An epiphany

I started using this site a couple of months ago, and have been using it on and off. When I get stressed in my life (either work or my personal life), I start to seek comfort in food. I know I do it, and I know have been medicating myself with food. I remember seeing on a weight loss programme recently that the (albeit shortlived) feel-good effect of food is down to more than just how good it tastes. Apparently it elevates your serotonin levels (for those not in the know, serotonin is the chemical in the brain that makes us feel happy - antidepressants work by increasing levels of it). This discovery made so much sense to me.

However, I have not been able to use it to my advantage until a few days ago. Like I said, I have been medicating myself with food, and knew full well what I was doing, but felt powerless to do anything about it. I would just say to myself, "Well, I've had a bad day at work, and I NEED chocolate/Chinese/pizza or whatever".

But what I've realised, is that if I see my addiction to junk food as being just as bad as any other addiction (eg drugs, alcohol etc), I see what I've been doing in a different light. Eating all this bad food makes me feel so lethargic, not to mention the fact that it is sabotaging my ultimate goal, that it's just as harmful as some 'real' addictions. I feel this is such a revelation to myself, and has allowed me to get back on track. I know I have always taken a dim view of people with substance addictions, and that, although I know addictive substances are hard to kick, I find myself wondering why they can't just be stronger. I realise that I have been no better than these folks, and that I need to start to have a sort of AA/NA mentality to my moments of emotional weakness, and not give in to them. I'm not saying that I should never eat a piece of cake ever again, but that I need to stop eating these things because I am feeling low.

Now, when I am feeling stressed or fed-up, I am not going to resort to food to make me feel better. I am stronger than that. Over the past year (pre-dating starting to use myfitnesspal), I have lost a total of 1 stone and 8 pounds (or 22 pounds for non-UK members). I still have quite a way to go (another 3 stones, or 42 pounds), but I feel I have finally found a way to stop sabotaging myself.

I wonder if anybody else has used this strategy to help them in their goals. For me it's been a really big revelation. It can only get better from here.

Laura x