I think I'm an addict??

sblueyez

Hello all, I was hoping someone has this problem as well and knows how to help...

I do really well when I'm focused on my weight loss and am able to lose with quite a bit of effort. My body doesn't seem to handle starches well so if I want to lose, I have to avoid most of them. Any way, even when I'm not actively trying to lose, I have a horrible problem with episodes of eating and not even realizing I'm doing it. It is like a horrible craving comes over me, I won't be able to stop thinking about it until I get it. It is not always sweets but most of the time I really really want baked goods/sweets. Once I get whatever the item is I will devour it and not even realize what happened until it is over. Sometimes I feel so full my heart races and I have to lay there until I digest. Pizza and cookies seem to be the worst for me. If I get a whiff of pizza at the office, I won't stop thinking about it until I have some. Even if I don't have it that day... I will have to get it eventually.

I get a craving, need my fix, won't stop until I get it, and when I get it it's like I didn't even realize it was happening until I'm sitting on the couch dying from my over-expanded stomach. I think I'm an addict. It causes me horrible digestion issues and rapid (like 5 lbs a week) weight gain.

Does any one else have this problem? Any tips for avoiding cravings in the first place? Any tips for making sure I'm "there" when I am eating (I seem to go off in to lala-land until I am done).

xeno8604

Drinking more water to feel full helps, also have snacks on standby helps me too, what i mean by snack is carrot sticks, celery, salads, anything with low cal and high volumes. I do occasionally eat pizza and cookies myself but in moderation. Dont beat urself up on it. Know yourself and how you react and try to find ways to trick yourself. Use smaller spoons and forks and also use smaller bowls for servings, its all about trickery, LOL.

xbelledujour

sounds like you could have binge eating disorder. i'd definitely discuss this problem with your doc or even a therapist.

PhearlessPhreaks

Cravings happen for a variety of reasons- nutrient deficiency, TOM, stress/emotional triggers. Before you can figure out how to tackle your cravings, you have to figure out *why* you're craving these things. More often than not, there's an emotional component to overeating. Only you can figure that part out.

ETA: Log EVERY.SINGLE.THING. you put in your mouth. The first step for me in this whole thing (and I had been logging for well over a year, halfassedly) was being completely honest with myself. Seeing the stark reality of what I'd done, in numbers, was the tipping point for me. Not only did I hate feeling the way I did post-binge, but it was actually frightening to me, seeing how many calories I overate. I made my diary private

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't like doing that was a magic cure- I spent the following month battling binge desires, and failing about half the time, even though they were well mitigated. The biggest thing I can tell you is drink a lot of fluids- unsweetened tea and water. And when you want something- portion out a serving. After you eat it, drink water and wait twenty minutes. And possibly most importantly- eat plenty of protein. 20+ grams at breakfast, 20+ grams at lunch, and AT LEAST 20+ grams at dinner. I notice that's when I do best and keep the cravings at bay. Oh, and dark chocolate.

MsJulielicious

I recently did a paper for my nutrition class about different eating disorders. Made me think of binge eating disorder.
Here is some information about it: http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/binge-eating-disorder/
But, obviously I'm not a Dr., so if you think you have something going on in your life that you can't control and need help dealing with you would want to contact your Dr. for a referral to appropriate sources of help.

redhotsc

I used to be that way, and probably still can be if I don't focus. For me, it is all about breaking the cycle and being prepared. I make sure that I am eating a variety of foods (including the processed and sweets) so that I do not get as many of the cravings. I almost always have a protein bar in my purse for the "just in case I can't live without chocolate" moment. And, when I started this journey (and several others in the past), I had to do what I call my initial purge- I was not really able to eat an actual serving of my "fault" foods until two weeks had gone by. For instance, if I craved ice cream, I would have some fruit and maybe two or three bites of ice cream or a 1/2 cup of yogurt. When I crave the greasy "faults", I have to drink a glass of water and eat a salad before I can have 1/2 of a serving (slice of pizza or hamburger, whatever it is). This helps me to stay focused, in control and feeling fuller before I indulge in the not as healthy stuff. I have also found, that after the first two weeks, most of that stuff gives me a terrible stomach ache with just a small amount. I don't have any suggestions on your "black our binge eating" periods.

Mwafftf

I agree with other responses... I also think that you are restricting yourself too much. Instead of trying to go cold turkey, try allowing yourself a cheat day. still aim for 6-8 glasses of water each day, snack on healthy snacks during the week, and plan for that pizza. For an added bonus, burn off a few more calories on that day.

Brandolin11

First of all, be assured that you are NOT alone in this....there are hundreds of us here on MFP who have the exact same problem. So you're definitely not nuts or weird or anything like that! You're in very good company. Many people here have overcome this issue and manage it beautifully (myself included) and you can too!

It sounds to me like you may have issues with what's known as "compulsive overeating". Some call it a food addiction, some don't. But no matter what you choose to call it, it makes you feel out of control, miserable, and hopeless. It's also kind of scary - you described this experience of "leaving yourself" and going into a sort of automatic mode where you kind of "wake up later" and realize what you've done. This is extremely common for compulsive overeaters so again, you are not alone. The good news is that it IS stoppable, you CAN be in control, you CAN be present, and you CAN be happy. There is definitely hope so don't be discouraged.

I like to give out the following link for a quiz that helps determine if you have issues with compulsive overeating:
http://www.stopcompulsiveeating.com/foodquiz.php

If you answered "yes" to the majority of these questions, you may have these issues and might want to explore the possibility. Like some have suggested, meeting with a counselor who specializes in this area is a great place to start. Also, there is TONS of articles, information, and literature available on this issue so you can start to educate yourself on how to deal with it. Simply Google "compulsive overeating" and go for it.

Here is the wikipedia article on it, to get you started. See if you identify: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsive_overeating

I also highly recommend you check out the Overeaters Anonymous program. Whether or not you believe you have a food addiction, the OA program has a very solid process for helping people overcome these issues. Their 12 steps and 9 tools of recovery are powerful and help you get down deep into some of the roots of why you do what you do, and how to deal with it. You could even consider attending a meeting - the support groups are phenomenal.

Hopefully this helps. Again, I don't want to "diagnose" you with this issue as you know yourself best. It just sounds awfully familiar with what I dealt with, and what other CO's here have dealt with, so I'm simply suggesting you might want to at least explore it as an option. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me in a PM! Blessings.

fificrazy

Could be reactive eating if it happens when you're restricting.

sblueyez

Thank you for the input. I agree with logging every single thing. Only when I'm not in maintenance phase do I feel like I have less of these issues. One of the things I do half assed while I am in maintenance is not logging every day. I guess it is just not an option for me not to log. When I go off on these months of no logging and just eating what I want, I also don't want to weigh because I don't want to see the damage I have done. I guess I need to force myself so I can take back control after the first time rather than the 20th time. Thanks for the tips on the protein and waiting for my brain to get the message that I am full.

Cravings happen for a variety of reasons- nutrient deficiency, TOM, stress/emotional triggers. Before you can figure out how to tackle your cravings, you have to figure out *why* you're craving these things. More often than not, there's an emotional component to overeating. Only you can figure that part out.

ETA: Log EVERY.SINGLE.THING. you put in your mouth. The first step for me in this whole thing (and I had been logging for well over a year, halfassedly) was being completely honest with myself. Seeing the stark reality of what I'd done, in numbers, was the tipping point for me. Not only did I hate feeling the way I did post-binge, but it was actually frightening to me, seeing how many calories I overate. I made my diary private

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't like doing that was a magic cure- I spent the following month battling binge desires, and failing about half the time, even though they were well mitigated. The biggest thing I can tell you is drink a lot of fluids- unsweetened tea and water. And when you want something- portion out a serving. After you eat it, drink water and wait twenty minutes. And possibly most importantly- eat plenty of protein. 20+ grams at breakfast, 20+ grams at lunch, and AT LEAST 20+ grams at dinner. I notice that's when I do best and keep the cravings at bay. Oh, and dark chocolate.

sblueyez

Thanks for the great tips. I also have those "I need chocolate now, like right now" cravings but I don't carry a protein bar in my purse! I am going to try that. I think that it's a good idea to try and limit craving food intake by filling up on healthier things first. Thanks. I think both of those combined will really help.

I used to be that way, and probably still can be if I don't focus. For me, it is all about breaking the cycle and being prepared. I make sure that I am eating a variety of foods (including the processed and sweets) so that I do not get as many of the cravings. I almost always have a protein bar in my purse for the "just in case I can't live without chocolate" moment. And, when I started this journey (and several others in the past), I had to do what I call my initial purge- I was not really able to eat an actual serving of my "fault" foods until two weeks had gone by. For instance, if I craved ice cream, I would have some fruit and maybe two or three bites of ice cream or a 1/2 cup of yogurt. When I crave the greasy "faults", I have to drink a glass of water and eat a salad before I can have 1/2 of a serving (slice of pizza or hamburger, whatever it is). This helps me to stay focused, in control and feeling fuller before I indulge in the not as healthy stuff. I have also found, that after the first two weeks, most of that stuff gives me a terrible stomach ache with just a small amount. I don't have any suggestions on your "black our binge eating" periods.

wheird

If you feel like you are an addict and out of control, please contact an addiction therapist and seek treatment in a 12 step program. Getting a sponsor may also help.

MyChocolateDiet

:flowerforyou: