There are many different things that a person can be addicted to, but food addiction has to be one of the toughest addictions to break. Food is necessary to survival, so you can't give it up like you can with other things such as drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. Are you addicted to food? It seems like it wouldn't technically be possible, but research has shown that some people actually have an addictive personality when it comes to eating food.
I recently found that i was becoming addicted to salt. I was putting salt on anything it goes on. So before it got out of hand I nipped it in the butt and reduced my salt intake dramatically. I was lucky because for me it was not that hard for me too do. Although I do miss it I am able to refrain from the temptation of putting it on everything I eat.
How can researchers be so sure it's not just a lack of control on the part of the patient? After all, addiction and low willpower are not the same thing. What the researchers was hook people up to brain reading machines, and compared the active parts of the patient's brains. They discovered that some people who thought about food had the same reactions as drug addicts who were thinking about drugs. This indicates that food addiction is very real.
Just like any other addiction, food addiction needs to be taken seriously. Going through a twelve-step program, talking to your doctor, or attending inpatient treatment are all possible course of action for getting your addiction under control.
Here are a few more things you can do to help keep your food addiction in check:
1. Keep a food journal. Write down the food you eat, when and where you eat, who you are with at the time, how you're feeling before you eat, and how you feel after you are done eating. Just being aware of your eating is often enough to get you to make improvements to your diet. Having a food journal will also help you to recognize eating patterns, for better or worse.
2. Slow down and savor your food. Food addiction is difficult because you have to eat, but how you eat will make a difference in how you perceive food. Don't gulp down your food without giving it any thought. Instead, take your time when eating, and make a habit of savoring every bite.
3. Find out what your triggers are, and then do your best to avoid them. As you start to pay more attention to your eating habits, you will notice that certain things cause you to eat. For example, maybe you always pig out on potato chips while watching the evening news; if so, then not watching the evening news would mean you are avoiding a food trigger.
4. Eat for nutrition, not for comfort. Imagine only eating because you are hungry and want to fill your body with the nutrients it needs. This may seem like a dream if you are addicted to food, but it can be done. Before you eat, ask yourself if you are really hungry. If you aren't hungry, then don't eat. If you are hungry, then take a moment to remind yourself of the true purpose for eating, and then make food choices that do a better job of accomplishing that purpose.
5. Involve yourself in a supportive team approach. We recommend that folks team up with other like-minded folks and approach their fitness goals the same way girlfriends do, when they go to the gym. One way you can do that is with our 90-Day Fitness Challenge - visit: GetEPXBody.com/dustingrant<a
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Comments
Excellent point Julie. It is truly sad that one can become addicted to food while others have no food
Thank you all for the comments and sharing this article.
Great post! One way a friend of mine found to express the problem of food addiction when everyone has to eat is: "You have to pet your tiger every day."
Excellent post Dustin. I think many of us use food when stressed. Chocolate calms me - whether physical or psychological, it does. However, I can restrain myself and do not do it frequently, so I doubt I'm addicted. I do know several people who I believe are, however. Sad that some people can become additicted to food while others have none to eat.
This is a great post on food addictions. It is very common these days and will hurt a person if they don't solve the problem. Shared your post to help those with this addiction.