there are programs for food addicts sassy. most of them are 12 step programs like they have for alcoholics or addicts. you just have to look them up and attend if that is what you want or need.

do you have links kingbreeze

here is one of them. it gives meeting locations and times. it also has literature about the program.

there are many others if you look up food addiction programs.
hopefully there are some in your area.



http://www.foodaddicts.org/

this one does not have meeting you can attend but it is designed to help people cope with the addiction.


http://www.coping.org/weightmgt/chap4I.htm

thank you i am sure there are a few that will find these helpful

here is a search option for finding couseling in your area.


http://www.addictionsearch.com/treatment_facilities/food-addiction-chemical-dependency-consultants_7999.html

no problem

I have avoided this thread for days now, but what the heck, think I will jump in with my 2 cents:

Adj4u - I like what you have said and appreciate your support of people who are battling their weight.

King - you too, you have always been very supportive.

Unsure - congrats on your weight loss, great work.

Here goes: I have spent my life battling my weight, starting out in childhood.

***Did you know your medical insurance will pay for you to get treatment for alcoholism and drug abuse but NOT for obesity, they will NOT cover treatment for weight loss?????

** Genetics: Came from a family of "big" people. Dad is 6'3" about 300 lbs, 1 brother 6'6" about 350 most of his life. Mom was about 100 pounds overweight, and so is other brother.
** Guess it doesn't help when some parents raise kids who shouldn't have raised dogs. Mine should have had baby brother 1st then stopped, made my middle brother's life and mine hell, he turned to booze, I turned to food ("comfort food").
** Polycystic ovary disease: Causes obesity as one of its effects.
** Depression: On antidepressants over the years, weight gain side effect, especially the tricyclics, not SSRIs. And, when it kicks in, I tend to turn back to the "comfort food."
** High fructose corn syrup: Drs. agree it's bad for the body, turns off the "I'm full" switch in the body & you keep eating.
** Exercise: Just go for a walk - RIGHT - when you have people calling you names, think I will go do that right now, a little more abuse is always good for the self esteem.
** Abusive relationships: We are easy targets - they strip us of our self esteem/self worth, make it harder for us to feel good about ourselves, and worth anyone loving again.
** Technology: Computers have taken a lot of the movement out of the workplace.
** Single parent families: Working two jobs to support kids, sedentary jobs, all add to gaining weight.
** Childhood sex abuse: Sets people up for a lifetime of mental health issues - some do drugs, alcohol or overeat, some commit suicide.
** Fad diets: Screws up our body's metabolisms so we don't burn calories like normal skinny people do.

Anyway, this is my input on this thread, there are more issues I know that I have not listed. There are a plethora of health issues that cause overweight/fat as some people put it. People can have adrenal tumors and gain 100 pounds almost overnight; thyroid issues, etc. Some are not physical but mental as I stated in my list above. It is not just a matter of sitting around "stuffing your face" or "liking to eat." Anyway, my 2 cents worth, hope I didn't offend anyone, was just trying to clarify some points that were bugging me as I read through the thread. Thanks.

marie,

What can be done to help?

((((((((MARIE))))))))))) we all battle our inner demons what some people don't realize is that being overweight doesn't just come from being lazy.

You did a great job on posting Sis and no matter what know that your loved

Your Cabbage Patch Sister

Hard to say, I would start out by telling you to support the obese people who are trying to lose weight, like the people in the thread have said.

If you ever see anyone harassing someone who is obese, tell them to knock it off, it just makes matters worse for them, tears them down inside even more.

I can't talk for every overweight person, this is only my opinion. I have found an exercise group through the hospital that has overweight and people with medical problems in it, so they are really cool, no one harasses you there. There is no way I would ever walk into a gym and risk harassment. I don't have medical problems, just fighting the weight, but many people there have had heart surgery or have lung problems, and they monitor them closely.

I have seen most of the fast food places now have salads and other healthy choices. Also see they are now using healthier oils.

I don't know what the answer is, and as one person alone you really can't do much, but if you start out by supporting one person you know is trying to make a change in their life, that is a great start. Thanks for taking the time to read the comments and care.

ok, i justs want to restate for record, this wasnt to make fun of anyone! i personally think theres something in the food thats cause to gain more weight than normal..

I agree with you Hardact - the high fructose corn syrup they are finding shuts off the "I'm full" signal and people keep eating. And, I personally worry about food additives and growth hormones in food, not only for obesity but also for disease as in the cancers running rampant in society. Look at breast cancer - it used to be in women in their 60s and 70s, now is hitting women in their 30s and 40s, occasionally their 20s even. That is so not normal. I do think it has to do with food additives and hormones in the food we eat, I agree with you, and think it also affects our hormones in our body and can cause obesity too. Take care.

My comments were also not meant to offend anyone, just trying to state some facts and clarify some issues from my point of view. Thanks.

no doubt about that hardact


the more ya eat the more ya want


the food industry wants you hungry


the medical hierarchy wants you fat


for the money made in fighting obesity

big money in stomach size control

if possible side effects of being overweight hit

big money in the drugs to fight them

I have not really read this thread all the way through but I wanted to jump on this thread anyway...First of all, there are many reaosns why one may be "overweight" or "obese" ( do not like the wrod FAT,THANK YOU!) and most of them have already been mentioned so I will not go into all of them.
With that being said, I have not heard anyone mention "culture" as being a reason and I say this based upon what i see here in my islands. We come from a culture that REVOLVES around FOOD...every major thing that happens in our lives(death, marriage, birth, divorce..lol) is celebrated with rich, tasty (but of course not necessarily healthy)food!!! Not to mention our culture is very family-oriented which means a lot of us gather with all kinds of food and it may not be the healthiest way to live but IT IS OUR WAY OF LIFE REGARDLESS!
Also, people of my culture are more or less on the "thicker" side due to genetics.....we gain weight just by looking at food...lol..so sometimes it is difficult to lose the weight no matter how many miles we run a day!!
I also have to mention that the cost of living is very high here so the not so wealthy and even middle class people choose to buy canned goods (spam, vienna sausage, corned beef, etc) which of course is HIGH in FAT and SODIUM!! Sure we wanna buy fruits and vegetables for our families but just cant DUE to ECOMOMICS!!
With all that being said....I am on the "thicker" side but so far have never had a problem with attracting a man (THANK GOD for the men who love a voluptuous full-figured woman..LOL)so to me, being THICK is ok for me....just my two cents on the topic....WOW i think this is the longest thread I ever wrote..hahaha!!

the last three people, Marie55, adj4u, hawiigurl... have the nail on the head! knowledge is power!

Thank you Hardact.

I am just amazed though by our insurance industry in this country. If I were to buy illegal drugs on the street and get hooked and need treatment, the insurance company would pay for my treatment.

If I were to drink alcohol and become addicted they would pay to dry me out.

If I smoked cigarettes and wanted to stop, they would even pay for the medications or patches to help me stop smoking.

But, since I am overweight, and am working on losing weight, they will NOT pay any money to help me lose the weight. They will NOT cover Dr. visits to discuss losing weight, if the doctor codes it as weight loss, they need to code it as something other than weight loss or it will be denied. They will not cover lab work if the diagnosis has to do with weight loss, again has to be coded to something else. Now does that make any sense???? Simply amazing the way our insurance system works.

Im glad there's no fat bashing posts here.. just curious people.


I.. am fat and.. well, not too worried about it.... at the moment.

More important things.. like finding a job.. college.. Dont wanna add up the stressors!

but anyway.. I also come from a large family.. Most of the people around here are super skinny though. Makes me wonder about this "obesity epidemic" when ALL of the people here are so tiny! *shrug* it's just the older people who are bigger..

Maybe it's a bigger city thing, i dont know.



I have talked to my psychologist about the weight thing though.. she says "exercise, and eat right"

yeah well that aint so easy..

i feel stupid 'exercising' by MYSELF much less in a GYM or something.. (there are no gyms around here though..)

I'd rather do something constructive at least.. like play DDR.. That's a video game that helps you loose weight! lol.


Also.. to eat right.. well. when you dont buy the food in the household, that's extremely hard to do.. My dad buys things we can AFFORD.. and that's it. We dont have the money to buy.. healthy/low fat things..

We buy the cheap 33 cent macaroni.. 2.00 pack of 30 ramen.. you know.. 1$ hamburger helper from big lots..

In addition to.. being picked on.. self esteem issues.. etc.. my brother telling me i should go die and im worthless.. my dad not doing anything about it.. my brother even beating up on me..

It's not exactly a happy friendly world out there.. and weight loss is the last thing on some peoples minds >.<

It does have a plus though.. If you get a relationship, it will be because of YOU.. your personality not your body. hahaha

Those advice columns make me laugh "help! im 64 and my wife is all wrinkly and no longer a size 4! im not attracted to her anymore! what do i do!!"

fat people's lovers wont do that.. if they are genuine.. heh.


~Cait

I agree with you, concentrate on finding yourself a job right now and getting into college if that is where you are headed. Once you get your job then you can buy yourself the food you want to eat and concentrate on the healthier foods. I understand how your dad shops, raised a daughter by myself since she was 5, and started out in 1980 making $3.42 an hour and $1 of that went to daycare, so understand the macaroni and bread think, starch is the cheapest food there is and it is filling. Veggies, fruits and lean meats are the most expensive. Find yourself a job and then you can buy yourself some healthy food and it will get you out of the house away from your brother and build your self esteem both ways, by making money for yourself and distancing yourself from your brother. Work on you, as you do you will feel better and it will get easier. It is hard to workout by yourself, if you have a game or DVD that is a workout thing, go for it, that is great. Also, once you get into college, there will likely be classes there or a gym, even weight loss classes I would guess you could participate in. Ignore your brother, he is just being a "brother" they do that. Good luck on the job, sounds like you are heading in the right direction, that is the key here, getting yourself your own money, buying your own food, then some cool clothes as you lose the weight and you will feel so good about yourself on so many levels. Keep up the good work, you will make it. Take care.

The problem with being overweight is that the weight isn't easy to lose. People constantly say well, it's inactivity, ect. I work ten hours a day on a farm, and not behind a desk either, and yet, in five months on the farm i've only lost five pounds and i only eat once a day so it's not over eating, i'm not sure what it is but the weight stays on.