I can’t stop thinking about food and calories lately. Even when I’m doing something unrelated, my brain keeps calculating what I ate, what I’m allowed to eat next, and whether I should feel guilty about it. It’s exhausting because food is supposed to be normal, but it feels like every choice has turned into a test.
I’ve started avoiding certain foods and checking labels way more than I want to. Sometimes I’m not even hungry, but I’m still thinking about eating. Other times I am hungry and try to ignore it because I’m worried about the calories. I don’t know if this counts as an eating disorder, but it’s taking up a lot of space in my head.
Has anyone found a way to quiet the calorie thoughts enough to eat normally again?
2 Likes
@Timothy_Miller, the part about ignoring hunger because of calories is worth taking seriously. You don’t need to wait until it has a specific label before getting help. A doctor or eating disorder therapist could help you sort out what’s going on without turning it into another food rule.
For me, trying to argue with every calorie thought just made it louder. Eating on a loose schedule, stepping away from labels for a bit, and keeping simple meals around helped take some of the decision making out of it. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but hunger isn’t something you need to earn or feel guilty about.
@Timothy_Miller, ignoring hunger because of calorie fears sounds especially draining. You don’t need a diagnosis to deserve help, and a doctor or eating-disorder therapist could help you figure out what’s happening without judging you.
One small thing that helped me was making meals simpler and taking a break from reading labels when possible. The thoughts didn’t disappear immediately, but I tried not to negotiate with every one of them. Eating regularly, even when the guilt showed up, gradually made those thoughts less powerful.