Struggling with a food addiction...
Options
KelseyABarbosa
Posts: 8 Member
Im 23 yrs old and I admit that I have a food addiction. I've brought it upon myself. As I sink further into my chair writing this I have no doubt that my behavior is addictive. I like food, a bit too much. I was always looking for a way to beat the system. How could I lose weight but still eat whatever I wanted? Isn't that the American dream?
On January 4th, starting at a whopping 280lbs, my little sister convinced me to start a weightless program Herbalife as she struggles with her weight also.
I lost 50lbs in 6 months and I enjoyed going to the gym. I thought I had finally beaten my food addiction. It was tough in the beginning because all I wanted to do was eat everything in front of me. A few weeks went by and I was receiving compliments and I was feeling better about myself. I wasn't thinking about food.
I've finally moved into a different section for work and my day now consists of sitting down on the computer all day, with the occasional stocking shelves and interacting with customers. But the snacking has started all over again. I found myself being a little too lenient with my food choices. In the beginning I said to myself, "its only one small bag of chips." I'm now back to eating about 1200 calories before 3pm all over again.
Theres nothing more petrifying to me than the thought of gaining all the weight back. I'm even thinking about joining a support group (assuming I can find one close to me). I guess im just writing this in hopes that it will trigger some "a-haa" moment but I don't know.
Is there anyone else struggling with me?
On January 4th, starting at a whopping 280lbs, my little sister convinced me to start a weightless program Herbalife as she struggles with her weight also.
I lost 50lbs in 6 months and I enjoyed going to the gym. I thought I had finally beaten my food addiction. It was tough in the beginning because all I wanted to do was eat everything in front of me. A few weeks went by and I was receiving compliments and I was feeling better about myself. I wasn't thinking about food.
I've finally moved into a different section for work and my day now consists of sitting down on the computer all day, with the occasional stocking shelves and interacting with customers. But the snacking has started all over again. I found myself being a little too lenient with my food choices. In the beginning I said to myself, "its only one small bag of chips." I'm now back to eating about 1200 calories before 3pm all over again.
Theres nothing more petrifying to me than the thought of gaining all the weight back. I'm even thinking about joining a support group (assuming I can find one close to me). I guess im just writing this in hopes that it will trigger some "a-haa" moment but I don't know.
Is there anyone else struggling with me?
5
Replies
-
KelseyABarbosa wrote: »Im 23 yrs old and I admit that I have a food addiction. I've brought it upon myself. As I sink further into my chair writing this I have no doubt that my behavior is addictive. I like food, a bit too much. I was always looking for a way to beat the system. How could I lose weight but still eat whatever I wanted? Isn't that the American dream?
On January 4th, starting at a whopping 280lbs, my little sister convinced me to start a weightless program Herbalife as she struggles with her weight also.
I lost 50lbs in 6 months and I enjoyed going to the gym. I thought I had finally beaten my food addiction. It was tough in the beginning because all I wanted to do was eat everything in front of me. A few weeks went by and I was receiving compliments and I was feeling better about myself. I wasn't thinking about food.
I've finally moved into a different section for work and my day now consists of sitting down on the computer all day, with the occasional stocking shelves and interacting with customers. But the snacking has started all over again. I found myself being a little too lenient with my food choices. In the beginning I said to myself, "its only one small bag of chips." I'm now back to eating about 1200 calories before 3pm all over again.
Theres nothing more petrifying to me than the thought of gaining all the weight back. I'm even thinking about joining a support group (assuming I can find one close to me). I guess im just writing this in hopes that it will trigger some "a-haa" moment but I don't know.
Is there anyone else struggling with me?
Hi. I just wanted to say that I’m in the same boat. Food has always been my addiction. From an early age. So I totally get where you are coming from. I have just recently gotten myself back on track but it hasn’t been easy. I don’t think it’s meant to be. I finally got fed up with making the same dumb decisions and felt like I had a dark future of health problems if I did not change. You can do it, we all can. Push yourself and don’t give up! I have to tell myself this constantly.1 -
Hey! Meee tooo! But I comfort eat! And literally dont know how to stop it😐1
-
50lbs is a lot to lose in 6 months! So firstly well done.
Do you bring these snacks into work with you? Or are they available to buy at work?
Could you meal prep healthy salads and such the night before and take that to work with you, along with low calorie snacks?
Also how much water do you tend to drink.
I found when I started eating at a deficit al o could think of was food, but now my body is used to eating less I don’t crave more (not every day anyway) could you reduce by 100 cals per week until you’re at your recommended intake?
So for example if your tecommended is 1200, and you’re eating 1600, could you reduce it to 1500 then 1400 etc to let your body adjust to the deficit.
You’ve worked hard to get where you are now, unfortunately that does not mean you can stop now!
You can’t get a job and work work work and then after a while think “oh well I’ve worked hard for a year so I’ll slack a bit now” you’d get sacked eventually!
So don’t do that to your body! If you wouldn’t do that to your employer!
Just keep it steady, keep it conistent!
Do NOT give up now!
You’ve got this, you fell off the wagon a bit but there’s no reason you can’t get back on!
Start tomorrow!4 -
1) If you feel you are truly addicted to food, you need a therapist. Compulsive overeating is just as bad as compulsive undereating.
2) You need to realize (and it is not as easy as it sounds) that you have ultimate control and are responsible for what you do or do not eat. Too many people like to blame everything, but themselves for weight gain. Unless you are being force fed, it's our own decisions.
3) My personal AH-HA moment came after nearly a decade of dieting (and failing every time). Diets don't work, not long term. Almost any diet will work while on them, it's when you stop that the weight comes back. I had to slowly relearn how to eat. That being "full" is not what you're supposed to feel...just satisfied. That there are no "bad" foods (eliminating stuff is what triggered binges). It took almost 2 years to reset my brain into a healthy lifestyle.
5 -
We are humans so I guess you could say we are all addicted to food being that we need it to live.
Going on fad diets and multi level marketing scams isn't the way to Long term success. It'll just lead you down the rabbit hole.
If you want lasting success, you'll have to actually work for it. Learning portion control and moderation helped set me up for long term success. Things like multi level marketing scams won't do any good for the long term.4 -
100_PROOF_ wrote: »We are humans so I guess you could say we are all addicted to food being that we need it to live.
Going on fad diets and multi level marketing scams isn't the way to Long term success. It'll just lead you down the rabbit hole.
If you want lasting success, you'll have to actually work for it. Learning portion control and moderation helped set me up for long term success. Things like multi level marketing scams won't do any good for the long term.
^This, exactly.
You can not survive without food and water, so it is pretty much something everyone has to do.
Focus on moderation, correct serving sizes (weigh and measure everything).
Stay within your calorie budget, less calories consumed than burned for weight loss, same calories consumed as burned for maintaining weight, and consume more calories than you burn for gaining weight.
Barring no medical issues, its works for everyone.
4 -
Ohhhh, boy! You are singing my song, practically note for note! First of all, give yourself a big pat on the back for your 50 pound loss. That's no small feat, so be very proud of yourself.
I agree with much of what everyone else is saying here. Unlike giving up other things like drugs or alcohol, we need food to survive. It's a tight rope to walk as we figure it all out.
I've been addicted to food for a very long time. I have a "relationship" with food. Sometimes an intimate relationship - like when I just want to be alone to enjoy my third bowl of ice cream, without being watched or having to engage in a conversation with someone.
This is how I see it. For me, food IS an addiction. It's just like alcohol, drugs, gambling, or sex - any of those addictions can ruin you, or even take your life. When I'm in the throws of passion with my food (let's say ice cream, this time), nothing else matters as I consume it. Afterwards, I feel the same thing the drug addict feels - regret, remorse, embarrassment, disgust, sorrow, hopelessness, to name a few. I make deals with myself. Promises that I'll never do it again. Promises I can't keep. And I make excuses. Eventually I put it out of my mind. Until the next time.
I've done some diets. Not many, but some in the last 30 years. Most of them will work. They will. For as long as you're on them. But that's not realistic, and it's taken me this long to figure that out. Today, I'm in the process of making a Lifestyle Change (capitalization necessary because it's *that* important). I'm not on a "diet" and I have no interest in going on one. It just doesn't work for me. I need to figure out WHY I over-indulge. WHY I binge. WHY I make excuses and rationalize every poor food choice. I imagine many a drug addict has asked the same questions. For me, this goes much deeper than food for nourishment. Now I'm looking at what leads me to food. Am I hungry? Do I even know what hunger feels like? Maybe I'm bored, or angry, or I'm celebrating something (oh, those celebrations!). My relationship with food will never end. But I can set healthy boundaries for myself and practice self-care along the way - just as I do with my other relationships.
Your a-haa moment is out there somewhere. Keep pushing forward! 0 -
KelseyABarbosa wrote: »Im 23 yrs old and I admit that I have a food addiction. I've brought it upon myself. As I sink further into my chair writing this I have no doubt that my behavior is addictive. I like food, a bit too much. I was always looking for a way to beat the system. How could I lose weight but still eat whatever I wanted? Isn't that the American dream?
On January 4th, starting at a whopping 280lbs, my little sister convinced me to start a weightless program Herbalife as she struggles with her weight also.
I lost 50lbs in 6 months and I enjoyed going to the gym. I thought I had finally beaten my food addiction. It was tough in the beginning because all I wanted to do was eat everything in front of me. A few weeks went by and I was receiving compliments and I was feeling better about myself. I wasn't thinking about food.
I've finally moved into a different section for work and my day now consists of sitting down on the computer all day, with the occasional stocking shelves and interacting with customers. But the snacking has started all over again. I found myself being a little too lenient with my food choices. In the beginning I said to myself, "its only one small bag of chips." I'm now back to eating about 1200 calories before 3pm all over again.
Theres nothing more petrifying to me than the thought of gaining all the weight back. I'm even thinking about joining a support group (assuming I can find one close to me). I guess im just writing this in hopes that it will trigger some "a-haa" moment but I don't know.
Is there anyone else struggling with me?
0 -
elliejayneday132 wrote: »Hey! Meee tooo! But I comfort eat! And literally dont know how to stop it😐
Yes girl! Comfort eating is the worst. I wish you the best of luck in this life long struggle.
0 -
50lbs is a lot to lose in 6 months! So firstly well done.
Do you bring these snacks into work with you? Or are they available to buy at work?
Could you meal prep healthy salads and such the night before and take that to work with you, along with low calorie snacks?
Also how much water do you tend to drink.
I found when I started eating at a deficit al o could think of was food, but now my body is used to eating less I don’t crave more (not every day anyway) could you reduce by 100 cals per week until you’re at your recommended intake?
So for example if your tecommended is 1200, and you’re eating 1600, could you reduce it to 1500 then 1400 etc to let your body adjust to the deficit.
You’ve worked hard to get where you are now, unfortunately that does not mean you can stop now!
You can’t get a job and work work work and then after a while think “oh well I’ve worked hard for a year so I’ll slack a bit now” you’d get sacked eventually!
So don’t do that to your body! If you wouldn’t do that to your employer!
Just keep it steady, keep it conistent!
Do NOT give up now!
You’ve got this, you fell off the wagon a bit but there’s no reason you can’t get back on!
Start tomorrow!
Hi! Meal prepping will be my next plan. As for water, I barely drink anything! Its so bad I know! I just hate drinking plain water. The problem is that I work in the food industry where temptation is all around me at all times. Thank you for your encouraging words.
0 -
1) If you feel you are truly addicted to food, you need a therapist. Compulsive overeating is just as bad as compulsive undereating.
2) You need to realize (and it is not as easy as it sounds) that you have ultimate control and are responsible for what you do or do not eat. Too many people like to blame everything, but themselves for weight gain. Unless you are being force fed, it's our own decisions.
3) My personal AH-HA moment came after nearly a decade of dieting (and failing every time). Diets don't work, not long term. Almost any diet will work while on them, it's when you stop that the weight comes back. I had to slowly relearn how to eat. That being "full" is not what you're supposed to feel...just satisfied. That there are no "bad" foods (eliminating stuff is what triggered binges). It took almost 2 years to reset my brain into a healthy lifestyle.
Hi! I do currently see a therapist for the anxiety that I struggle with. We talk about my food addiction too but she's not too specialized in that. I agree that many people blame everything else. Im just glad that I at least recognize that its my fault and im to blame. Thank you so much for your kind words and suggestions. I can do this!1 -
100_PROOF_ wrote: »We are humans so I guess you could say we are all addicted to food being that we need it to live.
Going on fad diets and multi level marketing scams isn't the way to Long term success. It'll just lead you down the rabbit hole.
If you want lasting success, you'll have to actually work for it. Learning portion control and moderation helped set me up for long term success. Things like multi level marketing scams won't do any good for the long term.
Hi! Exactly! Most people eat to live. However, I've been living to eat. If that makes any sense lol. I plan on getting off Herbalife to try and live a normal eating (clean eating) life. Thanks so much for your insights. I got this!0 -
missysippy930 wrote: »100_PROOF_ wrote: »We are humans so I guess you could say we are all addicted to food being that we need it to live.
Going on fad diets and multi level marketing scams isn't the way to Long term success. It'll just lead you down the rabbit hole.
If you want lasting success, you'll have to actually work for it. Learning portion control and moderation helped set me up for long term success. Things like multi level marketing scams won't do any good for the long term.
^This, exactly.
You can not survive without food and water, so it is pretty much something everyone has to do.
Focus on moderation, correct serving sizes (weigh and measure everything).
Stay within your calorie budget, less calories consumed than burned for weight loss, same calories consumed as burned for maintaining weight, and consume more calories than you burn for gaining weight.
Barring no medical issues, its works for everyone.
Hi! That makes tons of sense. Thank you so much for your suggestions.
0 -
I like to look at this picture for motivation.5 -
KelseyABarbosa wrote: »1) If you feel you are truly addicted to food, you need a therapist. Compulsive overeating is just as bad as compulsive undereating.
2) You need to realize (and it is not as easy as it sounds) that you have ultimate control and are responsible for what you do or do not eat. Too many people like to blame everything, but themselves for weight gain. Unless you are being force fed, it's our own decisions.
3) My personal AH-HA moment came after nearly a decade of dieting (and failing every time). Diets don't work, not long term. Almost any diet will work while on them, it's when you stop that the weight comes back. I had to slowly relearn how to eat. That being "full" is not what you're supposed to feel...just satisfied. That there are no "bad" foods (eliminating stuff is what triggered binges). It took almost 2 years to reset my brain into a healthy lifestyle.
Hi! I do currently see a therapist for the anxiety that I struggle with. We talk about my food addiction too but she's not too specialized in that. I agree that many people blame everything else. Im just glad that I at least recognize that its my fault and im to blame. Thank you so much for your kind words and suggestions. I can do this!
Well, as you are seeing a therapist and acknowledge your own power over yourself, you are already way ahead of most.
Find out what your maintenance calories are, write that down (recheck every 10lbs lost or so). Then set your goal to something you can do, some people can do a 2lb/week deficit and not "feel starved" and end up quitting, some cannot. Play with your deficit to find what suits you best.
The reason to write down your maintenance calories is for when you have a bad day and feel as if you should quit because you went way over calories. Check the calories you ate against your maintenance caloriers. More often than not, people will think they failed because they went 500 or 1000 caloriers over budget and let that stress get to them, but that isn't true if they are in a deficit for thier goal. Enough of a deficit means that eating 700 calories over - would still be a deficit compared to maintenance.
Remember: to lose weight all you need to do is eat at a deficit. There are no magic foods that cause weight gain or loss. Eat to lose weight, exercise for health. While exercise is not required, it is recommended to simply be healthier. You can do this.2 -
KelseyABarbosa wrote: »
I like to look at this picture for motivation.
Dont look at it for motivation, look at it and be proud. You've come a long way, and you looks just awesome.
To address what you started writing in the beginning, is that it is possible to be able to eat what ever you want, it's just a matter of how active you are. But that can be a dangerous path as well. I've been one of those types, who was working out 4-6 hours a day, and could eat whatever i wanted, then an injury came and my mindset was still on "eat eat eat", with the end result of a major weight gain in just 2 months.
I feel where you stand about comfort eating, I've been doing that as well my whole life, and it's a pain in the *kitten* to be honest, but with the right amount of activity and the right strategies it is possible to maintain a healthy weight you are pleased with.
A lot of the other replies have already stated a lot of things worth mentioning, but following could really be a game changer for you i think.Could you meal prep healthy salads and such the night before and take that to work with you, along with low calorie snacks?
Make a large box of carrot sticks once a week and put water in the container. That will keep them fresh, and ready to eat, and can last for days. Also easy to put a few in a bag when your leaving. For me radishes and sugar snaps have been a real life saver and a real treat when needed.
Salads can be dull to some people, so learn to experiment with spices and make your own "sauce" for it, with some healthy oils. We have a certain name for mixtures like that in Denmark, but I'm not sure what it's called where you are, so sauce was the best word I could find.
The problem about hating drinking plain water is easy to fix, and there are many variations. Boil a cup of water and make a cup of tea like you usually would. Then mix that cup of tea with ice cold water. Voila ice tea. Pick a dark tea for best results. From time to time when you need it sweet, just ad a pinch of sugar to the boiling mixture. I've managed to make fantastic ice tea with only 25kcal in 1L of fluid. Taken you should have an intake of 2L a day, that only adds up to 50kcal. It helped me a lot getting over my problem when i got tired of water. If the ice tea taste is super dull, you might need to buy better quality tea, that makes a big difference. Do notice, some teas get bitter when they are stored too long.
You could also experiment with lime and citrus fruits. 1 -
KelseyABarbosa wrote: »50lbs is a lot to lose in 6 months! So firstly well done.
Do you bring these snacks into work with you? Or are they available to buy at work?
Could you meal prep healthy salads and such the night before and take that to work with you, along with low calorie snacks?
Also how much water do you tend to drink.
I found when I started eating at a deficit al o could think of was food, but now my body is used to eating less I don’t crave more (not every day anyway) could you reduce by 100 cals per week until you’re at your recommended intake?
So for example if your tecommended is 1200, and you’re eating 1600, could you reduce it to 1500 then 1400 etc to let your body adjust to the deficit.
You’ve worked hard to get where you are now, unfortunately that does not mean you can stop now!
You can’t get a job and work work work and then after a while think “oh well I’ve worked hard for a year so I’ll slack a bit now” you’d get sacked eventually!
So don’t do that to your body! If you wouldn’t do that to your employer!
Just keep it steady, keep it conistent!
Do NOT give up now!
You’ve got this, you fell off the wagon a bit but there’s no reason you can’t get back on!
Start tomorrow!
Hi! Meal prepping will be my next plan. As for water, I barely drink anything! Its so bad I know! I just hate drinking plain water. The problem is that I work in the food industry where temptation is all around me at all times. Thank you for your encouraging words.
I was a non drinker in March and in April I did a 8 glasses a day challenge.
I’ve now mastered it into a habit!
But it’s caused my skin to break out in spots atm whilst it must be getting some deeeeeeep dirt out of my face but it’s starting to look clearer!
Im not much of a water drinker myself, but I figured that i can gulp down 1 cup of water in 5 big gulps. So I know I only have to count to 5.
I do that twice, four times a day LOL some crazy method for just drinking water but it works for me!
And if I’m reallllllly not feeling the plain water I add some sugar free cordial which is like 4 calories?
Once you get to your 5th glass the last 3 are easy!0 -
I can totally relate to food addiction. It's definitely an emotional game. The sad part is I'm an alcohol/drug counselor so I should know better but it's difficult to fix yourself without help. I recently started reading a book called Life is Hard, Food is Easy by Linda Spangle and I have to say it's been very informational and encouraging. I did try an OA meeting once, I found it to be too extreme for me but that may have just been the group in my area. As with any addiction we need support, self-love, and new, healthy coping skills, not only to fight the cravings but to also deal with life in general. We deserve to be healthy!!0
-
Maybe that's because food addiction isn't a thing, just a product of your anxiety paired with sensationalist articles and TV shows?KelseyABarbosa wrote: »I do currently see a therapist for the anxiety that I struggle with. We talk about my food addiction too but she's not too specialized in that.
Why not stop the blame game altogether? You have the resources available to fix your relationship with food, so you have a responsibility to do it, if you want to do it.I agree that many people blame everything else. Im just glad that I at least recognize that its my fault and im to blame.
Healthy people choose food they like, and enjoy it, in moderation, without guilt.KelseyABarbosa wrote: »Most people eat to live. However, I've been living to eat. If that makes any sense lol.
Clean eating means so many different things that it doesn't have a real meaning - most of all it's a restrictive way of eating and thinking about food, and thus counterproductive to having a healthy/normal diet and living a healthy/normal life.I plan on getting off Herbalife to try and live a normal eating (clean eating) life.5 -
There is nothing wrong with liking food. I really REALLY like food. I also keep looking for ways to enjoy whatever I want while losing weight. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Thinking that there is something wrong with you for liking food may be contributing to your anxiety and negative feelings around food. Placing extra restrictions on yourself (like whatever your version of clean eating is) may make things worse. Not being able to have the things you like is a huge and unnecessary commitment. My personal moto is: whatever makes dieting easier. If clean eating helps you diet happily without feeling deprived or anxious then so be it, otherwise, it isn't worth it. You CAN eat whatever you like and still lose weight.
Diet MLM schemes don't teach you much other than how to open your wallet, so you struggle to maintain that loss. Instead of being strict or lenient with your food, you could just strive to be reasonable. Before eating something, think about the taste, the calories, and the aftermath. If the taste is worth the calories and is so amazing that you're willing to deal with the aftermath (that is, eating lower calorie meals or exercising or something), then it's 100% worth it.
Example:
Yesterday I had planned a McDonald's meal for lunch in advance. I meticulously planned my whole day around it by planning my breakfast and dinner to be low calorie but satisfying, leaving just enough calories for McDonald's. It sounded like something I wanted when I planned it, but as lunchtime approached, I realized I didn't really want it. I was craving something fresh, and I really wanted to have fruits, a large bowl with a large variety of fruits. Having McDonald's would not allow me to have that, so I just made baked fish and oven roasted potatoes and vegetables for lunch and was able to have my fruits. I didn't say no because I felt guilty, I said no because it didn't feel worth it that day. There were days when it was worth it, and I enjoyed every single time.
Your problem is not food addiction, but poor planning. Impulse eating can be damaging to dieting if it happens often. You'll find yourself spending a whole lot of time trying to make up for things you ate mindlessly when a lot of the time they aren't worth it.5
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 392K Introduce Yourself
- 43.6K Getting Started
- 259.8K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.7K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 401 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.8K Motivation and Support
- 7.9K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.4K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 996 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.4K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions