Food Addicts Support, contd.
 

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 :D )

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

:wave: 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! :drool:

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!

Thanks for your advise.
 

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. :cp: That's huge! The weight gain will come off--there's likely a lot of water in that. I hope the stress eases up... :goodvibes :hug:

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 :welcome3: 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.

I'm still doing well. Last night I made a super healthy dinner (not sure how much food detail to go into here) and it tasted so good -- made me wonder why I tend to associate healthy food = blah and unhealthy food = delicious ...

I don't feel the need to rejoin OA right now ... I tried finding a good "home" meeting a few years ago, really didn't care for the people who were dominating the meetings I visited and I guess I'm not motivated enough when I'm not in a lot of emotional pain to drive a long way to find one. We'll see what happens in the future.

Hi luckymommy, I've been wondering how you're doing! It's great to hear from you. Your foods are so similar to what I like! I wish there was a fix for the migraines & sleep--those are major stressors. Sleep is ok for me except when my cals or carbs--either one--are too low. I know what you mean re full addiction mode in the absence of stressors. Each time I think I've got it all under control, bam! Overall the best success I've had is avoiding sweets. Fruit does a good job of eliminating sugar cravings. I know there will be times when I slip, just as you described. Each time, though, I've learned a little more about what works and what are my vulnerabilities.

I've been doing a super low carb, low fat, low cal diet to get the lb creepage off. This time, though, I'm watching how my body feels and tweaking as necessary to avoid feeling draggy or deprived. There's no rush.

Yesterday was on plan, protein shake, protein chips, chicken salad, some veggies, an egg in the evening, some broth. Busy work day, and today jammed up with pre-vacation chores. Weight down 4 lbs from official weigh in.

Detail is fine imho, if it's helpful to post. For me, sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. What is hard for me is reading detailed 'confessions'. lol

EDIT Along those lines, ladynredd I'd sure love to hear what you made. I can seriously over eat even healthy food. I aim for food that is good but not "too good". It can be a thin line to walk, sometimes, but even over indulging in something like a special EVOO is easier on the bod than junk, and a lot more satisfying.

mars, thanks for the warm welcome. I really admire your commitment and determination. If only people knew how incredibly challenging a food addiction can be, there'd probably be an award show for that, kind of like the academy awards. ;) I can picture it now...and for best female in the category of chocolate avoidance...it's...mars735! ;)

mars735:

Thank you for starting this thread and to everyone that has posted. I've read so many good things here. I too, believe that something in our brain or chemistry causes the addiction. The difference between me and the alcoholic is I can have one drink and stop. For the alcoholic, one is never enough, they cannot stop. It's like an allergic reaction.

Even though I don't have a lot of weight to lose, I have struggled with food addictions for years. I am a binge eater. I cannot have just "one bite" or "one little piece" of cake. I want two huge pieces of cake and then I'll eat more for 2 or 3 more days.

I've always exercised, so I think that's how I managed not to gain weight over the years. I used to have 3 or 4 donuts for dinner instead of a well-balanced meal in order not to gain weight!

A few years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroid and gained 20 lbs. I was in pain and had no energy to exercise. The more depressed I got from gaining weight, the more I binged. It was a vicious cycle. I joined here in October, but left for a few months while vacationing. I couldn't stay on a healthy eating plan. It's been tough trying to lose and get back to regular exercising, even though my thyroid levels are normal again.

The good news: I recently did a 12-Day Detox because I really felt sluggish and bloated and felt that it could help me get back on track. I've done detoxes before and they work. This one was amazing! I had to eat very healthy while on the detox. No dairy, caffeine, sugar, flour, alcohol, or processed foods. They give you a list of all the foods you can eat. It was great! It included wild caught fish, free range chicken, vegetables, some fruits, nuts, grains. I stuck with it and lost 7 lbs. When the 12 days was up, my cravings were gone! I feel so clean and have continued eating healthy, um...up until yesterday.

I did slip off the wagon Monday. I was at the check stand at CVS Pharmacy. There was a display of chocolate covered almonds and candied almonds. It's as if the bag of almonds was talking to me, calling my name and saying "hey, remember me". "Just eat a few and save the rest for later". OMG....I fell for it and ate more than 1/2 the bag!

The good news is I hated how I felt and got back on the wagon the next day and am doing great again. I realized that if I slip, I don't have to stay "down" and keep doing it. I can keep moving forward. I still don't have the cravings. I think maybe on Monday I was lonely and wanted some comfort food. I know I don't want that stuff in my body because it makes me feel like crap. I'm also working on healing my thyroid, so I have to avoid all those processed foods, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine. My health is important to me!

On a side note: I know some people think we should be able to eat whatever we want, but we are all different. My body and mind don't feel well when I eat chemicals, additives, too much sugar, etc. If I was in an abusive relationship that I KNOW hurts me physically and emotionally, but I really, really "missed him". Would I allow myself to visit him just for a few minutes, or just one time, since I still "love" him. NO! If it's not good for me, I cannot do it, whether it's toxic foods or toxic relationships!

Thanks everyone, it really helps to have support.

:rofl: luckymommy More like Best Intention for chocolate avoidance :D My last experiment was having 'just one' artificially sweetened hot chocolate packet per day (protein drink).... Not gonna do that again. I'm glad you are posting--I've missed reading you on 3FC.

:wave: AshliRose :welcome3: to the thread!
I'm so glad to hear your thyroid is better. And, It sounds like the detoxes work well for you. Way to go with the healthy weight loss! Was it hard to kick non-food things like caffeine? Are there herbs involved or is it the list foods only?

Congrats for getting on track and not letting the nuts derail you! There are so many times in a day when tempting food appears from out of the blue, & those unexpected encounters sure challenge the best of intentions. Speaking for myself, I would be really pleased to recognize the feeling state of loneliness & wanting comfort. I find that food can fill a sense of longing. My goal is recognize the feeling, first in hindsight & then in the moment. Once I do that, I think I can make more of a choice not to listen to "feed me." Also to aim for enough time for myself, even time to just move through the day at a relaxed pace without the feeling of too many things to do.

I'm not sure how to rehearse for surprises. Curious what others do.

Your words totally resonate about wanting more more more when you have something like cake, and losing the craving when you abstain. I read a book called The End of Overeating where he talks about how some foods in some people can be stimulating instead of satisfying. The food industry spends a lot of time & effort creating foods that do this. I find that fact to be empowering--lets me know I have to strategize. There's necessarily a lot of trial and error, but it's all information!

I agree with you 100% about not feeling like we somehow ought to be eating any & all foods, though I understand that for some, restricting a food may trigger them to binge. I love your analogy of a toxic relationship.

As for exercise, I'm also struggling to get back into it. I spend too much time on the computer and then feel I don't have enough free time to go to the gym or outside for a walk, or even some ab work on the floor. I'll start if you will :)

Hope you'll keep us posted!

Here's today's check in since my quick getaway starts early tomorrow.
B protein shake/coffee, roasted veggies
L salad, veggies, chicken, evoo
Snacky day: protein chips, Quest bar
D Whole Foods low carb broccoli & beef, buffalo chicken salad

I will be thinking of my felllow food addicts and drawing strength from our numbers--we are not alone. Have a great weekend!

:wave: AshliRose :welcome3: to the thread!
I'm so glad to hear your thyroid is better. And, It sounds like the detoxes work well for you. Way to go with the healthy weight loss! Was it hard to kick non-food things like caffeine? Are there herbs involved or is it the list foods only?

Thanks for your reply mars 735! This thread is really helpful and hopeful!

To answer your question above. It really wasn't difficult kicking caffeine. I couldn't drink coffee, but I could have green tea. Now I'm still drinking that and love it! Even stopping alcohol wasn't too tough, because I felt so much better from not having it. All spices and herbs are greatly encouraged, so food doesn't have to be bland. In fact, I've been eating some very tasty meals! My salads had lemon juice, olive oil, and spices! I did a lot of sauteed onions, bell peppers, broccoli, swiss chard with eggs or chicken. Or the same veggies with kamut & spaghetti sauce! Oh and cayenne pepper in a lot of my meals for extra spice!

Just checking in. I've had a miserable head cold the last several days ... sinus headache was particularly bad Saturday so I didn't get much done since it was hard to focus my eyes! ;) Since we were out of almost everything healthy I did force myself to do grocery shopping -- took DH to drive the car and it's amazing how much more ends up in the cart with him in tow! He seems incapable of following a list. I did have him put back a couple of his selections that were just TOO unhealthy so although we bought a lot, most of it is stuff I can eat too.

Mars I looked back at my food diary to see what "healthy meal" I was referring to in an earlier post. Basically I stir fried half a head of cabbage, an onion, a few stalks of celery, a couple sliced carrots, a big can of stewed tomatoes and a drained can of kidney beans together, then added 1/4 lb. of very lean ground beef (93%) that I had browned. When I dish it up I add some red pepper flakes to my serving since I like it a little spicy and DH does not. Very tasty and it makes a bunch.

I was happy to read all of the comments regarding food as any other addiction. I am coming to a place where I believe that this is true. We need food to live, but not junk food- in fact junk food affects us just like other detrimental addictions- it shortens our life and lowers our vitality. I want to try to give up foods with added and artificial sugars for the rest of this month and 1. See how difficult it is 2. See what type of a difference it will make in my life. When I am having a strong craving I will try to come onto this site to talk and understand what is going on. I truly do believe this is a real addiction that must be overcome through deliberate effort.

I'm not new to 3FC, but I had lost 80-something pounds in 2011-2012 only to gain it back! I am definitely a food addict! My foods of choice are sugar, sugar, and sugar! Cookies...Candies..Icecream...Cokes! I can't portion cokes so I completely off of them and cut my sweet intake down when dieting! Hopefully I can get his weight off again and keep it off. I swear maintaining is harder than losing!

Hey there familiar peeps and lovely new people. :) I'm back after an online hiatus when some things got tough at home, but I'm still plugging along as usual.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Glad to read the updates on everyone, and happy to get to know the new people!

Sending everyone hugs, I'll post more later, I just wanted to jump in to say "HI!" when I saw Mars had the new thread over here.

Compass1:
Loved what you said about fast foods! I agree. I can usually avoid those unroll I see those fast food commercials over & over. Pretty soon it's so engrained in my brain & I just have to have it. So now I just don't watch those commercials, because the addiction is insidious! Willpower alone cannot help. I have to know what my triggers are.

Nicholsfamily1987:
Welcome back! You can do it with the help & support of everyone here. Also learning from how you gained the weight back & being proactive. I've lost & gained a few times too, but I've learned from it. For me it has to be a self-love mindset. Putting foods in my body that are good for me & nourishing. I only have one body in this lifetime so how do I want to treat it? Chemicals, nicotine, alcohol? Not only that, but I'm getting addicted to how good I feel when I make healthy choices. It's not worth it anymore to eat all that sugar & feel like crap!

Mrs Snark:
So glad you're back! I was gone a few months too & came back about a month ago. I thought about you & wondered how you were doing. You were always such a great support!

Thanks--that sounds soooo good! Good on you for maintaining the healthier shopping list! It would be so easy to let those other things stay there.

:welcome2:compass1 Same here. I look forward to your posts. This is also my dilemma...cutting out sugar works until I get a craving. So far I can distract myself, eat something else that is not junk, and come to this site. I'm also finding guided affirmation audio to be helpful.

:welcome2: Nicholsfamily Wow, congrats on 80 lbs wt loss. You can do it again, and use what you've learned going forward. It's so true that maintaining is harder! Not that dieting is easy, but we have an endpoint, at least, and more structure.

A nutritionist told me that our brains are wired to load up on quick energy like sweets after a diet--they don't know we were purposely limiting food and are trying to ensure our survival in the next 'famine'. When I heard this, I found it much easier to experience the cravings for sweets without giving in to them. Keep us posted!

AshliRose & Mrs Snark :wave:

Good Morning All,
Back from vacation...It's so much easier to eat well when there is no schedule, no obligation, sigh.....I did not stick to my ketogenic diet but ate when I was hungry, nothing else. I enjoyed small servings of sweets twice...did not feel a strong urge to inhale large quantities as I would feel if I were in my normal routine (though the thought crossed my mind :devil:).

Having the luxury of time, to slow things down really helped. We'll see how it goes today, back in rush rush rush mode....Goal is to make sure to have plenty of healthy food so I am not ravenous by the end of the day.

Yesterday's food:
B eggs/Bubbie's sauerkraut, protein shake w coffee
L salad w vegs, chicken, evoo
D turkey chili, broccoli
S soynuts, protein chips, red bell pepper slices
2 L Republic of Tea orange, ginger, mint with a little stevia

5000 steps

Ladynredd -- Hope you're feeling better. I have had a summer cold over the last week and it is miserable. Can't stand having a runny nose when it is SO HOT out!

Ashlirose -- glad you are back as well! And glad to hear that your plan is working for you! My mom is eating low carb and it is totally working for her to stay off sugar completely -- not even one taste, much less "moderation". I think we all have to find what works for us, and thankfully we can each tailor our plan to suit our particular quirks!

Personally, I would have an easier time with weight management overall if I tightened my reins on my choices, but I seem to go through phases -- periods of total avoidance of my danger foods followed by periods of playing with fire. Maybe that is going to always be my cycle, but I recognize it makes things harder. Sigh.

Mars -- great job only eating when hungry during vacation! So much of my vacation eating in the past has been for pure entertainment, never a good thing!

Thanks for the needed encouragement Mrs. Snark! It was relatively easy to eat well on the trip because I had full control of my meal times and wasn't with people who eat triggering foods, aka family ;) As soon as I was back at work, I felt the old "hunger" return, boredom, responsibilities, etc. But not too bad. I was watching for that so not taken by surprise.

I think I'm a lot like you with enjoying the roller coaster. I have a good friend who kicked some addictions. When I described my cycle, he suggested my times of eating in a very controlled way might be for the purpose of being able to feast on the sugary things with abandon, guilt-free. I think he is spot on, for me anyway. I don't think I'll be someone to avoid every molecule of sugar--it's in virtually everything that I don't prepare at home from scratch. But overall, I think I will avoid it, esp the processed stuff.

Yesterday was a little too random for my goal of losing wt, but still not bad. I felt hungry all day, a bit headachy--probably on the verge of a scale whoosh, but instead I kept eating. Today is official weigh in, and time to refocus on a more structured plan for a couple more weeks. It's nice to be free of cravings, though I know they are lurking somewhere. It's also a huge relief to feel my clothes loosening.

Yesterday:
B protein shake
L protein chips, great big salad, evoo
D chicken, WF BBQ sauce---trigger potential :eek: broccoli
S Quest bar, protein chips, kept picking at the veggies I prepared for the rest of the week--red pepper slices, broccoli, asparagus
no exercise, 2 L cold herbal tea

Weekend is coming :carrot:

I'm totally addicted to carbs. It's frightening actually. I feel awful while hopped on them, but I do get a quick fix and they taste SOOOOO good. Those people who say they lose the taste for things? I WISH!!!

ONLY a person who has an addiction to food or some major other issues that lead to over-eating could swing as much weight gain and loss as I do. I gained 50 pounds in 10 months!

Hi Melissa, I just read your 'back again' post. It sounds like you've had a year of meeting multiple challenges. Glad to see you are getting a chance to focus on yourself now.

SAD has an impact on me, too.--I plan for it all year. Well, dread might be the more accurate word. Usually I try to white-knuckle it and restrict carbs once the days become noticeably shorter. This year I'm planning to do the opposite and increase carbs but just not processed or sugary ones. (Had a melt down doing low, low carb in the dead of winter) I wonder if food & other addiction stem from trying to balance our brain chemicals, esp. the ones related to mood.

I am a food addict, but I am becoming stronger than my addiction. The past couple of days I overate quite a bit, yesterday was worse than today. I had a trigger food (a certain meal replacement bar) that was "on sale" so I bought the box (contains 5). I told myself not to eat it, but I ended up giving in and grabbing one. Well I took a few bites, and before I could finish it, I tossed it, because I'm worth more than that. I am so shocked and grateful for my progress, it isn't worth undoing for a cheap sweet I've had a million times. Today's calories were 2,140 which is 670 over. I will do better tomorrow, great thread btw <3.

Mars -- oh BBQ sauce, that little devil. It is definitely a trigger for me. Almost right up there with jelly on my list of things that make my go food-batty!

CandidCamster -- took a spin through your blog -- you are KILLING it, and you are just the cutest thing! 15 months of rocking it, CONGRATULATIONS!

Thank you so much Mrs Snark!

My downfall with food is and always has been convenience. I don't eat from fast food (I literally can't, it makes me very sick and I'd rather not live in the bathroom if I can help it), but it's the quick, easy stuff at the grocery store. Frozen stuff, boxed dinners, meals that are very quick and easy to make. I don't know how to cook at all, but I am learning.

A box of macaroni and cheese is over 1,000 calories! It's crazy. I don't like making 3 pots of stuff for one person (like meat, a vegetable, a carb or whatever else.) Then you have to wash it all (no dishwasher) and then put away the leftovers (more dishes later, ughh). Did I say that I HATE doing dishes? It's just all so much work and I absolutely HATE IT. I'm going to try to get some recipes of food that I like and that is healthy and make a big pot of it and save it for the week. I've read that many people that have lost weight have done it that way. Who can live a normal life and then make 3 healthy meals a day for one person? It's just a lot of work and for me personally, it's unrealistic. This is why I always end up going back to those cheap, easy boxed dinners or something frozen. I have been trying to make better choices with the frozen stuff, but it's still hard. 23 years of bad habits doesn't just disappear overnight..

Tranquilize -- I eat ALOT of convenience foods because I just don't like cooking. I'm 48 this year, if I haven't learned to love cooking by this point, it just isn't going to happen. I wouldn't even make mac-n-cheeze for myself because that involves waiting for something to boil, lol. Nooooooope, no time for that. Not a fan of dishes either! I'm right there with you.

Chopping vegetables is about all I'm willing to do, either to eat in salad or a huge veg burrito, or to roast on a giant pan in the oven. That is the extent of most of my cooking.

I also loooove the portion control convenience of frozen meals. And the things I choose as microwave meals, I would NEVER manage to cook for myself, anyway. So I choose from an assortment of Amy's and Tandoor chef frozen meals (I'm a BIG fan of Indian food) that I love (I'm vegan, so my options are somewhat limited) and canned soups that are yummy (Amy's Golden Lentil Dal is awesome, their canned chili rocks, and their Thai Coconut Soup is delicious -- just toss in some fresh broccoli) and I keep steamer veggie bags in the freezer and fruit on hand -- because a frozen meal is generally too low in calories to make a full meal. But a microwaved Vegetable Korma frozen meal + a bag of microwaved steamed brussels sprouts with EVOO and garlic powder & pepper + a pile of pre-cut-by-the-store watermelon and I'm ALL SET.

I guess what I'm saying is that if you just never discover a willingness to cook, you can still come up with a plan that works for you! Embrace the convenience, drop the guilt about choosing freezer meals, and enjoy. :)

If I had a nickel for every time I tried to keep Quest bars around, only to have them calling out to me 24/7 I would be very wealthy! And of course buying in bulk is economical, so there is that pull. Bravo to you, Candidcamster for tossing it, and for being accountable, AND for going forward! So easy to go down another path of self-scolding or eating even more since you already were over your planned amount. That's really quite an accomplishment.

Hi tranquilize, It sounds like you are off to a good start--maybe you are doing better than you realize. You are taking a good analytical look at your likes and dislikes. Ultimately crafting a plan that fits you is what will work, rather than forcing yourself to follow some sort of reform-school, 'fix-me' diet. I rally like what Mrs. Snark wrote, both her suggestions and also the idea that we all have it within ourselves to figure out the best way to eat and get to a sustainable & happy weight.

Over time, you may find that your tastes change a little, that you actually don't mind doing a little prep or dishwashing. But totally ok to just do it the way you like

Here's my accountability check in.
Yesterday was difficult. I didn't eat enough for breakfast and it just went downhill from there. If I mismatch my food & energy needs on workdays, I risk getting into a place of significant physical hunger without opportunity to eat. I felt hunger all day long and kept eating to satisfy it, but it was distracting me--maybe there was an overlay of simply being worried about getting hungry vs actual need for food. When I was much more over weight, I had plenty of fat to burn and this sort of discomfort didn't crop up on the low carb diet. Now, with 15-20 lbs to lose, it seems harder for my body to access its stores of energy. Sigh....

Anyway, here goes:
B protein shake/coffee, later on protein chips and soy nuts
S broccoli, sweet pepper slices
L great big salad, veggies, chicken, evoo
S coffee, a little protein shake, Pizza slice
D protein chips, pizza slice, garlic bread--baguette-sized from a restaurant
S steamed broccoli, asparagus, evoo, 2 quest bars from a convenience store on the way home

I finally felt full, maybe a little over full. This morning I awoke with something like vertigo. Not sure if it's from all the sodium or some sort of reaction to all the sudden carbs or calories.

The good: 1. no sweets were eaten. 2. I did not respond to the bingey voice that suggested it would be okay to write off the day & have anything else I could think of that I had missed lately. The voice was there in my head, but I was wise to it and could ignore.
The bad & the ugly: protein overdose; a little disappointed that my great plan for keeping on top of hunger needs tweaking.

In hindsight, I underate for breakfast because I was hoping to speed up my weight loss. It backfired. Sometimes it's necessary to learn the same lessons a few times, lol!