I am addicted to food

angelicarivera456
angelicarivera456 Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I went 2 yrs without going to the gym. Eating for any and every reason even when im not hungry. Now I started going back to the gym and ive been doing good but I get home and I find ways to eat and sneak in cookies n starchy foods. I dont know how to stop this
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Replies

  • DataSeven
    DataSeven Posts: 245 Member
    We're all addicted to food. We have to eat every day or we'll die.

    You have to just stop. There's no hint or trick that I can give you to make you not pick up those cookies. You have to be disciplined with yourself. You've taken the first step by creating a MFP account. Work out your calorie recommendation based on your current gender, weight, height, and activity level and log your food, making sure to stay under or at the calorie goal it calculated for you.

    Maybe you can get away with some cookies or starchy foods if you plan your day and maybe eat less for lunch or dinner. All is not lost.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
    Try interrupting your routine. When you get home, don't go into the kitchen. Go for a walk. Throw in a load of wash. Sort the mail.

    You DO have the capability to make beneficial decisions. Sometimes the decision will be to have a few cookies - no harm done. Other times, you'll decide you need to walk away.
  • angelicarivera456
    angelicarivera456 Posts: 3 Member
    Yes your right. I have to work on being self disciplined. Thanks
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    No such thing as a food addiction. People who tell themselves they are, are kind of looking for excuses. Lack of willpower is not an illness....
  • lascia1959
    lascia1959 Posts: 1 Member
    I find it helpful to tell myself "you can have that tomorrow if you still want it" - that would give you that point in time where you can walk away from it for the time being. This is like any addiction - sometimes one second at a time. Then you are the one in control of your actions. Not the other way around. Just a thought. Everyone has to find their own system that works for them.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Find room in your diet for cookies and starchy foods. If you can have them you don't have to sneak them in, won't feel guilty, and will be able to eat well while enjoying them.
  • momo_t90
    momo_t90 Posts: 288 Member
    edited March 2016
    I think we could all use a little education about "food addiction". Despite the term being commonly used, there's no such thing. But there is such a thing as being addicted to certain types of foods such as sugar or highly processed foods like Cheetos or fast food. People with these addictions to certain types of foods think that it is a problem with their self-discipline, but it's not. It is something hardwired into the brain.

    Here are some sources:

    http://www.cbsnews.com/news/food-cravings-addiction-new-study-adds-to-the-evidence/

    http://youtu.be/4BbWaB3RiTI
    http://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-you-a-food-addict-take-the-yale-food-addiction-scale-survey/
  • clhoward6
    clhoward6 Posts: 53 Member
    Actually food can have the same effect on the brain as alcohol and animal studies have shown that high sugar/high fat food surpasses cocaine as a reward. Its all about dopamine.

    Personally I think food is addictive particularly for those people who eat as a crutch for something else. It can be really hard to curb those cravings. If I crave something I try to have a small amount and maybe choose the less calorific version of what it is I really want, and incorporate it into my calories for the day. It might mean substituting rice for cauliflower at dinner or something, but its working for me at the moment.

    Find something else (something healthy) that triggers your dopamine receptors. Some people get it from exercise.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
    dont buy it what you binge on.


    theres a reason i dont buy peanut butter cups very often..... ;)
  • murp4069
    murp4069 Posts: 494 Member
    Try just removing some of the items from your house. Maybe not all the items, but some of them. I love cake, and if I had it in my house I'd eat it all the time. To help with not even buying some of these things, try making sure when you go to the grocery that you've already eaten recently so you aren't hungry. When I'm hungry at the store I'm a lot more likely to buy that cake than if I'm not.

    Other than that, perhaps you could just make these items fit into your daily calorie goals so you don't feel deprived. Everything in moderation.
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
    clhoward6 wrote: »
    Actually food can have the same effect on the brain as alcohol and animal studies have shown that high sugar/high fat food surpasses cocaine as a reward. Its all about dopamine.

    Personally I think food is addictive particularly for those people who eat as a crutch for something else. It can be really hard to curb those cravings. If I crave something I try to have a small amount and maybe choose the less calorific version of what it is I really want, and incorporate it into my calories for the day. It might mean substituting rice for cauliflower at dinner or something, but its working for me at the moment.

    Find something else (something healthy) that triggers your dopamine receptors. Some people get it from exercise.

    NO. Particularly the bold. For starters, food does not have the same effect on the brain as alcohol. Additionally, you are mis-representing the results of the study which looked at food vs cocaine in rats; the study was poorly designed, and your conclusion from the results of the study is wrong. Additionally, food cravings and addiction are not the same, at all.

    OP, why not just not keep cookies in the house?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    It has become a habit for you so you have to slowly learn to make new habits, as someone else said, change your routine when you get back from gym, keep busy and if it is real hunger then eat someone nutritious/filling.
    Drinking water really helps imo.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Good thing you are addicted to food. Otherwise you would die.

    This compulsion to eat all the time could come from a variety of impulses. It pays to work this out. Knowing why you are doing it is the key to changing your behavior.

    Is it boredom eating? - find another activity to stimulate you
    Is it mindless eating? - force yourself to slow down and eat much more slowly. Portion out your snacks out to a cup at a time and drink a full glass of water in between.
    Are you seeking comfort after working out? - pick another comfort activity. I like to curl up under an electric blanket, or have a hot shower.
  • clhoward6
    clhoward6 Posts: 53 Member
    ClosetBayesian wrote: »

    NO. Particularly the bold. For starters, food does not have the same effect on the brain as alcohol. Additionally, you are mis-representing the results of the study which looked at food vs cocaine in rats; the study was poorly designed, and your conclusion from the results of the study is wrong. Additionally, food cravings and addiction are not the same, at all.

    OP, why not just not keep cookies in the house?

    I summarised very quickly one study. There are others. Many many others.

    There is evidence that addiction to certain foods is based in physiology not just psychology or environmental factors although these have influence too.

    I also didn't mean that food has the same intoxication effect at all I meant that it triggers the same happy hormones according to some studies as far as I have researched I apologise for not having done a PhD on the subject myself while sat at work this afternoon.
  • momo_t90
    momo_t90 Posts: 288 Member
    edited March 2016
    Certain foods do have an effect on the brain similar to substance abuse in that it releases dopamine. It's an effect on the reward system of the brain. It only effects certain people, and those people are addicted to types of foods. It's something that was hardwired into their brain. People's brains who are addicted to certain types of foods go through a different process than people who aren't addicted to those certain types of foods.
  • libramb02
    libramb02 Posts: 5 Member
    Speaking as someone who battles with healthy food choices and as a psychology professional who works with people with addiction I will say that while addiction to drugs and unhealthy eating habits are not the same, they are closely related. Specifically the thought processes that a drug addict has mimic the thought processes of those of us who have food issues.

    Anyway, I have found a multitude of ways to cope with my unhealthy relationship with food. For one I found myself using food as a reward for just about everything; I would even use food as a reward for losing weight. Now I try to replace that reward system with something that is just as rewarding (if not more) like a trip to the spa, mani/pedi, even a mid day nap (I personally love a good nap).

    When I grocery shop I would buy maybe 2-3 snacks for the week and they would be gone by Tuesday. Now I constantly have to remind myself that this is IT for the week, and I will not stop at the store on the way home for more snacks. This has helped with the nightly overeating routine that I had.

    One other thing that I am currently trying is replacing unhealthy foods with healthier options. I personally am obsessed with swedish fish which, as far as I know have absolutely NO nutritional value. I am currently trying to replace them with healthier foods like fruit.

    Something I believe will work against you is attempting to get rid of all the snacks at once. Cold turkey only sounds good to me when its on whole wheat bread with mayo and lettuce. Attempting to quit cold turkey often results in relapsing back into old habits. I would suggest eliminating the addictive foods one at a time, starting with the most favorite food item. It's not to say that you reintroduce this food back into your diet, but only after you have a gained a sense of self control.

    Lastly, therapy helps. Trust me and I'm not just saying that as a form of self promotion, but it definitely helps because the unhealthy relationship with food may be the result of some unresolved issues.

    Hope this helps. Best of luck to us all.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Many would benefit from reading this great thread regarding "food addiction".

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10226257/food-addiction-a-different-perspective/p1
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    clhoward6 wrote: »
    I also didn't mean that food has the same intoxication effect at all I meant that it triggers the same happy hormones according to some studies as far as I have researched I apologise for not having done a PhD on the subject myself while sat at work this afternoon.

    The latest research (~2002) on these "happy hormones" (dopamine) is that they are really the anticipation hormones; our drive to seek out and repeat a pleasurable experience.

    http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627302006037
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
    ClosetBayesian wrote: »
    clhoward6 wrote: »
    Actually food can have the same effect on the brain as alcohol and animal studies have shown that high sugar/high fat food surpasses cocaine as a reward. Its all about dopamine.

    Personally I think food is addictive particularly for those people who eat as a crutch for something else. It can be really hard to curb those cravings. If I crave something I try to have a small amount and maybe choose the less calorific version of what it is I really want, and incorporate it into my calories for the day. It might mean substituting rice for cauliflower at dinner or something, but its working for me at the moment.

    Find something else (something healthy) that triggers your dopamine receptors. Some people get it from exercise.

    NO. Particularly the bold. For starters, food does not have the same effect on the brain as alcohol. Additionally, you are mis-representing the results of the study which looked at food vs cocaine in rats; the study was poorly designed, and your conclusion from the results of the study is wrong. Additionally, food cravings and addiction are not the same, at all.

    OP, why not just not keep cookies in the house?


    I don't necessarily side with one side or the other but if you are disputing with credibility you should cite some sort of credible study. Just saying so yourself won't make it so.

    As for "addiction" I am not entirely sure what defines it. I'm very familiar with out of control eating, as many here can probably identify with. Weak will? I drink plenty of alcohol, enjoy it greatly, but I unquestionably am not addicted to it. I can go for months without missing or craving it. No matter how good a glass of cold beer or wine tastes, if there's a possibility that I need to drive soon I can easily not touch it.

    So, what's addiction and what's weak self control ?


  • LBuehrle8
    LBuehrle8 Posts: 4,044 Member
    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    ClosetBayesian wrote: »
    clhoward6 wrote: »
    Actually food can have the same effect on the brain as alcohol and animal studies have shown that high sugar/high fat food surpasses cocaine as a reward. Its all about dopamine.

    Personally I think food is addictive particularly for those people who eat as a crutch for something else. It can be really hard to curb those cravings. If I crave something I try to have a small amount and maybe choose the less calorific version of what it is I really want, and incorporate it into my calories for the day. It might mean substituting rice for cauliflower at dinner or something, but its working for me at the moment.

    Find something else (something healthy) that triggers your dopamine receptors. Some people get it from exercise.

    NO. Particularly the bold. For starters, food does not have the same effect on the brain as alcohol. Additionally, you are mis-representing the results of the study which looked at food vs cocaine in rats; the study was poorly designed, and your conclusion from the results of the study is wrong. Additionally, food cravings and addiction are not the same, at all.

    OP, why not just not keep cookies in the house?


    I don't necessarily side with one side or the other but if you are disputing with credibility you should cite some sort of credible study. Just saying so yourself won't make it so.

    As for "addiction" I am not entirely sure what defines it. I'm very familiar with out of control eating, as many here can probably identify with. Weak will? I drink plenty of alcohol, enjoy it greatly, but I unquestionably am not addicted to it. I can go for months without missing or craving it. No matter how good a glass of cold beer or wine tastes, if there's a possibility that I need to drive soon I can easily not touch it.

    So, what's addiction and what's weak self control ?


    Definitely have always wondered this too when it comes to food and binge eating.

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