How do I know if I'm addicted to unhealthy carbohydrates?

Ask yourself these 4 questions to determine if you are indeed addicted to unhealthy carbs:

1. Do you need an eye-opener? If you need to have unhealthy carbs within an hour of waking up, you may be addicted. Needing an eye-opener is one of the ways we assess for all types of addiction.

2. Have you been unable to cut down on the amount of unhealthy carbs you eat? Not being able to cut down means that you are powerless over unhealthy carbs. Admitting you are powerless is one of the key action steps in 12-step programs -- whether that program is Alcoholics Anonymous or Overeaters Anonymous.

3. Do you keep your unhealthy carb eating a secret? If there is a difference between your public eating and private eating, this means that you are ashamed to let people know just how many unhealthy carbs you eat. This is one of the warning signs of an eating disorder called binge eating disorder. Binge eaters sometimes will eat very healthily in front of family and friends but then later consume mass quantities of food in private.

4. Do you feel guilty after eating unhealthy carbs? Guilt is information that you know that what you're doing is bad for you. You know that you have eaten based on above-the-neck emotional hunger rather than below-the-neck physical hunger. Physical hunger is easy to satisfy, but no amount of food will be enough to give you the happiness or peace you're really longing for.

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may be addicted to unhealthy carbs.