I'm addicted.

haybreez02

I need help! I'm seriously addicted to eating unhealthy, fattening foods. Its all I think about and I never get full. I've gained so much weight and I can't seem to control myself.

RedBullLiz

Little by little, eat a type of fruit. I love grapes and pineapple. So, try something you love thats healthy and sneak it in your junk food. You won’t notice how damn delicious it is!!

mmj09

I have the same problem! Ate waaaayyy to much. I eat like my husband! Combo meals, and a large drink please!

SarahRea32

If it truly is addiction, I suggest you go cold turkey. Accept that you cannot have it in your house and refuse to buy it. My sister turned up with cake at my house a while ago and refused to take it home with her which upset me a lot. Later that day I found a good post on a blog here about how food addiction is no less serious than any other addiction and I copy and pasted it into a Facebook message for her begging her to never do it again. You would not expect an alcoholic to stay sober if they lived in a house stocked with alcohol so why tempt yourself with your poison? Good luck

PrettyPearl88

I need help! I'm seriously addicted to eating unhealthy, fattening foods. Its all I think about and I never get full. I've gained so much weight and I can't seem to control myself.

I used to eat really unhealthy, large portions too! If I can do it, so can you!

Start out slow! It may be different from advice other people may tell you, but this worked for me so maybe it will for you too! Don't do anything too drastic. For starters, it helps if you keep mostly healthy food (and very little bad food) in your house. Start out by cutting out one or two bad things that you can resist more easily. Replace them with new, healthier options! Then once you get used to that first change, make another change, and so on! And then once you get used to a lot of those changes, start cutting your portion sizes and start eating healthier versions of your favorite "bad" foods that you can't resist. You'll lose the weight slowly, but it'll be more permanent and you'll be forming lifelong habits!

I started out by cutting out soda. (I used to be a big soda drinker.) I replaced it with very low calorie drinks like water, club soda (with lemon slices, tastes almost like Sprite), and unsweetened tea. Then once I got used to that, I cut out french fries. Replaced that with side salads in my combo meals. I started cutting down my portions of foods like bread, rice, and pasta (I love pasta way too much). It's absolutely impossible for me to cut out Starbucks lattes, chocolate, and pizza lol! So what I did instead of make Starbucks lattes an occasional treat on a good day and order them with skim milk and no whipped cream in the small size. I keep 100-calorie dark chocolate ice cream treats in my freezer; I have one as a dessert sometimes on good days. And since I can't resist pizza, I just try not to have it too often and when I do have it, I try to order it with thin crust and either just cheese or veggies (and of course, I make sure to eat a small portion).

You can do it! Just start small, keep going, and never give up! Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? Be the tortoise! Slow and steady wins the race! Good luck!

kkmalay

You have made a step in the right direction already, look through some success stories and be inspired, I looked at peoples success stories for ages before actually starting to count calories etc, its incredible what so many people have achieved, maybe that will help motivation, one of the best things I did was to keep the unhealthy stuff out of the house, not beat yourself up and give up if you have a bad day, and just put one put in front of the other, one day at a time, this is YOUR life, write the story you want for yourself, you can do it, all the best

smykael

It sounds as though you have the same thing as me.. it's actually an eating disorder

"Binge-eating disorder is a serious eating disorder in which you frequently consume unusually large amounts of food. Almost everyone overeats on occasion, such as having seconds or thirds of a holiday meal. But for some people, overeating crosses the line to binge-eating disorder and it becomes a regular occurrence, usually done in secret.

When you have binge-eating disorder, you may be deeply embarrassed about gorging and vow to stop. But you feel such a compulsion that you can't resist the urges and continue binge eating. If you have binge-eating disorder, treatment can help. " -www.mayoclinic.com/health/binge-eating-disorder/DS00608

If this is how you feel.. you're not alone and you can get better, yes it may take time, but I believe that if I check MFP enough and get the support of my friends on here I will succeed. Add me if you would like to talk more about how this has affected my life and we can support one another.

amber1533

If it truly is addiction, I suggest you go cold turkey. Accept that you cannot have it in your house and refuse to buy it. My sister turned up with cake at my house a while ago and refused to take it home with her which upset me a lot. Later that day I found a good post on a blog here about how food addiction is no less serious than any other addiction and I copy and pasted it into a Facebook message for her begging her to never do it again. You would not expect an alcoholic to stay sober if they lived in a house stocked with alcohol so why tempt yourself with your poison? Good luck

This is what I am doing. If I only have healthy foods in the house then that is what i can eat. But if there are chips they will be eaten THAT DAY. I am slower with Chocolate, but heaven knows if it is here I will eat it. My husband still gets his oreos because I just don't like them. Otherwise it is healthy foods. But for me going cold turkey is the only thing that works. PEople say don't limit yourself just learn portion control and you can eat what you want, but if I give myself a little of the rope, i will take it all...I just can't do that. So it's either all in or not in for right now. Maybe once it is controlled I can learn to not eat four pieces of pizza (or a whole medium) Or a whole bag of chips. But I'm just focusing on right now. and right now I have to say no.

lukester19

I need help! I'm seriously addicted to eating unhealthy, fattening foods. Its all I think about and I never get full. I've gained so much weight and I can't seem to control myself.

I used to eat really unhealthy, large portions too! If I can do it, so can you!

Start out slow! It may be different from advice other people may tell you, but this worked for me so maybe it will for you too! Don't do anything too drastic. For starters, it helps if you keep mostly healthy food (and very little bad food) in your house. Start out by cutting out one or two bad things that you can resist more easily. Replace them with new, healthier options! Then once you get used to that first change, make another change, and so on! And then once you get used to a lot of those changes, start cutting your portion sizes and start eating healthier versions of your favorite "bad" foods that you can't resist. You'll lose the weight slowly, but it'll be more permanent and you'll be forming lifelong habits!

I started out by cutting out soda. (I used to be a big soda drinker.) I replaced it with very low calorie drinks like water, club soda (with lemon slices, tastes almost like Sprite), and unsweetened tea. Then once I got used to that, I cut out french fries. Replaced that with side salads in my combo meals. I started cutting down my portions of foods like bread, rice, and pasta (I love pasta way too much). It's absolutely impossible for me to cut out Starbucks lattes, chocolate, and pizza lol! So what I did instead of make Starbucks lattes an occasional treat on a good day and order them with skim milk and no whipped cream in the small size. I keep 100-calorie dark chocolate ice cream treats in my freezer; I have one as a dessert sometimes on good days. And since I can't resist pizza, I just try not to have it too often and when I do have it, I try to order it with thin crust and either just cheese or veggies (and of course, I make sure to eat a small portion).

You can do it! Just start small, keep going, and never give up! Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? Be the tortoise! Slow and steady wins the race! Good luck!

That is a great post! I have had a similar experience .

kristen6022

Trust me, I'd prefer to eat fatty foods all day - carbs, fried foods, etc. But at the end of the day you have to make a decision - do you prefer looking and feeling good, or would you prefer to eat what you want and stay heavy? I suggest that if you feel "addicted" you will HAVE to go cold turkey - everyone has a trigger food - mine is soda - I haven't had one in 2 years and I know if I do just have one, I'll want another, and an other. I don't eat things that make me want to eat other things. If I want them, I think about the 40 pounds I took off and the size 4 jeans in my closet and I grab an apple instead.

quirkytizzy

=
Start out slow! It may be different from advice other people may tell you, but this worked for me so maybe it will for you too! Don't do anything too drastic.

This. Absolutely this. Small changes, keep at it a few days, maybe a week. Maybe even two weeks if you need it. Then add something else. Wait a little longer. Add something else in. That sort of thing. If you are the type of person who gets overwhelmed (and I am), then slower is better. You'll feel much more able to keep up on it.

All of my changes have been made no closer than a week - MINIMUM - to each other. It is the only way I have managed to sustain the weight loss. I started out by cutting back on soda for two straight weeks before I removed it completely. Counted calories for a month before I started to exercise. Pilates a week before I started cardio. Small, sustainable changes that add up.

Fast food was a huge problem for me. I wound up having to learn how to order the sandwich ONLY. No fries and water for my drink. It is more filling than I thought it would be and usually fits into my goals. I may give up the fast food entirely one day - but not yet. Small changes.

NeverGivesUp

baby steps, we are each on our own journey Cutting out bread and all gluten was what made me successful this time. Replace bad habits with good ones.

musclesglasses5

you need to get yourself off of sugar / grains / non-fruit or veg-carbs/ legumes / dairy etc for a bit. these foods are the main causes for cravings. caffeine and alcohol are also what I like to call "gateway foods" -- they'll frequently encourage you to eat other foods that are addictive. I have been there -- I was definitely addicted to sugar.

If you want to learn about how to help yourself in this situation -- go to www.marksdailyapple.com, read the blog, and buy "The Primal Blueprint."

Any questions, feel free to PM / friend me.

Best of luck!

meerkat70

Identify your worst weak spots and don't have them readily available. I kept things like crisps and my favourite cheeses out of the house for about the first year, till I could trust myself to indulge sensibly. Eventually I could have them around.

Ty to find good substitutes. I've discovered I love fresh cherries, mango and pomegranate even more than chocolate....

green022

If it truly is addiction, I suggest you go cold turkey. Accept that you cannot have it in your house and refuse to buy it. My sister turned up with cake at my house a while ago and refused to take it home with her which upset me a lot. Later that day I found a good post on a blog here about how food addiction is no less serious than any other addiction and I copy and pasted it into a Facebook message for her begging her to never do it again. You would not expect an alcoholic to stay sober if they lived in a house stocked with alcohol so why tempt yourself with your poison? Good luck

Sounds harsh but its true if you have nothing but healthy foods that's what you'll eat. I loved fried foods and im addicted to anything with ranch dressing on it so I know how you feel.....BUT being healthy means more to me than crappy food so really you just have to help yourself! GOOD LUCK

dawnmarie1115

Try to identify what your trigger foods are. Once you figure out what they are check around on the web and see if you can find lighter versions of these foods. However, sometimes you have to elminate those foods all together.

waistfinder

For the first week or so, I went with "methadone" for the food junkie I was: frozen pre-portioned entrees (grocery store freezer section-whatever is on sale, about 300 cals each), and have one every two to three hours while awake, to regulate your insulin and appetite. Add fresh vegetables and fruit whenever you want. It's easier to get through the withdrawal because it's simple. After that, it gets more complicated because you have to start preparing your own food. It helped me get started anyway. And keep coming back here - there's so much support and good ideas.

PrettyPearl88

For the first week or so, I went with "methadone" for the food junkie I was: frozen pre-portioned entrees (grocery store freezer section-whatever is on sale, about 300 cals each), and have one every two to three hours while awake, to regulate your insulin and appetite. Add fresh vegetables and fruit whenever you want. It's easier to get through the withdrawal because it's simple. After that, it gets more complicated because you have to start preparing your own food. It helped me get started anyway. And keep coming back here - there's so much support and good ideas.

I've heard that this method can be helpful, though I never did it myself. I have a friend who swears by this method lol! She jumpstarted her weight loss by just eating all of those little frozen 300-calorie meals for a few weeks and then once her body (and her eyes) got used to those portion sizes, she started cooking her own meals. It worked for her though and she lost like 60+ pounds or something!