how to fight lifetime junk food addiction

Slharrison14 · February 2015

I won't be able to check replies to this until later but I am writing this morning because I am so frustrated that the scale keeps going up despite working out at least an hour to an hour and a half five to six days a week. Yes I"m getting in very good shape as far as cardio and strength but stupid scale is not reflecting my hard work and I know it is because of my bad diet.

Before I go any further PLEASE do not put negative comments or about willpower. If I naturally had willpower, I wouldn't be dealing with a true addiction to sweets and I know about addiction because I am in recovery (from alcohol) almost five years sober now but giving up junk food/sweets is ten times harder than alcohol was. My father was obese and died at the age of 33 from heart attack so I also know the consequences if I don't figure out how to stop this

I've been eating nothing but fast foods/junk food since I was a toddler and I have tried many times to eat fruits/veggies and the taste is horrible. I just can't bring myself to eat it. I have cut back fried foods and almost everything I eat is grilled/baked. I got a food scale for portion control. It's the sweet tooth and late night cravings I am dealing with as well as emotional eating especially during certain time of the month when I seem to not care for a few days (sorry guys)

There HAS to be a way to curb this sweet tooth and make me not pick up the sweets. I've even tried not bringing it in the house but next thing I know i"m asking my husband to bring me some ice cream (Blizzard at DQ are my weakness) I've even been trying self hypnosis for about a week but no luck with that yet either. I get so mad at myself to burn hundreds of calories in a workout only to eat twice that much later in the day.

I haven't been entering my food into the log so it's not accurate right now. I'm gonna work on doing that again starting today. It's kind of been hit or miss with my logging although I do write it down, I don't like putting it out there where other people can see it.

I know there isn't a "quick fix" I've been doing this long enough to know that and I have lost 70+ lbs twice in the past so I know it's possible but I've never had quite this much trouble before. Guess it's because I was younger then (I'm 38 now) Is there anything you have tried-supplement, mental trick, anything that helps keep you from picking up that 480 calorie honey bun or even worse 900 calorie ice cream/milkshake??

Oh also not as an excuse but just to kind of offer further exlanation as to why I'm struggling I also have struggled with depression my whole life and turn to food as a comfort thing. Thought about getting counseling for that but live in small rural area with not many options in that area unless I pay for it privately.

neanderthin · February 2015

It's tuff changing from calorie dense tasty processed foods to rather plain whole foods for it seems a whole generation of people. I'm not in that group, I was raised on whole foods and rarely ate the former. It's basically commitment and dedication, the rest is noise. Possibly take a cooking course or find a food culture you can embrace and try and put some fun into it, and your house will smell better.

AmazonMayan · February 2015

Do you like berries? One way I got away from eating way too many sweets (ridiculous, embarassing amounts) is to keep frozen berries. I weigh some out, a decent handful isn't many calories at all - and with them being frozen, it slows you down eating. They are sweet (watch the strawberries they can be not so sweet lol) and it gives you some fiber too if you do raspberries/blackberries.

I've never been big on ice cream...maybe freeze some little yogurt cups that are lower calorie? Put a popsicle stick in them right thru the foil cover and freeze or use a popsicle maker, put some berries in each and fill just about to the top with a flavored yogurt and freeze your own. You could also measure out some chocolate bits to a calorie count you can accept and put that in the yogurt popsicles - your own version of a blizzard. It's delicious and creamy and worth a try. Also...since it has protein maybe it can help you get full and stop craving.

Protein is my biggest trick now that I have sweet tooth under better control. I try to eat something lower calorie (since end of day not always many left) but high protein as a late evening snack. Something like some jerky, or boiled eggs, or 1 oz of cheese, or serving of almonds...even an apple or pear can be kind of filling because of fiber. Maybe a combo of apple and some pb (measured) or apple and cheese?

edit: I forgot about yogurt drops! you can take some berries (I like these with blueberries) and dip them in yogurt and drop them on some wax paper in a single layer and freeze. Once frozen, put them in a ziploc and there's a nice sweet but lower calorie "treat".

levitateme · February 2015

Since you see people mentioning will-power as a negative comment, I'm not really sure what you're looking for as a response. Maybe you should think about medicating your depression and/or joining a support group for compulsive over-eaters (they are usually free and held in libraries or local hospitals)?

I have binge eating disorder and sometimes it gets out of control and sometimes it's in control. You can make your diary private if you don't want people to judge you for your choices. I recommend adding everything you eat for a whole week, no matter how much you go over. Look at what you overeat, when you choose to eat it and maybe try to make a connection to why you're doing it.

Liftng4Lis · February 2015

Carry on as you plan to. Do you plan on giving up sweets for the rest of your life? Personally, I pre-log and make room in my day for a treat, this way I don't feel I'm going without.

belle19822000 · February 2015

Oh dear...... nothing can replace chocolate! Or my homemade sweets or cakes. NOTHING! And to be honest, that's just it! I eat them when I feel cravings.... sometimes I take just a little, sometimes some more, and sometimes I surprise myself and just don't feel like trying anything

Please don't feel bad about yourself. It is frustrating, I know.... but it really is just willpower (and some heavy PMS you can't ignore - ice cream helps

)

jessdunn40 · February 2015

I eat junk food around once a week or 2 weeks. I love food especially junk and chips are my favorite. I will eat a family size bag of ranch chips in a sitting. It took me a while to get control. 1) asked myself is it worth it? 2) I prelog my food when I know we are going out. 3) give yourself a break if needed. And if this does not work you can try to cut down to eating junk food one day a week or 3 days a week, then slowly cut back. Also, I found recipes for healthy food that taste like junk food

Good luck http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/healthy_recipes_to_satisfy_junk_food_cravings?slide=1#leaderboardad

blktngldhrt · February 2015

Increasing fats has helped me. Finding things you enjoy eating to replace the honey bun or high calorie fast food meal might help, too. For example, rather than ice cream I blend frozen berries with a tbsp heavy cream, a splash of water, and Stevia.

You say you don't like vegetables and fruit..but have you tried preparing them different ways? There are tons of recipes out there to try.

If you're not logging accurately, there's no way to stay on task within your calorie goal.

I'm doing very low carb, for medical reasons, and don't have sugar cravings as badly as before. There might be many people on here who will say sweets aren't addicting..but they were to me. They had a direct link to how I felt. When my sugar was low and I ate candy, I felt immediately better. Then, my sugar would drop again within half an hour and the carb cravings would be back. When your sugar drops you feel like you need carbs. I mean..NEED.

Its part will power and mentality and part finding what works for you and keeps you satisfied. There are plenty of food alternatives that can help to get away from the foods that you have issue with.

wizzybeth · February 2015

Rather than focusing on the fruits/veggies that "taste horrible" - I am sure there are *some* things that you like. Or maybe things you might re-try because previously you didn't like the way they were prepared.

Make a list of the fruits and veggies you like, the ones that are "OK" and the ones that you might consider trying a different way. (For instance, my husband would say he hates spinach...but he hates cooked spinach. He enjoys raw spinach in a salad in place of lettuce.)

You can lose weight and still enjoy treats. Unfortunately you do have to learn to exercise some self control - there is no way around it.

I have always had a habit of reaching for high-sugar foods most of my life. I would eat an entire box of Froot Loops in one sitting. I would drink almost an entire 2 liter bottle of Dr Pepper in one day. I did not want water, it did not appeal to me. Now I drink water almost exclusively - water, black coffee (my comfort food! lol) and black tea (hot. I hate unsweetened iced tea.) So I know where you're coming from. I LOVE SWEETS! ALWAYS HAVE!

Instead of trying to go cold turkey, try to change 1 habit at a time.

Do you drink a lot of soda? How much do you drink? Try to replace one serving of that with water. If you drink 3 cans of soda a day, cut back to 2 cans and drink 12 oz of water instead. If it helps, get the 0 calorie flavored water.

Then after a couple weeks - cut out 1 more can and replace with water. You don't have to cut soda out completely. I chose to cut soda completely because I decided I didn't want to waste calories on drinking (unless it was wine) and keep my calories for food. It took me a while to appreciate water. It was not an overnight thing. I did it because I knew it was better for me to drink more water. I wanted to be healthy and I had to do it. Now...I love water.

I also find that I crave sweets less when I drink more water and eat more nutritionally dense foods. If you like baby carrots and celery, add them to your diet. If you hate Macintosh apples, try red delicious or gala. Try different things. My friend only likes celery with peanut butter. That's fine - if that's how you like it, just eat it.

Don't be overwhelmed by all the "cants" or that big mountain of "junk food" you're looking at. Just hack away with baby steps.

This is a deep rooted habit but you can overcome - if you really really want to. You have to want it more than anything.

levitateme · February 2015

You really can't make room for a 900 calorie blizzard on a regular basis. OP will not benefit from all the "just fit it into your day" comments because the sentiment behind the advice is the essence of will-power.

JSurita2 · February 2015

You can still have sweets. Try by just eating 1/2 the portions you are eating now as a start. At some point you have to decide how badly you want to lose the weight. Do you want it more than that milkshake or honeybun? Unfortunately you will have to make sacrafices because there isn't an easy fix. When I say sacrafices I mean some portions, not necessarily the entire sweet. Cut everything you eat in half and throw the rest in the trash. Some people consider that wasting food but whether it's waste in the trash or waste in your body, it's still waste. Good luck to you, I know it's not easy but you have done it before so deep down you know what you have to do to lose the weight.

999tigger · February 2015

Baby steps and chill out.
1. Start logging properly. Its an essential tool. keep it private but make sure its complete and accurate. If you dont know what you are eating then how cna you expect to be in consistent deficit?
2. Be patient
3. Do a sensible and gradual shift from sweets to less calorific alternatives as well as portion control existing sweets.
4. Deal with the underlying depression and mindset. I get the impression of someone really keen to want to change, but unwilling to see it for what its is, with a lot of cant wont shant. At some stage it comes to the point that if you arent losing then you need to make changes and get yourself into calorific deficit. Whilst you are saying you want that in one sense, then you are looking for too dramatic solutions. Complete restriction and prohibition wont work for you, therefore moderation, change and consistency is the way forward. You have to take responsibility when you have that 900 calorie shake.

sangster19 · February 2015

Read the book Power of Habit. This can change your life. It explains how everything we do is a habit loop, and how to break that cycle. This is a mind game, and you CAN win it.

PilgrimPT · February 2015

Everyone is a little bit different, but here is a thought or 2 that helped me.
1) Cravings are not always what they seem. When my diet is deficient in protein I have big troubles with cravings & food binges. It is like my body knows it is missing something it wants, but doesn't tune the urge very well. I added 1 or 2 protein bars a day to my diet and found food cravings drastically improved. Yes, that is 200-400 calories more, but it staves off a 1,000 calorie binge!
2) The best time to deal with cravings is before you get them. My binges don't come on instantly -- I get a few minor urges first -- things that average will-power can deal with. If I drink 4oz of V8 juice at the first minor urge, often it quells things. Ditto, 4oz fruit juice mixed with 8 oz of diet lemon-lime soda. But if you wait until you get HUNGRY and feeling desperate, this just doesn't work. A stitch in time . . .

zyxst · February 2015

levitateme wrote: »

You really can't make room for a 900 calorie blizzard on a regular basis. OP will not benefit from all the "just fit it into your day" comments because the sentiment behind the advice is the essence of will-power.

^You can, but you have to decide if the Blizzard is more important than a meal of meat and veg.

My advice will probably be considered "negative", OP, but here it is. Is your sweets "addiction" an all-or-nothing approach, or can you moderate it at all? Can you deal with portion control such as splitting cookies up into snack bags, or do you absolutely have to eat the whole box in one go? Love Blizzards myself, but I can deal with having a mini one rather than a medium and keeping it to once a week or month in summer.

wizzybeth · February 2015

levitateme wrote: »

You really can't make room for a 900 calorie blizzard on a regular basis. OP will not benefit from all the "just fit it into your day" comments because the sentiment behind the advice is the essence of will-power.

This is true - but you can opt for a smaller serving size, right? Every so often I want ice cream and instead of buying an entire container, I go to McDonald's and get a plain sundae in a cup. I enjoy it just as much. I get mad when they tell me their ice cream machine is down. They have no idea how much I wanted it right then. LOL

ker95texas · February 2015

I have a horrible sweet tooth - and a day without an (un)healthy dose of chocolate just isn't complete. I can't have chocolate protein bars or even Skinny Cow ice cream around because I eat WAY too many. I'm trying to fight this by:
- chocolate protein shake in the morning - and I add some no sugar added choco syrup, make it in the blender with ice and it holds off my cravings (for a while). sometimes I'll repeat during the day - adding mint or raspberry extract is a nice touch for something different.
- fruit teas - made STRONG with fake sugar. Actually satisfies my sweet tooth. Zero calories.
- Just tried some chocolate mint tea, added some fake sugar, and used it as my evening 'snack'. It worked. Zero calories.
- This sounds crazy, but I'm finding that a cough drop (almost all varieties, but I kind of like the no sugar added cherry ones) can last a long time and stop me from my digging through the kitchen for anything sweet. They're like five calories each.

Obviously, I don't eat 'clean'... and have to avoid Dairy Queen like the plague LOL. I also have very very little around the house that's chocolate, and for my skinny husband buy candy bars I don't like (coconut) or pies that I can easily resist. I also will occasionally treat myself to a real candy bar, and it goes in the diary.

I feel your pain. Good luck!

plumppork · February 2015

Don't feel Bad. My problem is not sweets but carbs. To be honest I could live on chips and popcorn and cheezies. I generally don't love healthy food but am trying my hardest.
I have found that it is no good trying for substitutes as they just get me back to cheating again. you know like "eat dried fruit instead its so yummy!" No its not! My best advice that works for me is that I have given up eating after supper. No substitutes. If you want a treat it has to be right after supper when your not so hungry or not at all. In your case I would try the skinny cow ice cream sandwiches and drumsticks they are actually good.
Sometimes I have to go to bed early because I don't want to eat. The other thing I am trying my best at is that if I do cheat, I cheat and get back on track. Before I would cheat and keep cheating cause I would feel bad about cheating. You know binging and telling myself I will get back on track tomorrow but tomorrow takes a long time to come.
And of course don't have bad stuff in the house cause if your anything like me you can hear it calling you and cant resist.
Hope this helps. Hang in there, working out is half the battle! Way to go!

Sabine_Stroehm · February 2015

I was raised on crap as well (bologna on white bread with a twinkie and a coke for lunch). And as an adult I ate frozen burritos for breakfast, fast food for lunch, take out for dinner, krispy kremes and snickers for snack. And lots of beer. I understand where you're coming from.
For ME it was a matter of a shift in paradigm. Learning something new.
I did a two week TOTAL elimination of all added sugars, all refined carbs (white bread, tortillas, tortilla chips, all sweets, all soda, all candy all fast food).

For two weeks I ate lean meats, vegetables, dairy, nuts, seeds, legumes/beans.
After the two weeks, I added back berries, and eventually some 100% whole grains (slowly).

After a month or so, no cravings for fast food. No cravings for candy, definitely no cravings for soda.

But I had to do the elimination 2 weeks with the GOAL of changing. Not with a 14 day quick fix in mind, knowing I'd go back to the daily McDs. I had to know I had change as the goal.

That was 14 years ago now. I love vegetables now. I love fresh foods. I dislike fast food. In fact, it makes me queasy.

Once in a while, I'll back slide and have too many nachos treats in a month, and then I get myself back on track. EASILY back on track. These days if I want to get back to basics, I do South Beach Phase 1, which wasn't out when I lost my weight, but some of the principles were being talked about, and I did use some of them. But yeah, now, once every couple of years, I'll d Phase 1, to re-focus.

For me? Best thing I ever did. I don't feel like I have to have junk food. I don't feel overwhelmed by cravings for sweets and fried stuff.

My tastes have changed. My palate has changed. And I've been at the weight I want for 14 years in March.

But, it took two weeks of total elimination, and another while of seriously limiting the refined carbs. Now I naturally limit them. It's second nature. I'll have treats, I'll have my beloved nachos. I'll eat pizza. But it doesn't make up the bulk of my diet. And I choose DIFFERENT pizzas.

Now this is just how I eat. And MAN do I eat well. Everything I put in my mouth is awesome!

Good luck finding what works for you. You can do it!

levitateme · February 2015

wizzybeth wrote: »

levitateme wrote: »

You really can't make room for a 900 calorie blizzard on a regular basis. OP will not benefit from all the "just fit it into your day" comments because the sentiment behind the advice is the essence of will-power.

This is true - but you can opt for a smaller serving size, right? Every so often I want ice cream and instead of buying an entire container, I go to McDonald's and get a plain sundae in a cup. I enjoy it just as much. I get mad when they tell me their ice cream machine is down. They have no idea how much I wanted it right then. LOL

I really wanted the pumpkin pie blizzard when it first came out, but the tiniest one was something ridiculous like 600 calories. I like talenti as an indulgence because i can weigh it. It is also amazing.

eta: but everything we are discussing pertains to willpower, which the OP thinks is not possible for her. Just my opinion, but when someone claims food "addiction" there's no real way to advise them other than "seek counseling."

lizzocat · February 2015

Have you spoken to your husband about this? A support system in your real life outside of the internet can be a big help.

I would also think about replacing the sweets in your life with healthier versions- frozen bananas dipped in chocolate are great, skinny cow, chocolate drizzled rice cakes, berries with whipped topping, etc etc. Also, figure out what triggers you to eat at night and try to replace those activities so you're not so focused on the food and cravings.

namelesshere · February 2015

It is hard breaking the habit of sweets. I have started to make sure I know the caloric count before I eat. Then I need to know how much exercise it will take to counter act that. I would love to say I jump on the tread until I have the calories worked out before I eat the treat but rarely does that happen. Still, I make sure I log so I can see why the weight didn't come off that week. Can I eat a smaller serving and be satisfied? I love Blizzards but have gone from ordering the large to ordering the small. Still too many calories on a regular basis so I now limit them to a treat on days the temps reach 90 or above(rarely for our area). Most times I don't get them because I don't want to stand in line on those hot days. The truth is you are going to find a way to work minimal treats into your daily life because they make life worth living.

trainmanup · February 2015

Routine. I am the same way, and the only way I can usually begin a diet is by pre-planning my meals everyday and not allowing deviation from those plans for the first few weeks.

Jolinia · February 2015

You may not like this and I'm not saying it's easy to do, but I had to start eating home cooked fresh meat and produce and cut out everything else until I started to crave the taste of the foods I wanted to eat for my health. Not saying you can never have DQ again, but for awhile maybe you should focus on teaching yourself to enjoy the foods that will give you energy, health, and maybe longer life. Cooking is a challenge, too, if you never have. Do you have someone close to you who can help you learn?

deannamarie · February 2015

So many great tips! Planning is such a huge part of staying on track

CooCooPuff · February 2015

levitateme wrote: »

I wanted the pumpkin pie blizzard when it first came out, but the tiniest one was something ridiculous like 600 calories. I like talenti as an indulgence because i can weigh it. It is is amazing.

I was planning a trip to dairy queen with my nieces and was planning on having a big ol blizzard. I remember the medium cookie dough being something like 1k and a small something like 700.

I still really want to find that new Ben and Jerry Jimmy Fallon ice cream though.

wizzybeth · February 2015

levitateme wrote: »

wizzybeth wrote: »

levitateme wrote: »

You really can't make room for a 900 calorie blizzard on a regular basis. OP will not benefit from all the "just fit it into your day" comments because the sentiment behind the advice is the essence of will-power.

This is true - but you can opt for a smaller serving size, right? Every so often I want ice cream and instead of buying an entire container, I go to McDonald's and get a plain sundae in a cup. I enjoy it just as much. I get mad when they tell me their ice cream machine is down. They have no idea how much I wanted it right then. LOL

I really wanted the pumpkin pie blizzard when it first came out, but the tiniest one was something ridiculous like 600 calories. I like talenti as an indulgence because i can weigh it. It is also amazing.

eta: but everything we are discussing pertains to willpower, which the OP thinks is not possible for her. Just my opinion, but when someone claims food "addiction" there's no real way to advise them other than "seek counseling."

Yeah...that's a bummer when they're still so big. It's not like you can eat half and save half for later either, because it just doesn't taste right (I tried saving a Frosty that way...fail.)

That's why I like Wendy's "Junior Frosties". When I was doing WW very strictly, I would treat myself 1x a week after the meeting, if I lost weight, to a baby cone at the soft serve place.

But Dairy Queen and the like do not care about people wanting to watch their weight, all they care about is $$$$$. Though they could make a killing on "baby size" portions - they could charge more money and increase their profit margin significantly...lol

I used to tell myself I had no will power either. I really did. I would give up on ANYTHING if it became too challenging. Riding my bike? Not if I had to go uphill even a little. Walking briskly with the dog? Only till I got out of breath a little, then I had to rest. Give up junk food? Well maybe for a day or two but then, oh noes, I need the sugars! I needed it! I was addicted!!!

But in actuality, I was a wimp when it came to exercise. I knew this. I spent $600 on a bike to force myself to USE it. And I did. Did I make it up all the hills the first time I went out? No. I told myself "Just this far, just make it this far" (like to a certain landmark like a pole or signpost." Then the next time I would say "You made it there yesterday, do it again. Now go a little beyond it..." I didn't try to conquer the whole thing at once but cajoled myself into it.

I approached my eating with a different mindset. I told myself I could have it as a reward if I first took proper care of my body nutritionally.

This is an ongoing battle. It's something I had to constantly keep on - maybe someday it will be a new habit. But I have a different idea of self control. To me it's not "total denial" but rather ... 'You can, but only if...."

That worked with my kids too. I could say "No" to something, or I could say "Yes, but only if you do this for me first" Guess which was more effective?

SwankyTomato · February 2015

Here is my recommendation....

Buy a food scale if you have not already done so and start logging EVERYTHING you eat & drink. Do not worry about the "calorie count" for at least 2 weeks.

Weigh foods in grams, this is something that helps you "see" portion sizes.

Now you look at your logs and begin the "tweaking process".

Example...if you are eating fast food like McDonalds, skip the fries and the soda pop and just buy the burger.
Or if your willpower is very low that moment, order the kids "happy meal". The fry/soda serving is lower in calories than the "Big Mac Meal".

As far as Dairy Queen Blizzards, change your portion to a MINI or SMALL Blizzard or "take a break" from Dairy Queen. Change it to a mini/small blizzard once a week.

Not easy to make changes but you want to set yourself up for success. Changing HOW you order your food is a good stepping stone for the next level.

deksgrl · February 2015

Really, the only way to do it, is just do it. But, it isn't going to happen all at once or overnight. Baby steps to better habits. First thing I did was to ditch coke for unsweetened iced tea. Then it was ditch the french fries when I went to the drive through. Just by changing those two things, I lost a pound a week. (Wendy's large fries = 500 calories, Wendy's large coke = 320 calories usually 4-5 times a week. )

Here is some info that might be helpful:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10097870/the-really-blunt-list-of-things-to-consider-when-losing-weight

You have to find a way to make it work for you. Or you don't. The choice is yours.

ErikCory · February 2015

I wish you well!

As I read thru the very intelligent and helpful comments above, I really can offer nothing else, but I want you to know I think you got them because you opening post was soooo honest and well stated.

You have a high likelihood of success!

QueerAbuela · February 2015

I totally understand where you're coming from. I wasn't raised on healthy foods at all, I lived off of fast food, frozen pizzas, a constant supply of chocolate and pop, and pepperoni on white bread since I can remember. Now I don't even crave that stuff it honestly grosses me out. I still have one hell of a sweet tooth so I eat one square of very dark chocolate or the indulgent Greek yogurt when I want a treat instead of binging on whatever sweets I can get. It'll suck for a while I'm not gonna lie, but I really do believe in the whole your taste buds will change thing. Even the thought of raw vegetables used to make me sad, but now I love them!!
I know you said you didn't want to hear it, but really self control is the only way you're going to succeed.

how to fight lifetime junk food addiction

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