A new kind of all or nothing thinking.

Now I don't mean the kind where you either eat the entire contents of a supermarket or you refrain completely from eating any "bad" foods because you feel you must deprive yourself to lose weight.  Not sure if I can properly articulate the difference, but lately I feel somewhat like a health failure if I'm not eating fruits and, especially, vegetables at every meal, or if I eat something - no matter how small - processed or without much nutrient value.  It's not that I believe that I can't have small treats because I do; it's more that I get anxious about eating foods that are devoid of vitamins and minerals.  (As always, my brain and taste buds/stomach are at odds.  My mouth wants to eat cake!)

Have you guys heard of "orthorexia"?  Now I'm NOT at all trying to make a comparison with the feelings I have and a serious eating disorder, but that's the one thing that pops into my mind that seems vaguely related.  I don't believe I need to deprive myself to lose weight, but I'm starting to feel I shouldn't eat anything that's not nutrient dense if I want to be healthy.  I do have a small treat (like a Skinny Cow cone) every day, but I often feel anxious or concerned that I'm eating it at all.  I do try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables.  I suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, and I kind of worry that a new kind of obsession is developing.  I worry about things like vitamin loss in pre-cut fruits and vegetables.  I'm starting to rank vegetables into categories of "ok," "good," and "best."  It's not an obsession and it doesn't get in the way of my life, but I'm wondering where it's going.  I know a moderate, balanced approach is the best kind for success.

Anyone else have the same feelings?

I read your profile, and you certainly sound like you're taking a healthy approach to your lifestyle.  I quite honestly have never heard of "orthorexia" and it wasn't even in my medical dictionary (I'm a nurse).  Did look it up though....obsession with healthy food...can lead to the point of starvation.....interesting.

I understand your concern if you are OCD and worried about another obsession.  Are you on medication for it?  In any type of therapy?  It would certainly be of benefit to voice any concerns to your doctor/therapist and I would think as long as you recognize that you might be coming more fixated on this, you can keep it in control.  Healthy eating is certainly a lifestyle we all strive for, but I understand you wanting it to remain a positive focus and not a negative one in your life.

Your menu certainly sounded well balanced.  I think as long as you continue to eat lean protein, whole grains and a healthy mix of fruits and veggies you should be fine.  Let's face it...some of the fruits and vegetables are "better" than others.  If you tend to be insulin resistant eating from the lower end of the glycemic scale is beneficial.

Glad to see you've joined us on the "what did you eat today" post....maybe this will help to keep you on track too.

Thanks for the response.  I'm currently not taking medication for my OCD - I've dabbled taking a few here and there, but I haven't stuck with any.  (Either they didn't work, they had intolerable side effects, or my mental block about wanting to get a handle on things using sheer willpower, not drugs, got in the way.)  I may try giving Anafranil another try.  I see a psychiatrist, but I haven't mentioned to her yet that I sometimes feel overly focused on eating healthfully.  It waxes and wanes at times, but sometimes I wonder if something's bubbling up to the surface.

 

New term for me, too! I am VERY much like you - somewhere in my brain every morsel of food gets some kind of preliminary critique from a dark place within me:  I am good if eat kale...I am bad if I eat a donut. Since I prefer the better judgments, i do tend to choose things that please that voice.  is that so bad? no, I say.

Usually I quell those thoughts as they are not constructive to my self worth. Very dangerous for me, as a matter of fact to ever seriously entertain.

Feline, I do have very similar feelings; you may recall i had been a practicing binge/purger for my teen years til about age 35.

I believe that once we have had a bone fide eating disorder (ED), which binge purge is fairly obviouslt one - we do not get better. We learn to manage it.

Unless you have experienced a serious nutritional deficiency related to this way of eating or like me, have a crazy behavior like eating too much then vomting, I would not read too much into these thoughts.

Geez oh man, these days, with SO MUCH information about eat this...don't eat that...eat local! organic!...it is a wonder any one with a semblance of good will to take care of herself can think straight.

Now, having said that, if you have been dx'ed with OCD, I would definitely bring this concern up with your doc.

I have never been on meds to help me with my food obsessive thinking, but I am not opposed and would do so in a heart beat if I ever lost control again.

Before I started eating better about five months ago, I would have said I was a compulsive overeater.  It seemed so natural and normal for me at the time, I never really felt that I had an eating disorder.  Often, I would continue to eat long after the food stopped tasting good, until I was quite nauseous.  I ate all of the time, even when I wasn't hungry.  Something about an unfinished package of cookies or what-have-you would agitated my brain, and I couldn't rest until I had eaten them all.  I would fall asleep with a stomachache but wake up in the middle of the night to eat some more.  Since I was a compulsive overeater (and probably still am, but now I control it), with the OCD, I wouldn't be surprised if I replaced one compulsion with another.  I hope I'm getting anxious over nothing.  Or, maybe I just think something must be wrong because I can't believe I've managed to change my eating habits for this long!  (Nearly five months is a long time for me.)