diet, exercise, fitness, psychology, training

When does your pastime or interest become an obsession? Are all obsessions unhealthy..?

My history is that I was an overweight kid and struggled with weight in my adult years, despite the pressures of having to be relatively fit whilst in the military. Once I left the service in 1992, I almost immediately started putting on weight and, after 6 months, weighted 50 pounds more than I did when I left the service.

Many years of failed efforts at dieting, usually cut everything out and starve myself, finally lead me to the realization (some 6 years ago...) that the way I was dieting was wrong. I took a step back and re-evaluated the way I was doing things. I made a few critical decisions on how to proceed...

1. Reduce my calorie intact but only to a reasonable level (1500-1750 cals per day).

2. Reduce the level of fat that I was taking in (30 grams per day).

3. Routine exercise (Mainly CV to begin with then adding wgt training once some of the weight was lost).

4. Do not deny myself anything. The more you deny yourself, the more likely it is that you will give in eventaully and eat to excess. So, chocolate and cakes were not completely out!

5. Record everything...I use 'weightlossresources.co.uk' to record everything I eat and all the exercise I do. It does cost to use the site but it is worth it...I've been doing it for 6 years now and there's a US version as well!

Okay, so you're asking, where's the obsession bit? Honestly, it is all a bit obsessive. I record everything I eat and get stressed when I can't (THAT's OBSESSIVE!). I exercise almost everyday, only taking the odd day off....usually one per month but I have been known to do 65 days in a row! Again, I get stressed when I think I may miss a workout or I am late for one (THAT's OBSESSIVE..!). I am also keenly aware of my appearance. That's is a bit odd for someone who is almost 50, but can be explained by the years when I couldn't wear decent clothes or fit into a pair of jeans. However, the obsessive part is that I often wonder if my view of my body and appearance isn't real in that I sometimes think I look fat...not on the levels of anorexic (I love food too much!) but it does worry me.

FYI...I am a 5' 7", 152 Lb male with a 29 inch waist and 13-15% body fat.

Well, is this a dangerous way to live...? Comments please....

I don't think it is but I can easily see where, if I were younger and not as mentally stable (Not saying that I am stable...) it could easily become a problem. Therefore, how do we address this amongst the fitness/sports/athlete realm as a lot of us, whether you want to admit it or not, fit into the same category. Is it education, is it changes to PR...I don't know but would welcome your views and/or comments.

In the meantime, I will be at the gym this evening and running tomorrow morning...keeping an eye on the scales and the fat monitor.

Grumpy....

	Author:	grumpy59 (grumpy59's profile, grumpy59's blog)
	Posted On:	Thu, 2008-02-21 12:39
	Tags:	psychology, diet, training, exercise and fitness
	Comments:	2 comments, go to comments