Addicted to sugar
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The world is anti-sugar, anti-carbs at the moment0
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Sugar is sugar whether it comes in fruit or you put sugar in your coffee. Your body does not know the difference. You don't gain weight from eating too much sugar, you gain from eating too much overall.
^^^^^^^Fruitylicious03 wrote: »Just don't eat it. As simple as it sounds... it is. Don't buy it. And don't have it in the house. That's it.
(*) THIS (*)
Everybody is addicted to sugar. Without it, we all would die. Sugar keeps our bodies functioning. The problem is not so much sugar but processed foods with added refined sugar. Naturally occurring sugars, such as those found in fruit, come from sources that benefit your diet.- SOLUTION: If man makes it, don't eat it.
You're not helpless. Just make this happen, and good luck!
Moderation in all things, unless you cannot eat certain things because you doctor has told you not due for medical reasons.
And, this from a girl who truly believed that she was addicted to sugar until she learned how to use the moderation tool.
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Whether or not sugar is actually addictive is irrelevant, but here is what I would suggest: If foods cause you to binge, it's best to eliminate them, otherwise work them into your diet and keep at or slightly under your calorie goal. The biggest key is ensuring you don't frequently get a large portion of your calories from sources of foods that don't provide much value. Personally, i eat candy quiet often but only after I can ensure I get adequate levels of protein and fats.0
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Whether or not sugar is actually addictive is irrelevant, but here is what I would suggest: If foods cause you to binge, it's best to eliminate them, otherwise work them into your diet and keep at or slightly under your calorie goal. The biggest key is ensuring you don't frequently get a large portion of your calories from sources of foods that don't provide much value. Personally, i eat candy quiet often but only after I can ensure I get adequate levels of protein and fats.
Very good points.
I treat sugar like I do alcohol. For some of us there is no middle ground on what we consume but others that is not an issue to address.
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Whether or not sugar is actually addictive is irrelevant, but here is what I would suggest: If foods cause you to binge, it's best to eliminate them, otherwise work them into your diet and keep at or slightly under your calorie goal. The biggest key is ensuring you don't frequently get a large portion of your calories from sources of foods that don't provide much value. Personally, i eat candy quiet often but only after I can ensure I get adequate levels of protein and fats.
Yes, great advice.
My only concern about the "sugar is addictive" thing (other than just not believing it is true) is that I think it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. At least, when I tell myself I have no self-control about something it can because a way of allowing myself to go nuts any time I eat it (or perhaps anytime I'm around it). I think it's better to acknowledge that you do have control.
But as you say, if there are foods that you can't eat in moderation, it is probably a good idea to avoid the temptation until you can, especially if eating one and stopping is more painful than just not eating any, as some report.
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Here are five clues you may be addicted to sugar, flour and processed food:
You consume certain foods even if you are not hungry because of cravings.
You worry about cutting down on certain foods.
You feel sluggish or fatigued from overeating.
You have health or social problems (affecting school or work) because of food issues and yet keep eating the way you do despite negative consequences.
You need more and more of the foods you crave to experience any pleasure or reduce negative emotions.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/sugar-addiction_b_3502807.html0 -
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herrspoons wrote: »Sugar is not addictive.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-29126872
Excuse making, however, is.
Usually, when someone says "I have a sugar addiction" it is because they are looking for a solution, not making excuses.
Many people end up eating sweets when they have promised themselves they wouldn't. It's frustrating, and bewildering when self-control seems to elude us.
I think that once a person believes that giving up sugar is the answer for him, we ought to give him a lot of credit. When someone is determined to do whatever necessary to regain their self control, that deserves praise, not criticism.
Giving up sweets is a HARD decision, and not one that is made by someone who is "making excuses for himself."
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theloodevil wrote: »I know I need to get off of my addiction to sugar. I just don't know if I am powerful enough to do it cold turkey. Does anyone have any advice?
I have tried sugar free gum when I would normally want it. I think I would need gum 24/7. Has anyone ever talked to a doctor about this?
I have 200 pounds to lose I know I have to get rid of this horrible habit.
You are definitely powerful enough to do it cold turkey. I have never talked to a doctor about this, but I have lots of personal experience with it.
Sweets have always gotten more attention from me than I was comfortable with. Not only did eating sweets make me fat, eating sweets, thinking about sweets, planning sweets, hiding sweets, regretting eating sweets, took up so much of my energy that I felt it was robbing me of my emotional and mental health.
Promising myself I would stop, then failing, then promising, then failing, took a toll on me, so I finally decided to eliminate sweets for good. I searched for a diet that would help strengthen my will power rather than compromising it, and I found it.
When I eat sweets, all I seem to think about is eating more sweets. When I don't eat sweets, and fill my diet with healthy foods instead, I lose my sugar obsession. It's that simple.
When you first eliminate sugar, you may get false hunger cues that can be very uncomfortable for three to four days. Some people get head aches. Some people experience a lot of anxiety and crankiness.
Each time I have given up sugar (no I'm not perfect) I think of the process like preparing my body for a medical procedure. If a doctor says, don't eat anything for 24 hours before surgery, you just don't, right? Because it's crucial. Your life is at risk.
After the initial four days or so, you will feel better. Hang on to that!
Eat lots of lean protein, eat high fiber foods, and drink lots of water. I can't stress this enough!!! You want an end to your misery, right? Protein, fiber and water will put an end to your misery. I promise.
Keep eating the protein that MFP recommends. Forever. It balances the hunger-signaling hormones in your brain and reduces cravings. Increasing protein was the hardest thing for me, but the best thing I ever did, next to giving up sugar.
Good luck to you. Believe in yourself. Your inner wisdom is much more valuable than what anyone in the community says - including me!0 -
herrspoons wrote: »herrspoons wrote: »Sugar is not addictive.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-29126872
Excuse making, however, is.
Usually, when someone says "I have a sugar addiction" it is because they are looking for a solution, not making excuses.
Sugar is not addictive. It is an excuse.
The real problem people have is overeating. Once they address that instead of pointing the finger at whatever is the current bogeyman of the food world, then they stand a much better chance of making good, long term, sustainable progress.
Otherwise the chances are that most of them will fall off the bandwagon at some point in the next year or two and end up back where they started.
Much as I don't think sugar is addictive in the true sense of the word ( and I think these threads would go much better if OP's didn't use that word in their thread titles) saying the problem is just over eating is too simplistic.
For some people difficulty controlling their intake of specific foods ( usually sugary treats on these type of threads) is the part of over eating that is the problem and for those people I can see that avoiding those foods altogether is a better strategy than just aiming for vague moderation.
So, for example, not having any candy, chocolate,cookies,cake in the house works better for them than buying these things and planning to have only a small portion per day.
Further down the track,they may or may not find ways to re introduce them, say, by buying one mini size chocolate bar at a time rather than a full packet.
It's not about finding excuses but about finding strategies that work for you.
And these will vary from person to person and what works for you may not work for everyone else.
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I disagree.
There is nothing wrong with excluding some things ( not whole food groups but things like chocolate, if that is a trigger food)
And you don't know that they won't re introduce mini amounts or not re introduce the food at all, that they will go back to binging.
What works for you isn't what works for everyone else.
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Is a pointless bet as there is no way of verifying either way.
In the meantime, it would be better to support people in strategies that work for them ,not want everyone to do it like you do.0 -
No I didn't take exception to that, your'e not reading my posts correctly if you think that, in fact I said myself I don't believe sugar is addictive.
And it's not about me 'doing as I will' - I've been at maitenance for a year now and my way works fine for me - but I'm not arrogant enough to think that is the same way for everyone else or to think 'encouraging people to look to the long term' means expecting them to do it the same way I did or they are bound to fail.0 -
herrspoons wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »No I didn't take exception to that, your'e not reading my posts correctly if you think that, in fact I said myself I don't believe sugar is addictive.
And it's not about me 'doing as I will' - I've been at maitenance for a year now and my way works fine for me - but I'm not arrogant enough to think that is the same way for everyone else or to think 'encouraging people to look to the long term' means expecting them to do it the same way I did or they are bound to fail.
I don't expect you to do as I do. If you can keep your method working for you long term, then congratulations. I really hope you do.
My issue is that a lot of people see sugar avoidance as a magic bullet, which it isn't. I also believe, from my psych days, that short to medium term exclusion isn't a viable strategy. I may be wrong though.
Ultimately people will do what they want, and different strategies will work for different people. That's cool. I honestly believe that exclusion diets are absolutely unnecessary and less effective long term. That's just an opinion though, and opinions are like noses - everyone has one.
bold as in bingo0 -
Initial abstinence can be an empowering and beneficial learning process for those who aren't able to moderate (as of yet)...0
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Hi! don't feel alone! There are others of us that have/are dealing with the same thing. I have had a problem with eating anything sweet in the house. It didn't matter if it was cookies, cake, ice cream, candy, chocolate, cereal! I would even go two my pantry and find chocolate chips and eat them!
I know you are getting a lot of advice here, so maybe you don't need my thoughts on the same, that I will simply tell you what has worked for me.I have found that if I eat protein at all my meals except one, that I can overcome the Cravings. basically what I do, is I will not allow myself to eat anything with more than 4 carbohydrates at my first two meals of the day. So I do allow myself vegetables cream butter and proteins at those meals also anything carbohydrate / sugar free. Then at the last meal, I do allow myself to eat carbohydrates in moderation, as long as I can send them within an hour of starting my meal. It works for me, & I am NOT hungry and I do not have cravings!of course, you have to find what works for you I wish you much luck! It is a very hard thing to feel out of control of one's own eating!0 -
Wow, people are passionate about this issue! I think, at least for me, it is a problem with eating for comfort vs eating for sustenance. "Over eating"....I have no problem not eating much. When I'm not eating foods I really like I find it hard to eat at all. I have to force healthy foods into my body. Never cared too much for meat. Never liked any form of nuts or peanut butter but I force those things into myself now. It helps. If you can make yourself eat more of the non sugar stuff it will help get you started on a better path. I do enjoy vegetables but not enough that I want to eat them all day. When I'm "dieting" before now it was always an issue of just forget it I won't eat anything, going to bed hungry, waking up hungry. Exercising excessively to burn non existent calories until I get sick and give up. MFP has been great for me so far because it shows you what you are putting in your body. I have not given up sugar. I don't eat that great all the time. But, I eat way better than I did before. It makes me nauseous realizing that if this is how much sugar I am consuming now I can't even imagine how bad it was before I started here on mfp. You have to give yourself credit where credit is due and realize this is a lifelong journey. My new saying for myself is "This is a 5 year plan, not a 5 lb plan." I've been wondering if "sugar addiction" if you want to call it that, obviously some don't believe in it, depends on how you were raised? My mom passed away 7 years ago. She was Italian and everything growing up revolved around food. Family in town? Four course meals of lasagna, bread, desserts, etc. Holidays? Same. Depressed and going to moms? You guessed it..comfort food. When I'm stressed, sad, lonely, missing her etc I would make one of my moms recipes, cuddle up on the couch with her blanket, turn on one of her favorite movies and go to town eating. It absolutely does comfort me. Because that's how I was taught to comfort myself. Call it excuses, call it an addiction, call it whatever you want. In order to succeed you have to find comfort elsewhere. Like in knowing you will be around longer for your kids or buying new smaller clothes or getting a massage. Best of luck on your journey OP. One day at a time, eating less of this or that. You can do it!0
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Also if you have kids like I do and you realize you are eating emotionally it helps to think everyday that you do not want to instill those same habits in them. I have put alot of focus on that lately. My husband grew up in a house with a single mother who worked alot of hours to just survive. There were no snacks easily accessible in his house. When she did cook it was healthy. When they did go out to have fun it wasn't hey lets go get something to eat like it was in my house. It was hey, let's go hiking in the woods. So now, as an adult that's what he likes to do. He has always been in great physical shape, has high self confidence in his appearance etc. That's what I want for my children. I don't ever want them to have the body image issues I've struggled with. So its not just about me losing weight anymore, its about their mental health.0
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@ SKIM Agree, it can be a valuable tool in the learning process.0
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@kristimason I think you made a couple really great posts.0
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Hi theloo--I hear ya about sugar being a tough one to kick out of the house.
I'm not totally off of it yet (working on it), but one of the first things I did was to stop *drinking* sugar (or calories, for that matter)--I figured that, given the choice between a soda and a slice of chocolate cake, I'd always prefer the cake. the same with tea, coffee, and other drinks.
Also, you mentioned that you enjoy baking. Perhaps cultivating another hobby that scratches the itch to bake? Or could you start baking savoury things instead? (ie. tomato and zucchini tarts, or a meat pie instead of cookies?)
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Initial abstinence can be an empowering and beneficial learning process for those who aren't able to moderate (as of yet)...
I agree with this. I think it's counterproductive to claim it's about addiction, though, as that often means that people give themselves an excuse to or simply expect to lose all control or even binge whenever they do have some whatever-it-is or even are tempted by whatever-it-is. With substances that truly are addictive to them there may be no way around this, and the trade-off of acknowledging the actual addiction is worth it, but it's why I think it's a terrible idea to claim to be "addicted" to something like sugar.
Giving up certain items for a period of time or even for the long term, so long as you don't use it as a crutch or beat yourself up and feel guilty if you eat them on occasion, seems to me just a strategy thing, and people need to experiment with what works for them.
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froggiebecky wrote: »Also, you mentioned that you enjoy baking. Perhaps cultivating another hobby that scratches the itch to bake? Or could you start baking savoury things instead? (ie. tomato and zucchini tarts, or a meat pie instead of cookies?)
This is a good idea. I don't actually like baking that much (I'm more of a throw things together as it strikes me vs. precision person, so like to cook, not bake), but I've found that it's relatively easy to channel my desire to cook and eat more high calorie foods into pleasure in finding the perfect way to meet my taste desires through cooking lower calorie foods and just thinking about healthy things to make. I think enjoying the process actually makes the whole thing a lot easier.
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herrspoons wrote: »herrspoons wrote: »Sugar is not addictive.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-29126872
Excuse making, however, is.
Usually, when someone says "I have a sugar addiction" it is because they are looking for a solution, not making excuses.
Sugar is not addictive. It is an excuse.
The real problem people have is overeating. Once they address that instead of pointing the finger at whatever is the current bogeyman of the food world, then they stand a much better chance of making good, long term, sustainable progress.
Otherwise the chances are that most of them will fall off the bandwagon at some point in the next year or two and end up back where they started.
While I don't believe anyone is addicted to sugar because you dont seeing anyone eating fruit non stop, there are people who have developed unhealthy relationships with food which can cause binges. So I believe your perception of "it's an excuse" might not be entirely true. Now, I will note, that for some people, it is an excuse or an easy out, but there are plenty of people on here and in my personal life with ED's and it's more than an excuse, it's a disorder.0 -
Moderation is a nice concept but does not work for an alcoholic or others with addictive personalities when it comes to certain things. Such people need to just stay away from whatever triggers that compulsive nature.
Sugar is sugar whether it comes in fruit or you put sugar in your coffee. Your body does not know the difference. You don't gain weight from eating too much sugar, you gain from eating too much overall.
^^^^^^^Fruitylicious03 wrote: »Just don't eat it. As simple as it sounds... it is. Don't buy it. And don't have it in the house. That's it.
(*) THIS (*)
Everybody is addicted to sugar. Without it, we all would die. Sugar keeps our bodies functioning. The problem is not so much sugar but processed foods with added refined sugar. Naturally occurring sugars, such as those found in fruit, come from sources that benefit your diet.- SOLUTION: If man makes it, don't eat it.
You're not helpless. Just make this happen, and good luck!
Moderation in all things, unless you cannot eat certain things because you doctor has told you not due for medical reasons.
And, this from a girl who truly believed that she was addicted to sugar until she learned how to use the moderation tool.
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As other have said, take baby steps and eliminate processed sugar foods one by one. First priority, "Don't have them in the house" 2. Eliminate for the health benefits eg sodas which removes calcium from your body. 3. Start reducing your sweetener intake ie use 1-spoon where you had 2-spoons before.
You will find that it gets better as you go.0 -
Sugar is not addictive. Period.0
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The current media attitude towards sugar doesn't help with people's understanding of the diff between addiction to drugs vs the hypapalatability of sugars (and fats etc). I understand people's confusion about what they are actually dealing with.
When you start to "unpack" the difference though it can be a big game changer for people.
Yes, I've heard comments (RL) from people that basically mean they've given up in the belief they are addicted. They only have the access to popular social media, they aren't inclined to dig deeper (may not know how to either). Sometimes the gaps in their information are too wide to bridge in one conversation. And sometimes they simply don't want you to convey the truth. This is where it can be an excuse.
But if someone is on MFP it's far easier to give them that access to better information. They can see people who have succeeded so they know it can be done and I think more often than not, on here, they genuinely don't want confirmation of an excuse - they want to know how to solve it. They want to understand it. Confusion and frustration makes them type the word "addicted" because it's the only word they can use to describe what feels like an overriding compulsion.
One of the reasons abstinence is useful in some instances (it depends on the language they use with regard to sugar which Lemur touched on) is that abstinence can make one see that sugar is not a physiological addiction. They aren't going to sell the DVD player to buy their fix. They aren't going to rummage through the rubbish for it.They learn that they can go days without it. It's a freedom. It solves one part of the equation for them. Once they understand that it is more a behavioural association that needs to be addressed then the nitty gritty starts. More to "unpack".0 -
Yes, I've heard comments (RL) from people that basically mean they've given up in the belief they are addicted. They only have the access to popular social media, they aren't inclined to dig deeper (may not know how to either). Sometimes the gaps in their information are too wide to bridge in one conversation. And sometimes they simply don't want you to convey the truth. This is where it can be an excuse.
I think you may be incorrectly assuming that when people say they are addicted to sugar, that means they've given up. I think quite the opposite is actually true.
An addict usually denies he is an addict until he's ready to make a change. I think most people understand this and know it to be true.
Additionally, someone who has "given up" is not likely to be using this web-site.
Further, it's very insulting and condescending to say that "they" must only have access to popular social media, and that's why they think they have a sugar addiction.
People who feel under compulsion to eat sugar (sweets) do indeed have many of the signs and symptoms of an addicted person:
1 They continue abusing the substance even when they know their health is affected.
2 They maintain a good supply at all times, even sacrificing their budget.
3 They feel they need their fix in order to deal with their problems.
4. They often abuse their substance in solitude and secrecy.
5. They are in denial about their problem.
6. They feel compelled to indulge even when it makes them feel sick.
7. They continue abusing the substance even when relationships are affected.
8. They try many times to change, but end up abusing again.
9. Once they are "clean" they are happier, and regain a sense of personal power.
Nora D Volkow is a well-respected researcher of substance abuse. She is the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2003 – present.
In one journal article (not social media) she writes:
“repeated exposure to certain foods (particularly those with a high fat and sugar content) in vulnerable individuals can also result in compulsive food consumption, poor food intake control, conditioning to food stimuli, and, over time, massive weight gain.”
And also: “we propose that some forms of obesity are driven by an excessive motivational drive for food and should be included as a mental disorder”
She says there’s an “urgent need to develop better therapeutic interventions that help mitigate the pathologically intense drive for food consumption.”
http://journals.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleid=98310
http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/363/1507/3191.short
Those who have never experienced an excessive, intense drive to eat have a difficult time understanding what that’s like, and may be tempted to demonize those with poor impulse control, or criticize them for making the “excuse” that they are addicted to sugar. You know the saying…until you’ve walked a mile in my shoes…
On many MFP threads, we’ve seen people who say that eating sugary foods makes them lose control of their eating. They report that giving up sugar is incredibly hard, but when they stop eating sugar, the drive to eat excessively diminishes.
Is there anyone reading these testimonies that would dismiss these very real struggles that people are having, and try to deny that their experiences are credible?
We have to remember that the human body and the human brain are amazingly complex – beyond what scientists can yet understand. We don’t gain any new knowledge by being closed-minded. What is to be gained by saying there is no such thing as sugar addiction?0
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