If you are unsure which foods are healthy choices, ask your doctor for a referral to a Registered Dietitian who can help you plan meals and choose healthy, nutritious foods. Instead of buying foods that are known to increase your cravings for them, buy fresh fruit and vegetables. If you need to, make it hard to get to your money so that you can’t just go out and buy foods that are addictive. Make a list before you go shopping. Shopping with a list will make it easier for you to purchase healthy foods. In addition, don’t go to the grocery store with an empty stomach, as this can cause you to impulse buy unhealthy foods or things you don’t need. Go after you have had a snack or a meal and you’re not hungry.
When possible, buy only a single portion of the foods that you are addicted to. For example, a single serving bag of chips or a personal size pizza. Review the recommended portions for the foods you are addicted to and eat only one portion. If you are still hungry after this one serving, tell yourself you will wait 30 minutes before having another serving. By this time the craving may pass. If you need to, divide foods that are sold in multiple portions (chips, cookies, etc. ) into single servings. Keep one serving available and put the rest somewhere that it is hard for you to get to.
Eating a healthy breakfast can help you start your day nutritiously and help control your food addictions throughout the day. Some mental heath professionals believe that starting the day off with good food choices can help you set your intentions and make better choices throughout the day. Check labels to make sure you are getting daily recommended values of nutrients. Try to get the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, dairy, polyunsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals. For example, you might have a dinner of baked chicken, broccoli with cheese, and a baked potato.
For example, you could experiment by having tomato slices with sea salt when you feel that in-between-meals hunger. Try to keep options such as nuts, fruit, and vegetables close at hand for when cravings hit.
Don’t just absent-mindedly reach for something to eat. Think about what you want to eat and why you want to eat. If you are craving something unhealthy, force yourself to eat something healthy first. This may help reduce your hunger or relieve some of your compulsion to eat. This may lead you to eat a smaller portion of the unhealthy food. Make a conscious choice to eat something healthy and nutritious. Think about how what you are eating can benefit or harm you. Pay attention to how hungry you are or if you are even hungry at all. Sometimes people eat for reasons other than hunger. Pay attention to how much you are eating. Are you eating the recommended portion or more than that?
Don’t just notice how the food tastes. Think about how it looks, smells, and it’s texture. Think about how it sounds as you eat it. For example, you might think, “This apple is sweet and juicy. It’s crunchy and smells fragrant. ” Notice how you feel as you are eating. For example, “I’m feeling content and peaceful and I’m starting to feel full. ”
Emotional eating doesn’t make you feel better in the long run. If you are suddenly craving certain foods and overeat when you get them, it could be emotional eating. When you are emotionally hungry you are likely to crave foods that are salty or sweet like candy, pastries, pizza, or chips. If you find you are engaging in emotional eating, try to come up with a replacement behavior that you can do instead. [4] X Expert Source Mindy Lu, LMHC, CNCertified Nutritionist & Licensed Counselor Expert Interview. 21 October 2020. When you notice you want to eat emotionally, go for a walk, call a friend, dance to your favorite song, or do some other replacement behavior.
Make daily entries describing your snacks and meals. Also write about your moods. Write down how you felt before you started eating, while you were eating, and after you finished eating. For example, “Today Max hurt my feelings. I had a pint of ice cream and some pretzels while I had my pity party. I felt worse after I was done. ” A food journal can also help you identify if you are eating more unhealthy foods than you think.
Go to bed at regular time each night. Do relaxing things like listening to quiet music, massaging your feet, or meditating to prepare for bed. Turn off your electronic devices or put them on silent so that your sleep isn’t interrupted.
Join a sports team in your community like soccer, basketball, softball, or lacrosse. Start doing yoga, tai chi, or a form of martial arts. Do something like walk, bike, swim, or jog on a regular basis.
Join a sports team in your community like soccer, basketball, softball, or lacrosse. Start doing yoga, tai chi, or a form of martial arts. Do something like walk, bike, swim, or jog on a regular basis.
Make a list of all of your great qualities and traits. List the reasons why you don’t want your food addictions to take over your life. Remind yourself that reducing your food addictions will help you feel even better about yourself and keep you healthy. For instance, you might say to yourself, “I’m a great person and if I keep reducing my addiction to honey buns, I’ll be healthier and feel amazing!”
Anorexia is characterized by food restriction and extreme efforts to lose weight. [8] X Trustworthy Source National Institute of Mental Health Informational website from U. S. government focused on the understanding and treatment of mental illness. Go to source In this case, the food addiction might be in the form of limiting your food intake or only eating certain very low calorie foods. Consider whether you will only eat foods that have no or very few (less than 10, for example) calories and only in small amounts. Other warning signs may include extreme self-loathing after eating, or attributing your value as a person to your ability to restrict food intake. For example, if you only eat 10 white grapes for breakfast, gluten-free crackers for lunch, and a diet soda for dinner every day, you may be anorexic.
People who binge eat often prefer to eat a specific food like cupcakes or potato chips when they are binging. Many people that binge eat are addicted to a type of food. For instance, you may binge on salty foods or foods that are full of sugar. People often assume that all binge-eaters are overweight, and this is not true. Think about whether you eat in secret or try to hide your food or your eating from others. Ask yourself if you feel guilty, embarrassed, or disgusted with yourself while and after you are eating.
Do you regularly eat a certain “meal” like three family size bags of chips and a dozen snack cakes and then immediately take a laxative or diet pill? Do you feel bad about what or how much you ate until you feel that it is out of your body? People may assume anyone with an eating disorder must be very thin, but that is not true. You can be overweight or a “normal” weight and be bulimic.
Eating disorders can seriously impact your health and may result in chronic problems or even death, if untreated. Some of these health issues are irreversible, so it is important to get help as soon as possible. Treatment for eating disorders often includes therapy, medical are, support groups, and other forms of care. Your doctor can help you reduce your food addiction, no matter what kind, in a healthy and safe way. Support groups like Overeaters Anonymous and Food Addicts Anonymous can provide support and references to other help.
