Food OCD

[Guest danaeonyx]

I'm having real food troubles again. I'm obsessed with losing weight, but I seem unable to. I'm 5'8 and about 11.5 stone, which people tell me is normal, but when I look at my body I just feel disgusted. I ate chocolate spread from the jar today because I craved it, and afterwards I felt so sick. I know it's going to happen but I can't stop myself. I'm just so fed up with this. I've been this way for probably 10 years, and I keep trying to tell myself I'm fine the way I am, but then the anxiety sickness starts up again. Every now and then I go on a health diet, where I eat lots of healthy food, but it just takes one sugary snack and I'm on the junk food again. I think if I wasn't a vegan then I'd be huge, from all the junk food.

I don't know what to do, this is ruining my life, please help!! :helpsmilie:

[catherine]

Hi Danae

Well I must admit that I too have a lot of compulsions over food and I think because I deprive myself of so many food types I too go through periods when I crave sugary foods and I even sit there 'imagining' myself eating something like a bar of chocolate or piece of cake. I did have a period about 20 years ago when I became severely anorexic and although I'm a healthy 10 1/2 stone, 5' 8" I struggle with lots or rituals around food.

What I have tried is to very gradually introduce a little variety into my diet and over the summer I'm really pleased because I've started to eat some fruit which I'd not done in years. It was hard, but once I got used to it I found I actually started to enjoy the treats such as plums, berries and grapes and now I feel fairly OK about eating a piece of fruit whenever I feel like it. So I'm proof that by chipping away, there can be some progress!

I think food compulsions are like all the others and it is an obvious candidate for compulsive behaviour as it is all around us and something which is fundamental to survival. I'm probably slightly underweight for 5' 8" so 11 1/2 stone sounds pretty healthy to me.

Catherine :original: