Food Addicts Anonymous??

MissKim

Hi, my name is Kim and I'm addicted to food. If I'm feeling any emotion at all, I eat! Tired, bored, lonely, happy, sleepy, sad, mad, hurt, etc...etc...etc....I eat. I've always looked to food to make things better. I cut my finger today on lunch and I ate a piece of cake to make it feel better!!! I had a long day at work last night so I fried chicken!!! I have been doing better at making the right decisions, but it always catches up with me. I fall for it eventually. Especially if I get upset about something, which is at least every other day!! I'm a very emotional person. I'm giving it everything I got though. Starting today. I'm tired of dissapointing myself everyday. I'm so ready for a change.

FluffnStuff

Oh! Can I join the group?

I never would of thought of myself as a FOOD ADDICT, but it has to be true. I kind of "took a break" from healthy living for 2 months and GAINED 10lbs!!!! Talk about a wake up call.
Now, I am TRYING to get back in the groove but am really struggling. I always feel/think I am hungry.
I am a total emotional eater and have been stressed out for over a year and am still completely stressed.

I need to get back on track and I need help from others who understand.

fjm1061

I don't remember a time when I wasn't addicted to food. Just like any other addiction, you have to recognize the problem and start working on recognizing triggers, people and situations around you that enable the behavior. If you don't exercise and watch portion size and eliminate sugars, excess carbs and alcohol from your diet, start. I began walking and now I'm running 10Ks and this Saturday I am running my first 13 mile half/marathon and feeling better than ever. My wife alf1163 is a zumba trainer and is my guiding light and inspiration. You can do this, and you will.

macfizzy

I think it is safe to say that almost anyone who is struggling with his / her weight is a good addict to some degree. If one wasn't, one would not need to struggle or diet. And 8 chocolate cookies is nothing...I gained 40 lbs when I went back to graduate school....I was a nurse becoming a nurse practitioner. Stress can make us do crazy things.

I will say, I read an article in Time yesterday online. I am hoping I can keep the info in my head to remind me, but basically what it said is that the trick with losing weight really is about how much one eats. I have been one to increase exercise, but in the end, that often doesn't work unless I am training for a marathon, which i have not done for several years. The reason it doesn't work is that I am often even hungrier and I feel like I deserve something for it. LOL. So now I am trying to really pay attention more to what i eat which means I am writing it down.

vrdz3215

Oh! Can I join the group?

I never would of thought of myself as a FOOD ADDICT, but it has to be true. I kind of "took a break" from healthy living for 2 months and GAINED 10lbs!!!! Talk about a wake up call.
Now, I am TRYING to get back in the groove but am really struggling. I always feel/think I am hungry.
I am a total emotional eater and have been stressed out for over a year and am still completely stressed.

I need to get back on track and I need help from others who understand.

I am going through the same...I lost a good bit of weight and decided to let myself eat bad for a week or two which turned into a few months...and a 10 lb gain. I too tend to eat when stressed, trying to get back on the band wagon with my eating habits. I have never had a prob with working out, but have always had a problem with eating too much without thinking about it.

FluffnStuff

Oh! Can I join the group?

I never would of thought of myself as a FOOD ADDICT, but it has to be true. I kind of "took a break" from healthy living for 2 months and GAINED 10lbs!!!! Talk about a wake up call.
Now, I am TRYING to get back in the groove but am really struggling. I always feel/think I am hungry.
I am a total emotional eater and have been stressed out for over a year and am still completely stressed.

I need to get back on track and I need help from others who understand.

I am going through the same...I lost a good bit of weight and decided to let myself eat bad for a week or two which turned into a few months...and a 10 lb gain. I too tend to eat when stressed, trying to get back on the band wagon with my eating habits. I have never had a prob with working out, but have always had a problem with eating too much without thinking about it.

I am glad I am not alone!
The food is really my down fall right now...
I work out, although not as crazy as it once was, but it's not counter balancing the calories I am taking in.

courtney_love2001

Hello everyone, I am a recovering food addict. If there were 12 steps, I would be on step 9 or so

I started out just like all of you, addicted to anything terrible, whether it be cheesy, greasy, creamy...Now, I try to listen to my body when I think about eating. I still love food, but I have a greater appreciation for it, and when I do indulge I am sure to make room for it in my daily calories (sometimes teehee), and a lot of times I will just have a bite of something bad to make my craving subside. I used to eat just because it was time to eat (really bad about that), or just because I was bored. Now, I eat because I am actually hungry. I get actual hunger pangs, and I didn't get those before. Food is for fuel and for pleasure in moderation, and I am striving to keep that in mind.

I do have binges, especially involving pizza, cheeseburgers, bread, or peanut butter. It is a daily struggle to keep the portion sizes down and to not eat that whole giant cheeseburger AND fries AND brownie. Sometimes I wonder how I ever even got this way. How did food become my everything? Well, it won't be anymore!! We are all in this together and we can conquer the food monster!

zebras

Courtney:

Its funny you should mention hunger pangs. When I overindulged all the time, I was hungry all the time, too. When I eat healthily and smaller quantities, I hardly ever get hunger pangs. Its really weird.

katznketo

Food Addict? yes.

The one thing I've noticed is that when life comes, I eat. Doesn't matter the emotion. I always thought that I would learn what my problem was and then I would be fixed. Everyone has some kind of issue. It's human.

This past week, i prayed to God to please, help me! And He did. He brought a friend to me at the kids school and she told me about South Beach. Now, I've tried that before.

God said at that moment. "I know you've tried it before, just stay quiet and listen. And so I did. I went down afterwards and got the book at the Thrift Store and have been doing it for less than a week. I've lost 7 pds. But I feel great and the addictions and cravings are already gone. (I think it's cause I wasn't into them for the last few weeks anyways. You know sugar and breads.)

So anyways, the same friend today says that when we eat foods like flour and sugar, our cells can't handle it. She has a science background so I can't say what she said. All I know is that it confirms why I feel so good OFF sugar and flour. So here's to Jesus. Thank you so much. Hope it helps someone. kc

barbiecat

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
There really is a program called "Food Addicts in Recovery" and another one called "Overeaters Anonymous". I have friends who are members They weigh and measure food, stay away from sugar and simple carbs (like white flour). They plan their food for the day ahead of time and call someone and tell that person their eating plans for the day then stick to the plan. The use the 12 Steps which include making use of higher power. KC mentioned God and Jesus. These programs don't require that you be Christian. The refer to "God as you understand Him" They also suggest that you stay out of "slippery places" like bakeries and your mom's kitchen :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: And they hold regular meetings.

There are great tools on MFP that will do of those things. There is a solution even for people who have a history of eating the whole bag of cookies chips or eat to stuff emotions. :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

MOMOFTWO29

hi, my name is Laura and I am a food addict, I have been pretty much controlling it until the past week and a half, then my modem box for my internet messed up and I just got my internet back today. I went from 52 pounds lost to 45 pounds lost in a week and a half. I hope that I can just hop right back on it tomorrow and do what I need to do.

vrdz3215

Oh! Can I join the group?

I never would of thought of myself as a FOOD ADDICT, but it has to be true. I kind of "took a break" from healthy living for 2 months and GAINED 10lbs!!!! Talk about a wake up call.
Now, I am TRYING to get back in the groove but am really struggling. I always feel/think I am hungry.
I am a total emotional eater and have been stressed out for over a year and am still completely stressed.

I need to get back on track and I need help from others who understand.

I am going through the same...I lost a good bit of weight and decided to let myself eat bad for a week or two which turned into a few months...and a 10 lb gain. I too tend to eat when stressed, trying to get back on the band wagon with my eating habits. I have never had a prob with working out, but have always had a problem with eating too much without thinking about it.

I am glad I am not alone!
The food is really my down fall right now...
I work out, although not as crazy as it once was, but it's not counter balancing the calories I am taking in.

Food is def my downfall! Working out is the only thing that has kept me from gaining ALL my weight back! I used to be so good at eating healthy and hardly ever had cravings for fatty foods...but fatty food is like crack...lol, :laugh: one taste and your hooked! I have done good so far this week...but i almost always screw it up on the weekends! I am determined not to give in...:drinker:

zebras

Bad day for me yesterday. I couldn't stay out of the hot fudge after lunch at work, then my husband asked me to pick something up at Walgreen's for him, and I bought and ate a bag of peanut M&MS.

B4its2L8

I am a food addict and somedays if I don't get my fix I feel like I could rip food out of someone's hand! I don't really have any support around here and my hubby does not see how food can be addictive like cigarettes. Yet, he will go through the cabinets saying I want something but I don't know what and then eat stuff and say 'that wasn't it' and eat something else. This has been a really bad week for me, for some reason I just didn't give a rip and ate what I wanted. Stupid, I know, but now I'm trying to get back on track. I usually do pretty good all week and lose a few pounds but then the weekend hits and I blow it and gain everything I lost back so I have to start all over again. Earlier this year I was losing but I was also having to fix 2 different meals--1 for me and 1 for the rest of the family--and that gets old in a hurry so I quit and gained my weight back. It is a constant struggle and a battle and some days I am wore out from fighting with myself! I can get myself all excited about working out and think I am going to do it but then I just never do. I need help but I'm just not sure how to get myself to get in gear. Sorry this is so long!! Good luck to everyone!

nlflores

My name is Nickie and I am a food addict. I love food. But not healthy food I love junk food!! I love to work out and I can maintain weight but I struggle with losing weight! I recently gained 60lbs while I was pregnant and I have 32 left to loose. I did not work out while I was pregnant but I used being pregnant as an excuse to eat how ever much I wanted. I dont think I use food for comfort but it is one of my greatest pleasures in life. I constantly think about what I am going to eat for the next meal. I am really trying to fall in love with chicken and veggies and fruit but I am having a hard time. Good luck to all of you.

dms24

Zebras - I ate 2 snack bags of peanut M&M's yesterday :laugh: . But I did do really well for the majority of the day food wise and I kicked butt exercising. So I am not going to beat myself up for it. It is so ridiculously hard for me to cut out junk food completely but I'm going to try again today. It's a new day right?? Have a good day everyone!! Thanks for sharing all of your stories by the way. I can't tell you how helpful and reassuring they have been for me. :flowerforyou:

zebras

dms: It is so weird, I never ate peanut M&Ms before in my life, now that has become my go to bad snack during this round of weight loss.

scotiagirl

I am a terrible food addict and have been for years; so I try and give myself a break because habits are hard to break. My emotions really dictate my eating habits-one bad thing in my day can turn me to food for comfort. I bought a box of chips for the kids at Halloween and I ate them all in a week and I had to replace them and put the new box out of sight(I still ate some). I can be good for a day and then I cheat, but I have to take it one day at a time or I would never be able to gain any ground. I was off for a month and I am back on again this week and so far so good. When I cheat-I cheat small and try to choose something healthier. It is a little steps of change that will make a difference in the long run. Getting into new habits, trying new foods and recipies, and journaling. If I write what I eat everyday-I stay on track more. If you have someone going through the journey with you helps so much. My friend is a long ways away, but if I am struggling I know she understands and is such an encourager. I can call or email her anytime and she will keep me focused. Keep up the fight!!

ourgang

Food is FUEL, not COMFORT.

I LOVE THAT QUOTE !!! that is an excellent way to put it ! ! ! !

I live by this idea.. I eat to fuel my body and I work out to burn that fuel!!!

For everyone who is struggling through the emotional aspects of eating I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the book, "loss it for life". I know I have told many people about it from this sight, but have yet to hear if anyone has read it also.... IT IS WONDERFUL!!!! There are so many reasons we eat when we don't need to. We will never be able to do this for LIFE if we don't make a change and get down deep to find those many reasons. The book is a 12 week process. Comes with a book and journal.... I can not stress just how wonderful it is. Maybe I will start a new thred to see if anyone in interested in doing the 12 weeks. My mother is getting ready to start her 3rd 12 session and now she is leading the group at church. She started in Jan. and has gone from a size 24-26 to a 16!!!! YOU ROCK MA!!!!!! And it really starts with just a few changes you can live with and you build from there.... Let me knwo if anyone is interested or if you have read the book.....

God Bless
Summer

yoopergirl

Hey Summer, that book sounds great. I will definately look for it at the library. If you do a thread w/it, please notify me as I am DEFINATELY interested. I stopped drinking w/the help of AA & know the power of group & 12 steps...just, DUH, never thought of using it for food. Thanks so much.

I feel great today. I made a cheesecake last night, brought it to work & did not have any. I have decided I need to make some extra money right now since I need a new furnace, windows, some plumbing work, car & bike work, etc. I know I am a great baker (funny how I don't bake for myself) so have decided to put it out there for others to enjoy & make a little cash. So far I have 4 ordered & that was from only 8 co-workers, so it looks like maybe it will help my finances too.

I have always noticed when I am really truly cooking, I eat less, even though I make good food. HMMM. I will have to really reflect on that. I know I do stress about what others think about the food more than what I think about the food. sue