I eat because I'm unhappy and I'm unhappy because I eat

[Kimlett]

I fear that I won't be able to lose weight because there's a huge painful void inside me that is only relieved with food. I've tried vaping and weed, but they are nothing compared to food. Maybe nothing can make that void tolerable like food does. I feel this void since I can remember and I think it will stay until I die.

What were my copes as a child besides food? Videogames, comics, movies, music. But nowadays I don't care about any of that, they lost their spark. I don't feel like doing anything. I eat because I'm unhappy and I'm unhappy because I eat (yes, like fat bastard from austin powers lol), and I don't know how to break that cycle. I'm starting therapy (again lol) and doing a ketamine treatment soon, I hope that helps.

Have you ever felt this way? What do you think I could do to relieve the pain of the void? Any ideas or encouragement are highly appreciated.

 

[Rabscuttle]

Have you looked into meal replacement shakes like Huel, Soylent or jimmy joy? Easy way to measure calories, plus they're cheap and relatively healthy.

But the truth is, overeating or any form of overconsumption is hard to tackle until you can start to be more mindful of your thoughts, to be able to sit and reflect before you engage in your vice. It takes practice, mindfulness and yoga are great places to start, but the foundation really needs to be laid with self compassion or at least self neutrality. Once we shift from thinking how pathetic we are, how much we've failed, to we truly deserve better, we can start to make progress. Gotta wrest control from our subconscious. It can be done!

 

[hang in there]

I mean... it's a terrible idea but what about alcohol, lol. As an alcoholic that's the only thing to ever fill my black hole.
I have gained a lot of weight due to booze and meds and it is a huge struggle to change my eating habits and stick to a healthier diet for longer than a week or two. It is really hard to ignore hunger and to stop eating like crap out of boredom.
Do you like cooking? It helps to cook your own delicious meals made of healthier ingredients rather than get chips or instant microwave shit or sweets. If you can get full on non-junk then you can still have some junk but it won't be as damaging to your body.
And have you ever tried documenting your diet and calories? I use myfitnesspal and it feels really good to see numbers on a screen going in the right direction, even if I sometimes (or a lot of times) fuck up.
I hope ketamine helps you, anhedonia is hell and it is very hard to function with it.

 

[Kimlett]

Have you looked into meal replacement shakes like Huel, Soylent or jimmy joy? Easy way to measure calories, plus they're cheap and relatively healthy.

But the truth is, overeating or any form of overconsumption is hard to tackle until you can start to be more mindful of your thoughts, to be able to sit and reflect before you engage in your vice. It takes practice, mindfulness and yoga are great places to start, but the foundation really needs to be laid with self compassion or at least self neutrality. Once we shift from thinking how pathetic we are, how much we've failed, to we truly deserve better, we can start to make progress. Gotta wrest control from our subconscious. It can be done!

Replacement shakes are not cheap where I live and I don't think they will be worth it. I guess the only answer is to endure the pain raw and assume that nothing will ease it.

I mean... it's a terrible idea but what about alcohol, lol. As an alcoholic that's the only thing to ever fill my black hole.
I have gained a lot of weight due to booze and meds and it is a huge struggle to change my eating habits and stick to a healthier diet for longer than a week or two. It is really hard to ignore hunger and to stop eating like crap out of boredom.
Do you like cooking? It helps to cook your own delicious meals made of healthier ingredients rather than get chips or instant microwave shit or sweets. If you can get full on non-junk then you can still have some junk but it won't be as damaging to your body.
And have you ever tried documenting your diet and calories? I use myfitnesspal and it feels really good to see numbers on a screen going in the right direction, even if I sometimes (or a lot of times) fuck up.
I hope ketamine helps you, anhedonia is hell and it is very hard to function with it.

I'd try alcohol but it is very high in calories... That proves that god is evil and is laughing at us.
I don't specially enjoy cooking, I usually cook simple meals, my problem is that I tend to exceed with the treats I buy. I track calories some days but the problem is the same. I hope ketamine helps too, thank you

 

[Kimlett]

I need to lose weight and have a normal weight because I want to be a dietitian. I can't be a dietitian if I'm fat, let's be real. But maybe I just can't achieve a normal weight, maybe it's just too difficult for a weak soul like myself. My future is at stake, my small chance of having a life that is slightly better than being dead is fading. I'm on the edge of giving up and doing something extreme, like volunteering in the end of the world, going back to my parents' forever, live in the streets or start planning my ctb. I need a miracle.

 

[LittleMagician]

I fear that I won't be able to lose weight because there's a huge painful void inside me that is only relieved with food. I've tried vaping and weed, but they are nothing compared to food. Maybe nothing can make that void tolerable like food does. I feel this void since I can remember and I think it will stay until I die.

What were my copes as a child besides food? Videogames, comics, movies, music. But nowadays I don't care about any of that, they lost their spark. I don't feel like doing anything. I eat because I'm unhappy and I'm unhappy because I eat (yes, like fat bastard from austin powers lol), and I don't know how to break that cycle. I'm starting therapy (again lol) and doing a ketamine treatment soon, I hope that helps.

Have you ever felt this way? What do you think I could do to relieve the pain of the void? Any ideas or encouragement are highly appreciated.

Food is such a great coping mechanism that's why it's hard to quit

 

[Dot]

Hve u lookd in2 EFT or IFS therpy typs

 

[Linda]

Can you go somewhere there is no food? Literally. That's not a permanent option, obviously, but if you can do it for a week (or even 2 weeks) it might help you break the cycle. You should be able to go without food for up to 30 days without it doing you any real harm. (You would need water, of course.)

 

[bankai]

I've been there and I'm there currently. I love food. Probably the only thing I love. Food is always there for me. A warm meal makes life so much better. It's not a terrible option, better than drugs and alcohol. But still terrible for us nonetheless. As anything in excess is.

 

[cme-dme]

Food is such a great coping mechanism that's why it's hard to quit

Few things are better at making life suck less than a tub of ice cream!

 

[LittleMagician]

Few things are better at making life suck less than a tub of ice cream!

So true </3

 

[getoutgirl]

I have a shitty relationship with food like a lot of people here. Not much of a disorder, not too related to weight, but I do use as punishing means. If I do something "bad" I may not eat for two days, and feel a bit better during and afterwards.
However I do get you and sometimes indulge in eating the pain and anxiety away. Cos it works! and only stops working in between each sponfull and after you are full. I eat a LOT of yogurt. I don't have much advice here, just relating, I'm sure there are eating disorder support websites and resources out there that might have some tips and tricks you could find useful. Also if you want to be a dietician you prbbly know a lot more than I do already lol. Glad you are trying therapy, hugs <3

 

[Rabscuttle]

Replacement shakes are not cheap where I live and I don't think they will be worth it. I guess the only answer is to endure the pain raw and assume that nothing will ease it.


I'd try alcohol but it is very high in calories... That proves that god is evil and is laughing at us.
I don't specially enjoy cooking, I usually cook simple meals, my problem is that I tend to exceed with the treats I buy. I track calories some days but the problem is the same. I hope ketamine helps too, thank you

There are great recipes for DiY meal replacement shakes

https://www.completefoods.co/diy/recipes

 

[Aloneandinpain]

Have you tried massively cutting carbs? Theoretically you can still overeat and possibly lose weight or at least not gain much.

Basically you just eat meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds, green vegetables.

It works for a lot of people because most of the foods are quite filling

 

[GhostInTheMachine]

I fear that I won't be able to lose weight because there's a huge painful void inside me that is only relieved with food. I've tried vaping and weed, but they are nothing compared to food. Maybe nothing can make that void tolerable like food does. I feel this void since I can remember and I think it will stay until I die.

What were my copes as a child besides food? Videogames, comics, movies, music. But nowadays I don't care about any of that, they lost their spark. I don't feel like doing anything. I eat because I'm unhappy and I'm unhappy because I eat (yes, like fat bastard from austin powers lol), and I don't know how to break that cycle. I'm starting therapy (again lol) and doing a ketamine treatment soon, I hope that helps.

Have you ever felt this way? What do you think I could do to relieve the pain of the void? Any ideas or encouragement are highly appreciated.

Weed gives the munchies so that actually would make it worse for most people. I never used food as a comfort thing so much as I'd overeat often when I'm bored, and boy howdy was I always bored. These days I try to just walk as much as I can, but I often do it so much that I injure myself from overexertion (currently nursing a sprained toe). Maybe just moving around could help you since most people don't tend to eat while moving.

As for what to eat, reduce carbs because they trick the brain into eating more. Increase your fiber intake since that helps keep you fuller longer, and get some more protein. It helps to identify what exactly you're eating and change it up so your body doesn't turn bad habits into a routine.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I'm also trapped in this cycle. I know I'll have to put more effort into breaking it soon because, being overweight makes me so miserable. Plus, feeling unfit makes work so much harder.

When I need to do it, I find that questioning whether this or that food is actually worth it sometimes helps. Like- it's really only a quick fix that ends up making things so much worse long-term.

I lost a great deal of weight- around 5.5 stone (35 kg or 77 pounds) years ago. I followed a low carb diet. Mostly vegetables and lean protein with a small amount of complex carbohydrates. That worked wonders for me. It was really more of a lifestyle change though- rather than a diet. I did it for years.

It's horrible though- isn't it? I think food addiction has to be one of the cruellest. Imagine telling an alchoholic or chain smoker that they had to have 3 drinks or cigarettes a day but, no more.

I also found it helped to identify trigger foods- if you suffer with binging. It's mostly processed foods I found that caused binges- because they're designed to! But yeah- you can still eat a lot but- you have to restrict what it is you eat. Not sure I have the mindset to be that strict now but, I do need to do something soon myself.

 

[Keef Girgo]

This is going to sound kinda gross but if you really have the urge to snack while you're alone, you could always just chew the food and then spit it out into a bin/plastic bag or something. That way you can still get the taste of things without committing to taking in all of the calories.

I guess it's less harmful than actual bulimia

 

[Kimlett]

Thanks everyone for your comments! I'm feeling more calm and confident now. Progress is not linear.

Food is such a great coping mechanism that's why it's hard to quit

Indeed

Hve u lookd in2 EFT or IFS therpy typs

Interesting, never heard of them. But right now I'm starting with psychoanalysis.

I've been there and I'm there currently. I love food. Probably the only thing I love. Food is always there for me. A warm meal makes life so much better. It's not a terrible option, better than drugs and alcohol. But still terrible for us nonetheless. As anything in excess is.

Yes, you get it. I see life so grey most of the time and food is like a bomb of colours.

Can you go somewhere there is no food? Literally. That's not a permanent option, obviously, but if you can do it for a week (or even 2 weeks) it might help you break the cycle. You should be able to go without food for up to 30 days without it doing you any real harm. (You would need water, of course.)

You mean not eating nothing at all for a week?? I don't think I can do that.

Have you tried massively cutting carbs? Theoretically you can still overeat and possibly lose weight or at least not gain much.

Basically you just eat meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds, green vegetables.

It works for a lot of people because most of the foods are quite filling

I think that forbidding food altogether is worse for me. Allowing myself small amounts of carbs has helped me avoid big binges.

It's horrible though- isn't it? I think food addiction has to be one of the cruellest. Imagine telling an alchoholic or chain smoker that they had to have 3 drinks or cigarettes a day but, no more.

So true. I wish you luck in your path as well.

This is going to sound kinda gross but if you really have the urge to snack while you're alone, you could always just chew the food and then spit it out into a bin/plastic bag or something. That way you can still get the taste of things without committing to taking in all of the calories.

I guess it's less harmful than actual bulimia

Believe it or not, I've done that a few times, but I ended up overeating normally. I miss the pleasure of swallowing, and having the food already in my mouth is a huge temptation.

 

[Linda]

Thanks everyone for your comments! I'm feeling more calm and confident now. Progress is not linear.

Indeed

Interesting, never heard of them. But right now I'm starting with psychoanalysis.

Yes, you get it. I see life so grey most of the time and food is like a bomb of colours.

You mean not eating nothing at all for a week?? I don't think I can do that.

I think that forbidding food altogether is worse for me. Allowing myself small amounts of carbs has helped me avoid big binges.

So true. I wish you luck in your path as well.

Believe it or not, I've done that a few times, but I ended up overeating normally. I miss the pleasure of swallowing, and having the food already in my mouth is a huge temptation.

You mean not eating nothing at all for a week?? I don't think I can do that.
If you were somewhere there was no food, you would have no choice.

 

[areyousafe??]

Have you tried using a calorie counting app like Myfitnesspal, Lose It! etc. I'm currently using Macrofactor to track, and because it's a paid app, it's making me accountable in making sure I stay within my calorie budget for the day.