There have been many times where I have bought something, just knowing I was going to binge on it (buying it for that exact purpose), that I got home and threw it away. Not as often as I would like, but it has happened.
Has anyone else done this? Of course I have also dug it out of the trash (obviously it was in packaging) and ate it anyway. But if I truly decide to not binge on it, it cannot be in my house, so I have to do something to ruin the food and then throw it away outside.
At my worst, I have thrown it away, taken it to the big trash can outside and gone to get it later (packaged). I don't feel it's wasting my money to throw it away -- it was a waste of my money that I bought a binge food in the first place. To throw it away is worth it to me, to keep it from adding weight to my body and depression to myself. My mother will destroy food before she throws it away -- dish soap, running water over it, etc. I just don't bring anything into the house anymore that could be a possible binge -- there are snacks here for everyone else, but nothing I'm terribly interested in.
Much like what Shelby said, I believe you've ALREADY wasted the money by buying the food. Whether you throw it away or eat it has nothing to do with the money--it's a waste either way. You might as well throw it away so it doesn't end up in your arteries and on your hips
That's my take on it, anyway. Because of this, I try VERY hard not to buy anything I can't keep in the house without bingeing on. I have definitely thrown food away, and I do so by dumping it into the trash out of its packaging so I can't go back and take it out again later
Nope. My family members would throw a screaming fit if I did... So, unfortunately, there is junk everywhere, they bring hoards of the stuff into this house, and I have to see it all day. Ugh, I swear I would throw away the junk, it gets pretty stressful to have to move potato chips and cookies out of the way to get to my fruit.
It's weird because I mostly binge on Coke and candy/sweets. But just certain candy/sweets. My DH loves Twizzlers and they do nothing for me, so a package of those could sit around for months and not tempt me. Same for Hershey Kisses, M&M's things like that. I cannot control myself with Sour Patch Kids, Reese Cups, or Heath Bars to name a few. It's weird to me how some things I WILL NOT eat no matter what because they don't appeal to me. So how do certain things do the opposite?
I love ice cream, but ice cream bars I can't stand. Can definitely live without potato chips, cookies, cakes. I'm just weird I guess.
Last edited by queenofthehouse; 02-04-2008 at 11:41 AM.
I have 4 cats, so if I buy something bad I will clean the litter box and put the used litter into whatever I am throwing away. (If it's a bag of chips, I open it, put used kitty litter in it and throw it in the outside garbage). This way I KNOW I won't even think about eating it again. I have pretty much stopped buying bad foods though. I live alone, so it's a lot easier.
I'm sure it's very difficult when you live with others (roommates or at home with parents, etc.). I live with my fiance, and any junk food he wants, I make him bring it to work and keep in his office so he can still have it, but it's not in my house.
My biggest problem is eating what other people (my kids) have left on their plates. So I've taught them that when they bring their plates to the sink/counter for cleanup, to run water on it so I can't finish it. It is a waste, but it has helped ME tremendously.
I generally don't buy things that are not on the "list" so I know I will have healthy (or less bad) snacks for me. Therefore I haven't needed to throw unopened things out. Unfortunately, when my DH goes to the store (to help me with chores) he will buy soda/chips/cheese etc. I am super tempted by salty snacks.
I can't control other people, but I can control MY reactions to them.
Have I ever thrown food away? Oh yeah. Many, many, many times. The trash can is one of our best diet "aids" we've got.
Sure, it's a shame and wasteful. But it would be MORE of a shame and much more wasteful to actually eat food when not really hungry and then have to deal with the after affects of it. If it were a perfect world, I could just leave the stuff where it is - but it's not a perfect world and I am by no means perfect. I need to do whatever it is to keep myself healthy. That is a top priority for me and I will do whatever it takes.
Layri -- I keep the junk food in a separate cabinet, away from "my" stuff -- I know it's there, but do not have to constantly reach around it to make myself a sandwich, helps a bit -- because it's going to be here, there, everywhere and I have to get used to it.
Yep, I've already done it. I know I won't go and get it back from the trashcan, so it's a good solution for me when I feel I can't keep it in the apartment. The only time I ever retrieved something from the trashcan was when I accidentally threw away a pot of cinnamon (new and unopened) in place of the old pot I had just emptied. I won't put my hand in it for a pack of cookies, unopened or not, but cinnamon, that's heaven's manna. No kidding.
I really like that part about...You already wasted the money, so it's better in the garbage then on your hips. That's certainly a liberating way of thinking about it, that never really occured to me before.
A few days ago was the first time since acknowledging that I have a bingeing problem that I actually bought a food for the express intention of bingeing on it...before, it was more going grocery shopping, and then ending up eating all of something that I meant to portion out. I think in the past, I always really had the best of intentions to exercise willpower, and it didn't work.
With money so tight, I feel really guilty about buying the food, and about wasting it.
Do you ever throw food away?
and I have to get used to it.
when I feel like I'm just totally out of control.
