Main Entry: en·abler

Pronunciation: \i-ˈnā-blər, -bəl-ər\

Function: noun Date: 1615:

one that enables another to achieve an end ; especially : one who enables another to persist in self-destructive behavior (as substance abuse) by providing excuses or by making it possible to avoid the consequences of such behavior

food ADDICTION

Food addiction manifests itself in the uncontrollable craving for excess food that follows the ingestion of refined carbohydrates, primarily sugar and flour substances that are quickly metabolized and turned into sugar in the bloodstream.

Due to those uncontrollable cravings, a food addict's quality of life deteriorates when he or she eats sugar, flour or wheat. It can deteriorate physically, emotionally, socially and/or spiritually.

If any of the following symptoms are familiar to you, you may be a food addict:

Physical Symptoms of Food Addiction

• Do you think you cannot control your intake of food, especially junk food or high sugar foods?

• Have you tried different diets or weight loss programs, but none has worked permanently?

• Have you found yourself vomiting, using laxatives, diuretics, or exercising a lot to avoid a weight gain after you have eaten a lot?

Many food addicts are obese and have tried numerous methods for weight control (diets, drugs, surgery, etc.) yet nothing has created a permanent solution. Other food addicts have never been obese. Their physical weight has been controlled by extreme measures such as excessive exercise, purging through vomiting or laxatives (bulimia), or the severe and unhealthy limiting of food substances(anorexia). No matter which version of food addiction fits you, all of these symptoms become more severe with time and eventually lead to physical problems that can create an early and sometimes painful death.

Emotional Symptoms of Food Addiction

• Do you find yourself feeling depressed, hopeless, sad or ashamed about your eating or your weight?

• Do you find yourself eating when you are upset or reward yourself with food when you do something good?

• Have you ever noticed after eating sugar, flour, or wheat that you become more irritable?

Food addicts notice that their emotions become more severe, intense, or unreasonable when eating the addictive substances. For many food addicts, emotional life may deteriorate into despair, depression, or thoughts of suicide.

Social Symptoms of Food Addiction

• Do you eat in private so no one will see you?

• Do you avoid social interactions because you feel you do not look good enough or do not have the proper fitting clothes to wear?

• Do you steal other people’s food?

• Are you more interested in what food is served at social gatherings than looking forward to the warmth of being with the people attending?

A food addict’s social life is affected by intense obsessive thinking about food. Making eye contact with people and taking an interest in developing friendships or intimate relationships become secondary to locating and eating addictive foods. Food addicts often hide or steal foods and eat in secret.

<p>Can I ask....why do you guys even care what's happening in those forums? I don't think I'd like it if someone came to our forum and told us how VSG was all wrong.</p> <p> </p> <p>It just seems a bit rude to me to go there and tell them that their choice is not right. Is that really our job, even if we think we may be helping someone comparing surgeries? I expect, when I speak to someone who has a lapband that they will tell me how it's working for them (if it is), and when I talk to someone with a sleeve, the person will say the sleeve is the best.</p> <p> </p> <p>Posting in their forum to criticize their choice doesn't seem very nice.</p> <p> </p> <p>CGJ, I thought you did a good job of presenting a fair view on both sides, and your 10 years of LB certainly qualifies you to post your experience on it, but other than that, to be honest it bothers me that we have threads here criticizing them.</p> <p> </p> <p>There's one utterly irrational person on that side who is completely unpopular. But even with her, it bothers me that we're starting threads complaining about individual members which is very much against forum rules, isn't it?</p> <p> </p> <p>Sorry I know I'm ranting there are so few new threads all together since the changeover, that I hate to see some of them be on contentious topics.</p> <p> </p> <p>Really unless we've been banded, we have no business telling them what we think about it. We ourselves complain when pre-ops tell us what to do. How's this any different, right?</p> <p> </p> <p>Let's get back to food porn instead! or Enabling. </p>

I really want to intermingle. I'm a social gal. The sniping is on both sides. The VSG/RNY bashing annoyed me. I'm human. Although going over there poking at others is counterproductive.

Neither was linking the thread here. A less than stellar decision on my part. Although it seems many were more than aware it it on their own.

I'd really like to intermingle and learn from others, tho.

I'm craving chocolate chip cookies something fierce.

I really want to intermingle. I'm a social gal. The sniping is on both sides. The VSG/RNY bashing annoyed me. I'm human. Although going over there poking at others is counterproductive.

Neither was linking the thread here. A less than stellar decision on my part. Although it seems many were more than aware it it on their own.

I'd really like to intermingle and learn from others, tho.

I think there's a lot we can share on food, nutrition, addiction, encouragement, not enabling, denial and all the topics that are common to WLS so I TOTALLY agree with you. There's a lot to learn on all sides. That part, I am looking forward to.

Amanda, on the other thread, I asked you to stick around. Please come back!!!! I care to hear your opinion on what was stated wrong and if it was a statement I made. Ill be the first to admit if I'm wrong.

Ok my thread jumped the shark days ago..and that's cool, but I sign in right now and you guys are talking about food and posting pictures of it??

My word!

Now I want a slice...

I'm craving chocolate chip cookies something fierce.

Its horribly cold and rainy in the UK, crave for nice warm comforting pudding!

It's an old member that butter purposely framed and got kicked off of here because he was jealous of his abs and the skills with the ladies....

Butter wants to be the only perv.. I mean hunk on the app formerly known as VST.

He's still around, just not BCA. I saw a post not too long ago, screen name Aaron something. I would offer to find it, but the new site...

Ok my thread jumped the shark days ago..and that's cool, but I sign in right now and you guys are talking about food and posting pictures of it?? My word! Now I want a slice...

Well I mean, the thread IS about enabling. So I was enabling!

I so want popcorn right now. With butter. Maybe even a movie. (Looks at sliced turkey and string cheese and sighs to self....make it taste like popcorn, dammit!)

Here's what I don't get about the whole band vs sleeve debate. Obviously, those of us who went to a sleeve think it was the better choice, at least for ourselves. But I am not an expert on the band, and have no interest in debating minutiae about it. I know that I felt the band would be more invasive *to me* and that's why I chose what I did. I also feel like I have a damned lot of follow up appointments this year. Maybe I'm wrong about that.

Also, I am going to say this here and then try not to say it again. We are not LOOSING weight. We are LOSING weight. ARGH.

Should I take this over to rants and raves? Or maybe post another naked dancing video?

JEEBUS... pizza, cookies...

Well the good news is that the pictures got no calories. And as me Mother would say about "wanting"

"If wanting were horses, beggars would ride"

Here's what I don't get about the whole band vs sleeve debate. Obviously, those of us who went to a sleeve think it was the better choice, at least for ourselves. But I am not an expert on the band, and have no interest in debating minutiae about it. I know that I felt the band would be more invasive *to me* and that's why I chose what I did. I also feel like I have a damned lot of follow up appointments this year. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Also, I am going to say this here and then try not to say it again. We are not LOOSING weight. We are LOSING weight. ARGH. Should I take this over to rants and raves? Or maybe post another naked dancing video?

The loosing losing thing you will lose(see?! I got it right) . Last time we posted about it, we were gently reminded that we should t make fun of those less educated than us.

Because the nauseous/nauseated thing bugs me too but I'm learning to cope

Naked video on the other hand! No one, not even butter is complaining about those!

Here you go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NARBP60iU2E

And in honor of my profession, it's musical.

Soo funny! I have laughed my head off reading these posts!

As I've said before, Lap Band is no longer offered in NZ. Got nothing to do with insurance - everything is self pay here. Too many complications, very poor results. Maybe it works for some people, but clearly not enough or it would still be offered here. RNY is still offered, but it is less common now, apparently. My surgeon said that the VSG is becoming the gold standard wls in the world. For now. Who knows what they will come up with next? Scientists are working on a Ghrelin vaccine. Perhaps wls will no longer be needed. In 50 years time, people will say, "OMG, can you imagine, people used to have 75% of their stomach amputated."

GG: regarding loosing/losing. I know. I know. I'm a bitchy grammar snob. It's/its; your/you're; their/there/they're…they all drive me into a silent fit of pointless rage. For all intensive purposes, irregardless.

Every year I hope I will improve. Every year my hopes are dashed.