Food addiction and Alcohol * sad*

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  • Rivers2k
    Rivers2k Posts: 380 Member
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    Julie, Have you tried AA for the drinking? That may help as for the food addiciton, I think I have the same thing, but I have gotten so much better about my food choices. I don't keep crap in the house anymore therefore I have to binge on good foor, veggies and fruits. I drink so much water during the day too that helps. Good luck and got beat yourself up about it.


    completely agree with this^^^^^^ I am currently in a recovery group called Celebrate Recovery and it is amazing the stuff you learn and it is great to have people that understand what you are going thru and listening to what has and what hasn't worked for others.


    You know what works for your fitness goals, so start again today and don't beat yourself up about it.

    I agree Celebrate recovery is awesome, supportive and free. Doesn't matter if you are in a small town if you see someone there you know then they are there for the same, or similar reasons. You form bonds and encourage each other. Met some of my best friends there.

    You can find a group near you at the link below.

    http://www.celebraterecovery.com/
  • christabel6
    christabel6 Posts: 173 Member
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    You only had three glasses of wine but you have an addiction? That's awesome. That, to me, is still drinking under control (albeit more than you would like and obviously it doesn't help with the willpower when you're trying not to overeat as well).

    It's frustrating but you're overall still on the right track. You will get there.
  • _Schatzi_
    _Schatzi_ Posts: 112 Member
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    I have a very similar problem. I love wine, and usually if I open a bottle, I will finish it. And then I loose control over what I eat (not to mention that a bottle of wine is as many calories as a whole dinner).

    I don't really want to go to AA, either. So I'm trying some alternatives.

    Lately I've had some success with NOT KEEPING WINE IN THE HOUSE. I figure that having wine at home is about 70% of my consumption. During the week I try like the devil to not drink. So far, the world hasn't ended, but I have found that I've been craving a lot of chocolate. On the weekend I might buy one bottle for my husband and I to SHARE (clever trick there), or if we have guests over. When we go out- I have wine. For a wild night, I still try to keep it to a bottle maximum, and if we go out to a restaurant, I'll only have one or two glasses- mainly because wine in the US is so expensive.

    So far, this plan seems to be working. I sleep better during the week, don't feel as groggy and sluggish in the mornings, and don't have all those extra calories on board. I don't deny myself, but instead try to make drinking wine inconvenient on most days. Also, now that I'm not drinking so much, I only buy the good stuff :)
  • _Timmeh_
    _Timmeh_ Posts: 2,096 Member
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    Doesn't really sound like you need AA.
    I had that problem with alkihol. I stopped keeping it in the house, simple but effective.
    Different people react differently to drinking, I too reach for all the foodz and stuff my face.
  • Rivers2k
    Rivers2k Posts: 380 Member
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    Also want to add doesn't matter if it is food,drug, alcohol or sex addiction it all stems from the same place. There is a hurt that needs to be addressed. groups like Celebrate Recovery help you find what that is.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,454 Member
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    Don't feel too bad about it! It's so easily done!

    I was happy being a light to moderate drinker in the past, but I've found that, for me, it just doesn't mix well with losing weight. The big reason, I've found, is that having a glass of wine makes me hungry as well as lowering my inhibitions (so I have less willpower!). It's a deadly combination! I tried cutting down and just having a small glass (100 - 125 mls), but it STILL made me hungry. I found the easiest thing was to give it up altogether. As it's my one vice, I was sad to say goodbye to it, but dieting has definitely been easier since.

    Many people will say that if it's something you enjoy, it's best to work it in to your calories for the day, and I'd agree, most of the time. But I think alcohol is a special case for me.

    I thought I'd really miss it, but I'm getting used to going without. I don't really think about it any more. I'm happy to have a low-cal hot chocolate in the evenings instead. For me it has been easier to give it up, rather than cut it down (although I will still have the occasional glass - but only maybe once or twice a month at most).
  • Scarlett_S
    Scarlett_S Posts: 467 Member
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    I don't know what your normal habits are, but I don't think three glasses of wine qualifies you for AA unless there is something deeper there. I understand alcohol leading to bad food choices because that happens to me all the time.

    The hardest lesson in weight loss and fitness (to me) is learning to let go of the perfect mentality. A bad meal, whether its spurred by alcohol or not, doesn't make you fat. Nor does a day of binging. Or even a weekend of drinking in Las Vegas. But repeating those behaviors and allowing them to rule you day in and day out does.

    For me, I know that one drink usually leads to at least four or five, and after that, fast food or pizza or something equally calorie laden. Occasionally, I will have ONE glass of wine, but not often.....its always more. So I just have to plan for it. If I am going to have 4-5 100 calorie drinks (whether its vodka, or four ounces of wine, or whatever), and a 500 calorie or more unplanned meal, that is 1000 calories that has to be added into my weekly budget somewhere.

    The other thing I have to consider is working out. If I have a hangover, I don't want to work out. In fact, I usually won't. At all. So if I do drink, it needs to be after all the workouts are in for the week or when I know there is a rest day/special occasion.
  • NayaLife
    NayaLife Posts: 10 Member
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    I hear your frustration. I rarely drink but I used to think I had a food addiction because my habits of eating fast food and sweets seemed unbreakable BUT for me, I learned that it wasn't addiction but a lifestyle I had chosen for myself. I used multiple excuses that supported my habits - I'm soo busy, I don't have time to cook, I've worked hard and deserve a treat. Then there's hormonal cravings during that time of the month (I still have my battles with this but am doing better and finding good substitutes). I say all this to say that I understand your feeling of helplessness to change once and for all BUT it helps to remember that your change of behavior and lifestyle that you have reinforced for years is NOT going to change over night. Each time you slip up big time or little time and decide you're going to LEARN from it and IMPROVE next time, you're getting closer and closer to the transformation you seek. Please don't beat yourself up. Decide to love yourself (really not trying to sound corny here) by forgiving yourself for your mess up - you'd do that for your best friend wouldn't you? You GOT this girl! Hang in there and stick with your journey to change. Oh, and if you truly think you have an alcohol or food addiction problem, it wouldn't hurt to visit one of the support groups for those things.
  • Scarlett_S
    Scarlett_S Posts: 467 Member
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    oh, and as others have said - don't have it in the house. I don't. If I want wine, I have to go buy it and make a special trip. I don't pick it up at the store when I am shopping for the week. That just makes it a little bit harder and more of a consideration - its easier to avoid the temptation.
  • ricochette55
    ricochette55 Posts: 68 Member
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    Addiction is a serious problem that requires professional help, regardless of the addiction. You are NOT weak! You just need to learn different coping mechanisms.

    Here's something I read on here, that I love, and I fall back on it if I slip (if I can find the topic, I'll post the link). It's a mind set called "Get the **** over it". It's perfect.

    Binge eat? Get the **** over it. You HAVEN'T blown it. Restart at your next meal (NOT next week, next Monday, next month).
    Bad day of eating? Get the **** over it. Start again tomorrow.
    Skip exercising? Get the **** over it. Get on the floor and do a few push ups and sit ups.

    Basically, stop harping on the slip, or the bad, and IMMEDIATELY start again. This really works for me if I have a bad day - I just get the **** over it, lol!

    This is awesome! Thank you for sharing; I'm going to print it out and post it in strategic places!

    Me too! It's my new desktop background :):)
  • stephcollins91
    stephcollins91 Posts: 14 Member
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    Hi Julie, I can relate to your post, my problem is more once I start drinking it turns into drinking a couple of glasses of wine a day and I end up getting through so many bottles a week, which is hard to stop. Don't beat yourself up about it - one bad day is not a big deal! I used to beat myself up about having a drink and 'ruining' it which would make me drink more. If you have a bad day, so what? keep at it :)
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    Hello, my name is Lesa and I am an alcoholic.

    Alcoholism is a disease, the metabolic pathway in our brain does not work correctly. This is why it is not possible to have just one. Lord knows I tried controlled drinking for years and years and, well, it just did not work. That is because I was incapable of it, that would be like a diabetic saying, well, I am going to eat this cake and I will force it to not effect my blood sugar.

    I found the answer in the rooms of AA. It took me YEARS to get there because I did not want to be "one of those people". It changed my life in ways I never thought possible. My life is BETTER today because of working the steps.

    My very first meeting, of course there were people I knew. I wanted to crawl under my chair. They were so happy to see me, welcomed me with open arms and not one person has mentioned me outside the rooms. This is a big part of AA, that we keep it in the rooms. We do not go around telling people who we saw in the rooms, that is just plain crappy and against the traditions.

    I am 5 years and 27 weeks sober. I can honestly say that it was the best thing I ever did for myself. I am 44 years old and look better and younger than I did at 37. It is amazing at what alcohol will do to a person.

    I will be happy to speak to you in private if you would like to talk. It is not my job to tell you what to do but share with you how I did it.

    Take care and know there is help, all you have to do is reach your hand out and ask for it.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,454 Member
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    I forgot to say - well done on the five perfect weeks!
  • Rachshuv
    Rachshuv Posts: 21 Member
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    Hiya, as afore mentioned you haven't blown anything, celebrate your achievements and accept that we all make a few mistakes along the way. I've been an addictions worker for yrs and have a lot of personal experience myself. Friend me and keep talking.

    None of us are perfect, asking for help is always a step in the right direction. :)
    I'm sending you a big hug and some positive thoughts.
    X
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
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    Three glasses of wine in five weeks is not alcoholism. I think it's especially hard to stop with wine, and normal for someone to have more than one glass at a time. Don't feel so bad about it.
  • Running_Tanya
    Running_Tanya Posts: 14 Member
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    Addiction is a serious problem that requires professional help, regardless of the addiction. You are NOT weak! You just need to learn different coping mechanisms.

    Here's something I read on here, that I love, and I fall back on it if I slip (if I can find the topic, I'll post the link). It's a mind set called "Get the **** over it". It's perfect.

    Binge eat? Get the **** over it. You HAVEN'T blown it. Restart at your next meal (NOT next week, next Monday, next month).
    Bad day of eating? Get the **** over it. Start again tomorrow.
    Skip exercising? Get the **** over it. Get on the floor and do a few push ups and sit ups.

    Basically, stop harping on the slip, or the bad, and IMMEDIATELY start again. This really works for me if I have a bad day - I just get the **** over it, lol!

    I'm printing this for myself.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
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    no I have not tried AA.. my town is so small and I know so many people. I know I should and have thought about it and just always give up.. I try not to keep bad foods in my house. I had some cookies in the freezer for my niece's party this weekend.. got into them.. along with much more.. pop corn is healthy to a point, but not as much as I ate.. it is just a never ending ordeal that gets so OLD!!!!

    they do have online meetings available. google recovery realm.
  • Pedalpush
    Pedalpush Posts: 246 Member
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    I hear you sister! I've noticed recently that I appreciate how good I feel on the mornings when I had not been drinking the night before and I think "Wow, I am really glad I didn't drink last night."
  • BEERRUNNER
    BEERRUNNER Posts: 3,049 Member
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    Three glasses of wine in five weeks is not alcoholism. I think it's especially hard to stop with wine, and normal for someone to have more than one glass at a time. Don't feel so bad about it.

    I have 3 glasses of wine EVERY NIGHT!!!!! :devil:

    @ the OP.....................I know those demons!
  • GymAnJuice
    GymAnJuice Posts: 512 Member
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    how about starting a diary? that way you'll see patterns to behaviour and start to see warning signs. I know several people have already said this but you didn't blow it, you had a bad night, full stop. is it what it is. back on it today, you'll feel better in no time, i promise x

    The first thing after reading your post is, if thats as bad as it got after you had a drink, you got off lucky - yep, speaking from personal experience. It could of been a lot worse. I stopped drinking after I got out of the situation I was in (very verbally abusive parent), moved and became a student, so i no longer had the need or money to get out of my head as often as possible. Was wandering if you have a situation your in you can move away from?

    Remember too, whatever your going through now, it is temporary, it won't last, good times will come.

    Sending you a hug and hoping you feel better xxx

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