Today is Wellness Wednesday with Medical Center Hospital and I would like to share some of my process of getting well. They say in recovery that admitting you have a problem is the first step. This can apply to anything in life. It doesn't have to be just drugs or alcohol, it could be anything you are addicted to. I am here to tell you , my name is Gwen and I am addicted to food.

I am not ashamed. Food had become a drug to me. I ate when I was hungry, I ate when I was sad or mad, I ate when I was happy, or I ate just because I could. Food was my comfort, my crutch, and my celebration. It became a focus. When or what was I going to eat next.

Being open and honest about this has helped me so much. To find someone who understood the issues I was deal with was so relieving. Dr. Davenport and his staff have been so understanding and reassuring, never with any judgement or criticism.

In a situation like this, you think that you are the only one, that one else understands. Just like any other kind of addict, you sneak around to do it, you do it as often, as you can, and hope no no one notices.

Part of the surgical process is not just surgery. It's finding out what is leading to this behavior. For me, food was a safety blanket. Food was my friend, it was always there for me and always made me feel better, I thought. That was so not true.

Now that I am recognizing my feeling toward food, it helps me to know when I actually need to eat or if I am eating just because.

One thing that has helped me so much is portion control. I have come to realize, I don't need that much! I have found eating with a smaller spoon and smaller plate or bowl, had really helped me. If that is all that will fit on the plate then that's all I need.

Now I have a different perspective on food. It's not a crutch or security but it's nutritional and that's what I need it for.

Check out some of my education.

More From Lonestar 92.3