Food Addiction Recovery - #14
In food addiction my experience has been the “whys’ don’t matter as much as the “how to” of becoming a recovering food addict. Sometimes people get hung up on knowing why they do things. I can tell you there are many, many well thought out theories of personality if you want to go into that real deeply. I suggest you look up on Wikipedia.com the term “personality psychology” and just give that a gander. Well, I can give you “whys” about weight-loss and compulsive overeating until the cows come home— by themselves the “whys” won’t do a thing to budge the numbers on the scale. “Whys” alone don’t make much difference in changing your thinking and thus your behavior in food addiction. There are people who have been in psychoanalysis for decades who know a lot of “whys,” but they still have thinking and behavior that does not work for them. Just because you have great insight does not mean you will take action as a food addict. Many people are very much aware of why they do things and can talk in great detail about the theories of why they are the way they are based on their past history—but they take no action in the present and have not changed their behavior.
If the habits, emotions, and behaviors you have currently are not working for you in some way, analysis of why is not necessary (although for some it could be at least useful if not even necessary for some) to change your circumstances. If you learn what to do now and apply what to do now, you are more likely to get the desired result. The name of the game is to create commitment, motivation, and accountability. Move forward and remain persistent, consistent, and honest with yourself—no matter what—to achieve your vision. The key is to move—not to ponder. I will talk more about how to create commitment, motivation and accountability in food addiction as we move forward.
If you think now is the time to move to the next level the clients I help best with food addiction page can tell you more on my work.
Food Addiction Recovery - #13
In food addiction you must be careful about emotional eating. You have to realize that while lapses or relapses are often part of the process of recovery, small lapses in behavior can result in quick weight gain and psychological consequences like blame, shame, guilt, giving up, and so on. Emotional eating is a big part of the game of recovery. When you look in the refrigerator for something to eat, if you are truly honest with yourself, you will often realize that there is nothing in the refrigerator you really want or need. As mentioned earlier, what you want and need in food addiction recovery is out in the world, not in the refrigerator!
There is a huge amount of work that a food addict can do done around “rational thinking.” Feelings come from thoughts, and you can control your thoughts, so you therefore can control your emotions, given some time, energy, and effort on your part and with the help of someone who “thinks rationally.” Dr. Albert Ellis who was a pioneer in the dominant field of Cognitive Behavioral Psychology taught that irrational beliefs create the negative feelings that lead to pain and upset in life. He said there were four main categories of irrational beliefs: (a) demandingness – where you demand that yourself, others or the world be something it is not; (b) awfulizing – where you blow something which may be an undesirable condition like being overweight way out of proportion to where nothing else matters; (c) Low Frustration Tolerance (LFT) – which is the belief that you can’t stand some discomfort or frustration like being a person who has a food addiction and is hungry, exercising or denying yourself your currently favorite foods; (d) self-downing – which stems from the demands you put on yourself and the way you define yourself by rating yourself on the basis of your current behaviors (like your less-than-perfect food addict eating behaviors). It is important that you begin to accept yourself as a fallible human being who is a mistake maker like the rest of us! You can learn more about rational and irrational beliefs by reading The Art & Science of Rational Eating by Albert Ellis, Ph.D., Michael Abrams, PhD and Lidia Dengelegi, Ph.D., which is a great resource for food addicts. Every person with a food addiction can benefit from this book so get it. After all, to have good consequences in your life you need to develop rational beliefs.
Food Addiction Recovery - #12
In food addiction you must beware of fad diets in particular and any diet in general really. Many dieters are eager to jump on the bandwagon of Dr. Atkins and others who championed low-carbohydrate diets not too long ago as some still do. I do not recommend this approach if you are still thinking of using it. Briefly, the reasons I don’t recommend this approach include the following for anyone let alone food addicts:
A. Hundreds of scientific studies have linked various cancers to the consumption of animal products. The high-protein/low-carb diets strongly encourage the consumption of animal products—in some cases, up to 90% of the diet.
B. These diets restrict foods known to provide powerful protection against cancer, as well as fiber (you should get from 25 to 30 grams per day of fiber in any food plan you adopt), nutrients, and phytochemicals (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.)
C. These diets focus on foods known to cause heart problems—fats, meats, and dairy.
D. These diets cause ketosis in the body, a condition that results when your body gets insufficient carbohydrates. Your body makes “ketones” as an emergency fuel from the fat cells. Proponents of these diets claim that ketosis is a heightened fat-burning state, but ketosis is actually an unnatural state that places great stress on your kidneys, putting you at increased risk for kidney stones and abnormal liver function. Ketones also have the unpleasant side effect of giving you incredibly bad breath, smelly urine, and mental fuzziness.
Food Addiction And Atkins - Reconsider
As someone with a food addiction and if you think you would do well on a low-carbohydrate/high-fat/high-protein diet like Atkins recommended, I would urge you to reconsider. If you feel you must do something like this diet as a food addict, then consider a “Zone” or “Balance” type-diet of 30% protein, 30% fat, and 40% carbohydrates as a healthier alternative to a high protein/low carb diet. Zone type food plans can work well in food addiction.
If you are absolutely convinced you need to try one of these diets to deal with your food addiction, then go ahead. I would be the last one to tell you not to do it if this is what you think will work for you. For food addicts there really is no ideal eating plan to follow in food addiction and you need to find one that works for you. Just remember, eventually you will have to fall into a maintenance pattern of eating to maintain your goal weight. If you do not feel you can keep up this type of unbalanced eating for the rest of your life (and the health reasons I’ve listed above are good reasons not to try at least with Atkins), then it may not be a good idea to even start down that path. Also as a food addict there is a fundamental truth about any “diet” you select and it goes something like the following: To fixate on losing weight is not really where you need to be. Where you need to be is to fixate on lifelong weight maintenance and a broad set of skills rather than a “diet” as THE solution. Bottom line diets don’t work and food plans do is the end of the story.
Food Addiction Recovery - #11
In food addiction recovery you will only be as successful as you are honest with yourself— I promise you that is true. Honesty with yourself is essential in setting your binge food list and modified binge food list (see #31 & #32 for more detail coming later in this series – if you can’t wait then call me for what I mean here). As a food addict you also have to be honest in holding yourself accountable to the lists and honesty in the portions you eat at each meal. You can try to tell yourself that your one-cup portion is really only half a cup, or that the slivers of cake you eat don’t really count—but your body will know better. Compulsive overeating is something that will slip up on you even when you are watching.
In Food Addiction Recovery Don’t Debate When To Start
Start your plan right now. Don’t wait for a fresh day, a fresh week, or even a new year to get started. As a compulsive overeater waiting for the perfect starting line will simply delay progress you could be getting started on today. Putting it off for the right moment is simply a form of procrastination—and you can put things off indefinitely if you let yourself. Putting it off is the food addict conversation in your head talking to you.
If you’re scared about getting rolling, remember that you can reach your goal. Those who make it are persistent and consistent in working their plan. They never give up, even if they “blow it” from time to time. They know that the plan is a lifelong process, not a diet that can simply be fallen off of. Now that I have said this, if you must set a start date in the future, then do set it today and get started ath that point. You don’t have to do everything to get started in food addiction recovery by the way. I promise you I am not that exceptional and I made it – at least this far he says with a smile.
Food Addiction Recovery - #10
In food addiction recovery one needs to recognize that feelings change. Now that seems obvious to everyone of course and as a food addict it has special meaning. Recognize that, just as feelings change throughout life, most urges to eat will pass in five to ten minutes if you don’t feed them or give them a lot of attention. If the urge continues beyond that, ask yourself “what is the feeling I’m having and what do I really need or want right now?” Virtually 100% of the time the answer will not be food! At times I would find myself looking into the refrigerator for what I could eat and realized what I really want in life is not in the refrigerator! I think you will find the same is true for you in many instances. You may have to ask the question differently like asking yourself “what am I committed to?” Am I committed to being an active food addict who is a compulsive overeater or one in recovery? You may need to look at “short term pain for long term gain” or in this case long term loss he says with a smile.
In Food Addiction – Are You Hungry For Something Else?
If you’re hungry for excitement, or love, or affection, or something else, food will not satisfy you. You can eat until you’re sick (as a compulsive overeater I have been there and done that) and the void will still be there because it isn’t one that can be filled by food. Practice getting in touch with your feelings. It may be uncomfortable at first—it’s harder in the short term dealing with feelings rather than covering them over with food. Eventually, though, you will learn to distinguish true physical hunger from other emotional “hungers.” Besides so what if you feel hungry? Can you be with yourself while feeling hungry? Another important skill in food addiction I can assure you.
Food Addiction Recovery - #9
In food addiction recovery you will need to learn to live in the present. The present is a point of power. Stop yourself the minute you notice you have broken your food plans. If you have a lapse, get right back to your plan. Don’t wait until after you finish whatever the thing is you are eating; don’t wait until tomorrow or next Monday. The point of power is in the present. Exercise your power and it increases. The past is over; the future isn’t here yet—the only time you have any real control over is right now. Exercise this power and use it to your advantage. How can you learn more on “be here now” and apply that as a food addict?
Food Addiction – Finding More Power In The Present
The modern classic book written on the subject is titled Remember, Be Here Now by Ram Dass who was a distinguished psychologist who taught at Harvard University before he went to India to study. That book is very entertaining as well from a biographical perspective. You can find it on Amazon.com. The approach is based on Hindu psychology. Another classic book on creating power in the present is written by Ron Smothermon, M.D. who is a psychiatrist. It also is available on Amazon.com and it titled Winning Through Enlightenment. You will have to buy this one used which is not all bad since they start at $6.00! Power in the present as a food addict means having the ability to be with yourself – regardless of how you feel – and not eat. If you have that type of power then you will manage compulsive overeating much better. That is a learned skill. I still have to use that skill today – 35 plus years later. It is like a muscle. The more you exercise that muscle easier it becomes to remain in food addiction recovery.
Food Addiction Recovery - #8
In food addiction, as in life, you will make mistakes. Everyone does. Learn from your mistakes and forgive yourself for them. Greet them as opportunities for growth. Mistakes are not a reason to give up on your food plans as a compulsive overeater. Lapses will happen for almost everyone who is a food addict. Just get back on your program if you have a lapse. I have had many lapses over the years and have put on five or so pounds over a few weeks (often on vacations). I just get back on my program and stay with it closer until the five pounds are gone and I am stable. I also learned what worked for me and what did not work for me in the process. With my food addiction I put in corrections so this did not happen again. Mistakes are simply an opportunity to figure out what doesn’t work for you as well as what does work for you. Albert Ellis who was one of the giants of modern psychology basically said to be human is to be a mistake maker.
Food Addiction – Common Mistakes
What might be some common mistakes for compulsive overeaters? Well that is a good question. Let me list just a few:
1. Thinking you can make recovery happen fast if you are a food addict. Things actually might even get worse in some ways before they get better. Better you are ready for that possibility or even probability.
2. Going on a diet of any kind – this is a psychological issue as well as what food to eat issue for compulsive overeaters.
3. You are as overweight as you are honest with yourself is a useful way of thinking. So it is basically a mistake in food addiction to not figure out how to measure accurately what you are eating each time. Research studies show honesty about what one is actually eating even with “normal” people is a problem. This does not mean you have to actually use measuring cups though.
4. Thinking your friends and family will support you in your efforts. Some will and some won’t. You will need to figure out how to deal with both types.
5. Banning certain foods at least in early recovery may be a good strategy for you. Then again maybe not. So you need to come to a decision on this issue and stick with it.
6. Not learning about calories and the three food groups of fats, carbohydrates and protein.
Well I can go on and on but here are a few for today to help you deal with your food addiction. Move as we move forward.
Food Addiction Recovery - #7
In food addiction recovery it is important that you not get discouraged with plateaus and you know going into the process that you may have plateaus. You will be better prepared as a food addict and realistic if you understand what is going to happen along the way to success. What I can tell you now is don’t be too concerned about this “set point” business right now and know that the set point issue may explain why you as a food addict may hit a plateau. A plateau is an indicator of success on the road to your destination of overcoming compulsive overeating.
Related to this issue of plateaus there is even a possibility you will actually gain weight from one week to the next even when you have been following your program completely. The reason for this state of affairs lies in your body sometimes retaining water and the fluctuations in your metabolic rate. So even a small weight gain while following your program can occur. Don’t be surprised if that happens on the road to success in food addiction recovery.
Food Addiction Recovery Requires Honesty
Another piece you may need to consider is are you being honest with yourself about what you are eating? Take a look at this quote from nutritionist Gay Riley M.S., RD,
Underestimating caloric intake is probably the most common explanation for the plateau. Current literature reports obese subjects underreporting calories consumed by up to 40% and normal weight subjects underreporting calories on the average of 20%. Whether underestimating caloric intake is knowing or unknowing, it is the obvious reason for the cessation of weight/fat loss and is purely behavioral.
If you want to know more on what Riley says on plateaus you can by clicking here:
One last resource would be David L. Katz, M.D. and you can find his seven ways to get past a weight loss plateau by clicking here
Food Addiction Recovery - #6
In food addiction recovery it is normal to plateau during your weight-loss phase, so expect it. A temporary stall in your weight-loss is simply your body’s way of readjusting for the next level. Everyone’s body has their own unique metabolism and will have it’s way of dealing with plateaus during weight-loss rather they are normal folks or compulsive overeaters. So as a food addict don’t be surprised by plateaus, or let them keep you from staying the course with your program. If you stick with your program, and you still have more weight to lose, it will eventually come off. Be patient (refer back to tip #5!).
The other factor that needs to be considered in plateaus is known as “set point theory” and this concept relates to food addiction recovery. Set point theory says that each of us is born with a genetic “set point” for body weight or body fat that is regulated automatically much like your body temperature, blood pressure or glucose levels. This theory says if one tries to go above or below this set point level the body makes changes to return the person to the predetermined genetic “set point.” It is a very complex issue with more research coming out on this particular issue regularly that can impact food addiction recovery. If you have a high set point you would have a tendency to be overweight even on “normal” levels of food. If you try to lose that weight the body keeps trying to keep the body at that high set point level or higher weight. If you have a low set point level then the body tends to remain slim even when the slim person eats more. Various things have been advanced as maintaining a persons set point (appetite, cravings, bingeing, body metabolism, body heat, physical activity, number of fat cells in the body, hormones, and neurotransmitters). This is one of those biological things that you do not control as a human being and certainly as a food addict. Next post I will talk about dealing with discouragement in plateaus and more factors that drive the plateau situation in humans and compulsive overeaters.
Do you to stop your compulsive overeating? For free resources on food addiction recovery click here
Want to learn more about me? Click here now.
Food Addiction Recovery - #5
To stop food addiction requires some of the old saying of “patience is a virtue” as is sometimes said when someone was becoming inpatient. It probably took you a long time to put on that extra weight. For me it was 20 some years. If you want a permanent change, it’s going to take a while to take it off. We all know by now that quick-fix diets (“Lose 20 Lbs. By Monday!”) or just plain diets don’t work—your body simply doesn’t work that way, and neither does your mind. Both will need some time to adjust in order for your weight loss efforts to be successful. So be patient! It can take time to change things.
Those who get the results in food addiction recovery are persistent and consistent—they know not to hold out for easy, fast, and magical approaches. And if your weight does come off quickly, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If it does not then there is more “grist for the mill” to work on. You are discovering as a food addict what does not work in your plan. That in itself is a win.
Here is a quote I love on the value of patience:
“Learn the art of patience. Apply discipline to your thoughts when
they become anxious over the outcome of a goal. Impatience breeds
anxiety, fear, discouragement and failure. Patience creates confidence,
decisiveness, and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to success.”
Brian Adam
Food Addiction Recovery Requires Discipline
One of the key parts of this quote is “Apply discipline to your thoughts…” in this quote. The word discipline according to Merriam-Webster is defined as “training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character” at least in one usage. So what are some ways a food addict develop patience? Try some of these for now:
- Realize you can’t control the universe, anyone else and even you at times. You need to learn to accept the things you can’t control.
- Take up meditation on a daily basis. Even if it is just 10 or 20 minutes per day.
- Realize that like you, other folks are mistake makers. You need to expect folks to make mistakes and not lose patience with them when they do.
- Go to Amazon.com and check out books on developing patience.
OK friends, that is it for today on food addiction recovery. Catch you next post.