15 tricky questions to help determine if you have food addiction

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Did you know that skinny people also suffer from food addiction? Test Yourself - Answer 15 questions to determine if you are addicted to food.

When we hear the expression "food addiction", a picture of a very obese person involuntarily pops up in our head. This is because we are used to applying the term "addiction" to people who have driven themselves to extremes in the use of something harmful (drugs, alcohol). Therefore, it is easy to assume that someone who has suffered from food addiction must have an extreme weight, because he does not control his eating habits. But an obese person is just one particular case of food addiction.

There are many people in the world who look slim and fit in their clothes, and a flabby body under their clothes. Their weight may be normal, but the diet consists solely of unhealthy foods. These people can restrict their calorie intake to avoid gaining weight. Skinny-fat is what these people are called. This is another type of food addiction.

In fact, many of us also suffer from food addiction without even realizing it.

What is food addiction

Although food addiction is a serious and real problem, there is still no official definition of what exactly it is.

Food addiction, like any other, takes many forms, ranging from an obsession with counting calories and restricting food intake to constant overeating. Also, this expression can be used in relation to a person who is addicted to a certain type of food, such as fast food.

Food addiction is everything from an obsession with counting calories to uncontrollable cravings for a certain type of food that leads to overeating.

Moreover, "overeating" does not necessarily mean consuming too many calories. It can all boil down to eating large quantities of unhealthy foods. The obligatory cup of coffee in the morning or dessert before bed are common examples of food addiction. After all, if a person abruptly refuses this ritual, then he may feel depressed and irritated.

How to tell if you have food addiction? The questions that I found on the site will help you with this:

Have you ever had a time when you wanted to stop eating but couldn't stop?
Are thoughts about food or your own weight constantly swirling in your head?
Are you jumping from one diet to another without any noticeable success?
Do you cleanse your body of food eaten through vomiting or laxatives?
Do you eat differently depending on whether you are in the company or alone?
Is it a habit for you to eat a lot of food in one meal instead of small snacks stretched out over the day?
Do you open the refrigerator when you are bored and not hungry?
Do you have times when you eat in secret?
Do you belong to the category of people who eat a lot, but never gorge themselves?
Are you obsessed with how many calories you consume and burn during the day?
Do you feel guilty or ashamed for what you have eaten?
Do you hide food to make sure you have enough?
Have you recently stolen someone else's food?
Do you think that your life will begin only when you lose weight?
Do you think that losing those extra pounds is an unattainable goal for you?

Answering yes to one of the questions is a sign that you may have food addiction. And, as you may have noticed from the wording of the questions, this is much more common than you might imagine.

What to do if you have severe food addiction

Here are some ways to deal with this problem.

1. Do not limit yourself to counting calories - study the ingredients

If you want to live a healthy lifestyle, don't just stop at calculating your calories, check the ingredients as well. See if the product contains additives that cause food addiction. If you can, then it's time to give up this product and never return to it.

2. Avoid foods labeled "zero calories"

You should understand that almost all foods labeled "zero calories" or "sugar-free" (this can be drinks, snacks, salad dressings) contain artificial sweeteners that give them a pleasant taste. There is more harm from these supplements than from a few extra calories. These foods need to be eliminated from your diet to break the chain of food addiction.

3. Don't start your day with aromatic coffee

I'm sure many will hate me for this advice, but it makes sense. Stop drinking coffee with cream and flavors in the morning. Replace it with green tea.

The sugars in these supplements only increase sugar cravings throughout the day, which increases the likelihood of snacking on junk foods like sugary donuts or cakes.

4. Avoid sugar wherever possible

Don't assume your food is sugar-free. Here are foods high in this ingredient. See what food you need to keep to a minimum at all costs. Trust me, some of the items on the list will surprise you.

5. Seek help from a specialist

Coping with food addiction is no easier than quitting smoking. If you cannot stop your addiction to food, I recommend that you seek help from a nutritionist. There is nothing wrong with that, because the sooner you get help, the sooner you will live a healthy and happy life.

Now you understand that each of us can become addicted to food. Therefore, be extremely careful about what foods you eat.