Are You Addicted to Food?

Interesting article. http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-4-64-185-6883-1,00.html I don't agree with the articles tips at the end on "Don't go cold turkey". I think that depends on what triggers you have. For me, I have to go cold turkey on some things... read on to see why... I don't think I'm addicted to food in general or even a particular food but I do find that certain foods can trigger an unbelievable out-of-control craving. Take this past weekend, for example... they had snack packs of Keeblers SF chocolate chip cookies. I couldn't get enough of them. It was absolutely horrible. I ate way too many packs. I suspect it was the white flour in them that was more of the issue and not the artificial sweetener or perhaps both. I ended up gaining more than 6 lbs this weekend in 2.5 days. Yup. Ta da! I have a gift. Well, we all know that I couldn't possibly have eaten 6 x 3000 = 18,000 calories above what I burned. I spoke to my surgeon on Monday about this and he said it is a phenomenon that he has seen where some folks are very reactionary to white carbs. Heck, I hadn't had any in a good month prior to this. I had the cookie, a biscuit with breakfast both mornings, a small corn muffin with dinner, a small corn muffin with lunch the other day, two small bags of Lays fat free chips for snacks, etc. I'm sure I ate 500-1000 calories more each day then I usually ate as I grazed. Still waiting for the weight to come off. It's taking it's sweet arse time. Kathy

I know that I am a total food addict - if I weren't I wouldn't have gotten to almost 400 pounds at one point (my highest was around 370). I don't have any particular triggers - I can binge on mashed potatoes, cookies, and cake just as easily as I can binge on brussel sprouts. No partiality here! I know that I have an addictive personality and so I try to be more careful around certain things. I find myself now having lots of back and neck pain and "craving" my Vicodin. I try to only take it when I am nearly unable to move because I find myself wanting it even when I'm not in pain. I also have "cravings" for the bottle of wine in my fridge. Today I had to buy some vodka for a marinate that I got a recipe for. I got the smallest bottle available at the store (as I only needed 1/2 cup) and I found myself thinking "Hmm...I've got a good portion of that bottle left - hello vodka cranberry! Hello screwdriver!!!" - not a good sign for an addictive personality. I say this as I'm sitting here drinking Bailey's over ice. I just have to be extremely careful. So sorry about the 6 pounds, Kathy!! You know it will come off, just give it time. I know my weight loss has virtually stopped all together, too. I stopped dead for about 5 months and then I lost like 10 pounds and stopped again. I did lose 2 pounds in the last month and am at 202. Once I get my TT I should be around 185 or so and possibly may be into a size 12 - my goal. I'm in 16s and some 14s now, so it's possible!!! Michelle

Michelle, Thanks for your very open honesty. I think almost all wls folks struggle with food addiction or else we wouldn't have gotten to where we were and ARE. Like you said. I think we still have the same addictive urges as before ...just that the TOOL has created a limit of discomfort for us , thank God some limit can be set, at least for me. I also have huge neck and back issues with fibromyalgia and degenerative disc disease and arthritis in both plus some bulging discs that are encroaching upon the nerves etc. Vicodin is a help but that la la land feeling is hugely desireable and yet hugely one avenue for me to avoid. ( Because I LIKE it TOO MUCH ) I get my doc to give me flexerol and ultracet for the pain and with fear and trembling avoid the narcotic stuff unless overwhelmed w/pain. The gene pool in my family is super loaded w/ alcohol, drug and food addictions. I am keenly aware that this pleasant feeling drug could take me down with just a few swoops to a place I do not want to go. But alas, what to do with the feelings and how to now deal with these urges? I don't know what is the answer for others but I went back to OA last fall and read the daily meditations every am with my quiet time. I have to turn over my compulsive eating urges daily and pray for the grace and help to not choose my poisin ( addiction). It is helping me alot and I cannot say exactly WHAT particular part is the ticket. I don't get to a mtg. every week but did rejoin Weigh****chers last fall also for the accountability. I am afraid some post-ops would laugh or snicker at me for needing this. Maybe most do not. But I have to tune in to what I need and take care of me because if I don't ...there is a path that can easily suck me into the pit. I think naked honesty is very key and out of it can come truth which will lead our path to the support and help we may partake of to truly begin to live free. You are not alone. Mary

I will read the article at lunch, thanks. I do agree that certain foods are triggers. I have identified cheez-it's and prtezels for mine. The crunch??? The salt and white carbs??? Not sure what but the scale has taken a dive this wk since i've crossed them off my list. ( I do subscribe to the 'never say never' belief... so I do not say I will NEVER eat them again ) but for now they are out. * I am always thinking and probably think TOO MUCH, but I wonder if your body's reaction may have { also } been triggered by the shock and disappointment of your EGD not giving any answers to the elusive health questions. So much hope in finally finding THE answer and CRASH, BAM, nothing. Some times when I am under huge stressful stuff it seems the body grabs onto extra lbs. sort of like a survival mode clutching for something ...anything for relief. Then surprisingly when it's ready , let's em go. Just a pondering. Mary

Hey Mary! Ponder away, my dear Mary. I appreciate all thoughts on what my issues may be. I really do. My weight gain is a common phenomenon with me. My body reacts this way all the time. I go for periods without white carbs and once I open the door and let some in then *BAM* unreasonable and rapid weight gain. I try not to subscribe to the "never again" thing either as long as I keep in mind the ramifications of how my body reacts to things and if I'm willing to deal with those ramifications... then go for it. Observations on my body: ~ White carbs especially sugar trigger serious cravings issues for me and may also cause a dramatic weight gain (2-5 lbs in a single day - and it isn't from the sodium either) ~ Non-white carbs (whole gains, etc) do not seem to do this ~ Consumption of sugar alcohols will not only trigger gas to varying degrees but is more than likely to cease any movement of the scale - this includes things like protein bars too ~ Items sweetened with splenda alone do not cause me any issues From sometime April to June, I skipped all sugar alcohols and white carbs. I ate normally. I ended up losing 4 lbs in April to May and 5 lbs May to June when I had basically lost little or nothing since Christmas to April. Mind you, I did increase activity level a bit by walking 20 minutes at lunch but I suspect the dietary changes were more of the catalyst to the weight loss than the walking but I have to factor it all in there. My next project for studying my body is try something related to the chest pains I've been experiencing. I am going to eliminate my multi-vitamins for a few days while I'm away (or replace them if I have time to go to the store). Once I found out I was deficient in selenium, I went back and read the labels on the two vitamins I've taken since surgery... Kirkland Childrens Chewable Multivitamins and Centrum Silver Adult Chewable Multivitamins. The Kirklands had no selenium and the Centrum did. It is possible the selenium was what caused my side pain (cartilage issue) since it seems better since I've been supplementing. Anyway, I was shocked to see on the vitamin labels that both these vitamins have aspartame in them. I have avoided the stuff since the early 1990s when I spent 9 months having severe migrane headaches and found out it was aspartame which I had used for 3 years without "issue". Apparently the vitamins don't have enough to trigger a headache in me or perhaps my body isn't as sensitive to it since I've avoided it all these years. Who knows. But... I did some poking around and was wondering if aspartame can trigger chest pains and it can. Actually aspartame can cause about every side effect known to mankind LOL! So, being the human guinea pig that I am... I'm going to avoid vitamins with that in it and see if it helps things. It cannot hurt. Kathy (mad, mad scientist... but only on myself!)

The aspartame could bery much be a culprit. I have an ex- BIL who is a phychiatrist and refuses to treat any patient that will NOT eliminate the aspartame from their diets. So it is a huge issue to some doc's for sure. Also they are huge believers in the negative effects of MSG. ( food preservative in much package foods and most chineze foods ) Causing many various pain issues from head to toe. If you are going to the vitamin shoppe they have a supplement that is used to ease pain called Methylsulfonylimethane labeled MSM . I have some and take it for pain when I remember. I read some studies a couple yrs ago about it's effectiveness also w/ chondroiten/glucosimine for pain (not just joint issues). Mad scientist??? Naw, Ya gotta be your own best advocate. If ya ever want to see a terrific doc in So. Md. I can give you his name. He is so into the natural vitamin and supplement route and is super intuitive and has the 'bedside' manner like none I've ever seen I can pass on his name and #. They have 2 offices but the 2nd has a way shorter wait. He is in practice w/ his brother who is likewise naturally inclined but more the scientist type. Which you may prefer. Keep up the search...seek and ye shall find Mary