Conference rocks::weight_control

    	I feel compelled to reply to this note, but I am at a complete
    loss.  I for one am addicted to food.  I am now and will always
    be.  I have learned that my eating is directly related to my emotional
    state.  When I am happy,etc I generally have no problem with avoiding
    food.  When I am depressed I desire the emotional pasifier of food.
    It probably comes from the ...you bumped your knee...have a cookie
    it will make you feel better....SYNDROME.  
    
    	Unfortunately, one can not give up food.  I would never recomend
    giving up any type of food...even sweets.  However, some people
    do have reactions to certain things, like flour or sugar and in this case
    it is necessary.  If sweets are a 'TRIGGER' then by all means until
    you can identify whit it is that is being triggered, avoid them.
    
    
    	This doesn't really answer your question, but I hope it helps.
    
    						Paul S.

    I know what you are going through.  I am an ex-smoker and have found
    I was using food as a substitute for that compulsion.  I have recently
    joined Diet Workshop and I'm so excited.  I feel for once in my
    life I will be able to control my compulsion by loosing weight with
    them and learning how to eat properly for the rest of my life. 
    The diet they give you is a "core diet" which you will live with
    for the rest of your life.  The only difference is by the time you
    reach maintenance you will add more units of food.  This diet includes
    ice cream, cake, pizza, McDonalds, Burger King etc.  
    
    I was have been a WW lifetime member for 16 years but when I gained
    some of my weight back I could never get motivated enough to get
    back to goal and keep it off.  I feel I'll be able to do so with
    this program.  
    
    Try it, I hope it will work for you too.  I really don't think you
    will feel "deprived" as on other diets.
    
    

    I can identify with what you're talking about.  I believe I'm addicted
    to sugar-sweetened dairy products.  I've had a sweet tooth all my life,
    but never had a weight problem till I quit smoking.  Suddenly my eating
    of ice cream went totally out of control. I mean totally.  Over
    a period of a year or so I put on 35 - 40 pounds, most of it Breyer's
    Vanilla ice cream.  I finally got it under a little control, but
    for the next 8 or so years could not drive past a Wendy's without
    ordering a Frosty.  I know, those things are *terrible*, but my
    body craved sweet dairy products (yogurt and pudding included too).
    
    I've been in WW since last October, and have almost lost the weight.
    I'm struggling with the last 10 pounds, but that's in another note.
    Anyway, I haven't given up ice cream altogether, but I've made drastic
    modifications to my eating habits.  For one thing, I bought a Donvier
    and routinely make Equal-sweetened frozen yogurt at home.  Things
    that don't contain sugar don't seem to set me off, so that's a nice
    safe dessert that still satisfies my craving for sweet, frozen,
    and dairy.  You'll never see a carton of ice cream in our fridge,
    EVER.  Just can't handle it.
    
    On occasion I eat ice cream, but it's extremely rare and when I
    do I have to fight the craving afterward.  I believe if I let myself
    go, I'd eat it by the gallon till I threw up, then eat it some more.
    It's actually a strange and very scary sensation to realize you
    have no control whatsoever.
    
    Wish I had an easy cure.  Maybe someday the medical profession will
    come up with an easy way to keep our mouths satisfied while bypassing
    our stomachs!  In the meantime, good luck!
    
    							Pat

	There certainly is such a thing as an addictive personality, and 
	I know exactly what you're going through.  It's not fun, but 
	acknowledging the nature of the problem is an important first step.

	I had to give up wheat completely about 8 years ago.  When I was
	eating it, I was definitely addicted to it, and breaking its hold 
	on me was not fun.  While I still get into self-pity about it, 
	it's been a long time since I was really tempted to eat any of it.
	The cravings do eventually go away.

	I have a problem with sugar too, and I have to be very careful 
	with it.  As a general rule, I don't eat any at all, though I will
	make an occasional exception.  

	Neither of these restrictions is that big a deal at home; there are
	other starches I can have, and if there's no wheat in the house I
	don't have to worry about it (I have a wonderfully supportive SO).
	I have to make sure waiters understand that I can't have even a 
	crumb, which can be a drag, but you do get used to it.

	I found out about the wheat allergy (along with food allergies in
	general) from a book called "Dr Mandell's 5 Day Allergy Relief 
	System" by Marshall Mandell.  You might want to get a copy; you
	may find that his system pinpoints one thing for you to avoid;
	that's a lot easier to deal with than the hit-or-miss of a class
	of foods.

	Good luck, and feel free to send mail if you want to talk about
	this off-line.

	Beverly

I can understand exactly what you mean about admitting you might have
    an addiction.   I have struggled with a weight problem the last
    4 years trying everything from WW, Weightloss Clinic, Physicians'
    Weightloss, Dietworkshop, Nutri System, Hypnosis, an expensive Diet
    Doctor and shots, liquid diets. Some work for a little while, but
    all the weight goes back on + more.  All this places I tried never
    got to the root of the problem of why I was eating. Emotions is
    the answer and the addiction to refined sugar and flour.  Some people are
    very sensitive to these and they set up a craving for more. Since
    giving up these items January 4th I have lost 43 lbs and have never
    felt better physically and emotionally. I joined O/A and they have
    made a tremendous impact on my life. Giving me tranquility I never
    thought I'd ever regain.  My life was so hectic. The sugar was keeping me
    hyper and I'd crave more and the cyle went on and on. Took about
    2 weeks to get over not having it and now I can look and cakes and
    donuts with absolutely no desire to eat that junk. I have plenty
    to eat and am not on a "diet".  I will live the rest of my life
    without that stuff and my nutritionist is monitoring me and can't
    believe how great I've done. I have plenty of meat, veggies, fruite
    and cereal. Not only that my blood pressure drop from 150/90 to
    100/70 and my colesterol dropped 60 points. 
    
    I didn't me to go on and on but I hope this helps you understand
    that addictive personalities usually have more than one addiction.
    But they are all controllable.  Good luck.
    
    
    

    
    When you say "addicted to flour and sugar" do you mean everything
    made from flour is out, or just those things made from white flour?
    I'd appreciate the clarification.  I think that sugar may be a problem
    for me as well, but I need more information on the flour part.
    
    Thanks,
    Bev

    I think it depends.  I am most hooked on products that contain both
    flour and sugar.  I suspect that when I get to maintenance, I can
    add in some rough, whole grain dark breads.  
    
    Many people in OA have to avoid all sugar and flour -- some can
    eat it in some forms.  For many, a bite of sugar or flour puts people
    right back in compulsive mode.  
    
    I am totally avoiding both while losing weight.
    
    Holly

    Another thought -- I think a good way to find out would be to stop
    eating flour and sugar for about two weeks while eating mainly protein
    and a few low carb veggies.  Most cravings will diminish on a
    high-protein diet.
    
    Add some higher carb veggies in, and then start adding some flour
    products and grains in.  Observe your food cravings closely during
    this time.
    
    I think Dr. Atkins diet books really explain this process well even
    if you don't choose to use his food plan.
    
    

    Anytime I try eating something made with flour I get cravings to
    want to eat more.  It has happend to me 3 times.  Once I've taken
    that initial bite with flour and/or sugar, it starts the ball rolling
    and it is really difficult to stop.   I know now that one bite for
    me can start me to eat compulsively and I don't want to ever go
    back to that way of living.  The weight is falling of me and it
    is so easy.  I'm am doing find without the flour.   No flour means
    exactly that, anything made with it. Crackers, bread, muffins, pasta,
    etc etc.  If it has flour in it I don't touch it. There is lots
    of great food out there that is so healthy and delicious.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Barbara