for eating 5 bags of crisps and a big bag of haribos every day?

[NCJunkBinge]

I'm worried what this is doing to my health

I'm eating at least 150g (1 large bag/5 small packets) of crisps every day.
Then a big bag of haribos (200g) (not quite every day but) 4 or 5 times a week.
Then there's the chocolate biscuits, other sweets etc.

Apart from all this, my diet is very healthy - I eat loads of veg and wholesome food, small amount of alcohol. I'm on the lower end of a healthy bmi so my weight isn't an issue. But I'm worried about the long term implications of eating like this. I know it's not normal! But it's got to the point where I can't help myself anymore .

AIBU eating like this? Does it matter as long as you're not overweight?

[missorinoco]

Your teeth might fall out. Eating the Haribos could then become problematic, although you could still gum away at the crsips.

[Sirzy]

I wouldn't have thought that amount of fat and sugar would do your body much good really.

[catladycourtney1]

Well I wouldn't say YABU but it's definitely unhealthy regardless of your weight. The salt and fat in crisps is not doing your circulatory system any good and too much sugar can lead to diabetes, no matter how much you weigh. I'm sure you knew all that anyway, but it's really not all about weight.

[PomBearWithAnOFRS]

If you carry on you won't be underweight for long.
If you genuinely eat all that and haven't put weight on, then you're either deluding yourself about just how "not overweight you are" or there's something wrong with you. Go see the GP and tell them what you told us, nobody can consume that many calories and not put weight on unless they're an Arctic explorer trekking to the Pole on foot or something similar. For a normal everyday lifestyle, it just won't happen.
Calories are calories, be they from raw carrots or raw beef or lumps of lard. If you take them in, you put weight on unless you burn them off.
Do you have a very active job/hobby/lifestyle?

[Eanair]

If you don't feel you can talk to your GP, you could also try Overeaters Anonymous.

www.oagb.org.uk/

[NCJunkBinge]

PomBear I'm not underweight - I'm on the lower end of a healthy bmi (19). I'm not especially active, I walk a lot and lug small children about but I do eat healthily otherwise. I do eat all that, and my weight fluctuates the same 2-3 lbs each month. I'm not gaining weight eating this.

Last time it was checked my blood pressure was good (if a little low)

I do worry about diabetes and cancer

[NumericalMum]

GO to a doctor and get yourself checked out. You may have an overactive thyroid or something. That is not normal! You are eating about 800+ additional calories in a day if you are eating other normal meals. You should be piling the weight on...

[NCJunkBinge]

If I try and be good and avoid these foods for a week I do lose weight.

My overall calorie intake might not necessarily be greater than what it should be by eating like this.

The fact I'm not gaining weigh though means i kid myself that it's ok and it's not doing me any harm.

I'd go to the doctor but I'm really embarrassed and ashamed about it all.

If it was a thyroid problem then would I have other symptoms?

[toomuchpink]

The salt content of the crisps strikes me as the worst thing. I don't think you need to see a doctor unless you have other symptoms, but I think you should start cutting down. Healthy eating is not just associated with being slim, but also lower chances of many illnesses including breast cancer. I am no saint believe me. I probably have as many biscuits a day as you have crisp packets. Could you start substituting one or two snacks for something better like fruit or maybe dried fruit if that is more crisp-like? Could you try to eat more at meal times so you do not feel the need for as many snacks?

[Eanair]

Are you aware of why you're eating these? I mean by that, is there a consistent emotional state that makes it irresistable to pick up the packet of crisps, and then the second, the third etc? Are you genuinely hungry, or is it boredom, anger, loneliness, tiredness?

Have you tried a food diary, even without attempting not to eat the crisps/Haribos? That might help indicate whether you are including these in an unalarming daily overall calorie intake or whether there might be something health-wise going on.

[PiratePetesPotty]

It's not a healthy way to eat, are your other meals fairly small and low calorie? It sounds like you're probably getting 1/3 to 1/2 of you calorie requirements from eating shite if you're not overweight. I eat like this a bit at the moment due to breastfeeding, it makes me so hungry for crap food. On top of my 3 meals I bake cake or flapjack about 3 times a week and I'll eat half of it in one day and I'm still losing weight (I weigh 7 stone 10lb). I keep meaning to try and consume the same number of calories but in more nutritious food. My diet is healthy apart from the excessive cake/flapjack. I'm hoping when I stop breastfeeding the cake craving will go. Are you breastfeeding OP? If not it may be worth getting checked out by your gp just to make sure there's no thyroid issues or other reason why you're not gaining weight. You may just need that much food so try and swap it with things that are more nutritious.

[ledkr]

I used to be addicted to sweets every night. I had to go cold turkey on the end. I don't even think about it now!
Just stop. The oil content in crisps is terrible this will take its toll eventually.

[WorraLiberty]

If you're worried about it, why don't you just stop doing it?

I know that ^^ sounds pretty simplistic, but at the end of the day you're not going to get any physical withdrawal symptoms like a drug addict or an alcoholic would are you?

You'll sit there thinking "God I could murder a packet of crisps/Haribo right now...then you'll get busy and forget about it.

If you can't face that, cut down to one bag of crisps per day and Haribo at the weekend.

I don't know if you have kids but if you do...surely you'd expect them to go without that many treats every day?

[WorraLiberty]

If you carry on you won't be underweight for long.
If you genuinely eat all that and haven't put weight on, then you're either deluding yourself about just how "not overweight you are" or there's something wrong with you. Go see the GP and tell them what you told us, nobody can consume that many calories and not put weight on unless they're an Arctic explorer trekking to the Pole on foot or something similar. For a normal everyday lifestyle, it just won't happen

And I meant to say, I absolutely don't agree with that at all.

Lots of fairly active people can eat like that and not put on weight. My brother for example eats exactly like the OP (more so!) and at the age of 45 he's thin as a pin.

And there are loads of people like him too.

[GetOrf]

Are you under 30? Because I used to eat a lot of shite and still be thin but when I hit 30 I started putting on weight (and passed my driving test, there is a link there!).

I would look at why you eat so much stuff like that. Is it in a panic? Or do you scoff it all when reading or something, suddenly look down and think 'shit I have eaten all that'. I used to do absent minded eating, still do if I don't watch myself.

Just try and break that link. Don't buy crisps in the first place, or buy crap ones you don't much like. And avoid haribos - or have a one day a week sweet day. Long term that will probably be better.

[JustAHolyFool]

Pom I could eat shit like that all day and not get fat. I just don't put on weight.

I would give it a rest if you can OP. Your arteries must be clogged as hell.

[Fakebook]

I'm not normally one to criticise a persons eating habits and I'm all for having junk food occassionally, but what you've described is really unhealthy. I don't understand how you fit all those crisps and sweets into your diet along with breakfast lunch and dinner. Or are you skipping meals to eat this crap? If you want to eat something crunchy eat a cracker or rice cake. I

[TeWiSavesTheDay]

I am similar at times OP.

I know you know, like me, that whether you are overweight or not it is terrible for your teeth and heart.

You need to replace the calories you're getting from junk food. When I have nuts, cheesy breadsticks and fruit, in the house I eat them instead.

Also bigger, more filling meals with strong tasting ingredients.

Giving up sugar is really fucking hard though. I haven't managed to kick the habit totally yet.

[Almostfifty]

My brother was like that. He used to eat loads of crap, drink coffee with three sugars in and liked a drink or five.

He was diagnosed as diabetic and with high blood pressure in his thirties and now has to watch every thing he eats.

That's where you're headed if you keep eating like that.

[MrsBertMacklin]

NCJunkBinge Perhaps it isn't affecting your health outwardly, but gorging on sugar & saturated fat (although crisps aren't as bad as they used to be), won't be good in the long term (high cholesterol, possibly higher risk of diabetes/heart disease).

I do the same with chocolate & ice cream. I had a cholesterol test last month and this shocked me into facing up to the fact that I have developed bad eating habits, treating sugar as a food group, rather than a treat.

Ledkr do you mind me asking how long it took you to get sugar out of your system when you went cold turkey? I am cutting down gradually, rather than going CT, but would be interested to know how long withdrawal symptoms lasted.

[SneezySnatcher]

DH (27) has just been diagnosed with diabetes. He's not overweight (BMI 24) and all of our meals are healthy with lots of fruit and veg, but he used to drink lots of fizzy drinks/have sweets most days. He's now on medication for life. Once the damage is done, it can't be undone.

[Fakebook]

I had a friend who had a skinny brother, looked healthy. He was addicted to coke and fizzy drinks. He had a heart attack aged 33 and died leaving a wife and child. Being skinny and eating all the junk in the world can still kill you. All the fat is hidden around your internal organs, so you may not look fat on the outside but you're fat on the inside.

[larks35]

YABU, I'm like you and can eat a whole load of crap and it doesn't affect my weight much or my blood pressure (so low at last reading that mw recommended cake in the afternoon - I was pregnant then). I'm actually finding that my appetite during the day is unsatiable atm and I have been known to eat my sarnies at break and then have a school dinner at lunch and still go home and cook a big meal! BUT, while I understand the appeal of crisps (although I rarely go beyond 2 small bags), haribos are just awful! Why not indulge yourself with some coffee and walnut cake or a choccy croisant (regular morning treat for me) or something worth the sugar/fat/calorie intake?

[NCJunkBinge]

Eanair - I'm eating like this because I'm tired and stressed looking after the DCs, it helps me get through the day and it gives me something to look forward to when they're all in bed. My DH helps me with them but we receive no other help and we're finding it very hard. This is my way of treating myself. I don't treat myself any other way (little time, money etc). If I don't have this in my day I feel terribly deprived, and tend to compensate by drinking more alcohol.

PiratePete Yes I am BFing but only twice a day now, but tbh I was the same before I got pregnant. I have a massive appetite normally, portion-wise my meals have always been the same as DHs.

AlmostFifty - how old was your brother when he was diagnosed with diabetes?

I'd love to just stop, but I don't feel that I can.

No one really knows how bad it's got. My kids don't see me eat this stuff ( I hide in the kitchen or have it after they're in bed). My DH only sees what I eat in the evening so doesn't have a clue either. If its not in the house, I make special trips to the shops just to get it. Yesterday, DH had the kids for a couple of hours to give me a break. I couldve dine anythung i wanted, gone anywhere. I chose to sit in the bedroom and eat in secret then hide the empty packets so DH wouldn't find them

I'm worried ill drop dead suddenly and leave my DCs without a mother but even that doesn't make me stop. Every day I say that tomorrow I'll stop. I never do.