Let's get rid of food addiction! What is food addiction and how to get rid of it

Text: Olga Kim

Many argue that one must be able to enjoy food, and gluttony is one of the most pleasant sins. But for some, food becomes like a bad habit, an addiction. Why is food addiction so dangerous and is it possible to cope with it?

The essence of food addiction

Food addiction is practically no different from alcoholism or drug addiction, since it has the same psychological roots. Just as an alcoholic needs to constantly drink, and a drug addict needs to take a dose, so an “eating addict” cannot deny himself food. This process is practically uncontrollable, and a forced ban can lead to emotional outbursts of a person.

Food addiction (and this especially applies to excessive cravings for sweets) is expressed in the consumption of food that exceeds the amount required by the body. Overeating leads not only to excess weight, but also to diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, problems with the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system.

Just don’t think that if you constantly eat the same product, it’s a food addiction. This is called simple food cravings. But if you don’t care what you eat and your portions increase with enviable regularity, then that very same food addiction is evident.

Food addiction occurs, usually due to the inability to cope with stressful situations. Usually, when you are nervous, worried and feel out of place, the desire to eat something is considered quite logical, especially for women. But when in any, even the slightest nervous situation, you begin to think only about food, then there really is a problem and it is urgently necessary to deal with it.

How to deal with food addiction?

If you notice that you have signs of food addiction and you really want to get rid of it, then follow the recommendations described.

• Keep a special notebook where you write down everything you eat and drink during the day.


• Step on the scale every morning on an empty stomach and every evening before bed. Write down the results in the same notebook.


• Compare your weight in the morning and evening to understand how much you eat during the day.


• Constantly review your recorded results to determine which foods are causing you the most weight gain. This will be an excellent incentive to “slow down.”


• When you help yourself to a huge plate of food and order numerous dishes at a restaurant, think about why you did it? Most likely, a feeling of greed was triggered, because everything looks appetizing. But you must gradually reduce your measure. And this will happen when you learn to eat exactly as much food as your body needs.


• Get into the habit of having a large breakfast and lunch and a light dinner. This is necessary so as not to force your stomach to work around the clock.


• Concentrate on the food, chew it slowly and enjoy not the process of eating, but the taste of the food.

Although food addiction can be equated to alcoholism and drug addiction, it will be much easier to get rid of it. Here you need to start controlling yourself and your desires. Realize that there is so much more interesting in the world besides delicious food.

Food addiction is one of the most common. As a rule, women are more susceptible to this. Up to 80% of the fairer sex are familiar with this phenomenon firsthand.

You can cope with this problem if you meet the main condition: be honest with yourself and be ready to make some efforts.

Forms of food addiction

Food addiction comes in different forms. Let's consider different types of its manifestation:

Professional dietitian

It’s a paradox, but in manic adherence to various diets there is also a hidden addiction to food! At the same time, the “always losing weight” himself is sure that this is just a desire to be in shape.

Unconscious Eater

This person absorbs food without a system. Due to frequent snacks on the go, he may simply forget about lunch. As a rule, in the evening an attack of hunger overtakes him and then he simply cannot stop. He himself is inclined to believe that he is absolutely indifferent to “delicious things,” but precisely because of his disorderly consumption of food, he absorbs much more than is necessary.

Gourmet

A subtle connoisseur of gastronomic delights is at risk - while receiving special pleasure from food, he becomes dependent on plentiful feasts.

Emotional Eater

It differs from other types in that it tries to cope with emotions with the help of food. If the first three representatives can solve their problem by adjusting their diet and style, then in this case they cannot do without global psychological preparation.

How does this usually happen? In moments of internal discomfort or loneliness, a person is visited by a “saving thought” about something tasty stored in the depths of the refrigerator. After all, with its help you can lift your spirits! One piece of cake gives you a feeling of peace, problems seem to recede. The next portion follows the first and so on until everything is destroyed.

And then the terrible mood returns, aggravated by the feeling of guilt for one’s intemperance. Extra pounds and centimeters are added to everything. Even the awareness that food has become like a drug cannot stop the process that has begun. Nutritionists say that loss of control over the desire to snack and the subsequent feeling of guilt is the first sign of food addiction. At this stage, the mechanism of self-deception is activated, when a person tries to push the problems that have arisen into the background with the help of food.

Getting rid of food addiction

Having realized your dependence on food, you should not fall into despair, because you need to get rid of it! How to do it?

1. Assess only physiological hunger and never absorb food mechanically!

Instead of “grabbing” something on the go, try to rate your actual feeling of hunger on a scale of five, where 1 is “very hungry” and 5 is “completely full.” If you can rate your condition as a 4 or 5, never snack.

2. If problems force you to look into the refrigerator, deal with them.

Trust the advice of psychologists: put your problems on paper. Dividing the sheet into two columns, in one indicate the reasons for your worries and anxieties, and in the other - ways to eliminate them. Even with negative results, do not give up your positions and return to the list again.

3. Come up with activities for yourself when negative emotions arise.

A good alternative would be a walk or any distracting activity: needlework, drawing, calling your parents or girlfriend, reading an interesting book. Sitting in front of the TV is not very desirable, as you may be tempted to “snack” while watching a movie.

4. Keep a food diary.

By writing down in it what and when you eat, determine the time of day when you are most often hungry and by this time stock up on low-calorie foods.

5. Adequate sleep is a must.

Hunger very often occurs against the background of a sleep disorder. This happens due to a decrease in the level of leptin in the blood, a hormone that regulates appetite and signals the brain about satiety.

Food is one of the main sources of pleasure, but do not forget that it should be a friend and ally, and not dictate rules of behavior.

The content of the article:

It is difficult for people who have not encountered this problem to believe that ordinary food causes addiction in some people. People need daily food to survive, but it also brings great pleasure. If a person consumes it in large quantities, it can cause a pathological addiction.

Food addiction - what is it?

If people have a great addiction to food, then it is boldly called a disease. According to experts in this field, this disease can be compared to drug or alcohol addiction. This process is almost impossible to control, because a forced ban, on the contrary, can lead to a surge of negative emotions.

A person suffering from this disease eats so much food that it exceeds the usual norm. And therefore, a lot of overeating occurs, which can lead to diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and gastrointestinal problems.

One of the main causes of addiction is unpredictable stressful situations. And, unfortunately, not many people are able to cope with them, because they begin to get nervous and worry, which leads to a great desire to eat.

Causes of food addiction

• As already mentioned, stress is the main cause of food addiction. After all, there are a lot of people who “eat up” any minor excitement. For them, food becomes the only “joy” that relieves them from feelings of depression and loneliness.
• Food serves as a similar method of “treatment” for people with mental illnesses. Eating different foods calms them down, helps them get rid of negative emotions and generally improves their condition.
• Often the disease occurs in those people who have some defects in appearance. They worry so much about this that eating turns into an uncontrolled process for them.
• There are times when people eat a lot of food to reduce physical pain. On a mental level, they believe that food helps them feel much better.

Symptoms that help identify the disease

1. For a long time, people have been constantly trying to increase their food intake. And compared to previous years, meals are noticeably different.
2. Tolerance is one of the symptoms of the disease. It manifests itself when a person realizes that he actually consumes a lot of food.
3. Anxiety comes when a person feels hungry. Scientists have proven that when you feel hungry, the human body feels discomfort. Also, against the background of hunger, many people experience anxiety and panic, which is a direct sign of food addiction.
4. Symptoms of concern. They manifest themselves when a person who is already addicted to food spends a lot of his time purchasing food products. And the daily necessary tasks take much less time than it was done before. And therefore, people often forget about important things because their thoughts are occupied with food.
5. Many attempts to cope with the disease on my own were unsuccessful. People who have experienced a very strong addiction try different diets to get rid of it. But for many, instead of switching to diet food, the opposite happens, a stronger appetite appears.
6. It is difficult for a person to give up his habit even after serious complications have arisen in his health. For example, eating too much food (to a large extent, consuming a lot of sugar) can lead to diseases such as diabetes, as well as obesity. This symptom almost always indicates a person’s food addiction.

How to get rid of food addiction?

Food addiction is a disease that needs to be treated. To get rid of it you need to follow some rules:

1. In order to try to get rid of addiction, you need to adhere to an appropriate diet. It is necessary to completely eliminate sugar and flour products from the diet. This can be done at least for a while until control begins to be restored.
2. Another huge step towards recovery is eliminating irritants. To do this, you need to try to remove from the house all those products that pose a threat to humans. It is also very important that all family members stand in solidarity with the dependent person and support him.
3. Those people who are addicted are accustomed to eating irregularly, having frequent snacks, and eating at different times. You need to develop your own regime, which includes three main meals and two light snacks.
4. It is also very important that addicted people find like-minded people in this problem. Because it will be easier to find a common language with such people, since you are united by the same problem, and it will be easier to look for ways to solve it faster.
5. People suffering from this disease need to learn to cope with their emotions. If they control their emotions, it will be easier to find the reasons that influence the appearance of stress.
6. Everyone knows that physical activity always has a positive effect on human well-being. And in this case, they will be very useful, because with the help of various exercises you can not only get rid of excess weight, but you can also increase self-control over food intake. Thanks to this, people become more resistant to stressful situations.
7. Thanks to the advice and consultation of specialists, people managed to get rid of the disease and make their lives more manageable. But first you need to make sure that the addiction has completely disappeared. A person needs to be extremely careful for some time. And when everything gets better, you can return to your previous way of life.
8. Since the main reason for eating habits is various stressful situations, keeping a special journal will help you get rid of this disease. In this journal you need to write down your negative emotions, and in what quantity and how often you eat food. Experts say that this method makes a person understand that the emotional background greatly influences the increase in food consumption.
9. As soon as a person has a desire to eat, he goes to the kitchen in search of “prey”, as a result it all ends in severe overeating. In this case, experts recommend keeping your hands busy with something else, because in this way you can be distracted and control the amount of food you eat. For example, you can do a regular hand massage, because this will also be beneficial for the skin of your hands. Try doing exercises with a wrist spander. This procedure will not only help you get rid of the thought of eating, but will also be very beneficial for your muscles and joints. And the simplest “distraction” is a regular manicure. Just get your nails in order and you will get rid of the next “attack” of hunger.
10. If you find it difficult to refuse another portion of goodies, try tricking your body. To do this, you need to prepare low-calorie dishes that will bring you more benefits. For example, replace your favorite salads with mayonnaise with low-fat sour cream or low-sweet yogurt. Also choose those salads that are prepared with the addition of olive oil. Also avoid fried foods and steam food instead. If it is difficult for you to give up chocolate, eat only natural dark chocolate, not white or milk.

Also remember, you should never console a child with sweets, because many adults do this to children. In addition, there is no need to reward your baby with food, because you may pay dearly for it in the future.

For more information on how to get rid of food addiction, watch this video:

How to get rid of food addiction: advice from psychologists

Along with nicotine or alcohol addiction, food addiction stands out: it has only psychological roots, and ultimately negatively affects human health.

What is food addiction: symptoms, signs, test ^

Food addiction is a condition in which a person cannot control the amount of food consumed, or uses it not to satisfy hunger, but for other purposes: to relieve anxiety, obtain positive emotions, etc.

Thus, food becomes not a means of satisfying appetite, but a way of solving problems at work, in personal life or in finance.

There are three types of food addiction:

• Overeating: a person cannot control the amount of food, tries to eat it under any stress;
• Bulimia: this is a serious psychological disease in which there is an awareness that one should not fill the stomach like that, and patients often combine foods that a healthy person cannot eat;
• Anorexia: This is the moment when people begin to believe that thinness and beauty are the same thing. An aversion to food appears, people begin to see themselves as fat in the mirror, although in reality they are not.

Symptoms of food addiction appear as follows:

• Constantly increasing the amount of food for a long time;
• Lack of self-control: for example, instead of eating 1-2 candies, a person wants to eat them until overeating occurs;
• Frequent thoughts about food, concern about what to eat today, what to cook delicious;
• The desire to “eat up” stress;
• If you cannot eat your favorite dish, a person experiences physical suffering;
• Inability to stop until all food is eaten;
• Eating food at night, secretly from other family members;
• Desire to enjoy food and eat alone;
• Feelings of guilt after eating;
• Negative reaction to criticism from others that one should not eat so much;
• Lack of endurance: for example, after lunch a person sees a chocolate bar, and he has a desire to eat it whole.

How food addiction develops

Psychological food addiction develops in stages:

• At first, a person cannot deny himself his favorite food, does not control his portions, and overeats;
• Then there is a desire to eat even at night, and absolutely any food;
• Then awareness of the problem comes, and if it cannot be solved, then a feeling of guilt sets in.

To identify this disease, you can take a food addiction test by answering “yes” or “no”:

• I have a fear of gaining weight;
• I refuse to eat even when I feel very hungry;
• I am constantly worried about food;
• I often eat uncontrollably;
• When I exercise, I think about burning calories;
• I try to eat only diet foods;
• I enjoy food, so I eat very often;
• I eat to calm down, not to satisfy my hunger.

By answering yes to more than two questions, you can confidently state the presence of signs of food addiction. If 50% of the answers are affirmative, it means there is a moderate or severe form of addiction.

Even if the problem is only at the initial stage, it is necessary to get rid of food addiction in a timely manner, because... in this case, eliminate it.

What can happen if you don't overcome food addiction?:

• Obesity;
• Diseases of internal organs;
• Diabetes;
• Development of complexes;
• Temporary cessation of breathing during sleep;
• Increased cholesterol levels;
• Severe exhaustion.

How to deal with food addiction

To overcome food addiction at an early stage, you must adhere to several rules:

• You can’t completely give up your favorite food: this can lead to a breakdown, which has the worst consequences;
• Do not create inventories. If the refrigerator is full of food, the desire to snack will constantly arise, so it is best to have a minimum set of provisions;
• Avoid temptations. When entering a store, you need to clearly know what you need to buy. Otherwise, there is a risk of purchasing a lot of extra food and, as a result, overeating at home;
• Exercise regularly. With a sedentary lifestyle, people are more likely to want to eat than those who exercise;
• Eat only when you feel hungry.

How to get rid of food addiction on your own: recommendations from psychologists and nutritionists ^

How to get rid of food addiction: reviews and results of those who have lost weight

Psychotherapy for food addiction

Seeing a psychotherapist is the right decision and should be used in the following cases:

• With constant overeating and lack of self-control;
• With an obsession to lose weight even when it is not at all necessary;
• For obesity resulting from frequent consumption of food in large quantities.

Addictive Food Additives

Food addiction has psychological roots even when it was acquired as a result of consuming foods containing food additives. Which substances are considered the most harmful:

• Sodium glutamate (E621): it is added to improve the taste. It is found in fast food, bouillon cubes, processed foods, crackers, chips and store-bought sauces;
• Corn syrup with fructose: it contains fructose, which improves its taste. It is present in confectionery and flour products;
• Sweeteners: they do make drinks lower in calories, but they greatly stimulate appetite, as a result of which a person begins to eat food uncontrollably and gains weight.

How to treat food addiction in children

Very often, parents unconsciously create this problem in their children. To avoid obesity, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

• If a child is crying, there is no need to give him candy, etc. in order to calm him down. This is deposited in his subconscious, and he begins to think that to get rid of negative emotions it is enough to eat sweets;
• You cannot force a child to eat when he is full: over time, his tendency to overeat will only increase, excess weight will appear, and with it complexes;
• If your child prefers to spend time at home in front of the computer and eating, you need to encourage him to find new hobbies. For example, enroll in a sports section or music school.

Before treating food addiction, you need to undergo an appropriate test, identify signs of the disease and decide how to cope with it - on your own or with the help of a doctor.

It is also necessary to limit the consumption of foods that cause food addiction:

• Chocolate, donuts, ice cream, cookies;
• Coffee;
• Fast food;
• Crackers and chips;
• Pasta and pizza;
• Seeds with additives.

Feedback from our readers about their successful fight against food addiction:

Olga, 23 years old:

“I used to have a habit of gnawing on sunflower seeds before going to bed. When I realized that they were starting to make me fat, I simply gave them up. It was difficult to do this, but for the sake of a beautiful figure you can endure it.”

Yana, 33 years old:

“Several years ago I was constantly on a diet: I counted calories. I didn’t eat after 5 pm, didn’t eat sweets, etc. For the whole day I consumed no more than 600 Kcal, as a result of which all that was left of my slightly plump body was skin and bones. It’s good that at that time my mother took me to a psychotherapist, he prescribed me treatment, which lasted about a year, because the functioning of my internal organs was disrupted and I rejected any food. Now I’ve gained weight, and I don’t even want to think about any diets.”

Maria, 35 years old:

“A year ago, I absolutely could not control myself while eating, and, sitting down at the festive table, I ate everything. Now everything is different: I eat as much as I need, and all this is thanks to a simple awareness of the problem and setting a goal - to get rid of it. I didn’t constantly think about my overeating - I just treated it as a small shortcoming that needed to be eliminated.”