Food Addiction Support Group
An individual suffering from a food addiction disorder frequently experiences episodes of uncontrolled eating, or binging, during which they may feel frenzied or out of control. They will eat much more quickly than is normal, and continue to eat even past the point of being uncomfortably full. Binging in this way is generally followed by a period of intense guilt feelings...
Hello,
Im 25 and in some way i have been struggling with food addiction since i can remember, but recently it has become a lot worse. I have been reading that the best way to not over indulge is to abstain from 'trigger foods' (for me its mostly chocolate and bread) completely.
At the moment i am living in a share house and all that my housemates eat is junk. I am able to say no to kfc and pizza etc (most of the time :/) but its the chocolate and bread and nutella that gets me. Its fine for them they can buy a block of chocolate and leave it in the fridge for a month or more! But if that was mine it would be gone in one sitting!
When im living on my own i find it pretty easy as i dont keep bad food in the house. i still think about food constantly but i can turn that into a positive by planning ahead and cooking healthy meals/snacks/ juices for the week.
Now im walking into the kitchen all day. Sometimes i just stand there trying to convince myself that i dont want more food, ill reach for the food and put it back down and walk away and come back and start this whole cycle again.
Its worse after iv just eaten. particularly dinner. ill usually have a big meal of brown rice chicken and vegedables (or last night i had lasagna) and start craving sweets as soon as iv finished.
Im gaining weight quickly and i need help. Iv never felt this powerless.
What can i do to take charge of my life again?
Where do i start?
Im 25 and in some way i have been struggling with food addiction since i can remember, but recently it has become a lot worse. I have been reading that the best way to not over indulge is to abstain from 'trigger foods' (for me its mostly chocolate and bread) completely.
At the moment i am living in a share house and all that my housemates eat is junk. I am able to say no to kfc and pizza etc (most of the time :/) but its the chocolate and bread and nutella that gets me. Its fine for them they can buy a block of chocolate and leave it in the fridge for a month or more! But if that was mine it would be gone in one sitting!
When im living on my own i find it pretty easy as i dont keep bad food in the house. i still think about food constantly but i can turn that into a positive by planning ahead and cooking healthy meals/snacks/ juices for the week.
Now im walking into the kitchen all day. Sometimes i just stand there trying to convince myself that i dont want more food, ill reach for the food and put it back down and walk away and come back and start this whole cycle again.
Its worse after iv just eaten. particularly dinner. ill usually have a big meal of brown rice chicken and vegedables (or last night i had lasagna) and start craving sweets as soon as iv finished.
Im gaining weight quickly and i need help. Iv never felt this powerless.
What can i do to take charge of my life again?
Where do i start?
2.) Give up one food group every month. Don't try to go cold turkey. I gave up soda and sugared beverages one month. The next month, I gave up all fried food. The next month, I gave up all fast food. After that, it was baked desserts (donuts, cookies, and brownies). The last month, it was all remaining junk food, like chips, candy, and chocolate.
I didn't lose weight at first with this gradual approach. At first, when I wanted a Big Mac, I would have some candy and chips instead. I only lost about a pound or two a month when I first started.
But I got used to life without each type of food, one group at a time. Slowly I started to find healthy alternatives: Smoothies stuffed with fruits and vegetables instead of soda. Restaurants that served vegan dishes and broth-based soups instead of burgers and pizza. "Junk foods" like freshly popped popcorn, tasty trail mixes, seasonal fruit, vegetables and hummus, string cheese, and the occasional bag of pretzels instead of chips, candy, and chocolate.
I'm now down 18 pounds -- this works!
3.) When tempted with foods at home, distract yourself. Have a glass of water with lemon, a cup of coffee, or a tall glass of plain water. Go for a walk. Listen to some music. Paint your nails. Take a long bath. Do things that distract yourself until temptation leaves.
Usually, the only thing that really helps me to put that junk food down and walk away is to remember that I can do all things through God who strengthens me. I need to remember that with God, all things are possible. If I have faith, then I can walk away from this piece of chocolate, this spoon of Nutella, this bag of nuts. Believing in a God who is far more powerful that I am, one who created me in His image, I recall that my willpower is far stronger than my addiction to this spoon of Nutella.
The question is whether I can have faith, whether I have the mental strength and discipline to believe in God, to make that leap of faith, to believe in a Creator who has a greater Will for me than I have chosen for myself, standing in my refrigerator, with packets of chocolate and cookies and cakes spread out before me, indulging my appetites. That is the only way for me to stop before I start to feel sick. It is to visualize a better life for myself, one that a God with infinite love has set out for me.
I hope all is well. Blessings!
Laurie