Food as a addiction?

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dmfish1
dmfish1 Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am not new to weight loss. I have a life long history of losing and gaining weight. I know the facts and the rules and in the end it is about balance, moderation and exercise. The most recent realization I have come to accept is that I am addict. YES. I am addicted to Food. In particular sugar,(and all the things sweeten by it) and bread type carbs.
about 3 1/2 years ago, I was considering a surgical intervention for weight loss, but my insurance did not cover intervention for obesity. I had gone to preliminary meeting, and heard about what was expect of someone who had the surgery, how and what they were expected to eat.
I met with my doctor and had serious discussion, about my Weight. she made a simple statement" sugar you just can not have it" that when a light really lit up.
the diet post surgery was eat every 2hours, protein first, veggies and fruits.. no sugar sweets etc..
I chose to eat no white potato, no rice/ pasta. sweet potato was ok
to only eat bread that was high protein and fiber based. and my 2 indulges corn chips, and fat free pretzels. I decided 3 bread type carb per day only.
I stopped eating ALL cookies, cakes, brownies, sweets of any kinds, any breads other the approved choices. I filled out my plate with protein and fruits and veggies.
I did not weight and measure my food, I ate until I was full. and snacked often. I did not feel deprived at all.. I loss 67 lbs and felt good. I added exercise after losing 40 pounds
I kept it off 2 years. then stress hit my life, I slowly starting adding those food back into my life( my old coping techniques, it made me feel good in moment, )
at first it was ok, then it began to slip out of control. just like a boozer at the bar.
I have now gain it back and am back on the wagon.
So when someone ask if not eating certain types of food will help with weight loss. Yes, because when food is addition. Like any addict you can not do just a little of your feel good thing. IT will pull you back in. some of us have trigger foods/ or food groups
I know this is a familiar story .. to many.


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Replies

  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    If you really believe you're addicted to food, you should be seeing a therapist.
  • Parkercomom
    Parkercomom Posts: 67 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Food can be an addiction for many people.
  • jessicadb2
    jessicadb2 Posts: 57 Member
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    TheVirgoddess wrote: »
    If you really believe you're addicted to food, you should be seeing a therapist.

    I totally agree. As soon as I can I want to go to this eating disorder clinic near my house. I know I need therapy for my eating, but I am doing what I can and trying to lose weight in the meantime.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    That a food can be a trigger or that you have self control issues doesn't make it an addiction. Claiming to be addicted to some breads and not others is like claiming to be addicted to pinot and not cabernet.

    If it's easier for you not to eat it, don't.

    Being an addict (to anything) doesn't make you not responsible for your choices, also.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    edited April 2015
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    dmfish1 wrote: »
    I am not new to weight loss. I have a life long history of losing and gaining weight. I know the facts and the rules and in the end it is about balance, moderation and exercise. The most recent realization I have come to accept is that I am addict. YES. I am addicted to Food. In particular sugar,(and all the things sweeten by it) and bread type carbs.
    about 3 1/2 years ago, I was considering a surgical intervention for weight loss, but my insurance did not cover intervention for obesity. I had gone to preliminary meeting, and heard about what was expect of someone who had the surgery, how and what they were expected to eat.
    I met with my doctor and had serious discussion, about my Weight. she made a simple statement" sugar you just can not have it" that when a light really lit up.
    the diet post surgery was eat every 2hours, protein first, veggies and fruits.. no sugar sweets etc..
    I chose to eat no white potato, no rice/ pasta. sweet potato was ok
    to only eat bread that was high protein and fiber based. and my 2 indulges corn chips, and fat free pretzels. I decided 3 bread type carb per day only.
    I stopped eating ALL cookies, cakes, brownies, sweets of any kinds, any breads other the approved choices. I filled out my plate with protein and fruits and veggies.
    I did not weight and measure my food, I ate until I was full. and snacked often. I did not feel deprived at all.. I loss 67 lbs and felt good. I added exercise after losing 40 pounds
    I kept it off 2 years. then stress hit my life, I slowly starting adding those food back into my life( my old coping techniques, it made me feel good in moment, )
    at first it was ok, then it began to slip out of control. just like a boozer at the bar.
    I have now gain it back and am back on the wagon.
    So when someone ask if not eating certain types of food will help with weight loss. Yes, because when food is addition. Like any addict you can not do just a little of your feel good thing. IT will pull you back in. some of us have trigger foods/ or food groups
    I know this is a familiar story .. to many.


    Why did you continue to eat fruit and veggies if you are a self proclaimed sugar addict? Almost sounds like you weren't addicted to sugar at all, just an easy excuse to use
  • jddnw
    jddnw Posts: 319 Member
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    @dmfish1 - Sounds good. Congratulations and keep up the good work.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
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    This sounds like graysheeters anon. I read up on a few of the overeaters anon type groups, and some do encourage members to practice abstinence from sugar, artificial sweeteners,and enriched flour.

    This model is clearly helpful to some. But for me, I want to learn to eat all foods, and not feel that I am powerless in the face of certain foods.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    While I would agree that you cannot physically be addicted to foods, I do believe people can have disorder eating habits. But like MrM27 mentioned, those need to be addressed with a therapist.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited April 2015
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    This really does sound like a case where a therapist was needed. There's no such thing as food addiction.

    I don't understand the selective elimination the OP did.

  • dmfish1
    dmfish1 Posts: 6 Member
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    I should have added, that I have been followed by a MD through all of this, and counseling on and off.
    I never said I was not responsible for my choices, as stated above I went back to old coping habits, that made me feel good, In the moment. I took the path of least resistance. Each person can have an opinion, but if you do not believe that people can be addicted to food. Then you are fooling yourself. Food is used in society to help sooth broken hearts, celebrate life, mourn deaths, just to name few. We attach all kinds of importance to food that has nothing to do with the basic need to eat to sustain life. So, if you think a person can not have an emotional/ psychological attachment to food which is difficult to control or manage ,you are fooling yourself.
    I am responsible for me and what I eat. It does not make it any easier to say no, when almost everyday, Some one in your life, be it home or work is right there with cake, cookies, left over Easter candy. etc
    Each person needs to find their approach or relationship with food, many people can find balance between all foods some just can not thus the Yo - Yo of weight loss world. If this was easy , I assume most of us would not be here. :)
  • dmfish1
    dmfish1 Posts: 6 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I should also add, That I do believe process sugars are addictive to the body. The more you eat it the more you crave it. I understand there are sugars in fruit and veggies, but these are combine with fiber and such, metabolize differently, more slowly. then say a donut. I did make a few food selection base things that were foods I like but really never over indulged. like pretzels or corn chips . In addition I added more beans to my diet as well.
  • CrazyMermaid1
    CrazyMermaid1 Posts: 347 Member
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    I can't believe how rude and out of touch some of those comments are. The DSM-5 defines binge eating disorder as a psychiatric disorder covered by health insurance. Check it out.
  • jessicadb2
    jessicadb2 Posts: 57 Member
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    herrspoons wrote: »
    It's a great excuse. But that's what it is: an excuse.

    Rationalise your failure all you like. It's still failure by choice.

    Would you say that to a bulimic or anorexic? Would you say that to someone with a drug addiction or alcoholism?
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    dmfish1 wrote: »
    I should also add, That I do believe process sugars are addictive to the body. The more you eat it the more you crave it. I understand there are sugars in fruit and veggies, but these are combine with fiber and such, metabolize differently, more slowly. then say a donut. I did make a few food selection base things that were foods I like but really never over indulged. like pretzels or corn chips . In addition I added more beans to my diet as well.

    So frosted mini wheat would be ok?

    And lol at the poster who mentioned the dsm, which doesn't have food addiction at all in it
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
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    In.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Sigh.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    jessicadb2 wrote: »
    herrspoons wrote: »
    It's a great excuse. But that's what it is: an excuse.

    Rationalise your failure all you like. It's still failure by choice.

    Would you say that to a bulimic or anorexic? Would you say that to someone with a drug addiction or alcoholism?

    If the addict was claiming that's why they kept drinking/using or did the things they did, absolutely.

    Saying I can't help it, I'm an addict is an excuse, even if you ARE an addict. That's why it irritates me so when people pull out the addiction thing as if that was a reason they can't help it or aren't bound by the same principles as everyone else with food. That's not how it works with what I consider real addictions.

    It's also much more than simply using the substance of choice for emotional purposes, although it's that too. And it's definitely not liking the substance so much that you have a hard time not overrindulging.

    I think there are food addicts, but it's pretty rare, and a tendency to overeat cookies isn't the same thing.
  • CryingInColor
    CryingInColor Posts: 2 Member
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    OP your best bet is to not use the forums here at MFP. I have been a member on a different account for about 4 years and lost 113 pounds. I was extremely active in the forums and got fed up with all of the negativity. I deactivated the other account and started this new one. I still read the forums but obviously do not respond much. I just had to respond to this one because most of the people above are completely wrong.

    Anyway, I am not sure if anybody above me has a degree in Science or Psychology and has studied addiction. Well I have so let me tell you that food can in fact be an addiction. Here is a quote from WebMD which is a reliable and credible webpage:

    "Like addictive drugs, highly palatable foods trigger feel-good brain chemicals such as Dopamine. Once people experience pleasure associated with increased Dopamine transmission in the brain's reward pathway from eating certain foods, they quickly feel the need to eat again." The same thing happens with cocaine and heroin. Food CAN be an addiction.

    Anyway, that's the basics. Feel free to do more research on your own but make sure you check the credibility of the webpage you are using first. I won't return to the forum, it's pointless.

    Good luck OP. You got this!

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