Dear First name / friend,
A big part of my work is helping women understand the why behind their relationship with food and this question comes up fairly often.
Are you actually addicted to food?
If you have ever felt out of control around certain foods, craving sugary, salty or fatty foods or caught yourself eating when you weren't hungry, you have probably wondered whether you're addicted to food.
It's a good question, and one I am asked fairly often.
Having been there myself, I understand why we reach for it. When eating feels out of control, "I'm addicted" can be the easier explanation. It gives the feeling a name and takes us off the hook a little. Unfortunately, it is seldom what is actually going on and what feels like addiction is your body responding, very predictably, to something else.
Restriction.
Restriction is usually the biggest culprit. The second we make a food off-limits, we want it more, and we tend to overeat it when it finally lands on the plate. Add in under-eating, stress and sheer exhaustion, and the pull gets stronger still (hence the association with addiction).
Which means the fix isn't more willpower, and it certainly isn't another rule. It's more regular, satisfying food and a calmer relationship with what you eat. Do that consistently, and the charge around those foods tends to fade on its own.
For example, if chocolate is your thing, rather than removing it completely, you might have a small treat size bar every evening after dinner. It gives you something to look forward to, and it tells your brain that nothing is being taken away. It doesn't have to be after dinner either, it could be a cookie with your afternoon coffee, or wherever fits your day best. The point is the same, there are no good or bad foods, everything has its place, and it is that balance that keeps us from going off the rails.
