You may have noticed that I have not been blogging lately. I have been very busy working on my new “Freedom from Food Addiction” program. I am presenting a free webinar on June 16, 2015 at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET to introduce the secrets to curbing cravings and taking control over the food demons. The webinar is call The Secrets to Freedom from Food Addiction. I have spent many hours researching this topic but the best research has been my own experience. For years I had an addiction and never really recognized it until I got very sick. Trying to recover from autoimmune disorders was the key to discovering what was making me so sick. I was completely addicted to sugar.
Now you may think, sure sugar tastes good and most everyone likes a good sweet every now and then, but an addiction is a different animal. I was held in the grips of sugar’s control – always looking for the next time I could get that sugar ‘high” without seeming like I’m pigging out in front of other people. It’s not pretty when you really are addicted to food, or any addictive substance. The amazing thing is that studies have shown that sugar is more addictive than cocaine. [1]
How do recognize if you have a food addiction?
Review these questions and answer honestly:
- Do you think about food almost all the time?
- Do you sneak food from family, friends and co-workers?
- Do you eat in secret?
- Do you feel compelled to eat whether you’re hungry or not?
- Do you continue eating even when you’re full?
- Do you feel guilty after eating?
- Do you eat large amounts of food in one sitting?
- Do you promise to stick to your diet but never do?
- Do you feel like a slave to food or that food controls your life?
- Do you feel that food is a source of comfort?
- When you start eating sweets or carbs, do you have trouble stopping?
If you answered YES to three or more questions then you have a problem with food and most likely are addicted to one or more food types.
For me, it began when I was a single mom, working hard to raise my children, holding down two jobs. The stress just built over time and I found comfort in food. As time went on it became a habit. I would bake brownies for the kids, make desserts for work events and one summer I even made a living by baking fancy cakes and selling them. The worst time was when I would buy snacks for the kids and find myself buying rich, decadent chocolate cookies and hide them so that no one else would eat them. And when I would indulge, I would eat the whole package thinking that the sooner it was out of the house the better it would be so I wouldn’t be tempted! Weird thinking but the addicted brain can rationalize anything.
That behavior continued for years. I’ve had jobs where the atmosphere in the office was always about eating – mostly junk food – and it fed my addiction. I would think I could have just one candy bar and be happy. But I would stand and compare the serving size of the candy bars to make sure I would get the biggest one. UGH! Thankfully, I don’t recognize that person any more. Once I managed to tame the demons that drove me to overindulge in these foods, then I could make healthy food choices. I’m not saying it’s easy but it’s manageable with a plan.
Join me June 16 and hear about that plan to put you back in control over food and not the other way around. More information about the webinar coming soon .
I want to honor all mothers, biological, step, grand, great-grand, adoptive, foster and any others who nurture children in the role of a mother, with a heartfelt wish to have a Happy Mother’s Day!
Sources:
[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23719144
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