If you are like me, you're already discovering that you have addiction issues with certain foods or even food in general. 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

I am all or for nothing Once I start eating, I can't stop.

Hi Sum38, yup, that's me too. Instead of getting full, I want more. Like a switched get turned on. How do you handle it?

I'm toying with daily check in, as I have 20-25 of weight creep that I'd like to shed (need to update profile). I'm doing very low carb, low fat, low calorie. In the past it's triggered binge eating once I phase into maintenance. This time I'll keep my calories above 1000.

B vanilla protein shake/Taster's Choice super strong, a little steamed cauliflower
L Quest Chips
S coffee, quest bar
D salad with veggies, chicken breast WF BBQ sauce
S Bone broth with cauliflower
2 L Yogi Cinnamon Vanilla herbal tea/stevia

no exercise, but the evening is young. Maybe some ab curls and light weights. (no pun intended )

I totally believe that food addiction is real. It's hard to deal with probably more than other vices bc you have to eat to live. An alcoholic or cocaine addict gets to not have to use these things for simple life and organ function. Addiction is addiction and what you use to cope with deeper problem can be anything from food to hoarding to heroin. Also food is chemicals and chemicals react in the brain so to answer the OPS original question in a long drawn out manner, food addiction is real. I thought about going to OA meetings but I couldn't face that idea. Lucky for me that is how I found this site and it has been amazing

I think it's the additives and flavor enhancers. When I left the country I had no problem avoiding food because it was so bland. I ate because I had to, not for pleasure and it was very small portions. Our portions are gigantic in comparison. It was an interesting, and eye-opening experience. I lost several pounds that came right back when I got back to the States.

Just my sharing my experience.

I'm totally in the "I'm a food addict" camp. I have long periods where I feel completely unable to keep myself from eating and eating and eating. I also know that if I can get through 5 or 6 days of no sugar, low carb (around 80) then the desperate toxic hunger feelings pretty well melt away. Then, if I stick to it, I feel pretty normal about food. Its all but impossible to get five or six days in, though, when I am in an addiction phase. Thus, my wish for detox centers like there are for binge drinkers. We are supposed to just follow some diet plan that tells us to eat moderately without any sort of support like is available for alcoholics or drug addicts.

The argument that it is harder for us because we have to eat, to me, is kind of "addiction talk" because, really, we DON"T have to eat sugar or white flour, etc. You can tell you are an addict if the thought of never ever again in your entire life eating a piece of birthday cake or a taste of chocolate sends you into complete outraged resistance. It certainly does me, but if we truly believe there is an addiction at work then this is what we need to face up to. Right?

Never touch sugar again, ever. Not a Christmas, not for birthdays, not ever. Wow, doesnt' that make you break out in a cold sweat?

Jean

Kiwi, Novangel, & Jean, Thank-you for your thoughtful, thought-provoking posts! You've got me thinking, well earlier in the day when I was able to form coherent thoughts. I'm on my second day of low carb & my brain is sputtering. Looking forward to exploring this thing further.

Checking here today, day 4 of ketogenic diet. I've actually been feeling pretty well, glad to be getting back to a more comfy weight. Mother's Day family re union at a fantastic Chinese restaurant. I read the menu beforehand & had chicken salad, no noodles or peanuts or dressing. The soy sauce they brought was sweetened, and th chicken probably breaded, both are no-nos for my plan. No biggie, though, as it was better than I'd have done eating what the fam ordered!

B Eggs and coffee with splash of vanilla protein shake & Walden Farms lightener
S Quest protein chips
L Salad described above and steamed veggies
D more protein chips and a small plain omelet

Might eat some chicken later. I am a lot nicer to be around when I don't eat sweets or things like pizza.

Exercise ... 2977 steps
Have a great weekend!

Im All!

I am such a stress eater. I had a stressful week, this past week, and I definitely medicated myself with too much food. The stress was lifted this morning, and I feel that I can go back to controlling my food intake. -- It is almost like I punish myself with eating too much. -- Maybe it is when I feel that things are beyond my control and I am put into a situation that makes me sad, and I feel trapped; I try to sooth myself with food.

I need a very stable life in order to keep my eating at normal levels.

So, I gained 3 pounds this past week. Which in turn makes me sad. It is a vicious cycle.

Many years ago I belonged to OA. I followed their very low carb eating plan -- basically no grains or starchy veggies. I got down to my lowest adult weight, felt and looked great, then got married and my new husband made it clear he had no intention of being deprived of anything he wanted to eat. To be fair, he was working an active, physical job and NEEDED the calories -- but I didn't, and could not stand having those foods in the house and not being able to eat them. So I went off the program and eventually stopped going to meetings, too.

Fast forward about 35 years. I weigh more than twice what I did on my wedding day. I was recently on vacation and read "Wheat Belly" and have very reluctantly come to the conclusion that, yes, for whatever reason, I have a very sick relationship with wheat and cannot eat it any more. When I do, I stuff myself and still feel like it isn't enough, and even when I'm stuffed the cravings don't stop.

So I'm six days into my new way of eating. Yesterday went to an early Mother's Day celebration at a big buffet and was able to make healthy choices without any trouble ... only reason I glanced at the dessert table was to negotiate around it. So the cravings are lifting and I'm feeling a lot better.

Sorry to hear you had a stressful week Sum38. That's what reliably derails me too. It's not easy to find a way to manage it--food is so effective in the moment & all too available. I hope you can be kind to yourself, and in fact congratulations are in odrder--you stepped on the scale and were accountable to yourself re your weight goal. That's huge! The weight gain will come off--there's likely a lot of water in that. I hope the stress eases up...

Fwiw...Diana on the Daily Accountability thread recently mentioned guided imagery & affirmation audios. I've been using them & they have been extremely helpful. HealthJourneys.com You can listen to samples of each one. The ones by Belleruth Naperstak are the ones I got, which are popular. They are all similar but for some reason some sink in more than others, so I'm glad I tried a few. There is even one on weight loss--meh. My favorite is Trauma--the background music is very powerful to me, and so are the words--They can apply to pretty much anyone.

Hi ladynredd Wow! Well I'm gonna check out Wheatbelly. Congrats on recommitting to your healthy WOE. It's inspiring to read that you navigated the buffet incl dessert table without trouble. Do you think you will rejoin OA?

That phrase you wrote 'I stuff myself and still feel like it isn't enough' is a what I think of as my basic addiction mode. When I'm eating and I want more more more, I know it's addiction calling. When I am not actually eating but feel like I could swallow the ocean, same thing--addiction calling. Much easier to divert my attention before I start.

I had a fairly craving-free weekend, though there is still the evening ahead. I am just getting into ketosis, day 5. I'm looking forward to a short getaway in a few days--total relaxation at a B & B in a nature preserve where there will be not much to do but watch migratory hummingbirds. A little conflicted about whether to stick to my plan or indulge in the breakfast & goodies provided by the Inn. Just writing it out tips me toward letting go of feeling like I 'should' have the 'special' food I paid for. I guess I'll see what I feel like doing when I get there--the point of the trip is to relax. With any luck, the food won't be all that, lol!

Hope everyone has a good week ahead.

Still toying with daily check-in, so here goes. Wondering if it's triggering to read about what someone else is eating.
B Protein shake/Taster's Choice coffee super strong
L salad/chicken breast, evoo & WF Italian Vinaigrette
D protein chips & broccoli
S red bell peppers, protein soup
2 liters cold herbal tea, Republic of Tea Orange Ginger Mint
probably some more veggies before bed

Exercise 6800 steps
Meditation I have missed several days now; listening to affirmations in the car.

B protein shake/coffee, eggs
S protein chips, asparagus spears
L sald, veggies, evoo, chicken
S protein chips, emergency French fries, lol. Not a craving, but for reaction to too low carb---extremely irritable.
D protein chips--2 bags
S Roasted chicken & mixed fresh berries

Hello fellow food addicts,

I know I belong here. I was doing well and losing but I fell off the wagon and gained a bunch of weight. I think I got up to 194 but now, I'm at 183 which is better, but not at a place where I feel comfortable.

I have many triggers but the most prominent two are chronic daily migraines (of varying severity) and sleep deprivation. Those are two things that I struggle with a lot. However, sometimes, my pain isn't severe and my sleep isn't too horrible and all of the sudden, before I know it, I'm in full force addiction mode. It might start off in a very subtle way...denial can loom its ugly head. I'll see everyone around me eating foods I can't eat in moderation and I"ll tell myself that I can, but I can't. Then, once I'm alone, I'll stuff myself until the food is coming up my throat. It's a disgusting feeling and I really hate myself when it happens.

Anyway, I've been doing well for the last few weeks and upping my activity level a lot, thanks to a pedometer.

For breakfast, I eat 1 egg and half a cup of egg whites as well as one raw brazil nut. You can't eat more than two nuts a day or you might OD on it but it's like taking a vitamin that aids in metabolism.

I drink coffee sweetened with Stevia and then I have nothing until lunch.

I eat things like baked Japanese sweet potatoes, turkey meatloaf (made without eggs and have a lot of chopped up veggies inside), chicken salads and I love to make split pea soup.

For sweets I have one cup of frozen grapes. I allow myself 1500 calories a day. Once I hit my max goal, if I have cravings then I just chew gum...which I'm also addicted to. I know it's horrible but I sometimes chew a whole pack of gum at night when I want to binge. Lately, I've been able to cut down to just 4 or 6 pieces but it's definitely an issue.

Thanks for posting everyone....it's always nice to know we're not alone.