Food/ sugar addict or binge eater?

[Headsashed4]

Hi, this is the first time I’ve posted on there so I hope someone can offer advice. As my subject says, I’m not sure if I’m a food/sugar addict or binge eater. I’m 5ft 10 and I’m not sure on my current weight but it’s probably in excess of 17 stone (to frightened to jump on the scales) but I cannot seem to stop myself from stuffing myself with junk!! Mainly chocolate and biscuits but I find myself thinking about it constantly and what I can eat next. I bought chocolates for Xmas presents twice that I’ve since had to replace as I ate them. I will make excuses to go to the shop so I can buy chocolate if there’s none in the house and then I’ll buy more than one bar and eat them so quickly I don’t even enjoy it and end up feeling sick! I eat the kids treats all the time, even they question where their treats have gone. It’s really depressing me, I feel disgusting, all my clothes are tight and uncomfortable, my skin is spotty, I’m tired and cranky all the time. I’ve followed SW numerous times and I always lose a bit of weight but then fall off plan and never seem to get back on it. The most I’ve lost on it is a stone and a half. But I can’t carry on like this, I feel like it’s affecting my health now but that still doesn’t spur me on, I get out of breath easily, my knees and ankles ache, my back aches and I generally feel crap most of the time! I’m not sure if counselling is the right route to go down, maybe I’ll have some joy that way? Ideally
I’d like to lose at least 4 stone before my holiday in late august. Please tell me there are other people out there like this 😭😭

Me. I haven’t cracked it yet but am well on the way. I did lose a stone in 21 days (Michael mostly fast 800). I decided 3 weeks was doable (it was). It took me about 24 days to lose the stone. I’ve lost another stone but much more slowly, about 2 months but I’m happy as don’t want to lose muscle mass. I try not to eat seeet stuff as once I start I struggle to stop but I do think I’ve reset. Good luck x

You can sort this but it’s going to take some large changes to the hat you eat as you need to stabilise your blood sugar and try and keep your insulin stable.

For me the most important aspect of changing the way I eat was understanding the science behind sugar/carb addiction and why the foods you mentioned are food you binge on. You are NOT disgusting. You are NOT lacking in will power, you just need to change how you eat and your body will stop making you hungry all the time.

Two books I’ve got for you straight off the bat. I love podcasts as I listen to them as I get on with other stuff but I’ll recommend some books first as it’s simpler.

This book helped me to break the sugar habit OP

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0718179072/

I am the same. I can eat 6 packets of crisps in a go, or 6 chocolate biscuits (why is it 6?)

I lost 2 stone at the beginning of this year, but I've put a stone back on since May. I'm trying again with my fitness pal to try to keep under 1500 calories a day.

Thanks for this thread, I'm going to check out some of those books.

Good luck op!

I would say I have a sugar problem, pre-diet I was eating 2-3 chocolate bars, a cinnamon danish or Belgian bun, 2 vanilla lattes and lots of bread/pasta every day.

At the beginning of August I decided enough was enough and went hard line low carb for 2 weeks. No sugar in my coffee, no bread, no pasta, no chocolate, biscuits or pastries. Just meat and green veg and the only fruit I had was berries.

The first week was horrible, I was starving all the time, even if I'd just eaten a big plate of chicken and green beans, mushrooms, baby corn, mange tout.... I had headaches and felt tired. I forced myself through it and at the end of the first week it all just stopped.

I stopped feeling hungry all the time, I stopped craving sugar, I felt more energised.

At the end of the second week I started to add in small amounts of pasta, bread, potatoes as didn't want to be carb free forever it felt too restrictive.

Since 1st August I've logged everything I eat in MyFitnessPal and have stuck to the calorie allowance it gives me, which is 1500 a day.

I've lost 48lb (3st 6lb) in 4 months and 3 weeks, I don't starve myself, I do small bits of exercise 3 times a week like a 30 min swim or 30 min brisk walk, I no longer think about chocolate or cake regularly. Sometimes I fancy it and so I have it but I allow for it in my weekly calorie count and reduce a portion size or make a better choice somewhere else to account for it.

@blubberball

I am the same. I can eat 6 packets of crisps in a go, or 6 chocolate biscuits (why is it 6?)

I lost 2 stone at the beginning of this year, but I've put a stone back on since May. I'm trying again with my fitness pal to try to keep under 1500 calories a day.

Thanks for this thread, I'm going to check out some of those books.

Good luck op!

@blubberball there is some serious science/scientists behind making that food moreish. It’s not just you being weak willed. There’s mega money being spent on ensuring every taste sensation explodes on your tongue and you keep coming back for more.

What do you eat the rest of the time? What are your meals like? How much sleep do you get? How stressed are you?

I recently changed jobs and stopped binge eating overnight. It was the stress, tiredness and poor routine making me do it.

I have eliminated sugar and processed food and only eat low carb. I have lost 10lbs in a month.

I used to snack all day now I am not hungry between meals.

Quite an eye opener

I don’t count calories, I weigh carbs but nothing else.

I ate so much sugar when i was anaemic. I was tired and depressed and it boosted me. My brain knew that when im feelibg rubbish sugar will pick me up.
What helped is no triggering food at home and keto or fast 800. Both control insulin.

I could have written your OP, I’ve also had some success on low carb in the first lockdown. Lost a couple of stone.

I have however not been able to adapt as well as a PP and am back in my old ways. I know I need to do the hard first week again to get me back into it but I’m pretty low at the moment and I just can’t manage it.

I’ve said this before on other threads but I think I have a bit of both - maybe you do too?
Definitely binging tendencies.
But I have also found the only way to massively reduce incidents of binging is to eat low carb/Keto.
It will feel like a massive change especially if you’re used to slimming world. But honestly it is a game changer.
I started with BIWIs low carb bootcamp on here and can recommend it.
I still struggle sometimes but my goodness it is so lovely to be free of hunger, cravings abs feel ‘safe’ to have kids treats in the house and not be too tempted by them.
I have rubbish willpower by the way.
But when I’m in the zone and eating low carb it’s like the desire just leaves me.
If you haven’t tried it honestly give it a go.

I wish I could enjoy sugary carby stuff in moderation but have accepted that I can’t

Thank you all so much for your replies!
Glad to know I’m not alone. Thankyou for your recommendations I’ll definitely give some of those a try. @FatGirlShrinking well done on losing that weight, that’s what I’m aiming for! I just worry I’ll never lose weight and I’ll be fat forever 😢
@Woohoowoowoo my stress levels are just like everyone else really, work, kids etc. Nothing major. I have just gone through a year of breaking up with my husband and moving out, I moved out in august, I was so miserable which obviously didn’t help the eating, and I expected it to change once it was over and I was out of there but it hasn’t! My meals aren’t so bad, it’s all the crap in between that’s the major issue!

I used to be like you.

I would promise myself i would have 1 chocolate bar (or buy a big one and promise I would only have a little bit) but eating it would trigger something in me and I'd end up scoffing the lot plus more.

It came to a head a couple of years ago when I binged loads of chocolate/sweets/cake/pastries one day at work.
For me it was effecting my MH rather than physical health and I just felt so low and out of control.
It was then I looked up keto and decided to give it a go. This was purely to stop the sugar addiction but as a by product I also lost 2.5 stone and have kept it off ever since.
I low carb now and am no longer triggered by sweet stuff.
I feel in control of food now and it takes up so little of my mental space now.

@Girlintheframe

I used to be like you.

I would promise myself i would have 1 chocolate bar (or buy a big one and promise I would only have a little bit) but eating it would trigger something in me and I'd end up scoffing the lot plus more.

It came to a head a couple of years ago when I binged loads of chocolate/sweets/cake/pastries one day at work.
For me it was effecting my MH rather than physical health and I just felt so low and out of control.
It was then I looked up keto and decided to give it a go. This was purely to stop the sugar addiction but as a by product I also lost 2.5 stone and have kept it off ever since.
I low carb now and am no longer triggered by sweet stuff.
I feel in control of food now and it takes up so little of my mental space now.

Well done 👏

@FatGirlShrinking That's amazing progress! Well done!

@justanotherneighinparadise Thanks. That makes me feel a little better! Haha

I’m a really believer I knowledge. The diet companies would have you believe it’s as simple as calories in/calories out and if that fails it takes your fault. Not at all true. Individual calories have different impacts on our fat storing hormone, so 100 calories from broccoli is nothing like 100 cals from pringles. Don’t let these companies food you. They want you addicted, they don’t care if you’re fat and diabetic as long as your buying the food.

If you can keep your blood sugar stable and your insulin quiet you will stop triggering your hunger and stop craving the foods that make you binge. For me that looks like Keto. For someone else that looks low carb. For someone else that looks like no processed foods, just whole foods.

Thanks everyone, looks like Keto is definitely an option for me to look into! I’ll give anything a try.
Is it easy to follow? Xx

I wouldn’t launch straight into Keto as it’s pretty strict, id ease into low carb slowly.

I’d start by making a list of foods you can’t live without, then start making Keto versions. So what foods are you bingeing on? Whatever it is source of make a Keto substitute. That will be your crutch. We decided to buy low carb bread from a company called SeriouslyLowCarb. You can buy through amazon and it’s with you in days. I’m not bothered by losing bread but for DP it was important to feel ‘normal’. So i use the bread to make his lunches each day and make sure it’s packed full of protein. I make a lunch box with sandwiches, cheese, olives, mini gherkins, berries. I swapped potatoes for sweet potatoes. It’s basically smart swaps initially, then as you get more clued up you can get stricter.

Facebook Keto/low carb groups are excellent. As are books and podcasts. Once you realise you’re starting to feel AND look better it’s a game changer. My mental health is 100% better since Keto. I used to have some very dark thoughts and get crushing fatigue in the day. All gone. It’s honestly a miracle and I couldn’t recommend it enough.

Just go slow xxx

Me 😕 I’ve come on looking for some advice. I’m constantly hungry and craving sugar 🤦🏻‍♀️ Trapped in a horrible cycle

Justanotherneigh i love your name and your gentle advice.

[quote PillowPrincess]Justanotherneigh i love your name and your gentle advice.

I could have written your post Headsashed4, even down to us being the same weight and height and eating Xmas presents 😳. Like you I’ve lost one to two stones in the past but I always put it all back on and a bit more. I can manage low carb for a few days, but then give up. Maybe I need to try again. Just to let you know you are not alone.