Food obsession

Jan 31, 2010

A few days ago, I wrote this message to an OH friend who's struggling with food obsession.  
I don't think she'd mind if I repeat for the benefit of other members.

ADVICE NOR NEW BANDSTERS: FOOD OBSESSION
Weight loss surgery happens in your stomach, not your brain. While the presence of the band 
around the stomach and its proximity to the diaphragm seems to send messages about satiety 
to the brain, it does not instantly cure food obsession. That part is up to you

.








 
Fixing the brain is not easy. It takes many, many repetitions to make a new
behavior into a habit. A British study in which participants had to repeat
a new eating, drinking, or other behavior once a day found that it takes
anywhere from 18 to 254 days of daily repetition to make that behavior
automatic. Missing one repetition didn't significantly affect the outcome,
but consistent repetition did improve the participant's acquisition of the
new behavior.  Let’s say that you've been banded for 3 months, about 90 days. 
That leaves 164 days to go until some or all of your new eating behaviors become 
automatic. So if intrusive food thoughts are plaguing you, don’t beat yourself up 
over it. It’s going to take a lot of practice to minimize those thoughts
.

 
As a new post-op, you are just starting your weight loss surgery journey, which is 
going to last you for the rest of your life. That's right, the rest of your life. 
When you get to your goal weight, you will have to go on making good food choices, 
exercising, etc. etc. in order to maintain your weight
.
My personal experience has been this. I find that when I am happy, busy, healthy, 
well-rested, engaged in activities that I enjoy, well fed (reasonable amounts of 
nutritious food), going to support group meetings, participating on OH every day, 
and exercising every day, I do not obsess about food very often. In fact, when I'm 
doing something I love (writing, creating art), I sometimes forget to eat
.
But when I am unhappy, stressed, too busy or not busy enough, bored, isolating
myself, experiencing emotional or physical pain, not exercising, not eating
a balanced diet, not sleeping well, then I obsess about food. For me, food
represents pleasure, distraction, entertainment, comfort, anesthesia. There
is nothing intrinsically wrong with using food this way. Even "normal" people 
do that from time to time, and they don't excoriate themselves about it. They 
say "Oh boy, I shouldn't have done that", put on their running shoes, and move 
along. But although I am no longer obese, I am still not a normal eater. I may 
never be. When food is my ONLY pleasure, distraction, entertainment, comfort, or 
anesthesia, I get into trouble. Sooner or later I realize everything's out of whack, 
I'm miserable, and I need help. Then I turn to my OH pals, my closest friends, my 
counselor, my journal
.
I am not really as wise as I may sound. It took me years and years of
psychotherapy, introspection, experimentation and mistakes for me to
discover these things about myself. I don't know how old you are - probably
younger than me - but you have years and years ahead of you to figure this
out. It would be lovely if I could tap your head with my magic wand (I do
have one) and make it all better instantly, but the higher the price you pay
for the prize, the more likely you are to appreciate it when it's finally in
your hands.

0 Comments