In fact, a friend voiced a complaint to me today about people not understanding the true nature of what this means to a true food/sugar addict, in recovery or not... This was my response.

I think there are really people that have zero idea of the struggle. While my fiance is addicted to cigarettes, should he choose to quit them completely, he can live a life where he never has to be around another smoker again. Ever. But he doesn't agree (or really even understand because for him it is a CHOICE) when I liken my sugar addiction (in recovery) to his tobacco and caffeine addiction. I even tried to explain to him that if I drank sodas all day long and had that sugar taste periodically, I might be less likely to binge, but I refuse to drink that sugar all the time because my body does not process it properly. I even likened it to his mild lactose intolerance. That finally got through somewhat.

People refuse to think of any addiction the choose to maintain as possibly poison (or if they admit it aloud, they don't BELIEVE it), and so if you tell them that is is poison to you or an allergy, and they don't have underlying issues, to them that is just an excuse to justify gorging. They do not COMPREHEND it. For some people, I just tell them my body has developed an allergy to XYZ and it makes me violently ill. They still think I'm lying, but at least they pay more attention.

I think that I would likely make a compromise system (in response to her complaint of people knowing about her food triggers, but still bringing food into her home anyway). If you bring XYZ into the house, I'm eating all the bacon - you don't get a single piece. You brought that so you don't need what I provided...or something similar. There has to be a way to get through to them to get them to understand the struggle is real....

I'm nearing the end of week 5 and although my cravings for bread and cakes and muffins have subsided, I KNOW that if I indulged...right now... I would go off the deep end. I do not trust myself to "cheat" with a meal. I'm hoping one day I'll be at peace with food and my choices but as of now I'm not there.

It's really about breaking out of the notorious "blood sugar cycle" that impacts our hunger hormones and drives our brains' food addictions. Once you get control over the typical ups and downs of the blood sugar cycle it's just amazing at how much "will power" you will suddenly find to help overcome your addictions. Unfortunately I see this with my wife every day and she just doesn't get that it's what she's eating that creates the vicious circle and feeds her food addictions.

It's funny now to watch people do all the sampling in the store when I'm shopping, you know those, try this and try that sample ladies? I used to stop at all of them and had to have it, not anymore, I just say no, thank you.
I was addicted to pastas and white bread, never had a sweet tooth though so sugar was easy to give up. People don't realize that we should eat to live and not live to eat.
The ginormous portions of meal at any restaurant is just ridiculous! Why Americans think that bigger is better? I could never understand it. When you go to really expensive specialty place they have very small portions of food, this is because you supposed to enjoy and savor your meal, not eat like there is no tomorrow. Your gut isn't a bottomless pit. Amazing that so many people don't understand what they do to themselves, it's a shame. The food commercials are gross!