Recently I saw author Geneen Roth on Oprah talking about her new book, Women, Food and God. I was interested because I was a big fan of Roth's work in the 1980's, beginning with her book Breaking Free from Compulsive Eating. I participated in one of her seminars, and also in years of support groups trying to get to the bottom of my "compulsive eating".The Oprah show started with a lot of heartbreaking video of women talking about their painful relationship with food. There was lots of self-hate in evidence and even broken relationships. My heart went out to these women. But I couldn't help wondering how many of them could be cured of "compulsive eating", as I was, simply by cutting back on carbohydrate consumption.
I am not doubting that eating behaviors can become entangled with emotional issues. However, I think we do ourselves a disservice when we assume that if we are overweight we have emotional issues that we are covering with food. As I reported in a recent blog, "emotional" eating patterns in our brains can be triggered by leptin and other appetite-regulating hormones - in other words, "emotional eating" may be simply one of the methods our bodies use to get us to eat. Though that study was looking at responses following weight loss, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that people who are insulin resistant (and thus having trouble accessing their fat stores for energy) could have similar brain patterns. It feels emotional, but it's really just part of our appetite system.
One of the hallmarks for people who respond to low-carb eating is the dramatic reduction in food cravings. It usually happens by the end of the first week - at most within two weeks. Suddenly, we experience being "normal" around food. We are hungry, we eat, and we don't think about food again for hours, when we get hungry again. For those of us who have been dealing with constant thoughts and impulses around food, this is absolutely a life-changing experience.
In retrospect, I can't help wondering whether the boom in books about compulsive eating (Roth, Judy Wardell, and others) which began in the 1970's and '80's was at least partially a direct result of the promotion of low-fat/high-carb diets which began during that time.
To be fair, Roth talks about a lot of things that I absolutely agree with. Accepting our bodies, focusing on our food instead of eating mindlessly, forgiving ourselves, and loving ourselves are all positives. I also agree that the issues we struggle most with can be doors to spiritual growth.
I just wonder how much of the struggle over food could be relieved simply by carbohydrate reduction.
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Oh, I so agree. I was so happy when many studies came out the last few years that backed up the fact that the low fat/high carb diets don’t work, duh 95% failure rate? That to lose weight and better health to follow high Protein, low carb diets had the best effect. BUT, was very disappointed when nothing came of it, or very little did. Even the AMA came out with studies that low fat diets do Nothing to lower the risk of MI’s. I thought NOW. But again, very little came of it. Could it be because the low fat high carb industry has to much to lose financially to back these studies and follow suit? Keep spreading the word Linda, we hear ya!!
Deb
It’d be helpful if people would understand that a low-carb diet should be a low-carb, high-fat diet, not a low-carb/high-protein diet. If your body gets more protein than it can use, it breaks some of it down into glucose, precisely what a low-carber does not want to see happen. Also, low-carb + low-fat + high-protein + major stress event = rabbit starvation, also something you do not want to see happen.
Dietary fat’s not going to kill you. Especially not animal fat. Promise.
I spent almost 15 years in Overeaters Anonymous and one thing I’m most thankful for was that I was able to get off sugar while all the medical authorities were telling my diabetic mom that sugar wasn’t the problem. But the change in my attitude once I stopped eating sugar was just amazing. I went from being constantly confused and doubting myself to being confident and clear headed. After months of research, I decided to give low-carb a try. Although I went off it during a time of extreme job stress and moving, I’m back on Induction. To me, the weight isn’t near as important as my blood sugar levels. Sugar does affect our emotions – badly!
This is so true. I have never smoked, taken drugs or even drank alcohol, but I understand those cravings because carbs made me crave food. I never stuffed myself, ate a whole box of cookies or went through three drive-throughs, but I would crave food not long after I ate and for not eating tons of food, I was heavy. Now I eat a couple of eggs and forget about food for hours. Don’t even think of it. I am not low-carbing strictly at the moment, but even so the cravings are not strong. I made some iced brownies as a treat formuscle, and both my kids and I felt sick after eating just a small piece, though it was delicious. Our bodies have adusted to strawberries and apples, etc., for our sweets.
I couldn’t agree more – I admit I caved to the “Oprah Effect” and bought this book. Not so much because Oprah liked it but because when I watched the show Oprah didn’t let her speak long enough or substantively enough (she kept interrupting her, etc.) that I couldn’t really “get” what it was she was talking about.
Well, I haven’t had any “aha moments” so far in my reading. I don’t think I am a “compulsive overeater” and I can’t pinpoint any issues I’m trying to “jam down with food” in my life. I actually wish that were the case sometimes. I truly think that it’s physiology for me – pure and simple. And carbs are my downfall..I do great when I limit them significantly – I lose control when I don’t. I don’t think it’s emotional at all – I truly believe it’s physiological.
I’m not done with the book (I know it’s easy reading but it’s not “great reading” for me) so I can’t make a definitive judgement on this but I kind of think she is doing a certain population a disservice implying that being overweight is primarily an emotional issue – because that’s not the case with me.
For years I have had a problem with those who tell us that we are overeating because of emotional issues. Well, I have found that if I eat low carb, I don’t overeat. I don’t even think about food. For a while that notion caused me to really re-examine my life (not a bad thing in itself), but I have, and do, handle problems very deliberately and forthrightly all the time. Low carb= peace!
Thank you for saying this outloud! My BF caught the eposide and told me about it. He & I are both trying to lose 20 lbs (he doing low fat & quasi-vegetarian, me happily low carbin & working out), but what we agreed on was that we didn’t personally identify with the emotional aspect of overeating and food as a crutch. Oh, sure, as an emotional woman, I’ve had plenty of times when I’ve “self medicated” with a pint of ice cream (or more!) or downing a box of cereal… but as you can see, the “drug” of choice was carbs i.e. sugar. However once my carb addiction was under control, amazingly so were my emotions… and my sleep habits… and my cravings! I see unhappy, overweigth people in checkout lines with carts full of processed foods and I just wish so much there was a loving way to tell them there’s a solution to their emotional recovery and their physical recovery – and it’s just a change of what they eat. Thanks, Laura
WOW Laura, you must have been reading my mind. I thought the same thing while watching that Oprah episode.
I have since learned how grains are actually addictive. One of my favorite books is currently Primal Minds, Primal Bodies. The author touches base on this topic.
Hi Laura,
I did not see the oprah show but I can identify absolutely with the problem.
I overeat ( or binge) when I am bored, tired, stressed or my plans are cancelled. It is far worse when I am eating a ‘normal’ high carb diet.
I have found recently that Zinc supplements help and also taking chromium and cinnamon every day.
I am positive it is an insulin/leptin problem and am now looking at a diet to improve my leptin response by increasing good oils.
I hated myself when I overate all afternoon until I felt sick but now have a handle on why I did it. It was definitely a hormone imbalance.
Giving up milk in my tea and coffee during the morning was hard but it has worked. Far better control in the afternoons.
I hope others who overeat and binge can learn from my experiences.
Thanks
Thanks so much for bringing up this topic. I used to eat low-fat. A couple of hours after that pasta with low fat tomato sauce and salad with no fat dressing, I would be ready to eat the cupboard door off the hinges. I thought there was something wrong with me; but it was the “nutrition” I was being told to use that was wrong.
If only people knew eating low carb meant not being hungry all the time. I was telling my brother yesterday; it’s not even the weight any more (though that stays stable when I stay off carbs.) It’s the way I feel that is so much better, low carb.
Laura, you took the thoughts right out of my mouth. I saw the episode, had to order the book because I have been to Roth’s workshops in the 1980s. I found the book boring, never really completing full thoughts. For me, 15 to 20 extra pounds have been my issue since age 19, when I hit my 50’s I was instantly up 30 lbs. I always exercised, was a vegetarian for 15 years, was a life member of weight watchers 4 times over. Did Dean Ornish and John McDougal’s diets. I began Atkins October 2008 and have lost 33 pounds easily and effortlessly. I maintain my weight (which was what I weighed when I was married in 1976) easily and effortlessly. I have lost my “diagnosis” of complusive overater and emotional eater. I lost the cravings when I switched to whole foods and reduced carbs. I donated all my diet books, (and I had almost everyone) The books were more addicting than chocolate. It is really not complicating. If you smoke your odds of getting lung cancer is 70%, if you eat too many carbohydrates and refined sugars your risk for heart diease, diabetes and obesity increases and reduces your life time. I am so relieved my headstone won’t say “She was a lifetime dieter” because I finally learned a life style to eat no matter what is going on in life.
I will be getting the books mentioned in hopes it will help me with my eating. I am a compulsive emotionally eater have been i think all my life. I hope with reading these i will have some support in understanding why I do what I do. Your articles are always helpful thank you for them
As a short person (4′11″) who grew up thin, 90#’s, and gained 40#’s post menopause, I never thought of myself as an emotional eater. The candy and cake I could eat as a young woman only began to metasticize to my body in my 50’s. I did Adkins for 6 months, and dropped 20#’s easily. But I stopped, and those suckers found me! I’m back again, and also working with Fluidity. Dr. Adkins was correct all along, and I wish he could have lived to see his vindication. The nutritionists and physicians who preached low-fat/high-carb all those years are like the “flat-earthers” of old. . .they just can’t quite get over that you don’t sail off the end of the world if you eat fat! They have been brainwashed, and need to be deprogrammed.
Aside from eating low-carb foods, distracting yourself whenever compulsive eating strikes can also help. You can blog or talk to someone. There are many ways to prevent compulsive eating, we just need to find which option works for us.
I’m so thankful for this article. I’ve been off simple carbs for two weeks and focusing mostly on veggies, fruits and protein. I could tell the weight loss after the first day.
I am highly carb dependent – brownies, cakes, hot rolls w/butter, tacos, chips, milk shakes, burgers, toast w/butter, fried chicken, fries, etc. If it were up to me, I’d only live on bread, cheese, fruit, and a bit of protein every now and then.
I’m in Overeaters Anonymous, and I’m so glad that they know it’s just not about willpower. Even with cutting out the sugar and simple carbs, I could still overeat on the so-called “good foods”. I just think about food all the time, and it’s overwhelming at times.
I’m just taking it day by day, distracting myself, and journaling. It’s amazing how much of my life I’ve missed by self medicating and escaping by gorging and binging for weeks at a time.
I’ve lost 43 pounds so far this year on low carb and want to lose 10 -12 more. Ten years ago I lost 60 pounds and gained most of it back once I started eating simple carbs again. Low carb is the only thing that will work for me. Low calorie only works for me for a very short time. I have to admit to myself I am a carb addict, plain and simple. I simply cannot go back to eating sugary foods. Once I do, I cannot stop. Atkins is what works for me.
Hi ladies,
For compulsive eating, beside lessening one’s carb intake, I would like to suggest another help, something I found and it works for many people on a variety of food habits, including overeating, additions, etc. It is called Emotional Freedom Technique. As a RN, I believe we are going to see this energy psychology technique begin to show up in the forefront of western medicine within the next decade.
I used it with success about 10 weeks ago to eliminate my overuse of diet soda. I have no interest in the soda, nor does it taste good to me anymore. EFT has some amazing results.
I invite you all to check this out. I believe it will be huge boon to all of us with eating & weight problems.
If you have questions, feel free to email me.
Yes, interesting article. I have found that for me it depends on what is going on in my life. I have diffidently had times when “I am”doing emotional eating and other times when I am not. So, I can go without carbs for quite awhile and then my husband brings home sugar, sugar and more sugar and I’m back into eating it. How do you get the Liptin to increase??? All I have ever heard is eat less carbs but that only works as long as you’re not eating carbs. One time celebrating with b-day cake and it seems like the liptin is gone.