I. NEED. HELP!! Food Addict. :(

I've had 5 Hershey's cookies and cream candy bars (regular size), an entire box of Cheez Its, a Jr whopper with everything on it from Burger King, large order of crinkle fries from BK, and a slice of red velvet cake so far today.

How the heck do I stop myself from doing this to my body?? :( I feel disgusting...but also better at the same time.

I just started a "new" job... which was essentially just my bosses adding someone else's job onto my old job and having me do both when the lady retired. Are my cravings a result of stress??? I think I am honestly addicted to the cookies and cream bars. I have had at least 2 bars at least 7 out of the past 10 days. I want to stop, but I always mindlessley drive to the store or gas station and end up with empty wrappers at the end of the night. It's like I don't even notice i'm doing it. :(

Someone help me!! Has anyone ever been to therapy for food addiction before? I'm seriously considering it right now because this just isn't right or normal. :( If anyone has good contacts in the DC area, i'm all ears. :/

Replies

  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    Perhaps this may help
    http://www.radiantrecovery.com/
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    I've had 5 Hershey's cookies and cream candy bars (regular size), an entire box of Cheez Its, a Jr whopper with everything on it from Burger King, large order of crinkle fries from BK, and a slice of red velvet cake so far today.

    How the heck do I stop myself from doing this to my body?? :( I feel disgusting...but also better at the same time.

    I just started a "new" job... which was essentially just my bosses adding someone else's job onto my old job and having me do both when the lady retired. Are my cravings a result of stress??? I think I am honestly addicted to the cookies and cream bars. I have had at least 2 bars at least 7 out of the past 10 days. I want to stop, but I always mindlessley drive to the store or gas station and end up with empty wrappers at the end of the night. It's like I don't even notice i'm doing it. :(

    Someone help me!! Has anyone ever been to therapy for food addiction before? I'm seriously considering it right now because this just isn't right or normal. :( If anyone has good contacts in the DC area, i'm all ears. :/

    Perhaps it's the diet you chose ie Medifast?
  • Mborroto25
    Mborroto25 Posts: 79 Member
    Are you on your...period? Sometimes I have really good self control but there are other days where there is like a little monster inside of me and I cannot win! Today is just a bad day for you. Accept it and DO NOT allow this to happen again tomorrow. It happened, can't change it, just make sure today was the last day of that. It might be stress related, but stress will always exist and you can't let yourself do this each time something stressful occurs in your life. YOU have control over yourself and your body because you own it and you tell it what to do. Tomorrow, No Mas! Don't worry, we all binge sometimes. Allow yourself this one *kitten* day and take control again tomorrow.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    This will go well.....
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    And whats your workout plan? Go kick azz at your exercise! I splurge and do a double workout to burn the calories.
    Maybe start small, replace a couple candy bars with yogurt, or eat all but 4 bites of the whopper. Then the next week replace fries with a salad and so on.
  • I've had 5 Hershey's cookies and cream candy bars (regular size), an entire box of Cheez Its, a Jr whopper with everything on it from Burger King, large order of crinkle fries from BK, and a slice of red velvet cake so far today.

    How the heck do I stop myself from doing this to my body?? :( I feel disgusting...but also better at the same time.

    I just started a "new" job... which was essentially just my bosses adding someone else's job onto my old job and having me do both when the lady retired. Are my cravings a result of stress??? I think I am honestly addicted to the cookies and cream bars. I have had at least 2 bars at least 7 out of the past 10 days. I want to stop, but I always mindlessley drive to the store or gas station and end up with empty wrappers at the end of the night. It's like I don't even notice i'm doing it. :(

    Someone help me!! Has anyone ever been to therapy for food addiction before? I'm seriously considering it right now because this just isn't right or normal. :( If anyone has good contacts in the DC area, i'm all ears. :/

    Perhaps it's the diet you chose ie Medifast?

    Actually, i've been off Medifast for about 6 months...

    Worked WONDERS! Loved it. Would love to do it again... stopped due to some serious family issues which resulted in me essentially covering costs for my parents which meant no more Medifast money in my budget. On Medifast I felt the most in control than I ever have in my life, so I have nothing bad to say about the program. I didn't transition off of it though since the "issues" were kind of sudden so I guess maybe I screwed myself over on that one... but I can say that I lost almost 50 lbs in the 5 months I was on that plan and haven't gained but 5 lbs back in these past 6 months even with my serious candy bar eating. :/

    I've contemplated this already, but i'm not convinced that Medifast had anything to do with me being like this. There have been a lot of things going on since I quit the program that would be more likely to affect. Thanks though! :)
  • Have you ever thought of joining an online support group? I offer one every month to help people with support and motivation..offer meal ideas etc! If you want to know more just email me brittineylandis@gmail.com

    I would love to be a part of something like this! I pretty much need all the help I can get right now. :/ I will email you soon. :) Thanks!
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Have you ever thought of joining an online support group? I offer one every month to help people with support and motivation..offer meal ideas etc! If you want to know more just email me brittineylandis@gmail.com

    I would love to be a part of something like this! I pretty much need all the help I can get right now. :/ I will email you soon. :) Thanks!

    OMG, no. If you want someone to sell you MORE diet *kitten* that isn't going to work, go ahead and just give all your money to dear sweet Brittiney.



    Brittiney (a well known pusher of shakeology, etc.) CAN'T DO THIS FOR YOU. Man up and stop making excuses. You need to do this for yourself. For the love of gravy....
  • doorki
    doorki Posts: 2,576 Member
    Have you ever thought of joining an online support group? I offer one every month to help people with support and motivation..offer meal ideas etc! If you want to know more just email me brittineylandis@gmail.com

    I would love to be a part of something like this! I pretty much need all the help I can get right now. :/ I will email you soon. :) Thanks!

    OMG, no. If you want someone to sell you MORE diet *kitten* that isn't going to work, go ahead and just give all your money to dear sweet Brittiney.



    Brittiney (a well known pusher of shakeology, etc.) CAN'T DO THIS FOR YOU. Man up and stop making excuses. You need to do this for yourself. For the love of gravy....

    Agreed with this. If you really want to take the weight off and KEEP it off, make steady changes and avoid gimmicks.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    Stop going to the store and buying the candy bars if you can't control it. We have Cheez Its in the office, and when I was going through a really stressful time a few months back, I was shoving those *kitten* in my face faster than you could count them. I had to just stop eating them, period. Plus, for the amount you get in one serving, their delicious cheesiness just wasn't worth it to me, unless I was doing some really good cardio, and was actually weighing them out. I've been Cheez It free for at least 2 months now. You're stronger than a Cheez It, dammit! Make a deal with yourself that you can have one "treat" after you've gotten all your "good for you" food in for the day. This is a really great guide to filling out your diary and still make room for treats. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/925464-fitting-it-in-giggity Try pre-planning your day and sticking to it.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    And whats your workout plan? Go kick azz at your exercise! I splurge and do a double workout to burn the calories.
    Maybe start small, replace a couple candy bars with yogurt, or eat all but 4 bites of the whopper. Then the next week replace fries with a salad and so on.

    If she's only going to have one bite of the whopper, why even get it?
  • Errm, have you tried buying fresh fruit instead?

    Also make yourself dinner/lunch BEFORE you go to work, and use some more focus and mind power.

    You don't HAVE to eat those unhealthy processed things, you don't HAVE to go to Burger King.

    Get a grip and put this down to a binge day, exercise hard and eat healthier tomorrow to make up for it.

    If you find yourself heading back there again, you only have yourself to blame.

    Take care
    :drinker:
  • ArtemisRuns
    ArtemisRuns Posts: 251 Member
    I have heard it said that you will lose weight when you decide to, and not before.

    Although I honestly can say I never ate like you have described, I have definitely had times in my life when I was constantly overeating and feeling horrible and putting on weight.

    Your food choices are filling you with empty calories that leave you feeling hungry. Not because you haven't eaten enough food, but because the food lacks nutrition.

    Add some fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet and prepare your food yourself. Drink tons of water. Exercise to lower your appetite. Start living like a healthy person and your body (and mind) will follow.

    Wishing you the best,

    -Chris
  • Everyone has their ups and downs. I notice that if I'm craving chocolate, and its in my house (or work), I will eat it ALL. I'm thinking that perhaps you can try to find a lower calorie option of your favorite candy bar, and only get one/day. Eliminate cheese-its if you want, or if you can afford it in your calorie budget, grab one small bag (1 serving size) at the gas station instead of an entire box. It sounds like portion control is what you are having issues with (me too--all the time). If things are portioned out for you, put into your food budget, and gone when they are gone, then you won't have any other options. Of course additional emotional support and accountability is always helpful and usually necessary for me. Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    Why does everyone say "do better tomorrow"? How about now? Like, at your next meal. Make whatever you did fit the best you can, make up for it over the next few days and get in some good workouts.
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    whopper jrs are awesome. shoot, whoppers are awesome. havent had one in a long time.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    You can go speak to a clinician about underlying issues, but they will not be able to treat "food addiction" because it does not exist in the diagnostic material. If you are that concerned about your behaviors (and feel you need professional assistance), then find a clinician in your area to nail down what is really going on your life. Here is a starting point for your search:
    http://dmh.dc.gov/page/list-community-based-service-providers
  • cfhburn
    cfhburn Posts: 6 Member
    Check out "The Starch Solution" by Dr. McDougall. Watch Forks Over Knives. Drink a lot of water. 3 Liters/day minimum
  • Bownzi
    Bownzi Posts: 423 Member
    My attention span doesn't go as far as the gas station...LOL So I forget before I get there...
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
    You need to address the underlying reasons why you binge/overeat. Address the emotional reasons you eat (stress, boredom, low self-esteem, whatever). Find other ways to handle those emotions without food.

    As already suggested...Don't keep junk food in the house, prepare lunch and dinner ahead of time, bring healthy snacks with you so you're less likely to stop somewhere for fast food. Exercise more (start if you haven't). Exercise is an amazing stress reliever.

    Read up on the idea of mindfulness. A principle you can apply to life and how you approach food.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    Check out "The Starch Solution" by Dr. McDougall. Watch Forks Over Knives. Drink a lot of water. 3 Liters/day minimum

    Nah. That is not going to address real issues. In fact, it may make everything worse.
  • I've had 5 Hershey's cookies and cream candy bars (regular size), an entire box of Cheez Its, a Jr whopper with everything on it from Burger King, large order of crinkle fries from BK, and a slice of red velvet cake so far today.

    How the heck do I stop myself from doing this to my body?? :( I feel disgusting...but also better at the same time.

    I just started a "new" job... which was essentially just my bosses adding someone else's job onto my old job and having me do both when the lady retired. Are my cravings a result of stress??? I think I am honestly addicted to the cookies and cream bars. I have had at least 2 bars at least 7 out of the past 10 days. I want to stop, but I always mindlessley drive to the store or gas station and end up with empty wrappers at the end of the night. It's like I don't even notice i'm doing it. :(

    Someone help me!! Has anyone ever been to therapy for food addiction before? I'm seriously considering it right now because this just isn't right or normal. :( If anyone has good contacts in the DC area, i'm all ears. :/

    Perhaps it's the diet you chose ie Medifast?
    sorry just working out how to post...never mind :)
  • I've had 5 Hershey's cookies and cream candy bars (regular size), an entire box of Cheez Its, a Jr whopper with everything on it from Burger King, large order of crinkle fries from BK, and a slice of red velvet cake so far today.

    How the heck do I stop myself from doing this to my body?? :( I feel disgusting...but also better at the same time.

    I just started a "new" job... which was essentially just my bosses adding someone else's job onto my old job and having me do both when the lady retired. Are my cravings a result of stress??? I think I am honestly addicted to the cookies and cream bars. I have had at least 2 bars at least 7 out of the past 10 days. I want to stop, but I always mindlessley drive to the store or gas station and end up with empty wrappers at the end of the night. It's like I don't even notice i'm doing it. :(

    Someone help me!! Has anyone ever been to therapy for food addiction before? I'm seriously considering it right now because this just isn't right or normal. :( If anyone has good contacts in the DC area, i'm all ears. :/

    It sounds very stress driven. I've had that problem before and you're going to need to retrain yourself if you can't find a support group. The retraining is every time you feel you're reaching for something, get up from your desk and get some water, walk to the bathroom, just walk down a hall and back again, something that will break your "cycle" (it might just be stopping what you're doing and take a moment but not actually get up). I know it's coming across as such an "easy fix" but I know it's not. Find an exercise you enjoy, even if it's a DVD and regardless of what you've eaten during the day, make a point of doing 10 minutes of exercise, building it up until it's 30 minutes and even more when you get home (or if a gym is feasible, then make a point of going to the gym daily). This will start retraining your response to be stress exerciser rather than a stress eater. I say to start small and build up because you're retraining an automatic response you've created in your life so far. Also, make sure you log everything, the good, the bad and the ugly preferrably the minute you realize you've eaten it and before long the minute you realize you are going to eat it. Again the retrain of yourself to see what you're doing. It'll start helping you to see what triggers the response so you can combat it possibly stop yourself from eating it because you don't want to do that to your daily alloted calories, fat, proteins, sugars, etc. This has been helping me as we get more and more vendors sending temptation (Red Velvet Nothing Bundt Cakelettes are a downfall for me) in our office. I've gone to where the "treats" are, looked in the box, and then realized, "I have to track this", "Damn, I don't want to do that, it's not worth the moment of pleasure" close the box up and walk away.

    Another thing to do is to have "healthier" snacks available so that you don't have far to go for the snack if you do stress eat. I keep pistachios or almonds at my desk. Yes, they're a bit more fat than I want but they are a better fat than candy, cookies or Cheez Its so I can justify them. Popcorn is another thing if you can eat that without the butter because it doesn't taste bad if you keep it for a couple of days. The healthier choices ready is a big help too. Because we all do go mindless at times especially after we've learned to be stress eaters, and even then it's about what's closest and easiest to get to.

    The rest of the advice, is forgive yourself for your past (that means even 5 minutes ago). It's done, it's over with, you can only start anew, start making better choices immediately but you can't change what you've already done.

    I know you can do this because you've already recognized that you have a problem. That's the biggest step regardless of what addiction you have (and come on, all of us are addicted to food and then not the right kinds of food (because how many overweight people do you know that are addicted to carrots, celery, broccoli without sauces or dips), if we weren't, we'd all be slender and not having to learn what is right for us to eat to be slender).

    Keep fighting the fight against fat. :smile:
  • keyer23
    keyer23 Posts: 114 Member
    Okay so lots of suggestions here but no one really addressing the potential "addict" in you. I am a member of another twelve step program. I believe my truly addictive tendencies carry over to food as well. I can empathize with you on finding empty wrappers (in the neighborhood of six or ten) and not even realizing I have eaten them... or eating 1 then 2 then 10 and not being able to stop. You are right. THIS IS NOT NORMAL BEHAVIOR. While everyone binges once in a while these are dangerous when they turn into patterns such as ours. I don't have personal experience with this program, but I hear from other twelve-step cohorts that Food Addicts Anonymous has done wonderful things for many people. It wouldn't hurt for you to try a meeting. There is no obligation. Just go and see what you think. If it feels right pursue it, if not, don't. You don't have anything to lose by trying except an hour of your time. I'm sure if you Google it you can get meeting dates/times in your area. Best wishes on your journey! Message me if you want to chat.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    Okay so lots of suggestions here but no one really addressing the potential "addict" in you. I am a member of another twelve step program. I believe my truly addictive tendencies carry over to food as well. I can empathize with you on finding empty wrappers (in the neighborhood of six or ten) and not even realizing I have eaten them... or eating 1 then 2 then 10 and not being able to stop. You are right. THIS IS NOT NORMAL BEHAVIOR. While everyone binges once in a while these are dangerous when they turn into patterns such as ours. I don't have personal experience with this program, but I hear from other twelve-step cohorts that Food Addicts Anonymous has done wonderful things for many people. It wouldn't hurt for you to try a meeting. There is no obligation. Just go and see what you think. If it feels right pursue it, if not, don't. You don't have anything to lose by trying except an hour of your time. I'm sure if you Google it you can get meeting dates/times in your area. Best wishes on your journey! Message me if you want to chat.

    This is a great idea!