Tracking leading to dis-ordered eating behavior?

[Briswife15 889]

I'm not a WLS veteran, being only 11 months post bypass, but would like input from you veterans. Do you think that all the measuring, weighing, and tracking of food leads to disordered eating? I have a history of anorexia long before I was morbidly obese so I obviously have some sort of problem with food!! I just started Intermittent fasting and kind of feel I am entering a slippery slope towards another eating disorder because I have put pressure on myself to lose 9 pounds this month to get to my goal by my surgiversary. My therapist thinks that all the tracking is detrimental, but I think I need to track for fear of gaining weight back. I'm not underweight at 5'4 and 139 pounds. Thanks for reading! How do you balance being healthy, tracking, and not going overboard?

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[Briswife15 889]

Thank you for your reply. I tend to focus on dense Proteins first, then well-cooked veggies. I have trouble meeting my Protein requirements on a diet of veggies first. I do appreciate your input, though.

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[GreenTealael 24,852]

1 hour ago, Briswife15 said:

I'm not a WLS veteran, being only 11 months post bypass, but would like input from you veterans. Do you think that all the measuring, weighing, and tracking of food leads to disordered eating? I have a history of anorexia long before I was morbidly obese so I obviously have some sort of problem with food!! I just started Intermittent fasting and kind of feel I am entering a slippery slope towards another eating disorder because I have put pressure on myself to lose 9 pounds this month to get to my goal by my surgiversary. My therapist thinks that all the tracking is detrimental, but I think I need to track for fear of gaining weight back. I'm not underweight at 5'4 and 139 pounds. Thanks for reading! How do you balance being healthy, tracking, and not going overboard?

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Whatever you decide IMHO please take into consideration the *PROFESSIONALS* opinion and course of treatment. You may not have the perspective to understand/self diagnose the issue.

Wishing you well ❤

[Briswife15 889]

Thanks, Green Tealael! I have my one year appointment with bari group at the end of next month. Will address this with them then!

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[catwoman7 10,846]

I do still weigh/measure and track at almost five years out because I've learned if I stop doing it for more than a few days, my weight starts heading north. But that's me - you may be different. My dietitian also recommended I stop doing it, but I know myself too well....

also, I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but losing nine lbs in a month isn't realistic if you're anywhere near your goal weight (or even within 20 or 30 lbs of it). It would take me three or four months to do that - at minimum - unless I was practically starving myself. Even if I'm being really careful with my food intake and exercising, I can only lose about 0.5 - 1 lb a week... So different from when I was morbidly obese!

[GreenTealael 24,852]

11 minutes ago, Briswife15 said:

Thanks, Green Tealael! I have my one year appointment with bari group at the end of next month. Will address this with them then!

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I actually meant with a psychologist/therapist.

If you don't trust the opinion of your current therapist (this is the 2nd post where you disagreed with the treatment plan) seek a 2nd, 3rd or 4th opinion.

It's really important that you trust your providers and believe they have your best interest in mind or you may tend towards being non compliant

But please don't wait and talk to people who are not medical professionals and can only provide you with anecdotal information ❤

Edited February 28, 2020 by GreenTealael

[Briswife15 889]

Oh! Sorry. Yes, I did disagree with my psychiatrist as to whether I was underweight or not, you're right. This is my therapist, so a different person. I guess I'll just have to figure out if tracking really is detrimental for me, maybe by stopping for a while and seeing what happens! Thanks, again.

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[Briswife15 889]

I do still weigh/measure and track at almost five years out because I've learned if I stop doing it for more than a few days, my weight starts heading north. But that's me - you may be different. My dietitian also recommended I stop doing it, but I know myself too well....
also, I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but losing nine lbs in a month isn't realistic if you're anywhere near your goal weight (or even within 20 or 30 lbs of it). It would take me three or four months to do that - at minimum - unless I was practically starving myself. Even if I'm being really careful with my food intake and exercising, I can only lose about 0.5 - 1 lb a week... So different from when I was morbidly obese!

Thanks, Catwoman7! You're not being rude! I agree I'm unrealistic and putting too much pressure on myself to get to a magic, arbitrary number in one month. I'm torn because I know I need to track so I don't gain, and had planned on doing it forever but I don't want the tracking to be triggering of an eating disorder. I'll work with my therapist and hopefully sort this out!

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[GreenTealael 24,852]

1 minute ago, Briswife15 said:

Oh! Sorry. Yes, I did disagree with my psychiatrist as to whether I was underweight or not, you're right. This is my therapist, so a different person. I guess I'll just have to figure out if tracking really is detrimental for me, maybe by stopping for a while and seeing what happens! Thanks, again.

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Both of your providers have come up with the same-ish advice?

Either they review your case together and discuss it (it happens) or they each (separately) see something you do not yet.

*Another/different/second opinion may help*

[Briswife15 889]

I do see it. I suppose what I was asking was for advice from people who struggle with the same thing on how to balance tracking food with not getting too obsessed. Anyway, thanks, as always for your advice. I can't give up tracking entirely, for ever, but will focus on good health and reaching a weight supported by the professionals.

[summerset 5,261]

42 minutes ago, Briswife15 said:

I suppose what I was asking was for advice from people who struggle with the same thing on how to balance tracking food with not getting too obsessed.

I couldn't and that's exactly why I stopped doing it long ago. Tracking lead me to obsession and interestingly enough my brain craved more food when I was tracking and I was also more prone to loss-of-control eating when I tracked.

Other people experience the opposite. They do very good with writing down everything they eat. It's up to you if you stop tracking or not.