Eating healthy and losing weight can become impossible for many people. Despite having the best intentions to lose weight, in no time they find themselves eating large amounts of unhealthy foods, even as they know it can cause them harm.
Food addiction is a big problem, it is even the main reason why people fail to lose weight or obtain a better state of health. Therefore, we present you different ways to overcome food addiction .
What is junk food addiction?
When we speak of “food addiction” we mean addiction to junk food, which can be compared to addiction to drugs. It is a relatively new and controversial term, and high-quality statistics on its prevalence are lacking. (Gordon et al., 2018).
Effects of junk food on your brain
Junk food addiction involves the same areas of your brain as drug addiction. The same neurotransmitters are involved, and many of the symptoms are identical. (Blumenthal and Gold, 2010).
Junk foods, such as sweets, carbonated drinks, and high-fat fried foods have a major influence on your brain’s reward center, caused by brain neurotransmitters like dopamine. (Rada, Avena, and Hoebel, 2005).
Junk food addiction symptoms
We can find 8 main symptoms of addiction to junk food :
- You often have food cravings, despite feeling full and having finished a nutritious meal.
- When you give up and start eating a food you craved, you find yourself eating a lot more than you intended.
- When you eat a food that you craved, you eat to the point of feeling excessively full.
- You often feel guilty after eating certain foods , but find yourself eating them again soon after.
- You make excuses in your head about why you should eat something that you are craving.
- You have repeatedly but unsuccessfully tried to stop eating certain foods or to set rules for them, such as cheat meals or days.
- You hide unhealthy food consumption from others.
- You feel unable to control your consumption of unhealthy foods, despite knowing that they cause physical harm, including weight gain.
If you consider that you have at least 5 of these 8 symptoms, you can consider that you have a serious problem of food addiction.
Junk food addiction problem
Addiction to unhealthy foods can cause physical harm and lead to serious illnesses, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes (Pedram et al., 2013).
Like other addictions, food addiction can cause emotional problems , thus increasing the risk of premature death. Not forgetting that it can also negatively impact your self-esteem, since you can feel bad about your physical image.
Is avoiding junk food worth it?
Avoiding junk food can be very difficult, especially since it is part of modern culture and can be found everywhere. However, abstaining from the consumption of certain foods of this type is necessary.
When making the decision not to eat these foods, it may be easier to avoid them, even your cravings may disappear. However, if you’re not sure whether it will be worth the sacrifice, experts recommend making a pro and con list.
- Pros: lose weight, live longer, have more energy, feel better every day, etc.
- Cons: you won’t be able to enjoy ice cream, you won’t be able to share certain foods on special dates, have to explain your food options, etc.
After writing your list of pros and cons, ask yourself if it is really beneficial to stop eating these types of foods.
How to motivate yourself to avoid junk food
- Write a list of the foods you tend to crave. These are the trigger foods that you should avoid completely.
- Make a list of fast food places that serve healthy foods and write down your healthy options. This can prevent a relapse when you’re hungry and don’t feel like cooking.
- Think about what foods you are going to eat, preferably healthy foods that you like and that you already eat regularly.
- Consider making multiple copies of your pros and cons list. Keep a copy in your kitchen, in your glove compartment, and in your purse or wallet. It will help you remember why you are doing this.
Once you have done this step, you should set a date in the near future, such as the weekend. From that date you should avoid touching the foods that trigger your addiction.
Seeking help to overcome food addiction
If you end up relapsing and consuming junk food again, you should know that you are not alone and that you are not the only one who has this problem.
It may take several tries to do this, but if not, you should consider seeking help. Many health professionals and support groups can help you achieve your goal.
You may need to seek out a psychologist or psychiatrist who is experienced in treating food addiction to get personalized support. If you don’t like this option, you can look for support groups in your area for people who suffer from the same problem as you, which are totally free.
Conclution
Food addiction is a problem that usually does not resolve itself. Unless you make a conscious decision to avoid it, it is likely to get worse over time. You can start by discovering what are the benefits and problems that avoid eating junk food, this way you will know if it is beneficial for you: put this lifestyle aside.
You can consider seeking help from a professional, but you have to take into account that this is an option that you have to pay for; On the other hand, if you are looking for help with a support group, it can be just as beneficial and is a totally free option.
References
- Blumenthal, D. and Gold, M. Neurobiology of food addiction.
National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. doi:
10.1097 / MCO.0b013e32833ad4d4 - Gordon, E., Aviva, H., Donges, H., Bauman, V. and Merlo, L. (2018). What Is the Evidence for “Food Addiction?” A Systematic Review. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. doi: 10.3390 / nu10040477
- Pedram, P., Wadden, D., Amini, P., Gulliver, W., Randell, E., Cahill, F… Sun, G. (2013). Food addiction: its prevalence and significant association with obesity in the general population.
National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. doi:
10.1371 / journal.pone.0074832 - Rada, P., Avena, B. and Hoebel, G. (2005). Daily bingeing on sugar repeatedly releases dopamine in the accumbens shell. Science Direct. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.04.043
