Switching from "Food as a Drug" to "Food as Fuel"

lindsaylee · May 2010

I'm just wondering if you all have any advice for changing your mentality about food? I don't want to like food anymore. I am OBSESSED with it. I do not have a healthy relationship with food, and have tried eating a little bit of everything in moderation and it is not good for me. If i get a taste of my drug, I immediately need a full fix. Yes, I have been to numerous doctors and therapists, but they have no idea. They're not fat.

Does anyone suffer from the same severity of disorder? How did you go about eliminating your trigger foods? I'm having a hard time with this. I do not want to associate food with pleasure anymore, but switch it to move of a means to an end. I dont want to hate eating, but I don't want it to be part of every waking thought. thanks!

aippolito1 · May 2010

You can still enjoy food and love food... it's not so much about that... it's just changing how you react to it. Everything in moderation!! :happy: I used to love food to the extent of eating a foot long at Subway and finishing it just because it TASTED good and I couldn't bear the thought of NOT eating past when I was full. And then I felt like crap about 5 minutes later. Now I get a 6" (even if IS cheaper to get the foot long) and I chew slowly. I taste EVERY bit of that sandwich and once it's gone, I lick my lips and remember how it tasted instead of shoving my face into another 6".

It's really a process... slowly your mentality will change. I'm so stubborn and know myself well enough to know that I really had to be very strict with myself when I first started. And it had to be gradual for me to stick to it. I stopped buying junk food and told the guys I live with (I buy the groceries) that they had to buy their own crap and eat it away from me or I would eat it and it's not good for me!! :happy: Desperate times call for desperate measures and when your health is on the line...I'd say that's a desperate time.

Heather1776 · May 2010

In addition to trying to control my addiction with food, I realized that I had to deal with WHY I over eat. I had to get my emotions in check and find out better ways to deal with stress. I did read some self-help books that helped me gain a better perspective of my life. Once I was able to be more positive and deal with my stresses better, I was able to get my eating in control. I can honestly say that I don't remember the last time I over ate to deal with my emotions.

Another tip, keep your trigger foods out of sight and keep better foods readily available. Try to be more conscious of your decisions when eating. I found it extremely helpful when I started to log my food. I found I didn't want to log in those snack cakes or other not so good for you foods.

CMomma23 · May 2010

I am not 100% sure... but I do know, that I believe my 8 yr old daughter has the same problem... We are trying to teach her differently. I truly believe, it is a mind over matter thing. I too am obsessed with food. When I cut up brownies for my kids, my mouth waters and I just want to break down and eat the whole pan, but I don't... One nibble and I'm done... I believe your issue, may be an underlying emotional problem. Have you tried talking with a psychologist? Even seeing one on an average basis may help you figure out why you do that...I am here to support you 100%

PattyTheUndefeated · May 2010

I think alot of people on these boards confuse over eating and binge eating. Overeating is having an extra slice of cake when you know you shouldn't, binge eating is eating the whole cake. I'ma binge eater. I obsess over food. Like you said, it's a drug. There's is no such thing as moderation when you're a binge eater. I can't stop at a handful of M&M's, I eat the whole bag. It's been a long, hard struggle that I still fight every single day. Losing weight isn't a fix. You should check out food addicts anonymous, I know that they are alot of help. Just like some people tell anorexics to 'just eat!', people will tell you to 'just stop eating!'. It's not that easy. I know.

Stay strong.

mooselady2004 · May 2010

Have you tried Overeaters Anonymous? I have not attended, but my BFF attended for years, diligently, and it took a long time, but she finally lost about 130 pounds last year, and her inspiration was OA meetings. She truly had a food addiction, and she needed treatment as an addiction in order to kick it.

Switching from "Food as a Drug" to "Food as Fuel"

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