A Realistic Look at Fighting Food cravings
How many times have you heard people say that they can't stop eating cookies, or bread, or pasta, or candy? They may even laugh and say they are addicted to chocolate, as they pop the 10th truffle in their mouth. Well it's time we faced the facts. We are addicted to many of the foods we eat. And when you really look at it, it's not so very funny. You might even say, food addiction is a debilitating phenomenon.
Now it may seem extreme to say that food addiction is debilitating. So let's take a look and see what I mean.
Now in our society, it is very true that thin is in and fat is out. However you may also be a person who is a size 14, and wants to be a size 8. And you may know that size 8 is a good, healthy place for you to be. However, you may not be able to get there because you can't, or won't, stop eating the cookies, spaghetti, and home-baked bread. And for you, not being a size 8 is a problem. If this is you, then you are probably fighting food cravings.
Many people with food addiction experience self-esteem problems. They think they are weak and have no will-power. They go on crash diets. They white knuckle it and become irritable and grouchy with their loved ones. Many will give up after a while, and begin to eat even more than they ever did. Most will then gain more than they ever did. Quite often these same people will become convinced that they are less capable than other people, and this greatly affects their sense of self.
This is what a low-level food addiction looks like, before it becomes full-blown. As it progresses, obesity and binge eating often set in. The binge eating causes extreme waves in blood sugar, and a feeling of exhaustion and lethargy. This feeling follows food addicts through their entire lives. Binge eating will sometimes lead to bulimia, as the 'fight to handle' extreme cravings rages on. And this, of course, is a perilous place to be. Either way, most food addicts' metabolisms are destroyed and diets no longer work, and self-esteem becomes next to nil.
People who take another path in food addiction often become anorexic. They decide it is better not to eat at all, than to fight the cravings, or be fat. This of course is life threatening. Now if you don't become anorexic or bulimic, but you do continue in your addiction, by the age 60 you will be a diabetic. Your body will have used up its supply of insulin over the many years of carb abuse, and it will begin to deteriorate rapidly. In this case you will lessen the very years of your life, and those last years will be painful in myriad ways.
And this is the direction in which we are headed, even as we joke about being addicted to chocolates.
Fighting food cravings is no laughing matter for a lot of people. But there are sources of help. There is a program called Overeaters Anonymous, which I attended for many years. There is also a program called Food Addicts Anonymous. Both of these will give you the support of other people on a similar path, as well as their experience strength and hope. You will also need a food plan that deals with food as an addictive substance. And there are many other tools I will give you in subsequent articles. But to those of you who suffer, I will just say, yes you can live a healthy happy life with food addiction. But you need to reach out.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
About the Author
For more help with your addictions visit the blogs of famed writer, speaker, and addictions activist Lorelei F. at fightingfoodcravings and also at helpfulhintsforquittingsmoking
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by: LoreleiFenton
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