Over-eating is a global obsession.

Billions of people eat too much, know this and still can’t seem to help themselves. So why do they do it?

Well, it would seem there are two main root causes: emotional imbalance and physiological dependence. We over-eat because excess food dulls that intangible pain that lurks deep within us … and we continue this madness because our bodies can’t stand how it feels when the onslaught is discontinued.

It’s not because of one or the other. Both are inter-dependent!

Comfort eating is a well-known and fully accepted phenomenon. We eat for succor (sorry America, that just looks wrong … succour). There’s a gap in our soul, an emptiness that must be plugged.

Where?

Somewhere, deep inside. And I just don’t care to even try to find where. It’s just “there”, gnawing away at us. The legacy of bad decisions, poor planning, missed opportunities … even a broken heart.

And consuming something that we instinctively know is “bad” for us is a form of very necessary self-flaggellation. Picture if you will a poor girl curled up on her couch, Ben and Jerry’s in hand.

Temporary comfort fueling a growing sense of wretchedness … but all part of a very necessary cathartic process!

But it’s never a one-off.

Everytime the loneliness kicks in, that light in the fridge door draws us in. And with that first glorious mouthful, the dopamine receptors in our brain drown in the pleasure of relief.

We owe ourselves one more indulgence (or so we rationalize).

But … the more we turn to this crutch, the less special it becomes. And the more we feel we need.

And as we “kill” ourselves, our wretchedness magnifies. In for a penny, in for a pound. A downward spiral of malaise that feeds on itself.

The rewards of addiction … less, for more.

Until you stop the madness and pay the price if you can stand it. For most it goes way beyond a tub of ice cream. It’s cravings at every meal. With each successive rationalization chipping away at our very foundation of sanity.

Emotional vulnerability conspiring with the reality of physical addiction. In a society that is so hunkered down it won’t even acknowledge existence of the beast.

You just need to get it together and show some intestinal fortitude!

Moderation … that’s what you need. A bit of discipline. Some restraint. All of which muddies the waters even further, because we all know that some restraint is not only possible, but usually fairly effective and rewarding.

But how the hell does one keep it up?

Stick around … I may just have some answers for you in future posts. I appreciate you taking this time to spend with me and hope this brought a smile to your face.

I’ve been back from my trip to Scotland now for a week.

It’s taken me that long to recover from the onslaught of cooked foods I subjected my body to while away!

Prior to my trip (which was thoroughly pleasant I should add … and thanks for asking), I had made pretty useful progress with my eating habits. Although not 100% raw as yet, I consider myself to be in the transition phase.

I go from eating totally raw for several days at a stretch, to the odd fall from grace. Nothing serious I might add. The odd omelette, punnet of prawns (shrimp) or can of salmon. Mindless consumption, more out of habit or because my girlfriend still has not entirely bought into the whole idea of raw and I’m trying not to make her feel too uncomfortable.

I’m hoping that the soft touch over time will be more effective in the long run. What I know for sure is that my passion is often misconstrued for evangelism. This is unfortunate as it is the last thing I would want to be.

Anyway, back to our road trip.

It’s been a tradition of mine to eat a Whopper at Burger King every time I drive over 100 miles or so.

Why?

Because for at least half my life I couldn’t buy McDonald’s or BK. So now I have this really screwed up idea that eating there is a “treat”. Not because it’s good food (it’s not!) … and not because I enjoy my meals there (I don’t!).

In fact, the only reason I can think of for this madness and total incongruence with my whole being, is that I can do it.

No other reason! It’s me being rebellious. In some wierd way, the marketing lads have done such a good job that I associate a Whopper with something I need.

And each time I succumb, I ask myself what possible reason could it be. I mean, I could understand it if I absolutely loved it. But I don’t. In fact, it makes me mildly nauseous … and I always regret it.

Until the next time!

Well, that was the story of my entire holiday. I knew the friends we stay with would love us to death with beautifully prepared cooked food (usually a roast washed down with liberal amounts of merlot).

And I knew that once I reached my mum’s house (where we spent the lion’s share of our holiday), we would go out to eat because she hates to cook. My mum is arguably the best cook I know. She can make just about anything taste great.

But she’s at a point in her life where she cooks us one meal to show good faith, then announces that it’s the last we’re getting and we will all have to go out.

So how do I feel about all this?

Well, like any family or social scenario involving great friends, it’s tough. Good friends and family show their love with food. To reject it is to disrespect them … and that’s the last thing I would ever want to do.

I am also known as a prodigious eater!

So, if for any reason I don’t polish off my plate and then consume seconds and thirds … well then, something is quite clearly wrong.

To be honest, I hate all the fuss about food. I hate being under the spotlight. I hate having to explain why at home I eat differently, or why I only want one serving.

So I don’t!

I write off the two weeks, push a magical switch in my head … and vow to indulge without a hint of restraint.

Usually, this is quite pleasurable. Decades of over-eating the wrong foods have led me to a point of relative immunity. The addiction kicks in and I eat until I am stuffed.

And then I eat even more until there is nothing left and everyone can enjoy the performance of the human Hoover.

But here’s what I noticed this time:

I had made not only a psychological shift, but a physiological one too. For me at this point in my slow transition, I actually have no desire for cooked, processed or convenience foods whatsover.

The emotional need is gone!

Strangely enough, so is any physical attraction too. In fact, my body has cleansed itself to a point where it feels positively desecrated by any cooked or artificial foods.

Which leaves me feeling most unnerved.

I actually have become so opposed to putting cooked animal products and otherwise harmful cuisine into my mouth that I have to fight the emotions that arise as a result of just being offered a meal.

And this makes me feel awful. Because I know that my partner, my friends and my family can’t understand (because their bodies are different to mine now) … and because I don’t want to appear either neurotic or ungrateful!

So I’m in a huge quandary!

It took me about 8 days this time before my immune system was so compromised that I got sick. Yes, I actually got a cold!

I never get sick. Okay, occasionally … but I put that down to overtraining or lack of sleep or whatever.

But this time I knew, clear as I’ve ever known anything, that I was getting sick because my system was reacting to being hammered by cooked food.

I could just feel it!

No-one could tell me it was because of an unseasonably late cold snap (we had a few inches of snow and sub zero nights in April … not too unusual I’m told). And no-one could tell me that it was because my friend had a cold and my step-dad had a cold.

Okay, I accept, I was exposed to a few germs. So what! Under normal circumstances my body would have had no problem at all.

But a week into the trip and it just surrendered to the inevitable.

Now that I’m back, I am on a mission!

I am eating raw again. Sensible raw, not high fat wretched raw! Fruits, green smoothies, salad greens, berries … and the odd handful of seeds, small avocado or small punnet of olives.

And in two days, my cold is beaten, I’m working out again (hard) and I have my motivation back.

The one thing I’m still struggling with is a touch of lingering depression. But I have an instinctive sense that that too will soon disappear and be replaced with my usual buoyant self.

Funny thing is, I love my family and I love my friends … but I have absolutely no idea how I am going to manage the food and drink thing in the future.

My strategy will be to lose so much weight and get so disgustingly healthy that they cannot help but notice immediately. Then it will be so much easier to gently cut back, or even do without … without ruffling any feathers or making anyone feel awkward.

It is my motivation now. Writing about it is cathartic sure … but it also means I have something very positive to strive towards.

My new strategy … lead by example.

I genuinely have no wish to tell people anything or make anyone feel that “my way” is in any way a “better way”.

But if I can get people whom I care about asking me what it is that I am doing, then maybe, just maybe, I can arrive at the breakthrough I have been waiting for.

Thanks for lending me your ear. If you have similar comments or observations about your own experiences in this most sensitive of areas, please go ahead and comment freely.

I’m sure I am not alone in finding this challenging.

As Britain reels under the recession, interesting trends in eating habits are emerging … none of which do wonders for our waistlines.

You would think that with money tighter than ever, more and more people would be staying in and eating more frugally. This may be the case with some, but it seems that perception of value still plays a bigger role than we might think.

In fact, all-you-can-eat restaurants are now booming with some reporting four times the business of average pub restaurants!

9000-10000 guests a week, or more, is not uncommon. It seems customers are seduced by the selection and don’t want to miss out. Almost like we are camels and must stock up in the face of an irresistably good deal!

To others, quantity matters more than selection … another example of hybrid camel mentality.

But perhaps the most under-estimated pull is that of informality. People love going as an entire family, but with the option of eating like they do at home … with everyone grazing on what they want,  in the quantity they want.

So … selection, informality, value for money and the sheer delirious pleasure of being able to pig out without restriction! And all of these lead to predictable conclusions. Bloated, over-loaded stomachs and the mindless fatigue that follows.

Every available resource goes towards digestion leaving very little energy for anything else. This fans the flames of addiction but people don’t care because they’re stretching their cash resources and having a great time escaping from the reality of their everyday existences.

Of course, they will continue to put on weight. And of course they will continue to add to the stress load they already subject their bodies to.

Excessive, addictive food that costs energy and adds little nutritional benefit!

Add to this the over-the-counter and prescription medications taken to relieve the resultant symptoms of indigestion, constipation, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, sexual disfunction and depression.

All require metabolism and eventual elimination and all add appreciably to the overall stress load profile of each individual.

Why then do we expect to manage our weight effectively and remain free from disease when we are so quick to indulge without thought to consequence?

Or maybe people just accept that they will get sick and rely on the health care sytem to mitigate the damage? But … when the system runs out of money, surely tears will be shed?

Come on Britain … what example are you setting for your kids?

Fast food, alcohol and all-you-can-eat blow outs are sure-fire shortcuts to a life of dependence and preventable suffering.

Don’t you think it’s time to take stock?

For those who are interested enough to check this blog regularly for updates, may I apologize for my recent lack of posts, interesting or otherwise.

To be frank I have been lacking in motivation.

And the reason for this is that I have realised that people who stumble upon a site like this are looking for ways of losing weight fast and easily, with little effort and permanent results.

And you guys are simply not that interested in my running exploits.

That leaves me with a bit of a dilemma. You see I don’t think that weight loss is a) simple, b) quick, c) easy … and d) even a worthwhile objective. (And … I’m still enjoying my running).

Let me qualify that. If you are over-weight and at risk of health problems, then sure, weight loss is an objective that makes sense. But most people are more interested in weight loss for cosmetic benefits.

As with everything in life, there is always a nucleus of people who want immediate gratification … a shortcut that delivers all the benefits with none of the pain.

Which means that I need to find a way of revealing the truth without breaking your heart.

This leads me to my first point (and an appropriate starting place for this particular discussion). Here goes:

1. Stop looking for the quick fix … it seems the more I say it, the deafer my audience become. Guys, please, there is nothing gained in losing weight quickly. It’s meaningless, because it’s temporary.

The real prize is learning how to slowly bring yourself back down to a body fat level that you feel comfortable at. In the process you will learn the basics of eating right, as well as all the other things you need to do to become more balanced and more of an athlete.

2. being too ambitious … it is tempting to look at TV shows like “The Biggest Loser” and think that losing more than a half a kg a week should be par for the course. But it’s not. In fact it’s hard to separate the mentality behind this mistake from the mindset that drives mistake #1. Bottom line: slow and steady wins the race.

3. Panicking when you don’t get the results you expect. This happens to me, especially as I feel so darn accountable putting myself out there on a site like this. In fact, I have put so much pressure on myself, it’s taken all the fun out of the whole exercise. I have reviewed my initial targets and revised them in order to do things in a way that works for me.

Call me selfish, but what has become my primary focus is just going in the right direction. Speed of progress has become secondary.

And guess what? I’m having fun again!

4. Changing one’s diet and thinking that it will solve all your problems. This is another error I have made. You see, I am really clear that the foods we (humans) are designed for are fruits and vegetables. So my focus changed to eating less cooked food and more fresh, ripe, raw, organic, fruits and vegetables.

In so doing, I made a fundamental error that virtually all people new to “raw foods” make. I thought that just because I was eating raw, I was completely on the right track. Not so. You see, it is possible to eat predominantly raw, living foods and still be doing your body a dis-service.

How so I hear you say?

Simple … you get hungry and so start filling up on avocados and nuts, thinking that because they are God’s own foods, somehow you won’t get fat. Well folks, it’s a fundamental error and I fell into the trap hook, line and sinker.

I was getting so frustrated. I was eating far fewer cooked foods and a healthy variety of fresh, uncooked foods … and although I was feeling spectacular, I was not losing the weight I had hoped for. When I first came across “raw” I instinctively knew that I was onto something.

And I was! The better I felt and the more the weight came off, the more I felt vindicated. It was like I had discovered the motherload and I was just so excited. Indeed, it turns out that this “awakening” is very much a part of the whole “going raw” experience.

But as with anything really great, the entire truth is slightly more sobering.

The good news is that instead of going back to the drawing board, I trusted my instincts and just dug a little deeper. Before long it was clear. I was getting way too many calories from fat. Sure, “good” fat. But fat nevertheless.

Two avocados a day is ridiculous! But to someone who is still learning, two avo’s sounds perfectly healthy. I mean, it sure sounds a lot more healthy than fries or pizza.

5. Don’t give up when you miss your targets. Yes, I missed my targets so badly this quarter that I actually decided to revise them. But now the pressure is off again and I can get back to what is really constructive which is just quietly heading in the right direction at a more sedate pace … this time feeling more knowledgeable and a whole lot wiser.

One of the things that has always jarred me slightly is that I thought it made sense to get some momentum going, then lose both fat and muscle … as if the process was that controllable.

The fact is, controlling lean muscle mass and body fat percentage is not something as simple as putting a coin in a machine and waiting for a desired outcome to pop out.

So I have just got back to basics … focus on getting healthy and let the weight loss happen as a natural by-product. This now makes much more sense. Refinements can happen over time.

6. Actively focusing on eating less. I have always been clear that our addictions drive us far more than any other force. For this reason, deprivation was a lost cause as a strategy worth embracing. But the fact remains, it is tempting.

And when you fail, it is so mentally debilitating. So my focus instead is to eat what feels most natural for me. And if I fall from grace, so what.

Direction, not speed!

Which brings me to the end of this post. See, no mention of running. My new strategy will be to write longer posts, less frequently. I hope this new style will suit my readers more.

Remember, your feedback is always really appreciated. So don’t be shy!