I'm a binge eater and yes, this addiction is real. I could keep it on track and stay thin for a long time, until I started taking propranolol and started gaining weight So yes, that medication completely messed my metabolism. Not sure if it will ever be the same, but yes, I wish someone had told me about this side effect. I'm going to really try to lose weight once I move into the new place, I heard there are good places to go for a walk to nearby and that is exactly what I will do Knowing what I know now about nutrition... you can be sure I will try to help my kids lead a healthy life. That is for sure.
It's important to note that not all people who are overweight or "fat" are addicted to food, or even eating enough of it for daily intake of nutrients and vitamins that you need to be healthy. A lot of times your weight regulation has to do with your thyroid and metabolism, along with how much water you drink and whether or not you're getting enough sleep at night. Everyone seems to think "exercise" and "food", but that's just not the case. People become overweight when what they eat or have stored exceeds what their body burns. Exercise is a good catalyst for increasing the rate of your metabolism, but it's not the only or even the most relevant factor for weight control in every case. Some people who don't exercise can lose weight just by getting enough water, enough sleep, and having their hormonal balance and thyroid in a good state to where the body can handle things correctly. How your pancreas and liver handle toxins, sugars, and other things is also very important to whether or not you can control your weight. If you're missing certain types of nutrients or minerals in your body, you'll have certain types of food cravings. Everything from iron and zinc to potassium and magnesium which certain foods tend to have, and the body seems to have a memory or way to "want" them whenever you need them for survival. Something else that people often don't consider are parasites and their influence over the body. When people have unhealthy things in their gut or digestive tract, or other parts of their body, those things not only affect how you eat and how your body responds and metabolizes, but it also affects how many nutrients you get, your mood, your activity, and a plethora of other things in addition to a buildup of toxins that can often be mistaken for weight gain by the way they manifest. Yeast and certain types of parasites require and thrive on excess sugar in the body to survive, and they'll often affect the host in such a way that they are made to "crave" certain things that normally they wouldn't otherwise. The higher the sugar content, the more they will crave it. These are just a few of the other reasons (beyond food portion, normal cravings in excess, or exercise) that are the reasons people might become overweight or crave certain types of foods. It's always best to look outside of the box and see things as they are, rather than what society tells you they are or how everyone else perceives them to be. I used to be overweight until I got away from things I was highly allergic to that slowed my metabolism and affected my immune system significantly, which contributed to a "panic" mode to where my body tried to save and store everything I ate. That, and hypoglycemia made it to where I needed more sugar than usual just to maintain a standard blood-sugar level. It wasn't until later that I realized I had built up toxins from certain things in my environment and opportunistic yeast and other things that I had to cleanse myself of that I was able to return to a healthy weight and demeanor. Previously, when I drank a lot, I didn't realize I was fueling candida and yeast overgrowth until after I quit. So yes, you can be addicted to food and have your own cravings, but there's a ton of other reasons why and things to consider on top of the norm when it comes to this.
There does seem to be a preconceived idea that an overweight person is that way just because they eat too much or don't exercise but that's simply not the case at all. Like you say, there can be a number of health reasons that a person struggles with their weight, and while food addiction may be a cause, it certainly isn't the only reason a person can be overweight.
I am always struggling with a food addiction. In some ways it is the worse addiction because everyone can see the issue you have. ALso, it is not something you can be without. I mean you can stop doing drugs and alcohol and never do them again, but it is not the same with food.
I think people use food much in the same way people use drugs - it's an escape, a lot of the time. I guess that's why terms exist like "emotional eater" and "comfort food" - I think it's just wired into a lot of people that food is a way to feel good when you're going through something tough. And if that something tough is prolonged, and food is a coping mechanism, then it can no doubt result in a person becoming overweight or obese.
This is certainly a more modern topic that most addictions, but it is an important one nonetheless. It is very dangerous for people who cannot stop eating, and I think that it is hard for some people to view it the same as the traditional addiction, but it is. The good news is that there is help out there and much more resources than there used to be.
I think I am a food addict. I love eating so much that I am obese. I cannot overcome my temptation of eating. Sadly, I feel hard to stick to a regular exercise routine. I have never taken any medicine to control my weight, however, I may do so in the near future.
Things just aren't what they used to be. In my childhood there was no tablets and smartphones. We had game systems but even then we could only play it on weekends, not school days. That meant we had to play outside. And if you look in some other countries and how they feed their kids it is much healthier. Nothing but fruits and vegetables. The kids in the US are used to process fatty food so that is what they demand.
There's also different levels to food addiction as there is to all addictions of course. Wanting something and needing it are two different things and that's what makes something into an addiction or not. I'm sure we all like good food, it's when we can't get enough of it and haven't got the willpower to stop we know that we need help.
Food Addiction is more than exercising and staying healthy and so forth. It is about getting your needs met emotionally through food. Using food to comfort and nuture yourself. Obesity is such an epidemic in this country. I really think nutrition classes should be mandatory. People need to understand the momentary comfort they find from food is going to hurt them in the long run. Once it becomes a habit, like any other addiction it is very hard to break.
Your right and anybody that thinks food addiction is linked to dieting and exercise is wrong in my opinion. Food addiction is more of an emotional need rather than a physical one and people who are addicted to food aren't greedy or hungry, it's a form of comfort eating to make themselves feel better and it's that aspect that needs to be addressed.