HELP! Picky Eating affecting performance / health - Eating Disorder Recovery Message Board

mamisano · 12-11-2000, 08:58 AM

I am a 26 year old male, and a serious picky eater. I have been this way since I was a kid, not eating any fruits or vegetables. Along with that I do not eat any foreign foods, Pasta, sauce, soups, pizza, fish...I basically eat anything that is bland, and as stupid as it sounds, nothing wet. My meals mainly consist of meats, breads, and junk-food.
Performance never used to be a problem when I was younger, but it has seriously cought up with me now. About 5 years ago I started Martial Arts classes. I had a lot of energy and classes were not a problem, until last year. Last year, my energy was rapidly declining through classes. I was on my way to a Black sash, but lack of energy killed my desire to attend classes...so I quit.
Now, anytime I do anything physically, my muscles start to burn almost immediately and I have no energy. I am 5'7" tall and weigh around 165-168lbs, gaining 15lbs since I stopped martial arts (in stomach, love handles).
Many people have tried to get me to eat new foods, but I just resist it. I have had too many experiences in the past of trying foods (like apples) with an instant gag reflex. What am I to do??? I know at the rate I am going, and a high rate of Cancer in the family, I am setting myself up for trouble in the future.

Thanks

jade0605 · 12-14-2000, 11:52 AM

Hi there, I have some similar bad eating traits as you. I only eat certain food. Although mine mainly consist of junk food, i hate cooking for myself, so anything that takes no thinking about. I can't even remember when I last had a proper meal. As for your energy that would start to go down, as my mom would say,"you can't run a sports car on crap petrol", annoying but true. I still don't know why I do it, maybe depression . Have you spoken to anyone about this, maybe your doctor. If I can help them email me, my email is on the profile. Take care, jade

mamisano · 12-14-2000, 12:00 PM

Thanks Jade,
I have spoken to Pshchologists with no resolution. Its been frustrating for a while now, and yes a great source for depression

.

Michael

jade0605 · 12-14-2000, 01:29 PM

I suppose it's a good sign that you know that there is a problem. I thought my eating was normal and that everyone was weird, it took a long time to realise that I was the weird one, I can say that about me. My eating gets worst when i am depressed. I have been to counsilors, but I guess you have to admite there's something wrong and find out why you are doing it, what started it etc. I thought with me that maybe i am scared of getting fat and that's why I limit food. I dunno. i guess if i did I'd eat what I should. take care, Jade

Tricky · 12-14-2000, 09:39 PM

mamisano, do you think that your eating may be related to obsessive compulsive disorder? I'm not in the medical field, so i really don't know, but could they be related? There are very few studies dealing with males and eating disorders which really is a shame. For some reason society seems to feel that only women have problems with food -- it's absolutely ridiculous!

Good luck to you. I think it's great that you (and everyone else for that matter) can talk about all of this with each other.