# Why do i keep eating "bad foods", knowing it's not good for me?



## InMyDreams55 (Apr 1, 2011)

But i do it anyway? :roll And then hate myself for eating it afterward? 

I've been in school for a month and 2 weeks. And i can already feel myself gaining weight. I'm trying to not over-eat and etc....but my attempts aren't working. I late night snake ALL THE TIME. Snickers, cool ranch Doritos...etc. It's terrible. 

Plus the french fries at our lil dining hall are the best creation known to man.....SOOOOOO good.

Doesn't exactly help that i'm a pickie eater. Why do i keep doing this to myself? Can you guys relate?


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## purplerainx3 (Apr 28, 2010)

I can relate. Ultimately, it's just the taste we crave, and generally any processed food (considering you live in the US) has high fructose corn syrup, which is manmade, causes you to gain weight rapidly, and worst of all, does not make you realize you're full and makes you want to eat more. 
I'm a picky eater as well, but my plan is to start getting all my snacks (yes, that even includes an occasional cookie or chips) from Whole Foods. They're a bit pricey, but then again, should be looked upon as a treat. Anything that is marked with the word "organic" is free from corn syrup, and in my opinion I believe that's the one thing that makes certain foods so addicting and unhealthy.
And, of course, it would be most effective to slowly wean yourself off of foods you eat. Whenever I tried to stop cold turkey, I would just end up bingeing and that always ends up horribly.
Drinking lots of water or chewing gum is also effective for distracting yourself when you get cravings.
Edit: I realize I sound all high and mighty, and I shouldn't, because I had a ton of oreos today. Fail.


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## LWR (Feb 27, 2012)

i dont know if you know about monoglutamate sodium , i've seen couple of programs trying to expose the side effects of it on tv , i think i read once that india wanned to ban mcdonald from its country , they said they would let them keep selling on one condition, if they stop using monoglutamate sodium , check out the food that you love consume the most, i used to eat 10 bags of chips and never be satisfied with it, im never full , and it tastes sooooooooooooooooooooooo damn good!!!!!!.. i checked the label and there it was.. here's a link, could be helpful for you. thats why you never feel full after eating junk food.

http://www.advancedhealthplan.com/msgstudy.html

if you haven't seen the movie super size me , check out , trust me you wont regret it


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## gusstaf (Jan 1, 2012)

I would recommend not categorizing food as "good" and "bad." I've learned through therapy that this type of black-and-white thinking only leads to unhealthy eating behaviors. Instead, allow yourself one sweet treat or other type of comfort food each day and remember that you never have to go more than 24 hours without having a treat. This technique has helped me switch from a diet alternating between restricting and overeating to one that is fairly balanced.


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## quietmusicman (Feb 3, 2012)

in our minds those bad foods give us the most comfort.


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## InMyDreams55 (Apr 1, 2011)

Thanks for the replies guys! It is appreciated....

*purplerainx3*: Yea...i know cravings suckkkkk! I'm hungry constantly! I have read about the water and gum thing....but that doesn't even really work for me.

*LWR*: I saw that documentary back in HS......all that food that guy ate was fu**ing disgusting. :blank But i do like that documentary......it's an eye opener.

Thanks for teh tips *gustafsg*!

*quietmusicman*: Preaching to the choir my friend. The bad foods always taste BETTER too. Those french fries at the cafe.....OMGGGGGGGGGG so good. But i gotta stop eating them. I. have. to. :blank


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

There was a good article in time magazine about this a couple weeks ago. Basically, we aren't built well to say no to our desires; up until very recently people were underfed rather than overfed. It takes work to build up self control, and it is a lot harder to build that self control instead of just giving in to what you want. The good news is that the more you practice self control, the stronger your brain will get at it, and eventually you won't have trouble resisting the urge to eat lots of bad food.


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## Boring Loser (Oct 21, 2011)

Because of how convenient and easy it is?


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## peril (Jan 7, 2012)

Because it's love! :love2


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## InMyDreams55 (Apr 1, 2011)

I went to dinner at the cafe and avoided the french fries ahhhhhhh go me. :boogie


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

Hey man. Me too.


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## strawberryjulius (Jun 28, 2009)

what's in the big bowl?


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## Toppington (Oct 26, 2011)

If you avoid seeing it/buying it, you can't eat it. It's simply not an option if it's not around. I had that mindset for the past couple of months and now I can't stomach eating more than a few chips or anything like that. I dropped soda and fast food cold turkey, which I miss sometimes, but I'm amazed at how my body has amassed a massive hatred for terribly unhealthy things now. If I eat anything I wouldn't normally eat now, I end up regretting it pretty quickly. That's what keeps me away from fast food places these days. I might have it harder if I had a car though.


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## kanra (Nov 27, 2011)

Well... "bad food" tastes pretty good. If you're worried about eating "bad food" (which you probably should)you could go on a diet. You crave unhealthy food less, apparently. I tried it and I didn't want to eat unhealthy food as much, but then I started eating unhealthy food more and more and got used to it again. -.-

You can also try weaning yourself off of it. Like, from 3 soda cans a day to 2 soda cans etc. etc. at whatever pace, or you can stop completely and see what happens. :stu


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## Layla (Feb 24, 2012)

When people are feeling down they comfort eat, sadly a lot of us on here feel like that, I used to comfort eat all the time, but eventually put a stop to it.


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## Dannie (Feb 21, 2012)

It's mostly due to convenience -_- I relate. Totally. I've been home from work for 2 hours and I've already eaten so much junk food... I'm convinced that one morning I'm gonna wake up and suddenly be horribly obese xD


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## InMyDreams55 (Apr 1, 2011)

I am hitting the gym hard this week! I know i've gained weight and it sucks! I ate a lot of "bad foods" during spring break....:no


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## suril (Feb 7, 2011)

I read that having certain cravings is due to a lack of certain nutrients. I just found this chart online yesterday.


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## Insanityonthego (Jul 5, 2010)

Certain chemicals in the food that make you addicted. Wouldn't hurt to go all organic.


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## HarryStanluv25 (Jan 26, 2012)

I crave bad food too. I have a major sweet tooth and I love my cookies, cereal, baked goods... but I do love fruit and a few veggies. I hate water though and never drink it plain. :/ It really is that taste, it's more appealing when something's flavored. How can you ignore something with the word 'chocolate' on it?? My problem is I'm underweight so I don't feel as guilty eating crap. 

I'm sorry, I probably didn't help at all did I?


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## Insanityonthego (Jul 5, 2010)

pita said:


> Hey man. Me too.


I am so envious right now. Water fasting sucks.


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## CeilingStarer (Dec 29, 2009)

I'm the same. I think it's just because of the dopamine release like any addiction. Like someone said, our brains are geared against us. I don't necessarily think it relates to being underfed, nor that sugar was apparently rare in caveman days yadda yadda.

I mean I'm the same with masturbation, and that wasn't rare in the caveman days.

I'm thinking that we're just designed to self-destruct. Maybe we were genetically engineered by aliens, and it's one big experiment... either for laughs, or some sort of test of mental fortitude. Maybe it's some Darwinian evolutionary thing that the mentally strong go on, I don't know.


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