Obsessively Weighing Self/Dieting

Does anyone else do this? I started keeping track of my weight/calories, started a diet and realized I'm weighing myself up to 15 times per day. I'm now eating 600 calories a day which is better than what I was eating but I keep weighing myself as if my weight will magically change in an hour. Usually I have trouble sticking to diets but it's become sort of an obsession now. I check myfitnesspal app about 20 times a day. I'm exercising like crazy, my weight is always on my mind constantly upsetting me and making me worried that I'm not losing enough fast enough. This started when I checked my BMI and found out I'm officially considered overweight, not by a huge amount but still it made me angry at myself. Very frustrated because I gained 25 lbs since starting the meds I'm on. I look skinny according to other people but that's not what the scale says. This is driving me crazy.

BMI isn't a scientific measurement, it's a general average to compare to. There are more factors to your body style than "height" and "weight" such as muscle to fat ratios and bone structure. My family is dutch/irish so I have big bones (as cartman would say). Many people guess that I'm 170-180lbs but I actually weigh 220. According to my BMI, I'm not just overweight, I'm mid-range obese. I do not look obese.

Basically just try to keep in mind that BMI doesn't really mean much and you're not "officially" overweight. Only a doctor can make that sort of diagnosis. Best wishes.

Thanks for the reply, it just aggravated me when I saw the word overweight even though it's only by 4 lbs away from what they call "normal" and a doctor never told me anything like you said. The word just made me upset so I started exercising like crazy and this strict diet, which I guess is good even if I'm not overweight so I can at least be healthier. I just have to stop obsessing over it so much

600 calories a day does not sound healthy at all though. o-o

I know it seems unhealthy but it's working. I just want to feel better about myself and doing this is helping me

It *seems* unhealthy because it IS unhealthy.
Right now it's working.
Soon it will stop, because you are starving your body and your brain- your muscles and skin.

Your metabolism is likely slowing to a crawl, and if you aren't experiencing some cognitive effects at this point, you will soon.
If you take this train far enough, you will end up very very sick, and in a place you can not get out of with out major intervention.

Do yourself a favour: Maybe get rid of the scale, only weigh yourself at the gym r doctor's office [preferably not more than once a week]

Maybe take the app off your mobile device and jot things down in a small note book during the day to put in at night.

600 calories is not even a resting metabolic intake that your body can sustain itself on without going into survival mode.

That is- a lot of people need anywhere from 1000 -1400 calories when they do nothing. If you are adding in exercise, you are creating such a large calorie deficit, that your body will at some point start trying to store all it can because it is responding as though it is starving.
Which it is.

By creating such a large calorie deficit each day, you slow your metabolism. Very low calorie diets such as the one you are talking about, can slow metabolism ten percent.

Bottom line:
You are not doing this in a healthy way.
Restrict your access to the measuring tools and come up with a healthy plan to exercise- please ask a doctor or close friend or mentor to assist you with this. I think having a second opinion may help you see what might be reasonable or not.

One more point:
You want to feel better about yourself and that is commendable.
But how much time are you now dedicating to dieting and exercise in general: And I mean thinking about what you are eating, are not eating, how many calories you "can" have, whether you did enough exercise or not.

What happens when you get on a scale and you haven't lost weight since the last time? I can't imagine that makes you feel very good, which makes some sense if you are trying to lose weight.

What doesn't make sense is that the time between weighing oneself may be hours.

All this focus and planning and restriction will eventually take over your life if you are not vigilant about getting a hold of it now.
Is food fun still? Sometimes we restrict and diet and guilt ourselves to the point where we feel BAD if we eat anything.

Which isn't right or healthy.

I am starting to get very tired all throughout the day, like I have no energy.

I might be able to try doing this, or at least limit the amount of times I check each because it's a ridiculous number of times.

I might eventually talk to a doctor and see what their opinion is. I feel like I need to get to a certain weight first before I do though. It's going to be hard to change since right now I don't see anything wrong with it and food makes me upset now,I used to enjoy it, but like you said maybe a second opinion from a doctor will change my mind. It is taking up about 99.9 percent of my life right now which is extreme. Thank you for your informative reply

I'd also recommend, getting rid of the scale, going by how you fit into your clothes, and calorie counting? Do you know what the healthy dietary guidelines are for daily nutrition? If you stay within the charts for required calcium, sugar, fat, sodium, et al, the calories will stay in line. Moderate exercise, to boot. And if your meds are wreaking havoc with your weight, speak with your doctor and see what they advice, or if they can tweak or change your meds. Just because it's labeled a side effect of any med, weight gain that is, doesn't mean you have to accept that, either.

Just be aware that unless someone is overweight and is following a nutritional diet. An unhealthy interest in your weight could indicate the beginning of Anorexia - It might be a good thing to visit your Dr and discuss things with him/her Best wishes xXX

Throw the scales away.

Best thing I ever did.

Sure, you'll be all at first ... But after that, you'll be glad you did.

I will no longer base my self worth by a number on a machine.

You might also want to up that calorie count to at least 1250 a day.

Otherwise your body will start cannibalizing itself to make up for the lack!

Talk about ... THAT'S NO LIE ... !!!

Sincerely,
Pfrog

Thanks for the replies everyone, I really didn't realize I was technically starving myself.

For now I'm going to cut down on weighing myself 1 time a week. I'll try to increase my calorie intake as well, which will be hard because I feel bad about it but I'll try

Can you find, some basic, simple must haves in your home, when eating can be such a chore, but staples that you can live with, knowing that you are at least eating, what your body needs for nourishment, sustainment, survival?

Toast with Peanut Butter, some greek yogurt, and maybe some fruit item, like bananas, make good choices, that are easy, and deep down, it's easy to see they are good for you

Do you like flavored seltzer water? Great water source, that has flavor, it's carbonated, and frankly 0 calories, 0 sugars, 0 everything...

Thanks for the suggestions! I do like flavored seltzer water and love Greek yogurt.

I think I'll start making a list of things, I want to be able to enjoy food again which I haven't been at all lately.

I'm starting to see that this may have inadvertently become a replacement for the self harm I was doing before. It started this not long after I stopped cutting. I needed something I could use I guess to punish myself, and something to make me feel good about myself. If I'm upset or mad at myself I force myself to not eat for a few days, and the resulting weight loss makes me feel better.