I'm so addicted to food and I feel so alone! :(

It's amazing how alone one can feel when fighting weight issues. Then we come to a wonderful web site like this we see pictures of participants looking pretty darn thin and healthy and that can be intimidating. We forget that everyone here started out fighting the same fight and many continue the journey to lose weight or maintain. I have been battling my weight and my own issues for many years. If I had a dollar for every time I've started and then gave up, I'd have lots of dollars. But we continue on, we forgive ourselves, we remind ourselves that we are not alone, and most importantly, we come here and are reminded that all is not lost. I wish you well. These message boards are a great source of support and valuable information. Please come back and let us know how you're doing. Feel free to send a friend request!

I know its hard but start small. Maybe you should start just logging whatever food you eat. Even if its junk food. Thats how started. Also at first just try to stay under your calories. You may also want to get to the root of why you over eat. For me I overate because I was board, or I was upset, or lonely. I started some new hobbies, started doing crafts etc.

No one has to save you because you can save yourself and do it for you.

A book that helped me a lot with my eating is Breaking Free From Emotional Eating by Geneen Roth. Our local library has lots of copies. Or you can get it on Amazon. It has helped me not to binge eat. Example: Before--ate 1/2 bag of chocolate chips for "a little snack". Now-ate 2 chocolate chips and was satisfied.

Step 1: Find low cal food you enjoy eating
Step 2: Find exercise you enjoy doing
Step 3: ?????????
Step 4: Profit

Oh we all get that feeling at some point. That we are alone and no one understands or at least I know I did, but feeling sorry for yourself isn't the answer. If I did know the answer I would be a very rich man, the only thing I do know is eating wont help the problem.

I'm 23 years old and in the past 4 years I have been from 255lbs to 180lbs to 220lbs to 147lbs and now 244lbs! I'm so addicted to food and I feel so alone and out of control. No one understands how hard it is. I spend so much money on healthy foods and then I just end up going into debt buying junk food like pizza or McDonald's. I closet eat when my boyfriend is at work, I hate exercising and my family just tells me to suck it up. I just need a friend for support who understands and can help me. I don't have the money for a trainer or a nutritionist I tried that already and I do good for a week then go back to junk. I bought my first place on my own at 21 I live a pretty stressful life and I need help! Anyone out there with a big heart could really save me right now!

My dear you have an eating disorder - that doesn't mean anything major, it just means you have to go see the doctor and let him know about the closet eating and going into debt to buy junk food. You're having a personal crisis that is impacting on your eating. Don't worry too much but see what your doctor says, maybe counselling would help you unburden and release some stress.

Have you heard of the Food Addiction Diet? Look up KayShepard.com. Her eating plan stops the cravings. I have stayed on it for quite a while. I lost 30 pounds in 3 months and realized that I am sensitive to gluten and when I eat wheat bread I never feel satisfied. I could eat the whole loaf and then eat a whole cake. It is pretty easy to follow and as long as you eat everything you can eat you will be full and satisfied. Let me know if you want to try it. Her book "The First Bite" is very good.

Wow, there is a lot going on here.... It is easy to give you the mechanical answer - log everything, eat at a calorie deficit, get some exercise but it sounds like you know all that already. It is also easy to say 'Someone upsets you: suck it up and resist that pizza', but doing that is a lot easier to say than do when you are battling with emotions.

We have all ben there to one degree or another whether it is the chocolate covered biscuits sitting in the cupboard saying 'eat me eat me', or an emotional reaction to a need for help and understanding. Until you understand what is making you feel this way, it is going to be very hard to deal with it. It may be that you need some help in getting to the bottom of your issues, or maybe you can sit down with paper and a pen on a good day and work it out for yourself. Either way, you are not alone, it is not your fault, and there is a way forward.

Some people use their wall as a sounding board to get things off their chest and work things out. I dare say there are many others who see a professional several times a month and pay to get it resolved - you just have to find what works for you. To be honest, you are putting the right foot forward by being on this site and asking the questions. Pick through the advice, sorting out what you agree with and what you think is crap, and sort out something that works for you. Bear in mind that good advice can also be the advice that we don't want to hear!

Unfortunately everyone is different and there is no instant answer. It takes time and a lot of effort so never stop trying. We can not succeed as many times as we like, but we only fail when we stop trying. Never stop trying - it will be worth it!

One thing you are not is alone. I think you'll find there are so many of us on here in the same boat as you. Okay so you comfort eat when you're stressed...so do I and so do many of the people replying to you too...but remember you are only human and unfortunately our emotions can be a complete pain in the bum and pulling a chair up to the fridge can feel like the only thing that will help. I've yo-yo'd with my weight too but I've just restarted this plan 3 weeks ago and I think my big learn is to not be too hard on yourself. You'll have a wobble from time to time and lose track but don't dwell and just move on past it because tomorrow is a new day. The internet is amazing for yummy low calorie recipes so you can do this :-) Go You!!

Addicted to food? Certainly not alone. I would wager the majority of us have ended up here because we like food too much.

You need to find your willpower. You say you want to get married in the next few years looking different - can you turn that into your motivating force? Without freaking out your boyfriend, maybe look for a picture of a gorgeous dress (doesn't have to be a wedding dress) that you would love to wear, but you know doesn't suit your current weight.

You also need to identify why you're eating. Are you hungry? Sad? Bored? There will be a trigger.

Closet eating - ooh, we've all been there. For me, I used to stuff my face in secret so no one would judge what I was eating. Food is so much more enjoyable when you take your time. Who cares who sees you eating? Eat when you want to, not in those gaps where you think you can. When you feel less panicked, you make better choices.

I have worked really hard to figure out when I'm actually hungry and when I'm actually full. Should be simple, but after a lifetime overeating, you have to really put in the effort to relearn those points. It's okay to stop eating, think about it and start eating again if it turns out you are still a little hungry. And if you are full, it's okay to bin food. No, really.

How satisfying is a McDonald's? For me, it always seems like a good idea until I eat a meal, then I feel slightly sick and full of regret. I hold onto those feelings for when I feel like another one. I don't know why radioactive processed cheese is so appealing, but it is. But I can harness that memory of 'ughhh, why did I eat that?' and use it to prevent a repeat. It's all about retraining yourself.

As for exercise, I started with walking. There are loads of apps which feed into MFP (I use RunKeeper, but there are others). Walking is the least scary exercise there is. You can even pretend you're not exercising when you do it. What are you doing? Working out? No, you're going somewhere! Secret exercise for the win.

Healthy, fit people eat balanced diets with all kinds of fruit and veg - and they do all kinds of hardcore exercise. Don't let that intimidate you. You're not looking to copy that lifestyle. The way you eat now is pretty bad, right? So if you make one small change, yes, it may not be in the same league, but you'll be eating better. Stop comparing yourself to other people. This is about you.

Switch full fat soda for low fat. Eat one course less when you're dining out. Swap deep pan pizza for thin crust. Actually, while you're at it, halve the portion and bulk up with salad.

Doesn't matter how small the changes, they are all steps in the right direction. Go as fast or as slow as suits you - step it up only when you feel ready. Don't scare yourself, you're in control. And you can totally do this. We all have the potential to turn our weight around. Promise.

If you feel like you're struggling, post here in the forums or message someone. You're welcome to message me if you like. A lot of the battle is mental - once you're in the right frame of mind, it gets so much easier.