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Ask HN: Food Addiction

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Ask HN: Food Addiction

#1

Post by magusd »

I'm very obsessive and it makes me very susceptible to addictions. I have very poor moderation but I've got strong will power.

I was able to stopped smoking, drinking alcohol and playing video games by just getting rid of all the "paraphernalia" and quitting cold turkey. After a good year or so of complete abstinence, I was able to introduce those things back in my life and exercise moderation. I could drink socially and play video games without harming my work productivity, etc.

Now I'm struggling with food addiction, which ended up being my escape valve and receiving all my obsession after I quit everything else.

I've tried fasting and I was able to do 18h fasts daily with no problem and even go over a week without eating, just on water and herbal tea. But that completely messed up my habits, metabolism and relationship with food, and I'm now struggling to follow a schedule and any kind of diet.

So I was looking for a way to "quit food" without the unpleasant side effect of death. This is not about weight, I'm a bit overweight yes, but I exercise and am able to keep a decent shape. The real problem is that my blood work is starting to approach the higher ends of what is considered ok. And I'd love to avoid becoming diabetic and obese in my later life.

I'd love to know if anyone has been able to completely replace food with protein powders and vitamins, hospital liquid diet, or any other alternative. The idea here is to abstain from food for a full year and then restart eating normally with a light balanced diet with a nutritionist's help.

Has anyone done this or is familiar with the supporting science? What is recommended or non-obvious mistakes to avoid?

Thanks!

Re: Ask HN: Food Addiction

#3

Post by vxxzy »

After about a week or so, following a strict keto diet (<20 net carbs), destroys my compulsion for food. Something along the lines of, “Yeah I could eat, but I don’t _have_ to”. It does take willpower at first, but getting your body off of the sugar/carb craving can do wonders. Hit me up if you wanna chat more - email in my profile.

Re: Ask HN: Food Addiction

#5

Post by samatman »

I say this in a friendly way, it sounds like you're developing an eating disorder.

Maybe go see a doctor who deals in both nutrition and disordered eating, they exist, see what he or she thinks.

Re: Ask HN: Food Addiction

#6

Post by meristohm »

I can relate: stopped drinking alcohol in early 2020, and videogames are mostly social now, to stay in touch with a few good friends, and I still struggle with food. Practicing fasting helped me be able to go without the "safety blanket" of always having snacks in the car, for example. Because I have a young child, and a spouse who prefers to eat throughout the day, I'm still surrounded by food. When I'm feeling more stressed it is that much harder to stick to my narrower eating window. Coffee and fats help, and warm salty water.

I'd be wary of going without "real" food for a year. Fiber and plants in general feel like such an important part of my diet, and the pleasure of eating for an hour and feeling full of healthy food seems like a healthy part of life. Relegating sugar to a condiment at best is an important step toward being able to notice the compulsion to eat, and then do something else instead.

What you're proposing sounds interesting but also something I wouldn't opt for myself. Everyone is different, though, and we're for the most part free to try things. I keep a journal and that helps me be more aware and forgive myself when I don't do exactly what I'd prefer. Helps obviate regret.

My default at this point is to delay breakfast, ideally until mid-afternoon, and have one more meal a few hours later, with the family. Sometimes I skip that if I'm still full from the break-fast. It's taken months of practice, and I'm not as regimented as I'd like, but it's better than before.

I hope you find something that works.

Re: Ask HN: Food Addiction

#7

Post by jaxmurr »

DoreenMichele wrote: post #2

Let me suggest you likely have some kind of vitamin deficiency making you obsessive. Address that and your relationship to food may stop being so problematic.

Not a vitamin but NAC helps me with obsessive behaviors and changing habits.

Hilarious that the FDA threw a fit over it.

Re: Ask HN: Food Addiction

#8

Post by magneticnorth »

I know someone who successfully got their food addiction under control via “FA” - see foodaddicts.org. Basically they put you on a strict food plan where you weigh & measure all parts of your meals and avoid sugar and any of your personal triggers, and you check in regularly with a sponsor like in AA. Not something I would want to do, but for one person I know who couldn’t get their eating under control, it worked really well.

Re: Ask HN: Food Addiction

#10

Post by mattgreenrocks »

vxxzy wrote: post #3

After about a week or so, following a strict keto diet (<20 net carbs), destroys my compulsion for food. Something along the lines of, “Yeah I could eat, but I don’t _have_ to”. It does take willpower at first, but getting your body off of the sugar/carb craving can do wonders. Hit me up if you wanna chat more - email in my profile.

Strict keto is pretty extreme (in retrospect), but it did wonders teaching me how much I need to eat, when I need to eat, and what I should be eating. Recommended!

I eat something closer to a low-carb diet now (<100 net carbs) a day, and am super happy with it. I naturally gravitate away from consuming carb-intensive meals on a regular basis unless it is for a specific reason. I still eat and enjoy things like pasta and chips, but they no longer have the same pull they used to.

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