First of all I wasn't sure if I should post this here or in general chatter, having said this here goes:
Oprah's show today was on women who have had weight loss surgery and have lost a lot of weight quickly. These women including Carie Wilson, went on to have other "addictions" after losing their weight. 3 were alcoholics and one was a sex addict as well as an alcoholic.
And naturally she had on a psychologist who says these women never dealt with the issues of why they were so overweight in the first place and so they traded one addiction (food) for another. Of course they later on said this can just as easily happen to women who have lost weight the old-fashioned way, as I think most of us here are doing, myself included.
Now I've thought about my weight endlessly for the past 20 years and I think I pretty much know where it stems from. You know the usual stuff, molested as a kid and so on and so on. I never per se confronted the abuser and all as I didn't and still don't think that is necessary and it absolutely will never happen and yes I still hold a lot of anger for it taking place and anger at my mom for not taking better care of me and blah, blah, blah. So is knowing where it came from dealing with it?
Then of course there's this weird thing about me that I gained majority of my weight as soon as I got engaged. When I met my hubby I was about 129 and I steadily got heavier and heavier ever since. Part of me thinks this was to stop me from being promiscuous as I was getting into a commited relationship. I know that people who have been molested many times are promiscuous and that was the case with me, but thankfully not terribly if that makes any sense? I can't help but wonder if like the girl on Oprah who became a sex addict because she loved all that new found attention, what I will do with that attention. And it's crossed my mind before as I tried to figure out where all this weights come from. But I absolutely adore my husband to pieces and my family and there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that I would EVER do to jeopardize that. This man has loved and adored me at 129 lbs and 287 lbs. But the show did get me thinking....
Just wondering what your thoughts are on this? And does anyone know anything of trading one "addiction" for another. And how are any of you having a "hard time" dealing with your weight loss, if that's not too personal? I just thought it would be a good conversation starter.
Well thanks for reading this looong post.
Last edited by rockinrobin; 10-24-2006 at 07:41 PM.
Oh wow this is a great question! I am almost at a loss of what to say but want to give you a I am almost wondering what my new addiction "could" be. I also get scared about the attention thing too for reasons of which you said. I have lost weight since being with my spouse though. I think I gained weight to protect myself and I feel like I finally found my protector. I am interested to see what other people have to say about this. I am very loyal I do know this and I will never cheat on hubby. Hopefully just knowing that I look great will be enough "boost" for me!
I saw the show today. I have pondered these same questions. Since reaching goal, I haven't turned to alcohol, drugs or sex to fulfill my addictive need. I sure hope I never do. The only problem I have with my weight loss, is still seeing myself as heavier than I actually am. I know that while I was obese, I was very depressed. It was a vicious cycle, I'd eat because I was depressed and get more depressed because of my weight. Everyone that knows me says I am happier and much easier to get along with now. This show had me worried too. Are we really getting rid of our addiction or just trading it for another? I like to think that there are a lot of people who lose weight and keep it off without having further problems as a result. Since I already have liver problems, any alcohol would kill me. I take so many meds now that I surely would never try illegal drugs. Can't see myself becoming a nymphomaniac at 46 yrs. old. I think my food addiction has been traded for an addiction of posting here at 3FC's. yep, I can live with this.
I'm wondering if I would ever get addicted to exercise... I've always hated it, but am sloooowwwwllllyyyy been having a turn around... That would be a better addiction, I think!
First of all, I'm real sorry to hear about your liver problems and all the meds that you are taking.
The depression/weight thing is definitely a vicious cycle that I'm sure many of us know all to well. And I also think that the past few years the overeating was in part due to just habit. I also know for me there is nooo way I would ever turn to alcohol, or drugs or sex. But I was indeed thinking what could be the new addiction for me. But let me tell you you have eased my mind - I laughed when I saw that you wrote the only addiction you traded for was posting on 3fc, that seems to be the way I am headed as well, worse things I can think of - this suits me just fine. Thanks for your input. I always enjoy reading your posts.
Besides food, my other "lovey" is shopping. Under the right conditions I can get the same buzz from retail therapy as from warm chocolate chip cookies and milk. This is why I don't go out for lunch. Since I don't want to go to a restaurant to eat, I would use that time to spend money on shopping instead. So during these last few months, I have brown bagged and stayed in for lunch.
Thanks fed-up, this is an interesting topic and thanks for starting it.
Kateful, I could definitely go over-board on the shopping now, but I can't afford to. I have bought a lot of clothes and have gotten a lot from friends and family that they can no longer wear. If I ever win the lotto, I'll need a storage building to hold all my clothes, I'll shop so much. LOL
Wyllen, I'd like to think that I'm addicted to exercise, but it hasn't happened for me yet either.
Actually excessive shopping is something I have a bit of a problem with as well. I definitely get a "buzz" when I make a purchase and I definitely spend way over my means. Credit cards are not our friends.
Now, exercise that would be a good one, hey you never know stranger things have been known to happen.
I think my food addiction has been traded for an addiction of posting here at 3FC's.
Me too! I actually have to force myself to limit the time I spend here or I'd spend all day reading and posting messages.
I only caught half the Oprah episode but my first (unhealthy) thought was to wonder how Carie Wilson fit all that alcohol into her diet. Seriously, she said she drank a bottle of wine and ten martinis a day! I've had to practically eliminate alcohol almost entirely from my diet. I wish I could drink even just one glass of wine day. (Plus, with cutting out alcohol and my lower body weight, 2 glasses of wine and I'm completely snockered--I'd be passed out before I could finish an entire bottle, not too mention 10 martinis...but I suppose if I were to work up to it slowly). I don't know, maybe she didn't eat anything all day.
Glad you posted this question! I was wondering what everyone watching thought about it. My question is...do you have to have something deep seated wrong to be obese? I don't know what mine is!!! I grew up learning unhealthy eating habits. Food was a reward, it was comfort, it was something social to do. But, I don't remember anything bad happening to me to spur it. What do you think? I'm guessing a gardening and decorating addict, if I had to replace it. Maybe if I got my rear into that garden more, I could lose a few lbs!!!!
I also wonder the same thing katiesmom! I grew up with healthy role models, eating whole foods, no fast food, no take out. Food was nourishment, exercise was something we did for fun. I think perhaps I've just gotten lazy and offtrack with what I want with my life, and gained the weight from "snoozing" through my life.
As for trading in for a new addiction. Sometimes I feel like I'm obsessed with counting calories and eating good foods.. so my food addiction? Not gone, just changed.
Bluetoblue: I kept saying the same thing to my daughter, how could she have lost so much weight drinking all that alcohol - it's so high in calories and I don't know if you saw the part where they showed you that once you've had gastric bypass it reaches the bloodstream so much quicker than normal and therefore you do get affected much quicker - real scary to me.
Katiesmom: I really do think bad and unhealthy eating habits growing up is a reason enough to be overweight. Bad habits are hard to break. And by the way I also love to decorate and was quite obsessed with it for awhile a few years back. I always thought that one of the reasons I was so into it was because I couldn't buy myself nice clothing, so I bought nice stuff for my home.
Swimgirl: You do sound like you had the right stuff growing up nutrition wise. It's just so darn easy to fall off track. And I know what you mean about being obsessed with counting calories and eating healthy foods, I'm only doing this a short time and I am already consumed with it.
Maybe Oprah should have us all on and we could talk about it for an hour or so and show them all what some healthy addictions are. I wouldn't mind a free trip to Chicago and I'd love to be on her show!!!
I don't consider myself addicted to food. Any food. Sure, I joke about it sometimes ("addicted to chocolate; chocoholic" etc.) but I don't see how someone can be addicted to something they ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE in order to LIVE. So yeah, chocolate isn't NECESSARY to live. But FOOD itself, IS. Alcohol isn't NECESSARY to live. Neither is cocaine, sex, gambling, shopping (well, maybe shopping, LOL!) etc. So I don't consider myself addicted to food, therefore I cannot trade "one addiction for another."
I know why I am overweight. Many times I eat too much because the food is THAT GOOD (like Thanksgiving, for instance). Sometimes I eat too much because I'm bored. Sometimes I am depressed, sometimes I am busy (mindless eating while working), etc. But the MAIN reason I overeat is because I eat TOO FAST. My stomach doesn't have time to register I'M FULL & I just keep shoveling it in. PORTION CONTROL is a big ol boogey-man to me, as well as "I better eat now because I might not have the chance to later..."
I think a lot of people say they're addicted to food because they really AREN'T facing certain demons in their lives; skeletons in their closets... by being "fat" some people keep others at a distance, therefore eating more & more to "climb inside themselves to hide". I'm sure there are a dozenillion excuses out there. We all have our monsters.
Being overweight is different for everyone, yet the same. 30 lbs, 50 lbs, 150 lbs, etc. But I sincerely believe that people who are severely obese, such as 500, 600, 700 lbs are definitely NOT dealing with something else in their life. And I simply cannot imagine living like that; not being able to move, or get out of a chair by yourself, or climb a flight of stairs. I'm just 30 or 40 pounds overweight, and I get winded climbing a flight of stairs! And it truly saddens me to know that there are people out there who literally cannot get off their couch. Then I start thinking "well, you goofball! you CAN get off the couch!!!! - so DO IT! get off the couch! Go on now! GO! -Go to the gym! work that butt off! You've done it before, you can do it again! WHAT IS STOPPING YOU????" (right now it's an injury, but you know what I mean!!!)
Somehow, being overweight shadows all my other "life struggles." I wonder why THAT is?
And by the way I also love to decorate and was quite obsessed with it for awhile a few years back. I always thought that one of the reasons I was so into it was because I couldn't buy myself nice clothing, so I bought nice stuff for my home.
Fed up, that's it!!! Since I think I don't look good in ANYTHING, I make my home look good. Looking at it in print is pathetic, but it is the truth! I am working toward me looking as good as my house.
Did anyone see Oprah today?
I am almost wondering what my new addiction "could" be. I also get scared about the attention thing too for reasons of which you said. I have lost weight since being with my spouse though. I think I gained weight to protect myself and I feel like I finally found my protector. I am interested to see what other people have to say about this. I am very loyal I do know this and I will never cheat on hubby. Hopefully just knowing that I look great will be enough "boost" for me!
