venuscat

WE are the light....we will do this together....every step.

Hmm.....now we have both wonderful Sunflowers....Sunny 1 and 2? Kidding....

AAPJ

Oh Sunflower. No apology is needed. I have not taken ANY offense to any of the comments in this thread at all. I was just trying to put some financial perspective on how cheap most 12 step recovery meetings are. Even if the treasurer of my home group was skimming off the top I wouldn't care. Well actually I would care a little but not a lot. There really isn't enough money to matter in the scheme of things. And since I'm not willing to volunteer for a treasurer spot at a meeting I don't complain or question how things are managed.

I also am fine with any comments you and the other ladies on this thread make about husbands. I mentioned that I go to a men's AA meeting once a week and we discuss women sometimes in ways we would not discuss in mixed company. Why should I expect any different behavior from the ladies here? This is a mostly female written thread. So I would expect a more female perspective at times. I know it's not designed that way but it has so far been mostly females who post on this thread.

I initially jumped into this thread because I think you started on a great topic. I see a lot of old timers at my AA meetings who are very overweight and in some cases diabetic. This thread is great information and perhaps some of them will find it. I also see a lot of my wife's food struggles in your comments. Very helpful for me to get a better understanding of her battle.

I really like hearing from all the regular posters in this thread. My only "complaint" is that I can't keep up with it. So much posting. That tells me how much a thread on this topic of food and diet and compulsive eating was really needed.

I wish everyone who has posted in this thread a wonderful day.

venuscat

You too AAPJ...and you are lovely.

Sunflower79

I have a question for everyone.

Since I like to binge on sugar mostly does this mean that have to quit totally? Is it like my addiction to alcohol?

venuscat

I can only answer for me....from someone who used to be 200 pounds and is normal size now....I do not follow the same diet as some of the others here.....mainly a fresh food healthy diet....and I do allow sugar. I do eat some sweet things....just not a lot.

I am not sure what will work for you....I know I was told in early recovery that our central nervous systems need sugar....and I had cut it out completely....so as I said....I have minimal amounts.

I think the others here will be much better at answering this.

Sunflower79

Thanks 😊

venuscat

Actually, I need to give you a better answer than that....I did indeed have a mental obsession and physical craving for sugar for a long time....years....it preceded my alcoholism and made me just as miserable. Also was going to kill me, or cripple me....I ruined my patellas.

And food is a big issue for me when I am stressed or down....I don't eat.

The whole thing is wrapped up together for me....I hurt so much from such a young age and looked for ways to soothe that pain. I am an addict through and through....just the last thing that I got addicted to changed my life....brought me here to all of you, and to the truth.

I will always monitor my addictive parts....my AV can go off anywhere.... ♥

PeacefulWater12

For me, I had to quit sugar completely. Even the smallest amount activates cravings in me and the need to eat and eat and eat it.

The same as alcohol does to me.

I could no more moderate sugar than I could alcohol.

Sunflowerlife

I was totally thinking I can start going by “Sunny” from now on to avoid the confusion! They used to call me that in my first SR monthly group. I like it

Sunflowerlife

You are truly the greatest- thank you for the kindness and understanding- I am honored to have you in the group! I agree that keeping up is hard- I spent over an hour catching up this morning! worth every second...

Sunflowerlife

Not sure if you were able to read old posts but this kind of came up last week- basically from all my experience with self help around binge eating, I have found that there are 2 schools of thought:

1) This approach believes that when we heal the emotional issues behind food and stop restricting food groups, we can learn to eat all foods in moderation. This one doesn't work for me because I am a food addict which means my brain processes refined carbohydrates (bread, flour products, all sugar, even many low carb ones) the same as it does alcohol.

2)The Food addiction theory agrees there is an emotional/spiritual side to the eating disorder but also recognizes the biochemical nature of the disease which I expressed above: High gylcemic, highly palatable, refined carbs/sugar have the same reaction in the brain as alcohol does. The only way to avoid the reaction is to abstain from these foods. This is from The Food Addiction Institute's website:


"Points to remember:

Food addiction is a chronic disease characterized by a person’s seeking foods the individual is addicted to and for whom use of that food is compulsive, and difficult to control, despite harmful consequences.

Brain changes can occur over time with compulsive eating. This can challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with one’s ability to resist intense urges to eat these foods (sometimes described as cravings.) This is why people who suffer with food addiction can often relapse, even after long periods of successful abstinence.

Relapse is the return to eating these foods after an attempt to stop. Relapse indicates the need for more or different treatment. It may also mean that another food is triggering the relapse.

Certain foods such as sugar can affect the brain's reward circuit by flooding it with the chemical messenger dopamine. This overstimulation of the reward circuit causes the intensely pleasurable "high" that leads people to consume a particular food or particular foods again and again.

Over time, the brain can adjust to excess dopamine, which reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high felt when first eating these foods—an effect known as “tolerance.” This often results in seeking to eat more of these foods, in an attempt to achieve the previous levels of satisfaction.

For a great many people, abstinence is the solution."

Here's a quiz for you:
https://foodaddictioninstitute.org/quiz/

Having said that, if you go to an OA meeting you will find all walks of life: Some people can eat a slice of bread a day and be fine. Some, like myself, can be triggered by sugar alcohols which technically shouldn't even effect blood sugar. Some abstain from all flour and sugar- some can eat potatoes, some cannot.

Do you feel at this point that you could eat, say a cookie and be done? Or is it like asking you to drink a glass of wine and then stop? I think you will know in time which category you fall into. The other day, for example, I thought I could handle eating 2 small bites of my son't leftover protein cookie. Two hours later I was eating everything I could get my hands on in the kitchen.

ProfessorD

My eating/addiction problems can be summed up by how often I've googled things like "how many carbs are in a box of wine"?

Now, I'm not 100% no sugar, but I do low sugar. It helps with the urge to binge, but more than that, it's been a complete breakthrough for my alcoholism.

ProfessorD

I'm feeling off today. Sort of tired, not focused, a bit of a headache/light headed. I've tried everything: eating a protein snack, having more coffee, drinking tons of water. I feel like my body wants something sugary, but I do not want to eat sugar! So I'll complain here instead

biminiblue

If you've recently cut carbs by a lot it could be electrolytes...try something salty with a full glass of water. Headache and light headed sounds like electrolytes. A pickle, a half teaspoon of salt in water, some low-sugar Gatorade. I have olives on hand for that.

ProfessorD

OK, eating a pickle now Thanks for the suggestion.

BlissWithin

I'm going to join the thread, I have a problem with sugar and binge eating, also I'm quitting the cigs too, so it's good to have a place to keep track of my cravings, I'm overweight and I don't want to resort to food to curb the nicotine withdrawal.

ProfessorD

Bimini! That totally worked! You and your pickle trick are going on my gratitude list today. Thanks, friend!

ProfessorD

Welcome, Bliss! Sounds like you are making all kinds of awesome choices. So inspiring

biminiblue

Awesome!

It happens a lot with low-carbers. When I do low-carb, I have a dozen olives every day, or a handful of salted nuts.

If that doesn't work, sometimes it's just plain old dehydration or too-low calories.

venuscat

Yes.....bim is kind of amazing..... ♥