5 minute read

Breaking the Food Addiction – Practicing Abstinence

By OMTimes

ow that you've accepted that you have an addiction to the chemicals found in processed food, the second component is to completely get the substance out of your system. Like any drug, as long as you have "just a little," it can activate the compulsion. Just as an alcoholic can't have alcoholic beverages around to tempt them, you should not have these foods around to tempt you. Many people, especially moms, will often say, "but I have to have it around for my kids or my husband," but honestly, you don't.

They do not need these foods any more than you do. Relatively thin people do not need to eat these chemicals, either. There is a littleknown problem being noticed recently that some people who are not fat yet eat all these processed foods have "fat blood" and can be just as sick as someone who is obese, but they don't show it on the outside like someone with a weight problem does.

Remember the alcoholic? He can't even have one sip of the addictive substance, and neither can you. But it doesn't have to be torture. You can replace these chemicals with all-natural, organic foods, and while, at first, you may experience some withdrawal, you won't be hungry, and you won't feel the withdrawal for long. You can overcome it simply by making a few replacements and exchanges in your current diet. Remember, just replace any processed foods with whole, natural, organic foods, and you will be fine, and so will your husband and kids. In fact, everyone will thank you for taking care of their health.

In order to do this, you need to practice abstinence, and you can only do this by clearing your home of any of these chemical substances. First, clean your cabinets and refrigerator of anything that is not completely whole, natural, and unaltered. No genetically modified substance or chemically enhanced foods, whether advertised as "health food" or not.

If anything has high fructose corn syrup, corn sugar, sugar, white flour, or additives you cannot pronounce, toss it. Throw it away and replace it with healthier alternatives.

Remember, some of these ingredients are added under different names to try to fool you. Do your due diligence and research the ingredients in your food before you ingest it. For instance, High fructose corn syrup may be called chicory, inulin, isoglucose, glucose-fructose syrup, fruit fructose, corn sugar, and the list goes on. Pay close attention if you don't know what something is. It is probably best not to eat it until you do know. I'm sure if you knew years ago that you were causing yourself and your entire family to be addicted to these substances, you would not have eaten them. But you were unaware, now you're not.

Breaking an addiction to food and overeating can be challenging, but it is achievable with the right mindset, support, and tools. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Identify the root cause: Understanding the underlying reasons for your food addiction and overeating is essential. It could be due to stress, boredom, emotional issues, or a lack of selfcontrol. Once you identify the root cause, you can start addressing it.

Practice mindfulness: Pay attention to your thoughts and emotions while eating. Try to eat slowly, savor each bite, and stop when full.

Create a healthy eating plan: Plan your meals in advance and ensure they are healthy and balanced. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains.

Find healthy alternatives: Instead of turning to junk food when you have a craving, find healthy alternatives like fruits, nuts, or vegetables.

Get support: Reach out to family, friends, or a support group to help you through the process.

Exercise regularly: Exercise helps with weight loss and releases endorphins, which can help reduce stress and improve your mood.

Seek professional help: If you are struggling to break your addiction to food and overeating, seek professional help from a therapist or registered dietitian.

Remember, breaking an addiction takes time and effort. Celebrate small successes along the way, and don't beat yourself up if you slip up. Instead, keep moving forward and stay committed to your goal of living a healthy and balanced life.

The first step to breaking your addiction to processed foods is acknowledging that you have a problem. Once you have done this, the next step is to completely remove these substances from your system. Just like any other addictive substance, even having a small amount can trigger compulsion. Similar to an alcoholic who cannot have any alcoholic beverages around, you should not have processed foods around to tempt you. Some people may argue that they need these foods for their family, but this is not true. Even if your family members are thin, they do not need to eat these chemicals. different names to try and deceive you. Therefore, it is important to research the ingredients in your food before you eat it. For instance, high fructose corn syrup may be disguised as chicory, inulin, isoglucose, glucose-fructose syrup, fruit fructose, or corn sugar. If you are not sure what an ingredient is, it is best not to eat it until you have researched it. It is likely that if you had known about the harmful effects of these substances years ago, you would not have eaten them. Now that you are aware, you can take the necessary steps to break your food addiction and improve your health.

To replace these addictive substances, you can switch to all-natural, organic foods. While you may experience some withdrawal symptoms initially, you won't feel hungry for long. You can overcome these symptoms by simply replacing processed foods with whole, natural, organic foods. You can practice abstinence by clearing your home of any processed foods, genetically modified substances, or chemically enhanced foods. If any food item contains high fructose corn syrup, sugar, sugar, white flour, or additives you cannot pronounce, you should toss it and replace it with healthier alternatives.

Breaking a food addiction can be challenging but possible with the right approach and mindset. Here are some tips that may help:

Identify triggers: Start by identifying the triggers that lead to your food addiction. This could be stress, boredom, loneliness, or something else. Once you identify your triggers, you can work on finding healthier ways to deal with them.

Be aware that some of these harmful ingredients may be added under

Make a plan: Plan your meals in advance and stick to a schedule. This will help you avoid impulsive eating and make healthier choices. Include a variety of healthy foods in your meals, such as lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Avoid temptation: Get rid of any unhealthy foods in your home and avoid places that tempt you to eat unhealthy foods. If you can't avoid certain situations, plan and bring healthy snacks.

Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water can help you feel fuller and reduce cravings. Aim for at least eight glasses of water a day.

Find support: Talk to friends and family about your goals and ask for their support. Then, consider joining a support group or seeking the help of a professional, such as a therapist or nutritionist.

Practice mindfulness: Pay attention to your body's hunger and fullness signals. Eat slowly and enjoy your food, savoring each bite. Avoid distractions while eating, such as TV or your phone.

Be kind to yourself: Breaking a food addiction takes time and effort. Be patient and kind to yourself, and don't beat yourself up if you slip up. Remember that every day is a new opportunity to make healthier choices.