Do I Have A Problem?

I completely gave up sweets and fried/processed food a little over a year ago-didn't lose any weight, I didn[t need to-I just wanted to feel and be healthier, lean and fit.  I still remember how completely different I felt!  Given I had already limited sweets b/f that as I am hypoglycemic but I became more concerned with eating the right foods every few hours.  At first my family was all cheers b/c they thought it would ease my headaches n' sugar issues, but now after over a year I live in  ahouse where people make me feel like I have a problem...the other night I turned down some sort of dessert and my mom said some remark about how I of all people should eat it b/c I can and that I have issues with food.  It really shocked me and hurt me! Last night I met my friends at applebees and I didn't want their chips and they all were like, oh I forgot you don't eat?!?! WHAT!? I guess my question is that because I am thin (5'7 120 lbs +/- 3lbs), does that mean I have disordered eating for choosing to give those things up?My mom said that I cant possibly be at my natural body weight if I limit myself so much, but I feel like I eat so well?

Sounds like you're not eating all the right things, which is great.  But that leaves open the question: What DO you eat?  And how much of it do you eat?  What is your calorie intake like for the day?  If you're eating a good mixture of protein, fats, carbs, getting lots of fruits, vegetables, and grains each day, and your calorie count is up where it should be for your age, weight, and body type, then there isn't a problem. 

 

But if, on top of leaving out all those icky sugars and fried fats, you're also only eating the fat-free versions of other healthy foods, thus cutting nearly all fat out of your diet, that's unhealthy.  If you're only eating celery and greens all day and not getting any grains or fruits and perhaps some fish or a lean meat now and then (or a soy meat), that's unhealthy.  If your calorie count is lower than it should be--and if you're a teenager, it probably needs to be higher than you think it does--that's unhealthy.

 

Also, do you exercise at all?  You're so slim, I wonder if you're all skin and bones (known as 'fat skinny') or if you're made of muscle.

 

So, personally, I'd need more information to answer your question as to whether you have a problem.  However, JUST deciding to give up sugar and fatty, fried foods is not at all a sign of disordered eating, it's just making healthier choices.  It's what's going on around and outside of that that might make the difference.

You're not clinically underweight but you are at the very lowest end of the healthy spectrum.  Choosing not to eat sugary or fried foods sounds like a sensible thing to do. However, as the previous post said, if you're routinely undereating or if your eating patterns have become irregular e.g. skipping meals, then you should maybe look at your diet and ask yourself if it could be improved.   A 'healthy diet' doesn't simply mean avoiding certain foods... it's about finding a balance, enjoying food and eating enough in total to match your energy needs.  Otherwise you can risk missing out on certain valuable nutrition. 

Maybe keep a food diary for a week or two.  Very fat people often find they eat a lot more than they think.  Very thin people often find they eat a lot less than they think.  A food diary can help you see if you're in the latter camp.  If you spot-check your total calorie intake and you're consuming less than 1900 cals then you're probably simply undereating.

Hey! As far as my eating goes...it's usually pretty consistent lately as my work schedule is steady..so, here's a typical day:

breakfast:oatmeal and yogurt or fruit and yogurt w/ a soy latte

Lunch: something to go from Whole foods usually

-sandwich and soup, stirfry and brown rice, or chicken salad and a granola bar

Snacks (sometimes morning but usually only midday)-almonds, apples, cheese crackers, yogurt, anything portable really

Dinner: can be anything really at my house...if I eat out on the weekends usually fish, veggies, and rice, or more sushi 

dessert: fruit and yogurt or peanutbutter, if still hungry glass of soy milk

Portions vary a lot-on days I work and/or work out I eat a lot more of my snacks it seems like, but don't always snack after dinner cuz I'm usually full.  I run 3-4 x week, and lift 3 times a week-I don't think I'm the strongest person alive but I'm not skinny fat, I am def proud of the lean muscle I have.  So, hope that helps!  I admit I always try to pick the healthier option, and my family thinks it's wierd or obsessive.

You should clock the calorie intake for a few days just for your own information.  It sounds like quite a healthy range of foods but if your intake comes to 1900 a day and you need 2200 a day then you can find you're undereating accidentally.

And maybe to put the lie to the 'obsessive' tag, make the point of enjoying a piece of apple pie or a dish of ice-cream from time to time in front of your family.  It really wouldn't hurt.

I agree that you should track your calorie intake for a few days, as well as track how many calories you burn on a normal day.  If you're working out regularly, I think it's exceedingly possible you are accidentally undereating, and you'll need the calories to help build and maintain that lifting muscle.  However, what you're eating is very healthy--all great choices.  Maybe a few more greens and some protein in the mornings...

 

I disagree that you should have to make a point of (even occasionally) eating unhealthy food in front of your friends and family in order to placate them.  You should not be forced to put something both you and your body don't want--processed sugars, fried foods, empty calories--into yourself just for harmony.  You said yourself you get sugar headaches, and you probably feel a general malaise after eating fried foods (I get this from you saying how much different you felt after giving them up), and there's just no reason to shovel that stuff into your body if you don't crave it and don't want it in you.  I get migraines from caffeine and I am always turning down offers of too much chocolate, cups of tea or coffee, etc., and I wouldn't change that just avoid hurting someone else's feelings when I know it would hurt me physically!

 

Personally, I'd say standing up for yourself and the better choices you're making would be the way to go.  But that only after you've made sure that you're not accidentally undereating.  If you're going to make a point of saying how healthy you're being and that you deserve your friends and family's support to do so, you'd better make sure you really are first. 

I guess I've never really counted calories, only food groups-I will def give that a try this week.  At least then I'll assure or be aware that I am eating properly.  Thanks for this input guys! I didn't feel like I had a problem but when I'm surrounded by the people I love constantly rolling their eyes it's like what?!?!  They tell me only they need to do that b/c they need to lose weight....arghhh.  I'll diary this week and see how that goes.  But then what do I say to them if AGAIN I am trying to quickly just tell them 'no thank you' to certain things? I dont want them to think I'm totally preaching to them that I have a special lifestyle, but I just want them to know it's just how I live. 

Well, I guess something to bring up would be what you brought up here: Eating sugar gives you headaches, and eating fried or fatty foods makes you feel--well, how?  Does it make you feel sluggish, miserable, whatever?  If you need to, explaining that it's just not worth it to you to eat something that you know is going to make you feel physically bad later might help.  Because then you're not saying, "I eat so much better than you," you're saying, "My body just isn't well equipped to handle that kind of food--it's sensitive."  Of course, you don't want to make your family and friends defensive about their own eating habits, especially if they need to lose weight.  Assuming you aren't actually undereating and they can see it, there's a measurement of jealousy to figure in: You've done what they know they need to do, but haven't found the willpower to do, and that can make a person feel a little inferior and bi***y.

 

I have to laugh when I get people rolling their eyes at me when I turn down a bite of chocolate, candy, or something else sugary and they say things like, "What do you want to weigh: Nothing?" or "You can't lose too much more weight; you'll disappear!"  I'd eat the sweet if I was craving it, but at that point, I'm not, and it's stupid to waste calories on something I'm not actually into at the moment.  But as for actual food, I eat so often throughout the day that it looks like I'm just never not eating.  So those same people will another day say, "All you do is eat!  How do you not weigh 300 lbs.?!" and all I can do is snicker at the constant swing in their opinions.  The funny part is, people who are already fit never notice.  It's only people who have weight of their own to lose who seem to scrutinize what I'm eating.  I can only guess that's because I've lost 23 lbs. while 'eating all the time,' and that breeds a bit of resentment for others who haven't taken their own steps, or who have taken the wrong ones (fad diet, anyone?).

 

Anyway--I've digressed a bit.  What I'm saying is: You should be honest with your family/friends, but not in such a way as to make them defensive.  It's best, I find, to give reasons that are difficult to argue with.  If someone says, "Here, have a piece of chocolate cake," and you say, "No, thanks.  Sugar gives me such awful headaches," it's kind of hard for them to then say, "Oh, go on and have some!  You know you want to," without looking like an apathetic moron.

 

Also, "I'm in the mood for some fruit (or yoghurt), actually," might be a good dessert copout, and, "No, I don't want to fill up, I won't be able to eat my dinner!" might be good for those chips on the table at the restaurant or other fattening appetizers.

 

And if all else fails, maybe it's time to trot out the possibly-offensive-to-the-overweight, but quite honest, "I used to eat that stuff, but then realized I'd put on some weight.  If I start eating it again, I'll start putting it on again.  I'm happier with myself without it."

 

Whatever happens, be yourself and don't treat your body badly for anyone else's benefit.  Assuming your calorie counting agrees with your calorie expenditure (and I do hope you'll update us!), then you're treating yourself right and you should be proud of that, not be egged into feeling ashamed or weird for it.

Wo! Great advice bipolypesca!  haha uhhh I think I will just copy and paste the exact statements in my head! I find myself defending myself too often rather than just well, maybe being point blank a/b it.  That is the only time when I feel like saying I wouldn't perform better fitness wise or maintain my weight as well if I ate all that stuff-but I SO agree with you on the complete opposite opinions!  My friends at work actually are always making fun of me for having something in my mouth-which I really DO eat to help manage my low blood sugar.  I've always done that..:P  But it's my friends outside of work /in school that basically flat out tell me that I'm wierd a/b food b/c I'm thin and don't want to gain weight.  Very frustrating.  I do believe it can be a certain jealousy thing too, not a/b my body oh no!, but that everyone wants to eat healthier, feel healthier. Ok, if you guys stick around in a week haha I can update you w/ tracking my cals.  It'll be hard though when I get take out from Whole foods or the restaurant...

Yeah I know what you feel like. I went on a health kick this year for a new years resolution. I was already thin, but I hated my little "muffin top" - especcially from eating so much during the holidays, so I wanted to just have tighter abs - not lose any weight. At first I was avoiding too many sweets and turning down a cookie or something fattening. And when I did eat it I got upset because I felt pressured - because my mom looks out for me and makes sure that I don't get too skinny. Because, if you restrict yourself from everything you used to eat, obviously you'll lose a little weight.

 

I think it's good to be healthy, but really, you got to live a little. I'm doing a little better with the whole health kick thing because now I'll induldge myself once in a while. If I feel guilty I may excercise. But, nothing will happen from one little slice of cake or chips for an appetizer. Everyone eats the stuff! Some skinny people eat it every day. I used to eat candy and chips almost every day and I was always skinny because of my high metablism. I mean, if you don't eat ad enjoy it now, you'll regret it one day. And the older you get, the harder it is to afford the stuff.

 

Just eat what you feel like eating. You don't have to eat every single time you crave something - I don't do that as much - but sometimes you have to have some fats. It's actually good for you to have some fats once in a while. Treat your taste buds as well as your health =-)

 

 

I've gotten this sort of response from my family even though I was overweight.  I think there's a bit of guilt being thrown along with the attitude; they feel guilty that they're not doing like I am, so they try to get me join them so they can feel 'normal'.  I wish I had an answer for you to help make it easier.  Firstly I would double-check my calories and nutritional intake, also get your body-fat checked.  Once you're convinced you're within normal healthy ranges, you'll probably feel better about dismissing their attitudes. 

Another thing that may help is learning to take their reaction a little less personally.  I mean, see if maybe you're reading too much into it.  Or at least see if you can learn to "laugh along with them" in a self-deprecating sort of way.

Or this: imagine they're offering you a cigarette and then mocking you for declining it. "Oh, you're so young.  It's not going to kill you!"

You are on the low-end of a healthy weight range.  Did you lose weight after you started "limiting"? 

FYI: With your exercise it looks like you should be consuming about 2000-2200 calories per day.  That's an estimate, and it can be improved if you tell us more about yourself: exactly how much exercise?  what's your body fat ratio?  How old are you?  What are your measurements (hips, waist)?

OK--This could be a semi-long update.  First-as far as measurements go, I got on a scale and it said 117.5 in the AM and then a day later or so at night it said 122.5.  I don't have a clothing tape measurer, but I know I wear 2's except for some "0" dress pants at women's clothing stores.  To 'phord'-I remember I never lost weight, well, in fact I actually put on about 10 pounds when I first when off to college but it was pretty gradual and I'm guessing I was probably finally going through puberty er something:P So, when I started eating healthier and making a point for exercise, I didn't lose any weight but (i believe I talked a/b this in another forum)..I had a significant weight *shift* for some reason!  My arms, legs, and torso look pretty thin, long, and lean but in swimsuits I have this really curvy little butt! haha I was always really proportionate and no, my butt isn't huge!, but I just saw a shift in my body composition, everything leaned out while I got bigger muscles? in my butt and weight on my hips.  OK, here's my cals so far, as I tracked them the past 4 days (2 work days, 2 days off!).I'll give you my example of counting and then list the last 3 days.

Fri:

bfast: large apple and 1 cup Greek yogurt, sm. soy latte, 300

snack: orange mango iced tea, string cheese-150

lunch:Whole foods squash salad, 1/2 turkey sandwhich on wheat, cup tomato basil soup-500

snack: medium strawberry banana smoothie- 1 serving kashi crackers, 430

Dinner: 2 servings salmon w/ olive oil, steamed veggies, 3/4 cupcottage cheese-500

snack: roasted almonds (Eeek! turned out to be 3/4 of a cup!), 1 cup soy milk-600

TOTAL: 2480

I was really full that day.  I tend to always go overboard on nuts so I think I get a lot of calories from that.  But usually I have a much smaller snack in the afternoon or don't snack in the AM on a work day.  I ran 4 miles on Friday and yesterday, weightlifting on Friday and Sunday, and ab workouts on Saturday and Monday.  I also went walking w/ my friends on Saturday and Monday.  The next few days were:

Sat-2010, Sun-1770, Mon-2120

Sounds about right, Chomp.  You need to be eating around 2050 calories per day with that amount of activity.  And it looks like your average for the last 4 days is right on.

Next time someone says you don't eat enough, tell them you eat 6 meals per day and can't afford to eat any more!

Right on!  Now that you're sure you're doing things right, you can be more confident regardless of other people's opinions.  It isn't you with the problem.  It's them.  Feels good, doesn't it? 

been there. done that. you sound so much like me. I gave up so many food when I used to compete that it became part of my life, i don't even think about it, it's natural for me to be at a kid's party and someone offer me some cake and I just don't eat. I don't feel like eating that. or for me to go with my husband to burger king or some fattening place like that and just sit there while he eats. I just don't eat that. Period. If I feel like eating I will. I eat fast food like once a month at most, usually once every other month. It's just not appealing to me.  I go home and I eat whatever I want to cook that is healthy. It might even be more caloric and all, but it's way healthier, because I know how to cook healthy.

Fried food it's a big no no to me. It's extremely rare, like once every 3 months I'll eat something that was fried. Chips and candies, i don't need that. If I feel like eating a chocolate i'll eat one that I love not any crap my co-worker is chewing non-stop and want me to have some.

They'll get used to it. you don't have a problem. you sound perfectly normal.