Everything in moderation

All of that sounds lovely and I wish I were able to do it...

There are certain things I just cannot have in my house, ice cream being one of them. I bought frozen yogurt this week and the gallon was gone in 4 days.


Some people are seemingly unable to control themselves when it comes to certain "trigger foods". In theory everything in moderation sounds fabulous, but in practice it's not always best for everyone.

You wouldn't tell an alcoholic to enjoy a couple beers in moderation, would you? I'd hope not...

alcohol is an addictive drug which causes physiological changes in the body that leads to physiological dependence

food is something that's supposed to be in your body because that's how animals evolved

not the same

WORD!!! DO NOT use alcohol or drugs as a comparision. I HATE when people do that.

And by the way I notice the words "I can't" being used. Replace it with "I won't" because we CAN stop if we want to. I don't care how many feathers I ruffle. It's frugging true and we all know it.

then how do you explain this?

All of that sounds lovely and I wish I were able to do it...

There are certain things I just cannot have in my house, ice cream being one of them. I bought frozen yogurt this week and the gallon was gone in 4 days.


Some people are seemingly unable to control themselves when it comes to certain "trigger foods". In theory everything in moderation sounds fabulous, but in practice it's not always best for everyone.

You wouldn't tell an alcoholic to enjoy a couple beers in moderation, would you? I'd hope not...

Rubbish. Alcohol is a drug, an addictive substance, food is not.

Anyone can eat in moderation if you physically serve yourself reasonable portions of food.

Comments like this really irritate me. People with an alcohol addiction, or a drug addiction, receive sympathy and help. People that have an eating disorder such an anorexia or bulimia, receive sympathy and help. Turn that eating disorder round though, and make it someone that has a binge eating disorder, and suddenly that person doesn't deserve sympathy and help. In too many cases, they are just labelled as greedy or lacking self-control.

As someone that suffers from binge eating, I can't have certain foods in the house. Sometimes the whole 'eat it in moderation' thing works, but sometimes it doesn't. And if I do have a bit of an emotional munch, having the stuff readily available in the house is not good. Having to physically drive to the supermarket to buy things for my binge gives me a chance to put that in perspective.

To the OP; demonizing food on this forum is a problem, but so is the 'this is what works for me and so you should all do it' approach that so many here seem to have. You included.

If food weren't an issue, groups like Overeater's Anonymous wouldn't exist. Binge Eating Disorder is an actual eating disorder and it's in the DSM and probably the ICD. It's a real issue and I understand why you are offended.

I've had eating disorders from anorexia, to bulimia to overeating. I know what you're talking about and I can see that the ignorance on the topic can be infuriating.

However, some people just aren't educated on the matter, and that isn't their fault. Some people don't believe any mental illness exists; those people are also infuriating, but there is no arguing with them.

I can't keep problem foods around either. If I become depressed, the only thing that makes me happy is food and no, I DON'T have control over it. I also have recurring episodes of depression so it's an issue.

So I understand "no moderation" on certain foods. I do that as well! I don't know if I'll ever eat french fries again. If that's what it takes to keep me at a healthy weight, that's what I'll do!

I'm glad it works for some people! That's fantastic. But there literally are people that CAN NOT do this without going overboard. If they could, they wouldn't have a diagnosable mental illness.

/rant.

No one, in this entire thread, has denied that eating disorders exist. There was a mild dust-up regarding 'disordered eating' vs an 'eating disorder'. No need to blow it out of proportion or get personally offended by it.

I agree with you OP but the problem I have is the moderation part. Since this journey I have not cut out any of my loves, I just do not eat them as much as I used to so I have been surprisingly successful. I could eat 4 bags of crisps a day and now I can take it or leave it, but my problem is the cookies I cannot have one or two then stop they keep calling me until the packet is almost done. So i have now decided to buy one giant cookie or a pack of 5. If I buy the pack of 5 I am eating one cookie a day. I will not call myself a success until I can just stop at one or two chocolate digestives. And I know lots of people will say just say no or I do not want it bad enough but i am still WIP.

I think that for some people (maybe not all, so no point in getting all butthurt), they won't allow themselves any "treats" because they are punishing themselves for "being bad" (allowing themselves to gain weight).

When they're able to forgive themselves, they can eat the "forbidden" stuff in moderation.

Just something to ponder.

^^^^ bumping because Dame Piglet said what I've been trying to say all along just much more succinctly

when I abandoned the "forbidden foods"/mustn't eat this mentality, I suddenly could eat a whole bunch of foods in moderation that I compusively overate on previously.

reputable sources on the internet

I think what is not being understood is not that we are craving the food we choose not to buy, but that having some of the food CREATES THE CRAVING.. I don't go around craving cinnamon buns, rarely ever think of them, but if I go to the bakery and smell them, the craving starts and heaven help me if I buy them, I will eat at least four before I stop. And even if I bought one, the calorie count is a whole meals worth of calories for me so what is point exactly ?
I enjoy eating gala apples, they taste amazing but I don't get a craving to have a second or third apple after I eat one. There is the difference.