Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Has anyone successfully beaten food addiction alone?

30 replies

SlimToNone · 23/04/2022 18:05

Without the help of Dr's etc...

I have lost 80lbs because I paid for a gastric sleeve privately but my head is still the same as pre op.

I just eat shit, but much smaller amounts of shit.

My food is comfort to me and also just habit. It's like compulsory to just open the cupboard and eat shit.

Has anyone found a way to beat it?

Are there books or something?
I'm scared to death of regaining the weight but it's really not as simple as just 'stopping'.

It really feels like an addiction and right now I eat what I can, which isn't much, but I don't want to stretch my stomach out and be back to square 1.

I know this is the reason that therapy should be had BEFORE surgery but I was really on the edge of risking my life. Diabetes. Thyroid issues. Mobility issues. Sleep apnea.

All gone now. So I don't regret it but I need to make the mental changes now.

OP posts:
lljkk · 23/04/2022 18:28

Why not get therapy now?

Ohquietone · 23/04/2022 18:30

A lot of people recommend the beck diet book and brain over binge. I’m very overweight (I need to lose 6 stone), I think food addiction isn’t talked about enough. There’s also overeaters anon. It is very hard.

Original poster
SlimToNone · 23/04/2022 18:37

lljkk · 23/04/2022 18:28

Why not get therapy now?

Because I can't afford it. I spent all my savings on the operation.
I don't think I could get NHS therapy as I went private for the op.

OP posts:
Itshothothot · 23/04/2022 18:40

Its really hard!

I’ve dieted many times, lost a fair bit of weight but never kept it off long term because i cant change my mind set on junk/sugary food.

I’ve had CBT, hypnotherapy, counselling etc and i still love junk and sugary rubbish.

Itshothothot · 23/04/2022 18:44

Also many people just don't understand food addiction.

i compare it to drug addiction. You wouldnt have drugs in your kitchen cupboards and expect an addict to leave it alone.

They just cant.

Yet people who have a sugar addiction are expected to leave sugar alone when its everywhere and people cant understand why we have no willpower.

if i have junk/sugary things in the house its all i can think about. It’s on my mind constantly that its there and i need to eat it.

Original poster
SlimToNone · 23/04/2022 18:45

Ohquietone · 23/04/2022 18:30

A lot of people recommend the beck diet book and brain over binge. I’m very overweight (I need to lose 6 stone), I think food addiction isn’t talked about enough. There’s also overeaters anon. It is very hard.

I'll check them out. Thankyou.

OP posts:
supertedious · 23/04/2022 18:45

It's so hard and I understand, I'm an emotional eater and binge on junk/sugar. If I had the spare money I would seek CBT to get to the bottom of what causes it. Is this an option for you? Best of luck Flowers

Itshothothot · 23/04/2022 18:47

Over eating is abuse of the body. You are abusing your body by filling it with rubbish that it doesn't need or want. Its your mind that wants it.

You need to work on, as do I about why we are abusing our bodies

Original poster
SlimToNone · 23/04/2022 18:49

Itshothothot · 23/04/2022 18:47

Over eating is abuse of the body. You are abusing your body by filling it with rubbish that it doesn't need or want. Its your mind that wants it.

You need to work on, as do I about why we are abusing our bodies

This is so true :(

OP posts:
Itshothothot · 23/04/2022 19:04

If you have CBT therapy they will ask you about….

what did you learn about food as a child?

did plates have to be cleared before you left the table?

was sweet food seen as a treat?

was sugary food very restricted (making it the forbidden fruit)

was you fat shamed at all as a child?

do you see food as hobby or social thing?

Menora · 23/04/2022 19:10

I am doing Noom which is some CBT
its not free though
I have found it very helpful. I haven’t had a binge for a while now I am more mindful and actually learning to enjoy foods that are good for me

Skinterior · 23/04/2022 19:11

I got a lot out of Brain Over Binge but I need to reread it.

Original poster
SlimToNone · 23/04/2022 19:22

what did you learn about food as a child?
That it makes things feel better. That it can be used as an apology or a bribe. That if you're sad you can have sugary stuff to plaster over the sadness.

did plates have to be cleared before you left the table?
No
I was not forced to finish meals
was sweet food seen as a treat?
Yes

was sugary food very restricted (making it the forbidden fruit)
No it was very freely available

was you fat shamed at all as a child?
Not by parents but siblings and friends, yes.

do you see food as hobby or social thing?
Both

OP posts:
Itshothothot · 23/04/2022 19:38

Your an emotional eater.

you eat to celebrate

you eat when you’re upset

you eat when you’re happy

you reward yourself with food.

its a really difficult cycle to break.

Funkyslippers · 23/04/2022 19:46

I used to binge eat alot and I'd feel really ashamed afterwards. I read a book about overcoming overeating and the one thing I took away from it is telling myself "I am in control of my eating. I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want" so that you are not saying to yourself "I mustn't have that" because as soon as you do that you just want the food even more. It worked for me

Maybebabyno2 · 23/04/2022 19:48

was sweet food seen as a treat?

I think this is one key part of obesity. I was a hugely obese child and adult (I also had private surgery OP, best thing I ever did for my health)

I saw food as a treat, a reward for doing something i didn't want to do. Same with fags too. I am desperate to not pass this on to my dc so we don't use food as any form of reward.

Op one thing that helped me after surgery was finding other ways to give comfort and provide that reward feeling. Things like wrapping up in a comfy blanket to watch TV, or giving my hands something to fiddle with instead of eating. I feel I have mostly broken that food treat/reward system in my head, but it wasnt easy and I have only really just replaced food and cigarettes with things like knitting and shopping.

Oogabooga123 · 23/04/2022 19:53

I don’t have any advice but am in the same boat, I eat food I don’t like, I eat when I’m not hungry because I can’t seem to stop myself. I am now 18 stone and the only reason I’m not higher is because I am still quite active.

so following and you aren’t alone x

fishingpaintings · 23/04/2022 20:24

I'm working on it: I've stopped any kind of food restriction as I was in a bad binge / restrict cycle as a result of dieting / food and exercise plans. Every plan made me relapse harder and stronger into binge eating. It started with weight watchers back in 2005ish.

So now I'm working on no foods being bad. Next step is to work on increasing variety - I'm very stuck in my ways and have some sensorial issues around food so get stuck in quite limited eating patterns.

I have the Intuitive Eating handbook and workbook but I'm a bit scared to plunge into those as I want to say for the 'right' moment when I'm truly ready - despite knowing that day'll never come!

I'm finding the Stop Binge Eating podcast on Spotify to be quite a nice handhold. Sensitive enough that I don't feel like an idiot but informative enough that I feel it's having some effect.

To add: my weight has stayed the same since I massively reduced the binge eating and restriction. But I feel and look bigger. I'm trying really hard not to react in my usual 'healthy eating and deprivation followed by a 'day off' that turns into every day 'off' way.

I don't know. It's a journey, right? I'm further along in that I see that the eating and food related habits in my home growing up weren't the worst but there was a lot of food as a reward / apology combined with a real mentality with my siblings of 'if you don't get there first you don't get any' - especially with sweet 'treats' that we couldn't afford much of.

Sorry for the mega brain dump. Sending good thoughts your way - it's not easy.

apricotlane · 23/04/2022 20:29

I still eat too much but nowhere near as I did. I stopped dieting - forever. And my binges calmed down dramatically. Too much fruit and veg makes me more ravenous.

Pennina · 23/04/2022 21:00

It's so so hard. I'm facing the fact that my excess 5 stone plus is having a really severe fact in my physical health, career and state of mind. I can't stop thinking about it and can't stop overeating and drinking and eating all the wrong things. I used to be a skinny person til I was about 30 then went to "normal" range then it's crept up to the sorry state I'm in now. I just do not know what to do to make myself deal with it and eat a sensible diet and exercise. It's like I have no control and I'm ruining my life with it. I so sympathise op sorry I have no words of wisdom but I do hear you

LookUnderTheLargeMilk · 23/04/2022 21:13

Another recommendation for Brain Over Binge. The podcast is free to download and covers more than the book.

When I "fell off the wagon" I used to compulsively eat anything I could get my hands on. Now I understand that there is no wagon!

I eat normally. I can take or leave biscuits, cake, chocolate, crisps. I have all this in my cupboard right now and I can eat a bit if I fancy it, but all the "power" has gone out of food like that.

I've maintained a healthy weight for years now. It honestly changed my life, I'm not exaggerating.

fishingpaintings · 23/04/2022 21:39

LookUnderTheLargeMilk · 23/04/2022 21:13

Another recommendation for Brain Over Binge. The podcast is free to download and covers more than the book.

When I "fell off the wagon" I used to compulsively eat anything I could get my hands on. Now I understand that there is no wagon!

I eat normally. I can take or leave biscuits, cake, chocolate, crisps. I have all this in my cupboard right now and I can eat a bit if I fancy it, but all the "power" has gone out of food like that.

I've maintained a healthy weight for years now. It honestly changed my life, I'm not exaggerating.

Off to research this, thank you.

Menora · 23/04/2022 22:05

You have to work on stop seeing food as good bad or boring. I think therapy helps. I have had a lot of CBT. I eat emotionally so I need to work on mindfulness a lot. You need to rebalance food as just food, and some is ok in moderation. I found that forcing myself to confront my bad habits by writing it all down made me want to change it.

Mummyratbag · 24/04/2022 09:50

Is the book the one by Kathryn Hansen? There appears to be 3 books of that name with 3 different authors. Thank you.

LookUnderTheLargeMilk · 24/04/2022 21:00

Mummyratbag · 24/04/2022 09:50

Is the book the one by Kathryn Hansen? There appears to be 3 books of that name with 3 different authors. Thank you.

Yes, this is the author. Check out the podcast too.

Swipe left for the next trending thread