Doritos are not meth.

panda007dammit

As someone who has always been a binge eater, regardless of whether I'm in the process of losing weight or not, I do feel a certain fear when someone brings in a bunch of sweets to work or a social event. I can't have one, because it will never be just one. Sure, an occasional slip-up is not a big deal. I still have binges every now and again, and I'm still losing weight. The reason I'm managing this effectively though is because I'm not buying the junk myself. This means I almost never binge in my own house. Great, that's wonderful, that's a ton of calories that I used to consume that I am now avoiding. However, for me, being at a party where there is a ton of food is similar to placing someone who's trying to quit smoking in a room full of people actively smoking. I do my best to position myself as far from the food as possible, and if I become genuinely hungry, I will aim for the food I am least likely to binge on, but it's stressful for me. If I binge, I log it, examine what made me binge in the first place, and try to learn from the experience, then I move on. That's what I do NOW. Two years ago, I couldn't.

I won't blame someone for feeling helpless in the face of food. It's commonly a disordered eating pattern that results in extreme weight gain in the first place. For many people, when you tell them "it's just one cupcake", you're not talking to someone who's just looking at food options; you're talking to an addict looking at a needle. People who are just starting their weight loss journey may very well need to put up some serious limits for a while until they come to terms with everything and start to put it in perspective. Someday they will hopefully come around to a healthy outlook, but I won't blame them for feeling weak in the beginning.

mattack

I couldnt agree more, genious post!

weird_me2

Evidently, binge eating on a single food was never your issue.

Yes, it actually was my issue. That's the whole point of this to me, to work through my issues and learn from them rather than hide from them the rest of my life. Learning that food is not comfort is my biggest mind block to fight though.

I liked your original post and generally agree with you, but it takes a lot of work to get through some mental food issues. You seem to be in the right place to handle it and I am happy to say that after 15 years of struggling with my weight I feel like I'm finally in a good place mentally, but not everyone is there yet. Not everyone is ready to be there yet and everyone has to do what works best for them.

I personally make sure to fit all of my favorite things in as often as I can. I will freely admit that the whole point of exercising is so that I can eat more (yeah, I want to be healthy, too, but some days a long term "health" goal just can't motivate me like my favorite foods can). My mother, who has successfully maintained a large weight loss for over 10 years still has "trigger" foods that she keeps out of her house and accepts that she will just binge on those foods if she brings them in to the house. So, every once in a while, that's what she does. I don't think it's the healthiest, but it's what works for her and has allowed her to maintain her loss and if she's not able to do the mental work required to get past this, then maintaining an 80 lb loss by saying cookie dough is evil and not allowing it in her house except on rare occasions is way healthier than gaining back all of the weight.

Sometimes, when we get to a great place in our lives and something that has been so hard for us in the past finally clicks we want to share it with everyone else so that they can be enlightened, too. Unfortunately, not everyone is ready to hear what you've learned and we do have to keep this in mind. If I see a person on the board struggling with emotional eating or something that I have dealt with personally, I will share what has helped me, but other than that, I don't try to preach to other people's struggles.

Capt_Chev

Brilliant Post!!

seena511

True story.

Meth makes you skinny.

this. just this.

chocl8girl

I you.

Also, is it creepy that I would like to see pictures of you rubbing Sensa crytsals all over your body? Yes? OK, then... *goes to the corner*

Danielle_2013

It's great that you can eat crap in moderation. Don't shame the people who cannot. It's just plain rude, and it makes you look like a jerk.

Exactly. Again OP, I appreciate you gaining strength and confidence from YOUR method...but there is not simply one way to do this. Those of us who need to do it differently (ie. cut out certain foods) for whatever should not be made to feel bad by someone who clearly does not understand.

TisheaDH

I love this. I keep my mind away from blaming the food and take responsibility for everything I choose to eat.

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

Lol if you still eat Doritos apparently you've never read this:

http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/q5ikr/reddit_what_is_the_weirdestmost_****ed_up_thing/c3uynfu

WARNING: Do NOT read if you have a weak stomach.

Have you seen what's in Gatorade and Mountain Dew? FLAME RETARDANT!

...I don't think you read the link. Just go ahead and read it. It's not the ingredients that's the problem, it's reading this story and thinking about it every time you see Doritos that's the problem.

kitkatkate77

True story.

Meth makes you skinny.

Heh!

cook6609

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE....

I totally agree with you. If I want something (chocolate, cake, chips, pizza, burger, whatever), I try first to see if there are low calorie of those choices such as special K chips (which I don't mind) or 100 calorie shortbread cookies and 90 calorie brownies (both of which I LOVE!!!). The small packs are just enough to satisfy my "craving" of them. I've learned not to avoid what I crave, because it will just drive me nuts. I eat what I "crave", and move on. I try to find a low calorie version of it, but if I can't (like pizza) then I just log it. I had pizza and wings last week for dinner. Sure I did a little bit of extra work out. So that I wouldn't go over my calorie count for the day, but I didn't kill myself over it nor feel guilty about it. If I try to ignore the "craving", I'll end up overeating eat, which is what I want to avoid.

paigemarie93

I am a food addict, I don't understand moderation.

That's just an excuse, everyone understands moderation, you just have to say NO to yourself and see it through.
It isn't easy, but it's not impossible if you keep trying.

I'm sorry, but are you a psychiatrist? A medical doctor? If not, perhaps you should not try speaking with authority on topics you do not understand.


It's great that you can eat crap in moderation. Don't shame the people who cannot. It's just plain rude, and it makes you look like a jerk.

I posted twice, look down there vvvvvvv

2906denise

well said

infamousmk

Eat Doritos in moderation? Unpossible!

Seriously. It's not even remotely likely.

So yeah, avoiding food which so easily defeats one's willpower is a good life choice.

I'm going to venture a guess that if you're letting Doritos have so much power over you that you can't eat them in moderation, you need to work on your willpower.

You are choosing the lazy way, and you are not making lifelong-sustainable choices.

lulz. My choices are quite fine, as evidenced by my successful weight loss. My lifelong-sustainable choices (ongoing, obviously) include understanding my own abilities and limitations, and planning to capitalize on the former while minimizing the latter.

I suppose you have perfect willpower in every aspect of your life. If so then you are one of a minority (of possibly one).

I do eat Doritos. I budget for more than a single serving however, and it happens once in a blue moon.

Anyway, Doritos aren't my real Achilles heel.

Of course I don't have perfect willpower - I'm human just like everybody else. But I don't blame the Imperial Stout when I drink too much of it... that was my own choice and my own lack of willpower. But, I'm not going to stop drinking Imperial Stouts because of that lack of willpower, either. That's fixing a symptom, not the cause. The cause is the willpower, not the Stout, and the person in control of that is me.

I guess it's just that I take full responsibility for my actions.

Your condescension is both misguided and misplaced.

Well at least I got the condescension right. Can't win 'em all.

stephdeeable

I think some people are missing the point.

I'm not some super fit person who doesn't understand your "food addiction". I ate and ate and ate my way to over 300 pounds. I have not been under 200 pounds since I was 12 years old. I know all about eating in secret, binge eating, feeling like I had no control, using food as comfort, eating when I was sad or angry or lonely. I have felt shame my whole life, thinking other people had something within them that I did not possess. Feeling like food had control over me and I couldn't change it.

All I am saying is - it is all in your mind. Fight your mind to help your body.

PetulantOne

:happy:

mymonty

I LOVED THAT!!!!!!! I totally agree!!!!!! I've eaten things and regretted it later, but I'M STILL ALIVE!!!

Thanks for that awesome blog! (post)

daisiemae123

I think some people are missing the point.

I'm not some super fit person who doesn't understand your "food addiction". I ate and ate and ate my way to over 300 pounds. I have not been under 200 pounds since I was 12 years old. I know all about eating in secret, binge eating, feeling like I had no control, using food as comfort, eating when I was sad or angry or lonely. I have felt shame my whole life, thinking other people had something within them that I did not possess. Feeling like food had control over me and I couldn't change it.

All I am saying is - it is all in your mind. Fight your mind to help your body.

Love the original post and love this.

paigemarie93

I am a food addict, I don't understand moderation.

That's just an excuse, everyone understands moderation, you just have to say NO to yourself and see it through.
It isn't easy, but it's not impossible if you keep trying.

I'm sorry, but are you a psychiatrist? A medical doctor? If not, perhaps you should not try speaking with authority on topics you do not understand.


It's great that you can eat crap in moderation. Don't shame the people who cannot. It's just plain rude, and it makes you look like a jerk.

I'm sorry? I don't understand, really? I've been there, done that, got the t-shirt & lost the weight, so please, go on & tell me how I do not understand.
No actually, I was saying it in a stern encouraging "it is possible, you can do it" way! No shaming intended.
Being a binge eater, alcoholic, addict of anything, is something you can overcome, you just have to stop making excuses & work at it.

It's nice to see that after a year MFP still has people who jump the gun & ride high horses.

Dmkolls

You know what my #1 weight loss secret is?

This may shock a lot of people, so sit down.

....................................................

I only care about my diet. Other people can do what they want or don't want to do.

If moderation or self control over food was something that was universal or everyone understood, we wouldn't all be a bunch of overweight people or formerly overweight people on a weight loss website talking about Doritos.

Couldn't agree more!

stephdeeable

I you.

Also, is it creepy that I would like to see pictures of you rubbing Sensa crytsals all over your body? Yes? OK, then... *goes to the corner*

I have videos online, but it's 19.95 a month.

foxymama73

I love it!!! Especially the part about being a "crying, quivering mass on the floor rubbing Sensa all over yourself" (I paraphrase)...I laughed, loud, and alot because you spoke my very thoughts!!! I admit to stressing just a little about the upcoming SuperBowl party, but as you said, if I want it, I'm gonna eat it!!! Its not like I'll blow up over night!!! Hilarious, and sooo true!! I applaud you!!:drinker:

DarkAngel262

I have to kindly disagree. Food addiction is very real, very powerful, and harmfully controlling. I'm working harder than ever to break this addiction, but I am one of those people who cannot have certain things in my home. I also have to call someone on the way home from work sometimes as I pass restaurants.

I'm not saying this to make an excuse. I hestitated mentioning it at all as it's hands down THE most shameful and embarassing thing I've ever struggled with.

My point is, you can't just throw a blanket statement on everyone. Be mindful of those people who can literally be in a panic or tears over being near trigger foods. :flowerforyou:

chocl8girl

Oh, and ONE MORE THING! There was not ONE OUNCE of shaming anyone else in the OP's post. For pity's sake, the "shame" you feel is coming from within yourself! Own it, admit it, stop blaming everyone else for your own feelings of shame, ESPECIALLY when there isn't anyone making you feel that way except yourself, and let it go.

The purpose of this post was to share HER experience, and encourage people that they, too, can find the place they need to be to feel that food is not their enemy. PERIOD.

STOP placing your own issues onto everyone else.

Please.

danigirl1011

I'm having huge mixed emotions about your post. I don't think you are trying to drag anyone down, especially since you are talking about people taking back control, etc. I think that's great and true. But, by continuing on to read you talking about how food is not an addiction, it suddenly hit me that clearly you don't understand. Food is an addiction for some people. It is like a drug. That is how i have been overweight nearly my entire life. I don't feel until you truly 'detox' from things like taco bell, doritos and choclate like you mentioned that you can truly move on from the 'terrors' of driving past fast food places. Just my thoughts.

collectingblues

Amen. Cupcakes are tasty.

iampam4399

I am a all or nothing kinda gal. I will eat the entire batch of cupcakes or at least eat until they are gone. I will eat the entire bag of chips and then look for more.

I am a food addict, I don't understand moderation.

You obviously understand something because your 60+ lb weight loss is fabulous!! Congrats to you!!!! I wish I could be as misunderstanding.

chocl8girl

I you.

Also, is it creepy that I would like to see pictures of you rubbing Sensa crytsals all over your body? Yes? OK, then... *goes to the corner*

I have videos online, but it's 19.95 a month.

*takes off pants and hands over credit card*

Wait, what?

links_slayer

tl;dr

can someone post cliff's plz?

pamperedlinny

Evidently, binge eating on a single food was never your issue.

Yes, it actually was my issue. That's the whole point of this to me, to work through my issues and learn from them rather than hide from them the rest of my life. Learning that food is not comfort is my biggest mind block to fight though.

As someone who can binge anything from salad to ice cream your post was very well said. I keep chips, ice cream, chocolate, etc all in the house. And I do go nuts once in a while and kill the entire party bag of cheetos BUT learning it's the not the end of the world and learning how to portion MOST of the time is how you have to live... else you spend your days in constant fear.

Just a side note... for those days I know I'm going to want to binge but I really, really want to behave and I really want to eat a whole bag I go out of my way to buy the individual bags (Costco has a box of utz little bags I use for this). I eat one or even two and when I crumple the bags up and throw them away I feel like I got away with killing the bag but don't have quite as much guilt. It's learning how to control your urges 80% of the time and not killing yourself for the other 20%.