've been loosing 2 lb weekly and one week I didn't when I knew I should have, I was getting very depressed so I just stopped myself and thought of a solution, I would just put what I weighted and wont worry about what I lost, and this is really working.

Sometimes We (people with OCD) have to stop and just will it out of us.

What I do is I put in a paper everything I eat and the amount and cals it has, also eat single servings, and with meat I usually just eat one, weight everything new once so the next time you can eyeball it, I also have a food journal so I know what I ate and I make it one week in advance so I'm not anxious.

This is just some of the things I do so my OCD doesn’t get in the way of my weight loss.

Thanks for the replies everyone.  I don't know if I actually have the medically diagnosed form of OCD.  I just know that my mother has always told me that I tended to obsess over things when I was a child and I know that I continue to do so now.  I'm a perfectionist as well so that plays into it.  The fact is that I've had an ED in the past, so food has always been a sensitive topic.  I would like to finally get over the weight and the food controlling my life and have some sanity.  I thought that I would just relax, take it slow, focus on other things in my life (like grad school) and it should be OK.  But I'm starting to obsess over the calories, exercise, food etc again.  I figured not counting calories and weighing the food would tame some of these thoughts and behaviors, and it has, but as the weight comes off, I'm getting more inclined to return to what I used to do and that always backfires.

first - DON'T DO RESEARCH.  people with OCD are highly subject to suggestion, and reading about it is likely to make it worse.

second - find a good therapist.  CBT is very effective, and the faster you get on it, the better.  preoccupation can evolve into other things that can impact your life.  at this point, think of it as prevention.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

first - DON'T DO RESEARCH.  people with OCD are highly subject to suggestion, and reading about it is likely to make it worse.

 Ain't that the truth LOL.  I have a therapist, I guess I should talk to her about my obsessions more.  I've been dealing with other problems with her.