Is there such thing as a Food-a-holic?

alikatu

Hi there. I am an overweight, middle-aged woman. My mind is willing, but my flesh has become weak over the last 15 years...but it feels, though, as if it happened over-night. I tried to exercise today for the first time in a long time and my body "failed me". Rather, I've failed my body: The last time I remember exercising, I could "go forever". But today, I could barely lift my legs after 10 minutes.

Why do I like eating food so much? I take that back...I LOVE food. I love every bite from the beginning to the end. I like eating to satiation. I don't like to deny myself the tastes and textures and smells. In my world, there IS no such thing as moderation...it's "all or none". Actually, it's "all or all" in most instances. Sometimes, I eat a large meal to complete and utter fullness...and then my brain STILL tells me that I am hungry, even though I know it can't be true!!

What I don't like, is not fitting in nice clothes, my fat lobbing up and down when I try to exercise, my young son thinking I am going to die in my sleep, not feeling sexy walking down the street.

I don't eat because I'm bored. I don't eat because I'm emotionally upset. I eat because I love food.

My friends have asked me, "...why do you think you deserve to be overweight?", or, "what are you punishing yourself for?", or "why don't you respect yourself more?", or "what's missing in your life that you're trying to fill it with food?".

I don't have those answers.

Do YOU have any ideas or insights from your life you care to share?

So, this week, I've made the first step towards better eating and adding exercise into my days...I do well eating-wise for most of the day...eating several small meals, drinking more water than I normally would, and combining different food groups in healthy proportions...and I feel somewhat satiated and proud of myself...but then near the end of the day, I start feeling very "squirrelly" and go out of control.

I don't crave sweets, I could care less for dessert. I want bread and cheese and steak and bacon and pasta and pizza and burgers and fries. Little Caesar's Stuffed Crazy Bread is like eating clouds!!! And only when I stuff myself with that greasy-goodness do I feel content and full.

But I'm not content...because I know what I'm doing to my body. I wish I could treat food simply as a fuel!! A means to an end. Not to have a near-romantic relationship with it! lol

I wish I could turn my passion for eating into passion for exercise!

Why do I crave the salty, greasy, meaty, bready things??

Can anyone out there in MFP-land relate? Has anyone overcome this? And, how did you do it?

Sued0nim

There is nothing wrong with feeling hungry

Tell yourself you'll stick to this for today, just today...avoid foods that ignite cravings, eat at a decent defecit to lose 2lbs a week, work out foods you love and measure the calories you can afford. Eat protein and vegetables and savour every mouthful. Just do it today

Then make the same choice tomorrow

ljashley1952

For the most part, you can have what you love to eat, but you just can't have as much as you would like. Part of the whole plan of reducing calories is to allow your body to adjust to lower amounts of food. It takes awhile, but fewer calories does become tolerable.

I adore food too and it can be really hard sometimes to stop when I really want to stuff my face with what I love until I'm bursting. Portion control is vital. I allow myself to have a bit of candy. I crave bread products and I make my own bread, so it's hard to pass on fresh baked bread. I eat what I want, but I make sure that I make up for it in some other way, like a long walk or planning ahead for a night out by planning very low calorie/low carb breakfast and lunch. It's all very doable.

Foamroller

Maybe you're not addicted to food, per see. I mean, very few people would say they are addicted to...broccoli or...wholegrain rice, just to pick a couple of examples.

I'm addicted to the act of eating. I love to eat. And I love to eat the guilty stuff more. The boundaries regarding guilty pleasures are weaker than when eating "healthy" choices. Cause I get full faster eating the healthier foods, thereby naturally limiting intake sooner.

Looking at the shorter or longer picture. I use a lot of "silly rules" to help prolong the time from craving something to actually giving in.

Training your boundaries will help you. Be conscious about it. Moderation or portion control. Saying "no" to yourself sometimes is an investment in the future YOU 2.0.

Good luck:)

Fruitylicious03

In my experience, people turn to food when they are lacking something else in their lives and they let food fill the gap. I'm alone at home most of the time and then I eat mindlessly. However around other people, I am in much better control of my eating.

That led me to believe that socialization is what I'm missing in my life, even if I prefer to be alone. Perhaps you should evaluate and ask yourself why you're eating? What are you trying to accomplish? Maybe it's because your bored or alone?

Tim_Simons

Foamroller wrote: »

Maybe you're not addicted to food, per see. I mean, very few people would say they are addicted to...broccoli or...wholegrain rice, just to pick a couple of examples.

I'm addicted to the act of eating. I love to eat. And I love to eat the guilty stuff more. The boundaries regarding guilty pleasures are weaker than when eating "healthy" choices. Cause I get full faster eating the healthier foods, thereby naturally limiting intake sooner.

Looking at the shorter or longer picture. I use a lot of "silly rules" to help prolong the time from craving something to actually giving in.

Training your boundaries will help you. Be conscious about it. Moderation or portion control. Saying "no" to yourself sometimes is an investment in the future YOU 2.0.

Good luck:)

Just love this comment. I myself is addicted to eating. I can relate with the guilty stuff g r r r r.. It's just good to feel when I say NO to myself to cravings and eating too much.

oleladie

What works for me is alternate foods and drinks that will satify without the heavy calorie/fat that comes with it. For example, at night, I like something sweet. I'll have cup of fruit tea instead of a heavy, sugary dessert. When I want pizza, I'll have a string cheese stick instead (chewing very slowly ..lol). The key for me is to keep moving and have a bottle of water handy. Try not eating the "bad" foods for 3-4 days, then your body may not want them as much. Just some suggestions that have worked for me. Good luck!

neanderthin

Eating is addictive, study says

http://www.ed.ac.uk/news/2014/140908-eatingaddiction

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Liftng4Lis

alikatu wrote: »

The last time I remember exercising, I could "go forever". But today, I could barely lift my legs after 10 minutes.

I wish I could turn my passion for eating into passion for exercise!

You're just beginning and will build up tolerance. You very well may end up wanting to exercise more and eating less. Give it time.

Tblackdogs

Since you are a parent, maybe you could use your child as motivation. When you're about to eat bacon after dinner (for example) think about whether or not you would let your child do that? I too am an all-or-nothing kind of person and I'm trying to learn moderation more than I am trying to lose weight. This year though I didn't have even one piece of my kids' Halloween candy because one leads to twenty! But back to your child, every time you do anything, think about whether or not you're setting a good example for your him. That would serve most parents well as they swear at other drivers, drink too much alcohol or say mean things about the neighbors! Food is kind of addictive but you can change. I know it!

alikatu

Thank you, everyone!!

lemurcat12

Welcome! Don't get discouraged about the exercise. I know it's frustrating not being able to do what you used to (I started up again in February after years off, but with memories of being much more fit just a few years before). Rather than push yourself too much and give up or end up feeling depressed and incapable, just accept that you need to work up. When I started again I just decided I'd walk everywhere I possibly could (I live in a city, but was driving way too much) and then added in some stationary bike sessions, only 30 minutes on a low setting initially. It really came back pretty quickly when I was consistent with what I could do and decided to enjoy that, rather than punish myself for not being able to eat more.

On the food, I kind of get it. I did emotionally eat and all that, but for a long time it was also just that my investment in losing weight (especially when I knew the immediate effect would be tiny) was much less than my pleasure from just eating what I wanted. What worked for me there was understanding that I could continue to eat with as much pleasure while losing weight and that the time to see significant results from losing would go by so fast that it would seem worth it. I am lucky that I like to cook and actually do enjoy a lot of my lower calorie creations and that making part of this a recommitment to cooking regularly helped me understand that I could do it without sacrificing much pleasure (and while adding some). When I start to get the urge to eat or think about food one thing I have found helpful is to channel the thoughts into planning healthy meals or thinking about how to recreate tastes in lower calorie ways.

Kalikel

You have to want to do the work of losing, not just want to be thin - everyone wants that.

When you want to lose and do the work of losing, you will. And you'll succeed and be all proud of yourself and it will rock.

Branstin

You didn’t get that way over night. It took years to get that way so give yourself time to get it under control. Your body craves the food it is used to having over the years. You have to equip yourself with the tools needed to reach your goals. Invest some time and read the threads posted at the top of the main forum.

terar21

Food is a passion of mine. I never noticed how much it was until I met my boyfriend and we realized how drastically different our relationships with food are. I wouldn't consider it unhealthy. It's great to love good food. What's unhealthy is overeating that tasty food. That's what got me. I lost control of my ability to eat in moderation. What seemed to help me was focusing on exercise, cooking for myself (that was the big key) and focusing on portion sizes.

ElvenToad

I've been in your exact shoes. Have been morbidly obese my entire life since childhood. I would eat just tons and tons of food and stuff myself so full I could barely move yet I still wanted more! I broke the cycle a little over 8 months ago. I've been disgusted with myself for as long as I can remember but finally I got so sick of myself and so uncomfortable in my 2x/22 jeans that I knew I had to try to lose weight (again). I googled counting calories (which I've never done before) and found mfp. I decided from that day forward I was going to do whatever it takes to lose the weight and I stuck to it.

Counted my calories, stayed within my eating goal, weighed my food, did a daily 30 minute workout, and have watched the pounds fall away. In 8 months I have lost 65lbs and I feel I have conquered my food addiction. It takes determination and a whole boatload of willpower but its very possible. You have to just say NO and choose healthier foods. I don't buy junk food, don't bring it into my house. And if somehow it makes it into my home anyway (Halloween with my 3 yr old) we will enjoy some of the candy and then the rest just goes into the trash.

I've said no to pizza because I know I can eat a lot more food for the same amount of calories as one slice. I'd rather be fuller and more satisfied than eat that slice. Crazy right?
Not to say I won't ever eat pizza but I decide when to eat it now the pizza doesn't control me anymore.

It's a cycle, a dirty dirty cycle and its all mental. My brain needed a time out and I finally got back in control of it.

alikatu

I wish there was a Like button for all of your comments!! I am so grateful for all of your encouraging words! It's one thing to read all the posts put for other people...but to feel like I'm part of this big MFP community, and your words are specifically for ME...that's Mind-blowing!! Thank you, thank you!!