Where is your fine line????

[Healthy_life2 8,330]

My disclaimer – (newbies) Its normal to be excited and a bit obsessive about the process and practicing basics in your honeymoon phase ***its normal** this topic is more for people maintaining and if they are riding a fine line between bariatric lifestyle and disordered thinking. It’s something that does not affect all of us after goal.

When healthy eating go’s to far (please read the link below)

https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/orthorexia-when-healthy-eating-goes-too-far/

I love that the things we are taught, and practice as bariatric patients are not much different than athletes. Logging and weight our food, putting thought into buying groceries and how you fuel your body, what foods are allowed and not allowed on our plans, researching new diet/fitness health trends and knowing what’s works to lose the weight and stay healthy.

Here is the double edge sword for many of us that have been formerly obese and fear weight gain. Where is the fine line between bariatric life style and disordered thinking about food and weight???

Letting go of the “bariatric weight loss rules” Scared the hell out of me after goal. The fear of weight gain kept me in check, But I noticed the fear was not in a normal range. I needed to relax and not feel guilty about indulging within reason. It’s taken me time not to totally freak out with a weight gain. I learned to maintain my weight maintaining bounce range. I had to learn to trust myself. Balance with this is something I’m still working on years out.

I would like your thoughts on the fear of weight gain after goal/maintaining. Is it a healthy or unhealthy range for you?

[FluffyChix 17,418]

Great topic!

I'm still on the tail end of my honeymoon period (1st 18 months where we tend to "lose the most"), and am still not at my 3rd goal of 130lbs. I'm bouncing between 135-138 and have only seen 133 very briefly. Each time I bounce I think "this is it--this is where I'm stuck and where my body wants to be." And honestly? I'm not ready to have that conversation with myself and concede defeat. So I keep pushing and trying and working. Cuz It's not that I would "fail," but I set out to achieve my goal and although I'm not willing to die trying...it's important that I remain sharply focused.

So honestly? I can't even go to the "maintenance" talk. I think it will look a lot like your bounce window and I think it's gonna include IF at least some point during the week. Is it obsessive? Probably to others it appears to be obsessive. I don't feel like I'm out of balance or control. But just as I hated being judged when I was MO, I hate being judged for my focus. Some of the women (who are not at goal and one who is on her second version of the surgery) in my local support group, tell me I'm "too intense" and too focused on goal and on a number on the scale...that I shouldn't weigh, measure, and log my food or weigh daily. They tell me that reaching a number on a scale and being defined by it is crazy town. But I disagree. There is comfort in "knowing data." If something in me breaks, I can go look at the data and will be able to spot where I'm going "wrong." It's cause and effect.

But, saying this, I do allow myself to go out and cut loose sometimes. It's only ever one meal though and often not even a full meal. Then it's back to basics. I'm no longer terrified of being unable to maintain. I think I will be able to do that--but the trade off is that for me, personally, "mindful" "natural" eating is not a real thing--much like unicorns. I will always be on a diet. I will always try to weigh, measure, record my foods and weigh daily. And I'm pretty sure I will continue to limit my exposure to high glycemic index and high glycemic load foods. And I'm pretty dang skippy ok with that.

One man's orthorexia, is another man's routine. I think the difference is whether or not it causes stress to the individual or if they use success or failure in that routine to beat themselves up and punish or self-sabotage. I don't feel that from my routine--only comfort. But others would and do imply I have "issues."

Edited May 1, 2019 by FluffyChix

[GreenTealael 25,622]

I have a tendency to be hyper focused on a clean diet which many say is orthorexia like however I don't log and weigh foods often.

I also will eat the same things ad nauseum then drop it like it never existed. This behavior isn't new to me and does not feel disordered or anxiety inducing etc... Just health conscious... but it has intensified after surgery with dumping and the absolute need to not regain for medical purposes.

Edited May 1, 2019 by GreenTealael