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If eating trash makes us sick, why do we keep eating it?

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Replies

  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    I feel that it is partly mind over matter. A lot of us tend to eat these foods because we are in the diet mentality and rebelling against the idea of eating healthy is a way to control the situation. Not to mention that junk food tastes good. But when you realize that you need to be in the mindset to eat healthy because you fill good( and that does not mean living on carrot sticks and lettuce) and you're not doing it because all these diets told you to do it, you'll be mentally free from this vicious cycle. Look into intuitive eating. The process for me about eating when you're hungry and stopping when you're satisfied isn't as important to me as recognizing how the food you eat makes you feel. I look at each meal and think "does it sound good? Yes. But will I feel like crap after I eat it? Absolutely." I care more about how I feel on the inside than I do about how that junk food tastes for the short time that I eat it.

    I see this differently. If I feel like I can have that piece of cake in the fridge whenever I want, I don't feel the pull towards it as much as if I was telling myself, no and you can never have cake again. I do eat less of the calorie dense foods because I don't have the calories/macros to spare. But, foods don't usually make me feel bad. I can feel stuffed or sleepy after what I would consider a regular meal.
  • DeWoSa
    DeWoSa Posts: 496 Member
    the carbs and crap in the food actually make you crave more of it, it is a vicious cycle.

    BUMP -- It's the food. I stopped eating dessert and sweet foods and after about three days didn't crave it anymore. About six weeks in, I thought "oh, now I can control my cravings so I can have those foods again!"

    Within weeks I was binging on desserts so badly I frightened myself. I was eating more than I'd ever eaten in one sitting and I felt like I had no control, like a drug addict.

    For me, the binge food is a combination of fat and sugar, so I avoid those kind of foods (basically, dessert).

    Find your triggers and stop eating them. After a couple of days, they will be out of your system.
  • Malteaster
    Malteaster Posts: 75 Member
    I feel that it is partly mind over matter. A lot of us tend to eat these foods because we are in the diet mentality and rebelling against the idea of eating healthy is a way to control the situation. Not to mention that junk food tastes good. But when you realize that you need to be in the mindset to eat healthy because you fill good( and that does not mean living on carrot sticks and lettuce) and you're not doing it because all these diets told you to do it, you'll be mentally free from this vicious cycle. Look into intuitive eating. The process for me about eating when you're hungry and stopping when you're satisfied isn't as important to me as recognizing how the food you eat makes you feel. I look at each meal and think "does it sound good? Yes. But will I feel like crap after I eat it? Absolutely." I care more about how I feel on the inside than I do about how that junk food tastes for the short time that I eat it.

    I agree, I tend to view junk food as being restricted so when I do eat it I tend to do it to excess, telling myself I will start again tomorrow. I find I need to avoid it so I lose the taste for it.

    I use a mixture of lemon juice and bicarb for removing limescale from the bathroom. Does that mean lemon juice is evil as well.

  • mtforrest07
    mtforrest07 Posts: 31 Member
    Moderation. That word is everywhere. I like chocolate and goodies and fast food as much as the next person...but I can also be smart about it. If I eat 10 fun size candy pieces am I going to feel like crap? Um yes. I don't want to feel like that so case closed. I literally eat whatever I want to eat. I don't go without a moderate portion of junk food or I'll feel like I'm dieting and I will eat too much of it later to make up for it. Then I'll feel crappy. Again it's all a balance. Throw out the diet thinking and eat what you want to eat while focusing on how you feel while eating it. It's not effective or productive to feel like a slug because you ate a huge piece of cake that's the equivalent of three slices of normal portions. I want to live and I also don't care anymore what traditional diets tell me I should eat. You only live once so don't restrict yourself to the point where you will blow it and binge eat the crap later. Just be happy and free of the mental strain of diets and diet thinking!!!
  • mtforrest07
    mtforrest07 Posts: 31 Member
    And last but not least...Just listen to your body :smiley:
  • JessieLMay
    JessieLMay Posts: 146 Member
    Catsheep wrote: »
    So I have been having this thought quite frequently lately. I eat a bunch of junk (ie. fast food, candy, sweets, fried foods, etc.) and I feel really crappy afterwards. I feel sick to my stomach and lethargic and I swear that I will make sure that I don't feel this way ever again because it is so horrid. But then comes the next day and it's back to the desire of having all the junk again despite the knowledge of what the result will entail. So how does one break this cycle? I truly have a desire to live a healthy and active lifestyle but I feel like I am self sabotaging and trying to fulfill my subconscious self prophecy that I will fail. What are y'alls thoughts on this subject? If you have had any experiences dealing with this issue I'd love to hear about it.


    Take it slow. Junk food, and sugar addictions are much like drug addictions. Most can't just quit cold turkey. Don't even try. It causes stronger addictions and binge eating. Slowly cut down what you're eating, until you're not eating it anymore. The less you eat of it, the less crappy you will feel. I actually feel better after eating that stuff, because it is a true addiction of mine that I need emotionally, but I don't eat it very often anymore. I can actually resist it. It takes a lot of time, and willpower. Good luck.
  • jennilsf
    jennilsf Posts: 57 Member
    It contains chemicals that overload our brains and triggers our bodies to crave it, like a drug. Like someone else said- it's a cyclical. Once you stop eating it - ANY of it - for awhile, it won't even taste the same to you. In fact, I felt that quitting smoking (after 12 years of it) and kicking junk food were eerily similar experiences.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    If binging was because certain food(s) were addictive wouldn't we all binge on the same foods? Not some sweet, some salty, some starchy, whatnot? There is a specific type of food I have binged on and I am aware it can be an issue. I can also eat it in a regular portion. For me there are other things that contribute to binging like being hungry beforehand and that being the only item I am eating. For me, it feels like I have a hole in my stomach I can't fill. I can eat until I am overfull. Watching my calories/macros helps. And, I have to have some self control. Maybe just serve myself a portion and eat a meal with a variety of foods.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
    http://www.kcet.org/living/food/food-rant/food-addiction-may-be-chemical.html

    Just throwing this out there vs the blind "yes it is true". And " there is no such thing"
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    JessieLMay wrote: »
    Catsheep wrote: »
    So I have been having this thought quite frequently lately. I eat a bunch of junk (ie. fast food, candy, sweets, fried foods, etc.) and I feel really crappy afterwards. I feel sick to my stomach and lethargic and I swear that I will make sure that I don't feel this way ever again because it is so horrid. But then comes the next day and it's back to the desire of having all the junk again despite the knowledge of what the result will entail. So how does one break this cycle? I truly have a desire to live a healthy and active lifestyle but I feel like I am self sabotaging and trying to fulfill my subconscious self prophecy that I will fail. What are y'alls thoughts on this subject? If you have had any experiences dealing with this issue I'd love to hear about it.


    Take it slow. Junk food, and sugar addictions are much like drug addictions. Most can't just quit cold turkey. Don't even try. It causes stronger addictions and binge eating. Slowly cut down what you're eating, until you're not eating it anymore. The less you eat of it, the less crappy you will feel. I actually feel better after eating that stuff, because it is a true addiction of mine that I need emotionally, but I don't eat it very often anymore. I can actually resist it. It takes a lot of time, and willpower. Good luck.

    People really love tossing the term addiction around.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
    http://www.kcet.org/living/food/food-rant/food-addiction-may-be-chemical.html

    Just throwing this out there vs the blind "yes it is true". And " there is no such thing"

    http://www.naturalnews.com/039600_junk_food_addiction_ingredients.html#

    I can't find a really good and totally objective study so take it with a grain of salt. But I know if there is chips in the house I'll eat it. My choice. But if they aren't in the house, I don't tend to go to the store to get it.

    The only thing that's interesting to me is the common ingredients in junk food. That seems to be the only fact about the discussion in then short time I researched.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    JessieLMay wrote: »
    Catsheep wrote: »
    So I have been having this thought quite frequently lately. I eat a bunch of junk (ie. fast food, candy, sweets, fried foods, etc.) and I feel really crappy afterwards. I feel sick to my stomach and lethargic and I swear that I will make sure that I don't feel this way ever again because it is so horrid. But then comes the next day and it's back to the desire of having all the junk again despite the knowledge of what the result will entail. So how does one break this cycle? I truly have a desire to live a healthy and active lifestyle but I feel like I am self sabotaging and trying to fulfill my subconscious self prophecy that I will fail. What are y'alls thoughts on this subject? If you have had any experiences dealing with this issue I'd love to hear about it.


    Take it slow. Junk food, and sugar addictions are much like drug addictions. Most can't just quit cold turkey. Don't even try. It causes stronger addictions and binge eating. Slowly cut down what you're eating, until you're not eating it anymore. The less you eat of it, the less crappy you will feel. I actually feel better after eating that stuff, because it is a true addiction of mine that I need emotionally, but I don't eat it very often anymore. I can actually resist it. It takes a lot of time, and willpower. Good luck.

    People really love tossing the term addiction around.

    Because, if you're an "addict" you have a disease, and people should feel bad for you, and realize your lack of discipline is not your fault.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    JessieLMay wrote: »
    Catsheep wrote: »
    So I have been having this thought quite frequently lately. I eat a bunch of junk (ie. fast food, candy, sweets, fried foods, etc.) and I feel really crappy afterwards. I feel sick to my stomach and lethargic and I swear that I will make sure that I don't feel this way ever again because it is so horrid. But then comes the next day and it's back to the desire of having all the junk again despite the knowledge of what the result will entail. So how does one break this cycle? I truly have a desire to live a healthy and active lifestyle but I feel like I am self sabotaging and trying to fulfill my subconscious self prophecy that I will fail. What are y'alls thoughts on this subject? If you have had any experiences dealing with this issue I'd love to hear about it.


    Take it slow. Junk food, and sugar addictions are much like drug addictions. Most can't just quit cold turkey. Don't even try. It causes stronger addictions and binge eating. Slowly cut down what you're eating, until you're not eating it anymore. The less you eat of it, the less crappy you will feel. I actually feel better after eating that stuff, because it is a true addiction of mine that I need emotionally, but I don't eat it very often anymore. I can actually resist it. It takes a lot of time, and willpower. Good luck.

    People really love tossing the term addiction around.

    Because, if you're an "addict" you have a disease, and people should feel bad for you, and realize your lack of discipline is not your fault.

    Isn't there more to it? If you have to avoid that particular food it doesn't seem worth a little sympathy.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    lorib642 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    JessieLMay wrote: »
    Catsheep wrote: »
    So I have been having this thought quite frequently lately. I eat a bunch of junk (ie. fast food, candy, sweets, fried foods, etc.) and I feel really crappy afterwards. I feel sick to my stomach and lethargic and I swear that I will make sure that I don't feel this way ever again because it is so horrid. But then comes the next day and it's back to the desire of having all the junk again despite the knowledge of what the result will entail. So how does one break this cycle? I truly have a desire to live a healthy and active lifestyle but I feel like I am self sabotaging and trying to fulfill my subconscious self prophecy that I will fail. What are y'alls thoughts on this subject? If you have had any experiences dealing with this issue I'd love to hear about it.


    Take it slow. Junk food, and sugar addictions are much like drug addictions. Most can't just quit cold turkey. Don't even try. It causes stronger addictions and binge eating. Slowly cut down what you're eating, until you're not eating it anymore. The less you eat of it, the less crappy you will feel. I actually feel better after eating that stuff, because it is a true addiction of mine that I need emotionally, but I don't eat it very often anymore. I can actually resist it. It takes a lot of time, and willpower. Good luck.

    People really love tossing the term addiction around.

    Because, if you're an "addict" you have a disease, and people should feel bad for you, and realize your lack of discipline is not your fault.

    Isn't there more to it? If you have to avoid that particular food it doesn't seem worth a little sympathy.
    Not many who claim addiction over something so silly as food will "get clean". Or I'm just cynical. lol.
  • LeenaGee
    LeenaGee Posts: 749 Member
    edited November 2014
    I wrote and truly believe the following statement -

    I believe we are on the brink of a revolution to change the way people think about food as, certainly here in Australia, people are looking more and more at the types of food they eat and are starting to turn their backs on processed food because they are concerned about the additives and chemicals that are in that food.


    really?

    I havent noticed people in Australia doing that.

    Yes paperpudding, things are changing and I am surprised you haven't noticed because it is all around us.

    Currently, in Australia there is a petition to the Heart Foundation to revise their method of using and distributing the once highly respected "tick."
    It is now felt the "tick of approval" is given to the company with the most money regardless of whether their product is deemed by current changing views as to what is healthy. People are becoming more aware of what is a healthy product and what is not. Thus the petition "To Flick the Tick" Processed foods and additives are not deemed healthy - just profit making.

    Restaurants are having to make adjustments to their menus to accommodate the changing tastes of customers and the trend toward gluten free and healthy. Paleo inspired restaurants are opening around the country.

    One of the chef's from the highest rating cooking show on Australia TV has a Facebook following of nearly 400,000 people all learning about eating as close to nature as possible. His cookbooks are selling in massive numbers as are the following trends in cookbooks for 2014 -

    1. Stovetop Travel.
    2. Live-Fire Cooking.
    3. Farm to Fork.
    4. Healthy, Healthy, Healthy.
    5. Gluten-Free Living.
    6. Eat Your Veggies.
    7&8. Wine Inspired cookbooks. (Oops how did they hit the list!!)

    Fruits and vegetables shops are becoming highly successful and in the case of our small local shop, I counted 60 plus people in there when I passed yesterday.

    My own friends are changing their eating habits and turning their backs on processed food & sugar and are reading labels and wanting to know where their food comes from and what is in it.

    These are just my personal observations and there are many, many more.

    Yes things are changing and I think for the better. :)
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    fatcity66 wrote: »
    J72FIT wrote: »
    fatcity66 wrote: »
    J72FIT wrote: »
    fatcity66 wrote: »
    Mudler wrote: »
    Poor food, poor health, poor diet is killing more people than Cocaine.
    This part, at least, is true.

    Is there data to back that up? Sounds absurd to me...

    http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/

    Seeing as ischemic heart disease (heart attack) is directly related to diet the majority of the time, I would say so.

    That's interesting, let's look at the risk factors. Risk factors (dietary) include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and or triglycerides, diabetes and obesity. That's interesting because it's the obesity that is most directly related to high blood pressure. May or may not be related to cholesterol. Definetely related to diabetes. Food in and of itself does not make us obese though, over-eaitng and sedentary lifestyle (no exercise) make us obese.

    Other risk factors: tobacco use, age, family history, lack of physical activity, stress, illegal drug use, preeclampsia, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. None related to diet...

    So I would say heart attack is not directly related to diet at all...

    Then you're fooling yourself.

    In the majority of cases, no. Diet is not related directly to heart attack. A sedentary lifestyle and overeating any type of food at all, regardless of type, leading to obesity, will cause a major increase in the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer. Genetics alone can cause an increase in the risk of higher cholesterol. You cannot blame any specific food group or diet on a higher level of cholesterol or risk of heart attack in the general population. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women because there is an obesity epidemic happening not only in our own country but in almost all first-world countries.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    jennilsf wrote: »
    It contains chemicals that overload our brains and triggers our bodies to crave it, like a drug. Like someone else said- it's a cyclical. Once you stop eating it - ANY of it - for awhile, it won't even taste the same to you. In fact, I felt that quitting smoking (after 12 years of it) and kicking junk food were eerily similar experiences.

    Seriously, what are you talking about? So all "junk" foods, as you term them, contain these same chemicals that cause addiction in the brain? That is ridiculous. One person is addicted to pizza, another to cake, another to chips, another to burgers..... what is the mystery substance that is being added to all these foods to 'addict' people to them?

    It's a copout excuse used by people who don't want to stop overeating foods of which they like the taste.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    fatcity66 wrote: »
    J72FIT wrote: »
    fatcity66 wrote: »
    J72FIT wrote: »
    fatcity66 wrote: »
    Mudler wrote: »
    Poor food, poor health, poor diet is killing more people than Cocaine.
    This part, at least, is true.

    Is there data to back that up? Sounds absurd to me...

    http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/

    Seeing as ischemic heart disease (heart attack) is directly related to diet the majority of the time, I would say so.

    That's interesting, let's look at the risk factors. Risk factors (dietary) include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and or triglycerides, diabetes and obesity. That's interesting because it's the obesity that is most directly related to high blood pressure. May or may not be related to cholesterol. Definetely related to diabetes. Food in and of itself does not make us obese though, over-eaitng and sedentary lifestyle (no exercise) make us obese.

    Other risk factors: tobacco use, age, family history, lack of physical activity, stress, illegal drug use, preeclampsia, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. None related to diet...

    So I would say heart attack is not directly related to diet at all...

    Then you're fooling yourself.

    In the majority of cases, no. Diet is not related directly to heart attack. A sedentary lifestyle and overeating any type of food at all, regardless of type, leading to obesity, will cause a major increase in the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer. Genetics alone can cause an increase in the risk of higher cholesterol. You cannot blame any specific food group or diet on a higher level of cholesterol or risk of heart attack in the general population. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women because there is an obesity epidemic happening not only in our own country but in almost all first-world countries.

    Right, and diet=how much, as well as, what, you eat.

  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    jennilsf wrote: »
    It contains chemicals that overload our brains and triggers our bodies to crave it, like a drug. Like someone else said- it's a cyclical. Once you stop eating it - ANY of it - for awhile, it won't even taste the same to you. In fact, I felt that quitting smoking (after 12 years of it) and kicking junk food were eerily similar experiences.

    Seriously, what are you talking about? So all "junk" foods, as you term them, contain these same chemicals that cause addiction in the brain? That is ridiculous. One person is addicted to pizza, another to cake, another to chips, another to burgers..... what is the mystery substance that is being added to all these foods to 'addict' people to them?

    It's a copout excuse used by people who don't want to stop overeating foods of which they like the taste.

    <3
  • DeWoSa
    DeWoSa Posts: 496 Member
    edited November 2014
    MrM27 wrote: »

    So you're saying it's absolutely not about having the willpower or accepting personal responsibility and it's all the foods fault?

    No one said anything about absolutely this or absolutely that. Many people overeat junk food, apply some limits, and are just fine.

    For some people, food triggers them to eat more, the way a peanut may trigger you to break out in hives. Is breaking out in hives a lack of willpower?

    I really don't understand why, whenever the topic of food + addiction comes up, some people freak out and insist that it's not real. I don't see how your experience with food somehow trumps my experience with food.

    "The world is bigger than you, and you are not me." -- REM