Saturday, January 31, 2009

Adicted To Food For Life

You would think that I would be able to attack my food addiction in a logical and straightforward manner. I am an intelligent person who has a job that requires solving problems every day. In fact that is pretty much what my job is all about. I manage a factor so it is my responsibility to supervise about sixty people and make sure all the machinery is maintained in a way that will allow the factor to work at maximum output levels. As you can imagine there is always some problem to solve. In fact, there is usually about 4 or 5 on the front burner.
So you would think that I could apply my problem solving skills to my food addiction. But it seems to be something I can't get a handle on no matter how hard I try. It really reminds me of how my oldest daughter has to deal with life. She has autism but she is high functioning which means she can fairly well get along but there are definitely things she can not control. For example, the autism affects how she deals with information. If she has too much information coming toward her she either just shuts down or she goes ballistic. For years I would tell her to just take a deep breath and relax but she couldn't. Her autistic behavior was something that was out of her control.
This is the same way I feel when I am approached with a stressful situation only my response is to eat. Yesterday we had a problem with a log scanner. This basically is an electronic item that is used to measure the size of logs. It wasn't a big problem but I was drawn to the snack machine as soon as I heard of the problem. I needed that relief the candy would give me. so I ate two packages of peanut M&M's and felt terrible afterwards. But I had no control. It was like something else was in control of my body and whatever that evil thing was it wanted candy.
The big thing is, I actually did feel better as soon as the chocolate hit my mouth. For a few minutes that is until I came back to reality and hated myself again for eating junk food. This food addiction is a very powerful beast that I feel helpless over.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

How To Fight Bulimia

I am bulimic even though I haven't purged for years. I haven't because it became ineffective as a way to get the food out of my system. The problem is I still eat in a way that fits into the bulimic pattern. When I get started I just gorge myself on what ever I can find to eat. I know I am not really hungry because I have been checking that lately. I am just looking to fill myself with whatever I can. I have been doing some thinking about how this addiction takes a hold of me.
I have started to look at other food addictions for an understanding of how I act. I started a new blog called anorexia tips to explore how anorexics manifest their addiction. I am hoping to gain insight into my problem by looking at this other problem. I am trying to fill myself because I am so empty and anorexics are trying to empty themselves out. Completely different desired end results to treat the same problem. The problem of not being able to appreciate what great people we are.
We both view ourselves and unworthy and so I try to fill myself up and the anorexic trys to control their body shape. In my desire to fight bulimia I hope to be able to learn how to like myself and thus allow myself to be at a desired, stable weight.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Binge Eating Disorder

A very real part of Food Addiction is binge eating disorder. This is a painful and unhealthy way to live but it can be combated. do you think about food constantly? Do you hide your eating so others don't know how much you have? Do you eat when you are not hungry and do you eat until you feel sick? You may have Binge Eating Disorder.
Also known as BED. This disorder is treated with counseling and is one of the food disorders that has the highest levels of recovery. This disorder is usually caused by an association in the person's head between food and emotions. The food no longer is viewed as something to offer sustenance and instead is viewed as relief from some emotional problem.
For example, if thing start going bad a work a person with BED will head straight for the snack machine or the left over donuts from this morning's break. They will stuff the food in their mouths so quickly that taste isn't even an option. Instead, the eating has become a way to stuff their body with something that will cover up the emptiness they feel inside.
Binge Eating Disorder can play havoc with a person's insides both emotionally and physically. If you tend to binge eat be sure to get counseling.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

I am Addicted To Food Like An Alcoholic

I have finally bought into the belief that I am a food addict. I view food just like an alcoholic views alcohol and a drug user views heroin. The thought of eating gets a hold of me and I lose all ability to stop eating. It is like someone else in in control of my body and is making it eat what ever the food is I crave.
This really happens a lot when I am stressed at work. We have a vending machine that calls me with the sweet siren sound of relief when I am stressed. I usually don't even taste the candy bar or chips but the instant I start putting them in my mouth I feel better. It has a calming affect on me like nothing else. I instantly start to feel calm and good.
It is only later that I feel regret and disgust at what I have done. I know logically that if I eat junk I will hate myself but this addiction has such a hold on me that I can not stop it. Thinking about what I am writing makes me realize I am speaking just like an alcohoic or drug addict would. It is the same words they use. This is the same disease I am fighting and I need help. I can not do this alone. I need a lifelong program that allows me ways to feel relaxed without eating. I need to find out what my triggers are and stop those triggers from sending me over the edger into food oblivion.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Food Addiction Help

We will only start making headway on our national food addiction problem when we are willing to admit that it is an addiction problem like alcoholism or drug addiction. Both of these addictions have both a psychological and a physical component. With food addictions it is the same thing. We have our emotions tied to food so we use food as a way to feel better or to celebrate. And, there is more and more research finding out that our bodies become physically addicted to certain carbohydrates.
One big aspect of the Adkins diet was the thought that High Fructose Corn Syrup can have a major impact on how our bodies deal with nutrition. High fructose corn syrup is corn syrup that has been revved up to be more powerful than the corn syrup found by natural means. It is like what has happened with illegal drugs the last 40 years. They are so potent now that you can literally use once and be hooked for your life. This chemically manipulated corn syrup acts in the same way. It is so powerful that your body doesn't know how to handle it and you become addicted to the feelings you get.
Until we look at obesity from the addiction standpoint we will no have much luck combating this menace. There is help for addiction and if you are obese this is an option you should look at. Like any other addiction you need to review all aspects of your life to see what and who is having an effect on how you treat food. You can overcome your food addiction with help.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Diet For Food Addiction

I have found one problem with food addiction is I lose sight of the use of food. I eat when I am not hungry because I am trying to get something out of the food other than the energy stored there. somewhere along the way I started matching food to feelings and now I eat when I am worried. I eat when I am sad. I eat when I am happy. Eating has become an emotional thing instead of a nutritional thing.

I take responsibility for my addiction and I am the only one who can decide to combat it. That said, I remember my grandmother using food as a comforter for us often. Her words were "Here, eat this it will make you feel better." I think she really was trying to comfort us and apparently she had learned to use food as an emotion changer at some point in her life. The funny thing is she was not overweight. She did smoke though and ended up dieing of lung cancer. I think she taught us to be addicted to food like she was addicted to cigarettes.

I don't blame my addiction on her and my mother (who does the same thing) but it definitely did not help to grow up with that view of food as a comforter. I have 6 siblings and first cousins. Six of us ore obese and the seventh fights her weight with alcohol. I am not sure how this compares to the rest of the nation but it shows some sort of a trend.

I think a good way to start getting back to a healthy view of food is to realize that food is only for sustenance and not for emotional control. I like how they treat food on the TV show The Biggest Loser. The biggest loser diet is based on the fact that food is for fuel and not for feeling good. I know I need structure in my eating and a diet can give that. The key is to view this as a life long lifestyle change and not a month or 6 month long diet.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Food Addiction Healthy Eating

As you may know, not fueling up with the right
nutrients can affect how well your body performs
and your overall fitness benefits. Even though
healthy eating is important, there are myths that
hinder your performance if you listen to them.

Below, you'll find some myth busters on healthy
eating.

1. Working out on an empty stomach.
If you hear a rumbling noise in your stomach, the
rumbling is trying to tell you something. Without
listening to them, you are forcing your body to
run without any fuel. Before you exercise or do
any physical activity, always eat a light snack
such as an apple.

2. Relying on energy bars and drinks.
Although they are fine every once in a while, they
don't deliver the antioxidants you need to prevent
cancer. Fruits and vegetables are your best bets,
as they are loaded in vitamins, minerals, fluid,
and fiber.

3. Skipping breakfast.
Skipping breakfast is never a good idea, as
breakfast starts the day. Your body needs fuel
as soon as possible, and without it, you'll be
hungry throughout the day.

4. Low carb diets.
Your body needs carbohydrates for your muscles and
the storing of energy.

5. Eating what you want.
Eating healthy and exercising doesn't give you an
all access pass to eat anything you want. Everyone
needs the same nutrients whether they exercise or
not, as well as fruits and vegetables.

6. Not enough calories
Although losing weight involves calories, losing
it too quickly is never safe. What you should do,
is aim for 1 - 2 pounds a week. Always make sure
that you are getting enough calories to keep your
body operating smoothly. If you start dropping
weight too fast, eat a bit more food.

7. Skip soda and alcohol.
Water, milk, and juice is the best to drink for
active people. You should drink often, and not
require on thirst to be an indicator. By the time
you get thirsty, your body is already running a
bit too low.

Changing how you eat is always a great step
towards healthy eating and it will affect how your
body performs. The healthier you eat, you better
you'll feel. No matter how old you may be, healthy
eating is something you should strive for. Once
you give it a chance, you'll see in no time at
all just how much it can change your life - for the
better.

Food Addiciton Can Be Combatted

Being a healthy eater requires you to become both
educated and smart about what healthy eating
actually is. Being food smart isn't about
learning to calculate grams or fat, or is it
about studying labels and counting calories.

Healthy eating is all about balanced and moderate
eating, consisting of healthy meals at least
three times per day. Healthy eaters eat many
different types of foods, not limiting themselves
to one specific food type or food group.

Eating healthy requires quite a bit of leeway. You
might eat too much or not enough, consume
foods that are sometimes more or less nutritious.
However, you should always fuel your body and
your brain regularly with enough food to keep
both your mind and body strong and alert.

A healthy eater is a good problem solver. Healthy
eaters have learned to take care of themselves
and their eating with sound judgement and making
wise decisions. Healthy eaters are always aware
of what they eat, and know the effect that it
will have on their bodies.

When someone is unable to take control of their
eating, they are also likely to get out of control
with other aspects of life as well. They could
end up spending too much, talking too much, even
going to bed later and later.

You should always remember that restricting food
in any way is always a bad thing. Healthy eating
is a way of life, something that you can do to
enhance your body or your lifestyle. If you've
thought about making your life better, healthy
eating is just the place to start. You'll make
life easier for yourself, those around you, and
even your family.