Help! How do I break junk food addiction?

plbrown81

A few suggestions:

#1 eat more protein! The snacks you listed ARE healthy, but I never saw ANY proteins in there. Low fat cottage cheese, high protein yogurt, protein shakes, etc will all help you feel more full for longer and help break the "I NEED FOOD" binges that lead to eating a dozen + cookies. And protein bars (with over 15g of protein, and less than 30 g of carbs) while not IDEAL can sometimes tame the chocolate cravings with their taste.

#2 Never go more than 3 hours between meals/snacks. My body lets me know about every 2 1/2 to 3 hours that it's ready for more food. If I get to 3 hours and my stomach's not starting to rumble I know that I ate well the previous meal, but I make sure I eat that next meal anyhow. Its important to keep yourself fueled and ready to go. If you focus on lean proteins, healthy/clean carbs and healthy fats (not necessarily amount of fat, just that it's healthy) you'll find that you feel fuller with less and will stay fuller longer. I personally have to pause after a meal to make sure that it settles before I throw more food in my face (I'm a fast eater). Otherwise I'd just keep eating and eating and eating even though I'm technically full!

#3 - EAT HEALTHY FATS! If you're only eating protein and veggies, eat a few almonds to help offset your healthy fat needs. Drop some fresh guacamole onto the chicken you're eating, or put a serving of avocado into the salad you're eating. Fat is not your enemy, it will actually help with satiety and make you less desperate to fulfill those caloric needs. In fact, so long as I'm meeting protein and carb needs, I rarely look at fat intake because it should be the healthy type that supports body function (unless it's equivalent to my protein/carb intakes).

#4 Consider ways you can treat yourself. Some people do a cheat day. Some people do one or two cookies per day. Everyone has a different way of meeting their "sweet cravings". I read somewhere that sugar is about 1000 times more addictive than heroin, so its no wonder we all crave it so much. I have a horrible time resisting pretty much anything sweet that people put in front of me. So I try to go with the cheat day concept, but sometimes I fail too. When I do, I forgive myself and do better the next day!

thrld

Get More Sleep.

" new studies find that a sleepy brain is more drawn to junk food than a well-rested one, and that it’s also less equipped to fend off those unhealthy cravings.

A growing body of research has associated sleepiness with overeating, which can in turn lead to weight gain and increased risks of diabetes. Part of the problem is that lack of adequate sleep throws the body’s circadian rhythm and metabolic systems out of whack. Now two small new studies, both presented at the SLEEP 2012 conference in Boston, shed further light on the sleep-weight connection: the first study by researchers at Columbia University finds that sleep deprivation affects the way the brain responds to reward — namely junk food. The second study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, finds that sleepiness also appears to hinder the brain’s higher-order functions — like complex decision-making — making sleepy people less able to forgo that middle-of-the-night burger and fries."

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/06/11/why-sleepy-people-reach-for-junk-food/?iid=hl-article-mostpop1#ixzz1xgm4TjnX"

katejkelley

You sound like me - a sugar addiction. I had to quit cold turkey. It wasn't easy, but once I got that sugar out of my system, I no longer felt the need to by cookies or candy for my drive home from the grocery store. You might want to try a 14-17 day clense of some sort. I've done both the South Beach Diet and the 17-Day Diet. Both work very well and provide you with good menu items to help you get through. Once the cravings subside, it's still like any addiction, you're going to be tempted and may really want the junk. But you'll have a better chance of sticking to your goals. I just tell myself, "If I don't have the first bite, I won't have any!"

iLoveMyPitbull1225

I would suggest finding recipes for cookies or other sweets you make yourself that are ''clean"or at least better, thats what I do. No, they dont taste the same, but it satisfies the craving.

Captain_Tightpants

There are two usual modes of thought on this. I subscribe to the second, but it comes down to what works for you personally.

1) Some say any attempt at denying yourself foods you crave will inevitably end with you eating more of them. So it's better to eat small amounts and portion them into your calorie allowance.

2) Others, myself included, think that for certain people, completely refraining from junk food is the best way. I find that if I eat a small amount of pastry, cookie, ice cream, chocolate etc. then it just primes me to want to eat more and I can't get it out of my head until I do. But the good news is that if you can hold off for a couple of weeks then the cravings for them really do start to drop off. For me there came a point about four weeks in where I realized I was reaching for a carrot stick instead of a cookie at a party - it blew my mind.

been285

make the BEST choices to keep both your state of mind and diet on track.
cold turkey does NOT work for me long term.
cal portion food
40 1 slice Jacobsen's - *Snack Toast- Raspberry
60 1 snack Jell-O (Jello) - Pudding Snack - Double Chocolate Sugar Free
60 1 cookie Chips Ahoy - Chocolate Chip Cookies
90 1 bar Quaker - Chewy 90 Calorie Low Fat Chocolate Chunk
96 1 pear medium (166g) Fruit - Yellow Bartlett Pear (Medium-166g)
100 1 package (22g) Snackwell's Yogurt Pretzels 100 Calorie Pack - Yogurt Covered Pretzels
110 1 apple Generic - Large Gold Delicious Apple
110 11 crisps Pretzel Crisps - Deli Style
140 1 square (14 g) .Baker"S - Baker's Semisweet Chocolate Squares

cheesy_blasters

If you do decide to try replacing junk foods with better versions of those choices (instead of cutting them out cold turkey) you could try replacing regular cookies with ones by Go Go Quinoa. There's not much sugar in them, there's a bit of protein. They have an orange one and a chocolate chip one too.

Curvimami

That's me too!! But what works best for me is Out of Sight Out of Mind. And sometimes when I know I've been good i allow myself a treat, that way I wont binge and feel guilty. Let yourself have A cookie or even two , that way you wont feel like your depriving yourself and then go off the deep which will cause you to feel crazy guilty ultimately. You can do it. If I can do it, you most certainly can. Good luck

trott27

After reading all of your responses, I'm totally going to up my protein and fat intake...and try going cold turkey. Like a lot of you, if I have one bite I want it all. I really can't control myself, so I think the best option is to not have it at all. Maybe for verry special occasions.

ValerieMartini2Olives

Don't keep it in the house! If you have it, you'll eat it!

natalie_bailey

In all honestly determination is the key to breaking the addiction. If you really want to lose the weight you will curve the addiction. Cravings themselves only last for 20 minutes therefore you have to occupy yourself during a craving also weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the junk food. If you eat that pizza, yes you will be satisfied while eating it then afterwards think of the work you will have to do to shift it. Try finding healthier alternatives which you like and steer away from the junk

joannecando

2) When you go to the grocery store, stay out the cookie aisle. There is nothing but junk in that part of the store.

But they put the frozen fruit and veggies right across from the cookies! I try really hard to shop only the "outside" rim of the store so I avoid processed and prepackaged foods, but they put those stupid things right next to the stuff I need, like toilet paper. No excuses, I know, but the marketers that design the grocery stores are geniuses. I am going to try something new. I am going to make a list and send my daughter. That way I can't buy a bunch of crap I don't need.

JoeMO

For a chocolate fix I'll eat a Fiber One bar. It's filling and the chocolate is satisfying. DON'T overdue it tho, believe me

peachyxoxoxo

I know how hard it is to avoid buying those yummy but unhealthy items, no matter how much you tell yourself prior to shopping that you don't really need them. Don't deprive yourself. That's setting yourself up to binge. I've found myself stuck in a cycle of deprivation then bingeing many times. Nowadays I have a little something sweet every single day. Like some chocolate chips in the evening after dinner.

michellekicks

You stop eating it and go thru DETOX and WITHDRAWL. Sad, but it works.

*sigh* ... yep. I should do that...

Lightbulb1088

i've just started using EAS Myoplex lite or the carb one for my treat it seems to be working for now. it is really hard. I just decided this week no sweets I made it 3 days and started over. now it has been 4 days now sweets. I try and use other things like fruit or these portein drinks. This one I named above is 170 cals and they have a low carb one too! Just keep trying and don't give up.

EvilMomma

My advice, in addition to the wonderful suggestions above, is to forgive yourself when you blow it and start over the next morning. Beating yourself up does nothing but leave bruises and they re SO unattractive. lol On the other hand, I only diet/calorie count today. I've just managed to string a lot of todays together.

basillowe66

I suddenly realized that I don't overeat but I was eating the junk food, so I realized I wanted to lose the weight more that I wanted the junk food. I started by writing everything I eat all day long and soon I wasn't craving any of it!!

Goal_Line

Somehow I ended up buying cookies

The solution here is really simple. Don't buy the cookies.

Hezzietiger1

Drink chocolate protein shakes, eat cocoa roasted almonds, lots of fruit, organic blue corn chips and quac or salsa, dark chocolate, virgils zero stevia sweetened no calorie, no preservatives, no sodium, all natural soda's

Dawnhasajeep

Bump for later I sm a sugsraholic too

TrinaJ11

Recognize the binge when it is happening. Then break it with an apple.

So if I had a loaf of banana-nutella bread, and say I was on my 3rd slice -- I'd make myself eat an apple. That is usually enough to break the binge and I can then throw the banana bread away (not save it because I will just keep eating it tomorrow).

Designate something as your devoted binge breaker. It could be an apple, or a 1mile walk, or 50 pushups, or a bowl of oatmeal. But whatever it is, you MUST carry through with it once you recognize a binge.

I like this idea. I'll definitely try this for myself.

Blondefitbarbie

Whenever I feel like eating junk or am reaching for a biscuit, I step back, take a breath and really think if it's worth it. I know if I have it I will inevitably feel guilty after. I have a glass of water or green tea (which helps stop sugar cravings) and if I still really want it, I'll have just one. Limit yourself. The outcome will be worth all your hard work, and after a few weeks, you won't crave artificial sugars so much anymore. Promise!

mtgordon1908

Bump

mcarter99

I would do two things.

1) Don't label it an addiction. It's not, really. You give it more power than it has by how you mentally frame it. As humans, we're all wired to prefer high fat, sweet food. It's a survival thing. We can get past it.

2) Researchers say the way to break a habit is by substitution. You identify three things:

A) the trigger (stress, boredom, needing a reward, hunger, seeing cookies in the store)
the habit (buying and eating the cookies)
and C) the intrinsic reward (cookies taste yummy)

You need to sub something for that middle part (the habit), something that has its own intrinsic reward. Would a non-food item be a rewarding treat for you at the end of the day? A hot bath? A pedicure? Some new perfume? Or would a less damaging food or drink suffice? A lowfat latte? A Healthy Choice fudge bar? A glass of costly red wine? One really great but small cookie?

pinkprincess1952

Everyone always says losing weight is 80% diet and 20% fitness. And I want to be healthy and eat clean, but it seems like I always manage to blow it. Let’s take yesterday, for example. I had a smoothie for breakfast (spinach, blueberries, egg whites, flax seed, and a banana). I packed all of my snacks and lunch for work (snack 1: 1/4c pistachios, 1c blueberries, 1/2c strawberries; lunch: sushi; snack 2: apple, 2tbsp natural peanut butter). I drank a lot of water (8cups at work) and I felt really good. I was really proud of myself…and then I ran to the grocery store to grab a few things for dinner. I was making turkey chili and I needed kidney beans. Somehow I ended up buying cookies – I ate 8 of them last night and then 5 this morning (and then I finally threw the rest in the trash).
I want to eat clean and be healthy, but I always end up doing things like this. I honestly feel like sugar/junk is my addiction. How do I control it? How do I break this addiction? What have you guys done?
Any responses would help A LOT.
Thank you!

I have that same problem, I will eat healthy all day and then say someone brought pie or cookies to work, the next thing I know I am eating like 2 or 3 of them... It just seems like no matter what I always got have something sweet....

MonaLisa11

I've always heard that when you're craving something, drink water. You might just be thirsty instead of hungry!

hutchy90

when you find out the answer to that, let me know

^^ same. I could have written this post myself! sounds exactly like me!

Missmissy0003

For a chocolate fix I'll eat a Fiber One bar. It's filling and the chocolate is satisfying. DON'T overdue it tho, believe me

Ha ha, I did that! I had 3 or 4 Fiber One brownies in a day, but The scale was lighter the next day.

3ofmine

Right there with you..my things were McDonald's, Taco Bell, Arby's and Coke. I have had a bean burrito from Taco Bell sometime early last month. I have moved on to Sprite which I will buy if I am wanting something different and I'm out. I quit buying all that at the grocery store. I don't buy cases or two liters and bring them home..if they are here I will drink them(my inlaws came down and bought some for while they were here and I had a few of them last week but only 1/day). I tossed them in the trash because I didn't want to keep drinking them and I felt horrible after drinking it..I was so bloated and yucky feeling. That reminded me why I stopped drinking them in the first place. If I eat crap now I feel bad physically. I ate a burger at a bbq on the 4th and my stomach is still messed up..it was the first ground beef I had in a LONG TIME(I use ground turkey at home). Anyway...cold turkey is the way to go and if you can get past and through the first 3-5 days which is the absolute hardest you'll find it is easier and easier to make that change. GOODLUCK!
Angel