Addicted to PROCESSED FOODS!!

kjosey1

Hi everyone. Just wanted to see if any of you share the same problem that I'm having. Throughout the day I'm very good about eating lean, healthy meats and vegetables. Usually at night, I start craving really bad foods like cheeze its, chips, ice cream, cookies, chocolate, basically anything processed. I'm starting to think I'm addicted to processed foods. I can't go one day without them. What's going on here?! Does anyone else feel this way or have suggestions?

theresabell67

I'm soooooo glad someone else is in the same ball park. I too would be interested in what works for others

JennsLosing

it takes time to weed those things out of your diet...and ill be the first to admit that i havent completely taken them out of mine. Moderation is the key!

losermomof3

I have the same problem!!! I have found the more working out and drinking water I do it helps.

Kristyb1010

I'm feeling the same way... would love to see what others have to say....

lynnmarie60

I go through that at times, especially at night. I'm great during the day but at night I seem to want the "bad" stuff so I just make sure I have low calorie fixes like the weight watchers ice cream candy bars (4 pts) or weight watchers chocolate cakes (2pts) or reduced fat ice cream with strawberry perserves or sherbet ice cream on hand. Just keep a variety of low fat goodies on hand and make sure you have room on your calorie intake for it throughout that day just in case.
What I find happens to me is, if I have it on hand I don't want it as much but if it's not in the house I crave it like crazy.

Good luck, I know how hard it is, just stay strong and keep on track no matter what.

JennsLosing

and easier said than done especially if you dont live alone, but if you can do it, dont keep them in the house...that would be the only thing that would work for me lol. but with a husband who likes his junk food every once in a while, and kids, cookies and ice cream are going to be in this house at one point or another...i can control my appetite for them pretty well though.

chantihayes

me too! But I gave them up.. infact, after dinner I dont eat anything, unless it's something like sugar-free jell-o or a granola bar. I dont keep things like that in the house anymore, so even if i want them , I can't have them If I feel like eating, I drink some juice (for me, its more filling than water), or if it's time for my p90x workout, i do that.


oh, and i have 3 kids and a husband in the house, but if i can eay healthy so can they!

berniemay

it takes time to weed those things out of your diet...and ill be the first to admit that i havent completely taken them out of mine. Moderation is the key!

I agree!! I haven't been able to completely eliminate these foods, but I have been able to limit them.

Grimmerick

I am working on this issue right now. I decided I needed to change my nightly habits to a healthier pattern. It is like breaking an addiction, it takes a few weeks of doing something different to break the habit. I listen to guided meditation cd's for weightloss, kelly howell makes good ones. It works for me if even just to relax me(I get anxious when my cravings kick in) and it keeps me busy for half an hour. Also at night I have light kettle corn since it is salty and sweet, it helps me avoid the eating something salty then sweet then salty again...........you know the deal. Good luck

sh3lby03

As soon as you're done your eating your healthy dinner, brush your teeth. No matter how much you crave the junk after that, it will all taste bad if you have the toothpaste aftertaste going on. That's one of the tricks I try to use.

mamarundrc

I haven't and have no desire to completely eliminate these items from my diet. I know if I do I will not stay on track. I budget them into my daily calories, by 100 calorie packs (or separate them into serving size baggies) and allow myself to have them once in a while. I found that once I stopped trying to cut them out I didn't crave them as much.

I have drastically reduced my consumption of processed foods but my reality is that they will always be a part of my life so I found it was better to learn how to live with them and still stay on track

JesaGrace

If you have a real problem completely eliminating them from your diet, then don't go cold turkey.....just take smaller portions......and then gradually make them smaller every time.....til you have the willpower not to eat them......it's like quitting smoking(not that I know anything about it), but a lot of people can't go off smoking cold turkey.....

TS65

Hi everyone. Just wanted to see if any of you share the same problem that I'm having. Throughout the day I'm very good about eating lean, healthy meats and vegetables. Usually at night, I start craving really bad foods like cheeze its, chips, ice cream, cookies, chocolate, basically anything processed. I'm starting to think I'm addicted to processed foods. I can't go one day without them. What's going on here?! Does anyone else feel this way or have suggestions?

Since your diary isn't public, it's hard to help you determine what triggers it. Before MFP, I was HUGE night-time nibbler. I could do well all day, but end up eating 1000+ calories after dinner. *ugh... that was hard to write and acknowledge*

I noticed when I cleaned up my daytime eating, the night nibbles started to go away. What I mean by that is I try not to eat simple carbs during the day - sugar, white flour, etc. I've also noticed if I don't eat enough during the day, the night nibbles start to come out too.

To try to fix that, I've made sure to stock up on things I like but won't wreck my day - Blue diamond toffee almonds or the cocoa dusted one's, skinny cow ice cream, laughing cow cheese, sugar free pudding, etc. If I think I'm going to have a "nibble night", I log my snacks in advance and make sure I limit it JUST to those.

stormieweather

Plan for a small snack later in the evening. I have a juice bar (all natural, instead of ice cream) before bed. I also allow a bowl of berries or celery stuffed with peanut butter or even some popcorn a couple hours after dinner. Then when the craving start, I remind myself that I have 'that snack' coming up...just hold out until then.

My partner has been very supportive of my lifestyle changes and does not require junk food in the house. I do have a few healthier versions of some snacks for him and the kids, but not a whole lot. They eat fruit and veggies and drink water, right along with me .

It helps!

Zara11

get the food out the house. if it isn't there, you can't eat it. grit your teeth, brush your teeth, drink water and don't touch it. no one's making you eat it but you. are you capable of eating tiny amounts or are you an all-or-nothing person in that area?

also, sweet fruits help. mango, strawberries, etc. mix them with some plain yogurt, kefir, etc.

krisvtx8777

Also a work in progress always in my house with 3 kids, while I wish they loved healthy foods like me, they don't but I've tried my best to get the "lesser evil" options, they may not still be the best, but better than the total junk. I've replaced with some healthier cereals, granola bars, baked chips etc. Like I said still not the best, but even when I give in to temptation now it doesn't totally throw off all my hard work!

I have to eat something BEFORE I walk in the door to my house or immediately cook myself a healthy meal or snack. It's one of the only ways to keep me on track, I fill up as much as I can on veggies since I love them and it takes away my craving for the junk.
I drink hot green tea or make a fruit smoothie with greek yogurt if I feel a binge coming on.

SoFancySoBlessed

HONEY YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD!!! I TRY NOW NOT TO EVEN BUY THOSE TYPES OF THING, BUT I HAVE KIDS AND THATS WHAT THEY WANT :blushing: WE ARE NOT A "PROCESSED FOOD" TYPE FAMILY BUT SOMETIMES YOU WANT THE JUNK.....MY ADVICE, IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT, SPRING FOR THE 100 CALORIE PACKS....BELIEVE ME IT HELPS, A LOT! :bigsmile: STOCK MORE OF YOU FAVORITE FRUITS AND VEGGIES AND LESS OF THE PROCESSED FOODS, EXAMPLE, INSTEAD OF SNACKING ON MY CHIPS AND DIP....I GET POPCORN, NO BUTTER, NO SALT....THAT GIVES ME MY CRUNCH FACTOR WITHOUT MAKING ME FEEL "ICK" :sick: AFTERWARDS. GOOD LUCK!

riehlmom

I understand your problem! Processed foods are sooo cheap compared to fresh, better, homemade, etc.... our food budget went through the roof (almost double!) when we started buying fresh produce, even after cutting back some items we usually get.

Bridgidm2000

I too have a daughter at home. We mostly use the 100 calorie packs for her (she does not have a weight problem!) If I'm having a really bad craving we'll go for a walk or do something to get my mind off of it. But every once and a while she'll request chips ahoy or oreos. If I want them, I have two or three and that little bit seems to do the trick.
Bridgid

BflSaberfan

regarding the 100 calorie packs, I find it is cheaper to buy the regular package and measure the serving size myself so I reach 100 calories.

kjosey1

Yeah the bad part is it's all or nothing for me. Once I open a bag of chips or box of cookies.....it's downhill from there. This is something tha's recently happened to me in the past couple months. I've never had this problem before.

Christie422

I had a huge problem with sweets in the evening. I'd make a pan of brownies after dinner almost every night and between me and the kids they'd be gone by morning. I just quit eating that stuff cold turkey...it was REALLY hard, but after about a week I didn't want them anymore. Currently I have 3 boxes of brownie mix in the pantry that have been sitting there for over a month. If I do get a craving for something sweet I have a sugar free pudding with some chocolate cool whip on top or a glass of chocolate milk.

porcelain_doll

I've been taking some highly potent probiotics since Easter weekend, and I have found that my cravings for sugar/fried food/junk, etc., have pretty much subsided completely. I haven't eaten fast food since then, either, and I haven't wanted it. I wonder if something like that could help you. Not keeping any bad stuff in the house helps, too.

numi79

Night time eating is my nemesis, I am like you and can eat very well throughout the day but around 7:30 about the time we are putting my daughter to bed and wrapping up for the night I just start thinking about all the goodies in my pantry. (mostly processed foods of course.) And to be honest I do not know what to do about it other then beat it. I try to buy mostly healthy but I have a 3 year old and a 35 year old (junk food husband) and I’m not going to deny them whole grain gold fishes and the occasional cookie, it is not their fault that I have a hard time not shoveling them in my mouth. I just started this yesterday and even though I had to mentally talk myself out of devouring my pantry I did it and felt great after I beat it. I made a smoothie of chobani greek yogurt (strawberry), half a frozen banana and about ½ cup of strawberries and it was delicious and sweet and completely satisfying! I just love to eat at night and I have to break the habit because I know that is what is breaking my calorie bank.

Sorry I do not have many words of wisdom but you are definitely not alone!

Amanda

mielikkibz

it takes time to weed those things out of your diet...and ill be the first to admit that i havent completely taken them out of mine. Moderation is the key!

bingo

I refuse to cut ANYTHING out of my diet that i enjoy. I know it means I will fail. I bought easter candy that was on sale. I've learned if it's on my desk at work, I'll snack more, so it's in my drawer. . and unlike this time last year where I'd've gone thru most if not all of the 52 ozs of it by now(bought it 4/30), II may've eatened 1/10 of it. But it's there if I need the fix

I was trying to figure out how to get around the processed sandwich meat for my busy coming weekend, and came up with the idea of panbroiling a lb of chicken breasts that I can nibble on instead

But you dont' need to get rid of all foods, use it as rewards

Erica1965

So glad you posted this! That sounds exactly like me. I'm 45 now, but I was raised in a household where "dessert" was a nightly occurence. I had a treat every night, usually icecream. I also got a sweet treat after school, twinkies or devil dogs. It was also a rule in my house that we eat everything that was put on our plate. Guess what? I STILL feel it necessary to finish everything on my plate, even if I'm full.

Old habits are hard to break. The only thing I can do is just don't buy the crap, buy healthy snacks/treats and you won't be able to just grab that junk late at night. If you live with others, ask them to hide the junk food from you so you aren't tempted.

Best of luck to you!!

Kat0310

Love this post! I think most of us are all in the same boat. That being said, Cheezits are the devil! LOL JK

I have all that stuff in my house because my son and husband eat it but I've learned to "look the other way" and avoid those things. Willpower is key

Good luck everyone!

seabuckaroo

You are totally normal and i think we all are 'dying' for those types of food. Just don't have the m in the house, no one not kids or even husbands need them. I make my husband keep his crap at work or in the car

AwkwardPumpkin

I am like that, what I found helps is if you don't eat anything after 6 or 7 at night.

BaronessBlixen

A huge thing that has helped me is to stick to the OUTSIDE AISLES while grocery shopping. Yes, occasionally I dip in for some crackers or pasta or whathaveyou, but really try to shop along the perimeter of the store. This has definitely helped me limit my processed foods.