# Addicted to eating



## Bellavista

Today I realised I am addicted to eating. I am constantly thinking about when I can eat, what I can eat & start getting excited at the thought of eating. I am grossly overeating.

I am overweight & increasing all of the time. At the moment I need to lose about 35 pounds (16kg) to be comfortable. This would still be in the overweight range but at least not as bad as I currently am.

Problem is, I have no idea what to do about this. The more I think I need to cut back on my food intake, the more I eat, the more think about food. It is consuming my life at the moment.

Has anybody here ever overcome this? It is not like I can stop eating all together like someone can stop smoking or drinking. I was thinking of seeing if there was some medication I could get but I have always steered away from meds as much as possible.


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## Mavash.

There are actually many things you can do about this. There are support groups like overeaters annonymous. There are books like When Food is Love by Geneen Roth. Or you can read up on Internal Family Systems to heal that part of you that seeks fulfillment from food. You can also seek therapy to get to the pain that you are seeking to cover up with food. Possibly seek medical attention - could be a hormone or thyroid issue. Could be a food allergy. I know there are certain foods and over the counter meds that trigger me to binge. Or it could be multiple problems.

I used to be an emotional eater and it got worse as I entered perimenopause. Therapy cured my binging and hormones fixed my pms sugar cravings. PM sleep remedies cause me to binge - I no longer take those. I've lost the weight and kept it off for many years now.


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## EleGirl

Understanding why are you addicted to eating is your first step.. Do some reading on "Hyperpalatable" foods.

Here's a link to one article....


Compulsive Overeating: Why It Happens and How to Stop It


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## Bellavista

Thanks, I will look at those links. I am considering joining overeaters anon, I looked it up & there is a chapter not too far from where I live.

I do have food intolerance, I am gluten free. I don't think I have major emotional issues, I am in peri-menipause & have had multiple blood work done to see if there is a health issue & there is nothing showing.


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## Dollystanford

I do find the relationships people have with food very interesting - I'm not an emotional eater at all, in fact quite the opposite, but some days I will eat far too much and other days nothing at all

have you thought about possibly making a food diary on here, like the workout thread? Sometimes actually writing down exactly what you're eating can help - your daily calorie intake being there in black and white might shock you and I'm sure it would help other people too, kind of like a TAM weightwatchers but free! Just a thought...

Also do you do any exercise at all? I do a desk job, sometimes it's really difficult to get motivated but even just having a brisk walk for half an hour a day can help


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## Badboy200393

Like its a new thing for me , can somebody Addicted of eating. a bit funny but its really serious issue. I think consult with an expert asap....


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## ShawnD

Seriously, just go get some drugs. It's far easier than actually doing something.

I was on one medication and I gained about 20 pounds in 1-2 months. I felt exactly as described in the OP - everything was delicious and I looked forward to eating. Apparently this was because the drug is a 5-HT2c antagonist, and that somehow stimulates appetite. I stopped taking that drug and switched to one that increases serotonin across the board, thereby having the exact opposite effect of a 5-HT2c antagonist. My appetite dropped dramatically and I lost all of that weight in 1-2 months. Never underestimate the power (and danger) of drugs. The miracle weight loss drug is called moclobemide. It's a weak MAO-A inhibitor given for depression. A lot of people have also reported weight loss when taking bupropion, another antidepressant.

The alternative is to eat a mostly vegetarian diet. As any stoner will tell you, most drugs come from plants. Marijuana, cocaine, and heroin are all drugs from plants. What people forget is that _all_ plants contain drugs or other chemicals that have psychotropic effects. This is why plants often taste bad - humans have evolved to know that drugs taste bad. Most drugs are weak organic bases, so they have a bit of a bitter taste. Any plant that has a very strong taste that is not sugary likely contains a lot of drugs. Look for the most extreme tasting foods and that's where you'll find the most drugs.
-garlic
-onions
-green leafy vegetables

As with any other drugs, use common sense. Garlic and onions are actually poisonous. If you use meth head logic and go on an all garlic diet, you can expect to die or become very sick. Other animals like cats and dogs can die from eating a single clove of garlic.


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## relationshipsguide_gal

Hi Bellavista! Thanks for sharing your problem, I think a lot of people here can relate. I agree with the other's advice, you should find out first what's causing you to over-eat. It may be best to seek help from a professional. Next, try different methods to see which ones work for you best. (Just make sure it's safe and healthy!  )

I would also like to add finding your motivation and learning how to maintain it to help you get through all of this. There are lots of self-help books about this topic available out there.. If it helps, try to seek support from your friends and family too. Well wishes, mae (relationshipsguide_gal)


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## gbrad

Food is an amazing thing.


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## Bellavista

gbrad said:


> Food is an amazing thing.


You're telling me!


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## althea0212

The problem usually is not in the amount of eating but more on the kind of food that we take. Then we need to take into consideration the medications that we are taking whether it is inducing us to take more food. It is not easy to be on a diet abruptly. It would be good to consult a doctor and a dietician.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Flygirl

Bellavista said:


> Today I realised I am addicted to eating. I am constantly thinking about when I can eat, what I can eat & start getting excited at the thought of eating. I am grossly overeating.
> 
> I am overweight & increasing all of the time. At the moment I need to lose about 35 pounds (16kg) to be comfortable. This would still be in the overweight range but at least not as bad as I currently am.
> 
> Problem is, I have no idea what to do about this. The more I think I need to cut back on my food intake, the more I eat, the more think about food. It is consuming my life at the moment.
> 
> Has anybody here ever overcome this? It is not like I can stop eating all together like someone can stop smoking or drinking. I was thinking of seeing if there was some medication I could get but I have always steered away from meds as much as possible.


Do you actually feel hungry every time you eat or do you just like to eat?


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## Bellavista

I like to eat, certain foods though, although I can go hours without eating if there is no access to food. I have decided to take strong action today, so hopefully I can change my thinking.


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## Nsweet

It's either a dopamine stimulant addiction you get from things like cheese, meat, chocolate, diet sodas, starches(in the short term). OR You're chasing after the sedative effects of serotonin you get from starches like baked wheat products.... You're bread and baked snack foods, and sugary foods.... Anything really that trips up the insulin response and stimulates the sedative effects of an insilin crash, like a lot of cookies at once. 

There is a slight chance you might have depression or bipolar disorder like I do and find yourself over eating to help yourself deal with high stress that comes before the crash of depression where you have to pick yourself back up. Either way, it is depression or more exactly a lack of dopamine or serotonin you're self medacating with foods. 

Before you go running to the doctor or one of the self help cults I would cut out stimulants like caffeine, any diet pills or drugs that give you "pep", and anything like aspirin, diet cokes, tea, and such for a few days to see how you feel with a week of better sleep. Caffeine in the short term helps make you feel alert but too much a day or even just a little with a heavy sleep debt will make you eat more refuel the insilin pump for caffeine. Caffeine makes muscles run through their energy supples (sugars) faster, it can't give you energy.

If that doesn't work and you're still reaching for more food when you reall don't want to eat any more, a classic sign of the anxiety-depression type. I would have you take 500-1000mg of taurine a day, taurine wich is like $3 for a bottle of 50 500mg tabs. Taurine helps stimulate dopamine much better than it's derivitive phenylalanine, the diet soda junkies feel good chemical found in aspertame. 

Now dopamine is only going to wind you up and make you feel good without being a speedy high, it's more of the high you get with something like facebook you don't want to put down. If taurine doesn't work you might want to consider Tryptophan or 5-HTP in small doses to stimulate serotonin and help calm you down taken at night before bed. 

But again I have to go back to depression because I have it, my family has it, and I've worked with others who have it pretty bad and don't know the warning signs when first appear. All of a sudden uncontrollable overeating or a sudden lack of appetite is useally the warning signs you're body is stressed and a black hole of depression or fire storm of anxiety is on it's way once your self preservation tactics can't hold them back. You should try working on any areas of you life that may be wearing on you before you blame it on will power or a problem with food. You know lonliness will also get to you, there's a reason cages animals die off very quickly..... I also hear it's worse for you than smoking or obesity.


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## Flygirl

I think You will be surprised to find that once you stop eating crappy food for a period of time, that once you do have it again you won't like it and it will hurt your stomach. Watching the movie, Food Inc, changed the food I eat. There was no going back after that.


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## mablenc

I read something recently but, don't remember where, but it said that after you eat and you are still hungry it means that your body is missing nutrients. Try jucing, it has help me a lot with my over eating and energy.


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## LadyOfTheLake

"Food is the most widely abused anti-anxiety drug in America, and exercise is the most potent and underutilized antidepressant."

This quote really resounds with me. I used to be a binge eater and I hated to exercise. I am still an emotional eater, but due to a medication I have to take, I have very little appetite and I have lost 20 lbs. I still need to lose another 15-20 to be at the "perfect" weight for my height, but I'm not too worried about that right now. 
I know that I haven't dealt with the reasons why I ate like I did, and I still turn to food, bad food, in times of stress or boredom. And it seems like I'm always stressed or bored. 

I see you started this thread some time ago OP. Have you made any progress?


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## Almostrecovered

your best bet is to cut out most of the carbs, if you can stick to it for a week your body will adjust and stop the cravings

carbs give you spikes of high blood sugar and when you crash shortly after you want more carbs


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## Bellavista

LadyOfTheLake said:


> "Food is the most widely abused anti-anxiety drug in America, and exercise is the most potent and underutilized antidepressant."
> 
> This quote really resounds with me. I used to be a binge eater and I hated to exercise. I am still an emotional eater, but due to a medication I have to take, I have very little appetite and I have lost 20 lbs. I still need to lose another 15-20 to be at the "perfect" weight for my height, but I'm not too worried about that right now.
> I know that I haven't dealt with the reasons why I ate like I did, and I still turn to food, bad food, in times of stress or boredom. And it seems like I'm always stressed or bored.
> 
> I see you started this thread some time ago OP. Have you made any progress?


Not much progress thus far, Lady. It has come to the point where I have to though as I have no clothes left that fit and am not going to buy bigger ones.

I wanted to break my chocolate addiction last week, but it was a horrendous week and this just did not happen. I decided yesterday that Saturday, today, would be my starting point and there would be no more chocolate, chips or rubbish food from here on in. I know this will be like giving up other addictions, like smoking or drinking, so I am expecting to have some moments where it is hard.


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## Marianita

You have to talk to some specialist who could help you with this obsession because this is not healthy at all. You also could try 90 days diet to lose some weight. It's really healthy diet because you eat everything and not stay hungry


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## Mavash.

Try taking 500mg of glutamine when you have cravings. I did this three times a day. Take 1,000mg of chromium picolate daily.


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## MariaDroste

Try and curb your eating gradually. A sudden stop might have adverse effect. Also consult a dietician to know what you can consume and what you can't. Read books which teach how to control the temptation of food. Unless you have the will to do it, nothing else will help.


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## H30

Hey, I know this thread it a little on the older side, but I wanted to see how things are going? 
Have you sought help for the eating issues? 

I have been where you are, being that it has been the holidays, I feel like I've been binging lately too. I hope you are doing well. 

I will say, that keeping a food/activity journal can be helpful. I used this to help lose a lot of baby weight...then over did it, so I stopped for a while, but honestly if I keep track, even notate those times when I feel out of sorts or triggered to binge eat, over eat, under eat, whatever.


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## jld

I eat a vegan diet, and that seems to help. It just cuts down on the amount of choices.

Your new avatar is very nice, H30.


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## Bellavista

I have had to take drastic measures and am now on appetite control medication for a couple of months. This way I hope to be able break the addiction to sugar and develop good eating habits as well as begin to exercise again. I have been on them 2 weeks now, and while I have only lost 2 kg, I am not carrying a whole lot of excess fluid anymore.

My thyroid medication is also starting to work and I am getting more energy. My husband has also had to overhaul his diet as he had a heart attack 2 weeks ago and has been diagnosed as diabetes 2.

Thus far I have found the medication does not stop me from feeling like I want to binge, but I have the will power to resist. We are making sure our portion sizes are correct and are eating a lot of salad and small portions of white meat.


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## lola_b

While it might not help with the addiction aspect, Free Diet Plans at SparkPeople has a TON of information on healthy eating and exercise and it's FREE! They have a ton of articles, "groups", forums, recipes, menu plan, nutrition tracker, exercise videos, etc. It might feel a little overwhelming at first, but keep at it if you feel like it may be helpful for you 

I wish you all the best!


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