Food addiction and recovery?

Yes, I was really amazed at that realization. When I was discussing my "stress eating" with Dr. C he asked if it made me feel better. It never does. It makes me feel worse, but I still did it. That is when I realized that I was choosing to create a problem for myself that I was more comfortable with because it's like an old familiar friend. I know this problem and I can  revisit it whenever I have to because it's been there for years. It distracts me from the real issues. Just think of all the money I saved by self analysis!!!

Cece, you and I are just alike with our eating patterns.  I have been deemed an "emotional eater".  Although I do have alcoholism in my family (which I actually was on the verge of being when I made a concerted effort not to end up like my great grandfather) but my family also celebrates with food.  They always have.  It may be a southern thing or just my family.  There have always been "carb salads" (potato, macaroni, etc.), deviled eggs (love them), mashed potatos (fat milk, sour cream and butter of course), veggies cooked with a ham hock in them, etc.  That stuff is all sooooooo good that I just couldn't get enough!

I fight every day the temptation to either celebrate or comfort myself with food.  However, I did ask my family for mother's day if we could do something without food.  We went to Duke University Gardens.  It was awesome!!!  We had a great time and still got to spend quality time with each other.

WE CAN DO IT!!!

Absolutely fantastic topic and replies! I need to bookmark this when I think I'm eating compulsively without thinking. 

Thank you all so much for the replies, it really helps. I will definitely be looking at food addiction as a behavior now, and how this behavior affects me. I realize it's not as concrete as "Oh, I had over 30g of carbs today, this is a relapse," but more so my eating behaviors and why I'm doing them. Thanks again!

This is a fantastic thread.  Y'all have given me much to think about. Thanks so much for your honesty and openness. 

 I have two food issues;

1) I hide food and eat in secret
2) I compulsively eat certain "trigger" foods


I will think of myself as in recovery as long as I'm not ashamed of what I eat, even if not the best choice, AND stop eating when my body tells me its full.

So far the sleeve is really helping me with #2 and I've become good about listening to my sleeve for the first thought that it might be too much.  I'm religious about measuring but some days I can eat 2oz of chicken and some days 1.5 is too much, so I have to measure AND listen.  

Two is the harder one.  That's going to take more brain work.  Thanks to Elina my first step is to NEVER eat alone.  That isn't always 100% an option because a lot of the time it's just me and my 3 year old (she can't really hold me accountable)  but I am going to make sure that any foods I might find shameful are never eaten by myself.  

I do wonder if I'm recovery when I stop having the thoughts or when I stop doing them.  I definitely wouldn't call myself in recovery right now, it's too much of a battle still.  I don't know though, it is really hard with food and I've met more than one person who tells me that you can't be addicted to food and too many people are using it as a crutch.  But I don't know any other way to explain it.

Oh my gosh, what great, great responses.  So much to think about.  I have what I call a "bottom line" abstinence which is to abstain from recreational sugar and write down what I eat.  If I do these two things, I can go to sleep at night feeling abstinent, even though my eating might have been imperfect or even a little compulsive.  But I can do those two things and if I *do* those two things, I don't fall into the black hole of compulsive eating.  I might have one bad meal, not one bad week or one bad year.

Outside of those bottom line things, secret eating is a big, big problem for me.  I was stunned at the suggestion to never eat alone (Elina always amazes!).  Duh!  What a concept.  This is not always possible because of my work and travel, but I think I will start looking at foods that I will commit to not eating alone.  I think this will be very helpful for me.

Wow.  I am going to book mark this thread.

I love this thread!!  I am so bookmarking this one.

Thank you so much for creating this topic, Elise.  I think we are all in this same boat one way or another which is why it's so important for us to support one another not only during the happy times but the difficult times as well.  Thank you for being so honest and open with us and allowing us to share with you as well.

Amy

I joined an food addiction group at the local church. I didn't want to be a food addict. I have, as well, kicked other addictions. The challenge with food is that you can't abstain. I do , however, have to abstain from sugar and white carbs (bad carbs). I am not someone who can "have just one." If I partake in sugar or white bread or cookies, I consume the bag. This denial initially stunted my weight loss. I posted elsewhere that I essentially wasted my sleeve honeymoon period because I thought I could "eat just a little of anything I want" like many have posted in the past. I was doing 1300 cal days and completely frustrated by why I couldn't seem to control myself. Granted, my sleeve has always been a little larger than my peer group but that doesn't have any correlation to the cookies or otherwise that I put in my mouth.

Initially, withdrawal from the food made me sad, still does on occasion. That was my indicator that I had a problem. I consider myself in recovery when I'm abstaining from the two areas that I am weak and when I am using food as fuel and not for pleasure or an emotional crutch.