I may be addicted to junk food

caroln3
caroln3 Posts: 217
edited October 1 in Motivation and Support
I may be addicted to processed and junk food. How can I wean myself successfully? I feel like the more I say I will stop eating the more I crave it and start feeling like I am out of control. Then I begin to feel ashamed and I don't like to feel guilty for eating anything.

Replies

  • bachooka
    bachooka Posts: 719 Member
    Make sure you are weaning yourself and not just trying to quit cold turkey. Although if that is what you are trying right now, you may need to completely eliminate it. Purge your pantry and cupboards of all of the junk in your house and don't buy more if you don't think you can handle not eating it.
  • CoCoMa
    CoCoMa Posts: 904 Member
    I too was/am a junk food addict, but since starting to eat healthier, cravings for bad foods are going away. If I were to eat them now, I would probably get physically ill!
  • emmaNEEDSskinny
    emmaNEEDSskinny Posts: 317
    arnt we all! :(
  • smashleymcgee
    smashleymcgee Posts: 135 Member
    Once you stop eating it as much you won't crave it. I cut out all processed sugars a few months ago (because I was getting massive headaches when my blood sugar would spike) and now I almost never want them. If anything I will have a sugar free candy once per day.

    I would also try and find healthier substitutes for what you are craving. If you want sugar, have a piece of fruit- try banana with peanut butter or a cup of berries sweetened with splenda. If you want salty snacks then I would look for the "low sodium" or "no added salt" variations.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    For me, I had to replace my favourite junk foods with something. I started drinking chocolate chili tea, ate skinny cow ice cream sandwiches (but not often at all), and dark chocolate for chocolate cravings. Chips I replaced with seaweed snacks. After about a month, I noticed that my taste buds changed and I no longer had those intense cravings. I know there are people on here who state that since this is a lifestyle change and not a "diet," then you shouldn't cut anything out entirely, and while that's probably true, I had to do it because I was out of control. Now I actually get a headache if I eat sugary candy bars (I still enjoy my ounce of dark chocolate!). And recently, I ate a cupcake that I used to love (it was a "treat" since I was on vacation...) and it didn't taste as good. For me, cutting those things out completely was necessary, but at first I had to replace them with something else to avoid binging.
  • Katbaran
    Katbaran Posts: 605 Member
    Start by only buying one, single serving bag of chips or whatever at once. One small, single serving pack of cookies. One cupcake. Whatever your craving/demon is. Then, after you've moved to single servings and are comfortable, eat HALF a single serving. It can be done. I just don't buy the stuff anymore and I really don't crave it often. I'm not saying I NEVER eat any junk, but it is rare when I do now. I guess I just don't want to spend the calories on junk when I can use them for real food.

    Good luck!
  • caroln3
    caroln3 Posts: 217
    Once you stop eating it as much you won't crave it. I cut out all processed sugars a few months ago (because I was getting massive headaches when my blood sugar would spike) and now I almost never want them. If anything I will have a sugar free candy once per day.

    I would also try and find healthier substitutes for what you are craving. If you want sugar, have a piece of fruit- try banana with peanut butter or a cup of berries sweetened with splenda. If you want salty snacks then I would look for the "low sodium" or "no added salt" variations.

    this is helpful, thank you
  • mampm1
    mampm1 Posts: 88
    Change the snacks. Replace the salty snacks with popcorn and nuts. I'm a fan of sunflower seed kernels because you seem to chew forever! That action makes you feel like you've "pigged out". Also, low fat microwave or air popped popcorn is a better way of snacking.

    Do yourself a favor: Before you reach for the next bag of whatever, turn it over and read the serving size and the calories and then multiply the number by what you have been eating and you will be surprised.

    Also, add more fresh fruit and veggies to your diet and drink, drink, drink more water! Best of luck to you.
  • caroln3
    caroln3 Posts: 217
    My favorite thing to eat was lays chips with tapatio salsa and lime juice and an ice cold cola. I need something to replace that with.
  • Chunkabutt83
    Chunkabutt83 Posts: 461
    Im not a clean eater, i still eat semi-junk food but just lower calorie versions, for example.... I eat fat free pringles, 100 calorie chex mix, 100 calorie milano cookies, weight watchers brand frozen yogurt bars. I find it easier to still eat some of this than to cut it out completely, its still better then chowin down on an entire bag of doritos!
  • surfrgrl1
    surfrgrl1 Posts: 1,464 Member
    I like my sweets that's for sure. One thing that has helped me is to look at mfp food logs. I get ideas from what my pals are eating, and sometimes I see that I'm not the only one with that nagging sweet tooth. I suggest making a calculated effort to cut back, by eating a little less than normal, or saying no to something that you are tempted to have, but trading it out and saying yes to something that is a little better for you. And when you recognize that you've made a better choice, make a big mental note of it. maybe even adding it to the notes section of your food journal to say, HEY this is what I did today, and I'm improving on how I eat!!!
  • PhoenixRising11
    PhoenixRising11 Posts: 245 Member
    If you continually tell yourself it's an addiction in my opinion you are more likely to not be able to take your mind of it.
    Tell yourself you aren't addicted to junk food you have just made the wrong choices in the past!
    From now on you have the CHOICE to eat or not to eat junk food. Educate yourself on everything unhealthy that junk food is and all the ways it damages your body and health. Soon enough you will actively choose to stay away from it and think that you don't need it and you don't want it!
    Your body and your health is much more important to you than 5 minutes of "delicious" junk or processed food.

    I still eat junk food every now and again but I do it in serious moderation. there is no need for me to eat that stuff now that I have educated myself more about food and nutrition that junk food just can't give me.

    You can do it. :)
  • caroln3
    caroln3 Posts: 217
    If you continually tell yourself it's an addiction in my opinion you are more likely to not be able to take your mind of it.
    Tell yourself you aren't addicted to junk food you have just made the wrong choices in the past!
    From now on you have the CHOICE to eat or not to eat junk food. Educate yourself on everything unhealthy that junk food is and all the ways it damages your body and health. Soon enough you will actively choose to stay away from it and think that you don't need it and you don't want it!
    Your body and your health is much more important to you than 5 minutes of "delicious" junk or processed food.

    I still eat junk food every now and again but I do it in serious moderation. there is no need for me to eat that stuff now that I have educated myself more about food and nutrition that junk food just can't give me.

    You can do it. :)

    I was trying not to use that word for the same reason, and I never realized how much processed and junk food I ate until now that I am logging all my food. I thought it would be easy to just stop eating it, but when I realized that I was out of control then I thought maybe I am in denial and I should admit this and maybe it would help.
  • PhoenixRising11
    PhoenixRising11 Posts: 245 Member
    By all means admit it to yourself if that is what you think it might be but don't hold onto it.
    If you give in and have some junk food you might say to yourself "well it's an addiction and I'm doing well"
    If it was me I would be more likely to succeed by saying "I made the choice to eat it and that's why it happened, nothing to do with being addicted."
    It depends what works for you I suppose! You can do it though and deep down you know you are stronger than all of this junk food. It's just lack of education and bad habits. :) I used to love cheescake and I still do, but I used to eat waaaaay too much of it.
    Now I think of it as a treat, I still eat it and when I do it's a conscious choice to do it and I'm happy about it, then I will say no to every cheesecake that comes my way until I decide I'm ok to have the next one.

    I suppose it could be compared to giving up smoking (which I have done) at first it was very hard and I admitted to myself that I MAY be addicted to it. Still every one I smoked was a choice by me to do so at the end of the day so I'm only sabotaging myself. It was nothing to do with the nicotine drawing me back each time. I believed in myself that I had control over it and eventually I realised I totally did!

    :) you know you can do it and you WILL do it! See how good that feels? :flowerforyou:
  • caroln3
    caroln3 Posts: 217
    By all means admit it to yourself if that is what you think it might be but don't hold onto it.
    If you give in and have some junk food you might say to yourself "well it's an addiction and I'm doing well"
    If it was me I would be more likely to succeed by saying "I made the choice to eat it and that's why it happened, nothing to do with being addicted."
    It depends what works for you I suppose! You can do it though and deep down you know you are stronger than all of this junk food. It's just lack of education and bad habits. :) I used to love cheescake and I still do, but I used to eat waaaaay too much of it.
    Now I think of it as a treat, I still eat it and when I do it's a conscious choice to do it and I'm happy about it, then I will say no to every cheesecake that comes my way until I decide I'm ok to have the next one.

    I suppose it could be compared to giving up smoking (which I have done) at first it was very hard and I admitted to myself that I MAY be addicted to it. Still every one I smoked was a choice by me to do so at the end of the day so I'm only sabotaging myself. It was nothing to do with the nicotine drawing me back each time. I believed in myself that I had control over it and eventually I realised I totally did!

    :) you know you can do it and you WILL do it! See how good that feels? :flowerforyou:

    thank you for all your encouraging words and you are right I have to make the choice not to eat that stuff. I need to believe in myself that I do have the control to make the choice I want to make at that time and that I can make the right choice for myself and happiness.
  • PhoenixRising11
    PhoenixRising11 Posts: 245 Member
    Exactly and you are welcome :flowerforyou:
    You know you have the strength to overcome your want for the junk and you can do it! Have faith and keep reminding yourself you deserve to be happy.
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