addiction

singcoz528
singcoz528 Posts: 154
edited September 20 in Motivation and Support
Yesterday I caved and had a HUGE cheeseburger from McDonald's. It was weird, it was like I HAD to have it. I actually made a special trip to get it. And once I had eaten that I completely ruined my whole day with other bad for me foods.

I think food for me is an addiction. And now I'm going to look at it like that. Hopefully looking at "bad for me" food as something I'm addicted to will help me overcome my cravings. I dunno...hopefully.

Any advice? I'm really upset with myself.

Replies

  • JustAmy
    JustAmy Posts: 291
    I don't know if this helps, but whenever I think of a food I want more than anything, I make myself come up with a healthy recipe for it ~ you can still have the cheeseburger, but if you use extra lean ground beef (4 oz @ 160 cals) low fat cheese (1/2 oz @ 40 cals) hamburger roll (100 cal) with ketchup, mustard, dill pickles and onions, you can have the same treat for under 350 calories and way less fat than McD's! These are especially good if you have a george foreman to "grill" them :)

    Good luck ~ you CAN do this!
  • tvgal
    tvgal Posts: 87
    ugh, i have been the same way!!!! all of last year i had the bad habit of eating like a little angel on weekdays, and then come saturday i would want pizza like nothing else! and then pizza would turn into cheese sticks and icecream and lots of other crap, thus undoing any progress i had made that week :mad: :mad: :mad:

    The only way i've figured out to get out of that mindset is to spend a little time cooking the equivalent at home. by the time it takes for the burger/pizza to cook, i'm good. So far it's been helping - going two weeks strong LOL! baby steps :)
  • kingnatalie
    kingnatalie Posts: 163
    Today is a new day, and remember you don't want to give into temptations that result in undoing all the hard work you have set forth. If I am craving a cheeseburger, I make a veggie burger with 100 calorie bun, fat free cheese, pickles, ketchup, mustard.. you know whatever topping you desire. This helps me to curve my desire for a cheeseburger and it is much more healthy. I look for healthy alternatives to the foods I love so that I can still give into my desire only on a healthier note, which is part mfp, learning to live a more healthy lifestyle and maintaining that life style. So today is a new day and you can think of better alternatives.
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
    My advice is to not deprive yourself and enjoy foods you like but are super bad for you in moderation. You will notice after a while you start to crave them less. It's been over a month since I had a fast food burger and I have no desire for one now. Yet, when I first started MFP in September, I ate a small fast food cheeseburger a couple times a month. A double stack at Wendy's only has 360 calories. You can find cheeseburgers with similar stats at most ff establishments. So, if you're craving a burger, go get a SMALL one. Plan for it, eat it as a meal, and then go on with the rest of your life.

    Candy was a big addiciton for me, especially chocolate candy so I had to cut it out completely along with most other sweets for a few months. I still don't trust myself enough to buy a bag of candy to keep around the house and I've proven to myself I can't really be trusted to bake a bunch of cookies at once but I do still enjoy sweets in moderation (for instance, the 55g serving of chocolate mini wheats I'm munching on right now as a snack! Major YUM!).

    The important thing to remember is even if you do royally mess up, start again the very next SECOND.
  • czar1978
    czar1978 Posts: 83
    I have this same problem. It has been something that I've battled since I started my weight-loss, get-fit journey a couple years ago. I am finally to the point where I tell myself, "Okay, you messed up. So what? Now you've got to get right back at it." It's still incredibly tough for me; I think about food all the time! :grumble:
  • proudloser
    proudloser Posts: 45
    I've recently come to the relization that food is litterally an addiction with me as well. My friends who know me don't understand why i'm even overweight becuase I usually eat better for you things. BUT...I use to always get dutch brother coffee drinks and would go out to eat more than I should and always FINISH my plate. And even the better for you things can be taken too far if you eat too much of it. Also, i've always been insecure about my weight so the only people who have seen me eat "junk" food are close family members. Since i've come to the relization i've been using my husbands, friends WIFE as kinda an inspiration. She's always in decent shape and sure, she enjoys food...but it's never her number one favorite thing. I've been working really hard to eat ONLY when I'm hungry, eat better for you things, splurge slightly on some days, and go about my day not being so focused on food, food, food. Last week I LOST 6 POUNDS!!!!! And the funny thing is also since i've started doing that I don't even feel like i'm missing out a lot and i'm not hungry all day long. Whenever I feel a tiny bit hungry I tell myself that i'm just a little hungry and i'll be eating again soon and tell myself it's normal to feel a tiny bit hungry and always be FULL is what got me to become so large. I seriously have been feeling SUPER great and have been so happy :] Sorry for going on and on, lol!
  • singcoz528
    singcoz528 Posts: 154
    Wow thanks everyone. Its good to know I'm not alone. I will try a lot of the advice I got. I guess this is just a long journey and I have to realize that I can't change overnight. This is about creating a better lifestyle, not just loosing weight. Its gonna take some will power to get me to where I want to be. I'll just have to remember why I am doing this in the first place. To be healthy again! Thanks all. :drinker:
  • melanieann48111
    melanieann48111 Posts: 804
    I feel the same way about food. It's truly an addiction to me. I use it as my comfort and I go out of my way to get the junk that I crave which is BAD. I lost 15 pounds on Weight Watchers before I started this last week and what works for me is giving myself one meal a week...for me it's Friday night dinner...where I can eat what I want in moderation. That's the night I socialize and I allow myself to have alcohol also. It keeps me from binging on food during the week.
  • ctimmb01
    ctimmb01 Posts: 10
    I completely understand how you feel. I have lost 19 pounds since October. I have been working out on a daily basis and eating right. My husband and I are leaving for Mexico on Friday and I wanted to be lighter than I am. I started out at 178 and I made it to 159 yesterday. Today I weighed myself and I was 160. How frustrating? Then tonight on my way home from work I stopped and got Burger King for my family. I ordered a Whopper JR meal. On my way to the window to pay, I changed my mind. I knew what a mistake that was. But guess what, the girl said she could not change my meal without a manager override. Well I was in a hurry so I kept my meal. Now if i really wanted I could have said ok and not ate it..... But why didn't I? I think sometimes you need to eat bad to realize how yucky it makes you feel afterwards. Now I did have enough willpower to only eat the whopper jr, I ate like 5 fries and had one drink of the coke. I know that I will be real sick about giving in while I have done so well. But hey it happens, Start fresh tomorrow with a good cardio workout and we will feel better, I hope!!!
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