I have a SERIOUS problem with Junk Food

BettyandVeronica

When I say serious I mean,disastrous! Just this week alone,I've been to McDonalds twice and Subway on Friday and last night had a staggereing tower chicken burger with cheese and a hash brown preceeded by 3 chicken wings. Needless to say that I have put on half a stone over a period of 3 weeks,I had only just lost 3 stone (42lbs) by Mid March and now I'm ruining and sabotaging myself.It's either I'm so motivated that I I'm constantly exercising and cutting out ALL junk or I'm the other extreme of eating just junk complete with at least 4/5 hazelnut and chocolate cereal bars.I can easily eat 3000 calories/day and then feel so guilty that I spend at least 2 weeks eating just <650 per day. I did lose 7 pounds in 2 days due to school deadline stress( end of March) but I didn't count that as true weight loss coz I knew once I started eating again,it'd get straight back on,which it did. I started out at 84 kilos and went to down to 65 kilos in March and now am just below 69 kilos.At this rate I'll never make it to 60.

I want to break the cycle but I can't seem to.The way I'm going,I can see that it's the path to yo-yo dieting and I need to nip this right now.

How do I block the desire for junk food.Other people smoke,drink,take drugs or have copious amounts of sex with random strangers...me I just love the BIg Macs and spicy zinger burgers with cheese and hash browns.

I am so tired of dissappointing myself with my unhealthy eating habits. I wont even mention the disaster area that is my belly.

I should change my screen name to disastrous dieter, because I'm certainly not adapting into having a healthy diet lifestyle.

Any advice from people who know what I'm talking about.

hottamolly00

This is my problem, too. The way I do it is by eating less of what I crave and substituting things when necessary. Subway isn't junk food, if you do it right.

Put a stick of gum in your mouth and chew it as long as you possibly can. I always have gum at my disposal because I need something to occupy my mouth so I'm not filling it with copious amounts of awful.

poustotah

I think for a lot of people, food is like a drug. We've gotten away from the idea that food is there as fuel for our bodies, not our enjoyment. So, just like a drug addiction, we have to figure out what our triggers are. What makes you want to choose the junk food over the better food? Are you depressed when you eat junk? Are you stressed? Do you just not care about yourself? Something is triggering it. Figure that out and work on fixing that as well as turning away the bad foods.

kayemme

i used to have a problem with junk food, but then i started to really look at the practices of businesses that provide them and then also the waste that it creates (ie landfill mass, pollution, industrial toxins); all that is even before it reaches my mouth.

so once i realized to what i was contributing (deforestation, CAFOs, GMO testing grounds, corn-fed sugar-pump) it started to repulse me, literally.

occasionally i crave it, but that's an addiction thing. i recognize it as such and am able to make an averted choice.

hth,
k

vim_n_vigor

I completely understand your post. I am the same way! Nothing seems to feel better than stuffing my face full of that aweful food, and then the guilt sets in each time.

For me, it helps to plan some of that food in as a goal - if I eat what I have planned for x days, or until I lose x pounds, or upcoming holiday, then I give myself a break. If I slip before I reach that time, then I don't get my freebie.

I also give myself one small chocolate or a drink or whatever is the craving du juor and that helps too. Good luck! I am hoping to see some good advice on this as well.

catcrazy

You go for an "all or nothing" approach which probably leaves you feeling deprived when you're on the "nothing" and gets you reaching for the "all" so why not try being less strict in general, lower your weight loss per week goal and if you work out your days food and exercise in advance you will be able to fit in some of your beloved junk. I have banned nothing and have had no falls off the wagon, if I want it I have it but work it into my calories...strangely giving myself the permission to have what I want means I rarely crave stuff.

Try it...i'm not saying you wont still crave junk but you may crave it less, but even if you still crave it madly if youve earned the exercise calories to have it you can at least be guilt free.

Ezwoldo

I feel your pain, I have been on the same one this week you are not alone. I had been a month without a chocolate bar so this week I have had a few and add that to the takeways. I do this every now and then then get back on the good food wagon only to be pushed off, The key is try for a fw weeks to treat yourself cut it down to once a week you have a Mc D's or KFC then faze them out slowly, you will fall off the wagon but it's how you recover from it.

cflec124

not really a fast food eater (maybe once a week if that.) But my downfall is Mike Sells Red Hot Potato Chips. I could eat the whole bag with a diet coke. Would love to know how to stop it.

trinityj1

Don't take it to such extremes, that is what throws you off. Don't tell yourself "NO junk food EVER", because the more you do that the more you'll want it and the more inclined you'll be to be miserable and give up.

Let yourself have the things you want, but have less, less often. If you're going to McDonald's or Subway, budget your day so that you can make up for it. You may still go a little over on calories (let's face it, it's A LOT of calories) and you shouldn't do it more than once every two weeks because of everything that's wrong with that food that isn't the high caloric content, but don't go cold turkey. Subway doesn't have to be terrible (it's never great, though, it's not health food), you can reduce by going with flat bread instead of regular bread, no sauce, etc. Mickey D's... well, don't get fries, or have fries and no burger, things like that.

Keep the indulgence at a manageable level. NEVER think, "oh the day's shot anyway". THAT is what turns a slip or and indulgence into a disaster and a binge that will knock you out of making progress.

Also, don't punish yourself or eat too little the next day. One day at a time. Stick to a healthful diet, starving yourself for two weeks WILL NOT make up for going overboard, it will just harm your body and your progress.

picturesing

Remember you asked for it - Advice that is...........
First of all.....STOP THE INSANITY! You being mean to you or down on you or critical of you is just a set up for complete failure!
If you don't believe you are worth the work of healthy eating you will fail everytime. Trust me - I've been there! I can't speak for everyone on MFP but I would venture to say that most of us ARE Food Addicts! Yes I know that is a horrible label but I for one represent that remark.
From what you've said you ARE binging.....It's therapy time. This site and the friends you have or will make will help. You need support and you need to find that part of you that knows you are worth being healthy and happy!
Don't ever diet! Live healthy - eat healthy. Will you cave to cravings once in a while - probably, but you can't let it be an excuse to binge!
Are you drinking enough water - are you eating high fiber foods - are you actually cooking for yourself? There are wonderul magazines and books that have awesome yummy and healthy receipes. I had carrot cake pancakes (just 2) with SF syrup yesterday morning and was SO stinkin full that at lunch time I almost had to force myself to eat. And YES - they were very tasty!
Are you eating every 3-4 hours? This is a must for me! Hunger is our enemy - once it hits the need to immediately reward it is overwhelming. Keep protein bars handy for times like that along with a glass of water.
I could go on and on and on,,,,,,but the take home here is you have to look in your mirror and tell yourself that you are worth this JOURNEY - that you are in control. Throw negativity out the door!
You know the basics of this now just refine your techniques!
You CAN DO IT!
You are WORTH IT!
Keep asking for help/support!

Angel1029

I don't have a problem anymore but I was the same way. Write down your goals then write down what you need to do and stop doing to achieve them.
Prepare all of your meals in advance, if you are out make sure you have your food readily available when you have that desire to eat junk. You have to have in your mind that you will not get where you want to be by going down the same path. It's not healthy, it's not going to get you the results that you want. Take it one day at a time and keep being consistent.
You can do it, just change your way of thinking and talk to yourself in a positive way. Once you start developing a habit it will become much easier.

GrayJohn

For me I was the same way last year. I used to spend the equivalent of $350 a month on junk food. It was an obession, Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonalds, the local kebab and chip shop. You name it, I was there everyday! It wouldn't just be a burger either... oh no, I went to town on it. When I visited KFC for instance I would have a Zinger tower burger meal (large) - plus 2 Twister wraps with extra fries. One of those Krushems with Oreos in and then I'd have an apple pie as well. It felt so good going in but afterwards the guilt would kick. in. I used to get spots on my face, look tired all the time and feel sluggish. In Janurary 2010 I quit it.all. I went cold turkey. Only once did I return to KFC in March last year and had a binge. I felt terrible, since then I've not had any junk food.

Now I feel so much better and the smell now makes me feel sick. The thought of eating the crap revolts me. I can't stand it now. I also get angry when I see parents feeding their kids it as a main meal.

Get into the mindset that it's bad and not worth the guilt. In a few week of healthy eating I can guarentee you'll not be craving it as you are now.

I never even get cravings for it now and I've broken the cycle. Good luck

jade_85

i do the same. i sabotage my weight loss every time. i dont know why. i have yet to find a way to stop it. i know i want to be slim and i know i could do it but i just have to binge the urge takes over me. this site is a massive help and ive definately done less bingeing since ive been on here. sorry i dont have an answer but i just wanted to let u know ur not alone x

hpsnickers1

It's that <650 per day that is making you gravitate towards it. That's too few calories for your body and it will start to crave sugars and carbs. You might be consuming too few calories on your "non junk food" days and this will increase cravings (also a reason that you can gain weight in starvation mode - .http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing)

If you are a male you shouldn't be dipping below a NET of 1600. My guess is you are female going by your goals (but hard to tell with that gorgeous man in your profile). If female NET above 1200.

The body treats calorie restriction and exercise as stress (exercise actually releases cortisol - one of the culprits of belly fat - but exercise also takes care of the cortisol). And it sounds like you are stressed already. That will also increase cravings for junk food.

http://www.hussmanfitness.org/html/TPAdaptation.html

The goal of this site is to help you to transform your physique by walking you step-by-step through everything you need to know about exercise physiology and nutrition. I know that a lot of you have “tried everything,” and because there are so many approaches that have failed you, there's a real risk that you'll quit again and again if you don't see results immediately, or if you don't fully understand why your fitness program should work. Worse, there may be some missing pieces in your program, which could lead to slow progress even though you're hard at work. My hope is that this information will help you to stay on track - to turn effort into results - and to reach your goal.

Want to change your physique? Start by realizing that whatever shape you're in right now is your body's way of adapting to the lifestyle you're living. It's your body's attempt to survive. So the strategy is simple. We're going to give your body a very specific “environment” – a particular mix of activities, nutrition, and recovery – and your body is going to adapt by becoming leaner, stronger, and healthier.

Every change you throw at your body triggers a response. The problem with many diet and exercise programs is that they can accidentally encourage your body to defend fat, shed muscle, increase appetite and even lower its metabolism. The key to fast results is to know exactly which actions will cause your body to adapt by becoming fitter.

Maybe you've tried before to get in shape. But for some reason, you didn't get the results you wanted. If you're like I used to be, you've repeated that cycle year after year to no avail. Maybe you've failed so many times that you think of yourself as a “special case.” You've started to believe your entire metabolism consists of a little turtle on a treadmill. You wonder whether you've got the fat gene. You're convinced that no matter how hard you diet, your cells can still be seen eating Twinkies when viewed under a microscope.

Look. You're not a special case. Even if you had the fat gene (common among Pima Indians but rare otherwise), you'd only be burning 50-60 calories a day less than anybody else. Even if you've been diagnosed with a metabolic difficulty such as diabetes or hypothyroidism, you can still be successful with proper medical support. Most probably, other approaches failed you either because they were missing important pieces, focused on the wrong things, or produced results so slowly that you just gave up. What you need most is good information. You're in the right place.

The law of unintended consequences
Your body is an amazing feedback system aimed at balance and survival. Humans are at the top of the food chain because they are able to adapt to their environment. Every action produces a reaction. Every change in its environment triggers a survival response. It's important to keep that in mind when you plan your fitness program. If you treat your body as an enemy to be conquered, you'll produce unintended results.

For example, if you severely cut off the supply of food to your body, it will defend itself by slowing down its metabolism to survive starvation. The body will shed muscle mass the same way that you would throw cargo from a plane that was low on fuel, and it will reduce its thyroid activity to conserve energy. The body will also actually defend its fat stores. In anorexia, muscle loss can be so profound that fat as a percentage of body weight actually rises. Extreme carbohydrate restriction also causes muscle loss, dehydration, and slower metabolism, which is why even successful Atkins dieters can have a significant rebound in weight after they stop the diet (don't worry – the advice on this site will prevent that from happening).

As another example, if you put your body under stress through overexertion and lack of sleep, it will respond by slowing down, reducing muscle growth, and increasing your appetite for junk food, carbohydrates and fat. If you feed your body excessive amounts of sugar and quickly digested carbohydrates, and it will shut off its ability to burn fat until those sugars are taken out of the bloodstream.

This website will show you how to work with your body to quickly produce the changes you want. In order to do that, you need to take actions that push your body to adapt – to build strength, burn fat, and increase fitness. You need a training program, not an exercise routine. You need a nutrition plan, not a diet. You need a challenge, not a few good habits you usually try to follow except when you don't.

Setting the right goal
John Dewey once said that a problem well-stated is half-solved. If you want to reach your goal, you have to define it correctly. See, a lot of people say “I want to lose weight.” Well, if losing weight is your goal, go on a no-carb diet. You'll lose a lot of weight – some of it will be fat, a lot of it will be water, and a dangerous amount will be muscle tissue. You'll lose weight quickly, but you'll slow your metabolism and gain fat more quickly once you go off the diet. Trust me on this. I've been there, done that.

The problem is that you've set the wrong goal. If you want to look better, have more energy and enjoy better health, the goal is not simply to “lose weight.” The goal is to improve your fitness level and body composition. That means losing fat, improving your aerobic capacity, training your strength and defending your muscle tissue. You can't do that with a no-carb diet. You will do it using the approach you'll learn on this website. Trust me on this one too. I know what it's like to feel fat, tired and helplessly out of shape. The whole point of this site is to help others avoid that, by sharing lessons that I had to learn the hard way.

Ready to change?
Right this minute, your body is the way it is because it has adapted to the lifestyle you've thrown at it, in an attempt to survive. Ever seen the directory at the mall with the little red arrow that says “you are here”? Well, fitness is the same way. You are here. You can't start anywhere else. So be kind to yourself. Don't beat yourself up. Don't worry about how much there is to do. Change your self-talk from “My body is my enemy” to “My body is my partner.” Accept where you are right now as the starting point, and start moving.

Changing your body requires more than just “going on a diet” for a few weeks. If you want to change your body, you have to make some changes to your lifestyle (which requires some discipline, but isn't as hard as it sounds). If you create the right environment, your body will adapt to it by becoming leaner, stronger, and more energetic. You can do this.

(below is me:)
Eat small meals through the day to keep you from feeling hungry (this also keeps insulin levels in check). It will take about a month to get past the addiction. Remember it is mental not physical. I am a sugar addict (we're talking I can eat sugar straight out of the cannister by the spoonful). You will just have to fight it like all the other types of addicts.

And unless you are getting a salad from Subway it is junk food. They're breads all contain high fructose corn syrup - as one of the top ingredients. Their "whole wheat" bread is just white bread with dyes added. (ingredient says enriched wheat flour - all flour is made from wheat). Their whole grain breads are less than 2% whole grain - they have more HFCS.
McDonalds claims their burgers are 100% beef but don't go into detail. They buy up the leftovers from the cow - heads and hooves anyone? Do you know if you let a burger and fries sit out it will never mold??!!

Hang in there. Your body is used to eating a certain way. It will take time and you might never get rid of the craving (alcoholics always crave alcohol). But if you stick to it and eat healthy foods over time your body will start to crave those healthy foods.

maureak

You go for an "all or nothing" approach which probably leaves you feeling deprived when you're on the "nothing" and gets you reaching for the "all" so why not try being less strict in general, lower your weight loss per week goal and if you work out your days food and exercise in advance you will be able to fit in some of your beloved junk. I have banned nothing and have had no falls off the wagon, if I want it I have it but work it into my calories...strangely giving myself the permission to have what I want means I rarely crave stuff.

Try it...i'm not saying you wont still crave junk but you may crave it less, but even if you still crave it madly if youve earned the exercise calories to have it you can at least be guilt free.

I completely agree - when I really want something like chocolate or french fries and eat carrots instead, it's pointless! It does nothing to curb my cravings. I keep sugar free chocolates at my desk (in a drawer and not in view of my desk) but only allow myself one piece. It takes care of the craving and doesn't sabotage all of my good work.

Maybe you can start small - instead of eating a Big Mac, try eating a regular single hamburger instead. I used to get a medium sized mocha at the coffee place, at least a couple of times a week (before I started MFP). Now, if I want something from the coffee place, I get the small and I keep it to every few weeks instead of every few days. I still treat myself to what I love.

Good luck! You can do it.

potluck965

I stopped eating fast food long before I actually started trying to lose weight. It was a conscious decision based mostly on money. Even when I was starving hungry when passing the cluster of drive throughs that I have to pass on my way home, I would think a couple of things.


The first thing that popped into my mind was how much it cost. I could feed myself for the whole day or more on what it cost for one indulgence at a fast food.

Then I would think how I could make something similar but with better ingredients once I got home, even if I wanted to eat a lot.

But mostly it was the incredible waste of money for something that was really not doing me any good except indulging a momentary frivolity. And, it was possibly doing me a good deal of harm.

The best way to avoid fast food is to keep driving.

MyNameIsNotBob

Build in room for a treat now and then, and you won't have to feel so guilty when you totally have a binge.

mexiana

This is going to be long, but please read through!
That was ME. I've started this thing no less than 50 times in my life. I'd be an all or nothing person too, eat PERFECTLY, exercise daily etc... But then it would happen. I'd have a crazy stressful week at work, or I'd get sick, or whatever may have been the trigger and I'd be like, "SCREW IT! Pizza tonight kids!" And then I'd feel bad, and somehow I'd rationalize that I had failed and I'd just STOP.

Usually I'd start on New Year's Day, like most people do. I'd say, "I'm going to lose weight this year" and I'd be done before January was even finished.

This year I had different goals.

1. I'm going to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day (64ozs or more) *hard to drink juice or soda when you're drinking this much water... it's A LOT.

2. I'm going to exercise daily (Out of the 100 days, today being my 100th, I've worked out about 90 of them. When I didn't work out it was because I was sick or traveling, also, if you are exercising, it minimizes a bit what you put into your mouth. If you have 1000 EXTRA calories in a day, but work out and burn 500... that 1000 turns into 500 extra)

3. I'm going to eat at least 5 servings of fruits/veggies a day. (again, it's a lot of food. Try getting in some junk when you're eating this much good, I dare you!)

4. I'm going to get enough SLEEP every night! (sleep is VERY important, especially when talking about cravings!!)


I go to bed between 9 and 10 and am up at 6ish. I try to do this every day. On my birthday I went to bed at 2am. Still slept 8 hours but it was NOT THE SAME. It set me up to late nights and early mornings all week which lead to cravings ALL WEEK. I did not lose that week, considered myself lucky to break even. Lack of sleep DOES lead to cravings!

I spoke to a nutritionist and was telling her how stupid I think cheat days are (no offense to those who swear by them, I just think it's crazy to plan to cheat one day!) because I rarely even crave "bad" foods anymore! However, when I do, I eat it right then and I have a serving. If I wait for a so called "cheat day".. I'm going to binge like there's no tomorrow! She said that because I'm eating correctly, I won't have cravings that often. She said when you crave sugary sweets, that's your body telling you that it needs glucose. Well, since I'm having a banana, carrots, and usually grapes DAILY... I'm getting that glucose naturally and therefore do not crave "bad" sugars. Make sure you are eating a balanced diet!

nthelight079

Food also is my drug of choice. I recently had a craving fit one of my favorites (barbecue pork plate with fries and onion rings). I denied the craving for 4 days, but when I was still craving on Day 5 I decided I would just let myself have it - no guilt, no shame. When I start binging these are the 2 emotions that trigger the continuation of said binge. It's such a hard thing when we're bombarded with food images on tv, radio, billboards. People offer us food in celebration, appreciation, times of mourning. Is it any wonder that we become obsessed with food? The thing I had to realize is that I really enjoyed that barbecue in the moment, but afterwards my stomach hurt, I didn't sleep as well, even though made me tired; it didn't satiate my hunger. It was such a relief that next day to start eating healthy again. To eat foods that tasted good, satiated me, and made me feel good, healthy, energized. Take these cues from your body. Really focus on and pay attention to how what you put into your body does to your body. It's a but abstract, I know, but food is my addiction, and I have been a week (since the barbecue) without a craving. Best of luck to you. Feel free to friend me. Would love to know if this helps, and offer any encouragement I can!

e1lindsay

Whenever i have the urge to stop at a fast food joint or order pizza, i think "not today...it'll feel better to watch another pound come off the scale tomorrow". I know that someday, i'll be able to indulge here and there in a nice meal out, but now is not the time for that. I know that i'm not stable enough to stop at just one cheeseburger...if i have one today, that'll make it okay for me to do it again tomorrow...and before you know it, i'll be completely off the wagon. So for now, it's meals at home that are carefully thought out and planned...because it's fast food that got me here in the first place!

BettyandVeronica

Wow all the advice is overwhelming and good. Some a little blunt,but I needed to hear it. I never thought I was a binge eater. I'm still having some trouble grasping that, but I guess I am. I do not keep a food diary and don't have a set sleep schedule either. I eat at completely unregulated hours (due to working nights and hospital shift hours so I don't generally plan), it's whatever on the go.This probably prompts my cravings for McD's. I'm not an emotional eater but I do pick at things when I'm bored.Wotsits and Mini cheddars are my dowfall.

This week,I'll take it one day at a time and try not to be so drastic with the all/nothing attitude. Lots of fruits,water and exercise...sneak in some planks too.

Thank you to everyone and WATCH THIS SPACE

purplehaze12

I feel your pain!! Feel free to add me. I've had an awful bout with binge eating (more in short bursts but pretty often) and am finally coming to terms with it. This site is really a wake up call. I can think of too many times going through the McDonald's drive through and driving around eating, and trying to throw the trash away somewhere my family wouldn't find it. Food really is addictive, and something that we unfortunately can't cut out altogether (believe me, I've done that path too!) and just have to learn to moderate.

BettyandVeronica

wow I have actually finished a whole day without junk food...Ok maybe I can do this....although it wasn't a true test because I've been indoors all day.Tomorrow will be the true test.

calliope_music

i had to quit "junk" cold turkey. i still eat chips and cookies and stuff, but no more fast food places. if i go to McDonald's, i'm getting a salad, or a kid's meal with apples and milk. have you tried substituting things in for your junk? it took me a while to stop getting insane cravings for grease, but i gave up fried things for Lent and while i still crave them, it's not nearly as bad (read: i cried over chicken wings once!).

your body will thank you once you rid yourself of grease! and i second what others are saying - build it into your meals. it's okay to have a single serving bag of chips or a cookie for dessert!

BettyandVeronica

Wow you cried over chicken wings...yes you definitely understand me to the core. Thanks for the advice and support Calliope...
Today I didn't have any crisps or chocolate or naughty foods.Quite pleased about tha...one day at a time.....one day at a time.

BettyandVeronica

Ok so at day 4,the good behaviour has been broken.i have fallen but it's ok,I'm weirdly not feeling guilty or ashamed like I normally would. I'm a little less stringent with myself and feel like I can do a little more exercise first thing in the morning and they'll be no need for 500 calorie days.

i feel positive about my attitude to bingeing and realising my problem.