Junk food addict

[JustLifeOnEarth]

Sorry if this is in the wrong category but it’s not about weight loss.
I’ve been alcohol free getting on for 10 years. All that time I’ve been trying to kick the junk food habit. One time I went 6 months free—thought “I’ve got this now,” then one mouthful and back to square one. The best I can manage at the moment is a couple of days.
I know it isn’t in the same league as alcohol, but it’s is still harming my physical and mental health. Is there anyone who knows what I’m on about? Or should I just forget about it and be grateful I am no longer drinking?(I am so grateful).

@mikado1 thankyou for such a thoughtful, kind and insightful response. It really means a lot and you’re right on many levels… thank you.

@fourelementary That sounds like a really tough day! Don’t beat yourself up over it. It was just your brain suggesting its tried and tested coping mechanisms. Remember, what happened yesterday has no bearing on what you decide do today(other than what you can learn from it). It is done.
This analogy helps me—when a child is learning to walk and they fall over, do they brand themselves a failure? Do we see them fall and think “what a shame, they are never going to be able to walk” ? No. We know they will get there if they keep trying. They learn more each time they try. They get up and keep going until they become adept.
That’s us. We are learning and we are going to master this.

Morning. I already know today is going to be hard. I haven’t slept well and work is going to be stressful today. My usual routine was to have a Diet Coke and biscuits or pastries mid morning. I’m so tired.

I'm so glad it helped. Today is a new day. Drink lots of water, have some nice meals if you can and be kind to yourself.

Hate that, tiredness definitely my trigger. Make a plan to go nice and easy on yourself today if you can, move slowly amd expect it to be a bit trying. You know your usual stuff will just give you a sugar crash midmorning. Lots of water, a planned early bedtime and can you factor in some rest time into your day? Ice gotten into the habit of a little lie down for maybe 20 mins while dinner is cooking and my dc are watching a bit of TV.
I have slept well but have a late night tonight so will definitely try some rest time at some stage after work if possible.

@ReleaseTheGoats I hope this morning hasn’t been as hard as expected. I brought soup and a wholemeal roll with me for work. When out and about I really wanted crisps. I bought a banana and some nuts from m and s instead. 😇 Thanks to this thread!!!

It's not been too bad! Yes, stressy, but not as bad as I'd feared. I had a major win in that I had to go into the Coop but I got back out again without buying any junk. I can't express how pleased I am about that, literally every working day I would normally be in there getting pastries or biscuits and DC.

Well done on your junk avoidance, four!

@ReleaseTheGoats @fourelementary You are both amazing! Superb 💪🏻
I’ve had a super busy day and been a bit stressed at times (which can be a trigger). I’ve also had some strong emotions and something to celebrate which I would equally use as an excuse to start on the junk sometimes. I had one minor craving which I dismissed easily using my “Would you pick up a drink now? It’s the same.” mantra.
The craving was for a food that I would not consider full on junk, but it’s not a whole food and I know it’ll make me want other worse foods eventually.
Thats how my brain works, starts me off on something borderline because I’m more likely to crack, and if I cave with that, then I gradually slide, eating worse and worse until eventually I’m polishing off a ‘sharing’ bag of crisps and a family pack of biscuits.
Thank you for being here! We can do this 💪🏻

I survived! Another day with no Diet Coke, I didn’t go out and buy junk food even though I had the opportunity. Off to bed now, completely knackered.
Well done team, we are keeping on keeping on.

Well done all. It feels good to go to bed 'sober'!

Posting this again: https://www.tarabrach.com/eating-addiction/?cn-reloaded=1
It is very good. I was up too late and now awake too early so my turn to watch h myself today.

Morning everyone. I’ve never tried meditation mikado, I might give that a go.
Feeling pretty good today, another shit night for sleeping but feeling great about the progress I’m making. Still holding firm on the sweet junk and Diet Coke. Really glad I found this thread.

I just checked my counter and I’m on day 8 today. Can’t believe it. This is amazing and I don’t feel like I’m craving much at all. I think it has so much to do with the support and community here.
Thank you to all of you ♥️
I’m ready for when I do inevitably crave. 💪🏻
I’ve got a weekend away coming up which I must plan for if I’m to stay successful so I will get on that later today.

She gives a talk really, and she's v entertaining the way she does things some meditation at the end.

You are doing great. Hope you get a better night’s sleep tonight 👍🏻

It feels like I've been doing this FOREVER and it's not even a week. The cravings are not as severe as the first day or two, and I think stopping Diet Coke has helped with that, I believe it made me want to eat more sugary junk and also made me put weight on at a higher rate than if I was just eating junk food. I wonder how long it takes to get to the 'eating like a normal person' state, where there is minimal mental energy spent on food. Or maybe will that never happen and I'll never be able to have a chocolate hobnob ever again?

I have a couple of journeys for work in the next few days, which will be another challenge, I always (used to!) eat loads of chocolate and sweets on long journeys.

Hang in there Goats, this feeling will pass and you'll be glad you didn't open the floodgates. You've reminded me I also used to eat on journeys, and leave motorways to get more sometimes, now I have a good meal beforehand, fill my water bottle and often listen to one of my quit lit podcasts. I'm far from totally recovered but journeys are just one habit I quit without an issue. Hopefully it will be the same for you. Sending you compassion and complete understanding.

Regarding the chocolate hobnob.. would it help to follow what would happen if you had one? I've had to admit to myself that it wouldn't be one, and it wouldn't even be one pack, that would be the starter and it would go from there. I've done it too many times, always ending in empty wrappers and lethargy. That may help or may not. Make sure you're eating plenty and drink plenty of water to give yourself the best chance.

The I am sober app may be motivating, you can back date it.

You're absolutely right, one would lead to a whole packet. I'm definitely eating plenty, I'm not even entertaining the idea of dieting or calories, I just want to be on an even keel.

Good for you. Hang in there.

I've just downloaded that app. I have mixed feelings, I have The Fear about failing and having to press reset, but for now I've downloaded it. Even just seeing how much money I've saved so far is motivating.

My secret is... I don't reset! Not out of denial but sometimes a slip happens and it is part of the process and it has taught me a few tough lessons. It doesn't mean u haven't been moving on from sugar since X date. I went totally off piste last year after a bereavement so I reset when I was setting my intentions properly again and ready to give it my best.

Good idea. It's finding that balance, isn't it? Not collapsing completely when total abstinence breaks.

Same, I replaced alcohol with sweets. Also now on mounjaro which has helped

So I made some no added sugar banana bread last night for my dc lunchboxes. Literally flour, eggs, butter, bananas. Plainer than plain. And still when I 'tried' a slice, I had to have two more and would have eaten the whole loaf.. that's what my addiction is and I have to see it for what it is. Headache this morning.. I froze the rest of it and will be on my guard next time and it will be cut and straight to freezer. Feels so unfair but that's how it goes. Hope you all have a good day.

@mikado1 this is exactly what I would be like if I had one slice. It’s for this reason I very rarely bake anything and my poor kids have missed out on that. I’ll do a cake for a party or whatever and basically whatever is left over I end up eating. I got to the point where I was taking our leftover birthday cakes into work and foisting them onto my colleagues so that I didn’t have to have it sitting on the side waiting for my family to get around to eating it.