Addicted to Food

I was in the same boat you are. Before I knew it, I had gained 30+ lbs., and although I knew why, I didn't really know how to change. Since eating was so ingrained in my daily routine, I had to take a step back and look at exactly what I was eating and when. For me, using the MyFitnessPal app was crucial. I was able to see exactly what I was eating and when, but most importantly, how much more I was eating than I truly needed. This also taught me another key, portion control and size because we, as Americans, have been programmed to over-eat more often than not.

With that being said, you need to take one day at a time and set some short-term goals for yourself such as X number of workouts per week, X lbs. lost per month, consecutive days not going over you calories on MyFitnessPal, etc. Be realistic with yourself and your goals, otherwise you'll set yourself up for failure.

Also, look around on here because you'll find that this site has all the tools necessary to help you meet each and every one of your goals. If you're interested in some more of the ways in which I was able to take the weight off just send me a message or add me as a friend.

Good luck!

meeeee toooo.

the same goes for water, sleep, sex, and exercise. i just can't stop doing any of these things.

Maybe you need to find something else to do to keep yourself entertained. Some hobby or activity that you can do that will take your mind off food. And don't deny yourself foods that you are craving, just eat small amounts of them. The more you deny yourself, the more you're going to want it!

Try drinking water before you eat, that will help fill you up.

And try to make sure you log all of your food every day - that will make it a habit and hopefully you can get the weight off and keep it off. Good luck! You can do it.

I'm an emotional eater too.... I have to stop myself and say out loud "You're not hungry, you're bored! You don't need food, you need something to do!" Saying it out loud for my ears to hear it also seems to help a LOT for some reason.... If it's not boredom but cuz your sad just say "You're not hungry you're sad. You don't need food you need to cry or talk to someone about it." Or something like that.... Just everytime you reach for food put your hand on your belly first and ask yourself if you are physically hungry... If you're not then don't eat. You need to make it more of a concious decision. I'm a mindless eater and can down an entire family size bag of chip, box of cheese-its etc just because it tastes good and I'm not thinking about what I am doing....especially while watching tv! At work they like to have birthday cakes and donuts and all kinds of diet disaster foods in our break room.... I have NO SELF CONTROL. Some people can eat just a little and stop. Or "eat in moderation" as they say. I can't do that.If you can't trust yourself with certain foods....you should avoid them until you can.

I'm an addict too tho- been one my entire life and my control with my addiction yo-yos along with my weight.... It's just a battle you'll have to conciously make an effort to fight each day-but you're not alone.

I like to eat. Always have, which is why I'm discovering now that I've always been more overweight than I truly thought I was.

Some things I did? Upped my water intake LIKE A BOSS. I don't even know how much I drink now but it's a lot. I just log the same thing in my diary each day 'cause I know it's at least that much but probably much, much more in actuality. I used to hate water to the point where I probably went months without drinking a glass of plain ol' water unless it was because I was nursing a hangover. The water increase will help curb your appetite and up your metabolism - all while making you feel better because you're just more hydrated with pure water.

Secondly- I'm not the type to give up things. I'm not going to just not have sugar, candy, treats - etc. Just scale back. When I first started my lifestyle change I allowed myself a blizzard every Wednesday night after the kids went to bed and I'd watch crap TV while eating it. It was my reward. Once I got closer to my goal I'd allow myself a few smaller treats during the week opposed to one big one.

I like to snack while I read which is obviously not a good thing. It's not hard to eat a bag of chips in one sitting when you're nose deep in a book and not conscious of how much you've consumed. So, instead, I replaced it with something else that I love which is black eyed peas. It might seem silly, but I warm some up and eat them with my fingers while I read. I do half a can at a time. I try to make my own from dried beans, but if we're out I just used canned beans. Not the BEST option, but not the worst, either.

Just find things that work for you. It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be progress.