I am a working executive, working long hours and addicted to fast food, usually eating while I’m in the office. I seem to eat whether I’m hungry or not and have got to a stage where I am unable to control my eating habit. Unfortunately, my weight is increasing and I’m being forced to buy clothes a size larger than normal. I can devote a little time to exercise, but is there a recommended safe way to lose weight? I’ve heard of all these diets, such as Atkins, that don’t sound very healthy at all.
I would suggest you seek the help of a health advisor who uses straight forward health methods. Atkins and all over “alternative” diets are fine for some but tend to be more difficult to maintain long term.
Think traditional healthy food choices (fruit, veg, some red meat, fish).
Also, not having time and grabing food on the run is not much of an excuse these days with so many companies out there offering healthy food that is ready as fast (if not faster) than McDs etc. Try and find someone who works in the same area as you (geographic location) who can show you the local food places that offer healthy options. Often people just work so hard that they walk right past the health food dealers and go straight for fast food, you may just need someone to point out the tasty, fast, healthy options around you.
As for changing your habits, thats not so easy. Try a healthy morning and whatever you feel like in the afternoon for a few weeks? or what ever works for you. As long as you set some permanment healthy eating times and stick to them (even if only a few in the begining) that could become a small victory to build on.
And exercise? You will gain many differing opinons here i imagine. If tri is not your focus I would suggest taking advise from another source. Most tri geeks ideas of exercise is a little inflated.
Good luck! Theres always someone in the same situation so talk to friends/work mates and see if anyone else wants to join you (or offer help).
One last thing, a focus on healthy eating and then as you progress, a healthy lifestyle, will bring you more results than a focus on weight loss.
**Note: For what I have writen I dont mean “Health food” to include supplements (protien bars etc).
Is this post even serious? Are the italics your form of pink font? From “I’m addicted to fast food” to let’s try “fad diets”. If you are serious you’re not not a big fan of middle ground are you.
How about eating “normal” food. Instead of a burger, order a "normal’ sandwich. Instead of snacking on chocolates (or whatever) snack on fruit / vegies. Instead of filling up on shakes / soda, try drinking lots of water. Instead of being mega extreme, why not use some common sense?
Also, as mentioned, eat small meals regularly. And get up 10 minutes earlier in the morning and get your metabolism going by doing some light exercise.
My guess is that you have an allergy to sugar and flour. Alot of people have it and it causes them to not be able to stop eating. Basically you are addicted to it. My suggestion is you go to a Food Addicts Annoymous meeting. They will give you a sensible diet plan. Its basically three square meals a day and no snacking in between. Coffee(no sugar) and diet soda are ok to drink. Its hard at first, your body will detox but you will lose weight and feel alot better. They will have you weigh each portion of your food, like 6oz of protein, 8oz of salad, 8oz of cooked vegetable. Things like that. Its a smart way to eat especially if you have issues controlling your eating.
Let it go! You are on the edge of a cliff, there is no reason to torture yourself with fruits and vegetables. Sooner or later you are going to give up so just let it go now and make it easier on yourself.
Yeah its called an addiction. Look into any description within the recovery community of an addict and they are classified as basically being allergic to that substance, that is why their body and mind reacts to it with hypersensitivity. Let me know if you need anymore education, I would be happy to help. Maybe we could trade and you could show me how you so charmingly type out your laughter.
Yeah its called an addiction. Look into any description within the recovery community of an addict and they are classified as basically being allergic to that substance, that is why their body and mind reacts to it with hypersensitivity. Let me know if you need anymore education, I would be happy to help. Maybe we could trade and you could show me how you so charmingly type out your laughter.
Look, I get that you want to ascribe the recovery program that has helped you overcome a difficult problem to every challenge in life thereafter. I get it. But there is no sugar allergy that makes you want to do more of it. You’ve surely heard the program line about telling people that nobody asks people allergic to strawberries why they don’t keep eating them. Allergies most always present negative effects - addictions give good feelings that induce you to do more of the same. Not allergies. Over a couple dozen years of sobriety I have learned to not bring my recovery issues and remedies into general life - it is usually a losing proposition.
You first told everyone that an allergy to sugar made them want more of it. Now you’re saying their minds react with hypersensitivity. They are very far from the same thing.
Congrats on your recovery. With my biggest weakness being Oatmeal cream pies and tic tacs I can’t say that I have a recovery program that I subscribe too, but thanks for trying to out me. I’ve known quite a few people in recovery programs and have worked as a volunteer and have paid attention to what they say because its pretty fascinating to me. If your looking for the allergy definition to fit into what you commonly know as an allergy, it might not work. But if we look at allergy as the idea as something that our bodies and minds react to with a hypersentivity then the definition fits, even if that hypersensitivity leads to a compulsive consumption. If you don’t like the word allergy than thats fine, let me know your preferred term and I will be happy to use it whenever we discuss such things. Allergy is a term I have heard used a number of times and many people within your community of recovery that I know feel like it fits pretty well. That being said, if you were to look into the traditions or whatever they call them of the Food Addicts Annoymous community you would see that they use the 12 step program and refer to themselves as having a allergy to flour and sugar that is followed by a complusion to eat those two things. You see even after years of sobriety you still have things you can learn. Good job.
I guess this isn’t the place for it, but the practice of assigning medical problems, like allergy, to a condition like alcoholism or drug addiction is something I find dangerous. I think it gives people “excuses” for their otherwise bad behavior rather than forcing them to take responsibility for it. I have watched thousands of people come and go, and seen a trend in 12 step programs that is moving towards “sunshine and lollipops”, feel good recovery. It doesn’t work - for long. AA’s recovery rate gets worse and worse rather than better, sitting by while people call their problem an allergy is irresponsible, IMO, which is why I call it when I see it.
Hi,
I fully understand your problem - its quite common that people working long hours in offices pick up habits like eating junk food and set aside no time to exercise. Junk food is a serious health risk. My advice would be the following:
· Stop eating junk food, or at least cut it down to eating junk food a maximum of once per week.
· Start some simple, low key exercise such as walking Use a great product I have tried that actually burns body fat. Highly scientific and armed with worldwide patents it should have a noticeable impact in a short period of time. More details here given below in my signature: