RE: addiction

[Guest guest]

> Hi All,

>

> found this in a consumer review of Schaler's book on Amazon.

Interesting .....

I have no idea what this woman is rabbitting on about.

P.

[Guest guest]

> Hi All,

>

> found this in a consumer review of Schaler's book on Amazon.

Interesting .....

I have no idea what this woman is rabbitting on about.

P.

[Guest guest]

> Hi All,

>

> found this in a consumer review of Schaler's book on Amazon.

Interesting .....

I have no idea what this woman is rabbitting on about.

P.

[Guest guest]

I think that you are right about the addiction to food and it is harder to

kick it than the drug/alcohol/smoking areas.

They ARE hard too but you can avoid it and you can't avoid food at all.

Sometimes we think that we are eating out of stress but I guess it's the

addiction to food that comes to play in the stress maybe?? Then we go

overboard (or I do or did rather...) and the cycle starts all over.

It's such a hard fight to stay on track, one that will probably be there

every day forever like the reformed alcoholic--a day to day struggle.

addiction

Hi,

I always tried to explain to people that I had an addiction to food just

like some people are addicted to tobacco or alcohol. But no one ever

understands, " right, addicted to food! "

But it is true! And I think it is harder being addicted to food than it is

addicted to alcohol or tobacco. Because a person HAS to eat no matter what!

At least a person does not HAVE to smoke or drink, even though it is hard to

stay away from. I think my husband is finally starting to understand my

addiction to food. He is addicted to his chewing tobacco, has quit several

times since we have been married, but always starts up again. He sees how

it is a constant struggle for me with my food addiction.

[Guest guest]

My belief is that people don't get addicted to food, per se, but to fat

and sugar. Studies have shown that the combination of fat and sugar

really gets us hooked. Sugar is not exclusively the granulated white

stuff, but also the nutrient stripped white flour. When I am careful

about eating a relatively low-fat diet with little to no sugar or

refined grains, the cravings stop. So while we can't stop eating

altogether, we can stop eating junk (non-nutritive) food.

---

Debra

Down 25.6 pounds

[Guest guest]

I disagree. For those of us who are emotional/stress eaters...I think that

eating just about ANYTHING provides temporary relief from our

triggers...much like when an alcoholic takes a drink of ANYTHING with

alcohol, or a smoker who usually smokes one brand of cigarettes will even go

over to the menthol/non menthol side for the fix.

Liz

_____

From: Debra in WI

Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2003 12:53 PM

To: Serious-Weight-Watchers

Subject: RE: addiction

My belief is that people don't get addicted to food, per se, but to fat

and sugar. Studies have shown that the combination of fat and sugar

really gets us hooked. Sugar is not exclusively the granulated white

stuff, but also the nutrient stripped white flour. When I am careful

about eating a relatively low-fat diet with little to no sugar or

refined grains, the cravings stop. So while we can't stop eating

altogether, we can stop eating junk (non-nutritive) food.

---

Debra

Down 25.6 pounds

[Guest guest]

> I disagree.

Cool. I like differences of opinion. : )

> For those of us who are emotional/stress

> eaters...I think that

> eating just about ANYTHING provides temporary relief from our

> triggers

Ok, that's possible. I consider myself recovering from emotional eating

as well. Bad day, eat. Good day, eat. Angry, eat.

....much like when an alcoholic takes a drink of ANYTHING with

> alcohol

When I look back on my 25 years of bingeing, I can honestly say I've

never binged on zucchini or eggplant or carrots or green beans or split

peas or refried beans or chili or almonds or many similar food. It's

only certain foods with certain qualities that I binge on.

The analogy that makes more sense to me is that an alcoholic can still

drink almost anything - except alcohol. Milk, soda, juice, water, etc,

will not have a detrimental effect.

---

Debra

Down 25.6 pounds

[Guest guest]

Okay....I'll come out of the closet (or garage) on this one. I am a smoker. It

is way easier to control food for me than to control my tobacco addiction. When

I quit smoking, I shake...just like a drug addict going clean. Tobacco

addiction is said to be stronger than heroine addiction. I believe it, because

I have tried to quit many times.

Now, I am also addicted to food. For some reason, I can work the WW program

without shaking. lol If I'm feeling deprived on WW, I can eat something that

will make that feeling go away. I can take care of myself nutritionally. I can

choose foods that will fill me within my points range.

The tobacco addiction is something else. I will go to a meeting for two hours,

and the last half hour of that I am overtaken by

that...when-am-i-going-to-get-a-cigarette feeling. It consumes me. Driving long

distances in a car...I'm always watching for rest areas so I can pull over and

get out and have a smoke. In fact, whenever I'm busy at anything, the only

thought in the back of my mind is...When will I get a cigarette? I find the

tobacco addiction is much more severe than the food addiction. That said by

someone who used to eat an entire box of Kraft mac and cheese for lunch, or

would buy a package of Chips Ahoy cookies and have them gone in less than 2

days.

But the point you make about you HAVE to eat is very valid. You cannot give up

food cold turkey. You need food, but you don't need tobacco. But if I had to

choose between food and tobacco for just one day...the tobacco would win, hands

down.

This is why I do not consume alcohol. I have a drink probably once every 2 to 3

years. I have an addictive personality. There's no way I'm going to add any

other addictions to my list.

One step at a time for me. Working on food at this point. My battle is not

won. I don't know if it ever will be. But I'm 70 pounds lighter than I was at

the beginning of February 2003. I did not reach the goal I had for the year,

but I have trained my brain regarding my food addiction. Life without tobacco,

as wonderful as it will be when it happens, is just too scary to think of now.

One step at a time.

I'm an addict. I admit it. Food and tobacco. Next year's goals are to reach

my WW goal, and to tackle the tobacco addiction before it tackles me.

Listmom Lyn

[Guest guest]

Wow, that's wonderful to have lost 70 pounds since February!!!!!!

Even though it might not have been your total goal for the year, that's

amazing and something to be proud of.

You'll get there next year.

I never realized how powerful tobacco is/was--have never heard anyone say

that it's more addictive than food.

Good luck to you if you decide to work on weaning the tobacco. I guess with

any substance or food addiction, it's the most powerful to that person. It's

hard to do it with any of these and good luck to all of us working on any of

that.

Re: addiction

Okay....I'll come out of the closet (or garage) on this one. I am a smoker.

It is way easier to control food for me than to control my tobacco

addiction. When I quit smoking, I shake...just like a drug addict going

clean. Tobacco addiction is said to be stronger than heroine addiction. I

believe it, because I have tried to quit many times.

Now, I am also addicted to food. For some reason, I can work the WW program

without shaking. lol If I'm feeling deprived on WW, I can eat something

that will make that feeling go away. I can take care of myself

nutritionally. I can choose foods that will fill me within my points range.

The tobacco addiction is something else. I will go to a meeting for two

hours, and the last half hour of that I am overtaken by

that...when-am-i-going-to-get-a-cigarette feeling. It consumes me. Driving

long distances in a car...I'm always watching for rest areas so I can pull

over and get out and have a smoke. In fact, whenever I'm busy at anything,

the only thought in the back of my mind is...When will I get a cigarette? I

find the tobacco addiction is much more severe than the food addiction.

That said by someone who used to eat an entire box of Kraft mac and cheese

for lunch, or would buy a package of Chips Ahoy cookies and have them gone

in less than 2 days.

But the point you make about you HAVE to eat is very valid. You cannot give

up food cold turkey. You need food, but you don't need tobacco. But if I

had to choose between food and tobacco for just one day...the tobacco would

win, hands down.

This is why I do not consume alcohol. I have a drink probably once every 2

to 3 years. I have an addictive personality. There's no way I'm going to

add any other addictions to my list.

One step at a time for me. Working on food at this point. My battle is not

won. I don't know if it ever will be. But I'm 70 pounds lighter than I was

at the beginning of February 2003. I did not reach the goal I had for the

year, but I have trained my brain regarding my food addiction. Life

without tobacco, as wonderful as it will be when it happens, is just too

scary to think of now. One step at a time.

I'm an addict. I admit it. Food and tobacco. Next year's goals are to

reach my WW goal, and to tackle the tobacco addiction before it tackles me.

Listmom Lyn

[Guest guest]

willow wrote:

> Okay....I'll come out of the closet (or garage) on this one. I am a

>smoker. It is way easier to control food for me than to control my

>tobacco addiction. When I quit smoking, I shake...just like a drug

>addict going clean. Tobacco addiction is said to be stronger than

>heroine addiction. I believe it, because I have tried to quit many

>times.

I quit smoking over a year ago and I have to say that this was way

easier and still is then beating my food addiction.

We all have our own drugs.

summerset

--

287 / 262 / 145

math problems? call 1-800-[(10x)(13i)^2]-[sin(xy)/2.362x]

[Guest guest]

Years ago, my brother-in-law, who was always the thin one in the family,

took the

attitiude " if you guys wanted to lose weight, you'd just do it " . We all

tried to explain

to him the self-destructive cycle - try to lose weight - get discouraged

because its'

hard - eat more to drown our sorrow - get depressed - try to lose weight

.....

Now, I've turned my attitude around. It's not easy to break that cycle,

but it

can be broke and you can " just do it " . I'm doing it. My B-I-L has put on

a few pounds as he's gotten older. He's not heavy, but funny thing --- I

weigh

less then he does now.

Mitch

christine evenson wrote:

>Hi,

>I always tried to explain to people that I had an addiction to food just

>like some people are addicted to tobacco or alcohol. But no one ever

>understands, " right, addicted to food! "

>But it is true! And I think it is harder being addicted to food than it is

>addicted to alcohol or tobacco. Because a person HAS to eat no matter what!

>At least a person does not HAVE to smoke or drink, even though it is hard to

>stay away from. I think my husband is finally starting to understand my

>addiction to food. He is addicted to his chewing tobacco, has quit several

>times since we have been married, but always starts up again. He sees how

>it is a constant struggle for me with my food addiction.

>

>

>