I wasn’t quite sure how to respond to your post, I have to admit. I read it and re-read it several times only to feel wholly unqualified to respond each time…

Even now I am not so sure where I am going with this comment. I guess that’s because I am just not so sure what will be helpful or relevant…

If I ramble a bit, forgive me.

You see, I believe in food addiction whole-heartedly. I believe our country has set us up unwittingly or otherwise to depend on food for our happiness in more than one way. Through marketing and advertising, through convenience, through ingredients…we have been set up to fail.

If we were to fight this battle, however, we would have to commit to the task of becoming highly educated on the topic–and sadly, there are those who are simply not up to the task (intellectually or otherwise).

For people like you, however, I believe firmly that if you had the knowledge–heck, if you even knew that there was information out there about the psychology of food and eating in this country, if you understood how various chemicals and ingredients in food interacted inside of our bodies…you would be able to make the necessary changes…all you need is the tools…

So, I am including some links in this comment:

This is a study I showed Kate a while back–it comes from Duke University

“Craving, tired and blue: do you recognize this cycle? You’re craving carbs, gaining weight, fighting fatigue and mild depression. Duke University takes a look at the root conditions within this cycle of atypical depression and finds hope in nutritional therapy”

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0675/is_1_22/ai_112408514

This is fascinating research at Cornell and if you were interested in the intellectual side of food addiction and overeating, this really would be the place to start.
http://foodpsychology.cornell.edu/index.htm

This part of the website is particularly interesting…
http://foodpsychology.cornell.edu/education/index.htm

Ok, also, the director of the aforementioned department wrote this book and I bought it and read several of the chapters. It is buried in my boxes somewhere and if I can get to it before you buy it, I will be happy to send it to you. The entire website here is an amazing resource. So amazing, in fact, that I think I will write my own blog post about it–hmmm….

http://mindlesseating.org/

Finally, here is an amazon.com search results for books on food addiction which is something you could do for yourself, but I wanted to highlight the fact that there is a TON of literature you can arm yourself with and I believe that understanding the biochemical reasons for some of the behaviors we exhibit and then understanding how to change our biochemistry so as to not influence our behavior or influence it as strongly as it has in the past is the first step on the road to recovery.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-2551186-6080047?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=food addiction

I, myself, struggle with my own addictions to certains behaviors and thought patterns. I have found literature a vastly
helpful and supportive tool as I continue to wage battle against them.

Ok, one last thing–I have already gone on too long…You are an absolutely beautiful woman, beautiful person, you are very fortunate to have a beautiful family and I admire you very much.

In the end, scale schmale…it is your health and how you feel about yourself….

However you have the right frame of mind by knowing it exists and wanting to conquer it. I agree with your dad, water helps a lot. I was once told that one should drink as much water as you weigh. For example, 150lbs person = 150 ounces of water a day. I am not sure if you should drink that much, but at least 64 ounces a day is what is recommended for everyone.

I think you are an amazing person, no matter what any scale says. Don’t let yourself feel guilty about the past. just try to get better for the future.

I know you (Becca) have tried the calorie-counting thing, but I’ve never understood what good that does when you “NEED to have a hot fudge sundae…with extra fudge.” But if it works, do it. I know some people swear by it. God bless ‘em and more power to ‘em.

Since my favorite Just Say No campaign has been against war, I compare this with classic arguments that used to be waged in front of draft boards. “How can you be a conscientious objector? Do you mean to say you won’t use force to defend your buddies, if not your own life, if the enemy is overrunning your foxhole?” The question is full of traps, such as quickly getting into violence and killing are natural and/or inevitable (I NEED to massacre some fellow creatures…with extra blood and smoke). I know only two plausible answers: 1) I’m anticipating this dilemma and acting now to avoid ever being in that foxhole, and 2) You’re right, I can’t guarantee my behavior will be 100-percent consistent with my beliefs, but I am studying alternatives to lethal force and preparing myself to respond according to the best I know whenever I might find myself in such a horrible predicament. I’d hate to act on impulse and regret the consequences ever after.

Skeptics will say, “What? Surely you don’t mean you don’t believe in any form of defense!” Which is a little like giving yourself a pass by saying your addiction is about eating. You’re right, you can’t live without eating, but you can live without junk food, and you can live without excess (and you know this, of course). Nobody says you can’t live without food, so I don’t see such a big difference from the challenge for people with various narcotic addictions. They fight addiction “one day at a time,” and they find strength in support groups.

I think addiction is as good a conceptual framework as any, but I’d look for answers from everywhere, and I’d be suspicious of anyone claiming a monopoly on the whole truth.

And I wouldn’t think of it as addiction to eating. The addiction is to eating the wrong stuff, eating the wrong quantities, and eating at the wrong times.

But as I said, these are my ideas for me. I might not have good ideas for you.

That said, keep encouraging one another, and broaden your support group to include anyone with a helpful spirit. I don’t know if psychology has more answers than any other discipline, but honesty AND goodwill TOGETHER go a long way, from whatever source.

Dad/Dan

I love you no matter what too, but I keep cheering and hoping that SOMEHOW we will figure this out!

Kate

I might be a lifelong embarrassment to you for blurting out whatever came to my mind, but I think you inherited the same gene sometimes when I read your blog. Yes, we are indeed carrying on this intimate, sensitive conversation in front of–anybody at all.

Okay, eating addiction. I “resemble” your remarks (as friend Rob/Bob would say). Fortunately, I’ve got a male body structure and maybe a faster metabolism rate or whatever than you were dealt. So, I don’t have any good ideas for you, except to say I believe you’re on the right track by keeping yourself very honest WITH YOURSELF and loved ones.

I told you about losing “quite a bit” of weight this summer. I attribute it 1) not having much else at hand besides your Mom’s healthy food choices, 2) a little will power to “just say no” on my part (but not much), 3) more exercise than I’ve had in recent years, 4) drinking lots of water. Maybe I’m giving the water too much credit, but it’s a change and a factor that has really impressed me.

I love you whatever size you’re wearing, but I am cheering for you in this addiction fight. Keep at it!

Dad