Step 1: Admitting You Have a Problem

Is there an AA for food addiction?  Like seriously!  There needs to be one.  I had mine (gasp, just realized this) 10 years ago.  I have gained all but 30 lbs back.  (hangs head in shame)  

5/2/11 was the turning point.  I did so well up until then.  Sure, I had my struggles and my weight bounced around, but I stayed within a 20 lb weight gain (from my lowest weight).  My daughter was badly burned after her skirt accidentally caught fire.  She spent 3 months in the hospital. all of which I was by her side.  That was the starting point of failure for me.  I've suffered severe depression since then and a lot of anxiety.  I take medications to help control my illness.  I'm not sure if those medications contribute to the weight gain or not.  

In the past year I have become addicted to salty snacks.  Gold fish are the devil.  I can eat a whole bag in one day (sometimes I eat more).  Diet Pepsi is the other devil.  I've been eating and drinking less of both, but I just substitute my cravings with other salty snacks around the house.  I just feel so out of control with food lately.  

Another thing I need help on is how do I eat healthy on the run?  I have one of the craziest schedules ever.  I have 3 kids who are all very active (tumbling 2x a week, 2 cheer teams, soccer practice, soccer games, marching band contests... and that doesn't include the up coming 2 day cheer competitions).  We are an on-the-go family in the evenings.  

Some other things about me:  I loathe cooking, therefore (due to our schedule), we often have quick meals (pizza, lasagna, pot stickers with fried rice, chicken nuggest/mac n cheese, etc...).  The struggle is very real.  My doctor recently put me on Belviq, but I'm not sure what the heck it's even doing.  I work from home and night time is when I get most of my work done because the kids constantly interrupt me otherwise.  I eat/snack non stop during this time.  

This is my confession.  Any tips?  Tell me something I don't know, though, please.  

yes,OA,Overeaters Anymous is for those addicted to food. They have hundreds of online groups.

maybe you do or don't know,but the food you are eating,lasagna potstickers,rice etc is why you have gained. Plus the carby snacks.

the only advice I have is you have to go cold turkey and quit all the crap and eat dense protein and non carby vegetables only. 

I don't think your surgery failed,though.

OA, FAA, OA Greysheet.  Learn to love cooking!  You are feeding your kids poison.  You want to feed yourself crap - OK but please give your children a chance at a healthy life.

Best

You are blessed with a beautiful family and they give you plenty of exercise. Here are some food ideas:

1. Keep the snacks out of the house. You and your family will be better off without them every day. Dr. Oz once explained to kids that those foods should only be eaten once in a while.
2. Nature Valley Peanut Protein bars are hi protein and low carb
3. Fresh fruit travels well
4. Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store (no cooking) and microwaved sweet potatoes
5. whole grain pasta with frozen turkey meatballs and Hunts chunky vegetable pasta sauce $1
6. Birds Eye huge family size bags of frozen vegetables at Walmart are under $6
7. cook baby carrots in the microwave to make them a little softer and then refrigerate
8. add dried vegetable soup mix to plain Greek yogurt for veggie dip. Cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, radishes, baby carrots don't have to be cut up.
9. reduced fat cheese, baby bells or cheesesticks (I'm from WI)
10. Sante Fe whole grain tortillas from Sam's club have 8 gm of fiber, 8 gm of protein and 100 calories. I fill them with a variety of veggies and low fat deli meats/cheeses.
11. Build your own pizza (the kids will love it) with whole wheat pita, Hunts chunky vegetable spaghetti sauce, reduced fat cheese and pre chopped onions and peppers from the produce dept. at the grocery store
12. sugar free or fat free pudding cups are $1 per 4 pack and travel well
13. microwave fat free popcorn
14. grill food
15. Nuked apples are my family favorite. Cut up and core an apple, leave the skin on, put a couple walnut pieces and a sprinkle of cinnamon and microwave in a bowl for 2 minutes. Almost as good as apple pie.
16. freeze grapes
17. add frozen veggies to the mac and cheese. make it with fat free milk and skip the butter.
18. Jimmy Dean delight breakfast sandwiches (toast the whole wheat bun and nuke the insides) 90 sec. prep

Good luck to you. I am struggling too. Just don't give up. take care, Tri

The salt thing might be your body telling you something. If your blood pressure is fine you might try just adding more salt to your diet. It is water soluable and your body will flu**** out if your don't need it, but if you do...

I get salt cravings myself, but find if I up the salt intake I feel better and don't crave so much.

Colleen,

from one diet pepsi addict to another, GET off the soda.....

the carbonation stretches your pouch and allows you to eat more before you feel satiated.

The salty food cravings are because of the sodium in the soda. So when the soda goes so does the salty food cravings.

I know, my best friend (d. pepsi) allowed me the gain 60pds with help from it's salty sidekick, just laffing at my failure. Well, I got them, I went back to my "tools" book from my surgeon and am now on the losing end but, the thought of never having another soda just hurts me but more weight gained would literally kill me. It wasn't easy stopping the soda, my first step was to not buy it, not have it in my home and stay away from the grocery store coolers. then I had to suffer the caffeine headache ( I just stopped all caffeine) which lasted 2 full agonizing days but then it dissipated and is now gone, If I can do it anyone can, I'm sure I sent some of the pepsi companies families to college....

Good Luck,

PiggyAngel