How can you stop your cravings? And, how can you deal with emotional eating?
These and other questions are answered this week by our food-addiction expert, Bitten Jonsson, RN:
I'm eating too many fats
Hi Bitten!
I'm following the paleo diet and it has been easy to cut the carbohydrates. But I'm eating too much cheese and pate. I know I shouldn't eat that but I want a compensation for my bad life. How do I stop craving for fatty foods?
Thanks,
Rute
Rute,
Overeating, eating unhealthy, is never a tool to compensate for a "bad life". It will backfire. You need to deal with your emotions in other ways than eating. I wonder, could your feeling miserable be because of eating junk food for a long time before? Our brains can react with depression due to a biochemical imbalance caused by processed foods. I suggest you read Dr. Vera Tarmans book Food Junkies to understand more about this and join our support group on Facebook.
Warm welcome,
Bitten
Dealing with emotional eating on keto
Hi,
I have gained a significant amount of weight in the last few years and I am feeling depressed as a result. I also have hypothyroidism which makes losing weight very hard. I tried keto before and found it very good. My problem is that eventually I will have a bad week or some bad situation will happen and I will end up ditching the diet and eating junk. It's a terrible cycle. How can I break this cycle and stay motivated? I also tend to reach for dessert and sweet things, they are my weakness. I don't know how to stay off desserts. Please help, I really want to restart keto and stick with it this time.
I also wanted to ask if I can have coke zero and sugar-free gum while on keto?
Thanks,
Sahrish
Hello Sahrish,
It sounds like you have a loss of control over eating at times and that is sugar addiction. It is not enough to change food, we addicts need many more tools and we need support. I do recommend you take away coke and gum, they contain sweeteners and they trigger relapses and keep us craving sweets. I recommend you join our support group on Facebook and please read Food Junkies by Dr Vera Tarman, it is a great book for us in understanding our addicted brain, our reward system and how to start and keep our recovery process going.
You can do it, Bitten
Weight gain sugar free
Hi!
Today is day 8 free of sugar. The good news is that I'm less hungry and feel more steady. The other news is that I've gained 2 pounds (1 kg). I haven't gone wild with the fats as I know that calories count. It's not "that time of the month" or any other variable I can identify. Is this normal and/or how is it explained?
Thanks!
Janet
Hi Janet,
I should not worry about 2 lbs (1 kg), it could be fluids, so I think weighing yourself after a month is better. To obsess over weight is stressing your body and I hope you do this for all other health reasons. I never think of calories and I am very cautious not to mix sweeteners and high-carb veggies with my protein and fat. You are very early in recovery so keep going. If you ate a lot of sweets before starting, your body needs time to adjust.
My best,
Bitten
Earlier Q&A
More questions and answers
Read all earlier questions and answers - and ask your own! - here:
Ask Bitten Jonsson, RN, about food addiction - for members ( free trial available)
