When did you realize you had a problem/ How did it start?

Hi everyone,

When I started calorie counting and learning everything about nutrition and different foods I never thought what I was getting myself into. I'm glad I did it because it helped me get rid of my over pounds and get to a heathy weight but now that I'm there I find myself having a weird relationship with food. In my head I'm always putting certain foods down because they are not nutritionally "good enough for my body". If I see a bag of twinkies I can't help to think of it as two yellow balls of sugar or when I see fried chicken I just get nausea from looking at all the grease. I'm afraid that this can develop into a serious issue where I see eating as a job and not something to enjoy.

There's others stuff too. There are days when I go to bed a little bit hungry on purpose because that makes me feel like I have eating beyong what I should and that makes me happy.

I was just curious on how some of you started having an eating problem, how did you realize it, what were the signs?

Thanks!

I don't think it matters too much when or how other people decided they had an eating problem.  Some never accept they have a problem...   It's much more important that you're unhappy with your behaviour based on what is normal for you.   If you think the way you're reacting to a piece of fried chicken is over the top.... then you're probably right.

What matters now is that, if you're uncomfortable with how things are heading that you take action to change course.   Start by adding a few 'fun' foods into your daily diet that you used to enjoy but have since banned.  Have bigger-size meals than normal  so that you go to bed with a full tummy.  Find happiness and confidence in other areas of your life besides your food choices, body-weight etc.

I'm sure it's just a temporary thing and that, with a little application on your part you can nip it in the bud.

Thanks for the advice, you are right. I'm still at the point where I feel like I can do something about it. Thanks again.

I did the exact same thing, with the twinkies and chicken. I didn't think it was a big deal untill I got to a point where everything I ate 'wasn't good enough'. I would end up eating half of everything, even small chewy bars. And yes, I felt really happy to go to sleep hungry.  I was a little bit younger and never got treatment, well my 'treatment' was breaking up with my boyfriend and not caring anymore about food. I gained a lot of weight, now trying to loose it. I am also begining to go to sleep hungry some nights... happily. I know I'm not getting myself into an eating dissorder, just picking up bad habbits. I recently became a vegitarian and actually I gaged at my co-workers eating chicken for the first time. I'm still trying to figure that one out.

 I have always been athletic and had nice muscle tone and have never ever been considered overweight. My second year of college, I decided I was going to lose 5lbs and started with incredibly good intentions. I started researching and reading about vegetarianism and veganism, along with adding 30 minutes of exercise every other day. When I hit that 5lbs loss, I was excited and rememebered the more calories i burn, the more weight I'd lose and the faster I'd lose it. I decided to become vegan, running 5-8 miles a day, restricting calories, going to bed hungry, etc.

Obviously, I developed an eating disorder. It seemed as though everyone else could notice my dramatic 40lb weight loss, but I was completely oblivious. I landed myself in a downward spiral and hit rock bottom before having to withdraw from my college and seek treatment.

My advice to you- starving yourself is not worth it, going to bed hungry is absolutely not worth it. What are you proving? I hit my goal weight, and kept losing weight, but I can tell you  I was not once satisfied even when I reached my goal weight... it was never good enough.

You are lucky to realize that these perceptions and ways of thinking are not healthy. If you can get these thoughts under control now, you are saving yourself and the people who love you from so much heartache and misery. Take care of yourself- you are the only one of you there is and that's an amazing gift in itself.

i did the clean eating thing and lost too much weight.  it's hard relaxing those food rules without feeling tremendeously guilty at times now.

i think the thing that has helped me the most is eating with family and friends to take my mind off of how "bad" it is.  after all, i certainly don't think they are disgusting for enjoying a savory treat now and then.