Food Addicts Support
 

If you are like me, you're already discovering that you have addiction issues with certain foods. This thread is for mutual support, sharing ideas, tips, experiences, struggles, victories, resources such as favorite books, etc.
All too often, the threads around this topic develop into debates about whether or not there is such a thing. With all due respect, I invite those who would like to express their opinions about whether food addictions are real to post on the many relevant threads already up and running. Thanks :)

This is a great idea, mars735! I agree that this thread should just be for support. After all, we already have so much to deal with, the last thing we need is to have to defend our views.

Over the years, I've discovered that I'm addicted to sugar and flour. I do have one fruit a day but that's it. I can't even handle dried fruit or frozen grapes. I was in denial for a very long time. I kept trying to have things in moderation and I would gain and lose the same 50-70 lbs. more times than I can remember.

I've now been getting support at OA (Overeaters Anonymous) and it has been a life saver. I attend meetings three times a week and also listen to phone meetings if I can't get to a meeting. I also have people that I call every day, as well as when I need support. I've read many books but nothing has seemed to help me as much as the combination of abstaining from foods I can't manage and embracing the OA program.

I'm not trying to motivate anyone to join OA. I'm just sharing what I"m doing and what I find helpful.

I look forward to reading more posts from other members who find that they're addicted to food.

Welcome luckymommy :wave: Thanks for jumping in! I'd love to hear whatever you'd like to post about OA. It sounds like very effective support. Your ticker indicates you are getting near goal--congratulations!

I'm similar to you--addicted to refined sugar mostly. I also watch my fruits carefully & avoid flour. After 7 months of low cal, lo carb, lo fat, I've become more aware of how foods make me feel and those things send me into orbit. Sugar is what causes cravings, though.

I've had plenty of minor lapses and reboots--vacation, social, stress, etc. I thought this was going to be my long term plan. But now I think I might consider stopping altogether once and for all. Insidious how relapses creep up: it seems so manageable to have these things every now & then. Then WHAMMO, 15 lbs are back along with cravings and hunger for more, more, more.

A question: how do you do with artificially sweetened things, if you have them? :dizzy:

I feel for you and appreciate the congratulations and welcome! YOu're also incredibly close to goal, so a huge congratulations to you as well! :)

I don't consume artificial sweetener, but I do use stevia. Whole Foods has a stevia with vanilla in it that I put over my morning oatmeal (along with cinnamon). I do have one shot of espresso in the morning that I sweeten with Stevia as well. I've read that artificial sweeteners are very harmful. Luckily, I'm ok with stevia's flavor (although you have to find the one that works for you since not all of them are the same) but if I wasn't, I just wouldn't sweeten with anything at all.

With regards to wanting more, more and more...someone at an OA meeting said the following: if they come up with a one time diet pill that lets you eat whatever you want and not gain weight for the rest of your life, OA members would want more than just one. For us, it's never enough. We always want more. It helps me to plan my meals in advance and I end up eating almost the same things every day. I still enjoy food but I'm not as tempted by too many exotic flavors. Honestly, my life is so much better because before I got started, I was on a downwards spiral with nothing but dread and misery running my life.

The other thing I should add is that this is a re-start for me. I've been abstinent for over 90 days and before that, I was in the process of gaining all my weight back and then some, probably. I got really sick of the loss and gain yo-yo endless cycle. That's why I knew I had to do something different and I needed to find the level of support that I require. This website is fantastic, but it's just not enough for me. I've been learning how to live in a state of acceptance and to not try to control the world around me. What I can control is very minimal compared to what I can't...but I'm probably going on and on now, so I apologize.

It's really nice to meet you and feel free to ask me any questions you might have.

Thanks so much luckymommy & so nice to meet you too!!! I hope you'll continue to post. You've made a genuine commitment to changing. I think that's key to keeping a healthy WOE. For me, losing weight has been like getting out of jail. I have a lifetime of yoyoing behind me so I sure can't kid myself about needing to be vigilant, always.

Btw, everything you wrote fits me to a T. I'm happiest eating a consistent & pre-planned diet day to day, and do best with things that taste 'good but not too good.' Thanks for the sweetener info, too--something I need to work on.

I do best on low carb as far as keeping hunger in check. Unfortunately on low carb, I become moody and not so clear-headed. I think exercise has been helpful, but it can hard to fit in so hope to figure out the carb balance.

Although it's hard work, it sure beats the alternative that you've described so well.

I also have categories of foods that trigger me to spiral out of control. BUt I have been in control since january 2014 and my life has improved. I will always be an addict, but so what! I did not choose to be an addict therefore avoiding the foods that set me off is an act of kindness I give myself. It is not deprival or punishment. It is out of love for my health that I have walked away from my trigger foods.

mars735, sounds like finding the carb balance would be awesome for you. Any chance it could be fat missing from your diet? Just a thought. I think having low carb and low fat is a tough combo, but it's just a hunch and I could be way off. I'm glad you're looking into it though. Another thought I'm having is with regards to yeast. When we eat low carb/low sugar, there's a die off of yeast that happens and that can cause some fogginess. I've read this on some healthy sites, but don't recall which one. It may sound ridiculous and it very well maybe, but I thought I'd throw it out there. ;)

lucindaarrowspark, you're absolutely right. Avoiding our triggor foods is an act of kindness towards ourselves. I never thought I'd be able to live without those foods...I remember buying horrible foods (I won't mention which ones, so as not to triggor anyone) and not being able to get home to have them. I'd shove them into my mouth in the car and when I was at a red light, I'd stop because I didn't want other drivers to see me binging. The thoughts weren't exactly rational at the time.

The best part is I no longer feel at the mercy of these foods. I still have urges/cravings, but most of the time, I'm not even tempted. I have never said that in my entire life. I always used to white knuckle it and I could only last for so long. Another benefit has been discovering just how unhealthy my triggor foods are so I actually feel better knowing that I'm extending my life, rather than shortening it (not to mention the quality of life issue).

Wow thank-you thank- thank-you luckymommy! Are you my long lost ideantical twin or what?? : )
My fat intake was so restricted during weight loss that I developed a condition called dry eye which finally is getting me to include fats. That may correct some of the other issues, too. It's funny how hard it is to add even small amounts now, except when the addiction takes over and I eat all the crap you alluded to. Your idea couldn't come at a better time.

I'm fascinated by the yeast idea. Do you mean sugar-dependent yeast cells that I am colonized with? I'll do some googling. Thanks for that.

I agree with your comment about lucindaarrowspark's profound post, which is a paradigm shifter for me: it's IS a gift of kindness. The deprivation, for me anyway, is perhaps a response to underlying self-neglect. I learned this recently dealing with illness in the family. The less I took care of myself, the more I wanted to eat those unhealthy foods. Before, I labeled that kind of eating as the root of self-neglect. Maybe it's the reaction to it, and starts up a self-perpetuating cycle.

mars735, we may very well be identical twins! ;) It's really nice to chat with someone who *gets* it.

With ******s to yeast, I've read that they colonize in the gut and feed off sugar. People who have a white film on their tongue are thought to have an issue, but I'm not sure if absence of this means you don't have it. Antibiotic use obviously increases yeast. I kind of think (just a hunch) that yeast increases the drive to consume carbs/sugar because the die off is very unpleasant. Having fermented foods like raw sauerkraut and kimchee is supposed to help with this, and I've read about young coconut kefir that you make at home. It's a lot to go through so people who follow this type of eating are usually ones who are very motivated.

Interesting that you're adding fats but sorry to hear about the dry eye condition. I like nuts and avocado but I do have a hard time adding them in because psychologically, I still worry about gaining weight, even though I know it's not true and is so important for my health. The addictive mind isn't exactly rational.

I hope you have a good day!

anyone else hooked on mayonnaise?
 

Thanks luckymommy!

Just a ramble....My first inkling of food addiction issues was years ago when I realized I could not keep mayonnaise in the house. It's as if it calls out to me. I'll only eat it on certain things, but it's a long list that includes almost any vegetable along with almost any meat or eggs, even scrambled.

The only brands with which I experience this are Best Foods & Hellmans, which I think might be the same thing under different names. I don't like any other mayo very much.

I'm used to the idea of being addicted to sweet things that contain a lot of refined sugars, and flour too. As for mayo, are they adding some secret addictive ingredient???

Interesting question. I guess we ARE twins! ;) Well, I had a jar of Veganaise (cuz I'm weird, hahaha...it's like mayo only from the health food store) and I would just spoon it out of the jar and onto bread (a very fluffy bread from the bakery)....I actually forgot about that time....because there have been so many other times.

I don't know about you, but whenever I'd binge, I wouldn't remember what I had...I wouldn't say I was in a trance, but there were just so many different things and it was all very rushed most of the time. I'd devour something, then run back to the fridge or cupboards and get something else to devour in front of the t.v....then something else. I tended to have something sweet and then savory and then sweet and so on, until I could sometimes feel the food coming up my esophagus and into the back of my throat. I also felt incredible guilt/shame/utter disgust and self hatred, with a good dose of depression. I don't miss those days at all.

Every time I binge, I never know how long it will last. I've had times when it was just one "meal," but that was only if it was at the end of the day. I could have an all day extravaganza and that might sometimes turn into days and days, weeks or months. People could physically see the changes and I could see the shock in their eyes as they'd try to act natural but being really surprised by the change in my appearance in a short amount of time.

Then, I would restrict calories and eat at a huge deficit. I tried purging (although I hated it and after I'd purge, I'd just go and binge again 90% of the time), I tried diet pills, counting calories and working out like a mad woman and a lot of other stuff.

Right now, I feel like I've finally figured it out. However, I still know I'm at huge risk of going back to my old ways if I'm not constantly doing the work that it takes for me to maintain sanity.

Ciao. :)

I know for me, the yeast is like having a little bit of the devil in me. THe yeast can overide my own brains' messaging center and send out SOS's for more "sugar please"
I know when I am about to have a yeast outbreak b/c even if I am eating non processed foods, dry fruit like raisins increase the yeast in me
Since going sugar free and carb free and wheat free and booze free since January 2014 my yeast problem has all but disappeared! I am sure I still have a healthy yeast colony but not the hackers of my brain!

luckymommy: Amazing about the mayo/bread! As a child, I loved mayo so much that I tried it solo on Wonderbread. (I was surprised that I didn't like it much).

You really have walked through fire to get where you are now. I'm in awe. I was spared some of the ordeal you have experienced, though it rings oh so familiar. I think I was more of a compulsive overeater, with occasional binges. I still do some binging every now and then, especially since reaching my goal after low carb, lo cal diet. Thanks to Brain Over Binge, I learned to not berate myself while I doing it. Somehow that's tamed things quite a bit. I'm old enough to have a LOT of dieting experience and realize that I lack the innate ability to maintain healthy weight or eating habits without working at it. As lucinda said, it's a gift we give ourselves to eat well.

That's fascinating. I've read about it. I don't know how to tell if the yeast is or isn't affecting me. I probably have never been long enough without sugar to know the difference, lol.
I just started having Bubbie's sauerkraut after lunch and dinner, which is probiotic. Do you think sucralose is a fuel source/stimulus for yeast? I have a lot of products to eat through! Guess it's a good time to get my head into gear for knocking sugar out of my life. Kind of scary, really, yet it makes so much sense.

Thank-you luckymommy & lucindaarrowspark! :df:

mars735, I really look forward to your posts! You're very kind and wise. I don't know much about the sauerkraut so perhaps lucindaarrowspark will have some info for you.

I had a really tough time giving up the sugar. I think it took me about 2 months before I started to really feel the benefits. I was so lost without it and in such withdrawl that I experienced a great deal of fatigue. I was so tempted to have it again, but my Sponsor helped me stay away from it. I felt like I had chronic fatigue and it really messed with my mind. Now, it has been so worth it. I hardly miss it. I still want it when I see something tempting, but it goes away quickly and the craving is not anything insurmountable.

The addictive mind will deceive you and it's often impossible to tell if I'm thinking or my addiction is thinking. That's why when in doubt, I ask my Sponsor. Lately I haven't had to though.

I'm still not confident though and I don't think I ever will be. Once an addict, always an addict. I've been battling this for so many years (I'm almost 44) and I've asked myself this question: How many times do I need to get into the boxing ring to realize that when I get in, 9/10 times I come out with a bloody nose? That's how my red light foods are. Sure, I could theoretically have something that's off limits and be fine...but why should I take that chance? Is sugar THAT important to me that I need to risk my well being and happiness just to have a cookie? To me, it's SO not worth it.

I wish you a wonderful day!

Thanks for your kind words,luckymommy I will say the same about you, and you're much younger than I--I'm 61 : )

You wrote that you're still not confident. I recently learned something interesting about confidence:
I had a consultation with a pre-eminent yoga instructor to see if she would work with me for a hip problem. She gave me a lot of precise instruction to move this way and that. One of her comments later was that she thought I would do very well because I was careful to make sure I understood correctly what to do. She said when she sees that uncertainty in a student, THAT's the learning taking place. [this was not some sort of yoga aptitude test, lol--I'd never done yoga]

I may not have said it clearly but I hope it makes sense to you. Maybe not feeling confident means you are making sure you've really 'got it' each day going forward. That said, I sure hope you enjoy what you have already achieved!

Best to you for a wonderful day.

You're absolutely right. I actually don't allow myself to feel confident because if I do, then I know that's my disease talking. I just take it one day at a time and I don't trust that I've "got this" because if I do, I'll slowly slip back into old habits that caused me a great deal of misery. I can appreciate that yoga instructor because I can see that with anything we do, we must have an open mind as well as a willingness to learn.

By the way, what's up with hardly anyone posting here? ;) I'd think there would be more people wanting to to discuss food addiction.

I kinda wonder the same thing luckymommy :) There are a fair number of viewers, so maybe it's yet to come. As for me, it's has been so helpful to discuss & share with you! As for slipping into the old habits---yes, i guess it's eternal vigilance. It's been humbling for me to recognize this.

Btw, do you ever get hooked on or have strong reactions to certain music?

Helllooooo ladies. I didn't see this thread until today. I read all your posts and nodded my head so much and so vigorously that I'm dizzy. I belong in your club. :)

I'm going to randomly catch up with things you've discussed already:

Artificial sweeteners: I use stevia in my coffee. And I have the occasional diet soda as a mixer, but that's it. I haven't noticed any special sensitivity to artificial sweeteners, I just don't happen to eat any foods that use them.

Hellman's Mayo -- gaaaah. I used to eat a TON of it pre-veganhood, just loved that stuff and ate it voraciously. Specifically Hellman's, other mayo I didn't like very much. I don't know what secret ingredient was in there, but there was something! I do better with vegenaise, but still have to pay attention and I tend to make myself measure it out so I don't go too crazy. But it doesn't crazy call to me like the Hellman's did. On the topic of fats: I still have a problem with Smart Balance (like butter, only better) and I can't keep it in the house at all. Even now. But I'm totally fine with olive oil. No problems with guac or avocado either. I'm not afraid of fats, so I eat quite a bit of EVOO and guac.

Mars -- it is funny you mention music. I do have strong reactions to music, and actually consciously use music as a food replacement. Books, movies, and music -- I purposely "binge" on these items. Thankfully they aren't harmful for me. The worse thing that happens is that I constantly interject random movie quotes and song lyrics into conversations and people look at me very strangely. But I'm used to that. :)

Welcome to another kindred spirit, Mrs Snark! :wave:
I had to get rid of all my toasted nuts, and the raw almonds are now in the car trunk. They don't trigger me to binge the way sweets do, but I sure have issues. I'm the same with you re olive oil, and oil in general, though La tourangelle Walnut oil is something that I could sip through a straw, but so far so good.

Forget anything butter-like--about as troublesome as Hellman's for me. And I can only remember one time in my life that the other half of an avocado made it through the night :D

:rofl:

More on this later, I hope!. I find this topic really interesting. I've puzzled about my music reactions for a long long time, even asked therapists, and no one had a clue what I was talking about. Some music, once in a while, seems to provide a direct access to some way of thinking and feeling that is really intense, really 'present' for lack of a better term and it lasts for a few days. It's as if my internal editor, usually in overdrive, has been bypassed. Well, something like that. Think I'll volunteer for research :rofl:

On to managing my next addiction today: I have an 8ft potted redwood tree that it desperately rootbound. It's been a feeding station & haven for the wild birds that i have been feeding after a bunch of pine trees were cut around my condo bldg. A kind native plant nursery worker is coming to rescue it. Somehow we are going to et it off my 3rd fl. balcony.

Food Addict here...
 

Well, specifically sugar.

Anyone seen Dr. Robert Lustig's youtube video called "Sugar: The Bitter Truth"? (Search it, I'm not able to post the link...)

Also, Dr. Mark Hyman is an anti-sugar proponent. I appreciate the science behind how this substance (and processed foods) effects my neurochemistry.

So, I know this intellectually with my rational mind, but why can't I get a handle on my cravings? I've been on the 12 step path for over 3 years and have lost weight, but find the whole god-talk has pushed me into a wall. I like the structure and accountability, but...

Anyway.... best of luck on finding your way out of the maze of addiction.

I just found this thread since it popped up on the main forum highlights. I belong here!

I am on my fourth weight loss journey and scared to death of a regain. sugar hasn't really been my thing. Well, i guess it all turns to sugar. Pizza, Taco Bell, nachos...

The problem is avoiding trigger foods while raising four kids. We make pizza every 1-2 weeks. At least it's homemade but still something I can eat and eat. There was some progress yesterday when I was able to abstain completely from the pizza. It seemed easier to not eat it than to limit my intake and this is new for me. I remember my husband picking up pizza and I told myself I wouldn't eat it. But the second it came through the door I lost control and ate it.

I am feeling in control lately but know that can change in a hurry. I'm glad I found this thread, focusing on the addiction aspect. I have to focus on the deeper issues if I'm going to make it.

Atheist here and that would bug me too. I'm glad you were able to get something out of it for the three years. :hug:

Thanks AnnaKarenina. I'll look for Lustig's video. I read his best seller Fat Chance, and have heard him on radio talk shows--he's part of how I recognized what was going on for me. Also David Kessler's The End of Overeating. btw, did you know Lustig published a cookbook? I found it liberating to read that there IS something going on, it;s not just my imagination. Good news, bad news I guess, since addiction is so difficult to overcome. :)

Glad to see you over here CoolMom75! I read about the pizza on Daily Check In and thought, omg I would be all over that pizza! It's hard enough feeding myself and sticking to my plan, but I can't imagine doing it with the added temptations of being around and feeding a family. Smells can be triggering and nothing smells better than pizza. Sometimes I've breathed through my nose when I know something like that is coming. :D

Not plugging the book though I do go on about it :) but your experience of the pizza is a lot like what motivated David Kessler (cited above) to explore his own overeating. He brought a brownie into the house just to see if he could restrain himself. He could hardly stop thinking about it so he took himself out of the house. Problem solved, until he passed a bakery. He went right in and bought a brownie and ate it.

I totally agree about not having trigger foods--easier than regulating them. For many, including me, certain foods are stimulating rather than satisfying. Kessler's book goes into why this is so. It explains the biology of that feeling of wanting more more more when you have certain foods. I read it and it made sense but I didn't retain the details.

I think the fear of regaining is legit. But the fear is what will keep you vigilant and motivated. I find as soon as I relax and think I can handle myself, I get into trouble. :devil:

Wowza! I'm glad more people are posting on this much-needed support thread. mars, I do have this (what I perceive as weird) relationship with music. My parents were both musicians so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it, but sometimes, when I listen to a song, I get completely immersed in it with my entire body and it becomes almost too much to take...but I thought maybe everyone has this sometimes. Also, I don't listen to music when I'm off the wagon. Now that I'm off, I LOVE to feel the music when I drive around town. I just try not to over-react and have people in cars next to me think I'm insane. ;)

Regarding OA and God....I'd like to share my views. If someone didn't explain that OA can be done by anyone, atheists included, then that really makes me sad. Personally, I'm an agnostic and OA has recently changed my life (I'm only on Step 4). I just completed Step 3, which involves "God." To me, God = Higher Power = OA = the universe = truth. Basically, it has to do with reality, if that makes sense. I believe that I'm not God so I try not to focus on results and I try not to force people around me to do as I will, even if I have the best intentions (according to me, of course). It's about turning over your expectations over to someone/something else. I hope that clarifies things. It's a real shame when people are turned off by this program because they think it's religious, but I think the reason it works for me is because my Sponsor is also an agnostic and if that wasn't the case, perhaps I'd have a different experience.

I did watch Dr. Lustig's documentary on youtube, but at that time, I wasn't able to put it into action. I tried to cut back (yeah right) but that just didn't work. I had to really completely cut it out of my life. The only sugar I eat is in one serving of fruit per day. Flour is also a triggor for me.

Butter and oils, I keep in the house, but I'm still having a hard time eating healthy fats. I know I should and I do eat a handful of pistachios once in a while, but I need to increase my consumption. My hope is that once I reach my goal, I'll feel more comfortable with this challenge.

Anyway, welcome everyone! We have so much in common and even though some of our addictions are different, we really share a common understanding of our powerlessness over certain foods. I really appreciate you all posting here and I hope you continue to come here to post anything that's on your mind.

I'll check out the book. Thanks, Mars!

luckymommy Thanks for clarifying that so....clearly! I think it was a sticking point in the back of my mind as well.

Just popping in again to add that I read someone on another thread say they were addicted to feeling stuffed. It's not always clear exactly which food or eating experience is addicting or triggering, is it... The words 'more more more' appear pretty regularly when we describe our experiences with our addictive foods. My dad would puzzle over this years ago, saying it was as if a switch went ON instead of off when he ate certain things he liked.

Morning everyone!

Luckymommy - I understand how you are approaching the god part of OA. Makes sense! I imagine that in a group support setting alot about how this part is handled may have to do with the people around you. I think it is fantastic that you have found a group that you have gelled with! I think getting a great group and a really good sponsor must be key. By the way, your profile pic is the bomb!

Mars - On the addicted to feeling stuffed idea: I don't think I have that. I actually really dislike being overfull and uncomfortable, and I only ever get into that position eating trigger foods. I never get uncomfortably full eating big salads, or fresh fruit. Like, I've never eaten a whole watermelon, even though I really, really like watermelon. I stop eating it when I am satiated, I guess. But I have eaten a whole loaf of bread with butter and a whole jar of jam (with added sugar sprinkled on top of each slice!) -- and wow did I feel awful about half-way through that loaf. Didn't stop me from finishing it, though. :(

CooolMom - I can only imagine how much more complicated dealing with food issues is when you have a family to feed. I struggle with compatibility with my husband's eating style (and we have no kids and often don't even eat together!) and the occasional family gathering, so I just can hardly imagine the challenges you face on a daily (hourly!) basis.

I also often find it is simpler to not eat something than to try to eat it in a proper portion. If I am feeling at all weak in the moment, that is the strategy I go with.

AnnaKarenina - When I read about the millions and millions of dollars companies spend in order to make food hyper-palatable, well, it became obvious why I could never eat just two or three Doritos. And while I am still ultimately responsible for what goes in my mouth, I stopped thinking of myself as such a pathetically weak-willed person. Perhaps some of us are more susceptible to the tricks of food engineering.


On the personal challenges front, my husband brought home 2 different kinds of jelly last night, to be able to have PBJs as a fast lunches or late night snacks. :yikes: I've put them waaaaaaay in the back of the fridge where I can't see them ever time I open the door.

But I know they are there. Lurking. Like fruity little gremlins.

Little fruity gremlins.....:) How about imagining something really noxious, like a layer of mold growing on top? Can you convinvce yourself it was there and DH or even factory scraped it off so might not be visible? Or things along that vein?

I'm with you mostly, re stuffing myself. I ate farm fresh cherry tomatoes yesterday that literally were as sweet as candy. Yet I ate a normal amount and was done. But actual candy? Nope, the only brakes there are the stuffed feeling, so maybe it's just that eating to the point of unpleasant over-fullness sends a counter message to the more more more part of us. Got to think this over...food for thought--where did that expression originate, lol?

I have some health problems and feel like I never get full. I have Crohn's disease and have had the whole large intestine removed and 24 inches of small. Some food goes right through me. Even when I used to have stomach cramps and constant diarrea I kept shoveling it in. I still binge for weeks at a time. Some of the problem is being nutrient deficient so I crave salt and fat.

I will go to 3 different drive throughs in a row to get my favorites. Like other posters, I love Hellmann mayo. I can eat 3 sandwiches and 4 bowls of cereal before noon and once I start I never stop.

I am trying to get control bu cutting out junk and processed foods. The chemical and additives seem to spur on this addiction. I am like you all and feel like I can't start or the downward spiral will happen,

Molly, You probably already have but getting checked over by your doctor and labwork to make sure you are getting the nutrition your body needs would be the best place to start. Maybe you needs some extra vitamins!

Next is just starting to transition to whole, unprocessed foods. You're right, the junk is like a drug. :( I'm to a point the fake foods taste nasty to me but I can still overeat my homemade stuff too.

Everyone ready to face the challenges that always happen during the weekend? At least challenges always happen to me.

I have pledged to myself to pass on cocktails and snacks this weekend and just eat like it is a regular ole Monday. While I generally mentally budget in treats and drinks, I have fallen into a "celebrate with food" pattern on the weekends -- every weekend. It's not terrible, but it isn't great either, and can easily get more out of hand than I would prefer. Sigh.

I'm really delighted that this thread is seeing some action, although I wish none of us were struggling with food addiction. Still, giving and receiving support is incredibly helpful, as far as I'm concerned.

Mrs Snark, I do think that this program has many ways of interpreting and it's the people that can make or break an experience for someone. Thanks for the complement about that photo, btw. ;) I took it a few years ago when I was thinner than I am now....maybe around 153 or 155? I can't wait to be able to wear some of the super cute clothes in my closet.

mollyw, I really hope you get some help...that sounds really rough. My heart goes out to you and I hope you find a WOE that is perfectly balanced for your body.

Mrs Snark, yes, the weekends can be a challenge but for the most part, it's ok for me as long as I don't have to attend social gatherings with food that is out of my control (like a party, whereas at a restaurant, I can order what I want). I've actually stayed away from parties and after a while, people don't invite me as much anymore. However, at some point, I'll just have to allow myself to go and not worry so much about it. If I were to go to a party, I"d probably call my sponsor from the party and I would go over what's available and what I can have. It's not like I don't know, but just having that extra support gives me a secure feeling. I think others can incorporate this strategy with someone they trust who can support them during these types of occasions. Just some thoughts.

Mrs Snark, I think you're so smart to recognize a possible pitfall and recommit to your goals. For me, staying focused is half the battle, and makes it uch easier to manage social occasions. That said, they are the biggest challenge for me. I like the idea of a sponsor or support person, luckmommy. Lately, I feel resentful at being invited to social events because I have such a difficult time with the food, whether buffet or sit-down dinner. I have more work to do, that's for sure. I wish food didn't have to be part of every gathering.

mars735, I hear you! It IS so frustrating that food is such an integral part of celebrations and get togethers and basically, all things social. Interestingly, I did the majority of my overeating/binging while alone or with my husband, since he has food addiction as well.

I went out to dinner with friends tonight and luckily, I was able to pick the restaurant. Everyone had desert except me and I was even luckier that they didn't pressure me into it, but I would say that this is unusual and most of the time, people get very put off by my food choices.

:wave: All!
Hope everyone had a good weekend. The comments you have all contributed gave me so much to think about--huge thanks & shout out! My biggest accomplishment this weekend was mental. I love the healthy grocery store near me, Good Earth. I love the entire ritual of driving there and trolling the aisles, the beauty of the store and surrounding town, the like-minded people re good food, etc etc. I use their salad bar for my lunch mainstay. But there are 3 baskets of various cheesy baguettes right at the salad bar and a fresh, GF pizza buffet nearby, "healthy" bakery, etc etc. It has become a battle to resist the baguettes, one that I've lost a few times lately. Anyway, the end to this longwinded account is that I decided either to avoid the store for a while or refocus my mind & stop rationalizing and bargaining with myself to indulge--my addictive mind is a master at this game, lol! I was able to shop and enjoy myself and know that everything not on my grocery list was off limits.

The downside to the weekend was, once again, thinking I could manage walnuts. In short, I can't. This time it was homemade walnut pesto. After doing some damage to my planned low cal day, I had to throw it away. I swear it was calling out to me from the back of the freezer. :devil: I'm more successful with simple foods that I like but don't love.

Daylight is noticeably shortening up here at latitude 38. This presents new challenges for some of us, but that's a ramble for another day.

Have a great week everyone!

Hi everyone! I'm really happy to find this thread. I'm hoping it can help me with my situation.

I work at a realtors office as an office administrator. Tuesday - Thursday lunch is catered and it is never healthy. But I can't help but go down and grab something, even if I have a much healthier option in the fridge. And the portions I get are out of control.

My hubby is so nice and hasn't said anything, but I know he wants me to lose weight.

I'm ready to change! I'm hoping that getting back on 3FC with finally give me the push I need to start walking/jogging again and put the fork down!

Hello there everyone!

Mars735, I applaud your determination to avoid the baguettes and walnuts. I don't know if I've used this analogy before in my posts, but here goes anyway:
how many times do we need to get into the boxing ring before we realize that we will get a bloody nose 99% of the time?

For me, having a food I can't eat without losing my mind is just not worth it. Some may see this as a life that is sad and pathetic but that's like saying an alcoholic's life is sad and pathetic if they can't get a buzz or wasted from drinking. These "limitations" on foods have given me a freedom and have saved my life because I was really slowly killing myself with foods that I just can't eat reasonably.

Lately, I've realized that I can't eat guacamole but avocado is fine.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and that your week will be a good one.

:welcome2: to the Food Addicts thread, BrittanieYork!

So true luckmommy. 'Losing my mind' around food is SO not worth it.

And once again you sound like my twin, except I can't handle avocado either. :)

I'm mulling over the idea that, for me anyway, food needs to be taken out of the realm of reward, entertainment, comfort as much as possible. Eating is intrinsically rewarding and that's fine, but is it necessary to doll up one's food, even with so-called healthy things? I've sensed for a while, that I am most satisfied with simple, fresh, & natural food, without it having to excite the palate. I think this is what David Kessler is getting at in his book about addictive foods that are stimulating. Although he is referring to processed foods that are designed to make us crave more, I am susceptible to all sorts of whole foods that taste "too good."

I agree with you completely, mars735. Food has to be simple, filling and healthy or else it really messes with my mind. I can handle avocado and it doesn't make me binge but the restrictor in me winces at the caloric content. I'm hoping I can incorporate it more often once I hit goal. I know it shouldn't be that way, but if it's working for me now, why should I change it just because it's irrational ;) Sometimes I'm amazed at how crazy I sound!

This is a group where I belong! I have only VERY recently realized that food IS an addiction for me. Like any true addict, I've always truly thought I was in control of my eating and that I could stop if I actually wanted to. Boy, have I realized that that is SO not the case.

I had the Lap Band surgery back in 2010, but because of my addiction, the band was never actually able to help me. Because despite the throwing up I would STILL hork it down because I HAD to eat. Only very recently did I come to grips with the fact that it was a true problem for me.

I'm following the OA philosophy of one day at a time. I can't promise myself to see this through to the end, as I've said in other posts, I can't even commit to a week. But I CAN make good choices and not give in to addiction ONE DAY AT A TIME.