One component of addiction is denial. (Denial is a state of mind marked by a refusal or inability to acknowledge and deal with a serious personal problem.) You can go from thinking, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine with food to, I’m not fine Constantly eating more than you need, even if there are negative consequences, is also part of addiction.

I am an addict. No matter how many years I practice the new mindful way of eating, the new habits will always be less substantial than the old habits and patterns that I have practiced for a lifetime of mindless eating. The old way will always have more practice, strength, weight and power than the new way.

After years of pushing the limits myself, that’s what addicts do, I know for a fact that I have no willpower or self-control; both were surgically removed at birth. However, you can learn to buy a little less, order a little less, prepare and serve a little less. When the food is presented to him, he will eat a little less. In the end, you will weigh a little less.

It’s the times when you’ve gone off your schedule by leaving food lying around so instantly, quickly, and available, you’re most likely thinking: I can handle it, or one won’t hurt me. (That’s denial.)

It is not one of anything that causes weight gain. It’s just that the old way has a ritual, frequency and serving size that has been established over a lifetime. And, if the item you choose turns out to be one of the current foods you use to distract yourself, then it’s nothing, because you can’t stop once you’ve started. You’re going to eat it until it’s gone.

Do you think you should be able to leave junk food lying around your house and office and not eat it? (That’s denial.) A young father of two overweight children tells me, “I know I can lose all the weight (75 pounds) if I can go to the gym regularly.” (That’s denial.) If you’re using a food or drink to distract yourself from feeling angry, lonely, tired, stressed, and worried, and you’ve received temporary relief from your emotional upset, why should you stop going into the kitchen to get that food, that distraction?

When you get there, you always get what you want: something to self-medicate with. Even if the youngster goes to the gym, he won’t lose weight unless he starts eating an amount of food (less frequently, in smaller portions) than he has been eating. When he creates a new autoresponder to replace his old autoresponder (redesign), when he goes to the kitchen, the food isn’t there. You’ll find something else (less destructive) to distract yourself with. Eventually, you will stop going to the kitchen.

The few moments of comfort you get from getting high with food are totally out of proportion to the amount of drugs (food, serving size, and frequency of use) you need to achieve those few moments. Because you build up a tolerance to the drug (you can never build it up enough, and you can’t get it often enough) you’re never satisfied.