Would you say you are/were addicted to food?

[KD]

I've been pondering this (brace yourselves ) and am wondering whether it is possible to be addicted to "food" or, like KD said earlier, more to the habit of turning to it in certain situations? Aside from the mild happy hormomes etc that things like chocolate can release, if you were truly addicted to the food itself presumably you'd need that particular food group quite early in the day. Yes, I'd be planning my day's treats pretty early on, and thinking about it for much of the day, but not actually needing it just yet. This is in contrast to my smoker friends who have to have a cigarette fairly soon after waking.

At one point I would work my way through 5000 calories per day, that's more than simply overeating a bit - food addiction possibly?

The day would go something like this:

Wake up, get ready for work. Eat a "normal" sized breakfast, think no more of it.

Mid morning - glance at the clock - ooh elevenses - toddle off to choc vending machine and promise myself I'll be "good" for rest of day.

Lunch - low cal sandwich and bag of snack-a-jacks

Mid afternoon - fancy something to get me through the afternoon even though not really hungry. Sit for 1/2 hour having mental battle of shall I shan't I. Cave in and get another choc bar and crisps.

Home from work - I've blown it so will "start again tomorrow". Start raiding kitchen picking at anything and everything. Go out to get takeway and pick up ice cream and sweets to have afterwards. Feel sick 1/2 way through binge but am "unable" to stop. Go to bed feeling disgusted with myself and vowing never, ever to do it again. Then I do it all over again the next day, and the next...

Food addiction or a series of habits/triggers?

Obviously this is only my own experience and am not saying food addiction does or doesn't exist xx

Haha. You've been reading my private diary :8855:

So, test...

You're out having a wonderful time with friends. You're not hungry and just enjoying your time with them. Do you have to rush away and get a 'fix' of food?

Or can time pass without hardly a thought?

 

[littlemissspendthrift]

i have found myself on a night out genuinely wanting to go home early so i can go and stuff myself full with food

thats not good

or if i had food planned for the evening... thinking about nothing but going home and eating it al day, and then when i am eating it, its gone in a manner of minutes. i couldnt eat it quick enough.

yet strangely on this diet i find myself craving chicken and salad??!!!

 

[becs132]

i
yet strangely on this diet i find myself craving chicken and salad??!!!

Hahaha it funny you should mention craving healthier things whilst on SS. I am convinced it is your mind playing tricks on you. If you crave healthy things then obviously it won't be so bad if you fall off 'the wagon'. But I know for certain that it wouldn't stop at a chicken salad for me. When I did lighterlife all I could think of eating was Miso soup with bok choi in it, now that doesn't even have any calories!!!! I know it would have lead to a full on take away.

When out with friends I try and organise it so food is involved. Or I would actually sit there and think oooo we are having a drink so we should eat crisps or nuts or bar snacks.

I totally identify with everyone when they say they graze through their cupboards not knowing when or where to stop. I really need to find my full up button. I have a toddler and I marvel at the fact he eats what he needs to be full. If he only wants half his food then so be it, even if it's his fav. Sometimes he wants extra it depends on how hungry he is. I just wish I had that instinct still.

Serena - you summed up my life in a paragraph, start the day well and end it eating my way out of the bottom of a HUGE takeaway carton.

Bec x

 

[KD]

I remember when I got to goal I longed for an extra special jacket potato. I had decided to do the plans up, but just had to have this potato...promised myself it

So, I heard they did great JPs at this local festival. Spent a fortune on tickets for the family to go to it, just so I could have this JP. Didn't tell them that though

When we got there, I planned the route to the JP stall, and counted down the minutes. They went so slowly...so I had to keep trying the 'freebies' at the food stalls. Even so. Never known such a long morning :sigh:

5 to 12 I announced to the family that it was time for lunch and I thought they had a JP stall closeby that was good

Blooming family decided they weren't hungry and would give it a miss!!

I was sooooo disappointed



Still think I was addicted to the habit though. When I'm at work, I don't think about food because I'm so busy.

Doesn't matter what time I get home though, whether it's midday, or later, the first thing I thought about was grub when entering the house.

 

[cateka]

Hey, just noticed this un.
I totally understand where you are all coming from, I am 100% addicted to food also. I eat too much all the time, the only thing that keeps me slim is that I suffer from bulimia nervosa - do not think for a SECOND I am condoning it though.
I really hate hearing people say 'they just like food' or 'displacing the blame' because I would be obese if I kept down all the food I ate, it makes me feel really awkward, and because I am secretive about my illness I don't like citing myself as an example of why they are wrong.

They should realise that saying 'you just like food' is a stupid statement because it suggest there is reinforcement involved.

Heart disease, diabetes, stomache pains, fatigue and depression are not reinforcers.

 

[kikuka]

I was addicted to self medicating with food. I had learned habits such as eating to celebrate, comiserate, because i was bored, wanted to feel cosy, was sad, dissapointed etc.
I learnt this at a young age from my lovely parents who used to comfort, celebrate etc with treats. That is fine, but I took this to extremes, and it is my responsibility not theirs. It is useful to recognise where it came from though. Being on CD I have had to go through hellish times of wanting to eat - standing in the local supermarket staring at food, and taking it in and out of the basket. Not so much these days. I know more things now - I can feel things without eating them away (a bath works wonders I find) and I now look forward to food, but in a good way. The buying, selecting, cooking and presentation of food, as well as the eating are all great things we can do for ourselves. The instant gratification of stuffing something down is not positive.
I am looking forward to a future of enjoying great food in quanitites that are good for me. Nothing is off limits, and I have a lifetime to enjoy it, so it doesnt all have to be enhoyed right now Isnt CD great?

 

[mrsessex]

Wowowow lilypop!!!! You look soooo beautiful what a pretty face so please for you x

Food was my second lover after my hubby, in love with food basically!

My mind has changed now and don't have to clear the plate

 

[furrysmudge]

Yes I was/am completely addicted to food, however I am learning to not think about 'weightloss' as my main goal but to look at my health/self esteem and motivation as my main goal. I will always have a problem around food but I am determined to overcome it!

I totally agree with this. I know some people manage very successfully to overcome their 'bad' relationship with food (look at KD for example) but i really do believe i will always be one of those people who will have to be very careful even WHEN I get to my target weight, as I will always have the inclination to overeat. Although I do know from the last 5 months CD has helped me immensely and I can go to parties and celebrations without feeling I have to stuff my face which is what I used to do, hence I weighed 20 stone xxxx

 

[Jambro]

Lots of very good points in these threads.
I wouldn't say I was addicted to food, but I do use food to medicate myself when upset, stressed etc.
So i need to choose something else to get me through.
I definatley agree that overeatting is a 'safe' addiction and I never thought of it like that!!!
With any other addiction - drinking, drugs etc the evidence is clear but with eating it is socially acceptable.

 

[edibeedee]

Not only do I use food to comemorate my life's events good or bad, as weird as it may sound, I am addicted to the feeling I get when I eat too much. That full up to the top miserable too tight feeling I get. It is as if I am not satisfied until I get that feeling even though it is a miserable feeling. I am trying to learn to live without periodically having to have that feeling. I used to have it almost daily.

 

[furrysmudge]

Home from work - I've blown it so will "start again tomorrow". Start raiding kitchen picking at anything and everything. Go out to get takeway and pick up ice cream and sweets to have afterwards. Feel sick 1/2 way through binge but am "unable" to stop. Go to bed feeling disgusted with myself and vowing never, ever to do it again. Then I do it all over again the next day, and the next...

[/QUOTE]

Serena, thankyou for such an honest post xxx

I remember the days when I was just the same, in fact it's my turn to be honest and admit that I've got into a stupid habit of still doing this on WI day. I go into the supermarket and buy all sorts of s**t, eat (most) of it then feel sick. I think its a mental thing, you know, i still have a week til next WI type thing. Thankfully I managed to stop myself doing that this week, hopefully that means Ive finally managed to break that stupid habit. Sorry to waffle and take over the thread! xxxx

 

[DizzyFlowers]

I used to believe i was addicted to food but afer reading a few posts on here im starting to question wether it is habit rather than addiction.

One thing i do know tho is that i will always have a problem with food. although i may not always be over weight (and i wont be soon enough) i know it will always be that little bit harder not to stuff my face for the 'fix'

But i think and hope that after i have lost all this weight i will be so proud and will love the way my life has changed that i will never let myslef go back to the way i was.

Something that i may try once iv finished this diet, well maintaining, is only do a shop for 2 days max rather than a week or 2 at a time. I saw this on a programme recently and it realy helped the guy not to cave in. and as my family just consists of me and my 2 year old, picking up a few bits every day or so would probally suit us alot better!! iv lost count of the amount of times iv done a 2 week shop and found myslef half way through a mulitpack of crisps that are ment to last!!!

Great thread!

xx

 

[Serena A]

Serena, thankyou for such an honest post xxx

I remember the days when I was just the same, in fact it's my turn to be honest and admit that I've got into a stupid habit of still doing this on WI day. I go into the supermarket and buy all sorts of s**t, eat (most) of it then feel sick. I think its a mental thing, you know, i still have a week til next WI type thing. Thankfully I managed to stop myself doing that this week, hopefully that means Ive finally managed to break that stupid habit. Sorry to waffle and take over the thread! xxxx

Thanks for your nice comments and for the rep

I'd forgotten I posted that back in January - so much has happened since then. Got to goal, stayed there for a couple of months, went away on holiday and put on a few lbs and have been battling the binge demons ever since (including a few binge days like the one outlined in my original post ) . The funny thing is I was pretty much 100% during my entire CD journey, not that I didn't struggle loads mentally but I didn't give in and eat off-plan. As KD has said before it's not until you've finished whatever diet plan you're on that you get to face your demons in the real world (assuming you have them of course).

Hope this doesn't sound too negative - am still pleased I did the steps up or I'd have fallen a lot harder and faster without them.

It's really common to celebrate/commiserate on WI day with food - I remember seeing this with the girls in the office who were on WW or SW. Well done for resisting this week...here's to a good one next week for you