Cooking as a trigger.

[lizker]

This one iam really struggling with. Drinking always gave
me the incentive and grand cooking ideas. Any thought
of cooking is now a strong trigger.
I've been eating out mostly, microwave cooking and TV dinners.
Anyone know how long this phase lasts?

[Pinecone]

Cooking as a trigger.

I feel your pain, as cooking very elaborate things while drinking was something I always did too. You will just have to break this association, and it will happen in time. My love for cooking has returned, it turns out I just like the kitchen and trying out new things. I'm sure this will happen for you too. If your gut is telling you to avoid it for a while, then I would just go with it for now.

[Hippyman]

Cooking as a trigger.

lizker;1466073 wrote: This one iam really struggling with. Drinking always gave
me the incentive and grand cooking ideas. Any thought
of cooking is now a strong trigger.
I've been eating out mostly, microwave cooking and TV dinners.
Anyone know how long this phase lasts?

I love to cook and had almost always had AL as a companion to inspire me. I've started researching on line to find new and healthy choices of dishes I've never made before. I'm looking for odd and unusual combinations and it's alot of fun. Then I put the Tea kettle on and brew some of my new favorite tea choices. I'm enjoying reinventing how to live now that I'm sober!

[Starfish1]

Cooking as a trigger.

Liz, I used to start cooking dinner EARLY, just so I could start drinking. I mean I ALWAYS drank when I cooked. I still like to have something to drink while I cook. I have been using suga-free tonic and lime (but I gave that up for lent :upset so now I have to find something else. Perrier water is good- and last night, I made a pot of red tea and poured it over ice. I like cold things to drink while I cook. Just think of your favorite things to drink and use them as a substitute. Your meals will turn out better, I bet (mine do).

[NoSugar]

Cooking as a trigger.

Starfish1;1466100 wrote: Liz, I used to start cooking dinner EARLY, just so I could start drinking. I mean I ALWAYS drank when I cooked.

One thing I just love about this forum is finding out that things that I thought were my personal nasty little secrets and habits are just so common!

Thanks for all your guidance in the Nest, Starfish. It gets so busy in there it is difficult to keep track of all the things I want to say. You are a great role-model.

All the best to you -- NS

[Starfish1]

Cooking as a trigger.

AWW, Thanks, NoSugar! I am glad to have a buddy who doesn't eat sugar here with me. I really and truly believe that abstaining from sugar has been key in my success this time!

[NoSugar]

Cooking as a trigger.

Starfish1;1466115 wrote: AWW, Thanks, NoSugar! I am glad to have a buddy who doesn't eat sugar here with me. I really and truly believe that abstaining from sugar has been key in my success this time!

Well it sounds like we both like to cook and to do it without sugar -- maybe I'll start a thread for us (since just today I figured out how to do that!) and others that perhaps are interested. I think there is a What we are Eating forum or something like that. I'll check it out later on.

I eat pretty much what is called a Paleo diet although that term seems odd -- it depends where your particular ancestors lived during that period of time. Clearly those in the far north ate differently from those at the equator!!

Anyway, I think I eat very well without the sugar, grains, seed oils, etc. but it definitely means I have to cook --- nothing much that is packaged works. I don't enjoy cooking as much now (meaning I also used to cook in order to drink!!) so need to get back into that more (without AL helping me out).

Have a great day! - NS

[Dottie Belle]

Cooking as a trigger.

Sugar is a HUGE trigger for me....as bad as AL.....
Might be an interesting thread.
Dottie

[Siren136]

Cooking as a trigger.

It's funny - I use cooking as a way to keep myself from thinking about drinking. You should see some of the stuff I do in the kitchen to occupy myself. Just last night I made my great-grandmother's vegetable soup from scratch, while also making quinoa, butter-garlic seared scallops, crab-stuffed mushroom caps, and grilling mussels and clams. It all turned out great, but there is no way I had any time to take a drink of anything - even water until it was done. Then I was too full to think about alcohol (and too tired to care).

[Starfish1]

Cooking as a trigger.

Oh, thanks, No sugar (about the cooking thread). I just follow the Atkins diet. He stated in the beginning of the book that following his diet will break addictions to sugar, alcohol, etc. I really wish I had started with the Paleo diet but had not really even heard of it when I began this last attempt.

Dottie, they say the sugar sort of "acts like alcohol" and I don't know, but maybe it kind of keeps the addiction going? Someone with more sense about this will probably correct me, but honestly, when I cut out the sugar, I really did not have bad cravings right there in the beginning.
I know a lot of folks, though, have used sugar to actually get them thru their cravings...so, I just guess different things work for different folks.

Oh, Siren!!! You are making my mouth water!!!! I did not bring my lunch today (BIG NO NO!!!) and don't really have money to go buy anything so I will have to wait til I get home to eat. Man o Man that seafood sounds great though!! And so does the soup!!!

[NoSugar]

Cooking as a trigger.

Starfish1;1466146 wrote:
Dottie, they say the sugar sort of "acts like alcohol" and I don't know, but maybe it kind of keeps the addiction going? Someone with more sense about this will probably correct me, but honestly, when I cut out the sugar, I really did not have bad cravings right there in the beginning.

There are some people working in the field that are convinced that alcoholism is essentially a particularly bad form of disordered carbohydrate/blood sugar metabolism.

Some anecdotal evidence:

One can substitute for the other in response to a "craving" given the similar biochemistry of the reward system.
Many alcoholics were big time carb consumers before they drank (and then preferred AL).
Many ex-alcoholics are big time carb consumers.
Giving up one (and shutting down the reward system) greatly facilitates giving up the other.
Similar consequences of both: visceral (belly) fat development (the worst place to have fat in terms of overall health).
Any intake of either can stimulate overintake (while intake of protein or fat or carbonated water etc. rarely would lead to a binge).
Diabetics need to give up overconsumption of both carbs and alcohol given the havoc wrecked by both on blood sugar metabolism.

Anyway, it is an interesting subject!

Siren136;1466133 wrote: It's funny - I use cooking as a way to keep myself from thinking about drinking. You should see some of the stuff I do in the kitchen to occupy myself. Just last night I made my great-grandmother's vegetable soup from scratch, while also making quinoa, butter-garlic seared scallops, crab-stuffed mushroom caps, and grilling mussels and clams. It all turned out great, but there is no way I had any time to take a drink of anything - even water until it was done. Then I was too full to think about alcohol (and too tired to care).

Wow! I would eat all of that in a minute except probably the quinoa... Now where is it you live???
Anyway, we sure would like to have your recipe contributions to any thread we get going! Your meal sounds absolutely delicious!

[Starfish1]

Cooking as a trigger.

[QUOTE=NoSugar;1466174]
Any intake of either can stimulate overintake

Thanks, NoSugar- that's prolly why I craved chips and junk when I drank my sorry beer!:upset:

[NoSugar]

Cooking as a trigger.

[quote]Starfish1;1466177 wrote:

Any intake of either can stimulate overintake

Thanks, NoSugar- that's prolly why I craved chips and junk when I drank my sorry beer!:upset:

How about 1/2 a large tub or more of Edy's ice cream after a bottle of wine??? That sounds bad enough but add in eating it straight from the carton standing up.

Secretly drinking and eating that much garbage has nothing to do with the normal positive reactions to food and beverage, meeting biological needs and all that. That is just all-out junkie behavior. Thank goodness there are no nanny-cams around my house!! And thank goodness I am done with that business!

[Starfish1]

Cooking as a trigger.

Just now, no sugar, I am beginning to feel like I am (for the first time in my life) responding like a normal person around food. Eating when truly hungry rather than just out of habit and being able to realize when I have had enough (and stopping there). Much better!!

[Siren136]

Cooking as a trigger.

NoSugar;1466174 wrote:
Wow! I would eat all of that in a minute except probably the quinoa... Now where is it you live???
Anyway, we sure would like to have your recipe contributions to any thread we get going! Your meal sounds absolutely delicious!

I was very pleased (and a little surprised) that it all turned out so well and all right on time. I have lots of recipes and I'd be happy to share. I've been experimenting a lot with Indian food lately. I spent 3 months there late 2011 and really fell in love with the food and the culture.