Why food addiction is the worst addiction

Oh boy, I know I'm going to stir up a shit-storm with this one.....

Yes, I believe food addiction is the worst addiction you can have and not just because *I* have it.

Before you jump down my throat, hear me out.

There are several things about being a food addict that "other" addictions don't have to deal with:

1. People know you're a food addict the *second* they meet you. There's no way to hide it - the second they lay eyes on you, they know. If you're an alcoholic, drug addict, sexaholic or compulsive gambler, you don't present that to new people the second you meet them (unless you're *really* in bad shape). Right from the start, people are judging you.

2. Nobody takes food addiction seriously. Modern society has evolved to the point where most addictions are recognized and accepted - maybe a little too recognized (middle-child syndrome? Really?). But, almost no one treats food addiction seriously. Most people still think of it as a willpower issue.

3. Fat people are funny. It's hard to justify making jokes at just about any group in 2011. Think about it, when was the last time someone openly joked about/laughed at African-Americans, Jews, the mentally challenged, et al (other than from within their own group, which seems to be OK)? I haven't heard a Polish joke in 25 years. Yes, yes, I know they're out there, but not in a mixed-company sort of way. Fat people, however, are still fair game and I don't see this changing anytime soon.

4. The whole black and white issue. Very few things in life are black and white (and by that I mean good/bad, right/wrong, holy/evil, etc.) no matter how hard political and religious leaders try to make them out to be. But with most addictions, there *is* a black and white line - engage in the behavior, you've messed up and need to start healing again; abstain from the behavior, collect your 100-days-clean chip. Food presents no such clear-cut choices - what constitues failure? Does eating a Twinkie mean you've fallen off the wagon? (If your answer to that is yes, read this). You can starve yourself down to 500 calories a day and do more damage to your body than good.

5. Availability. Food is everywhere. To shop, you still need to get up and go to the mall. For sex, you still need to get out there and convince someone to go to bed with you. There's still *effort* involved. Unless you live in a really rural area, you probably have a convenience store within a mile or two of your house. And sometimes you just can't avoid it - when was the last time you stopped for gas and didn't find a store attached to the gas station stocked to the brim with cheap junk food? Buffets used to be limited to Vegas to draw in gamblers - now every town with more than 50 people has a Chinese buffet in it. There are entire TV networks devoted to the preparation and consumption of food: 24/7/365.

How have I been dealing with these pressures? It's been 10 days, so I'm certainly no expert, but here's how I've been dealing with each of the above points:

1. Tell yourself that other people's judgements are a reflection on them, not you.

“When we judge or criticize another person, it says nothing about that person; it merely says something about our own need to be critical.” - Unknown

2. Fundamentally, it's not important whether other people accept food addiction as real or not - there are people who still walk around calling little people midgets and see no reason to change, even if asked politely. Focus on the people who support you and forget the rest - life is too short.

3. To a certain extent, you have to laugh at yourself. Unless you have a true metabolic disorder (which are very rare), we all did this to ourselves through bad choices. People will always be insensitive and very few comedians spend their entire act on fat people. Laughing stimulates lots of good things in your body and seems to strengthen the immune system.

4. Embrace the "grayness" of life. I'm always amazed at how many people are not only willing, but actually seem to crave other people to tell them how to think or behave. How many people listen to political programs on TV and the radio (that only talk about one side of the issue) and are consumed by them? How many people are convinced their religion is right and everyone else is not only wrong, but will burn in eternity? Other than a *very* few things, NOTHING is black and white in this world - NOTHING. Seeking out black and white ways of interacting with the 7 billion people on this planet is a sure recipe for unhappiness. In other words, enjoy the cheeseburger - just try to cut out a few calories and/or exercise a little bit more tomorrow.

5. The toughest one (for me at least). What has worked for me so far in 2011 is to tie this one with other goals I've set for myself. For instance: buying junk food at the gas station also affects my money and time goals for the year. Eating junk food around my daughter affects my parenting goals. By tying together multiple goals, I've been able to stay focused - the cravings are going away and the habits are getting reinforced little-by-little each day.

Today's numbers:

Time: 60min Distance: 3.50 mi Avg Heart Rate: 122bpm Calories: 631 Speed: 3.6mph Incline: 4%

Today's playlist:

Bruce Springsteen - Rosalita (Live)

Wow - the E Street Band was *fierce* back in the day. Recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in '75

Tori Amos - Blue Skies

Listened to the lyric over and over - no idea what she's talking about.

Van Halen - Panama

The best VH song ever. Other contenders? (Any comments with Sammy Hagar singing lead gets you banned from the site).

Pete Townshend - Cat's In The Cupboard

After Moon's death, Pete had one great album left in him. Unfortunately, it wasn't a Who album - Empty Glass is still raw 25 years later.

Apollo 440 - Stop The Rock

This should be the National Hockey League's theme song.

Hives - Abra Cadaver

I would have called this song "93 Seconds of Fury".

Bon Jovi - It's My Life

Arena rock at its most glorious.

Michael Jackson - Beat It

Thriller would've been great without this song. With it, it's almost inhuman.

Culture Club - Sufferagette City

A weird one - I have no idea where I even might have heard this version.

K7 - Come Baby Come

Another weird one - I don't listen to hip-hop (or whatever the kids are calling it these days), so I have no idea how these even got on my playlist. Good groove; nasty, nasty lyrics.

Rancid - You Don't Care Nothin'

Three chords and the truth, baby - three chords and the truth.

Fun Lovin' Criminals - The Fun Lovin' Criminal

FLC was never big in the US; not sure why - some things just don't translate well.

Beastie Boys - Sure Shot

Transformed themselves from snot-nose rap-punks into legitimate artists. Awesome.

REM - Living Well Is The Best Revenge

Accelerate is the best album nobody's talking about. Solid from beginning to end.

Midnight Oil - Bullroarer

In 1984, I saw the Clash at Brendan Byrne Arena in New Jersey - the best concert EVER. Midnight Oil on Pier 39 in New York City was a close second.

Green Day - Burnout

So many great workout songs. How in the world did they pull off American Idiot?