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Dr-A-Greene, Doctor
Category: Mental Health
Satisfied Customers: 190
Experience:  Clinical and Forensic Psychologist
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Hi, Im female 24 yrs old and I think anxiety for food is getting

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Hi, I'm female 24 yrs old and I think anxiety for food is getting in the way of health. I want and need to lose some pounds to feel better but I haven't been able to comitt myself enough I start healthy eating habits, and exercise but always find excuses to avoid the exercise part, and during night and evening I feel this need to eat, I crave salty then sweet, and then salty again. I have motivations I want to fit into a 2 piece bathing suit, I want to look and feel slim, athletic, I want to be able to fit into the clothes I see in the stores at the mall, and dress everyday without being slef-consious and changing clothes 2 or 3 times before getting out the door.
Submitted: 2 years ago.
Category: Mental Health
Expert:  Dr-A-Greene replied 2 years ago.

Hi hon,

I would like to help you out with this if I can. I can hear the frustration in your comments and it sounds like you've tried a lot. I'm wondering if you can answer a few questions for me:

1) when you try to change your diet, how do you go about it? Do you try to change everything at once? Do you know how many calories you're consuming?

2) what is your history of weight loss? Do you lose and then gain again or do have a "set point" where your weight hovers?

3) have you ruled out any medical causes for weight gain - basically, are you healthy?

I know there's a lot of questions here - I apologize for that, but I'm hoping we can nail down a plan that will be easier to execute as well as target some of the thoughts and emotions that go along with it.

I will wait for your response.


Dr. G.

Customer: replied 2 years ago.


1. I have gotten better and better with every diet. I try to eat healthy and incorporate those eating habits into everyday living and cooking, you know, I try to count calories but sometimes get discouraged at how time consuming it is the planning I aim for no more than 1300/day. I cook w/ olive oil all the time, use sea salt, I eat vegetables, fruit, greek yogurt, feta cheese, I cook my own meals everyday nit deep frying at home, only oven or pan seared things but also go out and when the cravings attack I go for junk food, I have limited the amount of carbs to whole grain bread, mexican tortillas to a max of 2 small ones per meal, I have gotten better at controling my portions. I come from a family where all my life I was told to eat everything I was given no questions asked and the portions served to me were large and frequent, never worrying about fat or carb content until know that I'm trying hard to stick to healthier options. I'm currently taking supplement of white bean to helo digestion of carbs and drink tea as much as possible (not a fun of water) in stead of juice or pop, when I eat out I order soda and lime juice to avoid pop as well.


2. In my history with weight loss, I lose inches of my body faster than pounds, The scale moves slow but I can feel changes when I put my clothes on, and I can't remember the last ime I had a significant weight loss of more than 12 pounds. Right now I am @ 156 and wish to be @ 125 max, I think this is healthy, I'm 5'2'' and 6 moths ago went under breast implnats surgery to try to boost my self-steeem, being flat chested bothered me since I was a teenager. I'm happy with that but not with the fat deposits all over other places, the cellulite, the lack of tonification and I'm only 24! can't imagine how disgusting it would get as I get older I don't want that! \i'm scared, i don't feel atheltic and healthy like other gwomen my age.


3. I have ruled out medical issues. I am haealthy, my Dr. has checked my thyroid and stuff, I have changed my birth control method once, things got worse. I was on the pill since I was 16 then at 22 I think, I changed to some subcutaneous bars for a year which made anxiety, cravings and acne appear, went back to a different pill, anxiety got better but remains not as bad and my acne remains as well, I have been on this new pill for a year and want to change again because my acne has not improve.

Expert:  Dr-A-Greene replied 2 years ago.

Okay - I appreciate your comprehensive response!


1) First off, it sounds like you are doing well with cooking healthy and being conscious about what you eat. This is a good thing. Although, I'm wondering if trying to cut the calories so severely might not be shooting you in the foot a little? Personally, I've never found that counting calories does much other than frustrate people. What do you think about portion control and allowing yourself to eat one or two "bad" things a day? (less binges on junk food are likely if you allow yourself something that you crave more often).


2) As for the number on the scale, I sense that you know that it isn't healthy to focus on that overly much. I always advise weighing in no more than once a week. How clothes fit is a good marker.


3) While there are some things that you can do to reduce cellulite (lots of water and some toning exercises), much of it is genetically linked. In fact there are 105 pound women with cellulite, so your family make-up may have something to do with that. Additionally, while your weight goal sounds healthy, I'm wondering if your view of "other women your age" being healthy and athletic may only be partially accurate. There are many "skinny" girls who are in terrible health and vice versa. What are your thoughts?


4) Changing up your birth control may be a good idea, if nothing else to clear up your skin. You've taken steps (surgery) to improve your self-esteem and that could be another one. Also, unless it's depo-provera, it's unlikely to change your weight drastically.


5) How is your mood outside of being concerned with your weight (which I don't believe is out of control, by the way!)?


6) Have you tried a very light exercise regimen (rather than a gym, etc)?



Customer: replied 2 years ago.

Hi again,

1) I try to count the calories wihtout depriving myself. Sometimes the craings hit badly and I have to run and get some chips or fries or a mini cheese burguer or some breadsticks... I try to snack healthy as much as possible still things like apple with peanut butter or cottage cheese or mushed avocado with crackers and stuff.


3) I'm 5'2" and 156 pounds, my BMI is not healthy, anutrionist I went to over the summer when I had my breast implant surgery said I was about 3 punds away form being clinically obese, I freaked out! and I definetly have extra fat in my belly, back, thighs, bump and arms but the part that kills me the most is the belly fat and the big unshapped butt.


5) I consider myself a happy person overall but very selfconsious with my weight and the way I look, I would rather not go out to a party or a bar or something like that just so that I don't have to start trying on clothes and feel dissapointed with the way they look, how my belly shows or the rolls come out and start trying on clothes until I find the most flttering ones and think that when I bought the other clothes they used to fit and now they don't, and I don't feel like going shopping for bigger clothes is going to solve the issue, I may just jump in that wagon and never come down again...


6) I have tried curves, I go to belly dancing classes as a way of cardio, my husband and I go for walks in the summer time after work, I've tried some slim in 6 home videos and also zumba classes instead of a boring gym routine

Expert:  Dr-A-Greene replied 2 years ago.

Hmmm - well it sounds like you are doing a lot to help chip away at the weight you want to get rid of and aren't getting all the results you want.

Have you ever spoken to your medical doctor about possibly going with a medical option (like surgery)? It may sound like a drastic step, but there are some procedures currently that are much less dangerous and invasive that could help with some of the more stubborn cellulite prone areas (for instance there is a smart lipo option now).

Additionally, the literature says that you need to cut your calories by about 300 and exercise 30 minutes a day to lost one pound per week or so.

Finally, do you think that maybe you're suffering some clinical-level anxiety or depression over this? If so, a mild anti-depressant might help...

Dr-A-Greene, Doctor
Category: Mental Health
Satisfied Customers: 190
Experience: Clinical and Forensic Psychologist
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