How can i stop obsessing over my weight and live a normal life?

Question

in May 2008 i was 5''4 and 160 lbs. so i started exercising and went on a diet and now i am 138 lbs. but i only eat 300-500 calories a day and i am on the scale at least 10 times a day. i always have to know how many calories are in the food before i eat it. i hate the way my body looks even though i have lost 22 lbs. i hate that i do this but i can't stop. HELP ME!!

Answer 1

You sound like someone I know.  From a psychology standpoint, anorexia is usually considered an anxiety disorder.  I've also read some comparisons of anorexia to obsessive compulsive disorder, although it's not clear that it should be treated the same way.  Either way, you're clearly obsessing about your body and the food you eat.  300-500 calories a day is an unhealthy diet.  

Talk to your doctor who may refer you to see a councilor.  Becoming educated on the disorder and starting to understand why you do and think the things you do helps a lot.  Also, becoming educated on nutrition and understanding the importance of a healthy diet and the effects of a poor one can be helpful.  

Cognitive-Behavioral therapy can be very effective.  This would be thinking about the types of thoughts you have and how they make you feel.  Then developing ways to cope with those thoughts, and look at them in different, more healthy ways.  You can try to learn to see the positives of your appearance instead of constantly focusing on negatives.  

The behavioral side of it might be setting goals like gradually increasing the number of calories you eat, or to eat meals without checking the nutrition facts.  I would bet the thought of eating a giant piece of chocolate cake would make you uneasy.  Much like people learn to overcome their phobias, you can start out eating one bite.  

The main thing is that you don't let it spiral out of control because it can be dangerous.  The quicker you learn to take command of your thoughts the easier it will be to overcome.  A professional is key.

Answer 2

Your body stops working properly on anything less than 1200 calories a day.  SO you have sent your body in shock, therefore it does not have a metabolism to burn calories.  

You do have a psychological eating disorder that you need to speak to a therapist about.