by magusd on 5/14/22, 6:25 PM with 65 comments
I was able to stopped smoking, drinking alcohol and playing video games by just getting rid of all the "paraphernalia" and quitting cold turkey. After a good year or so of complete abstinence, I was able to introduce those things back in my life and exercise moderation. I could drink socially and play video games without harming my work productivity, etc.
Now I'm struggling with food addiction, which ended up being my escape valve and receiving all my obsession after I quit everything else.
I've tried fasting and I was able to do 18h fasts daily with no problem and even go over a week without eating, just on water and herbal tea. But that completely messed up my habits, metabolism and relationship with food, and I'm now struggling to follow a schedule and any kind of diet.
So I was looking for a way to "quit food" without the unpleasant side effect of death. This is not about weight, I'm a bit overweight yes, but I exercise and am able to keep a decent shape. The real problem is that my blood work is starting to approach the higher ends of what is considered ok. And I'd love to avoid becoming diabetic and obese in my later life.
I'd love to know if anyone has been able to completely replace food with protein powders and vitamins, hospital liquid diet, or any other alternative. The idea here is to abstain from food for a full year and then restart eating normally with a light balanced diet with a nutritionist's help.
Has anyone done this or is familiar with the supporting science? What is recommended or non-obvious mistakes to avoid?
Thanks!
by _moof on 5/14/22, 7:11 PM
This is called restricting, and it's classic eating disorder behavior.
> I'd love to know if anyone has been able to completely replace food with protein powders and vitamins, hospital liquid diet, or any other alternative. The idea here is to abstain from food for a full year and then restart eating normally with a light balanced diet with a nutritionist's help.
This is incredibly dangerous. Don't do this.
Get a nutritionist, and seek professional help to recover from your food addiction/eating disorder. Most importantly, do what they say.
The internet is rife with people who have active eating disorders and will make yours worse in an effort to justify their own unhealthy behavior. It's almost never a good idea to take the internet's advice on psychiatric matters, but in this area it is especially dangerous.
Get off the internet and get professional help.
by kX4A8o4mVmX8aW on 5/14/22, 7:23 PM
So the "simple" solution is to just eat normally and try not to worry about it. Unfortunately that can be much, much harder said than done. In your case it seems like you are already in crisis, having already done a week-long water and tea fast and now actively considering a year-long liquid and vitamin diet. These are huge red flags. They may seem reasonable to you in your current mental state but they are major warning signs.
I strongly encourage you to seek professional mental help as soon as you can. I discourage you from trying to be your own therapist, unfortunately that can turn into an obsession on its own.
Disregard all comments here that focus on food instead of mental health.
I'm very sorry you are struggling. Good luck.
by calculated on 5/14/22, 7:01 PM
by COGlory on 5/14/22, 7:30 PM
What you are describing has all the hallmarks of a psychological condition (eating disorder) and not a physical condition (poor diet).
You should not attempt to treat this yourself, and you should especially not attempt to treat it by changing your eating habits. Changing you eating habits will not treat a psychological disorder. Eat a healthy balanced diet, and seek medical care if you are having trouble with that.
Otherwise it's like trying to fix a flat tire by changing your oil.
by samatman on 5/14/22, 6:50 PM
Maybe go see a doctor who deals in both nutrition and disordered eating, they exist, see what he or she thinks.
by andsoitis on 5/14/22, 6:58 PM
There's a paradox in there. My suggestion would be to explore that.
by redredrobot on 5/14/22, 7:21 PM
More concretely:
- Identify why you need an "escape valve". Understand that having an escape valve that dominates your life negatively is the problem, not the shape that valve takes
- Identify the triggers that push you to the escape valve. Both the long-term triggers (for example, it could be being stressed or unhappy) and the immediate habit triggers (for example, it could be seeing paraphernalia or being extremely hungry). Try to reduce the long-term triggers. Try to develop new habits around the immediate triggers (trigger still exists, but habit response is something you want to do). Being aware of your habit loop is IMO important for improving how you react to triggers (therapy can be really helpful here)
by CuriousSkeptic on 5/14/22, 8:06 PM
As others have suggested. Seek out a therapist to CBT or some such instead. Possibly you have non-food related issues you’d rather tackle on its own. Also, eating disorders has a tendency to get worse when tackled individually, so really do get help if there is a need.
As for fasting, I found 3-5 days is all it takes to recalibrate hunger and kick sugar cravings. Make sure your not malnourished before fasting. Either way, _do not_ fast (or cut out selected nutrients) for long periods without consulting a doctor.
As for diets, probably no need to go for any crazy fad diets. Just go with the current science: make sure you have enough fiber, polyphenols and other prebiotics (eat your fruits and vegetables as it were) cut down on fat, salt, sugar and meat.
It takes 14-days to rebalance your micro biome, so just stick with healthy foods for two weeks and you'll probably find that will be what you crave after that.
by mdp2021 on 5/14/22, 7:46 PM
Please, please, please: live naturally. Respect nature. You are made of nature. Treat yourself properly. If it is unnatural, do not do it. You take an award for having introduced to our collective mind the unthinkable concept, «abstain from food for a full year».
If you have strong will power, consider the game of "forcing yourself to the healthiest diet ever".
(Since you are there, consider proceeding to considering the game of "forcing yourself to the healthiest life ever". There may be a chance that it could help with the «obsessive» side and finding some better «escape valve».)
by crispyambulance on 5/14/22, 7:51 PM
Why not just start with that instead of "abstain[ing] from food for a full year"? That's what a nutritionist is FOR!
If you got strong will power, but weak moderation it means you just need structure.
But if you have to do it yourself, why not count calories?
It's simple and works for many folks. Select nutritious foods that you like and that comports with your culture, weigh yourself everyday and count calories (using one of many apps that even break it down to your component nutrients). Limit calories to a level that lowers your weight 1-2 lbs a week. Adjust as needed... but keep doing it even after you've leveled off to your target weight, do it until it's a habit, and start again if your clothes get tight.
by adbachman on 5/14/22, 6:48 PM
by lozenge on 5/14/22, 7:05 PM
Your blood work is showing you are healthy. It doesn't sound like there's any need to change your diet.
by meristohm on 5/14/22, 6:50 PM
I'd be wary of going without "real" food for a year. Fiber and plants in general feel like such an important part of my diet, and the pleasure of eating for an hour and feeling full of healthy food seems like a healthy part of life. Relegating sugar to a condiment at best is an important step toward being able to notice the compulsion to eat, and then do something else instead.
What you're proposing sounds interesting but also something I wouldn't opt for myself. Everyone is different, though, and we're for the most part free to try things. I keep a journal and that helps me be more aware and forgive myself when I don't do exactly what I'd prefer. Helps obviate regret.
My default at this point is to delay breakfast, ideally until mid-afternoon, and have one more meal a few hours later, with the family. Sometimes I skip that if I'm still full from the break-fast. It's taken months of practice, and I'm not as regimented as I'd like, but it's better than before.
I hope you find something that works.
by magneticnorth on 5/14/22, 6:51 PM
by nonrandomstring on 5/14/22, 7:15 PM
It also sounds like you might be experiencing addiction replacement/displacement, when you "overcome" one thing and shift the focus on to something new [2]. People can go through the whole gamut - alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, and still end up in something more socially "acceptable" like shopping or phone overuse. Even the act of "overcoming" can itself be an obsessive (control desire) act.
I'll second the comments saying maybe talk to a therapist [2]
What you're looking for is a "hole" (feels like an inadequacy or deprivation threat). When you hit it and deal with it, the other stuff will fall into line. Good luck.
[1] https://www.addictioncenter.com/community/addiction-replacem...
[2] Don't get addicted to therapy :)
by rc_kas on 5/14/22, 7:43 PM
Woah don’t do that. That is a bit too much. Just pick foods that you won’t eat. Highly processed or highly fatty or whatever. Personally I stopped eating cheese and it’s been good for me.
by halfmatthalfcat on 5/14/22, 7:01 PM
by mrpf1ster on 5/14/22, 7:25 PM
I would really recommend watching this podcast episode: https://youtu.be/C-H4KwoKaOc
It goes into the science of different macronutrients and how they effect your body.
A quick tldw: Eat lots more of protein and fiber, they will make you feel full and we don’t get enough of it unlike sugar/carbs that are everywhere in modern diets.
by Gortal278 on 5/15/22, 1:29 AM
This just screams eat-disorder territory. I'd recommend you go seek out professional help and work with some experts on getting you thinking about food right, then locking your diet and eating down. Your not going to solve this with green protein smoothies and starving yourself.
by scantis on 5/14/22, 7:18 PM
Eating only powdered protein low quality and fake stuff will mess you up and your kidneys. So I once choose coma patient food. It comes in many varieties for all ages and is cheap in bulk. It is complete, tastes medium awful and you only feel horrible for the first few days. Then just drained, zombified and mildly happy until you can't take this stuff anymore. High fibre content is important.
by JSONderulo on 5/14/22, 10:18 PM
by badrabbit on 5/14/22, 7:17 PM
by akomtu on 5/14/22, 11:20 PM
by vxxzy on 5/14/22, 6:32 PM
by loufe on 5/14/22, 8:50 PM
Good luck.
by foobarbaz33 on 5/16/22, 3:24 AM
I'm not a diet expert but... how about not.
You can maintain a reasonable weight without doing extreme things. Cut sugary drinks and deserts. Stop snacking. Eat good meals, just not super huge.
Don't freak out every time you feel the slightest hunger/appetite.
by kodisha on 5/14/22, 7:22 PM
I admitted defeat. I love food.
But then I quit all of the shitty stuff, no more sweet stuff, no more sodas, no more potato chips.
Weight went down, but I stagnated again. Then I started again with High Intensity training - and that's it, food still goes in, food gets burned down.
Never felt better.
by lambdaba on 5/14/22, 6:53 PM
Lots of people doing it are doing it for the same reasons as you, so you'll find support if you need it.
by novok on 5/14/22, 7:57 PM
Another way to go cold turkey is to ban all 'junk food & carbs' paraphernalia and just go whole foods / non-processed veggies and meat.
by DoreenMichele on 5/14/22, 6:29 PM
by nurettin on 5/14/22, 7:05 PM
by michaelrpeskin on 5/14/22, 10:03 PM
I hesitate to put this out there, because there's lot of nuance; but, there is a way I've seen psychologists categorize people and one of the dichotomies are "moderator vs abstainer". And when you say that you have poor moderation but strong will power, that really makes me think that you're an abstainer. I know, because I am! My wife can have a spare chocolate bar in her desk for months incase she gets hungry. If I have a bar in my desk, it's gone in 5 minutes, but I have no trouble dealing with not having the bar there. That is, I'm an all-or-nothing kind of guy, she gets panicked if there's no bar there "just in case" but can not touch it for months.
That's just one example, but I've learned to just structure my life around that. For example, I just don't eat any food before noon or after 6:00PM. One simple rule, that way I can do all-or-nothing.
I work out every day regardless of how busy I am, the only reason to not workout is if I'm actually sick and working out would make it worse. Being tired, busy, not feeling like it, putting it off until tomorrow - no! It's a rule. At 5:00 I go outside, open the garage door, pick up some kettlebells and do something for 20-30 minutes. When it's 20 degrees outside and blowing snow, I'm out there. When it's 80 degrees and direct sun, I'm out there. It's a rule, I do it.
As for what to eat - here's where I'm going to get into lots of trouble, because internet. But here's _what works for me_. I only eat meat - and of that 90% is simply grass-fed beef. Grains make me sick, veggies have enough carbs in them to kick my appetite and then my all-or-nothing kicks in. Beef has all the nutrients you need. It doesn't stimulate the appetite, it gets boring so you don't eat constantly. And it's super nutritious. Between noon and 6, I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. No weighing or measuring or counting. It takes all of the anxiety away.
I know the green folks will go all what about sustainability? But I just do local regeneratively ranched beef, so don't yell at me about that! Even if you have to go CAFO meet because location or economics, beef is your best choice for nutrition and sustainability.
I've been doing this for nearly a decade so it is something I have been able to easily keep up with - even with a family and kids and all of that. I'm super healthy, so it works _for me_.
I'm 45, well within the body weight I should be, much stronger and healthier than all my peers, and have no struggles with the emotional side of eating and trying to "diet"
I'm not saying that this is your answer, but maybe look into something like that. I've been struggling with an all-or-nothing mindset for a long time, and this was a great solution.
Good luck!
by hshf on 5/14/22, 6:52 PM
by ergonaught on 5/14/22, 6:55 PM
by Terry_Roll on 5/14/22, 8:58 PM
You cant, some of our food cravings or at least what we want to eat or fancy are generated by bacteria in the body, some by the environment (heat/cold/light), some by other foods we have eaten, eg lots of creatine will probably create an Iceberg lettuce (phosphorus) craving. So its more complex than that.
Perhaps better to look at what makes you over eat and try to change those situations which could be work, home life, lack of sleep (when tired people always over eat) and manage it that way.
> I'd love to know if anyone has been able to completely replace food with protein powders and vitamins
So something noone takes into account with this approach is the amino acids, vits & minerals are in an easily digestible form, in other words they are not locked up/wrapped up/parcelled up in things like cellulose (plant fibre) and meat cell walls/membranes. If you look at the digestive system, our guts have evolved to break down and absorb certain things at certain points along the digestive system. So people with bariatric surgery have parts of their guts removed which then causes deficiency mainly mineral so they are compensated for with over supplementation or monthly injections.
So my personal approach is eat normal but top up with amino acids, vits and minerals, whilst also being aware of the total calorific intake and expenditure.
Some supps benefit from being taken in the morning, some at night, eg copper, calcium is better taken in the morning because they can have a stimulant effect in the body, and Vit K2-mk4 before bed. Nicotinic acid (reportedly can cause abortions) is best taken first thing in the morning especially if you can hit the gym as it spikes your growth hormone on an empty stomach, but its blunted by fatty foods and it "could" mess up your blood work but it helps break down the cell walls in the adipose tissue (fat under the skin) which is predominantly stored triglycerides. Pantothenic acid (vit B5), shifts fat off organs like fatty livers (massive killer) and shifts it under the skin so its a cheap "cosmetic surgery filler" but it also has a steroidal effect in the body. All the water soluble vitamins are best sipped from a water bottle throughout the day because they flush out so easily so doing a mega dose once a day like a multi vitamin pill is a waste of time when you look at what people pee and poop out from their multi vitamin pill! Little and often.
Interestingly, they have been able to work out that 30mins of exercise first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (only water is allowed), is the equivalent to 90mins after you have eaten something, so maybe see if you can do more exercise as I also think we are designed to eat more calories than we do today but we just dont exercise enough in todays world. The hormones that wake us up are also the best ones for making us more gym buff but then breakfast blunts them and we get all chilled for the rest of the day.
Everything has "side effects" though, so if you did loads of nicotinic acid it will make your bones go soft (calcium used to rebind DNA by the Prostaglandin response) unless you compensated with calcium.
The other problem with all of this is anything recommended will require some form of chemical compensation so before you know it, you have this massive's spider diagram practically encompassing every amino acid, vitamin and mineral.
So something to bear in mind, you have little control over where chemicals go in the body, this is best highlight by cancer experiments using radioactive(isotope) chemicals. One swiss study on Thyroid cancer used radioactive B12 because B12 goes into the Thryoid gland but when they scanned the patient they found it was distributed throughout the body besides the thyroid gland, probably because of the sodium potassium kinase pump (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium%E2%80%93potassium_pump) found in alot of cells. Its not a total free for all chemical mashup because obviously membranes and tissues do influence where chemicals go, but there is still an element of chemical Brownian motion taking place within certain domains inside the body.
Even the form of chemical is important, eg carbonates are generally best before sulfates(sulphates) or chlorides as the latter two can have effects that could be undesirable when taking loads of them, where as carbonates become CO2 which is a stimulate in itself unless you need to sleep.
If you like your food then do your exercise to burn it off instead, go to the gym first thing in the morning, do an Exercise to Exhaustion High Intensity workout on weights (80-90% max weight upto 10 reps no more than 3 or 4 sets), if you dont run, dont bother at this stage the desire to run will come once your muscle mass & skeleton is up to a level and then you will get the desire to run and run and run. Some days I would only do one set, other days I would do 2 or 3 sets, but it was always a sort of exercise to exhaustion, ie get in get the job done and get out as quickly as possible, ie no hanging around in the gym posing and then I would home and have a fry up (cooked breakfast) every day. :) Thats no different to being in the military, ie eat what you like but do the exercise.
This is what I would do every time and would tell other people, but I'm not qualified in anything so do your own research and have an open mind whilst remembering nothing is a panacea.
by loxs on 5/14/22, 7:44 PM
- Nothing "extreme" works for me, as it's not sustainable for periods longer than a few months. I did keto... works for some time, then a total rebound. In the end it seems that a "balanced diet" works. For me (and my training regimen) this means 150g protein, 180g carbs and 50g fat per day.
- While you are cutting, you have to weigh everything you eat. There is no good way around this as you cannot control what you don't know and you can't know how much you eat unless you measure it.
- It's perfectly fine to eat completely uniform food every day for some months. For the first months, for me it was chicken breast, raw cabbage, peaches, cheese and the occasional high-protein pudding. This puts the dopamine under control, as you (or at least me) get trained to not expect anything "special", ever. After some months I was able to start varying a bit, while still staying 100% within my macros (no more and no less of each macronutrient). After some time I stopped weighing the veggies I eat and now I eat all of them (like broccoli, kale, turnips, tomatoes, cucumbers, salads etc.). I eat all kinds of meat and seafood. Mostly never eat any vegetable oil, as meat and cheese provides the needed quantities.
- Yeah, what I described above is almost exactly the same as your described "quitting food", just it's "healthy", as you consume enough fibre. Yeah, do supplement with some multivitamins.
- You have to cook, no way around it. But it's not as frightening as it sounds. Once you accept bland (and uniform) food... it's easy. Buy an Instant Pot and start prepping the meat there. 2 kilos of chicken breast under pressure for 10 minutes will last you a week.
- Always have your "correct" food handy, so that you don't need to eat something else, or think what to eat. (yeah, buy the instant pot).
- Throw away all the "junk" food you own and never buy any.
- If you are out and you are not able to eat your "right" food, just fast and eat at home whenever that is. Yeah, I get it it might not be possible for everyone, but it's possible for me.
- Don't do this initially (the first months), but later... everything is allowed if you do not exceed your macros. French fries? Alright, you can have that now and then. Pizza? Sure thing, I am having a slice or two almost every week. But never exceed macros.
- Artificial sweeteners are your friend when you are in a crisis. (Ab)use them as much as you want and you are still better than being fat (or having bad lab readings as you mentioned).
- If you are still hungry, always have cabbage/kale/etc. handy. You can eat as much as you want in raw form (and in several months you will start to like it, I promise).
- Fasting is mostly not a great idea as it doesn't help you learn how/what to eat and how to control your cravings. After lots of experimentation with it, I arrived at 3 meals a day with carbs early in the day. Breakfast in the morning, then lunch, then a light dinner around 4 and no food afterwards. Yeah, if you are a social person it will suck. But I guess you can find your own thing... but don't be afraid to experiment and don't have prejudices. I always thought that having breakfast is not my thing (or a good idea) despite the overwhelming evidence for the contrary. Yeah, there are actually studies that show that it's beneficiary to eat early in the day, opposed to late. But if your body is broken you will need time to arrive to this.
- Despite the previous point, initially do whatever works. At least for several months. Then what works will change. Do not be afraid to follow along.
by romx on 5/14/22, 7:01 PM
by magnetowasright on 5/15/22, 7:33 AM
I have been in therapy for a while and this is one thing I struggle with a lot. It’s really tough and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.