Q. I have a bad addiction to sugar. I binge on chocolate, donuts, cookies, and stuff like that. I am trying to get into shape but I can't because I binge on sweets! I am middle aged. Will hypnosis help me overcome this terrible addiction?
A. For many people food is a means of expressing their anxiety. In the case of bulimic and anorexic clients this comes out in the form of a fairly easily identifiable condition. In the case of binge eaters this is not the case. Sometimes the activity can look like gluttony, or be attributed to other factors. In the end, it almost certainly boils down to an anxiety driven desire to eat.
As one of my favorite clients put it â âI want you to stop me binge eating, and remind me that my nails are not a major food groupâ¦â There is a very clear link between the food use and anxiety levels.
For a binge eater the food can be something apparently healthy, or something very unhealthy â itâs the quantities that are key. A binge eater can also be well within the bounds of healthy weight. One of my binge eating clients is an accomplished marathon runner that no one would consider overweight. Her use of food is a means of coping â yet is a source of silent despair.
For many binge eaters there is no one that will understand their issue. Like bulimic and anorexic clients, they feel ashamed of their issue. They subsequently develop poor self image and a sense that they just canât help themselves. You need not feel this way. Itâs nothing to be ashamed of. This is a very real problem and one that can be overcome.
If you'd like more information please check out http://www.VancouverHypnotherapy.org
The good news is that using hypnotherapy you often can help yourself.
As one of my favorite clients put it â âI want you to stop me binge eating, and remind me that my nails are not a major food groupâ¦â There is a very clear link between the food use and anxiety levels.
For a binge eater the food can be something apparently healthy, or something very unhealthy â itâs the quantities that are key. A binge eater can also be well within the bounds of healthy weight. One of my binge eating clients is an accomplished marathon runner that no one would consider overweight. Her use of food is a means of coping â yet is a source of silent despair.
For many binge eaters there is no one that will understand their issue. Like bulimic and anorexic clients, they feel ashamed of their issue. They subsequently develop poor self image and a sense that they just canât help themselves. You need not feel this way. Itâs nothing to be ashamed of. This is a very real problem and one that can be overcome.
If you'd like more information please check out http://www.VancouverHypnotherapy.org
The good news is that using hypnotherapy you often can help yourself.
How do I put an end to my sugar addiction?
Q. I have been a slave to sugar all of my life. I don't just have a sugar tooth, my whole body craves it. This burden was placed on me as a child when anything from Mt. Dew to southern sweet tea was placed in my cup. Not to mention cavities before I even lost any of my baby teeth. I am addicted and I am ready to let it go. The problem is that I don't know how. Many of you may laugh at this, but my daily attitude is controlled by sugar or lack thereof. I have been fortunate that my metabolism has passed much of it through without any weight gain. Now, as I get older, it's starting to effect me. I am also looking into pescetarianism (vegetarian who eats fish) because meat is starting to become a problem as well. Both sugar and meat are beating me down by the end of the day. Does anyone out there have any tips for cutting sugar out of my life and/or becoming a pescetarian?
A. When you are on a diet, cravings are sure to strike. The three most common cravings are cravings for sugar, fat and salt.
Sugar is considered by many diet experts to be an addiction as dangerous as nicotine or even heroin. There is nothing that gives us a bigger lift than a shot of sugar. However sugar exhausts the pancreas, is often followed by a crash in blood sugar levels and can lead to diabetes and other serious disorders.
An addiction for sugar usually has its roots in issues to do with stress and emotions. Many individuals find sweet foods, and particularly chocolate to be extremely comforting. The only problem is that the root cause of the stress or emotional problem that is causing you to "turn to sugar" to solve your problems is not addressed then you will probably always be addicted to it.
If you crave sugar there are some foods that are not sweets and cakes that can help you circumvent the body's addiction to it. For instance the Jerusalem artichoke is a vegetable that is thought to regulate the body's blood sugar balance. Vegetables such as sweet potatoes and yams can help satisfy the craving for creamy or milky sweets. However if you do crave sugar the best thing to do is reach for a piece of fruit, which will definitely have fewer calories than a slab of cake.
Some people who crave ice cream or rich products actually have a calcium deficiency. The same thing goes for people who crave a great deal of cheese, which of course can add pounds to a body in no time. To make sure that your cravings for ice cream or cheese are not based on a calcium deficiency it is a great idea to take calcium supplements, eat plenty of broccoli or Swiss chard and drink low fat skim milk.
If you are craving fat, you probably have a bit of an oral fixation. The craving for fatty foods is quite primal and has more to do with a phenomenon called "mouth feel." Foods that are warm and fatty take us back to the cavemen days when biting into freshly killed meat and drinking the blood was common.
Cravings for fatty foods are commonly found in emotionally insecure individuals who need to express their anger by biting into something warm and fatty in texture. Psychologists call this "eating your anger."
If you are craving sodium then you may need to eat a more balanced diet that includes more vegetables. Vegetables are a natural form of salt. A good substitute for high sodium dishes is sushi as the seaweed that wraps the raw fish is filled with healthy amounts of sea salt.
Drinking too much coffee or alcohol can also cause cravings for sodium. This can cause a shortage of sodium in the blood.
Many cravings have no biological basis at all and are "all in the head." The trick is to realize that a positive association with a food is not necessarily a reason to continually binge on it whenever you feel blue.
Recently the news has been talking about cinnamon and how it can help regulate blood sugar levels. Cinnamon capsules can be found in almost any store that carries supplements. Both Walmart and Costco have great prices on cinnamon capsules (about $3 for a small bottle and $8-10 for a very large bottle).
You should avoid any types of products that is made with sugar substitutes, as in diet sodas. There are two reasons for this.
First off your body get used to having a sweet taste constantly in your mouth so it feels as though this is a natural feeling for you. This makes you crave more and more sugar, since your body believes that sweetness is normal. And second, it has now been found that your body may be reacting to the sugar substitute as though it was real sugar. You insulin levels then rise, then fall quickly making you want to have another quick sugar fix.
Sugar is a hard addiction to stop but with a little planning, taking a good multi-vitamin/mineral supplement, trying the cinnamon capsules and avoiding sugar substitues you can kick the habbit!
Sugar is considered by many diet experts to be an addiction as dangerous as nicotine or even heroin. There is nothing that gives us a bigger lift than a shot of sugar. However sugar exhausts the pancreas, is often followed by a crash in blood sugar levels and can lead to diabetes and other serious disorders.
An addiction for sugar usually has its roots in issues to do with stress and emotions. Many individuals find sweet foods, and particularly chocolate to be extremely comforting. The only problem is that the root cause of the stress or emotional problem that is causing you to "turn to sugar" to solve your problems is not addressed then you will probably always be addicted to it.
If you crave sugar there are some foods that are not sweets and cakes that can help you circumvent the body's addiction to it. For instance the Jerusalem artichoke is a vegetable that is thought to regulate the body's blood sugar balance. Vegetables such as sweet potatoes and yams can help satisfy the craving for creamy or milky sweets. However if you do crave sugar the best thing to do is reach for a piece of fruit, which will definitely have fewer calories than a slab of cake.
Some people who crave ice cream or rich products actually have a calcium deficiency. The same thing goes for people who crave a great deal of cheese, which of course can add pounds to a body in no time. To make sure that your cravings for ice cream or cheese are not based on a calcium deficiency it is a great idea to take calcium supplements, eat plenty of broccoli or Swiss chard and drink low fat skim milk.
If you are craving fat, you probably have a bit of an oral fixation. The craving for fatty foods is quite primal and has more to do with a phenomenon called "mouth feel." Foods that are warm and fatty take us back to the cavemen days when biting into freshly killed meat and drinking the blood was common.
Cravings for fatty foods are commonly found in emotionally insecure individuals who need to express their anger by biting into something warm and fatty in texture. Psychologists call this "eating your anger."
If you are craving sodium then you may need to eat a more balanced diet that includes more vegetables. Vegetables are a natural form of salt. A good substitute for high sodium dishes is sushi as the seaweed that wraps the raw fish is filled with healthy amounts of sea salt.
Drinking too much coffee or alcohol can also cause cravings for sodium. This can cause a shortage of sodium in the blood.
Many cravings have no biological basis at all and are "all in the head." The trick is to realize that a positive association with a food is not necessarily a reason to continually binge on it whenever you feel blue.
Recently the news has been talking about cinnamon and how it can help regulate blood sugar levels. Cinnamon capsules can be found in almost any store that carries supplements. Both Walmart and Costco have great prices on cinnamon capsules (about $3 for a small bottle and $8-10 for a very large bottle).
You should avoid any types of products that is made with sugar substitutes, as in diet sodas. There are two reasons for this.
First off your body get used to having a sweet taste constantly in your mouth so it feels as though this is a natural feeling for you. This makes you crave more and more sugar, since your body believes that sweetness is normal. And second, it has now been found that your body may be reacting to the sugar substitute as though it was real sugar. You insulin levels then rise, then fall quickly making you want to have another quick sugar fix.
Sugar is a hard addiction to stop but with a little planning, taking a good multi-vitamin/mineral supplement, trying the cinnamon capsules and avoiding sugar substitues you can kick the habbit!
How can i stop binge eating?
Q. I'm out of controll, wen no ones around ill get a whole tub of ice cream and eat all of it and then ill eat a whole box of brownies and wenener I get a chance to be alone I binge eat and I'm relly trying to looses wheight I wheigh 104 pounds and I'm trying to get down to 75 but my uncontrollable bines keep me from loosing wheight
A. Sometimes the strongest longings for food happen when you're at your
weakest point emotionally. Many people turn to food for comfort â
consciously or unconsciously â when they're facing a difficult problem
or looking to keep themselves occupied.
But emotional eating â eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative
emotions, such as stress, anger, anxiety, boredom, sadness and
loneliness â can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Often, emotional
eating leads to eating too much food, especially high-calorie, sweet,
salty and fatty foods.
The good news is that if you're prone to emotional eating, you can
take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on
track with your weight-loss goals.
Though strong emotions can trigger cravings for food, you can take
steps to control those cravings. To help stop emotional eating, try
these suggestions:
Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional?
If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach,
you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to
pass.
Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you
eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat
and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that
reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.
Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a
walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a
friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is
nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it
to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.
Don't keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of
high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue,
postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings
don't influence your decisions at the store.
Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a
low-fat, low-calorie food, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with
fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie
versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet
your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional
eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast.
Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole
grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and
lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you're more
likely to feel fuller, longer.
Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more
manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it's
fit and well rested.
If you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh
the next day. Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan for
how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes
you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for
making changes that ensure better health.
weakest point emotionally. Many people turn to food for comfort â
consciously or unconsciously â when they're facing a difficult problem
or looking to keep themselves occupied.
But emotional eating â eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative
emotions, such as stress, anger, anxiety, boredom, sadness and
loneliness â can sabotage your weight-loss efforts. Often, emotional
eating leads to eating too much food, especially high-calorie, sweet,
salty and fatty foods.
The good news is that if you're prone to emotional eating, you can
take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on
track with your weight-loss goals.
Though strong emotions can trigger cravings for food, you can take
steps to control those cravings. To help stop emotional eating, try
these suggestions:
Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional?
If you ate just a few hours ago and don't have a rumbling stomach,
you're probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to
pass.
Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you
eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat
and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that
reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.
Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a
walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a
friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is
nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it
to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.
Don't keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of
high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue,
postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings
don't influence your decisions at the store.
Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a
low-fat, low-calorie food, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with
fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie
versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet
your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional
eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast.
Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole
grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and
lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you're more
likely to feel fuller, longer.
Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more
manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it's
fit and well rested.
If you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh
the next day. Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan for
how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes
you're making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for
making changes that ensure better health.
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