Unexpected and unefforted weight loss...?!
Question: I am 19 years old. I have OCD and a phobia of HIV.
I am a virgin. I have never used IV drugs. Parents are healthy. Lifestyle contained.
I used to eat fast food ALL the time. I have cut out about 95% of fast food eating here recently in the last 2 weeks.
Since I suffer from a phobia of HIV, one thing that is an obsessive compulsive thought is measuring myself because I know that people with HIV lose a lot of weight and although I am not at risk as far as I know, I measure to make sure that I am not losing weight.
Well, my hips are about half an inch smaller than usual and my bust is about 2 inches smaller than usual.
Is this a normal rate to be losing these inches if I have cut out about 95% of my fast food eating and I eat more stuff that I have cooked and healthier things?
Please answer.
I want to be positive that the reasons that I am losing these inches is because of my change in diet and not because of something serious.
Sounds irrational I know!
Serious answers only.
Answers: I am 19 years old. I have OCD and a phobia of HIV.
I am a virgin. I have never used IV drugs. Parents are healthy. Lifestyle contained.
I used to eat fast food ALL the time. I have cut out about 95% of fast food eating here recently in the last 2 weeks.
Since I suffer from a phobia of HIV, one thing that is an obsessive compulsive thought is measuring myself because I know that people with HIV lose a lot of weight and although I am not at risk as far as I know, I measure to make sure that I am not losing weight.
Well, my hips are about half an inch smaller than usual and my bust is about 2 inches smaller than usual.
Is this a normal rate to be losing these inches if I have cut out about 95% of my fast food eating and I eat more stuff that I have cooked and healthier things?
Please answer.
I want to be positive that the reasons that I am losing these inches is because of my change in diet and not because of something serious.
Sounds irrational I know!
Serious answers only.
Hey there!! I'm sorry to hear about your OCD and irrational fears. It is strange that you have such good insight yet seem to refuse to try and change your thinking, even with education.
Most people with OCD do not have the insight to change.
You know that HIV is a sexually transmitted disease, yet you continue to worry about it. This I cannot understand. That is not rational thinking at all. It sounds more closely with paranoia.
You have not mentioned what you weighed before all this weight loss. If you were overweight and generally that weight gain is from eating mostly fats/carbs in your diet, and you have suddenly stopped these eating habits, then certainly you can lose weight quite rapidly. Sometimes, however, losing weight that rapidly, you will lose muscle tone as well. You must exercise.....walk briskly for 20 minutes 3 times a week at least. Do some exercises to stretch and strengthen those muscles and shape up.
It seems to me 10 people can tell you that you do not have HIV and you won't believe them. That concerns me. It's as though you WANT that disease.
You are a beautiful 19 years old. Get a grip. I can't understand why you picked HIV to be paranoid about since you are not having sex?
You need to see a psychologist if you haven't already. Somebody is treating you for OCD undoubtedly. You need to see him regularly and tell him what you are telling Yahoo. He may be able to help. The rest of us do not know you nor what you are taking, nor your weight, height, frame, etc.
Continuing to worry will eventually make you seriously ill, however. You see, it is "mind over matter". the mind is a powerful tool. It can make or break you. Continue in your high anxiety worrisome state and you will definitely wear down your immune system and get really ill.
Good luck. You are in charge of you, remember. Not a soul out there, including a doctor, can help you if you are unwilling to help yourself. You are the only one who can change you.
I am an RN
if you were used to eating larg amounts of fast food and quit it is probably the chang in your diet. you can not get hiv out of the air. if you are not putting yourself at risk then you have nothuing to worry about. you should research hiv to calm yourself
You have nothing to worry about. The weight loss is coming from the elimination of fast food. If you're not having sex and not doing drugs, you have nothing to worry about. I was kinda like you kept worrying I would catch it or have it. All that stopped when I got preggo and the doc tested me for it and it came back negitive
My best friend is a hypochondriac, specifically about HIV, as well. I'm always trying to convince her she doesn't have it, nor has she come into contact with it, but I realize that she's obsessed with it, and that is that.
Losing that many inches is completely normal. If many of your meals were at fast food restaurants, you could have been eating 2000 calories a meal, with fries...a hamburger or what not and a coke. The amount of fat grams are also insanely high, so it's completely normal that these first few weeks you will lose a lot of fat and inches. Also, your sodium intake has probably decreased immensely, so you will not have near as much water retention. Don't fret, you're doing good!
If you have cut out 95% of your fast food intake and are eating better and healthier, that would be the most likely reason you have lost some weight. When i cut out meat in my diet, i lost a lot of weight. (and feel better too)
If you think it is something else, i would go talk to your doctor.
the only way to get HIV is to be exposed to it... and it sounds like you haven't.
perhaps it's time to see a counsellor or someone about your phobia. the weight loss or body changing is obviously due to your diet change.
It is just because you cut out most of your fast food. Fast food eaten regularly can put your weight significantly above your natural weight, so don't be surprised if you continue to lose weight and inches.
Also, there is not really a need to worry about HIV that much. As long as you use condoms when you are sexually active and stay away from unsterilized needles you should be fine. There is not much of a point of obsessing that you might already have it because it is an incurable disease so if you have it obessing about it is not going to make it go away.