We are NOT normal...
i too am an addict and i think acknowledging it and admitting it is the first step to getting off the carb path back on track.
thank you MS Shell.
6lbs under goal weight
Join US On The VSG Maintenance Group Forum!!
http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/VSGM/discussion/
Interesting post though, and congrats to you for getting things under control again.
Height: 5'7" Join US On The VSG Maintenance Group Forum!!
http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/VSGM/discussion/
"WLS is only for people who are ready to move past the "diet" mentality" ~Alison Brown
"WLS is not a Do-Over (repeat same mistakes = get a similar outcome.) It is a Do-BETTER (make lifestyle changes you can continue forever.)" ~ Michele Vicara aka Eggface
Keep up the good work Ms.Shell!
I just thought I'd post some of a work-sheet we've used in our support group about emotional eating. It's tough, because we all use food to self-medicate.
EMOTIONAL EATING FOOD LOG
Day of the Week______________________
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FOOD What Am I Eating Right Now? |
FEELING What Am I Feeling Right Now? |
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Guidelines:
a Write down everything you eat (or are wanting to eat) no matter how small – including drinks
a It is helpful to make note of the time of day you are eating to look for patterns of night-snacking, hunger versus boredom, etc.
a Look at the Feeling Wheel on the previous page (Sorry I can't past the pic) and choose the feeling that best describes what you were feeling when you were eating or wanting to ear and mark it down next to the food item you just ate or were craving.
EMOTIONAL EATING FOOD QUESTIONAIRE
This exercise will help you understand your ideas about food and weight loss, if compulsive or emotional eating is a problem for you.
Answer each question as honestly as you can. You can complete the worksheet in one sitting or take your time and answer one question a day.
To me, food represents ______________________________________________________________________.
All my life, I’ve used food as __________________________________________________________________.
What will help me lose weight is________________________________________________________________.
Looking at my body makes me feel______________________________________________________________.
I am angry at_______________________________________________________________________________.
The feelings I use food to bury are______________________________________________________________.
Food helps me avoid_________________________________________________________________________.
I love food because it_________________________________________________________________________.
Sometimes I am afraid to eat because____________________________________________________________.
Parts of my body that I love are_________________________________________________________________.
To lose weight, I am willing to___________________________________________________________________.
Strengths that will help me lose weight are_________________________________________________________.
What has helped me in the past is________________________________________________________________.
What will help me now is_______________________________________________________________________.
Anyway - it's helped a few us! Great Post - as always! You are so wonderful!! And yes - you look DAMN GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!
13 lbs below goal :)
on 4/14/10 1:56 pm, edited 4/14/10 3:53 pm
I have been thinking about your post for quite a while as I'm just not sure it's that simple. If I understand it correctly, states that: All VSG'ers/WLS people are addicted to carbs and or All obese people are addicts
If I understand you correctly, you feel it was the "junk food" that caused the weight gain. If your total calories stayed the same and you substituted carbs for let's say fat, then it would seem that for you, the carbs were the cause of the weight gain. It doesn't mean you are addicted to carbs but you could be. However, if you ate more calories in total, without also considering increases in protein and fats, then, I think it's much more difficult a case to prove out.
Addictions occur because one wants to rekindle the memory of a certain situation that made them happy or feel protected. Those situations may have junk food in them but perhaps, the person is addicted to the entire experience rather than to one variable -- s/he could be addicted to not letting go of that whole experience.
Some people who are obese simply like to eat and they make no apologies for it. They never go on a diet but they do stay at a relatively stable obese weight. They do not feel like they need to change their eating habits, appearance or health. Many of these people may rarely have any junk food: take chefs, for instance.
There are others who fall into the obese category but who are perfectly healthy, physically, emotionally and psychologically. Why are these people not normal?
Some people may use WLS surgery to lose weight but not to change their eating habits. This is what the DSers' keep boasting about. Are they all addicts?
People who are volume eaters may be addicted to the process of eating, which is much different than being addicted to carbs.
I know there have been a few recent research articles saying that "rat" studies are "showing" what is happening to humans. Another study that wanted to prove addiction, said that the rats were acting like people! That, to me, is not conclusive evidence for people as this report states:www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science-Nutrition/No-evidence-for- sugar-addiction-in-people-claims-professor
Finally, there is new research out there that firmly disputes the "once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic" or "once a carb junkie, always a carb junkie" belief. If you look at the research on Moderation Management, you will find that people do learn moderation with or without ever being addicted in the first place. For some, it is very ok to have been an alcoholic who now has an occasional drink. Your statements, in effect, negates adult learning that includes but is not limited to behavorial changes. There are psychological ones as well.
No, I'm afraid I can't agree with those statements because not all obese/WLS surgery people are carb addicts. And, not all obese people are addicts.
The danger with getting people to believe generalizations of one variable, is that some may ignore other issues that need to be addressed, which are not carb related at all.
IMO, There is a whole lot of research out there that needs to be considered before one can declare "YOU are an addict". and "We are NOT normal".
People here may have much more to learn and they need to learn how to apply what they've learned, but it does not mean they are not "normal".
Take care,
Cheryl
Edited to add: If people believe they are non-recoverable addicts, they are vulnerable to businesses that are in the business of providing services for addicts -- regardless of what they have learned to do on their own. This creates dependency on those services even if it's at the beginning of the learning curve (e.g. gyms getting people to sign up for 4 year plans when only 1 year may be needed). It's in some businesses' best interests to "keep" people feeling addicted and unable to learn to recover.
