Uh this is gonna be hard, because I absolutely h a t e cooking, but like you said, we're doing it! I know it's gonna make me feel so much better. I'm working on Tuesday, so Tuesday is gonna be my meal prep day 1! Wish me luck D:

I love you so much! We can do this! :hug:

I will help you....we will both help you.....there are lots of meals you can prepare that take none or very little cooking....believe me....I am no cook. But spinach and greens and avocado and healthy wraps if you eat carbs (I do) and tuna and chicken....you could even make a quick stir fry and take that with for lunch the next day.....very healthy.....it's about buying different stuff....adding your favourite yogurts to your fridge (I have tons) and lots and lots of fresh food....easy to toss together some salad vegies in a container and cut them up at work even....if you like hummus, carrots and celery are a wonderful snack...

Having healthy food prepared helps battle the smells....it's hard going out in the world with all of the take-away food trucks everywhere, you can't help but smell it.

For me, it is all about the words that Sunny uses.....my "relationship" with food.
And it is one I will continue to work on always. I need to. :hug:

Aha! I have found you!
:wall:
I honestly don't know yet if I am addicted to a food type but I intend to explore the possibility and work on what I'm putting in my mouth.
Frankly I have the potential to get addicted to just about anything if I don't keep myself in check!
I think a lot of it for me is many years of simply not making "real" food as a result of either being drunk or hungover 24/7. Laziness/addiction/inexperience who knows?
I am getting a lot better. I follow a diet plan quite well (let's say 80% of the time) but all or nothing behaviour means I'm either good or cramming crap down my neck like a mad woman.
What I'm doing well:
I mix oats and fat free yoghurt and mix with fruit for breakfast every day
I cook from scratch minimum 5 nights per week
I always put an extra portion aside for work
What I need to work on:
Nibbling on the kids treats
Bad choices when I eat out
Too much coffee
Snacking on bed (improved but totally unnecessary)
Not going to the gym often enough

I will be following your thread with great interest dear Sunflower.

❤❤❤

So happy to see you Jo. It sounds like you have a good foundation so far. I think a lot of us are black and white in our thinking which can be some of the problem. Like I’m either doing “well” on my food plan or I blow it completely and take it to the other extreme. I wish there was a middle ground like a way to eat a slice of bread for example but for me that doesn’t work with my brain chemistry. My brain metabolizes flour the same way it metabolizes booze. Same chemical reactions. It’s quite fascinating really.

I hear ya on not eating after the kids! So hard just to throw their left overs away but once you make it a habit not to eat what is left on their plates it gets easier I think.

I have an idea for snacking in bed- is this because you watch tv in bed? My old therapist once said the best way to change a habit is to replace it rather than try to eliminate it from the get go. So how about you buy yourself some amazing new teas and your new ritual can be a warm cup of tea in bed instead? It may be uncomfortable at first but after a week or two it will feel awesome!!

I wanted to share this quiz from the OA site for those who may be curious about compulsive overeating:

https://oa.org/newcomers/how-do-i-st...ive-overeater/

And this one from Food Addiction Institute

https://foodaddictioninstitute.org/quiz/

And this comes from the files of the FB group I am in called "Sugarbomb in your brain" for food addicts. It really shows the difference between someone who is having a hard time sticking to their diet and someone who is indeed a food addict. Sorry about the spacing- I am not sure why it copied this way (the author is Swedish hence the reference to Swedish books.)

"Starter manual for a sugar/flour free future

Sugar addiction is a brain disease just like alcoholism and other addictive diseases. The disease contains
relapses, it is chronic but treatable. Someone who has developed an addiction to sugar (flour, carbs), has a
different biochemistry than the ones that do not. When eating sugar or food that quickly converts into
sugar in the body (all flour, pasta, rice, potatoes, starchy vegetables/nuts), sugar-addicts experience an
extremely high dopamine boost, which gives great satisfaction, peace and happiness. Over time, the brain
requires a larger amount of sugar to achieve the same dopamine release and dopamine levels decrease and
therefore over time we feel anxiety, depression and moodswings. It turns into a vicious circle where loss of
control over certain foods starts and we develop false thoughts, feelings, erratic behavior and feel
miserable. A good read is Craing Nakkens book Addictive personality (in Swedish Beroendepersonligheten)
As soon as the drug leaves the body the sugar addict experiences discomfort and withdrawal symptoms in
the same way an alcoholic feels when quitting alcohol.
It is important to understand how the disease works and the most important book to read is
"Sockerbomben 3.0" by Bitten Jonsson. (Previous editions are not as updated regarding the new dietary
guidelines and new research.) "Sockerbomben 3.0" is only available in Swedish. In English the
recommended literature is Vera Tarman and Phil Werdells book "Food junkies". For more information go to
www.foodaddictioninstitute.org

Hi guys :)

I moved your thread.

we start threads in Newcomers forum and then if/when you guys reach a part 2., we move you to Daily Support forum - that way you get seen by a lot of folks, build up some regulars, and get more response.

D

:hug: ♥

Sorry- did I mess it up D? Thank you for your help.

Back to the drawing board tomorrow. Trying not to beat myself up. I did make it to a meeting after all. Just having a rough time accepting I am powerless and can never eat certain foods again. Goodnight guys. Thanks for all the love.

You know my darling, you did the complete opposite of messing anything up....you made a decision to call this thing out....with help and support. Awesome. Not having a great day, well, honey...if it was easy.....you know how that goes...lots of challenges and we need support. You know I need yours...you help me every single day.

Onward my love. ♥♥

You posted in Daily Support forum. A lot of group threads end up there but they start here first :)

Easily fixed :)

D

Oh, I am so hanging out here...even if I'm the only male, I don't care! Sober for almost 15 months, didn't start tackling sugar addiction until recently; it's a huge issue for me, food in general is a huge issue. I'm soon to be 57, and I tried Weight Watchers when I was 12...until my family told me it was "mostly for women!" So I've been analyzing my intake for a very long time...

So many things to discuss: obviously sugar as addictive and poisonous, that's enough of a start for me. I have not had a sweet in six weeks! But I know if I were to start, I wouldn't stop until they were gone...

(I checked 'yes' on 13 of 15 Compulsive Overeater quiz; I guess I qualify!)

Happy to find you's,
Arp

Hey Arp....so glad you joined us love. :hug:

Erfra is a guy.... :) An amazing guy...and actually, the three of us are in the same agegroup....not that that matters, except I probably had so many of the same awful Weight Watchers etc experiences as you.

I wasn't 12 when I started going to programs....but by 12 I was in big trouble with my food issues. Anyway.....we can tackle these things together so much more easily than I ever could by myself. :hug: ♥

Sunny....hope to hear from you soon today love. :hug: ♥

Hi Arp!! It is so nice to have you here with us- 6 weeks is so amazing- I am in awe and inspired. Any tips or suggestions? Are you attending meetings or do you have any outside help? I can't wait to get even a week under my belt.

Thanks so much for being a part of this thread- I know so many of us struggle with dual addictions and I want to include as many people as possible in this journey...

I'm here Suze- and I am just about in tears. I will post in the 24 hour thread about an experience I had that reaffirmed my connection the God- to Source, to The Divine. I compulsively ate 5 out of 7 days last week and my connection felt shattered. I prayed to the heavens this morning for help, for strength and for guidance and I received it in the most unusual way possible. All I know is that I AM LOVED, cared for and I am here to help others and to be the bright light that I am. I cannot do anything useful when I am using food to cope, to numb myself and to escape.

I have planned my meals for the day and even though I was told to try out 6 OA meetings before deciding if it's "for me" I know for a fact it is. I love the speaker meeting podcasts so much, I just listened to another one in the car this morning and I am ready to finally do the steps as well.

I have plenty to keep me busy this week so I don't binge- I will be painting and decorating the living room since both boys are in school this week (3 year old has "camp" from 9-2 all week.)

I am feeling hopeful that I can beat this thing.
On top of that my husband opened up to me this morning and apologized for "not getting it" all this time- for using my addiction against me (he would get very mad at me when I was in a bad mood from using) and for expecting so much from me (he got mad at me last night for not wanting to talk about the OA meeting with him.) He read up on food addiction last night, on his own accord, something I have been waiting for him to do for YEARS.

So I feel blessed that even though he will never truly "get it" he is showing a lot of compassion for the situation I am dealing with.

Love you all- let's make this a good day and I promise to check in here before I even thinking about using again.

10:44 am - I commit to abstaining from compulsive overeating in the next 2 hours. I'll check in again around 1 pm.

12:28 check in
 

Just had a really filling, low carb meal and am feeling happily satisfied. Still taping off baseboards and the ceiling in the living room and I need to pick up my toddler in an hour and a half. Probably won't start painting today afterall.