Are you a food addict? How can you tell?

I would always go to sweets each and every day.  I could eat a whole pie,  I knew I was in trouble when I was diagnosed as Type 2 Diabetes in 2007.

I had Lap-Band Surgery in Sept. 2008 and lost 122 pounds in 11 months, 

I knew I was a food addict when I got my feelings hurt for being fat, I reached for something to soothe my feelings... FOOD.  All that food I ate in isolation showed up in public.  Hello, my name is Brenda, and I am a food addict...

B  : )~

wow! finally got around to answering your questions due to the fact that i wanted to wait for our group to meet to get more responses... so,

yes, we ALL feel like food addicts because
a: we all still love cookies
b: we think of food ALL THE TIME (when we wake up, we're thinking of breakfast, what we're gonna have for lunch and dinner, etc.)
c: after we have eaten, there is such guilt!!!!
d: we eat "emotionally" .... stress, guilt, anger, sadness, even happiness.

oops, forgot:

YES!  my life revolves around food.  It is my love, my drug, and my comfort.  It has been a good and bad friend for many years!  Unfortunately I can't always control the urge to eat!  Like other addicts,  I feel so good after I get it (gives me a rush)    

I finally accepted (could tell) that I was a food addict when......

I would get home from work, have my night time meal (supper), the go out with a friend for ice cream (a double scoop or a sundae), then on the way home go throught the "golden arches" (McDonalds) and get a quarter pounder with cheese, xtra large fry, and a shake.  And eat all of that on a 15 minute ride home.

Or on a Friday at lunch time, go to the seafood store, get a large combination plate of fried clams (whole clams not just the strips) and scollaps with fries and a can or two of coke.  Then several hours later go home after work and have a full meal.

 Post Op 10-15-10(lost 118lbs)
I'm not a food addict .I'm very conscious about whatI eat . I've worked to hard loose the extra  baggage.

From Cynthia (Texas)

Here are my observations - and what I do to try to overcome my addiction:

1) I speed home from work reccklessly just to get home to supper faster.
-I try to tell myself to slow down, this hunger feeling comes in waves. It'll pass. Slow down.
2) I eat a lot in the evening but it doesn't seem to address the need.
-I've found it's because I'm thirsty not hungry. I drink water first, before snacking. It helps.
3) I find myself reaching for the junk food in the grocery store & in my mind I'm making all kinds of excuses why I should buy the chips, pretzels etc.
-I avoid the junk food aisle of the store altogether.
4) I eat everything on my plate - to the point of making myself sick.
-I ask for a take-out container with my food. I put more than 1/2 in the container.
-Because I was raised to "eat everything on my plate" I make an effort to leave 1-2 bites on my plate - just to get used to the idea that it's OK to leave food.

Andrea

.... I realized my file cabinet at work was stuffed with junk food instead of files. ***I have one cabinet that is still has food in it, I have switched what types I keep on hand.

… I would find myself rummaging through my pantry for food when I am not hungry.
… I realized that every waking, breathing minute of my day was spent thinking about/planning food.
… food then was what I wrapped my day around, planning my every meal and snacking in between them all.

The list could go on and on, I am a food addict and it is something that I struggle with everyday.  I catch myself slipping back into old habits when I get bored, stressed, depressed, it does matter, now instead of grabbing for a candy bar, I grab a few grapes, an apple, etc

Peggy

....I would without any thought as to WHAT I was eating or if I was even hungry...