No matter how much you may want to lose weight, if you suffer from food addictions then you will struggle until you bust through this fat gaining affliction.

Many addictions have a powerful psychological and physical component. Food addictions don’t cause rapid addiction like nasty drugs but they can still impact heavily on a person’s life.

The word addiction isn’t quite accurate; it’s more like a strong mental connection. This is developed over time.

Carbohydrate has the effect of suppressing cortisol which is a stress hormone. This translates as you eat cake and you feel less stressed. It is actually true, but the side effect is fat gain and blood sugar problems.

This connection is often made early in life you are given treats as rewards for good behaviour or not behaving badly. As life goes on you start to reach for certain foods for comfort. This becomes a habit.

Blood Sugar Problems

A common cause of the food addiction is the food itself. If you feel bad you eat some chocolate, your blood sugar rises quickly and you get a sense of wellbeing. As you burn off the sugar your levels drop. Again you feel bad, so you eat more chocolate, and the cycle continues.

This can be any kind of carbohydrate. What appears to be a craving is just your body trying to balance its sugar levels.

Stress Eating Addiction

The first level is stress eating then it leads to food addiction. You create a strong bond with food and in time the food is used like a sedative. In order to head off bad feelings you eat these foods even before you need them.

If you don’t have these foods at hand you become agitated and seek to find them. Like all addictions the first step is to recognise the problems exist.

Next you need to understand exactly what need the food is meeting. What problems in your life are you trying to mask with food?

Next you must find a better way to deal with your problem. Seek out help. If you don’t then not only will the problem continue but you will continue to gain weight.

Food addiction is solved by addressing your blood sugar irregularities. This is easily achieved by eating good food at the right times of day and learning to manage your stress. Food can never solve your problems but it sure can make it worse.