Food Addiction?!

Options
ArcyF
ArcyF Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Now today was my first day that I recorded everything I ate, until I got to about 5 o'clock that is and something quite ugly hit me.
Cravings. Unsatiable cravings that overun my willpower. It starts out small and I try to suppress it with water or watching/reading something to take my mind off it but it persists, nagging at me until I loose it.
It's like I'm on panic mode, and I have to have something. I go blind until it hits me that I've just shoved 100's of calories in my mouth and then shame and guilt kick right in....

Wow, I sound crazy but has anyone here ever experienced anything like this? Or am I on my own?
I decided to do some googling and found that sugar is more addicting than cocaine?! What! This can't be true? And if food addictions are real than how do you go about overcoming them? I'm interested in knowing how you guys feel about this, because although I feel that my relationship with food is unhealthy, saying that it is an addiction kind of is a scapegoat, isn't it? A way to make yourself seem less responsible for your unhealthy choices...sheesh I don't know
Do you have any thoughts or advice to help suppress late night cravings?
«134

Replies

  • happystars82
    happystars82 Posts: 225 Member
    Options
    DITTO!! i'm exactly the same my friend, so i'll sit and wait for answers with you.x x x
  • Flabulousss
    Flabulousss Posts: 106
    Options
    I pretty much avoid sugar because I hate cravings. If I do, then I have to deal with them for a couple days. Don't know if it works but l-glutamine is supposed to help with sugar cravings... I got it for alcohol & cig cravings though and don't really use it now.
  • AtlantisLoss
    AtlantisLoss Posts: 32 Member
    Options
    I'm not quite sure how to overcome it except by sheer will power >.<
    I'm having the same problem as you, and usually my binge eating takes place in the evening.

    I wonder if huger suppressants will do the trick?

    49331732.png
  • BarefootSerenity
    BarefootSerenity Posts: 100
    Options
    Read: IT STARTS WITH FOOD. All your questions will be answered. The book tells you when you binge and why. It will help you kill the sugar monster. The book has saved my life. You describe exactly what I was going through.
  • BarefootSerenity
    BarefootSerenity Posts: 100
    Options
    "I wonder if huger suppressants will do the trick?"

    49331732.png
    [/quote]

    NO! Bad advice.
  • tjthegreatone
    tjthegreatone Posts: 324
    Options
    Now today was my first day that I recorded everything I ate, until I got to about 5 o'clock that is and something quite ugly hit me.
    Cravings. Unsatiable cravings that overun my willpower. It starts out small and I try to suppress it with water or watching/reading something to take my mind off it but it persists, nagging at me until I loose it.
    It's like I'm on panic mode, and I have to have something. I go blind until it hits me that I've just shoved 100's of calories in my mouth and then shame and guilt kick right in....

    Wow, I sound crazy but has anyone here ever experienced anything like this? Or am I on my own?
    I decided to do some googling and found that sugar is more addicting than cocaine?! What! This can't be true? And if food addictions are real than how do you go about overcoming them? I'm interested in knowing how you guys feel about this, because although I feel that my relationship with food is unhealthy, saying that it is an addiction kind of is a scapegoat, isn't it? A way to make yourself seem less responsible for your unhealthy choices...sheesh I don't know
    Do you have any thoughts or advice to help suppress late night cravings?

    Log everything you ate today. It's always a good eye-opener. If you're embarrassed, keep your diary private.

    I think you're gonna have to experiment with different strategies.

    One thing I know is that for MOST PEOPLE, total deprivation (i.e. cutting things out) and appetite suppressants do not work.

    I also think that before you self-diagnose some pathological food obsession, everything you describe fits within the realm of normal human experience - we are genetically designed to crave high energy, instant hit feel good foods in vast quantities.

    Why not work with your body instead of fighting it?

    I've had two plus years of practice with this demon and some strategies I've tried have included:

    1. Eating the cake or chocolate earlier in the day and fitting them into the day's calorie goal. This may involve forgoing something else you would normally eat for breakfast. I've had cake and cookies for breakfast on many days :laugh: Get's the craving out of the way so I can eat other healthier foods later in the day. I often still go over, but over by 300-400 is better than the thousands.

    2. Not fighting a losing battle with your cravings. YOU WILL LOSE. Willpower is a finite supply and gets drained very quickly by many factors - bad day at work, 'women's problems', goal seeming distant/futile, you name it. And when you crack that's when the binge happens. I've attempted to substitute sometimes - if I'm craving something sweet, nibbling on an apple; drinking water and eating carrots if I'm feeling peckish. If 20 min later I still want that craving, well sod it I go and eat. I may aim for a small portion and end up eating double that - but it's far better than a full-on binge.

    3. Exercise. You can get away with a lot more if you work out. Furthermore it increases your hunger and your appetite so you can really enjoy food instead of eating meaninglessly.

    4. Tracking macros helps. I find that if I set a goal to eat x amount of protein a day and then promise myself I can eat the junk after I've met my protein goal, I'm often too full to do too much damage.

    PS I'm at goal weight plus/minus life events :explode: and I still struggle with night snacking every single day.
  • HelenJames43
    HelenJames43 Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    You are not crazy at all - food addiction is a recognised phenomenon, to do with spikes of seratonin in the brain when highly processed carbohydrates hit the body systems. The food industry is all about creating, feeding and serving this addiction.
    As with all addictions, the solution is to remove the addict substances from the system, with support and with knowledge and understanding.
    The group I belong to has a system using a food plan, based around specific amounts of fruit, vegetables, proteins and non-wheat carbohydrates. The early period of weaning off the sugar and flour does often cause unpleasant symptoms, but after a few days people report feeling a great freedom and energy.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    I forbade myself all my trigger foods the first month. Instead I had a protein shake, it was sweet enough to give me a chocolate taste and that was enough for me.

    After a month I found out I was able to reintroduce my trigger foods without binging on them.
  • jafabuNZ
    jafabuNZ Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    You are not crazy, this is also a common problem with me & nearly everyone! Sugar is definitely addictive. Focus on keeping your blood sugars stable from breakfast till your last meal at night. Good luck. Have a look at sugar is toxic 60 minutes on u tube. I saw this pic once of a girl stuffing her face insatiably with food - which said: Breakfast 250 cals, Lunch 375 cals, Snack 125 cals, Dinner 70,450 cals
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    s, it happens to the best of us.

    thats why you have to have a little introspective and look at yourself and what you've been doing. maybe yesterday was a lower than normal calorie day, and your body is craving a little more food. or maybe you exercised a little extra hard a day or so ago and your body is just begging to be refueled.
  • greenskpr
    greenskpr Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    For me, those insatiable hunger pangs were sugar/carb related. And yeah, you're not alone. You're not weak and there's nothing wrong with you. The more carby junk I'd eat the more I'd crave carby junk. So I cut it out. I still eat a boatload of food, but carbs are reserved for training days, specifically after training. Those mega-cravings ceased. Good luck. It's hard work.
  • GabriellaMaria
    GabriellaMaria Posts: 150 Member
    Options
    addiction to food is a dreadful thing to have, i battle with it hourly sometimes..am a dreadful binge eater..the monster that lurks is such a hard one to deal with...
    i read a book by zoe harcombe...was a revelation!!!!talks about the demon of food addiciton, and why it doeas what it does!!!
    i would say that the only way to overcome this, is to follow a natural food kinda diet....read her boo, is all explained in the book...
    but the thing that gets me is with all addictions, there is a trigger, and most addictions are about things you dont really need, but food is like a 24/7 issue...so sending hugs for that
    also, chromium picolinate is supposed to stop the sugar cravings..apple cider tablets i have found it easier, but dont beat yourself up..its the biggest trigger of all!!!!:smile:
  • dragonflykizzed
    dragonflykizzed Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    I totally relate to feeling out of control to when it comes to eating. It is an addiction. I find a good distraction usually helps with the craving. I still have a long way to go but I believe if I can beat the mental game I can do anything.

    28821900.png
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    Options
    Well its not called my easy pal. Its hard, and it sucks.
    Best advice I can give is just be aware of what you eat. I used to keep a stash of emergency snacks. I'd go over my limit, but at least it wasn't a midnight mass food binge.
  • ArcyF
    ArcyF Posts: 23 Member
    Options
    Thank you very much everyone,
    for those that recommended books, I'm definitely going to check them out.
    I think I might use some of the techniques @tjthegreatone does...
    And really thank you guys for the support it means a lot, really,
    my family is no where serious about leading a more nutritious life, so it can be difficult to talk to them about things like this
    because they just call it crazy and think I'm joking. No matter how many times I plead them not to buy or bring home donuts, cookies, chips and other crap they do it anyways because they don't like to deprive themselves of these things.

    I find it is so much easier to avoid something awful when you just quit it cold turkey, BUT if it's always there winking at you in the face while you try and grab something healthier, that dreadful disgustingly wonderful and delicious piece of cheesecake will always win....

    At the end of the day this is my problem and I'm the one who has to get her shtuff together...so thanks guys for the advice to get me started on my way to a sexier, more awesome looking, and active me
    :bigsmile:
    And here's to beating that sugar monster...
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
    Options
    Cravings. Unsatiable cravings that overun my willpower. It starts out small and I try to suppress it with water or watching/reading something to take my mind off it but it persists, nagging at me until I loose it.
    It's like I'm on panic mode, and I have to have something. I go blind until it hits me that I've just shoved 100's of calories in my mouth and then shame and guilt kick right in....
    I think a lot of people experience that which is why obesity is so widespread and why telling people to simply quit eating so much is pointless, useless and can even be cruel.

    I don't have a good answer for you because my own food compulsions are minor compared to that of others. I am, however, an ex-smoker so I have some frame of reference. All the best to you. I hope others can offer better advice but I empathize with you.
  • AshatanViz
    AshatanViz Posts: 34 Member
    Options
    Sugar is not more addictive than cocaine. However, if you eat sugar in mass quantities and really frequently, you can become somewhat dependent on it and prefer its familiarity to cocaine (if you've never tried cocaine before). But you're right. I've struggled with this too. The good news is that you can overcome it with persistence and removing sugary snacks from your house.
  • liz3marie
    liz3marie Posts: 211 Member
    Options
    MAIN reason im here, but i dont think its just sugar for me, and this was a near daily thing if i wasnt watching what i eat, fast food or going out and eating in general was a huge problem also. i find if i can almost eliminate that then im golden! Whats worked for me so far is that i know how "fat" ive gotten and how unhealthy and sick i can make my future if i dont stop. i dont want diabetis, or heart problems, nor do i want to be fat. Give your self a treat here and there and throw the rest the crap out! dont bring anything into your home that will trigger a binge. FOOD ADDICTION is real and it is just as bad as any other addiction! Good luck on your journey, you can do this!:smile:
  • liz3marie
    liz3marie Posts: 211 Member
    Options

    Log everything you ate today. It's always a good eye-opener. If you're embarrassed, keep your diary private.

    I think you're gonna have to experiment with different strategies.

    One thing I know is that for MOST PEOPLE, total deprivation (i.e. cutting things out) and appetite suppressants do not work.

    I also think that before you self-diagnose some pathological food obsession, everything you describe fits within the realm of normal human experience - we are genetically designed to crave high energy, instant hit feel good foods in vast quantities.

    Why not work with your body instead of fighting it?

    I've had two plus years of practice with this demon and some strategies I've tried have included:

    1. Eating the cake or chocolate earlier in the day and fitting them into the day's calorie goal. This may involve forgoing something else you would normally eat for breakfast. I've had cake and cookies for breakfast on many days :laugh: Get's the craving out of the way so I can eat other healthier foods later in the day. I often still go over, but over by 300-400 is better than the thousands.

    2. Not fighting a losing battle with your cravings. YOU WILL LOSE. Willpower is a finite supply and gets drained very quickly by many factors - bad day at work, 'women's problems', goal seeming distant/futile, you name it. And when you crack that's when the binge happens. I've attempted to substitute sometimes - if I'm craving something sweet, nibbling on an apple; drinking water and eating carrots if I'm feeling peckish. If 20 min later I still want that craving, well sod it I go and eat. I may aim for a small portion and end up eating double that - but it's far better than a full-on binge.

    3. Exercise. You can get away with a lot more if you work out. Furthermore it increases your hunger and your appetite so you can really enjoy food instead of eating meaninglessly.

    4. Tracking macros helps. I find that if I set a goal to eat x amount of protein a day and then promise myself I can eat the junk after I've met my protein goal, I'm often too full to do too much damage.

    PS I'm at goal weight plus/minus life events :explode: and I still struggle with night snacking every s
    ingle day.
    [/quote]

    Thank you very much, I think I might try using some of your techniques to try and beat the sugar monster..
    [/quote]

    WOW well said!
  • 1pattycakes2u
    1pattycakes2u Posts: 4
    Options
    Sugar, I call myself a sugaraholic. But it is true. Sometimes I go on the wagon and eliminate all sugar junk. In a few days the craveings are very minimal.my sister and I was discussing this problem and I decided to eliminate sugar for a week and then start useing truvia which is the only alternative I can find that isn't bad for you. My sister says it is bitter if you use to much of it. So I decided to drop the sugar for a week and start truvia with very small amounts. We think it may be the best way to acquire a taste for it. I will let you know how it goes.

Categories