Addicted to food. Have you experienced it?

Ditch the notion of "eating clean" as a benchmark and that cookies (and other "unclean" foods) are a sign of failure.

Work your "bad habits" into your diet, but in a responsible manner (that's on you). I like fast food. Do I eat it everyday? Nope. But I reward myself with some Five Guys on my long run days when I burn 1000+ calories. Rewards like that work, so does portion control, and good old fashioned willpower.

Will power when treating a food addiction is not in itself a solution. Have you sought therapy to analyze why you have this relationship with food? It is rarely just because it tastes good and you want it. More often than not, there are underlying feelings. Before eating that box of cookies, ask yourself,"What am I feeling?" and see what you come up with. I'm not saying you won't eat the cookies, but yo may create a better relationship with food. I still think professional help is best.

Ditch the notion of "eating clean" as a benchmark and that cookies (and other "unclean" foods) are a sign of failure.

Work your "bad habits" into your diet, but in a responsible manner (that's on you). I like fast food. Do I eat it everyday? Nope. But I reward myself with some Five Guys on my long run days when I burn 1000+ calories. Rewards like that work, so does portion control, and good old fashioned willpower.

This guy is brilliant! And he's on my friend's list!! win win for me...

It's natural to want delicious foods. Whatever form they take. You're only human.

I love my food and drink! If I deny myself anything it turns into a big monster in my head. If I cut too hard I will binge.

I'm currently cutting at about 1/3-1/2lb a week, eating my minimum 115g protein, fruit veggies and filling the rest of the calories up with pasta, wine, Choccy, crisps, Parmesan. But I'm accounting for every last bit of it. And it tastes better because it's accounted for.

I rarely binge anymore. If I do, I kill it weight lifting and try and turn it into muscle, or I just move my lifetime long diet up another day!

Eat the delicious food and celebrate it.

Will power when treating a food addiction is not in itself a solution. Have you sought therapy to analyze why you have this relationship with food? It is rarely just because it tastes good and you want it. More often than not, there are underlying feelings. Before eating that box of cookies, ask yourself,"What am I feeling?" and see what you come up with. I'm not saying you won't eat the cookies, but yo may create a better relationship with food. I still think professional help is best.

The OP will not be able to seek therapy for "food addiction" because it does not exist in diagnostic material. Sure, there are other diagnosis that capture issues with food and other behaviors, but she will not be able to receive treatment for food addiction.

I've been trying to lose weight for years. I have a great knowledge what to eat and how to exercise. I eat clean for 1-2 weeks, and than 1 slip happens and I start binge. Every day I keep saying that tommorow will be better, but than I wake up, eat healthy breakfast and than full box of cookies because I cannot say no to it. Its like an inside battle. And Most of the time I lose. So whatever I lose within a week or two, I gain it back in a few days. And thats how my last 10 years looks like.
Have you ever experience it? If yes, what did you do to overcome it.
It is stronger than me.

Yes. And I don't have an answer yet. People have responded with the 'fit it into your goals' and all that- and it's great advice, if you can handle portion control. If we could, we wouldn't be in this situation, right? I have several days, or even weeks when I do really well- I indulge my cravings but don't go overboard... and then something happens, and it takes a few days to get back on track. I really do like the IIFYM approach, but the problem keep running into is overindulgence to the point of bingeing. Is it all about willpower and self-control? Probably. If that is the case, we have to train (rather, retrain) ourselves in moderation.

Most of the month of February was difficult for me- I wrote a blog post about it. I know what I have to do, it's the execution that's difficult. We just have to keep trying... I wish I had better advice for you! :flowerforyou:

I've been trying to lose weight for years. I have a great knowledge what to eat and how to exercise. I eat clean for 1-2 weeks, and than 1 slip happens and I start binge. Every day I keep saying that tommorow will be better, but than I wake up, eat healthy breakfast and than full box of cookies because I cannot say no to it. Its like an inside battle. And Most of the time I lose. So whatever I lose within a week or two, I gain it back in a few days. And thats how my last 10 years looks like.
Have you ever experience it? If yes, what did you do to overcome it.
It is stronger than me.

Yes I have. If I went off my "diet" by the smallest bit, I was doomed and would binge. This kept me in a yoyo phase for years.

I Overcame it by realizing that I was not addicted to food but was addicted to suppressing certain feeling with food. I learned that there is no such thing as a slip, that no food is good or bad, and that everything is allowed in moderation.

In other words, it's about having one or two cookies not the whole package.

Ditch the notion of "eating clean" as a benchmark and that cookies (and other "unclean" foods) are a sign of failure.

Work your "bad habits" into your diet, but in a responsible manner (that's on you). I like fast food. Do I eat it everyday? Nope. But I reward myself with some Five Guys on my long run days when I burn 1000+ calories. Rewards like that work, so does portion control, and good old fashioned willpower.

^^^This. When we demonize food (or anything, for that matter) we make it more attractive. I've tried to become a "clean eater" many times and ended up bingeing on triple fudge cake (not just a piece - the WHOLE cake!) If I allow myself the cake - after all, it's not "bad" what did it do? Rob a bank? Become a cereal [sic] killer? - I can eat a small piece, log it and move on.

My other problem with "clean eating" is that no one - including those who eat clean - can agree on what that means. One person who eats clean says dairy is ok, another says it's ok without added hormones, yet another clean eater says NO dairy at all. One person says all fruts/vegs, another says only organic, another says most vegs but no fruits.

So, here are my clean eating rules:
1. Only eat dairy from freshly-scrubbed cows.
2. If the cookie or piece of cake falls on the floor, throw it away - no 5 second rule here!
3. Fruits AND vegetables are allowed, but only after washing and/or baked in pies.
4. Meat can be eaten as long as it is within the expiration date and no obvious contaminents are present.

:happy: :happy:

No cat hair or dirt here!