Food Addiction?

Nurses Recovery

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Does anyone else out there have issues with food?

I've had issues with food for as long as I can remember. In times of stress, boredom, turmoil, sadness, or uncertainty, food was the only enjoyable crutch in my life. My past weights have reflected my love-hate relationship with food, because I have constantly bounced from normal body weights to obesity to overweight, then back to normal BMI and so forth.

Thanks Kim.;) I remember the "gray sheet" from OA. FAA says to avoid sugar,flour and wheat and one's own individual "binge foods." It sure worked for me. The cravings went away. So food addicts have a choice. They can say "I can't possibly live without those foods and can continue to be miserable or they can say " I am sick and tired of being miserable and having non-stop food cravings. If I have to give up "my favorite foods" in order to have a good life so be it. It's well worth it. I promise you people the food cravings do go away!!!! You don't have to live a miserable life! Quit making excuses, put down the food and start living again!!!

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I do have terrible cravings. I've had them for years. Sometimes it can be from seeing a commercial and getting that food in my head. My cravings can be sugary or salty. Sometimes they are even for a healthy food like cantaloupe. lol

I have been trying to eat a little less sugar over the last few days. I don't have much wheat because I am allergic. I have also started drinking 2 glasses of water a day to get on a healthier path. I feel a little more optimistic.

I have also been concentrating on my emotions and the people in my life. I am stepping back a bit from those that stress me out. I'm a fixer and need to fix myself now.

Thanks Blackcat99 for the info. You are an inspiration. :)

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I suffer from withdrawal symptoms when I try to "diet". When I'm not eating over my emotions or stressors I seem to fall apart emotionally. Does anyone else experience this? :uhoh21:[/quote']

Do you mean when you diet and don't have food to depend on that you fall apart emotionally?! I think that's common. We are so used to food being our comfort that when it's taken away we don't know what to do. Our coping mechanism is gone.

I'm taking small steps now because I'm so out of control and can't do everything at once. I plan on weighing myself on the 1st of every month. I'm trying to make better food choices without being obsessive.

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this was a fall off the wagon day

i will be better, have seen a tops club in the paper that meets on mondays

i am going to try and get someone to go with me

i was going to do this before but i couldn't get anyone and i felt i neeeded a diet buddy, but now i think that i have someone, she is not working evenings anymore

keep your fingers crossed for me

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I forgot to mention that the FAA food plan gives you plenty of good healthy food to eat:yeah:. I never feel hungry and deprived like I did when I would try to go on a "diet."

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Specializes in ICU, hospice, MS/tele, ED, corrections.

I am so glad to see this thread on allnurses.com...I am a recovering anorexic/bulimic (10+ years, by the grace of HP!) Where I live, there is a 12-step group called Eating Disorders Anonymous, however, it's numbers have dwindled quite a bit over the years. In the first few years, I also went to AA, NA, OA, and Al-anon, even though I am not a drug addict/alcoholic (my eating disorder left no room for any kind of life, let alone another addiction!), and these groups helped me, along with EDA, as people accepted me and didn't care that my addiction wasn't to the same "substance" as theirs. I clung to the idea, as it states in AA, NA, and EDA, that I needed to pick a "Birthday" and stick to it, as though my life depended on it (which it did - fainting due to electrolyte imbalances while walking down the street at age 22 wasn't a sign of health!). Other groups in my area, at least, seemed to leave a little more room for "slips," which was deadly for me. Finally, after many attempts, I chose a Birthday and stuck with it, no matter what. My weight has changed minimally over the past 10 years (mostly in reflection of if I exercise regularly or not), and I haven't had an urge or craving to binge, purge, or starve for many years. Also, I eat what ever I want, I just have to accept the consequences. Once I was granted freedom from food, however, the part about living life has certainly kicked my you-know-what many times, but it truly, like they say, has never been as bad as my best day as an active anorexic/bulimic.

I have known many young women and men who have died from this disease, yet it still seems to be an addiction that lives "in the closet." I hope people keep talking about it...

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

This entire month has been a "fall off the wagon" for me. I've been experiencing some changes in my daily routine due to a new job, and have not eaten a meal prepared at home in several weeks. All of my meals have come from fast food places, restaurants, or the local convenience store. I think the only reason I have not gained the weight back is because I still exercise at the health club several times weekly.

This is an uphill battle. Life would be easier if I craved broccoli instead of pizza!

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When I am happy everyone know it based on my weight. Can you say Cake! I had two peices of birthday cake today on shift. My boyfreind is a firefighter and he I just got an exersize machine at the house. I have only used it one time.

It is really hard to change eating habbits! I hate it.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
My boyfreind is a firefighter and he I just got an exersize machine at the house. I have only used it one time.
Yep. Unfortunately, it's so very easy for home exercise equipment to collect dust and be used as contraptions on which to hang your clothes. It's too easy to lose the motivation, and so difficult to change deeply ingrained rituals. As they say, "Old habits die hard."
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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Hey all, I'm reviving this thread. Yes, I think I have food issues. I mean I get it into my head that I need something to eat when I just ate a meal about an hour before. It's horrendous. I don't keep anything in my house anymore because I know I will eat it. Sometimes I can't stop myself. Lets put it this way, yesterday I ate three California kitchen pizzas for one and two of those betty crocker brownie things that you put in the microwave. I don't know what is wrong with me.

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Hey all, I'm reviving this thread. Yes, I think I have food issues. I mean I get it into my head that I need something to eat when I just ate a meal about an hour before. It's horrendous. I don't keep anything in my house anymore because I know I will eat it. Sometimes I can't stop myself. Lets put it this way, yesterday I ate three California kitchen pizzas for one and two of those betty crocker brownie things that you put in the microwave. I don't know what is wrong with me.

Don't worry. There is hope for us food addicts.:yeah: If you want to find out exactly what is wrong with you please get the book that "saved my life". It's called Food addiction-The body knows by Kay Sheppard. All of your questions will be answered in this book I swear.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I have totally fallen off the wagon this summer. I am eating just because I feel like snacking on something tasty. It is never because of hunger.

Today I ate a Big Mac meal with fries and a diet coke. Later on in the day I had a blueberry muffin with a glass of milk. For dinner, I ate two turkey and cheddar wraps with some tea. I snacked on cheese-flavored crackers in between these "meals." Not once did I select these food items because I was hungry. I selected them because they were fattening and tasted darned good.

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