College and Macros

Ok, I just googled the orthorexia nervosa and I was surprised.  I can't believe wanting to eat healthy is considered an eating disorder.  Do they have a term for those who eat junk food all day?  But to answer your question in my opinion, which isn't really worth much, I think to count macros in college could be done, but it is challenging, and may not be the most practical thing to do. 

I think at your young age and with all the demands of a college schedule, you dont have time to obsess about hitting your macros every single day.  You should educate yourself on what healthy foods are (some people think certain foods are healthy but they really aren't) and focus on eating that type of food most of the time.  However, if a situation arises where you need to grab a granola bar to make through the next few hours, eat it.  Trying to focus on counting macros for five straight years could be very time consuming, take away from you studies and may actually lead to a food obsession.  But to eat healthy as much as you can is very beneficial and a good practice to start right now.  You also have to watch your portions.  Eating too much of healthy foods isn't the best thing either.  As you get closer to the show, then being more meticulous with the macros is important.

I am by no means an expert, its just my two cents.

Orthorexia nervosa isn't just eating healthy it is an obsession. Basically if you have this disorder you take it to the extreme. It consumes your thoughts and is all youcan focus on. You think about what your going to eat at your next meal and you know exactly how much is in it. You have a perception that all other foods are bad. Sometimes it is hard to carry on conversations because you have intrusive thoughts of food. You isolate yourself from social situations to work on your diet or something that has to do with the whole aspect of your diet. You are afraid to go to restaurants because you do not trust any preparation of food by anyone except yourself. You are spending more time worrying about food than loving and living. That is just a brief overview. Granted prepping for a show may seem like this but I do not believe it is because you are working towards a goal you are trying to achieve. I am saying this can be a serious problem for people who are not competing for a while because they can socially isolate themselves. 

Hi Dustin

Some good points from Annette.

So you are studying ON ( I can't spell it ! ) and after reading your brief outline, this seems to describe most people I know that have trained towards a peak. You write that " Granted prepping for a show may seem like this but I do not believe it is because you are working towards a goal you are trying to achieve ". Does working towards a goal really change the viewpoint on the condition? Look at it this way, many people prep for 6 months or more for a natural contest and if they compete only 3 times in their live's, they will have suffered from this disorder for 2 % of their lifespan. Doesn't sound so good, that.  If you had access to the old Forum, you would find people writing novels on the frustrations and problems associated with socializing with friends and family, during this phase. A very real problem, although I am not sure it ranks as a disorder. Mmmm . . .  then again . . . . . . ! When and if you finally compete or peak, you will find that some of them are very real indeed. Good luck.

As Annette often says " just my 2 cents worth " Mmmm . . .wrong currency, in my case! 

That is a good point Alan, But I am referring to if this could be a problem in the offseason for many years to come who wont even have a meal with someone else because they are afraid it will throw off their macros and numbers and make them fat or overweight, that could add up to many many years of thinking this way

Actually Dustin, I am afraid many people, or at least woman I know, do in fact suffer from that after having done it for a while prepping for shows.  Its carries itself into the so called "off season" because when you compete, there really is no off season.   When you finally do stop competing, it can be hard to let go of those ways as well.  That is why I feel like it is better to focus eating healthy food (especially if you have 5 years until you are going to compete), in healthy proportions and not obsess about the macros if you don't have to, because it can easily become an obsession. 

If you find you are gaining weight and can't control your eating, then it may be a good idea to start counting macros to get an idea of what you are eating and what you should be eating .   It can be very telling. 

But yes, Dustin, unfortunately it is one of many eating disorders that has plagued our country.

The two extremes:

1) I want to be healthy so I'll track every gram, eat only when the big hand strikes the 12, plan every aspect of my life around food.

2) I don't want to obsess about food so I'll eat whatever I want, whenever I want.

Why does it have to be one way or the other? 

When I was in college, not planning to compete for awhile, I ate good food most of the time, I kept track of the scale so I knew I was at least loosely in line with my goals, I never felt hurried to make a quick, corrective change, I trained, I loved to train, I really loved to train, but I had too much going on - like studying and going to class - to obsess about every detail.  Was I focused on my goals in the sport even though I took a couple years off from competing?  Yes.  Did I still treat my diet like I was a bodybuilder?  Yes.  Did I eat a doughnut or have pizza or change my meals up just because I wanted to?  Heck yes!  There's plenty of time to be perfect when you're dieting for a show, but that doesn't mean you have to abandon thinking about and progressing into your goals as a competitor in the off-season, even a long off-season.

I agree.  unless you have a specific show date, extremes are neither necessary nor healthy.   Eat healthy, exercise regularly, enjoy the process and don't beat yourself up over an occasional treat, but make it an exception, not a rule.  Make being healthy a lifestyle and not a chore or a means to an end.

Did this in college.

Ruined life.

Had to leave country.

Don't track.