Why are you addicted???

So yesterday's post was to help you figure out why you struggle with your weight. If you are like most, you are probably addicted to food.

In fact, I just saw an Arby's cup in the gutter the other day, it read:

Talk about a subliminal message...are you kidding me? The fast food industry has intense marketing skills to suck you into their drive thrus...and their food is killing you!!!!

Ironically yesterday, I had a conversation with my sister-in-law. She has a blog...and yesterday she blogged about MSG!!! I think it's safe to say, as she said, "We have an MSG addiction".

Check out her post from yesterday to help you see the part of the problem: http://tammystable.com/2011/07/27/msg/

SOLUTION: Here's my idea to start weaning you off food (the addiction, not completely stop eating): Read every label of the food you buy - if it has MSG, put it back on the shelf and find something else WITHOUT the MSG.

Take note on the mention of fast food on her blog!!!

SOLUTION: Prepare your food at home!

So the plan for this week:

• Read your labels and prepare foods at home w/out MSG.
• Avoid the death trap/drive thrus!!!

Let's go even further to see if this helps: Weigh yourself today, avoid foods with MSG and drive thrus...I guarantee...really, I guarantee you will be down by next week! Test my theory! Try it! I dare you!!!!

Food Addiction is a real thing....

Over the last few months people have opened up to me about what they eat. They had to. I offer my help, your payment will be honesty! I offer confidential encouragement. (Don't worry, names are changed to protect the innocent.)

In light of hearing some of the same things from different people, it is apparent that many have a food addiction. Some have one so strong that even 2 years of personal training may not cure. Only because the addiction was not called out on the carpet and dealt with. You have to look at what you eat, why you eat it, how you feel before & after you eat the foods you do, and whether or not you hide it.

Note: I am not a doctor. And this is not to make you feel awful, powerless, or weak. If you keep up with my posts on FB & blog, you know that I swear by transparency & honesty. ONLY when we are honest with ourselves and others, can we get help. ONLY when we admit we have a problem can there be accountability & change. So are you ready to change?

Here is a quick list of questions for you to be honest with yourself - answer these YES or NO:

1. Do you eat alone?                                                                            
2. Do you lie about how much you eat?
3. Do you eat more than your friends?
4. Do you eat more than you used to?
5. Do you eat to calm your nerves?
6. Do you suffer problems (health or others) because of your eating?
7. Is food & consumption of it affecting relationships with loved one?

This was actually a list of questions for warning signs of alcoholism and I just exchanged 'eat' for the word 'drink'. So while you may have been skeptical if you had a problem, now you realize that when you put food in the place of 'alcohol'...you have a problem if you are answering YES to these questions. And it is as serious as alcoholism.

Did you answer yes to 3 or more? If so, then you should research this topic of Food Addiction further. In fact, there is a resource for you, FAA (Food Addicts Anonymous). I actually have it on my to-do list for the week, to contact them and see if we can get a meeting here in Bakersfield. Especially since 29% of Kern County is obese!

Folks, I've posted up posts on obesity statistics and stats on preventable disease. YOU ARE NOT ALONE in your food addiction. If 65% of Americans are overweight & obese, I'm sure it is safe to say that over 1/2 of the U.S. are food addicts.

I know, I know...the word ADDICT is such a harsh word right. We think of crackheads, potheads, the red-faced alcoholic...but your addiction is even more apparent than theirs if you think about it. But we can change it together. With a plan of diet and exercise, accoutability, and help - you CAN conquer this!

Either contact the FAA, or me. I want to help you get from where you are to where you want to be!


For more on this topic:
Google: Food Addicts Anonymous. Also look for books regarding Food Addiction, Recovery from Food Addiction.

I also want to add, that if you struggle with an eating disorder of bulimia or anorexia, then contact these people as well. You have a food addiction problem that doesn't leave you big on the outside, you're tiny on the outside. You feel big when you look in the mirror and you are slowly killing yourself as well. Please reach out for help & free yourself of this obsession with food/purging!!!! Please!!!

My Heart is to help YOU - You're not alone!

I have such a burden to reach out to people who struggle in life. This is what I wanted to share yesterday, but during my a.m. time slot to blog, blogger was down. So instead of featuring a Success Story, I want to share my heart today.

I love you. Really. Most people reading this know me, and some I may not know at all. But I know me, and I know I have a deep, genuine concern for people and my heart is for you to be successful.

Since becoming a 'coach', I have had so many people reach out to me and share their struggles with me. Struggles about weight loss and the 2 components: food & exercise. Too much food, and not any exercise. If that's you, I want you to know that you're not alone.

You're NOT ALONE in this struggle. There is a ton of people who have the same struggle as you. And if I let myself get into the habit, I have the struggle too. (I'll address this word habit next week in the context of diet & exercise).

What helped me is realizing that I didn't get overweight - overnight. It took a few months, a year or so to pack on some weight. It started by me allowing myself to eat what I WANTED, not what I should. I gained weight because I ate the pizza that was at the birthday party, followed it with some cake. I gained weight because I gave in and had the bacon egg biscuit to-go. I gained weight because I continually ate foods that were not lean or healthy. They were high-carb & fat-laden foods.

I gained because I did not exercising consistently. I was taking my son for walks. And I thought they were really burning calories, yea, I don't think it was enough. I stayed big. And finally, after being miserable with myself, I decided I had to take drastic measures. I had to exercise with more intensity...and I could not eat whatever I wanted, or whatever was there.

That meant, if I was going to a party, if they didn't have some salad without drsg. or any lean meat, I would not eat. I (like my husband who lost over 200 lbs.) typically ate our healthy meal before, showed up to the party and declined eating. "Proper etiquette", I don't know. I didn't care. Maybe the chili dogs was the only thing in the budget & that's okay. But I'm not going to scarf down 1,000 calories in one sitting to 'not hurt the host's feelings'. I would just politely say, 'no thanks, I already ate'. I had goals and the only way I was going to reach them is if I took drastic measures.

This also meant I had to plan ahead. I needed to have healthy choices ready to eat. I had to cook up extra chicken breast, boil up eggs (to eat the egg whites), have fresh produce ready to eat, and I had to try to find ways to avoid wanting to raid the cupboard.

One that I found was that working out crazy hardcore helped me in 2 ways. One, it burned a ton of calories to get to that stored fat that just loves staying glued to my hips off...and it made me think twice about what I put in my mouth. I would tell myself & others, "I work out too hard to eat that". My philosophy is/was: Why am I going to push myself sooooo hard to turn around & eat that? Most people's philosophy is: Oh, I worked out so I CAN eat it! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO that's why you're not losing weight & getting results...you're not creating a calorie deficit.

The key to losing weight is simple math: Create a deficit. Burning more calories than you eat = Results. So, example, yesterday, I burned 805 calories, I ate around 1200-1300, so really my body received only 500, but because I was eating healthy foods, often throughout the day, I didn't feel hungry, my metabolism stayed revved up. Now, if I was to not eat but only 500 calories/day, without working out....well, I'd sabotage my body - period. See that is the beauty of working out! In fact, I've already burned over 3500 calories this week & I have 2 more days of my INFERNO to do!

I went off on a tangent about working out and eating good, because that's what many of you are not doing. And that's why you struggle with your weight. I think it would be safe to say that many are addicted to food.

Now before you get defensive, I want you to do an experiment. Answer this: What is your favorite food? What do you just love to eat? Now, when you eat it, do you eat just one or 2 bites or it until you are stuff? Do you smile and moan when the food is in your mouth? If it's around, and you just got done eating, do you want to eat that favorite food? Now, what is that favorite food? Is it healthy? Is it fries, pizza, candy bars, cakes, ice cream? If you think you are not addicted...I have a challenge for you. Whatever that 'fave food' is - give it up for 1 week. If you can do that, give it up for 1 month. See how your attitude is without it. See how your attitude is when it's in front of it and you don't eat it. (Email me if you do this, I'm interested in your results.)

I have a heart for food addicts because I've experienced addiction before. Addiction is crazy. Shoot, my addiction to home-brewed Starbucks coffee is what got me out of bed today (yes, I'm already planning to address it). But addiction is real, and addiction to food is real. And if we don't start addressing it as an addiction, I'm not sure we can conquer this obesity epidemic.

My heart is to help people who feel powerless against food. It's a real feeling that many experience. If you want help, email me at jennifermorin@beachbodycoach.com. Find me on FB - Jennifer Morin....and I will help you the best that I can!