The same withdrawal symptoms that you might have from any other addiction are just as present with those who have a food addiction. Those symptoms include anything from insomnia, to the jitters, to mood swings, and more. The difference between food addiction and other addictions is that you can’t just cut food from your life. So when you’re battling a food addiction, it’s hard to know whether your body is actually hungry or if you’re just suffering withdrawal symptoms.
It’s important to understand what your body is trying to tell you when you’re battling compulsive eating in order to help you succeed in overcoming it.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal symptoms can be often mistaken for hunger. Consider the following points withdrawal symptoms if it has been a short amount of time since you last ate a meal or snack:
-Your stomach is rumbling.
Your body has to get use to the fact that you’re not going to cave in to every single craving. You use to eat even when you weren’t hungry but now that you’re changing your habits, you’re body is going to be a bit shell shocked. This includes the feeling of hunger, even when you’ve just eaten.
-You feel light headed.
This can also be a withdrawal symptom. When you ate, presuming you ate a healthy meal or snack, your blood sugar should have stabilized, taking away that feeling of emptiness and hunger. Nevertheless, if the feeling doesn’t dissipate within a few minutes, you need to consult with your doctor and get your blood sugar tested.
One thing that makes battling food addiction harder is that when you cave in to the cravings of excess food, your body reacts in much the same way as it would if you were addicted to pain killers and took a pill after having gone a long time without. There’s sense of euphoria and normalcy that is associated with getting that “fix”. What could be disguised as low blood sugar, could actually be your addiction. It’s best to consult with your doctor if you have any concerns about blood sugar levels.
Hunger
If it has been more than an hour or two since you last ate, go ahead and eat a healthy snack (according to your personal diet plan) if it is not yet mealtime.
It’s all about when you last ate. For example, as I battle food addiction for myself, I find it very easy to eat an apple or something else I’m not accustomed to eating for a snack, and still feel hungry afterward with the excuse that “it didn’t fill me up.” I know now that it’s my body trying to adjust and that it’s withdrawal and not hunger. It’s getting easier the longer I stick to my personal weight loss journey. I still have problem areas like the times of the day when the cravings are worse, but overall, I can feel a change within my body.
I does get easier as you begin to understand how your body is responding to your new lifestyle and eating habits.
Source: self
Reference:
- Knowing Why You Gained Weight is a Key to Weight Loss – www.associatedcontent.com/article/2543073/knowing_why_you_gained_weight_is_a.html?cat
- Netflix is Helping Me Lose Weight – www.associatedcontent.com/article/5455286/netflix_is_helping_me_lose_weight.html?cat=
- Comparing Food Addiction to Nicotine Addiction – www.associatedcontent.com/article/6244974/comparing_food_addiction_to_nicotine.html?c
