I have been doing some reading about anorexia lately to see how it fits into my fight with food addiction fight. The interesting thing is anorexics are preoccupied with food just like I am. Only they are preoccupied with doing anything possible to not put food in their mouths. I am preoccupied with the joy and relief I get from putting food in my mouth.
Yesterday I tried a trick from Alcholic's Anonymous. I told myself I just had to get through that one day without getting something from the snack machine. That is all I focused on was getting through the one day. I made it. I looked at the machine several times but I did not stop and put my money in. I was able to control the monkey on my back for that one day. This was success.
When I got home though I over ate. I was craving cheddar cheese. I ate too much. But then I did not eat the rest of the night which was a victory. Normally I eat a meal when I get home and then later about 7:00 pm I eat dinner. This is after a very small breakfast and basically no lunch. This is not a good way to operate I know. I need to balance my eating out better.
Today my goal is again to not get into the snack machine. I know I can do it because I did it yesterday.
I am craving protein again right now and I am not sure why. I must get something from that I just know what it is. If I get that shot of protein or carbs I feel great and I am off to the races. I can't stop eating the rest of the day.
We can combat these food addictions with the help of others.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms Like Food Withdrawl
One of the big problems with Food Addiction is you can't go cold turkey like you can will alcohol or drugs. You need a certain amount of food to enable your body to continue to function. Unlike abused drugs or alcohol which your body can function without just fine. I think the key is to find out which foods trigger the addictive behavior and treat those foods like you would any other deadly substance. You can still get good nutrition without eating the foods that trigger the madness associated with addiction.
In my case I think it is simple carbohydrates like white flour, sugar, and corn syrup. In particular, I think high fructose corn syrup has a powerful affect on me. As soon as it touches my tongue I can feel the affects. I get a warm feeling and I feel energized and "normal." This is the same results that alcoholics and drug addicts report when they use their drug of choice.
When I don't have these foods I start to get feelings just like alcohol withdrawal symptoms. I get irritable, I don't have any energy, and I just don't feel right. I can definitely tell that something is missing in me. When I start getting these food withdrawal symptoms my body is controlled by something other than my conscious brain. I walk to the candy machine and put my dollar in even though I know I don't want to eat junk food. It is like I no longer have any control over what I am doing.
These are classic alcohol withdrawal symptoms. I am going to view my trigger foods the same way alcoholics and addicts view their drugs of choice. Zero tolerance. I hope this will help combat my food addiction.
In my case I think it is simple carbohydrates like white flour, sugar, and corn syrup. In particular, I think high fructose corn syrup has a powerful affect on me. As soon as it touches my tongue I can feel the affects. I get a warm feeling and I feel energized and "normal." This is the same results that alcoholics and drug addicts report when they use their drug of choice.
When I don't have these foods I start to get feelings just like alcohol withdrawal symptoms. I get irritable, I don't have any energy, and I just don't feel right. I can definitely tell that something is missing in me. When I start getting these food withdrawal symptoms my body is controlled by something other than my conscious brain. I walk to the candy machine and put my dollar in even though I know I don't want to eat junk food. It is like I no longer have any control over what I am doing.
These are classic alcohol withdrawal symptoms. I am going to view my trigger foods the same way alcoholics and addicts view their drugs of choice. Zero tolerance. I hope this will help combat my food addiction.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Food Addiction and Diets
There are a lot of diets advertised for people who are over weight. What we consume is a big cause of the obesity in this country and other western societies. An interesting note is the people in other countries are also seeing their obesity levels rise as they consume a more western diet. We need to combat food addiction in two ways. We need to deal with what we eat and we need to deal with why we eat.
I think a diet is a good thing to get started on if you have a food addiction because it sets up a system for keeping track of the food you eat. This allows you to focus on the food and start to ask yourself if you are really hungry or if you are eating because of emotions. A diet I like is the cottage cheese diet. This is structured and it allows you to think about the food you are putting in your mouth.
Yesterday at work I had a candy bar and a bag of chips. Why? There were two causes. First, I started having withdrawl from carbs. I started feeling not very good and my head felt light. I really started telling myself that I needed some carbs to "feel better". I ate the candy bar and it didn't really help. Then I had a bag of Doritoes andI felt much better. Now today my pants are tight. I want to stop doing this.
The second reason was because we had a problem at work and I am always using food as a comforter. When I am stressed I tell myself that I will feel better if I eat. The eating does make me feel better then but the next day I feel rotten. I am going to use this blog to fight my food addictions.
I think a diet is a good thing to get started on if you have a food addiction because it sets up a system for keeping track of the food you eat. This allows you to focus on the food and start to ask yourself if you are really hungry or if you are eating because of emotions. A diet I like is the cottage cheese diet. This is structured and it allows you to think about the food you are putting in your mouth.
Yesterday at work I had a candy bar and a bag of chips. Why? There were two causes. First, I started having withdrawl from carbs. I started feeling not very good and my head felt light. I really started telling myself that I needed some carbs to "feel better". I ate the candy bar and it didn't really help. Then I had a bag of Doritoes andI felt much better. Now today my pants are tight. I want to stop doing this.
The second reason was because we had a problem at work and I am always using food as a comforter. When I am stressed I tell myself that I will feel better if I eat. The eating does make me feel better then but the next day I feel rotten. I am going to use this blog to fight my food addictions.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Food Addcition
If you have a food addiction you know how rotten that makes you feel. I hate the way food can take control of my life and make me do things I don't want to. You know what I mean, you start the day with all the best intentions in the world. Today I am only going to eat healthy food, you tell yourself. It goes well at breakfast. A little oatmeal and fruit. Then you get to work or you get the kids ready for school. The little stresses start to mount up. Nothing big just that little voice in your head telling you that donut would really make you feel better.
But you don't fall for it immediately. You fight it. You know you will end up feeling worse at the end of the day if you give in now. A few more stressors add up. You feel a little tinge in your stomach because you are not stuffed. You are still telling yourself you won't over eat today.
Then it happens. Your boss gets upset or the kids start to fight. It is not a lot but enough to send you over the edge. You reach for the candy bar but as you are reaching you know it is not what you want to do. You know logically the chocolate will not help your situation. You tell yourself no but it doesn't matter. The addiction has control of you and is running your life.
You unwrap the bar but your fingers don't even sense the feeling in your hand. You don't smell it. You don't really even see it. You are running on addiction autopilot and it is crashing into the ground. You stuff the candy into your mouth even as you tell yourself you don't want any. You know the candy will make you feel worse but you have no control. Later on your disgusted with yourself again. Another day and another day of addiction.
The addiction is active and you have no hope.
Let's work together to combat this terrible disease and get you back to being healthy. Won't you work with me?
But you don't fall for it immediately. You fight it. You know you will end up feeling worse at the end of the day if you give in now. A few more stressors add up. You feel a little tinge in your stomach because you are not stuffed. You are still telling yourself you won't over eat today.
Then it happens. Your boss gets upset or the kids start to fight. It is not a lot but enough to send you over the edge. You reach for the candy bar but as you are reaching you know it is not what you want to do. You know logically the chocolate will not help your situation. You tell yourself no but it doesn't matter. The addiction has control of you and is running your life.
You unwrap the bar but your fingers don't even sense the feeling in your hand. You don't smell it. You don't really even see it. You are running on addiction autopilot and it is crashing into the ground. You stuff the candy into your mouth even as you tell yourself you don't want any. You know the candy will make you feel worse but you have no control. Later on your disgusted with yourself again. Another day and another day of addiction.
The addiction is active and you have no hope.
Let's work together to combat this terrible disease and get you back to being healthy. Won't you work with me?
Food Addictions Suck
This blog is going to be about food addictions and how to fight them. Obesity is of monumental proportions (no pun intended) today. In the US, and more frequently in other countries, overeating has become a pass time with the result being that we have become more unhealthy than ever. This current generation of children in the US may be the first generation ever which will have a shorter average life span than their parents. This has got to stop. We cannot continue to eat ourselves into an early grave.
Food Addiction Matters
There are many reason why we are getting fatter as a society but one of the biggest is food addictions. We have completely lost sight of the real purpose of food which is to sustain our body for the physical labor required to go through our day to day lives. When was the last time you were hungry? I don't mean board and looking in the fridge or cupboard for something to eat because you didn't have anything else to do. I mean the kind where your stomach has little cramps and maybe you get a little light headed. The kind of hungry you get from not eating for a day or two days. I bet it has been a long time.
Our western society has more calories available than at any time in history. With our current transportation systems there is nothing we can't have for a fairly reasonable price. Up until the last few centuries most people had no idea what a sweetener was unless they were lucky enough to find a bee's nest. Now sugar is so cheap we have to have government subsidies in order to keep the sugar cane and sugar beet farmers in business. Consequently, sugar or corn syrup is added to almost everything which in turn increases the calorie count for the food.
I think this added sugar is also fueling our food addictions. Our bodies are addicted to the white stuff (not cocaine) and we go into withdrawls when we don't get it. I know half way through the day I start feeling really bad unless I have some chips or a candy bar. Instantly, when I eat these I start feeling better and within a few minutes I have a great sugar high. The only way to combat this is to stop eating processed foods. Eat naturally and you can limit the amount of extra sugar added to your life.
As we go along I will be blogging about my fight against food addiction. I hope I can help you to learn how to live without thinking of food every minutes. I don't have the answers yet but I will explore options and let you know what I find. Together, we can fight food addiction.
Food Addiction Matters
There are many reason why we are getting fatter as a society but one of the biggest is food addictions. We have completely lost sight of the real purpose of food which is to sustain our body for the physical labor required to go through our day to day lives. When was the last time you were hungry? I don't mean board and looking in the fridge or cupboard for something to eat because you didn't have anything else to do. I mean the kind where your stomach has little cramps and maybe you get a little light headed. The kind of hungry you get from not eating for a day or two days. I bet it has been a long time.
Our western society has more calories available than at any time in history. With our current transportation systems there is nothing we can't have for a fairly reasonable price. Up until the last few centuries most people had no idea what a sweetener was unless they were lucky enough to find a bee's nest. Now sugar is so cheap we have to have government subsidies in order to keep the sugar cane and sugar beet farmers in business. Consequently, sugar or corn syrup is added to almost everything which in turn increases the calorie count for the food.
I think this added sugar is also fueling our food addictions. Our bodies are addicted to the white stuff (not cocaine) and we go into withdrawls when we don't get it. I know half way through the day I start feeling really bad unless I have some chips or a candy bar. Instantly, when I eat these I start feeling better and within a few minutes I have a great sugar high. The only way to combat this is to stop eating processed foods. Eat naturally and you can limit the amount of extra sugar added to your life.
As we go along I will be blogging about my fight against food addiction. I hope I can help you to learn how to live without thinking of food every minutes. I don't have the answers yet but I will explore options and let you know what I find. Together, we can fight food addiction.
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