How do I kick my addiction to crisps?

The_Raspberry

it is not an addiction ….

you just need to learn to control yourself around them and exercise some self control…

I like ice cream, I have about five pints of talenti in my freezer at any one time, when i want it, I have one service and put the rest back = moderation. Learn it…but please don't think you have an "addiction' as this is a slap in the face to people struggling with real addiction.

Yeah, I know It is not the same like other kinds of addiction, which is why I also put the word obsession there. I am sorry if I offended anyone.

I wish I could have selfcontrol like that. Way to go!! I think cold turkey, at least for a while might be my best option.

Thanks for all your support guys!

The_Raspberry

Imagine all the chips are made in a factory full of rats. The rats run through all the processing equipement all night long and carry disease with them everywhere they go.

Still want those chips?

If you're talking about Doritos - that's how they're actually made!

Ugh, really! Don't want them now.

AnnaChanges

I have crisps every 3 days....I used to have them every day. But i no longer have the fried ones. I am eating black pepper baked lays( they are different flavors) ....it is really yummy and is 60% less fat and oily. Usually the individual bag is for 185 calories but since you said it is not common where you live you can buy the big bag and divide them into smaller sandwich bags. Only have one each day and then try to reduce the days as you go. And for the dip just dont buy it go for chips alone

ndj1979

it is not an addiction ….

you just need to learn to control yourself around them and exercise some self control…

I like ice cream, I have about five pints of talenti in my freezer at any one time, when i want it, I have one service and put the rest back = moderation. Learn it…but please don't think you have an "addiction' as this is a slap in the face to people struggling with real addiction.

Yeah, I know It is not the same like other kinds of addiction, which is why I also put the word obsession there. I am sorry if I offended anyone.

I wish I could have selfcontrol like that. Way to go!! I think cold turkey, at least for a while might be my best option.

Thanks for all your support guys!

as others said…start by removing them from your house and then slowly introduce them again …..

I used to binge on all kinds of crap - crackers, chips, ice cream - but now when they are in my house I limit myself to one serving...

HollisGrant

So I have this problem, that I've had for a while. I'm a bit embarassed about it, but I really want to kick this bad habit of mine, so any help is appreciated.

I am seriously addicted to potatochips with dip. And I need loads of it. Like one entire bag of crisps and bowl of dip (adds up to about 2500 kcal).

I need my crisp-fix. I have gone across town to get some when markets have been closed where I live, and gone out of my way with it.

Other things I am usually ok with. Sure, I can easily overeat on pasta, bread and other carbs but I can usually stop myself or use portion control. The crisps, I need them in large quantities, often. Like AT LEAST once a week, usually two or three times.

I've tried eating just a little bit of crisps and then having veggies with the dip to kill the craving. It killed it for the night, but the next day it was back even stronger. Usually if I give in, it stays away for a few days.

I've tried having one cheat meal a week, but I end up wanting it more often. And then there is a birthday-party or something the same week and I don't know what to do.

I do eat pretty good normally, and have gotten my blood tested and I am not malnurished in any way. IT IS THE INSANE CRAVING FOR POTATOCHIPS WITH DIP, and it's making my wheightloss journy harder and I don't feel to healthy about it. It's like an actual obsession/addiction.

How do I kick it?

I'm seriously addicted to cake frosting. Never mind the stories. It's really hard because I work in an office filled with sweets and junk food.

The best thing for me is not to eat that stuff at all. Even a little makes me want to eat it for weeks.

Edited to add that people need treats. Buy things that taste good, like fruit or something else that you like, and make sure you keep it around.

The most important part of kicking any addiction, in my opinion: you have to want something else even more. You have to want another kind of life, or want to be healthy, or want self-respect, more than you want the frosting or the crisps. What works best for me is to do something really positive toward the goals I want. That worked for me many years ago when I quit smoking and that seems to work for me the best with sweets.

TRD66

I once saw this program that indicated how much fat was in crisps. They set one on fire with a lighter and watched it burn (very quickly). Wouldn't say it cured me, but i certainly cut down after that.

The other one I've mentioned on similar threads it to brush your teeth (preferrably minty toothpaste) before eating them. They just don't taste the same...........

Noogynoogs

Don't buy them

golferd

Every time you eat them, kick your toe into the wall really hard. The pain will replace the pleasure.

Or simply tell yourself no. Why do you think places advertise? They know most are weak minded!!! Drink water and eat something healthy

vilasini2

IT is the MSG that is added to them you are addicted to. A really nasty chemical. Don't worry about visualising rats etc, there is a nastier substance added to them by the manufacturer who only cares that you get addicted and buy more, and stuff your health. Give me rats any day.

MSG actually effects the brain and tells you that this the food is really delicious and you are really enjoying it. Also as it raises your heart rate, you get the excitement sensation that you are really loving this.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/21/msg-is-this-silent-killer-lurking-in-your-kitchen-cabinets.aspx
this is a link to a good article about the stuff. It is bad news.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/4-foods-commonly-containing-msg/
this article tells you where else you will find it.
The only way to eat is a natural whole foods diet, without any processed foods. You can make delicious chips yourself with just natural salt on them, make your own dip....so much more delicious than bought stuff.
Good luck.

pocketsaviour

It may not kill you as efficiently as an addiction to alcohol, drugs or tobacco, it may not rip your family apart and cause the same amount of pain as those things, but it certainly is an addiction, and one that is negatively affecting you.

I absolutely feel your pain since crisps are also my major trigger. You are on the right path to never have them in the house or at work, and throwing away half-eaten packets is a really good tactic. Something that has helped me avoid buying crisps (or other trigger foods) is "mindfulness" about my urge, when it strikes. I accept that I am feeling the urge to buy and consume the food. I recognise that my mind is trying to trick me with excuses or evasions such as "But if I go to that supermarket, I can get some washing powder, which I need! Of course I'm not going there just for crisps, what do you think I am?!" In reality, if I go to that supermarket, then I will of course end up buying and eating the trigger food, which causes more craving and more binges. I talk to myself and say "I recognise I am making excuses to go to this store because I want to eat crisps. I am going to do something else instead." If I can then make a plan to go somewhere else, or stay in the house, or take a different route home, then I will be successful and not have a binge. Sometimes I will do something to make it hard for me to go out, like deliberately not draw any money at the ATM and leave for work without my purse/debit card. Or if the urge strikes at home, I will go and take a bath and wash my hair and then get into my pyjamas, so as to make the whole process of going out very much more hassle.

I also check my urge levels sometimes by saying to myself "Currently my urge to go out and eat this food is at 10 out of 10. I am going to do something else for 5 minutes, and then I will check in again." I go and do something for 5 minutes, preferably something that engages my hands and brain, like playing a game on Facebook or sending an email to someone. When I check back in again, often the craving feels much more manageable, and I feel more able to say "You know what, I only feel 5 out of 10 now, and I have beaten that urge many times before." (This technique is something I learned when I gave up smoking 10 years ago.)

What I can say is that with any addictive substance, moderation is NOT the key for me. (I am not saying this doesn't work for some people, but it definitely doesn't for me, and it doesn't sound like it does for you.) I haven't been perfect with crisps, but when I stop eating them, if I can stick to my resolve for a few weeks, it becomes much much easier. (My reading of various books about food addiction gives me the understanding that it's because the pleasure receptors in the brain have "reset" somewhat.) I cannot "just have a small portion" or "buy a single packet" because the minute I get into that food, my brain goes out on holiday and my entire system throws itself into "MUST HAVE MOOOOOORRRREEEE!!!" mode. Cold turkey, for me, is the only way to go with these foods.

tennisdude2004

I once saw this program that indicated how much fat was in crisps. They set one on fire with a lighter and watched it burn (very quickly). Wouldn't say it cured me, but i certainly cut down after that.

The other one I've mentioned on similar threads it to brush your teeth (preferrably minty toothpaste) before eating them. They just don't taste the same...........

I tried that and now I am addicted to brushing my teeth.

eldamiano

Its called willpower. There is no magic formula otherwise.

Seraphina_Rowan

The thing that helps me a lot when I'm craving chips like a mad woman is buying cracker chips, I love them more then real chips honestly.

MapleFlavouredMaiden

You are not addicted. Just don't buy them. Don't let them come into the house!

jenny181111

Mind over matter

I was addicted to crisps, and decided to give them up for April, which I have done successfully. A few times when I have gone to the shop I think "I'll get a packet, one won't do any harm!" But, yes it will, it will lead to me wanting more and more. People say it takes 21 days to continue with a new habit, I'm hoping this will work the other way with crisps, that I can give them up.

Go for it, take charge! xx

sus49

How about replacing the crisps you buy with ones you make yourself out of yams. If you slice yams super thin, place them on baking sheets and bake them at the lowest temperature you can get your oven to go (it takes quite a while to get them totally crisp, check every two hours til they are crisp as you like) you can still get that crispy crunchy food but it will be healthier for you.

I have a dip recipe I always serve and my friends ASK me for it at parties and potlucks it is THAT yummy. You wash and deseed red peppers. Put them in a paper bag and put them in an oven 425 for about 40 minutes (I suggest putting some sort of tray below the bag because they lose a lot of juice).

Put the roasted peppers, garlic and balsamic vinegar into a blender and blend it up. Put this concoction in the fridge for a couple of hours.

This will result in a scrumptious dip your friends will adore. Calories are NEXT TO NOTHING!

I hope this is helps you!

nicolemviolette

Dont buy them. If theyre not at your house, you wont be able to eat them. Its a willpower thing. Walk past them, and youll be glad you did.

You could always find a healthier alternative to chips as well. Like the Quaker Popped Chips (mini rice cakes.) They come in BBQ, Cheddar Cheese, Ranch, Sour Cream & Onion, and they have sweeter ones like Chocolate and Caramel Corn. There are also lots of different kinds of crackers to choose from that have a LOT less calories than potato chips.

I recently had to do the saaame thing. Im 33 weeks pregnant and have been craving chocolate cupcakes like crazy. I went to the store specifically for those cupcakes. I ended up deciding against them and left the store without them. And Im SO glad I did.

AbsolutelyAnnie

Self control is like a muscle. Each time you exercise it, it gets stronger. Once you tell yourself "No!" the first time, it will be a little easier the second time, and then the third. And if you mess up on the fourth, you will still have the "muscle memory" from the first three times to know you can do it again. You are strong enough to start with the first "No!"

You will get stronger over time. But you need to do this now. And I would suggest cold turkey.

For the record, I am a proponent of all foods being okay in moderation. But when there is an acute obsession involved, there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed. It may be a salt related nutrient that you are lacking or an emotional trigger that brings on the cravings. Pay attention. Pay very close attention to your physical and emotional cues and tend to those.

Healthwise, you know this is not good. Your sodium and fat intake has to be through the roof. I used to be obsessed with sugary candies like gumdrops and mints. Ruined my teeth. Ruined. I have had nearly every one pulled and am in the process of getting very expensive implants. Once the damage is done, it often cannot be undone. At least not without out pain, suffering, and expense.

Stop it. Do not think in terms of full days. Think in terms of one craving at a time, one hour at a time. You can do this. And when you get on the other side, we will all celebrate with you.

DamePiglet

How about replacing the crisps you buy with ones you make yourself out of yams. If you slice yams super thin, place them on baking sheets and bake them at the lowest temperature you can get your oven to go (it takes quite a while to get them totally crisp, check every two hours til they are crisp as you like) you can still get that crispy crunchy food but it will be healthier for you.

I have a dip recipe I always serve and my friends ASK me for it at parties and potlucks it is THAT yummy. You wash and deseed red peppers. Put them in a paper bag and put them in an oven 425 for about 40 minutes (I suggest putting some sort of tray below the bag because they lose a lot of juice).

Put the roasted peppers, garlic and balsamic vinegar into a blender and blend it up. Put this concoction in the fridge for a couple of hours.

This will result in a scrumptious dip your friends will adore. Calories are NEXT TO NOTHING!

I hope this is helps you!

How about instead of yams, OP replaces them with having intimate relations with a GHOST?!
No pregnancy or disease risk and it's EXERCISE!!!

bcattoes

It's a mind *&%^ , you can kick it with will power!

This ^^

If the cravings are so bad that you drive across town to buy them, then it's not going to be easy. But, unless you want to pay someone to physically restrain you from eating crisps, then the solution is all you. Just don't buy them. Don't eat them. Just don't.

Think logically. You really, really, want crisps. But what will happen if you don't get them? You'll be a little miserable. If you eat them, you'll be fat and miserable. If you are going to be miserable either way, you might as well lose weight while being miserable.