Over eating?

[Firicia]

Well I have been slowly trying to become more and more raw, but I need to figure out the reasons why I keep binging on SAD so I can fully get there.

I honestly feel kind of addicted. I eat all the time, don't need to be hungry, and in the fridge I will go for junk food (or even spend a lot of time looking or making something SAD) instead of having the fruit in front of my face. It's bizzare.

I know a few years ago I got it under control for a couple months (didn't know about raw back then) so why does it seem so hard to do?

So I thought I would ask what you all have done to get over this odd need to be stuffing your face with sweets and junk all day long. I am going to make this a thing of the past I swear! Thanks.

-Mandy

[spicyfull]

If at all possible, you might want to RID your Home OF ALL THE JUNK....Hope that answer works for you.........

[3boymom]

It has been almost a year since a friend and I have been talking about food and food issues, especailly the emotional component to what we eat. To me it is very complex. I find that raw foods help me to get in touch with the emotional dynamics that undergird eating patterns. I am beginning to see what time of day is hard for me and how to get through it by preparing better. What I cannot argue with about raw foods is how great I feel, so I want to keep that going as much as possible. I don't want to simplify or minimize this in any way, because I do not think that it is simple. I want to say that the depths of our souls are connected to our bodies. I find that it helps me if I ask myself, my truest self, what I need, what I want, what I need...and go from there. I also find it helpful to develop a certain objectivity...to choose to go raw and then to notice with vigor my reactions against it, but to continue on with the raw. The noticing goes something like this :"Oh, you really like the taste of what they are eating...and you feel deprived..WOW..." and then I go and eat what I had planned to eat. The reactions are important and insightful...not to be underestimated...where can they take me is what I am asking.
Hope this helps. I find it instructive to look at it as a process and to call myself a raw eater no matter what.

[DavidZaneMason]

If you REALLY thought that the junk was bad.....you wouldn't eat it.....anymore than you would lie...cheat...steal.....or do hard drugs. Make sure that you do not have an agenda to be hard on yourself. Review what you REALLY want. Set much smaller goals....with timeframes and keep them.

-Somewhere between 'binging' on poor food choices...and 100%....you'll be HONEST.......and find a level that you are motivated and prepared to do on a daily basis forever.....and you can stretch from there.

-David Z. Mason

[jeannieh99]

If you REALLY thought that the junk was bad.....you wouldn't eat it.....anymore than you would lie...cheat...steal.....or do hard drugs.

-David Z. Mason

With all due respect,

As a compulsive eater, a food addict, I have to disagree with this comment. I do know that eating sad and/or junk food is bad but I did it for eons. Hating myself along the way. It is a compulsion, and addiction. We do have underlying reasons why we do it. We don't always know what those are. I am still and will always be a compulsive eater, a food addict, the only difference is that I have made changes in my life to rid my house of any sad/junk and to fill it with raw. I still over eat, however, I am loosing weight and feeling great, and slowly in time, once my mind clears and my health returns, I might ( by the grace of God and the one day at a time approach) get to where I can examine the deep seeded reasons for my compulsions and addictions.
The awesome support that this group provides, the friends I have and am making daily on here are invaluable tools to achieve that goal.
Jeannie

[DavidZaneMason]

Yes. I hear you.

-David Z. Mason

[Conscious Midwife]

Yes. I hear you.

-David Z. Mason

Good Answer;)

[3kidsmommy]

Part of it I think is also cultural and the way we grew up. Think of how many times when you go out and binge you think that you are treating your self? I remember times when I am on a diet and then would "treat" myself to a cheeseburger because I did so great. Or how many times coaches and parents would treat the kids to pizza and ice cream because the team won? As a mom, I still find myself doing things like that. Now just making better choices. My kids are vegans so treats have to be meat and dairy free but I still call them "treats". I am not over weight and never have been but still have very deep food issues to keep myself from over eating. You are not alone. I think almost everyone (especially women.) One suggestion for you is to have lots of raw treats around the house. I have Alissa's fudge balls in the freezer at all time. At least 3 different types of sorbets in the freezer too. Guacamole and cut up veggies for dipping anytime. Different types of cut up fruit in containers in the fridge. This way you can throw it in a blender and make a smoothie in a snap. I also have pretty bowls of washed berries and grapes on the table (presentation is everything!). So when my kids or I walk past it, we usually pop some in our mouths. That will keep tummy full at all time. Hope this helps and good luck!

[trinity082482]

*puts her hand up meekly* I Jenny am an over eater. Swear to god. I have battling this eating disorder for years. My weight goes up and down and I eat and eat and eat.. and I can gain weight fairly quickly. I have maintained my 130's but I still eat aprox 2000-3500 cals a day. For some that might seem like a lot but for me I wonder.. how am I going to keep from going past it lol.
I LOVE food. I dont eat for emotional reasons. Its an addiction. If I dont eat I panic and I have to find food.. any food.. fast! to make the addiction stop. I compare it to a nicotine fit lol.. shitty.
Anyway since being raw It has helped but I still over eat and I can almost never go to bed without eating. I know your pain and I dont have very many tips to share with you. All you can do is eat as healthy as you can until it comes out of your ears lol.

[Stina]

Yep, I'm an overeater too. I believe I will continually find freedom from the compulsion as I become more and more Raw. But here are some things that help me
- meditation (huge factor in this)
- flooding myself with the good nutrition of Raw
- colon hydrotherapy, seems to rinse away the bad bacteria that produces
cravings
- fellowship, dealing with my emotional issues
It's not an easy issue and I just never give up and hope you keep coming back to this forum to share with us on your journey:)

[sweet pepper]

I am also a compulsive overeater and I struggle with it all the time. I so sympathize with everyone here today. It isn't easy being green for us compulsive overeater/bingers. I have beat myself up, shamed myself, felt so devastated and have felt like a failure everytime I fail. I have gradually learned about the livingfoods over the last ten years and is a lifestyle that I know is the way we should all be living. The SAD american diet is an addicition, worse than anything I could imagine.

I find inspiration here and the courage to continue, even when I 'mess up'. I went on a binge starting last saturday thru tuesday evening. Wednesday of this week I woke up sick, headache, pain, swelled up from my head to my toes, couldn't even balance this body much less walk straight, sick to my stomach with SAD food and disgust for my actions. I cried and fell to prayer and asked why do I do this to myself. I don't have an answer.........I feel emotions, spirit, physical all play a part in our individual health. We are responsible for the choices we make. It dawned on me Wednesday morning that I don't have anymore options, at 330 pounds I have two choices, life or death. I want life, I have even thought about and called a health institute and checked on prices for their 21-day program. I want to go. They explained to me that the human body is so intricate and deep down there are underlying reasons why one overeats which are both emotional and physical. Sometime so deep that it can't be revealed until we stay with the program and during the program these things come to surface as our bodies start to heal and start receiving the nutrients it needs. A lot of time we overeat because we aren't getting the nutrients from the cooked food, so we keep on searching and stuffing. I also learned that raw greens gives our bodies a lot of the minerals that are missing in cooked.

As of Wednesday I have been 100% raw. Today is my 4th day and it has been very trying, I keep telling myself that I don't have any other options! If I want to live and not die, then I need to stay raw. So far now this is how I am dealing with my addictions: lots of green juices, green smoothes, less hi-sweet fruits (they do seem to make me hungry, I guess it is the high-sugar) and when the going gets really rough I have my avocadoes/nuts/seeds and raw salsa. I have stayed off the scale and have been noticing the slow changes in my body's pain and my skin, even in these few short days, there are good changes. I am going to try and keep a diary of my health changes. I may weigh next Wednesday or sooner? It isn't the weight I am fighting but the addiction to cooked. So far so good and emotionally I am still feeling the disgust of my actions when I woke up last Wednesday morning. I don't want to be that low ever again. Pray for me and you will all see me here from time to time. I know I have been here and gone with every binge only to come back again. Everyone of you are my inspiration and hope and together may we put this addiction behind us. God Bless!

Namaste'
Sweet Pepper

[misslinda]

Get to the heart of matter......deal with WHAT you do & WHY you do this.

When we understandWHAT/WHY we do, we then KNOW clearly how to change. Otherwise, we change our habits,addictions out of fear.

Fear that it will come back and not really be gone.

Every condition has a deep underlying emotion. Allow that to come thru.....

;)

[dustandbreath]

Obviously, Firicia, the answer is complex and varied. And all contain portions of the truth. I find that in life there are very few "one answers" to our questions. I have been raw for about 16 days. I remember cleaning out our fridge to make room for all the produce. How COOL was that!!! All that fun stuff in there. Having a lot of stuff available that is good and not having the crap around is one help for you. But the "deeper" motivation is also valid. May you find peace and wisdom in your pursuit to get at the root. It is also true that the longer you are on this the easier it is to say no. Today, even after just two weeks, my family was in Cracker Barrel and I came in late and ordered water with lemon. It wasn't easy, but I didn't cave, either. I don't recommend that tactic too often, but I was pleased at the changes I am experiencing and decided not to nibble the entrees around me. It is true that for many, once you open the door to the forbidden stuff, it is easier to just jump in an go all the way. It is much better to learn to say no and get stronger in doing it, and the pull becomes less.

But what do I know. I am just a newbie! All the best, and thanks to the rest for all your insight and transparency.

[rawererin]

when i was 100% raw i found that it was easier to eat because of neccessity instead of boredom, sadness, ect.
i struggle with emotional eating and learning to use food to nourish my body instead of patch whatever emotion i was feeling helped cut out my mindless snacking

[chilove]

Hello all,

Emotional eating is a very complex issue that generally stems from an inability or unwillingness to be in the present moment, exactly as it is, without distraction. The exact reason why we are unwilling to just "be" in the moment varies for each person, but frequently has roots in emotional pain or anxiety. Unlearning the habit of repsonding to these uncomfortable feelings by eating is very possible with some dedication and planning. I specialize in coaching raw fooders with emotional eating issues and I have found minfulness training (meditation) to be very helpful (read Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn) as well as applying cognitive therapy techniques (Read "The Beck Diet Solution" by Judith S Beck) such as the unrealistic craving responses I've listed below. I know that it is possible to learn healthier, more empowering coping skills and to have a healthy, balanced relationship with food because I did it myself. With the help of raw food, I changed from a completely food obsessed junk food addict and compulsive over eater to a succesfully 100% raw long term raw foodist who feels very satisfied eating very simply. There is hope!!!! You can do this!!!

Here are some alternative ways to think about cravings:

Unrealistic Belief:
Cravings are excruciating or unbearable.
Realistic Alternative:
They are uncomfortable, but not unbearable.

Unrealistic Belief:
Cravings are constant.
Realistic Alternative:
Cravings are time limited. They will pass.

Unrealistic Belief:
Cravings force one to use or act.
Realistic Alternative:
I choose to act on the craving. There are many urges I do not act on and I can resist any urge, no matter how strong it is.

Unrealistic Belief:
I'll go crazy if I don't give in.
Realistic Alternative:
I haven't yet and won't. Actually, I will be more emotionally and physically healthy by learning to resist urges.

Blessings!!

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[RawGoddess13]

If you truly believe & you think you are missing out on certain cooked foods, then you will constantly feel deprived and raw will be torture for you, b/c you will constantly want that forbidden food. The more you think about that food, the more valuable it becomes in your head, but it is all just an illusion. One thing that has helped me is learning & researching junk foods believe it or not. I have always known that junk foods are "bad" but wanted to know more dirty details about them & what they do to my body. After reading in detail about chocolate (great book called Chocolate Busters by Jason Vale), refined sugar (we are actually supposed to die when sugar enters into our bloodstream as this nasty substance sends our organs into panic mode), refined carbs (sugar in disguise & fat when processed, dairy, & trans fat, I am happy to never have to go near that garbage again. It is impossible to feel deprived when you find out how dangerous junk food is to your ONE & ONLY body! Also ask yourself why we are the only species on the planet that cook our food & why we are also the only species that doesn't live to our full life expectancy! It also helps to put the concept in plain terms, why spend your ONE & ONLY life feeling deprived & sorry for yourself because you "can't" have cooked foods that you hope you won't eat anyway. I still struggle with over eating too, like with nuts!!! I think everybody here can relate on some level & we all want the best for ourselves & everyone else.

[muse]

I've overeaten nuts and raw brownies (no offense to RawPriestess, b/c these rawk!) The sour stomach, belching, and other TMIs were such suffering, if I even think about over eating those again, I remember the hell I paid.

I think sometimes, a few of those experiences help. Everyone is different, people can repeatedly overeat. But for me, it is helpful in learning how to listen to my body, if I can allow myself to have overeating experiences, and learn from them.

[hypnocmt]

I honestly feel kind of addicted. I eat all the time, don't need to be hungry, and in the fridge I will go for junk food (or even spend a lot of time looking or making something SAD) instead of having the fruit in front of my face. It's bizzare.

I know a few years ago I got it under control for a couple months (didn't know about raw back then) so why does it seem so hard to do?

So I thought I would ask what you all have done to get over this odd need to be stuffing your face with sweets and junk all day long. I am going to make this a thing of the past I swear! Thanks.

-Mandy


For some reason three things popped into my mind when I read your post. I know there are many reasons behind compulsive eating habits, but these two stick out as things which may apply and haven't been mentioned.

1- Anesthetizing. We eat to distract ourselves from uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. What else is going on in your life? Conflict? Loneliness? Uncertainty? Hurt? Fear? Emptiness? Etc.

2- Are you rebelling against what you see as the "rules" and restrictions of raw? You will know whether this rings true for you if you tend towards rebellious behavior in other areas of your life which are somewhat beyond the extent which is called for.

3- Fear of deprivation or "missing out" on the fun or sense pleasure of SAD food. This can trigger a desire to hoard or stuff as though this was your last chance to get a fix. If so, remind yourself that to eat raw today doesn't have to mean you won't eat cooked "someday"..just not TODAY.

Hope these are helpful directions for your own inquiry. Cheers!

[Firicia]

Wow, I wasn't expecting so many people to really connect on this issue. Thanks everyone for posting, and for your support!

I guess a big part of it must be life stuff, and me trying to shove down emotions as well as just being kind of addicted. I feel actually anxious when I go without eating a lot of sugar in a day, and I'll start fantasing about it until I give in. Ya, that doesn't sound normal. I guess I feel a little out of control with my life, and I just realised that the only place I actually give myself a treat is with food. I never let myself get nice stuff like clothes or anything cuz I... I dunno actually, and when I do get myself something I beat myself up about the expence... but I never think about the money part with food. Huh, that is so weird... maybe by feeling so out of control everywhere else (well mainly just not knowing what I am doing in life right now, other then that I am quite level headed) I let food be the one treat in my life, the one thing to feel good about. Well I guess I had better stop that. Maybe this next month I'll try something new. I'll give myself a little money in a jar and be mindful of my food spending, but put aside what I would have spent on junk food and buy myself something actually nice. Worth a try.

But ya, I think buying food is kinda like a shopping addiction to me... wow. Funny the things you just randomly realise.

How do you think I can let food be food, and not a source of excitment? How can I make my relationship more of a normal one, you know, where you mostly just eat for nutrition? I mean really thinking of it, some or... a lot of the things I buy to eat I don't like and sometimes don't enjoy but I force myself to eat at least some of it. I think it really has a big part to do with the excitment of buying it, and feeling anxious for it.

-Mandy

[lavendarJ]

I don't have a definite answer to give... just wondering what your eating patterns are. It could be a simple as some bad habits- which we know can be hard to break. I was just wondering if you ate every 2-3 hours?