psychological and Mental Health
Help to stop food addiction and compulsive eating?
Question : Help to stop food addiction and compulsive eating?
Hi everyone,
I am not overweight and actually do know a lot about nutrition. I also love working out and do a variety of activities. So, I have no problems there. My problem seems mostly psychological. I binge multiple times per day, even on healthy foods. I will overeat ANYTHING, not just junkfood. I tried getting rid of most of the food in my house, but I will still find something to overeat. I also seem to have a strange compulsion to finish whole containers of foods in one sitting.
I have tried so many things, such as making specific “plans” for myself, trying to not eat standing up, rewarding myself for good behavior, etc. I can stick with a plan (like eating portioned meals) for only a few days before I start getting out of control again. I feel like I am abusing food like a drug, because it makes me sick but I can’t stop.
I was wondering if anyone has had success in overcoming something like this? Specifics would help. Thank you!
Thank you everyone for your help! I know that I must deal with my emotional eating. The website about emotions that Joy gave is awesome. I am starting a little self-therapy by writing my “life story” of why I can’t deal with emotions. I am still afraid of going to therapy, but at least this is helping me put my thoughts in order so when/if I do go, I will know what to discuss. I am feeling a lot better already. THANK YOU!!!
overcoming compulsive eating
Best answer:
Answer by ♫ Hopeful
I think it’s really mature of you to recognize a potential problem in your life and really want to change. The thing about addictions is that you usually can’t “fix” them on your own. The actions – whether they revolve around food, drugs, alcohol, etc, are usually symptoms of a larger problem. Just fixing the food portion of the problem probably won’t help long-term – which is why you haven’t had success with plans and goals on your own.
I would suggest that you find a qualified counselor in your area to help you figure out what’s going on beneath the food addiction. It can be really helpful, and your chances of long-term success is much, much higher. I wish you the best!
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#2 written by Joy 1 year ago
Hi, Sparkles!
In my professional experience, compulsive eaters, overeaters, binge eaters, and emotional eaters, usually have in common a carbohydrate addiction.
If you think that might apply to you, don’t worry you are not alone. Many normal weight people and the majority of overweight people are carbohydrate addicted. Whether one is a compulsive overeater, a binge eater, or an emotional eater the advice is the same regarding carbohydrate addiction.
I’ll make a few suggestions regarding compulsive overeating or binge eating. Then I’ll make a suggestion about how to deal with the emotions (or stress) that lie behind emotional eating.
First, eat a meal about every 3 waking hours (5 or 6 meals per day). You will not be eating more food; you will simply be spreading it throughout the day. Each of those 5 or 6 feedings must contain at least 15 grams of unprocessed protein (from natural sources) for a female or at least 20 grams per feeding for a male. This change alone, as long as long as quality unprocessed protein is included, such as wild caught (not farmed) fish, organic chicken or lamb, grass-fed beef, etc (unless you are vegetarian), will curb carbohydrate cravings.
When digested, all carbohydrates are sugars. So, think of eating carbohydrates as eating sugar and think of eating processed (refined) carbohydrates as eating concentrated sugar. Refined carbohydrates have many negative effects on health (and they can cause weight gain).
In addition, eating processed (refined) carbohydrates will trigger cravings for more carbohydrates and food in general. In some people, it becomes a carbohydrate addiction. This can lead to binging, compulsive overeating, and, if the person is stressed, emotional eating.
The only way to deal with carbohydrate addiction is to eliminate all intake of processed (refined) carbohydrate from your diet and seriously limit even ‘natural’ high carbohydrate foods.
As you probably know, processed (refined) carbohydrates are such things as ice cream, cookies, bread, rolls, buns, pasta, tacos, potato chips/crisps, pizza, cakes, sweets, candy, cookies, biscuits, chocolate, cereals, store bought cooked meats/cold cuts (they have added sugars and additives), sausages/hot dog frankfurters (they have carbohydrate fillers, additives, and sometimes sugar) all sodas, sugars, and foods containing corn syrup, etc.
Get your carbohydrates from natural (unprocessed) sources such as fresh vegetables and fresh low carbohydrate fruits (preferably organic). Don’t go for the high carb (sugar) fruit and vegetables or you will start bingeing on those rather than the refined carbs. There is no minimum daily requirement for carbohydrates, but they do have many beneficial phytochemicals and fiber so eating some is fine.
(For anyone who needs to lose body fat, your carbohydrate intake should be between 40 to 60 grams daily so that your body burns fat instead of carbohydrates.)
Some people who are addicted to high carbohydrate foods allow themselves those foods as treats each weekend. However, when they re-start their diet (either a healthy eating plan or a weight loss diet) each Monday they soon experience withdrawal symptoms and strong cravings. Those cravings will continue for four or five days.
By the time the cravings diminish, the next weekend has arrived. They have their high carbohydrate treats again and the cravings are back, full force, the next Monday. In that way they self-sabotage and remain in a constant state of distraction and addiction.
The best way forward is to go cold turkey. In addition, you could consider temporary amino acid supplementation; a good book on the subject of amino acid supplementation is Julia Ross’s The Mood Cure (you should be able to borrow a copy of it from your local library).
At the bottom of this reply, I have posted links for free Internet resources where you can get more information about carbohydrate cravings and a free Paleolithic diet to help you deal with it.
Paleolithic nutrition is a diet/eating plan that has been used successfully in the treatment of diabetes type 2, food addictions, carbohydrate cravings, binge eating, mood disorders, weight gain or obesity, systemic lupus erythematosus, irritable bowl syndrome, acne, allergies, menopause symptoms, asthma, inflammation, arthritis, joint pains, and other health conditions.
A further problem with processed carbohydrates (and processed foods of all kinds) is that they can trigger mood swings (in addition to other health problems). This may further trap you in a cycle of eating to deal with abnormal mood swings or even normal emotions.
If you are eating in an attempt to deal with normal emotions, or stress, a free email-series might help you to deal with your emotions. It’s called: “The Emotional Eating Cure”.
The first link listed below is for a free Paleolithic diet/eating plan to help you avoid food cravings. The second link is for the free emotional eating series to help you deal with normal emotions or stress.
I hope this information helps you.
All my best wishes
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First off, I just want to say that I think it’s great that you’re determined to make such large lifestyle changes. I know what you’re going through! Sometimes I feel the urge to eat lots of carrots or cucumbers or something instead of just sitting down and eating something. The best solution I can give you is to stay OUT of the kitchen. Sometimes, I take my meals to another room in the house! That way, once the portion in front of me is gone, I don’t have a reason to snack on other foods. I have also taught myself to SLOW DOWN when I eat. Before, I used to eat so fast that I realized I was hardly tasting what I was putting in my mouth. Smaller bites and chewing plenty will help with this. It takes the body at least 20 minutes to even realize that food is being put into it, hence the reason people who eat fast tend to eat more.
Best of luck! I hope I was able to help you