Drug addict turned food addict-anyone else out there?

BrookeEspinosa
BrookeEspinosa Posts: 92
edited September 26 in Introduce Yourself
I gained 20 pounds over the winter. Ive been on here for 20 days, but I'm not really seeing results. Its pretty discouraging. I'm wondering if I should really eat back all the calories I get from exercising, and if the mfp is correct on the calories I burn. I know that I didnt gain it overnight, but it is a lot harder losing than gaining, which stinks. If felt good not to care, and just eat whatever I want. But not its hot outside, and I cant fit into my capris. I also am a recovering drug addict, and food has taken the place of the drugs, which makes it even harder. It seems I go strong for the first month, then give up. I just need some direction.

Replies

  • JMJohnson1005
    JMJohnson1005 Posts: 209 Member
    I do believe that you need to eat back your exercise calories. Eating too few calories can make you body hold on to what you are putting in. In order to get an accurate count of what you are burning invest in a HRM.
  • cat3nv
    cat3nv Posts: 389 Member
    I quit smoking and gained a ton of weight. I never did drugs, but cigarettes are pretty bad too.

    Congrats on your sobriety!! Good luck on your diet journey.:flowerforyou:
  • BrookeEspinosa
    BrookeEspinosa Posts: 92
    Thanks, I'll look into getting one. Appreciate the help, I need alot. LOL
  • poshy
    poshy Posts: 28 Member
    Well you are on this site so" way to go", as for not seeying your weight loss yet...well I find that it depends a lot on how much I have to lose in order to see it and sometimes I cannot even tell from the scales. I do know that I am losing in inches in certain areas. We have checked the calories etc on this site and its very close to being totally accurate, are you drinking your water? as it flushes a lot of junk out of your system, you also mentioned that it is very hot were you are so that could account for feeling maybe bloated, regardless you did lose 20 pounds already and that is awsome......so stick with it...YOU CAN DO IT...you kicked a drug habit right? WELL????....you can do this, its hard and seems at times impossible....but we can. Thank goodness for this site!!!

    Good luck....let me know how you are doing if you like or add me!

    Ciao
  • poshy
    poshy Posts: 28 Member
    I meant to say you only have 20 pounds to lose....for sure you can do this and Congrats on being free of your addition, shows character!!
  • dankarlinski
    dankarlinski Posts: 4
    dont be discouraged. weight loss is the second hardest thing (behind drug addiction) that you can rid your body of. it will take a bit of time, but like it was mentioned before, dont just stop eating, as that will just make you gain weight (i know, it doesnt make sense) there is a documentary called fat head (it is on netflix if you have it) that goes over this and a bunch of other food/weight myths. its actually pretty helpful to just watch it. just a sugestion.

    as for your ddiction, congrats on kicking that. they are never easy, but if you can rid yourself of that, weight loss will be much easier once you get started losing. dont give up!
  • debthomp1
    debthomp1 Posts: 2 Member
    Hi. Similar to yourself I am a recovered alcoho married to a recovered drug addict. We have about 12 years sobriety and have always said that since we no longer drink, smoke or do drugs we should treat be able to treat ourselves with frequent dinners out. He has the metobalism to be able to do this. I sadly do not. I swapped beer for coke - the black liquid variety that is. I can relate that I can do well for a few weeks - maybe a month and then the old eating habits creep back in. I've just joined this site and am back on the wagon from today. I am also the largest I have ever been! I have been working with a nathuropath for the past month or so and she has encouraged me to journal to try and identify my habits and triggers. this has proved to be helpful as I am starting to identify when I self sabotage. good luck with your journey. Maybe we can support each other along the way. :
  • HeatherShrinking
    HeatherShrinking Posts: 776 Member
    Yep, eat your exercise calories or at least enough to get your net up to 1200. There is a funny site some MFP'er made shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com Click yes and it links to a lot of helpful forums threads about it on here.

    As far as not losing, in my experience sometime it takes your body a little while to catch up to new habits. Make sure you are measuring your proportions (easy to overestimate) and drinking tons of water. Every time my scale stalls I up my water and it usually does something within 2-3 days.
  • Hawgfreak70
    Hawgfreak70 Posts: 47
    I'm a happily recovered addict myself. Welcome to the site! I use the numbers from the site on calorie burn because my HRM gives me even higher numbers. I try to eat about half of the calories back that I burn. I'm not a doc by any means though. But I feel good so I'm not changing it. I've lost around 10 lbs. in a little over 2 weeks so I must not be doing too bad. : ) Way to go straight by the way. It just keeps getting better.
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