Re: How I'm Doing

[Guest guest]

, thank-you for your post. I find it very helpful to read the about the stages you have gone gone through. I do find myself starting to make better food choices some of the time. Sometimes I even leave things that don't taste great. Sometimes I eat the thing anyways. eg. I hadn't eaten doughnuts for a long time and I felt like having one. I sat down with the doughnut and coffee, and took a bite. It wasn't very good. I had another bite. Still not good. I thought about just leaving it there. I ended up eating the whole thing. Didn't enjoy it. I haven't figured out yet why I ate it anyways! Maybe just because I could? Carole--- On

Wed, 6/17/09, E. wrote:Subject: How I'm DoingTo: intuitiveeating_support Received: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 10:04 PM

However, it is not painful and I find it much easier to make healthier choices. I eat what feels good and tastes good to me. I don't eat much that is artificial because real food tastes soooo much better to me these days. I'd so much rather eat some greek yogurt with granola in it than a Twinkie. I don't go hungry -- I eat steel cut oatmeal with almond butter, fruit, and nuts in it most mornings because it keeps me satisfied, doesn't mess up my moods, and tastes fabulous. I know that I can eat a burger and fries whenever I want. Sometimes I order it and eat about half of it, but most of the time it just sounds greasy. Don't get me wrong -- I still LOVE dessert and other foods that aren't "healthy", but I've learned that if I eat more than a very small serving of it, I feel very out of sorts starting immediately afterward and continuing even into the next day. Anyway, LMK if you have other questions!

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[Guest guest]

I think you are right Carole. I have found that I have 'sentimental' eating

moments which are rather like trying to regain a pleasant memory of how I used

to feel when I ate a 'beloved' (or fobidden ;-) food. As I eat the food I know

it doesn't taste like what I want it to, nor does it satisfy (serve its

function?) as it used to do, but I eat it all the same, hoping all the way? The

good news is that these occurrences happen more and more rarely as well as stay

in my consciousness stronger each time.

Best to you, Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

>        eg. I hadn't eaten doughnuts for a long time and I felt like having

one. I sat down with the doughnut and coffee, and took a bite. It wasn't very

good. I had another bite. Still not good. I thought about just leaving it there.

I ended up eating the whole thing. Didn't enjoy it. I haven't figured out yet

why I ate it anyways! Maybe just because I could?

>                       Carole

[Guest guest]

Again reminds me of all types of addiction...where you chase the " high " even

though that type of high you are chasing was gone long ago. Wow I can so relate

to that.

Warrior

> >

> >        eg. I hadn't eaten doughnuts for a long time and I felt like having

one. I sat down with the doughnut and coffee, and took a bite. It wasn't very

good. I had another bite. Still not good. I thought about just leaving it there.

I ended up eating the whole thing. Didn't enjoy it. I haven't figured out yet

why I ate it anyways! Maybe just because I could?

> >                       Carole

>

[Guest guest]

I'm sure there are a lot of alcoholics that feel if they haven't killed anyone

in a DUI that they are not addicts either. Most alcoholics don't steal anything

to get liquor. So there are many differing levels of addiction, many, many.

I personally have some form of addiction with food. Otherwise, why can't I just

change what has made my body into something that isn't me (and can't do what I

want to do.)? Why don't I just change it and keep it changed if I have no

issues?? How do I act when I can't get that " fix " of the food I want? Do people

love to be around me at that time? I love your point of view on this. It's very

honest.

Thanks,

Warrior

>

> Hi. I just joined IE board because someone told me about it. I already belong

to a couple of other boards, and I'm learning a lot.

>  

> I would like to say this here, though, about food addiction. I can understand

the term when it comes to let's say, purging, bingeing, etc. Because a big bag

of chips and junk food isn't that terribly expensive, and it's usually easier to

find hamburgers and food thrown out than liquor and drugs. But most people here

don't have to steal to get a big bag of BBQ chips and eat themselves to a slow

death. To me, addiction is about dependence or continual habit. They say heroin

addicts have a " habit. " True, they may have to steal etc. to get the drug of

choice because it's 1) so expensive, and 2) illegal. But food is not that

expensive even though at this point some might have to steal just to get it to

eat because times are so rough. But all that aside, when a person has withdrawal

(pain from eating less), and is habitually abusing food by overeating to real

excess (gaining lots of weight), and can't stop (cannot eat less even though he

wants to), to me

> that's an addiction.

>  

> And hi to everybody out there! :-)

> Cindi

>

[Guest guest]

So I think it is just semantics. How one views the word addiction.

If you view it as a word that gives someone the excuse to give up because they

have this thing against them and they might as well give in, then I can see why

you don't like the word to describe anything relating to our food " stuff. "

Just me personally, I view it like this: if I admit I have an addiction, then I

can surrender and start from the bottom so to speak. I can also realize that I

need the help of others and even my God to break it. I also think that

addiction can start how where you haven't given maybe everything up, but that it

will get worse and worse. Like right now, there are things I can't do

physically that are very important to me because of my weight BUT there is of

course many more things taht I could lose and end up completely bed ridden.

Would more people consider it an addiction if I was in the worst of it like

being bed ridden? Maybe not, considering that still implies to much lack of

choice to some people and then the word addiction is used as an excuse to not

get help from books, other people God, etc., and they just sit in their

addiction and claim to be powerless to change. If you use the powerlessness to

start climbing up, it would be good. If you use it as an excuse, then not so

good. So I should realize that we don't all have the exact same view of

everything to do with food or the defintion of every word. And that's okay. ;-)

Warrior

> >

> > I'm sure there are a lot of alcoholics that feel if they haven't killed

anyone in a DUI that they are not addicts either. Most alcoholics don't steal

anything to get liquor. So there are many differing levels of addiction, many,

many.

> >

> > I personally have some form of addiction with food. Otherwise, why can't I

just change what has made my body into something that isn't me (and can't do

what I want to do.)? Why don't I just change it and keep it changed if I have

no issues?? How do I act when I can't get that " fix " of the food I want? Do

people love to be around me at that time? I love your point of view on this.

It's very honest.

> >

> > Thanks,

> >

> > Warrior

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you for putting what I had been struggling to express into plain,

understandable words. I do not want to deny that some foods can be VERY

challenging, but many reasons, but the focus here is doing the best each of us

can with what we are capable of managing here and now.

Ehugs, Katcha

IEing since March 2007

> >

> > > I think that addiction is not quite the right word here? If I don't eat a

> > > certain thing of way, I'm not going to go thru DTs or rob people to get

> > > money for my food 'fix' ;-).

> >

> > I think food addiction is very real. Certain foods trigger the same

> > parts of the brain as other drugs do. There is more and more evidence

> > for this. Food addiction (may it be in the form of compulsive

> > overeating, bulimia or anorexia) causes a lot of harm and can even

> > physically kill people. Bulimics flush thousands and thousands of bucks

> > down the drain if the disease gets bad enough, causing patients to steal

> > money and food to get their fix. They might not rob a bank but they go

> > shop lifting to get their fix.

> >

> > I don't know if you've heard of the theory of the " selfish brain " . I

> > think it's an interesting read when it comes to obesity and food

> > addiction.

> >

> > I think it's important to accept that food can be very addictive (not

> > saying that everyone on here is a food addict). It changes the challenge

> > from not " only " having to conquer an emotional issue but a physical one

> > as well. I believe it's important to accept the physical processes as

> > well and not deny them, though I have to say it's kind of hard to

> > swallow as it seems to raise the odds against me even further.

> >

> > s.

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Styxia, I think what was saying is that its the NEED TO HAVE an excuse

that is the problem, not a denial of a fact?

Katcha

IEing since March 2007

>

> > I really don't want to get too involved in this one, because I think it is

> > apparent that there are two schools of thought here, but I think that

> > addiction is a word that is too loaded and the problem with it is that it

> > gives us an excuse to put our food issues outside of us.

>

> Why do you assume that calling it food addiction gives people " an

> excuse " ? You don't have an excuse because you're addicted.

>

> s.

>

[Guest guest]

Styxia,

I tried to email you (off list) by using the message link at the group site and

it bounced back to me as undeliverable. Could you please either update your

email address on file with Yahoo or send me a better one to my

jain_daugh@... address?

Thanks, Katcha

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the reply, I will try again Katcha

>

> > I tried to email you (off list) by using the message link at the group

> > site and it bounced back to me as undeliverable. Could you please either

> > update your email address on file with Yahoo or send me a better one to my

>

> Weird, it shouldn't bounce as I keep getting group mail.

>

> s.

>

[Guest guest]

Styxia,

I do think there is something to food addiction. I have done some reading on

addictions (due to trying to understand addictive behaviors that have emerged in

my teen age son and that are prevalent all throughout my family)and there is

research out there supporting that food addiction is real. It has to do with

the chemicals in the brain (I believe dopamine is the main one) that is released

when certain foods are ingested just like with a drug addict or an alcoholic. I

don't think this happens with all foods, but certain types of foods that affect

those chemicals - sugar is of course one of those. I would say that if you

believe there is an addictive reaction happening when you eat certain foods,

then you need to treat it like you would any other reaction such as an allergic

reaction. Know that if you do eat it, you will have a reaction. But then if you

do ingest it, don't beat yourself over it, observe it, and then react kindly,

working on changing the behavior for the next time (how will I handle this next

time?). I am sorry there is so much controversy around this topic. I think

this has come up in the past. Only you will know if you truly have an

" addiction " to certain foods and you need to listen to that and work at doing

what is right for you. I agree, it would be that much more difficult to contend

with as it isn't just behavioral, it is physical.

Take care and hope you can figure this out for yourself.

Alana

>

> > I think that addiction is not quite the right word here? If I don't eat a

> > certain thing of way, I'm not going to go thru DTs or rob people to get

> > money for my food 'fix' ;-).

>

> I think food addiction is very real. Certain foods trigger the same

> parts of the brain as other drugs do. There is more and more evidence

> for this. Food addiction (may it be in the form of compulsive

> overeating, bulimia or anorexia) causes a lot of harm and can even

> physically kill people. Bulimics flush thousands and thousands of bucks

> down the drain if the disease gets bad enough, causing patients to steal

> money and food to get their fix. They might not rob a bank but they go

> shop lifting to get their fix.

>

> I don't know if you've heard of the theory of the " selfish brain " . I

> think it's an interesting read when it comes to obesity and food

> addiction.

>

> I think it's important to accept that food can be very addictive (not

> saying that everyone on here is a food addict). It changes the challenge

> from not " only " having to conquer an emotional issue but a physical one

> as well. I believe it's important to accept the physical processes as

> well and not deny them, though I have to say it's kind of hard to

> swallow as it seems to raise the odds against me even further.

>

> s.

>

[Guest guest]

I really like what you said here and how you put it. Thanks.

Warrior

> > > >

> > > > > I think that addiction is not quite the right word here? If I don't

> > eat a

> > > > > certain thing of way, I'm not going to go thru DTs or rob people to

> > get

> > > > > money for my food 'fix' ;-).

> > > >

> > > > I think food addiction is very real. Certain foods trigger the same

> > > > parts of the brain as other drugs do. There is more and more evidence

> > > > for this. Food addiction (may it be in the form of compulsive

> > > > overeating, bulimia or anorexia) causes a lot of harm and can even

> > > > physically kill people. Bulimics flush thousands and thousands of bucks

> > > > down the drain if the disease gets bad enough, causing patients to

> > steal

> > > > money and food to get their fix. They might not rob a bank but they go

> > > > shop lifting to get their fix.

> > > >

> > > > I don't know if you've heard of the theory of the " selfish brain " . I

> > > > think it's an interesting read when it comes to obesity and food

> > > > addiction.

> > > >

> > > > I think it's important to accept that food can be very addictive (not

> > > > saying that everyone on here is a food addict). It changes the

> > challenge

> > > > from not " only " having to conquer an emotional issue but a physical one

> > > > as well. I believe it's important to accept the physical processes as

> > > > well and not deny them, though I have to say it's kind of hard to

> > > > swallow as it seems to raise the odds against me even further.

> > > >

> > > > s.

> > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>