The Link Between ADHD & Obesity

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▼ Timestamps ▼
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00:00 - Introduction
01:50 - Reward Processing
04:40 - Altered Inhibitory Control
05:48 - Altered Emotional Regulation
10:35 - What can we do about it?
- 10:53 - Savor our food
- 12:13 - Do not distract yourself
- 12:47 - Don’t keep unhealthy food available
- 15:13 - Control your emotions
20:49 - Obesity
- 21:37 - Increased Inflammation
- 24:19 - Insulin
28:50 - Anti-obesity mechanisms
- 28:59 - Gastric stretch
- 30:34 - Start exercising
- 31:02 - Eat anti-inflammatory foods
31:39 - Summary & Conclusion
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Follow along as Dr. K goes into the links between ADHD & obesity, where it begins, why it happens, and what we can do about it. What's something you learned from this video? Share with us in the comments!
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DISCLAIMER
Healthy Gamer is an online community and resource platform for gamers and their families. It does not provide medical services or professional counselling, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care. Our coaches are peer supporters, not professionally trained experts, and they cannot provide medical service. If you or a loved one are experiencing an emergency, please call your nation's emergency telephone number.
All guests of Healthy Gamer are informed of the public, non-medical nature of the content and have expressly agreed to share their story.

[@HealthyGamerGG]

Need a new PC? Starforge Systems - The Best PCs in the Universe: starforgepc.com/HealthyGamer

[@camilla_films_stuff]

i hate commercials, generally, but i smiled when i heard this one 😁

[@rjj3271]

Thanks Asmon(bald) for sponsoring mental health content!

[@camilla_films_stuff]

@@rjj3271 indeed!

[@Dreykopff]

Not too much in love with seeing a sponsor that, in a way, encourages laziness. Building and maintaining a computer, cooking food etc. are good and rewarding skills to learn. And you absolutely don't need to stay on top of every new thing or whatever. All parts will last you multiple years, you now know how to exchange parts when needed instead of having to buy a whole new machine, and this doesn't automatically make it a special interest. Anyway, of course it's still good that readily packaged solutions are available for people who really need them right now and don't have the time or energy to do their research.

[@shianlichiam9654]

Same and I'm not even a gamer. @@camilla_films_stuff

[@rosselliott6515]

If I'm eating from a package of cookies, the thought of the next cookie is more exciting than the excitement I get while I am still chewing a cookie.

[@mclainadams4811]

literally, lol spot on

[@iche9373]

Just take Ozempic or Semaglutide to regulate your cravings Or take Berberine as a cheap alternative

[@writer_jane4912]

Just take a drug with a risk of stomach paralysis is not good advice. Glp-1 agonists have a laundry list of potential severe complications.​@@iche9373

[@hcn6708]

@@iche9373 Do you think people lay golden eggs

[@iche9373]

@@hcn6708or Berberine, it's a cheap alternative including intermittend Fasting and Keto Diet.

[@benstone3323]

As someone with ADHD, I feel I sometimes go back and forth between forgetting to eat and binge eating

[@Vivicci.x]

Exactly. My weight fluctuates heavily too; I binge eat some meals or days and then I restrict. Well ADHD and body image issues hand in hand is my issue unfortunately

[@unluckyomens370]

Thats exactly what I do its either im bored and binging or im focused and I dont eat until I start to get lightheaded (its usually from dehydration but I keep water in my room to combat that a bit so i can usually go like 30 or so hours without getting lightheaded) 30 or so hours without the kitchen btw* I usually eat when I go to refill my water because I just havent actually felt hunger in forever idk why but my stomach just doesnt like to talk to me

[@wendyanndarling]

person with ADHD as well: same! I forget to eat all day until I am starving, my brain doesn't function anymore, and I then proceed to binge on crappy foods.

[@LunaCidnie]

Same!

[@DaveE99]

I feel like i binge grocery shop, or hyperfocus shop, I never buy like just one of something that I’m into. It’s like no, I buy 5 packs of sliced strawberries, not one

[@skyre2039]

I also struggle with impulsive eating and eating out of boredom rather than hunger

[@VitisCZ]

I do that as well and don't know how to deal with it

[@Senator_weeb]

Is that a sign of adhd

[@bjwkusgxjdks]

@@Senator_weebdoesn’t have to be, but ADHD people have it worse than non adhd

[@patmarek1222]

Y E S !!!

[@zesky6654]

​@VitisCZ try fasting, by the time you are able to go 3 days without food you will have complete control over your earing habits.

[@dullbatarang165]

Every time I see stuff online about ADHD and food, it's about how people always forget to eat and how they can't get enough food. It made me feel weird having the opposite problem, where if I had a second that wasn't occupied and I was bored, I would fill it by eating. Thank you so much for showing the other side that isn't as represented.

[@deadringer-cultofdeathratt8813]

I have both problems. Impulsive eating when I can see food. But when I’m locked in my room I only remember to eat when I get dizzy after a day and a half without a meal.

[@sleepycowboy18]

I tend to forget eating, when i was about to eat, and then i get distracted by something for an hour or so, and then remember again to eat

[@CosyKitty]

I have both. If I'm really hyperfocused on something I can forget to eat, drink, have a toilet and even sleep, but when I'm bored or don't have anything urgent to do I fill the time with food (or chewing my cheeks if I don't have food) and I can't stop even if I want to

[@quartz2999]

Do you think you also think about food more than the average person? I know It's not like I'm addicted to food, and to an extent, I have self control, but food is often like a main event of the day for me. I spend it thinking about what I'm going to eat later a LOT. If it's not something very enjoyable that I can stuff my face with, it actually makes me pretty sad. If I know I'm going to have something good I look forward to all day. I buy junk a lot too. Like Dr. K said, one is never enough, it's never been. 😞

[@quartz2999]

tbh I'm lucky that I have the metabolism that I do.

[@RedSaint83]

The way I've explained this to friends is "Within me are two labrador retrievers: And they're both starving!"

[@juliasmith960]

Some of the best advice I got was that weight loss and maintenance isn't about discipline, it's about strategy.

[@malyrbt7093]

bullshit you lossing weight or not that's what matter

[@LiftPizzas]

@@malyrbt7093You missed the point. Success does not come from "discipline." It comes from implementing the right strategy so that you don't even need discipline to succeed. Also, it does matter if you lose weight and keep it off only by constantly fighting against your own desires every moment of every day of your life, or if you lose it without making yourself miserable in the process and don't really need to spend much time or effort thinking about it. After all, the goal isn't to change a number on a scale but to improve your quality of life.

[@bridgerparker4275]

​@malyrbt7093 oh thank you for your wisdom, you clearly have a deep understanding of this and can articulate that eloquently. Please continue to contribute your glorious brainpower to the rest of the world

[@bridgerparker4275]

Big time, but discipline does still play a role as well. i have lost ~50lbs on 3 separate occasions now and the strategy was certainly the biggest factor to actualizing my goal, but keeping that weight off means maintaining those strategies which does require discipline

[@LiftPizzas]

@@bridgerparker4275I've kept 70 lbs off for over 11 years and counting, no gaining it back and no discipline required. If you choose/design a lifestyle that you're happy to live and use that to get to your goal, by the time you get there you don't have to learn how to maintain because everything you need to do is already a habit.

[@Blue-Spirit]

This is so relatable. Eating when sad is a distraction from strong emotions I don't notice are present. My family doesn't understand why I don't have this packaged food in my home. I tell them it will be gone in a day and they tell me "Just don't eat all of it at once", like its helpful advice. This was a great holistic explanation of this problem.

[@bjwkusgxjdks]

Legit. I try so hard to be disciplined for not eating all. But then I end up eating more and more eventhough I am forcing myself NOT to eat😂

[@BergerandLeggman]

Junk food is addicting. I never buy it.

[@bjwkusgxjdks]

@@SimonWoodburyForget thanks for your explanation brotha, gotta rewatch that video again I see.

[@sosoadja7663]

The thing that work of me in junk food is to tell myself how often i can buy certain food. Exemple: i tell myself that I cant buy ice cream more than once a month so even tho I ate the ice cream in 2 days, I force myself to not buy it until a month later.

[@tryingmybestokay]

"just don't do x" is such shit advice. I'm glad you're finding ways of taking care of yourself.

[@sacrilegiousboi978]

Yet another perfect example of why people with ADHD crave and anticipate more things in general than neurotypicals - because the reward they get from things is less.

[@haitiankid9456]

Yep yep it’s not just about food but about everything, over idealize people things situations, make up fake scenarios in head then get disappointed at how it turns out in real life

[@sinclaire5479]

Yeah mines so much less it's non-existent at this point and getting my family to understand it since both my parents are neurotypical is a pain in the rear.its not that I don't have pride in my work but I don't get the reward stimulation that they do and they get on me about being blase about it, they also get on me about being quote unquote lazy even though I'm always doing something it's frustrating

[@FinnyThePorg]

I have ADD and that makes no sense. Why would I anticipate and crave more for lesser reward?

[@sacrilegiousboi978]

@@FinnyThePorg you need more of said thing to get the same reward as neurotypicals, so your brain craves more of it than neurotypicals

[@johntuel2375]

I think getting that reward feeling too easily is a bigger problem. That's how you end up accepting pizza parties instead of raises and bonuses. Your reward feeling is too easy to manipulate. ADHD people can see how bad the "reward" system is in society.

[@N22883]

I used to have a very strong processed sweets tooth, and what helped me curb that was eating two apples after dinner, and then having whatever amount of sweets I was going to have. Introducing more fruits to shift your taste palette in a natural direction (which will happen with time) is FAR easier than using willpower to resist tasty sweets. Additionally, fiber helps my mood and focus a LOT too: apples, berries, popcorn (i do a few tablespoons of raw seeds in a brown lunch bag, fold the bag, microwave for 1m30s), avocados, chia seeds. Chickpea pasta has a whopping 11 grams of fiber per serving - the recommended per day is about 30-40 grams a day, or at much as you can tolerate (the average American gets ~12 grams). If anyone is looking for nutritionists to follow, Dr. Gil Carvalho with the KZbin channel 'Nutrition Made Simple!', Simon Hill with The Proof, Layne Norton, are all evidence based, fantastic channels to check out.

[@HerbeyStudies]

I love this! Working with myself,instead of against, has helped me so much in making better choices

[@arctictropic1147]

I love this because I ended up choosing fruits over junk food now as snacks to pass the time. Most fruits already have sweetness to them, so it satisfies my cravings. Only thing that sucks is that I don't enjoy some of the old junk food I used to take, but oh well. I'll take a smoothie over a soda.

[@katzuy5093]

​@@arctictropic1147 Where are you from? Here in Germany fruit is unfortunately very bland und rarely very sweet and satisfying. When I fly to places close to the equator, like Thailand or Mexico, I usually switch from sweets to fuits so easily. The mangoes, the maracujas, the papayas- so tasty! I would need to stay in these places a little bit longer :)

[@Wishful---Thinking]

I had a nutritionist ages ago recommend starting each meal with an apple. I thought it was a fad and didn't take it seriously. Seeing your comment and I'm reconsidering, I also have 9 apples in the fridge that have to get eaten before they become fodder for applesauce...

[@lunaballuna]

I freaking love fruit

[@kogamamoru483]

Wait...WAIT. You mean the sheer absolute misery I go through every time I try and diet isnt normal? The cycle of craving bad food, resisting, feeling upset at not indulging and thus craving more until I break isnt my fault?

[@Geo-st4jv]

This makes so much sense, no wonder, I was always scared because my binge eating was "different" from everyone else. like they binge too but at least the binging makes them happy, it doesn't even make me feel happy, I usually just feel the same after

[@CrazyKiwiChan]

I can totally relate my friend... And I even thought that feeling like that afterwards was the normal emotional reaction that everyone felt lol 😂.

[@bepis_real]

Hate myself, crave food, resist ordering GrubHub, fail impulsively, eat in guilt, feel satisfied for 10 minutes, regret buying, rinse and repeat. That's been my life for months since October and it's costed me hundreds of dollars. Lord knows I am trying to rewire but one shitty day is all it takes to relapse to square one

[@Geo-st4jv]

@@CrazyKiwiChan It's like a whole different eating disorder, like after a binge the only things I would feel were wanting to eat more and feeling painfully full. I'm better now but I have to really watch my attention or else I will binge without even noticing I started.

[@destiny4534]

@@Geo-st4jv id say from the sounds of it the people youre talking abt are more so just feasting whilest you struggle with actual binge eating

[@Geo-st4jv]

@@destiny4534 that's just my experience from what I've seen online, usually people use binge eating to fill something in their life and it works, but for me it was less that and more so I just always craved bad food and eating it never satisfied me for any amount of time

[@freddoublestuff7403]

I have ADHD and have lost 60 pounds, twice , never could keep it off for more than 5 years a time . Doctors told me everything from lack of self control to 1,200 cals a day for life - hard pass , to never eating junk food again. I knew that I was an emotional eater but this is so helpful ❤️

[@Thenicktatorship]

Same here, 70lbs that I would lose and gain back every 4 years.

[@YouNoob269]

Wow, I thought it was bad for me constantly gaining and losing 11-20 pounds after losing 154 pounds but having to lose 60 pounds that you already lost sounds like a nightmare

[@erikwilliams8692]

You’ll also feel incredible after

[@erikwilliams8692]

Happiness

[@sundeecampbell980]

Having to constantly monitor intake is EXHAUSTING. That’s for everyone. That’s why once obesity is achieved, reversing it is nearly impossible without medical intervention.

[@aniE1869]

I purposely don't bring the foods into the house that I'm going to impulsively eat. Forcing me to need to cook the thing or go out to get it . Breaking that impulse. Yes, sometimes I do make the cookies and then want to eat all of them. But that's still less than if I had a package of cookies easily accessible.

[@Ryan-wx1bi]

Same. And on the rare occasion I do buy some type of bad snack or dessert I eat them all in one day.

[@alisonmcalistair]

Also when I found healthy snacks that are incredibly easy and convenient to eat (almonds, carrots and hummus, bananas) I realize I enjoy snacking on those foods just as much as processed foods and sugary treats

[@qwertyram4598]

Absolutely. Make it hard to do the bad thing, and weaponize your weaknesses against your other weaknesses. I wonder if I should.move out from my parents to try and manage my stuff...

[@miaomiaou_]

@@Ryan-wx1bi yes, if I buy packaged snacks I accept that I WILL eat them all immediately. So either I allow myself to eat them all or to eat what I want and to give/throw the rest away. I hate throwing food out but hey, it’s junk food anyway.

[@slowestbro1353]

This is my plan when I move out. Very very few things that are "convenient"

[@dutyfreeadventures5924]

Jesus. Fucking. Christ. You just perfectly described every single one of my ongoing struggles and also the makeshift solutions I've stumbled upon (foods that filllll the belly, exercise, not buying things that can be grabbed and eaten without a barrier.). You've also put into perspective my issues I don't "feel emotions" but I absolutely 100% feel pressure, I feel like I should be doing more, I feel frustrated, I feel a constant sense of dread for not doing more things and a sense of urgency to do more things. Never classified those as emotions before but they totally are. It really hit home. This is alan amazing expansion and I really value the time you've put into explaining things

[@chukwudichukwulobe5970]

All my life I've been shamed by being called greedy or a glutton because of the way i eat I never get satisfied with food, sometimes I eat food absentmindedly and don't realized how much i eat. I also eat to comfort myself when I'm feeling any negative emotion or when I'm bored Even those shaming by people makes me want to eat even more. I got diagnosed with ADHD last December at 20, and everyday I'm learning more about myself and how to get better. I'm very grateful for this channel

[@malyrbt7093]

like who cares be real and get a life.

[@iche9373]

Just take Ozempic

[@YueAki]

I know right! I found out that I have ADHD this last year, and hearing this makes total sense! I do forget about what I am eating all the time and just go munching until it ends.

[@YueAki]

So yeah, you're not alone. I get it.

[@Skylar2037]

Ignore mal and iche, I'm rly glad you finally have the explanation for what's been going on and you've been shamed for, for so long, and that these vids are helping you ❤

[@swordsnorchids1997]

It's hard to keep up with eating healthy when you're struggling I've noticed mentally and energetically.

[@pabloescobarschanclas]

yes.

[@mcmann7149]

For those who are struggling with impulsive eating and the lack of pleasure coming from it, drink water. Dr. K talks about gastric stretch and one thing that is incompressible is water. Fills you up very quickly.

[@thegriffinnews]

I eat a LOT of veggie soup for this reason. I usually have 2 or 3 quarts in the evening, (4 bowls). It's a large volume, but the way I make soup it comes out to maaaybe 500 calories. Plus the warmth of the soup makes me feel very cozy and comforted.

[@jaybee4118]

It doesn’t help when you hate water…

[@kawaiilette2462]

​@jaybee4118 awe, some other low calorie drink then. the point is to fill your belly with low or calorie absent liquids before you eat and it will make u feel more full and satisfied

[@beththedarkmage3359]

A lot of us are addicted to soda for this reason. In lots of places tap water isn't great for you, or tastes bad, and bottled water is expensive, but soda always remains cheaper... I'm so glad I'm moving house this year to somewhere with good mineral rich tap water. I'll finally be able to cut up some citrus fruit, put it in, and enjoy drinking water! At least, I hope.

[@gdtoob]

@@beththedarkmage3359 Or get diet soda

[@gwenz2543]

I have ADHD, PCOS, and insulin resistance (since I was ten). Gained and lost weight so many times. I’m overweight right now. I wasn’t overweight when I developed insulin resistance. I was at the upper limit of healthy weight; no where near the weight that would cause insulin resistance. I truly feel that I WON the genetic lottery here. Thank you, Dr.K for this video explaining the mechanisms behind all of these and providing tricks to combat these. Now I’m off to regulate my emotions by walking my dog and pet my cat 😂. After I come back, I need to make some note of this video.

[@CrazyKiwiChan]

This is so true. I get extremelly sad when I see other people around me just eating those low quantities of food and feeling fine, whilst me I could literally eat forever! I was only lucky as of growing up since I simply don´t gain weight, no matter how much I eat (obviosly I gain weight, but it is at such a slow pace). I would consume easily 4500 calories a day, and could eat more! Even though that I have put my health on check, it is so hard not to eat a lot, especially sweet food, and my burnout only makes things worse. I would love to send this comment not only to resonate with some people, but also to seek some emotional support... Thank you Dr.K, and everyone!

[@evolili4245]

Emotional support and virtual hug here🌸 it's similar for me, luckily I like to work out so burn most of it off, still it can be so frustrating (and honestly expensive!). For me it does help a bit to keep myself busy with other things, but haven't found a perfect solution yet

[@taefithendo]

Bro same, I never accept small pieces of food ever. I always say thanks but no thanks, that amount is no where near enough to satisfy the craving once it starts lol

[@CrazyKiwiChan]

@@evolili4245 Thank you ☺️

[@CrazyKiwiChan]

@@taefithendo Glad I am not the only one.

[@susanmorgan4151]

I feel your co.ment!

[@JesusChrist-gl1qu]

The fact when I watched this it felt like my whole childhood was coming together it all makes so much sense now omg

[@6ColourMeRainbow9]

literally ate an entire pizza while watching this... finished it before 10 min mark..... f

[@AK-jt9gx]

But did you *enjoy* it?

[@EyeMaMoeRahn]

@AK-jt9gx Noooo he hated it that's why he ate the entire pizza

[@JoustingJosie]

I’ve done this and it took years to become mindful about it. 😔

[@casualnerdjason6678]

I worked in the area of obesity medicine for years and it’s challenging just how prevalent the blame is on “lack of willpower.” The causes of Obesity are multivariate. And yes, fat loss is dependent on spending more calories than you take in. But there is biology that drives our bodies to both crave consuming more calories AND slow down metabolism after losing weight. We’re working against evolution when it comes to losing weight.

[@kyokoyumi]

We're only working against evolution in relation to the types of foods we eat. Even with ADHD and overeating because reward it would be fine if the food being consumed in excess was protein or (healthy) fats because protein will make you full eventually regardless of anything else. Carbohydrates just make you hungrier and hungrier forever amen.

[@xulzeh2912]

@@kyokoyumi that's true. It is extremely hard to get fat if you eat healthy foods.

[@PLKinka]

@@kyokoyumi Lol you know nothing. I will overeat anything to the point of strong pain. Anthing. I've once ate a My Little Pony knockoff, because the EATING is the problem, not food.

[@Sammysapphira]

​@xulzeh2912 what is "healthy" food?

[@bordenfleetwood5773]

Loved the Starcraft references. Took me straight back to high school. I've also been dealing with some of this with my partner. She deals with moderate to severe ADHD, and was obese (and getting worse) when we got together. Super smart lady, but didn't have impulse control when it came to food. I used to be a personal trainer, so this was difficult to watch. I convinced her to start exercising with me, and she, in her own efforts to pursue health, has hit upon a lot of these ideas. She's made enormous strides, and while the ADHD struggles continue, the diet and craving issues are actually becoming a lifestyle institution now.

[@zoomer619]

I don't usually comment, but Dr. K really hit the nail on the head with this one. I've been journaling for a while now. I saw all those symptoms and behaviors of mine, but I was not able to connect the dots precisely. This made so much sense to me; it's like I knew everything that Doc said, but with his scientific rigor, I was able to make peace with my current psychological state. Instead of feeling like a fat broken 21-year-old adult, I feel calm and more introspective. And that is not just because of this video. In general, his takes always make me think about my life. Keep up the great work. Namaste from India.

[@anton3437]

This is why i love intermittent fasting, specifically eating one meal a day. Not as a diet but as a lifestyle. It satisfies your cravings so well because you get to eat a whole bunch of food on one sitting AND once you get used to it and make it a habit you do not think about food the rest of the day so you do not even get to the IDEA -stage of eating unhealthy food or over your calories. Eating 5 times a day or 3 times a day or even 2 times a day was always very hard for me, i like the simplicity, just eat once and boom your done and your mind is free for other things for the rest of the day!

[@kyokoyumi]

That's how I feel about eating carnivore. I don't even have to do omad but it just naturally tends toward that because high protein moderate fat. I actually get full unlike if I were to eat the same amount of calories in carbohydrates and I find I don't want food for a day or two because I'm still full from the last time I literally filled my stomach to the brim with fatty meat.

[@katarh]

That matches the "stomach stretch" that he described - you eat all your calories at once, fill up your tummy, and it actually hits the "FULL" signal for once.

[@keicoffman1508]

Yes!! I just naturally fell into the habit before I even knew it was called intermittent fasting!!

[@rhythmandblues_alibi]

Do you find one meal is enough to fuel you for the whole day without getting dizzy etc? Also is it a morning meal, lunch or evening meal? TIA.

[@keicoffman1508]

@@rhythmandblues_alibi I'm not OP but in my case a big lunch keeps me full for the day - don't need breakfast and don't feel too hungry at dinnertime. If I do I just have a salad.

[@andreipenciu13]

Dr. K, thank you for explaining problems and providing solutions instead of blaming people and telling them they are bad

[@starship1701]

Dr K trying to single handedly fix the obesity problem in america

[@iche9373]

It's not him who fix it, but Ozempic. The truth is that Ozempic has the potential not only to fix the whole epidemic obesity, it will also change or eradicate capitalism in terms of mass consumerism. Why? Because Ozempic regulates cravings. That means Ozempic patients also lost their cravings or desire for alcohol, gambling and other high addictive stuff. So this is actually a new dark age for megacorporations like Coca Cola or McDonald's which are dependent on people’s consumption. Of course, Ozempic has side effects, but these are rare individual cases, and the cure is still better than the disease.

[@kaiomanferreira]

Lmao ​@@iche9373

[@musemintsvloghaulreactions1460]

Some of that has a lot to do with companies using ingredients that are addictive AND those ingredients are banned in Europe for a reason.

[@alejrandom6592]

I don't think he's trying to single handedly fix obesity in america

[@nataliiateteruk585]

Also infurncing me against overweight is channel Doctor "Sten Ekberg" and "wheat waffles".

[@JennyJackson-yq6pz]

I clicked so fast on this because I intuitively knew what Dr. K was going to say about this. I am a 35 year old woman and I have experienced an increase in ADHD symptoms as well as weight over the last decade. I've been obese for several years and I kept trying to lose weight without success. Then I started getting actual treatment for my ADHD a few months ago and now I am able to lose weight. I've lost 25lbs so far this year all because I can actually follow through on my weight loss goals. Fascinating stuff!

[@steggopotamus]

I have adhd: It's helped me a lot to pay closer attention to the sweets I eat. I focus closely on texture, flavor, phases of taste. Cuts my junk in half, I distract for regular meals, but not cookies. Also, I just sort of eat my way into bordom sometimes for new snacks. somehow it keeps working out when balanced out with forgetting to eat. I used to to dissociate, by losing time (staring at a wall and not realizing), so my advice to keep from dissociating, you will begin to learn to notice when you are avoiding your emotions when you journal and think about it more often. But in the early stages it's hard to get your brain to pick up better habits around dissociation. So AS SOON AS YOU NOTICE do a preferred relaxing task, even If it's hours later. I looked at pictures of kittens on r/aww. But going for a walk, coloring, playing a game you can put down etc can help you redirect to something healthier than mindless eating. What happens is as you do that activity when you notice that you were stressed and disocisted means that as you learning to notice sooner the activity is right there to replace the old mindless one. And eventually with work, you will just notice yourself getting stressed before it gets to the dissociation and then you just go look at kittens instead of it building up until you binge.

[@sahar1213]

When I was young, I learned to eat sweets super slow to have fun eating them but not eat too many my stomach hurts, probably due to my IBS

[@Fecius]

You are saving my life. Thank you for your videos! Also I found a person on your discord server that helps me a lot. I am very lucky that I found you!!!!

[@noellerecoskie3008]

The concept of emotional regulation, and dissociation with binge eating is so true. I went to 2 endocrinologists abd they woukd tell me, hust dtsrt eating healthy, which didnt help me because my impulses were too strong and wasn't aware of my emotions. I ended uo going to a psychiatrist and was diagnosed with ADHD and was told I had alexithymia which was the reason why i couldnt rver identify what would cause my impulses to eat.

[@Figaroblue]

4:00 interesting! So the Black Pearl was full of pirates with ADHD.

[@Do27gg]

Best way to describe ADHD binging is not an itch you have to scratch but more you get taken over by the itch. So you go through mental gymnastics to rationalise these impulses, so you know what you’re doing is wrong but you tell yourself it’s fine to do it. Which is why you have to feed your binging in a reasonable way, you won’t be able to go cold turkey for long periods. It’s with you for life and you have to learn to bounce back from binging periods rather than cut them out for good

[@DrGoodGame]

Thank you so much for making this video! I was actually the one who asked this question in your live chat a few weeks back and when you said you were going to make a video on it I was so excited! I struggled with ADHD and obesity my whole life and I have lost over 100 lbs by discovering alot of the tactics you mentioned in your video the hard way. I eventually earned my doctorate in physical therapy, and now I help my clients lose weight and tackle their chronic pains daily! For anyone who is struggling with ADHD and obesity, you are not alone and you can reach your goals and beat your hunger cravings! If I can do it, you can do it too. Go get it, and stay healthy gamers 👊

[@greeber18]

One of the biggest things for me was realizing how often I eat and how it compared to others in my immediate circle, those at work, family, etc. I am always finding myself back in the kitchen or in the drive-thru and excusing my eating as "it's time to eat". I'm even so bored while making my meal I'll eat a meals worth of junk food watching my meal in the oven.

[@RabblePack]

Oh look, an entire video about my brain and life! This is so helpful, thank you.

[@akirataifu8470]

Is there any other person or organization that effectively distributes as much adhd information/resources as Dr. K does, or is he the only one? If not, this man seriously deserves a Nobel Prize.

[@fxyde]

there's a channel called "how to adhd" which is very family friendly and much simplier to digest.

[@PaniACoCo]

There are other channels and so on. But yeah, both channels have helped me so much. Really, I haven't found a decent therapist so far, but this info has saved me.

[@anthonyherrick452]

Dude your charts and explanations are amazing. You really discuss the chemistry and physiology in ways that are interesting and make sense. Thank you, Brilliant

[@panthercat38]

I could cry. I can't believe a medical professional is saying what I've been trying to communicate without medical words. 😭 Thank you.

[@andreagriffiths3512]

I think this also applies to ASD. It’s awful to want yummies and they don’t live up to the cravings

[@ruthrogers1711]

I just wanted to say THANK YOU! This absolutely blew my mind because you just outlined my life! I have been overweight since I was in elementary school, and it turned into a downward spiral that left me over 350lbs. I didn’t even get diagnosed with adhd until I was 30, so I couldn’t account for it, but looking back this explains so much. Funny enough I kinda stumbled on to a lot of the things you encouraged us to do, though through a lot of trial and error. Now that I understand a bit more of the why, I can be more intentional with my efforts. So again, thank you so much! Seeing how my brain and body are actively, physically fighting me in my efforts really helps take away some of that guilt about getting to where I am now.

[@justinepatterson9672]

Bro. You get it. I have never ever heard my experience explained this well. 💯💯💯💯

[@jennahackney8892]

Wow 3 minutes in and I already have a better understanding of my relationship with food

[@damienkphoto]

I have never felt so seen. This explains a lot. I really hope that I can get this under control. It's holding me back in so many areas of life.

[@malkulaas6380]

I'm so thankful for today's video. I was always overweight and lately I really feel like I can't focus on my food anymore. Like my cat would my body tell me: "I don't have even eaten yet!" I knew it is because of my adhd but I didn't aspect such an impact on the way I eat. I always thought it is probably "just my fault" to be like this. Also thanks so much for providing solutions to the problem! Now I'm even more motivated to do my daily yoga for emotion controll and continue to lifting weights. You can't imagine how much your videos have helped me over the years to concour my depression and work with my adhd. I never had so much hope in my life!

[@teleporter777]

IDK how many times you have or will hear this...but IT ALL CONNECTS!!!!! I understand exactly why I wish to do things a certain way and why I want to also. I feel like I hear myself and understand myself sooooo much better because of these videos and this one especially!

[@cyberingcatgirls7069]

The first time I became aware of this was a couple of weeks after I was diagnosed (as an adult) with ADHD and prescribed Adderall. I had forgotten to take my pills and was having urges to eat snacks when I wasn't actually hungry. Suddenly I realized that the previous two weeks I had not been doing that. It was only after having the medication and then forgetting one night when I realized all my life that something other than hunger was making me eat and that was why I was overweight. We really need to get this information out to everybody.

[@aquariusbabe8639]

Mind. Blown. This taught me so much and almost made me cry realizing this is my life. Add on endometriosis & PCOS which greatly impact the hormone related cravings and emotional regulation. This explains so much. thank you for giving tip how to change as well

[@JamesArthurJames]

It makes me so sad knowing how much I was judged and shamed my entire childhood for this 😢 I wonder how much different my life would be if I had been diagnosed as a child. Instead I was made to struggle through it with 0 support. This disease sucks.

[@FelixCousins]

Hugs❤ look forward my friend, keep going 🚀✨

[@iche9373]

Just take Ozempic

[@priyanshidamawat6733]

Take care

[@JB-pe2yn]

People aren't going to offer support or be less judgmental simply because you have a diagnosis. Things would have been the same for you regardless.

[@ledgy69]

It's ADHD chill not bipolar or schizophrenia chill on the self drama

[@Moshm4n]

I have ADHD, and at my peak weight as a 6'-3" male was 387-lbs. I'm now in the 190's thanks to a 5-year period of trial and error learning how to eat healthily. But I also had to learn a lot of emotional regulatory skills too. I recently started doing therapy. It's funny how a weight-loss endeavor turned into an assortment of endeavors. One tip in this video that I incidentally learned by myself was if I wanna eat crap, I have to make it myself. Because when I make it myself, I'll make a bunch of low-calorie variations of things that are normally dense in calories. By as much reduction as 2/3 the calories of the original thing. For example, French toast and sugar-free syrup is an easy go to for me. I change a lot of the ingredients up and suddenly it's workable within my daily caloric budget.

[@ThatGuyGoob]

Another HUGE thing I found is ordering my groceries for pickup! Reducing the amount of opportunities your impulses have the less likely they are to take over.

[@yang5843]

Didn't expect to be told I had ADHD when i just wanted to hear Dr. K talk about obesity

[@LucarioBoricua]

But you know Dr. K always talks about how the ADHD monster extends its noodly appendages to interfere with all aspects of the lives of ADHDers!

[@alejrandom6592]

It is common for me to click on a video from him, thinking "oh let's learn about a problem I don't have" and then actually learning I do have that problem to some extent😅

[@timefortee]

Doctor K, please study and talk about Structural Dissociation and about CPTSD.

[@stephfilippidis]

I’ve just come to the acceptance that I have ADHD. I’ve always kind of knew, even from a young age, but it’s taken me till now to accept the fact I need help. Dr. K’s videos have really helped with that. I just saw my GP yesterday about taking steps to get diagnosed and possibly medicated. I realised as I was searching up symptoms that one thing which heavily resonated with me was binge eating, sugar and dopamine addictions surrounding food. I’ve always been an overweight kid because of this, not to mention that discipline is my worst enemy so exercise and dieting never works out for me for longer than a couple weeks. I notice that I could never stop at just 1 cookie or 1 donut. It always had to be 3-4 cookies, 2 donuts and a shake or maybe some ice cream with a tonne of toppings. But take sugar out of this and even when I cook myself home cooked healthy meals, I would never be satisfied with 1 adult sized portion. I always have to eat until I’m full as a boot and can’t fit anything else in my stomach to be fully satisfied. And of course, I would feel absolutely fking horrible afterwards. I recognise it’s a problem that I don’t want, but also cannot afford to get diagnosed as that costs a whopping $3000 in Australia and we’re all in a financial crisis over here, especially with all retailers price gouging. I have a family to feed, so getting diagnosed and medicated is a high priority to fix but one I can’t afford. :(

[@tomorrow4eva]

I have noticed i eat less when I’m on meds. I’m in AU too. I did some executive function tests with a psychologist which i took with me to the psychiatrist (who works primarily with Adhd). First psychiatrist i visited didn’t believe in adhd, so check that beforehand to save some $ in fees.

[@iche9373]

Just do intermittent fasting and keto diet

[@basilkat21]

This explains so much! I've struggled with binge eating for most of my life and only managed to get it under control after working on the ADHD. I love knowing the science behind it all, makes it easier to take care of myself. Thanks as always 😊

[@CairynJay]

Thank you SO MUCH for this video. SO INFORMATIVE 🙌🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@daisycarbonell]

i loved the editing of the savour our food section

[@Kknderbueno]

Thank you for talking about this Dr. K! I noticed MANY of the usual ADHD content creators are on the thinner side and tend not to talk about this part of ADHD, in part because they may not know, in part because they are unaffected.

[@chapachuu]

Awesome video. This explains the entire issue clearly and will be very helpful to reference when educating family members or even doctors I’m dealing with who don’t understand my problem.

[@katannyadirkson6147]

Wow. There's so much emotion in everybody's comments. You really touched a nerve, Dr. K.

[@adrianodsq]

I love all of Dr. K videos, but this one was great and easy to follow!

[@orangetruckman]

Amazing video! This all makes sense on levels that folks around have no clue on. Keep on the great work sir 👍🏻

[@finraziel]

No time to finish the video right now so will get back to it later... But this makes total sense to me. I actually just started adhd meds a couple weeks ago (methylphenidate) and it is SO much easier to resist impulses to eat bad stuff! I lost track of time earlier this week, it was late and I still needed to eat and in these kinds of situations often I can't restrain myself from walking to the local fast food joint to get a large order of fries with peanut sauce (sate) and a big burger... I felt that impulse come up this time, but now I could tell myself that it is never as good as I imagine, I regret it as soon as it's gone, I will feel bad and sleep badly because my stomach will be overfilled and I will halt my progress on losing weight... I always tell myself these things and it never works, without the meds I'm just unable to stop myself. Now, it was like the rest of my brain finally listened and was like 'okay, good point, let's do something else then' 🤯

[@stephenieolson8535]

Oh. I only feel full from gastric stretch. I don’t think I have EVER felt full any other way. Including when I’ve been skinny and fat and very fat. I guess when I’ve had something really rich or fatty, I’ve felt like ,”ugh, no, if I eat more it’ll make me nauseous.” … but that’s probably not what “full” is…

[@lindsay2hip1281]

You are such an inspiration to me. I dream of having your knowledge, insight, and expertise!!!!!!! I am so excited watching your videos.

[@SarahSied]

Wow. I came to your channel looking for an explanation for my binge eating. And your latest video is about that! Serendipity. Thanks doc!

[@PBart7]

Dr. K changing lives every day. He's Muad'dib fr

[@treasure6883]

This perfectly explained so many patterns in my life. By the time we hit alexithymia I’m in tears. I feel so seen and humanized.

[@BerlinWaschbaer]

Thx for this video, it explains a lot to me. Highly appreciated

[@user-im1bm9re5z]

And now I'm fucking crying. This is so relatable. Thank you, Dr. K, thank you so much. The more I know about ADHD the more I know about myself. Sometimes I feel like major part of my personality is based on these symptoms that you are talking about and every time I hear you talking about them I can't stop recognizing myself. This is such a relief to know that I'm not alone and there is at least one person in the world that says that I'm completely normal human being. Thank you so much ❤❤

[@haitiankid9456]

It’s not just about food but about everything, over idealize people things situations, make up fake scenarios in head then get disappointed at how it turns out in real life. Fried reward center.

[@user-yr6gv2fg7o]

Dr. K: don’t distract yourself while eating Me: watching dr. K while eating

[@christabelle__]

I genuinely appreciate you enlightening us all! This explains a lot - I gained back all the weight I lost on a low carb diet that I had to stop because my body just...stopped being able to process high fodmap foods, and I was VERY ill. It's frustrating to gain it all back, and I've been quite sick for all of 2024 so far... so I felt bad, so I told myself I could eat junk food to cheer myself up. But then I stayed sick, and I stayed with that constant craving for junk food and milkshakes! And yeah, emotional dysregulation is something I struggle with constantly - I became suicidal when working at a call center because people on the phones were SO cruel to us, and my co-workers would look at me with confusion and be like "Just don't let it get to you! Leave that stuff at work, shrug it off!" And I'd look at THEM in confusion, wondering...how the hell do you do that? I try. I work on mindfulness, but my brain circles back to this hurtful thing said to me... over and over and over, even when I shove it aside. It's a dog with a bone, and I chew on that thought over and over... even knowing I don't want to. That's why it hurts so much to hear people talk down about how ADHD 'is just an excuse', when it's something that makes me hate myself day in and day out. I'm a hamster on a wheel I don't want to be on... and it's hellish. So thank you, for explaining this - even if it boils down to "You're eating your emotions...literally"... it helps me understand how to better counter my brain chemistry - it's not necessarily impulse control, it's the emotional deficits that are pushing me, and the impulse control sure isn't helping. The only qualm I have is that I wish more of this was put into the framework of adults, rather than children - it's like the world has collectively forgotten that children with ADHD grow up to be adults with ADHD, and most of the science is all about the children. (I appreciate your gaming terminology!! And some of us still play RTS games!!)

[@PainfullySubjective]

this is so good. i am literally in this situation & this info a godsend!

[@Milena-gj8ke]

Oh my god, thank you so much for mentioning broccoli, I forgot I had it and it would have 100% rotted away

[@camilla_films_stuff]

oh, i have one of those too, thanks!

[@dag1704]

One of the most helpful things I ever heared about cravings is: "This craving will go away" Luckily I only rarely have cravings anymore, apart from some addictions and mistakes I make in my daily food planning.

[@Zen_guy]

This is life changing advice for me, thank you Dr. K

[@secondstar101]

This was so profoundly clarifying for me. No, the video was not too long lol Thank you Dr.K and team!

[@sahar1213]

Anyone else watching this while eating?

[@vandalpaulius]

Thank you for this video. It's a goldmine of information and now I'm starting to understand my life :D

[@rachelhimes7715]

I love how almost every problem I have in life stems back to the adhd. Would have been nice to know years ago.

[@Unholyspirit]

I'm very ADHD, diagnosed etc, and i just eat enough and then go back to doing what i want to do. Eating is a chore, a means to an end.

[@Ennbeard]

Same here if I have an active hyperfocus. However when I don't, I *really* overeat.

[@bepis_real]

@@EnnbeardMy favorite part is when I'm so absorbed in my hyperfixation but I'm terribly hungry or thirsty to the point of wrenching pain, but can't quit whatever I'm doing to solve my own problems

[@Awkward_platypus]

I have most of my life under control, however food is my nemesis, if i eat something i like, i will overeat it and probably eat the same thing every night for weeks at a time, never really understood why people get tired of eating the same thing, kinda get it now 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@25566]

And medication inhibits it so we end up eating not enough

[@dimseablue136]

My problem is for me it's like a drug and I start zoning out, get sleepy, lose motivation, lie down, etc, just drains my mental energy and I lose interest in what I was previously doing, which is how fasting became my chore

[@Imtitled]

I have ADHD, I was obese a year ago. I decided to change that and now I am close to have abs (I am currently at 15% bf)... Now do you mention, This is getting better.

[@pegg00]

lol youre close to having abs? Meaning you have no abs

[@Imtitled]

Not yet but closer than ​ever before @@pegg00

[@owenlambert3498]

Wow, this deeply struck a chord with my behaviors and patterns. Thank you.

[@user-ni6ko1oo3o]

This has open my eyes so much thank you for the information

[@adriancires4889]

Not me watching this while I eat lol

[@jacobdamour8926]

Got to enjoy this amazing video while eating an entire carry out pizza, thanks for the help Dr K! 😁

[@LucarioBoricua]

But I was doing that exact same thing when I watched it!!!

[@kristyrivers3470]

I would like to add to the discussion on the feeling of pressure and having alot to do. I fear that i will forget a task that is important. I am constantly trying to remeber everything i have to do at once. I have slips of paper and notebooks all over my house with to do list and projects i want to create. I have alot of goals for myself but i don't trust myself to be able to do a task when it needs to be done. It creates alot of anxiety where i am my own problem. Thank you for this video. I really needed it. I will be subscribing in hopes of more important adhd information.

[@kmarshirley]

Really helpful video. Thank you for this information. I appreciate that you took the time to educate us. I have undiagnosed adhd and the more i learn about it, the more my behaviors make sense.

[@bigmyke2008]

I think i might need to get back on ADHD meds, I’m overweight and this is all making too much sense to me

[@user-bj5gw1ne9s]

Me: going on youtube to watch something while i eat Dr k: Don't wat while watching youtube :(

[@juanjavierballesteroslozan8794]

This is pure gold, thanks a lot.

[@austinhamilton122]

Dr K, this has been extremely helpful for me. You just described myself without even knowing me. Also, I didn't even realize it about myself until I listened to you describe it. I'm 280 lbs now but I was about 190 lbs until my life got stressful at about 25 years old (36 now) and haven't been able to figure out a diet/lifestyle that I could consistently follow. Thanks for the help!

[@ODwaalO]

I eat the most in the fam but metabolism carry’s

[@VitisCZ]

Sadly as you get older the metabolism won't carry you anymore so it's good to have eating under control :) I was also eating a lot and even without working out i was slim but as i got older i became overweight, not obese but still heavier than i should be.

[@ODwaalO]

@@VitisCZ oh for sure

[@supertrolle9555]

Me with adhd and problem of not eating enough

[@CrazyKiwiChan]

Yeah it varies from person to person. Some like to eat more, others don´t.

[@steggopotamus]

I eat nothing all day, and then eat 2000 calories right before I sleep. Not always nutritionally sufficient food, just whatever is closest.

[@jimalbi]

Thank you. Explains so many things for me.

[@spyroluver0951]

Yay, i saw you mentioning it last in your video that you would look into it and you have!!

[@GabesHacks]

"I eat because I'm unhappy. And I'm unhappy because I eat." - Fat Bastard, 1999

[@aubreehallmark4219]

Me, an obese person with ADHD, after watching this video: “hubby can we go get some cookies?”