What is your addiction?

We all have something in our life that we are addicted to...whether it's food, alcohol, cigarettes, shoes, clothes...even something like DIY projects.  It's that one thing that you can't seem to say no to, no matter how hard you try.  It consumes your thoughts or it consumes you physically.  Mine - is food. I recognize it...I am finally acknowledging it... and I would like to figure out how to control it. 




Rewind to about 6 years ago.  I was diagnosed with food allergies. Wheat, dairy, egg, and peanuts.  How? I had allergy testing done because I started having a lot of breathing problems.  I immediately gave everything up.  I somewhat started feeling better physically. I was also diagnosed with asthma... which is an active part of my life now. Based on the season, I am sicker than other times. I am not allergic to anything (apparently) but my body responds to allergens as if I am. I will discuss this in a later post. I digress...I went 4 and a half years thinking that I had major food allergies.  I was able to relinquish the need for the food based on a emergent fact that it could hurt me...or cause a major asthma flare up.


I was able to find a doctor that helped me with my asthma and did their own allergy testing and determined that I was in fact not allergic to those foods. So, I did what any logically sane person would do...I ate my most favorite foods... bread. I didn't care what kind. Bagels, donuts, cake, single slice bread, French loaf bread, garlic cheesy bread, pies, cookies.  You get the picture. It has made my waist line increase. I need to stop the foods or at least control the portions...but my obsessiveness has taken over.  I often think - Why should I stop eating this? It's good and I will only have one.  10 (whatever) later I still think I can stop. 


At my work, we celebrate birthdays and people get to choose what they want the office to bring in to celebrate. It usually ends up being donuts or bagels.  Where is the fruit? It is few and far between. And what is worse is that the donuts sit in the counter in front of me... smelling all good and sweet, and screaming my name.  This has absolutely has nothing to do with people in my office. They have the right to bring what they want and eat what they want. They can control themselves. This is about me and learning control.


I feel as though I have made a small accomplishment since the last post. I kept to the goal of working on portion control. YAY! and the little chocolate holder on the counter of my coworkers desk... I have managed to stay away from it for 7 days now. SWEET! Literally. lol


I think addictions have to be worked on in small steps. Going one day without a cigarette is like one day with no chocolate or pastries.  They both have the level of significance in the persons life that is trying to control it. I strongly believe in one day at a time.  We may falter, but then who doesn't. It is when we falter once and totally fall and go back to our old routines.  It is tough to take that first step back onto the right track.  I say "go for it!!" Take that step on the right track. It feels really good. Pat yourself on the back or someone else on the back that is struggling with their own addictive issues. 


I would love to hear stories.  You won't get judgment here...