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Help! Major Food Obsession Problem


LindsayO

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I have an unhealthy obsession/relationship with food, and need help!

 

I have a sugar addiction and have struggled with binging for a long time. When I'm not binging, I'm following the paleo/keto diet, but majorly obsessing over what to eat and how much to eat. Should I eat fruit? What about yams? Which expert do I follow? Mark's Daily Apple? Nora Gedgaudas? Robb Wolf? Whole30? I have every paleo book you could possibly imagine.

 

In my free time, I'm either looking at articles/websites on my phone, buying the latest paleo book off Amazon, or lugging my kid to various supermarkets for grassfed bones and BPA free containers. It consumes me!

 

I know that eating plants, animals and fats makes good sense and I want to follow a paleo lifestyle. I just cannot get.my.head. to shut up and stop analyzing everything.

 

I am not overweight, but would like to lose a few pounds. Most importantly, I want to be the best version of myself and feel good!

 

Besides following the whole30 meal template, what else can I do to be rid of the obsession? How can I follow the template and just live a whole, happy, purposeful life?? I want to slay the sugar addiction for good, and slay my obsession with food!

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Besides following the whole30 meal template, what else can I do to be rid of the obsession? How can I follow the template and just live a whole, happy, purposeful life?? I want to slay the sugar addiction for good, and slay my obsession with food!

Hi Lindsay;

 

You're definitely not the first person that is having these concerns and definitely not the last... The advice I'm about to give you is going to seem awfully simple tho but it's effective.  Ready?

 

Follow the template.  Do the Whole30 for 30 days and then re-evaluate if you need to keep going to more firmly cement your habits.

You don't need grass fed meat to be successful.  If you can afford it and it is relatively convenient to you, then great.  If it's an obsession and it's taking up more time than ground beef really should be, then know that it's okay to eat the best that is reasonably available to you (both price and timewise).

 

As far as which expert to follow, if you're doing a Whole30, then you're following the whole30. There are other paleo gurus out there for sure and they'll still be there in 30 days but simplify your life by just building your meals to match the template (linked below) and including a variety of vegetables and protein and fat sources.

Should you eat fruit?  Well, there's nothing fruit has that isn't available from vegetables in a more bio-available form, so fruit is not necessary and a LOT of people cut it out in order to help slay their dragon.

Yams and starchy carbs are going to be something you'll have to experiment with... one fist sized serving of starch every day is the recommendation but if you find a yam is making you want to mainline chocolate cake, then you might be one of the types of people that don't do well with starchy carbs... they do help with mood stability and around our menstrual time so maybe you only eat them in the week leading up to your period... 

 

Whole30 WILL give you food freedom if you let it... commit to it 100% and we can guarantee that you'll feel better!  Maybe you need more time with it and that's okay but 30 days is the place to start!

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Per Melissa and Dallas in The Whole30 on pages 107-108, this program may or may not be right for you with your obsessive eating history. The below quote is from the book:

 

"However, there are probably just as many people who have found the rigidity, rules, and structure of the Whole30 program too reminiscent of their disorders. For these people the Whole30 'as prescribed' is actually a trigger for disordered eating behavior, hurting their progress more than it helps. The restrictions may carry over to calorie or macronutrient restriction in anorectics, or may trigger a binge in those with a history of compulsive overeating."

 

Melissa and Dallas go on to encourage readers to work with a mental health professional--i.e. a therapist or counselor--to determine whether this program is right. Please, do this NOW. Don't put this off. If Whole30 is triggering your obsessive eating, then you are doing yourself more harm than good.

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I also believe there is clearly such a thing as information overload.  

 

I'm not on facebook... I don't tweet, pin, snap, hashtag, gram, scope, Skype, or follow.

 

I do read books ~ sometimes a few at a time.  Sometimes I take a step away from those, and don't read anything at all.

 

I do listen to podcasts ~ but not as much as I used to.  I hate the advertising, and I hate the conflicting info.  I'm more likely to seek out specific podcasts now, on a subject I am truly interested in.

 

You know that "unplugged" feeling we get, when we go on vacation?  (I hope so.  If you don't... you really need to actually "unplug" on your vacation.)  What that feels like is a huge relief of stress.  These things we think are helping us become better and better and better.......  well... sometimes... not so much.

 

It's really important to take a step back from ALL OF IT sometimes and evaluate what is truly important to you.  Look around.  If you suddenly had no internet connection... what is staring you in the face that needs to be done?  Who needs a hug?  

 

If you are going to continue with your Whole 30 ~ I challenge you to just. do. Whole. 30.  Put a mental block on all the rest.  There have been some GREAT conversations here lately about sugar, carbs, and keto.  Check them out, and see that you are SO not alone:

 

http://forum.whole30.com/topic/33428-sugar-addict/

 

http://forum.whole30.com/topic/32780-sugar-dragon-slayers/

 

http://forum.whole30.com/topic/32606-brewer5-a-fresh-start/

 

http://forum.whole30.com/topic/23540-ketwhole30/

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Have you read 'It Starts With Food'?

I'd challenge you start there, and to do one Whole30 - 30 days by the book - really start listening to your body, paying attention to how each food makes you feel, really focusing on what your body is telling you about hunger, cravings, energy & mood, identifying triggers... and when your 30 days are done (along with your reintroductions) then start looking at how you can tweak/hack it to make it fit for you, long term.

If you follow all of the rules AND all of the recommendations, followed by a full & formal reintroduction of ALL the foods you ever see yourself eating again you won't need to be reading every diet/paleo/keto book under the sun, and following every blogger out there, because you'll be your expert, armed with the results of your own personal experiment and you'll finally know what works for you.

Battling the sugar dragon & winning, over-coming food obsessions & addictions - both are entirely possible without removing those foods from your life forever. BUT, you have to want it, and if you want it you can re-train your brain, and create NEW neural pathways surrounding the offending foods, thereby removing the triggers that up until now have sent you on a downward spiral. 

THAT is food freedom.

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Battling the sugar dragon & winning, over-coming food obsessions & addictions - both are entirely possible without removing those foods from your life forever. BUT, you have to want it, and if you want it you can re-train your brain, and create NEW neural pathways surrounding the offending foods, thereby removing the triggers that up until now have sent you on a downward spiral. 

THAT is food freedom.

 

You can also choose to remove the addictive substances (which I will not call food), and no longer need them to be a part of your life in any way.  THAT is also food freedom.

 

This is the moderator vs. abstainer mentality.  We each have to figure out which one we really are.

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Good luck, Lindsay!

I am not sure if we match up exactly, but I have a huge sugar dragon, and while I am not sure I would call my eating history "binging"- I definitely have problems with "food without brakes," which is described by the Hartwigs in their book.

I genuinely feel that Melissa Hartwig tries very hard to be up front and honest about her life and her choices, and even the product endorsements when they are made... I am seeing that and that makes me trust the program all the more.

They are NOT selling something as much as they are truly trying to help people live a better life, do the right thing for their bodies and even the sustainable food industry.  This is not a cult... I can say that after just 26 days, I feel better and freer from my sugar crap-- but it takes a long time (I think.)

 

I agree with the experienced folks who are advising you above.

If things are very problematic, seek a therapist to help you.

If you feel safe enough to go it on your own, follow the Whole30 for at least 30 days-- exactly as the rules are written. It's very well laid out, and may help you actually calm down about what to eat and not eat. Just eat the allowed foods and use the food template... trust it and see what happens. But if you can and it is safe: do it for a full 30 days. I say this having not even gone all the way through yet, I am still experiencing transformations in my feelings towards food.

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This is the moderator vs. abstainer mentality.  We each have to figure out which one we really are.

Indeed.

However, for those with a history of binge eating (BED) over-restriction is shown to perpetuate the cycle, and therefore the recommendation is for them to learn to re-train their brains, so as to learn to moderate.

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Ok. And where do you find the science, or the book about the brain, or addiction, which shows exactly how it is possible to eat sugar (or packaged/processed wheat/gluten/grain prodects) and no longer get a dopamine response from that? I am truly interested.

Also some clear-cut instructions for how to not make our blood sugar swing wildly up and back down, causing increased hunger and mood issues?

I understand what you are saying about "over-restriction", to a certain point. But does that really apply to foods that are not allowed on a Whole 30 ~ because it has been proven that these foods have an unhealthy psychological or physiological effect on our bodies? Is it really best to tell folks they just have to "want it" badly enough to overcome it? Is this really coming down to a question of will power, and who is strongest?

I don't think so. I think this is like trying to tell an alcoholic that they can have just one drink. Or an ex-smoker that they can have just one cigarette and it won't start those feelings up all over again. I know better. I've been there. What is the definition of insanity again? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?

For the record, I did not read that the OP has a diagnosed ED -- and if she does, I will step out, as that is out of my territory and it would be irresponsible of me to try and advise under those circumstances. I read the OP as trying to make the best choices for herself and her family, and be "perfect" ~ with times in the middle where she is mentally exhausted by it all and says "screw it " and goes back to old comfort foods. That is a situation I most certainly can relate to, and I can tell you the solution for me has been complete abstinence from unhealthy substances which affect my brain and do not support my goal to make the best possible decisions. Sometimes, there are things we really do need to "break up" with, not just for 30 days ~ but for good.

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Thank you all for your support and encouragement!

 

I have started therapy and feel hopeful that it can help me change the way I think or process things. I also have a history of drug addiction (clean for 13 years!) and know without a doubt that I've switched addictions. Hey, being addicted to sugar is better than being addicted to crack :)

 

What draws me to whole30 is the program states it can change your life, and change your relationship with food. And it supports the idea of me being the very best version of me I can be. I donated my scale a couple weeks ago and already feel a little more free as a result.

 

I think it just boils down to making a decision to get well, and just doing the damn thing.

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I am not quoting from a book Brewer - I'm repeating what I've been taught, and it falls very much in line with the Whole30 way of thinking - which is why I'd encourage anyone coming here to do it by the book first, and then decide if they need to tweak.
 
Many people are predisposed to food addiction &/or binging because of the chemical make-up of their brains. But by eating a wholesome, nutrient dense diet, rich in micro-nutrients however, you can successfully re-balance the hormones and realign the brain chemistry so that they are not effected in nearly the same way.

It's all about composing your meals so that the sugars in carbs do not cause an insulin response. It's about eating adequate amounts of proteins & fats so that you have a sustained release of energy. And it's about focusing on the wonderful array of foods you can have, rather than getting caught up in the restrictive nature of it all and focusing on what you can't have.

Just as it states in 'It Starts With Food' and as we see in the successes of those members who've been around a while when this kind of meal template is followed to a T, with no snacking, no mindless eating, no fruits on their own etc., people see a marked improvement in their addictions, have success in quashing their cravings, and see their blood sugar levels remain on a much more even keel, resulting in better sleep, stable moods, better brain clarity, etc..... 
 
The whole 'changing your relationship with food' that is talked about here often is (as I mentioned above) all about creating new neural pathways, & new trigger responses too, so that when you follow the advice of the template, the regular meals, the no snacking etc for long enough you create NEW neural pathways so that those memories & triggers no longer have the same meaning or the same effect on you. Nobody is saying you no longer get a dopamine response, you just learn to deal with it differently. 

This can apply to foods that are off-limits on a Whole30 too (although I'd personally never recommend going back to any kind of processed, pre-packaged, over-refined foods) - provided that a full reintroduction is carried out so that the individual can identify both physiological & psychological responses and learn to adapt accordingly. What is unhealthy for one person will not necessarily provoke the same unhealthy response in another, which is why it's important to develop an individual plan.

I really do think the level of success comes down to Brain Training & agree with Henry Ford when he said 'Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right'

 
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Congratulations, LindsayO, on 13 years clean!!! That's incredible. I'm happy that you've chosen to seek professional therapy for your self-described sugar addiction. My hope for you is that through the help of your therapist, the guidance of the Whole30 Forum, and the strength that you find within yourself that you can overcome all the addictions in your life.

 

Blessings!

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One thing for those with addictions to be aware of, is some of the research into cheese, dairy and opioid receptors (ghee which is allowed on Whole30 isn't in this category).

 

While this is a fairy silly video, it actually gives a good summary of the research: http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/food-drink/cheese-triggers-the-same-part-of-brain-as-hard-drugs-study-finds-a6707011.html

 

We also know that starvation and lack of some nutrients can impact the way the brain works.

 

It Starts With Food is a great book with really great information :)

 

13 years clean is amazing Lindsay! :D Don't forget to take some time to reflect on this victory.

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Ok so I can relate to you I have a really bad addiction to sugar and if it's not sugar it's food. So for me I have to eat pretty whole 30 all the time when I choosing to try and get healthy. It sounds like hour a very black and white person just as I am I've found those who are black and white thinkers are usually addicts mostly food/sugar. Anyway to get to my point I've been there trying the newest thing, not sticking to something long enough to even see if it works, trying to think I know best and do my own thing. I've found it's ALL MENTAL nothing will change no diet no lifestyle will change until you change your thinking how you think of yourself and others or how you behave, your thought process. I know it sounds crazy but I can assure you it really is. I honestly have started going to a Addiction Recovery group because I found out that no diet is going to work until I work through my emotional and mental part of me and the food will follow. It's been a long process I will tell you that but I will say I think if you were to stick to the whole 30 which honestly those who have these addictions would benefit greatly as long as there mental aspect is in the right place other wise I think it would just end up leading to a really long bad binge. One thing I've learned trying to deal with thins is writing in a journal have a whole 30 journal or just plain journal whatever you feel. Right down your thoughts and feelings your thinking if you can't change that then obsession will never end. It hard because you have to find why you have that and figure out how to change it I don't have the obsession part maybe it's a controlling issue. There's things in your life you can't control or couldn't so you do with this. Or maybe it's a feeling of not feeling like your good enough I don't know but though righting it may help figure it out. I have lots of unresolved issues from childhood that's stayed with me and I still have the same thought process. I've gone to counseling to help me try to learn how to deal with it and know what exactly it is. Good luck not sure if this is anywhere close to how things are but I thought I'd put my two sense in :)

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