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Post by momof3pits on Jul 22, 2014 23:09:14 GMT
Thank you so much for saying this. I needed it right now. I have been struggling so hard with this very thing lately.
So what do you do to combat this? How did you get over the hump?
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,408
Location: Dallas Texas
Jun 26, 2014 12:16:22 GMT
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Post by SabrinaP on Jul 22, 2014 23:32:30 GMT
Can I hit the like button 100 times!
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purplebee
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,790
Jun 27, 2014 20:37:34 GMT
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Post by purplebee on Jul 23, 2014 0:05:53 GMT
Thanks, Benem. You are absolutely right. I've done this in the past and been successful, and I know I can do it again. My Fitness Pal is a big help for me. But the chemical/addiction factor is a huge part of out-of-control eating, that's for sure, and a big stumbling block to getting started.
Thanks for sharing your journey again, and being a source of encouragement to those who are struggling. Nothing is more uplifting than hearing the truth from someone who has BTDT! One step at a time.....
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Post by scrapApea on Jul 23, 2014 0:11:41 GMT
OP I TOTALLY agree with you!!! I would have thought it was me about a year ago. I tried everything. I couldn't loose weight, I couldn't stop eating junk. About September someone on the Pea board posted about the movie Fat Sick and Nearly Dead by Joe Cross. So I checked it out, got it from Netflix and watched it. DH watched it too. From then on I kept saying I'm going to juice. But of course I'm so cheap I never bought a juicer. I just kept thinking if I could just loose 20lbs. (I really needed to loose about 50) So for Christmas DH got me a juicer. No excuses now. He spent all that $ I had to start. So I did the 3 day fast, then just added some nuts and fruits to my diet of juices. The first month was so hard. I was dying to eat "normal" food. But I held on I was so determined to do it. And the weird thing was, as I kept telling DH, I wanted the food with my brain but my body was very satisfied with just the juicing. And I never felt better. I was sleeping through the night (hadn't done that in 5 years at least) My skin cleared up, I lost weight without exercising at all. I was bitter cold winter in Wisconsin, I wasn't doing anything other than rolling out of bed and going to work. Maybe shoveling here and there but not a full workout schedule. After about 3 months of juicing I never felt better. Anytime I ate "processed foods" I felt like crap. My stomach protested so much. My brain was remembering all the "yummy" things I used to eat but when I ate them I felt terrible. On the other hand, my green juice was really making me feel so much better. I'm still juicing 2x a day and eat a non-processed food dinner. I have lost 25 lbs without working out. I've got my shape back, feel better than I have in at least 6 years. I feel very "off" when I don't have my green juice in the morning now. So whoever posted about that movie back in September, THANK YOU!!! You totally changed my life!
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garcia5050
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,770
Location: So. Calif.
Jun 25, 2014 23:22:29 GMT
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Post by garcia5050 on Jul 23, 2014 0:11:52 GMT
My job has these informational lunch events, and one of the speakers, a doctor from kaiser, made mention of the vast numbers of scientists hired by the various food companies. These companies hire more chemists than chefs, to find that precise ratio of salt and sweet to make the product as addictive as possible. Record amounts were apparently spent on development of ranch dressing.
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Post by scrapApea on Jul 23, 2014 0:14:48 GMT
Oh and OP, I totally agree about the food manufacturing businesses. It's all about making a profit and who cares what kind of crap they put in foods. It really makes you steaming mad if you start researching it all.
What really burns me up is Michele Obama and her sticking her nose into school lunches. She goes after the schools because they have no funds to fight her off. Does she go after the food companies for putting "crap" into foods? No. They're funding her in a roundabout sort of way aren't they? There would be hell to pay if she went after the true source of American kids obesity problems.
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Post by scrapApea on Jul 23, 2014 0:16:35 GMT
My job has these informational lunch events, and one of the speakers, a doctor from kaiser, made mention of the vast numbers of scientists hired by the various food companies. These companies hire more chemists than chefs, to find that precise ratio of salt and sweet to make the product as addictive as possible. Record amounts were apparently spent on development of ranch dressing. Augh that makes me sick. That's why I'm so glad I'm not eating that stuff anymore. It's just infuriating.
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Post by shanni on Jul 23, 2014 0:25:46 GMT
Thanks for posting this. It's really shocking what goes into the making of our food. I feel like I need a serious wake-up call. I've been saying for several years that I need to lose weight, then I just go and gain 15 more. I'm now at 80 over my ideal weight. Yikes- it hurts to just type that. Thanks for sharing what worked for you, it has given me something to think about tonight.
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Jul 23, 2014 0:43:40 GMT
Thank you for posting this!
I needed to "hear" it.
Weight is something I have always struggled with.
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Post by ~summer~ on Jul 23, 2014 0:49:09 GMT
I agree with you. And when my kids call something like Cool Ranch Doritos "food" I correct them and say you mean "food like substance" --- and then I don't buy it
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Post by Ryann on Jul 23, 2014 0:50:51 GMT
This is such a timely thread for me! I get overwhelmed easily when trying to lose weight and I am inconsistenant when it comes to being motivated, so I'm trying a new approach to it this time around. In the past I'd always attempted losing weight in two steps - get the healthy eating part down right and then add in the exercise. I'm taking this further in breaking down the eating right part into more manageable pieces for me. My first step/goal is to eliminate sugar. About 5 weeks ago I cut out all sugar beverages (including soda/juice). I joined a local produce co-op and make my own fruit infused water and iced tea in addition to drinking plain water. Three weeks ago I cut out all candy and next week I will cut out ice cream. My last "sweet" sugar category to be cut will be baked sweets (cake, pie, cookies, etc), probably in 2-3 weeks from now. From there I will start eliminating sugar from savory foods that have hidden sugar, category by category. Something I watched a couple months ago that was a complete eye opener for me was Sugar: The Bitter Truth - it's a 90 minute lecture by a Professor/Doctor that specializes in Pediatric Endocrinology on the UCTV YouTube channel. It gets a little dry in the middle of the video when it goes in depth into the biochemistry bit, but it's completely fascinating at the same time. He also has a book that I'm in the middle of reading called Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease. Such an eye opener!
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 14:27:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2014 1:00:44 GMT
I could not agree more. I really wish there would be some kind of revolt (for lack of a better term) against the food industry so that some serious change would come about.
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Post by ~summer~ on Jul 23, 2014 1:02:57 GMT
There are obviously so many good books out there about food, but a really good one I just started is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. It really shows how out of touch with our food supply most people are.
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msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Jul 23, 2014 1:17:52 GMT
Thank you Benem! Can I add a rant of my own? MSG is a HUGE problem. Manufacturers routinely add it as an ingredient disguised under other names. <--- link From Wiki, regarding MSG in the US: ... the term "natural flavor" is used by the food industry when using glutamic acid (which is similar to MSG, lacking only the sodium ion). The FDA does not require disclosure of the specific components and amounts used in "natural flavor."[33] They can add however much they want, and they can call it "natural." Now that's scary.
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Post by joyfromny on Jul 23, 2014 1:23:43 GMT
Can I hit the like button 100 times! DITTO what Sabrina said.
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scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,521
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on Jul 23, 2014 1:43:53 GMT
Might I suggest Ezekiel bread? It's not bad if you toast it. It's got 0 sugars. You have to keep it in the fridge because otherwise it molds quickly; in fact, you find it in the refrigerated section of your supermarket. I don't eat bread fast enough, so I keep mine in the freezer. It thaws quickly.
As for the pasta, I bought a spiralizer and I use zucchini pasta in my dishes now. It's not fooling anyone that it's pasta, but thus far nobody (my 17 y/o dd) has complained.
I'm addicted to sugar. As I type this Klondike bars are in my freezer calling out my name. I'm drinking water in the hopes that I can stave of the craving.
All of what the OP said is basically what is in the movie Fed Up. I thought I knew a lot about nutrition, but that movie was a real eye opener. I haven't eliminated all processed foods, but I'm making smarter choices when I do buy them.
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mallie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,253
Jul 3, 2014 18:13:13 GMT
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Post by mallie on Jul 23, 2014 1:51:53 GMT
I actually agree with almost everything you said. And I also restructured my eating along those same lines. BUT... from my experience of ditching everything you list? It did NOT enable ME to lose weight or make me feel any different/better.
Nothing is a cure-all for losing weight, including this particular restructuring of how you eat. I continue to eat as well as possible, but it's due to not wanting the chemicals in my body, not due to any resulting difference in my weight or apparent well-being. (Apparent, as in I know I must be healthier, but you can't tell it by how I feel/look.)
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Post by maryland on Jul 23, 2014 1:52:28 GMT
It's not just women, men do it too. My husband is always talking about how he can't stop eating junk food. I have had to hide food because my husband and kids eat the junk food as soon as I buy it and it never makes it all week. Then I forget where I hid the food - they always look for it, so I have to be creative! Good to know that there is something in the food, not their will power.
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mochi
Full Member
Posts: 449
Jun 26, 2014 1:45:16 GMT
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Post by mochi on Jul 23, 2014 2:20:47 GMT
Thanks benem for this thread and everyone for posting. It's very interesting and informative! Looking forward to checking out the resources mentioned.
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Post by kellybelly77 on Jul 23, 2014 3:24:48 GMT
There are obviously so many good books out there about food, but a really good one I just started is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. It really shows how out of touch with our food supply most people are. Love that book! I've actually read it several times. Another book to read is Salt, Sugar Fat or something close to that. It also talks about the manipulation of our food system.
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Post by fiddlesticks on Jul 23, 2014 4:13:20 GMT
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oblibby
Full Member
Posts: 211
Location: Bonnie Scotland
Jul 10, 2014 10:30:12 GMT
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Post by oblibby on Jul 23, 2014 6:46:38 GMT
I definitely believe 'junk food' is addictive. If you go for a meal to a really nice restaurant you may look forward to having the stand-out dish in the future but you don't crave it. This isn't the case with junk, where you crave more the next day. There was a great article in The Guardian (UK newspaper) last week, which was written by an addict Food is a DrugI eat very few processed foods and have lost 32 pounds in the lost 13 months. I don't drink soda, apart from an occasional tonic water with my gin. I read labels on everything but generally cook everything from scratch - I enjoy cooking, which helps. I also like to read ingredients and nutritional info on fast food websites, just to remind me why I don't eat it. If I do have a slip up, it takes 7-10 days for me not to crave more. All this doesn't mean to don't have nice food and even pizza, burgers, Chinese etc - I just make it myself and know what's going into it. Herbs and spices are wonderful for adding natural flavour. Take a look at my blog to find out what I've been up to
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Post by lovestocreate on Jul 23, 2014 6:58:01 GMT
I appreciate what you've posted, but as someone who's struggled with weight and eating habits I would have to disagree. It's still my choice what I eat. Certain foods may definitely be more enticing and I may crave some more than others, but I still make the ultimate choice.
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Post by Patter on Jul 23, 2014 10:07:12 GMT
Very great post!!! I went low carb/low sugar back in February. I was SHOCKED at all of the junk in foods. I literally spent 3 hours in Wal-Mart crying because everything I picked up had sugar in it!!!! Sugar is addictive! I went through two weeks of heck to get rid of the sugar cravings, and I never ate much sugar anyway. No soda pop; only water for 20 years. I just had ice cream at night. BUT all of the foods I was eating had sugar in them without me adding a drop of sugar to them. I was disgusted. I totally had to change the way I have eaten for the past 49 years of my life. My body did not like it at first but I love how I feel now. I am very careful to read every label, and I really get upset with the industry and what they do to foods that just truly makes us sick. Thank you for posting this great post. And hugs to all of you struggling. I know how hard it is!
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Post by lillieleigh on Jul 23, 2014 12:45:10 GMT
We'll said!
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Post by shevy on Jul 23, 2014 14:22:02 GMT
I appreciate what you've posted, but as someone who's struggled with weight and eating habits I would have to disagree. It's still my choice what I eat. Certain foods may definitely be more enticing and I may crave some more than others, but I still make the ultimate choice. If you watch any of the documentaories or read any of the books on this, you'll see that it is the addiction to the food. Sugar is more addictive than cocaine. And the chemically altered forms of sugar that are in so many packaged foods, but not listed as sugar, are even more addicting. It really is like being a drug addict. You can have all the willpower in the world and still your brain calls out for you to eat it and the willpower is gone. I think that's one of the things that keeps people from getting healthier, is that they think it's just them, when it's not.
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scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,521
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on Jul 23, 2014 14:45:45 GMT
I appreciate what you've posted, but as someone who's struggled with weight and eating habits I would have to disagree. It's still my choice what I eat. Certain foods may definitely be more enticing and I may crave some more than others, but I still make the ultimate choice. In the movie Fed Up they discuss an experiment in which it was shown that sugar is more addicting that cocaine (or heroin...can't remember). They had lab mice addicted to cocaine and they gave them a choice of water laced with sugar or water laced with cocaine. The addicted mice quit going to the cocaine water and only went for the sugar water. Furthermore, they studied the brains of mice addicted to cocaine and those only addicted to sugar and they were identical. Finally, mice only given sugar water exhibited the same addiction symptoms as those who were addicted to cocaine. Bottomline, SUGAR IS ADDICTING! It sounds as though you don't have an addictive personality.
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Post by Prenticekid on Jul 23, 2014 15:43:38 GMT
I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was pissed off at corporate food. I was sent around the bend by the fact that Panera adds sugar to chicken. That's when I found the Whole30. The Whole30 is a body reset (although most people try to use it like a diet). I was drinking over 3 bottles of Coke a day, and I don't even want to think about the food I was eating. When I would try to quit one thing, eating any other thing was a huge slippery slope. I was constantly in the cycle of trying not to eat "bad" stuff. However, the Whole30 did the trick. I now have complete control over what I put in my body. I do not mindlessly eat sugar and processed food. I have not had a Coke since the day I started the Whole30, and I don't even think about it anymore. I don't eat between meals and I'm rarely hungry. I don't have the afternoon crash anymore. In addition to feeling great, I don't have headaches, my knees don't hurt and I sleep through the entire night. The best part? Food, real food, actually tastes great. It is like I never really knew what food is supposed to taste like. While on other diets people are always bemoaning what they can't eat or are on some endless search for fake replacement foods, I am delighted at the bounty of what I do eat now. Actually, the best part is I'm not a slave to corporate "food."
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Post by missmiss on Jul 23, 2014 16:20:47 GMT
If people would actually cook instead of buying processed food it would be easier to eat better. I look at people grocery baskets and shake my head. It is sad when I see a cart full of processed food and the person is overweight and they have kids overweight and they are buying all that crap food. People make the decision to buy the food for whatever reason.
I hear all the time I don't know how to cook. Um can you read? If so then you can cook. Open a book or use the internet to find a recipe and follow it. If you don't know how to chop veggies then youtube it. I am tired of hearing my kids won't eat it. No kidding they won't because you have fed them bad food up until now. You control what you buy. Nothing jumps into your cart. If you don't buy it then you won't eat it.
I went vegetarian for a year to force myself to actually look for recipes and cook. My kids hated it but they still ate. They did eat meat when we ate out or went somewhere but at home no meat. They ate tofu meals because they were hungry. If they didn't like it then peanut butter sandwich. Generally my daughter would eat the meal the first day not like it and have the sandwich the second day. We found a few meals we liked and now they are in the rotation.
Look for fast healthy things to eat. They are out there. You just have to choose to make them or buy them. If you have to hide food because your husband, kids, or you will eat it all in a day then don't buy it. Buy fruit to snack on instead. Once again YOU buy the food. It doesn't jump into the cart.
If you want a change then do it quit making excuses.
Flame away.
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Post by Ellie on Jul 23, 2014 17:55:34 GMT
Thank you for this, benem. Food for thought, as they say, that I needed to hear right now.
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