Daily Post--5/16/08

Do you find yourself trying to replace your former food addictions with a new addiction? Shopping? Exercise? Drugs or alcohol (since your surgery, even if you've got it under control now)? something else??

I do find that I shop alot more but I think my addiction has transferred to gum...I still want to be chewing something so instead of something unhealthy as say a doughnut...I will have some sugar free gum. But I chew WAY too many pieces a day so I am trying to cut back on that as well. We will see how that goes. The last two days I have not had any gum and noticed that my caloric intake increased drastically cause I have been snacking on things that I should not so gum is definitely a better option.

sleep l-o

I haven't had surgery yet, but it really helps to see these questions and peoples' responses. Thank you so much for helping me be prepared for down the road a piece. ---jan--- still waiting for insurance approval

Well, of course, there's shopping - that's wayyyy more fun now! I'm also "addicted" to things like McDonald's iced coffee, Coffee Bean Mochas, and peanuts... nothing horrible! Speaking of alcohol though, my daughter took me out for a champagne brunch on Mother's Day - I've never been a big drinker, but I had four sips of mimosa (champagne with orange juice), and I was tipsy! Took about two hours for me to feel "normal" again!

I dont think I have a new addiction, I have had to buy clothes, but I am going to thrift stores and even have been given some clothes, so I dont think of this as an addiction. (YET) Vivienne

Not really. And I worry about this one, because I have a family history of substance abuse, which pre-disposes me to this problem.

I like to go clothes shopping, but I shop clearances and sales and garage sales. But I feel like I've spent a small fortune on clothes in the las 6 months.

I do find myself shopping a lot more but I'm not sure if it's out of addiction or necessity as nothing fits for very long. I did start drinking alcohol on a nightly basis and found I was getting addicted to the quick buzz. I got it under control as alcoholism runs in my family and worked very hard all my life to NOT do that ~ hence the food addiction. My true addiction since surgery is now coffee...I drink a pot a day, sometimes more. I do make sure I get in at least 64oz of true liquids in the form mostly of crystal light and lipton diet teas. I can't go without coffee and find myself so ugly in the afternoon if I don't have that cup in my hands by 1:30ish then another on my way home from work. The calories add up quickly as I like it with a lot of creamer so I try to stick with ff powders or ff non-dairy and always use sugar substitutes.

I do not feel like I was addicted to foods, I just ate to much of the wrong foods. I have found that I do enjoy exercise more now, but am not obsessed with it.