By: Sandy Bowersox
I know you are probably thinking, “Not another one!” The question is, “How is your relationship with food?” I know that mine isn’t healthy (can you say dysfunctional?) and I am determined to do something about it. Who is willing to join me in this adventure? I am not an expert of any kind when it comes to food. This is simply my opinion with many years’ experience struggling to try to understand the information about food and health and weight loss and why I can’t lose weight even though I follow all the rules.
In my humble opinion, being a food addict is the same as any other addiction except worse because food is not something you can take away. As of the writing of this piece, I am searching for answers and someone to help with my addiction. I can tell by my resolve that writing this down and calling it what it is has already had a positive effect on me. I feel more control than I have ever felt before. Being able to eat real food and not bars or shakes works better for me. For some people it is a lifesaver. So, again, figure out what works for you. I have provided some information at the bottom of this article that might be useful to you.
Not being any kind of expert, I asked Michelle if I could write about this. I have been dieting since I was 13. I am now 70 and it makes me angry to still be on a diet or searching for one that actually works. My attempts to do this on my own (since I am, by the way, an alpha female, a Texan and a Taurus) have failed. I know the feeling firsthand of actually being afraid of being hungry. In our time, there is never more than a few miles in our lives to get to some sort of food source. But that rationality escapes me when I’m hungry or feeling deprived. I have tried every diet known to mankind, and I still have a considerable amount of weight to lose. Of course, no one speaks of my size, but it is very hurtful to me to be around someone who looks normal to me and they are constantly saying they need to lose weight. A woman I used to work with, who by the way looked liked a model, would get a candy bar and it would take her the entire day to nibble away at that. I never understood that.
For me, the low carb/healthy fat (LCHF) lifestyle seems to be easiest to follow. I finally quit “white knuckling” it. I saw Dr. Johnny Weeks, a local board-certified obesity medicine physician who treats people like me, people with metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, PCOS and simply those who, like me, have gained weight by following the Standard American Diet (or SAD diet) recently. The diet he prescribes works well for me. I went on it before now one other time, but I was stubborn; I did not want to accept that I could not have bread and pasta and ice cream and that I could not cheat occasionally and still lose weight. I did not understand how metabolically damaged I was. I finally said to hell with it because I felt like I was just going to have to accept that all my ancestors were fat, therefore I’m supposed to be fat and I’m tired not getting to eat what I want when I want. (I’m old. I’m supposed to be fat!). But that doesn’t work for me either.
So now, I am back to eating the LCHF way. I chose to go back to LCHF because I knew it would work if I followed it. I have been trying to “diet” on my own for two months. I would lose 3 to 5 pounds and then “cheat” and gain it all back and be depressed again. I would highly recommend that you see Dr. Weeks, if you’re in this area, or your own doctor to have a serious conversation about your health and how to reclaim it. Go in for a good physical.
Ask to draw labs prior to your appointment so you can discuss at the appointment. Tell the doctor you are concerned about etabolic disorders and weight gain. Tell your doctor you want to know if you are pre-diabetic, insulin resistant or are at risk of developing diabetes or other diseases like cardiovascular disease. I am somewhat reluctant to tell you this because many doctors know nothing about metabolic disorders. However, if your doctor does not know about nutrition, etc., ask him/her to refer you. Not knowing if you are diabetic or hypothyroid will prevent you from living a healthy life. Ignorance may be bliss but sometimes not too smart. One thing I have learned is that your thyroid test may come back on paper as “normal,” but the reality is that you are not. That is one test that can be decided simply on paper. I absolutely KNEW that I was hypothyroid from doing self-diagnosis. Turns out I was on the correct thyroid medication, but I was seriously low in vitamin D. Since I have been getting the correct medications in the correct dosage, that has made all the difference in the world. I have some ideas to put forth for you to grapple with if you find yourself in the same situation I’m in.
I guess I have known for some time that I had a problem with food. Part of that is the way I was raised. I can’t blame it all on my parents, but it’s a good start. Food was the “fixer” of any ills that may be on your plate, so to speak, pun intended. Stressed, sad, angry, tired, social interactions—you name it, food was the answer. I was a fat kid. Then I became a fat adult. Because of this, there have been many missed opportunities because I was fat. I avoid pictures like the plague. I am not going to spill out all the nasty garbage that better about myself. No, this is not an excuse for the psychiatrist’s office couch. My goal in sharing all this is hopefully to help someone make that step. Your reasons are your reasons. I have actually heard people say, “Let’s get a bite now so we won’t be hungry later.” It’s as if being hungry is the worst thing that could happen!
I have to tell you this: I finally found an endocrinologist who I was excited about. Well, the excitement didn’t last long. When I shared with him that I felt like his diet regimen was too strict to adhere to, he laughed at me and sent me on my way. Did I mention that the plan he is so adamant about is sold through is practice? I have become quite suspect of a doctor who sells products from his office and that is the only plan or product they will work with.
1. The very first step is admitting you have a dysfunctional relationship with food and cannot control yourself when you are around it. Admit to yourself that you are out of control. Believe it or not, just doing that much will start down the road to success. Don’t try to do this on your own.
2. Find a doctor who will work with you and not laugh at you! That’s kind of a “duh” isn’t it? Don’t continue making excuses. Own that you are a food addict and you need help.
3. Find a support group. If you can’t find one, start one. I’m not a support-group-kinda-girl, but in this instance, I do believe it works. Why do you think AA has a support group?
4. Learning your body enough to know when you are full. Senses of being full or hungry don’t necessarily apply to us. When someone says to me, “I’m not hungry so I’m not gonna eat,” that is a foreign language to me. What does hunger have to do with it anyway? Right? I “love” food. I like the way it tastes and makes me feel (until I finish every morsel and then the guilt and remorse set in). The moment I finish “binging” the enjoyment leaves fairly quickly.
• ASweet Life blog
• www.DietDoctor.com
• Why We Get Fat (And What To Do About It) by Gary Taubes
• The New Atkins for A New You by Eric Westman, M , Jeff Volek, PhD, and Stephen Phinney, MD
• Dr. Eric Westman has published several books, and it is my understanding that he is one of the pioneers in low-carb eating. I did have all his books and I donated them to the library.
• The Ketogenic Cookbook by Jimmy Moore and Maria Emmerich. This book is a huge help in your struggles.
• Beyond the Food by Jacqueline Falco. I just got this book and started reading it. Wow, is all I can say right now. Def not a “light read” book. She also has a podcast by the same name.
• 2KetoDudes podcast
• Jimmy and the Doc podcast
• Online research. Online, I found www.calorieking.com.
• “You ain’t your weight” is another source.
• Overeaters Anonymous
Sandy celebrated her 70th birthday in May 2017. She hails from Texas, having grown up in Houston. She studied at Stephen F Austin University in Nacogdoches, TX. She has lived in the Charleston, SC area for 25+ years, is married to her husband of 50 years, is the mother of three delightful, interesting children and has been blessed with seven delightful grandchildren (soon to be 9). If you wish to contact her, please email sandybowersox@gmail.com