Need help quitting sugar

ntinkham88

Let me start by telling you some background info about my fitness journey. I've lost 50 lbs over the last few years by doing Zumba, P90X, PiYo, and now P90X3. I've got the fitness thing down and for the most part the food as well. I basically only eat healthy foods throughout the day. I track my calories, drink a ton of water and do everything I'm supposed to. However, I allow myself a cheat once a week and I usually choose something sweet. This week it was a red velvet dessert cup (yum).

Getting to my problem... After cheating, I start eating everything in sight. It's like I figure I already gave in so who cares. And here's the really sad (and probably gross) part. I can sit there and eat literally spoonfuls of sugar. I have to because I don't keep anything else sweet in my house! I go on this sugar high and can't stop. The next day I always feel terrible and go right back on my normal diet but I know I have to cut this horrible habit.

HELP! Should I cut sugar out altogether even on my cheat days? Any tips to help me to stop doing this?

dollydemise

I read this article in Marie Claire January 2015 entitled "All of Me". There was a particular part towards the end of the article that the author mentioned how she put so much power in food. She said her nutritionist suggested to have her "plate her treat, sit at a table, and eat it as slowly as she could, so all senses were engaged." She said how she made it into a special occasion for herself, and it helped her get over her binge issue with sweets. Not sure if you are going through something similar, but this article gave me good insight.

ctaylor000

Wow, that is tough! First off, way to go on the awesome exercise/healthy eating/logging regimen, and the significant weight loss. I've only been using MFP about 6 weeks so I'm certainly no expert, but your post did make me think right off the bat, that you might benefit from keeping some reasonable, small sweet treats in the house to stave off the sugar crazies so you don't end up mainlining the sugar bowl. I tend towards individually-wrapped small chocolates - the wrappers automatically slow down your intake, and seeing a little pile of wrappers can be a great "Stop!" sign. (I used to shovel handfuls of M&Ms...now I just have a couple Dove dark chocolate minis, Haviland chocolate-covered mints, etc.). If chocolate's not your thing, then match a batch of crispy cookies or mini muffins or whatever your treat of choice is, keep them in the freezer for longer term storage. Make room in your calorie budget for these small treats on a regular basis. That way it is less like a "cheating" failure and more just part of your normal healthy diet - which allows for small treats. My two cents anyway - good luck!

jlcarter1975

If sugar is a trigger food for you, you may want to cut it out. When you get hungry drink a protien shake with less than 5 grams of carbs.

susyndragness

I'm new after several weeks stuck my son pointed out how dr ug see r is added to almost everything. If it's not fresh real food it may be adulterated with sugar in some form. I found it in Kashi cereal so back to oats or cheerios. I was astounded even in the herb tube from produce dept. I had birthday this week I ate cake no ice cream counted calories etc and did lose this week. Maybe my son is right.

Acg67

ntinkham88 wrote: »

Let me start by telling you some background info about my fitness journey. I've lost 50 lbs over the last few years by doing Zumba, P90X, PiYo, and now P90X3. I've got the fitness thing down and for the most part the food as well. I basically only eat healthy foods throughout the day. I track my calories, drink a ton of water and do everything I'm supposed to. However, I allow myself a cheat once a week and I usually choose something sweet. This week it was a red velvet dessert cup (yum).

Getting to my problem... After cheating, I start eating everything in sight. It's like I figure I already gave in so who cares. And here's the really sad (and probably gross) part. I can sit there and eat literally spoonfuls of sugar. I have to because I don't keep anything else sweet in my house! I go on this sugar high and can't stop. The next day I always feel terrible and go right back on my normal diet but I know I have to cut this horrible habit.

HELP! Should I cut sugar out altogether even on my cheat days? Any tips to help me to stop doing this?

#1 tip - stop making excuses

I'm willing to bet that you actually can eat all manner of sugars in moderation.

foursirius

I'd try mixing a bit of sweets into a post workout refuel. Not only is it the best time to take in sugars but it's a reward as well. Grab a bag of gummy bears, portion them out, and reward/refuel yourself after a hard workout.

GaleHawkins

I finally just had to leave off sugar/carbs cold turkey because I too was not able to 'control' them.

HeidiHirtle

I personally have chosen to kick all refined sugars out of my life because for me it triggers craving and binges. Instead I make treats that are only sweetened with natural whole foods (like chocolate banana "ice cream"). For some reason these kinds of natural desserts don't result in overeating, and I'm thinking the reason behind that is its delivering lots of nutrients and signaling my body to feel satisfied. And I swoon over them just as much as I ever did with the junk food sweets, except there's no sugar hangover.

lemurcat12

It's like I figure I already gave in so who cares

This sounds like the key to me. A lot of people do this in some form or another--tell themselves they've already screwed up so might as well go nuts and start again the next day. It's how I used to ruin weeks before I got started this time (although not with sugar particularly, just overeating or falling off the exercise wagon or some such). It's an all or nothing attitude that's the enemy here, the idea that you are doing well or poorly, and usually too strong a sense that some food is inconsistent with eating healthy or is "bad."

I think what helps is getting rid of this idea that eating some sort of "treat" is inconsistent with dieting or that you need to be perfect.

jimrichardson00

For me personally, I find its easier psychologically to completely cut something out, rather than only have it occasionally. It goes from a "should I have this sweet this time?" decision, to a "I am not a person who eats sweets" decision.

LKArgh

ntinkham88 wrote: »

Let me start by telling you some background info about my fitness journey. I've lost 50 lbs over the last few years by doing Zumba, P90X, PiYo, and now P90X3. I've got the fitness thing down and for the most part the food as well. I basically only eat healthy foods throughout the day. I track my calories, drink a ton of water and do everything I'm supposed to. However, I allow myself a cheat once a week and I usually choose something sweet. This week it was a red velvet dessert cup (yum).

Getting to my problem... After cheating, I start eating everything in sight. It's like I figure I already gave in so who cares. And here's the really sad (and probably gross) part. I can sit there and eat literally spoonfuls of sugar. I have to because I don't keep anything else sweet in my house! I go on this sugar high and can't stop. The next day I always feel terrible and go right back on my normal diet but I know I have to cut this horrible habit.

HELP! Should I cut sugar out altogether even on my cheat days? Any tips to help me to stop doing this?

Do not make this a cheat. Count the calories, fit e.g. dessert in your daily calories, and not just once a week, and go on with your life. If you see it as a cheat, it sounds like you are giving yourself an excuse to eat more. Make eating a sweet treat part of your day. A small slice of cake, a scoop of ice cream, a bit of chocolate and so on are not going to load you with a ton of calories and can be part of a balanced diet, so you do not have to feel deprived or see this as a reason to cheat.

PeachyCarol

ntinkham88 wrote: »

Let me start by telling you some background info about my fitness journey. I've lost 50 lbs over the last few years by doing Zumba, P90X, PiYo, and now P90X3. I've got the fitness thing down and for the most part the food as well. I basically only eat healthy foods throughout the day. I track my calories, drink a ton of water and do everything I'm supposed to. However, I allow myself a cheat once a week and I usually choose something sweet. This week it was a red velvet dessert cup (yum).

Getting to my problem... After cheating, I start eating everything in sight. It's like I figure I already gave in so who cares. And here's the really sad (and probably gross) part. I can sit there and eat literally spoonfuls of sugar. I have to because I don't keep anything else sweet in my house! I go on this sugar high and can't stop. The next day I always feel terrible and go right back on my normal diet but I know I have to cut this horrible habit.

HELP! Should I cut sugar out altogether even on my cheat days? Any tips to help me to stop doing this?

The part I bolded is where the problem lies in your thinking. You're classifying your behavior as "bad", seeing what you did as a failure, and caving into it.

If you reframe your thought patterns, see all food as neutral, and plan for a treat for all your work well done during the week, seeing that you've earned the calories for it and logging it as part of it of your day? You're in control. Log it, eat it, and move on. No food is leaving the planet -- next week, you can have another treat. No guilt tripping about it... it's just a food that's part of an overall meal plan.

Food. is. neutral. Sugar as part of an otherwise balanced meal plan is fine in moderation. That one red velvet dessert cup was fine. You weren't "cheating". You were including something in your plan for a treat. That's what treats are. Occasional indulgences in an otherwise nutritionally dense eating plan.

There's no need to go off the rails after a controlled, planned-for treat. You're not cheating on anything. You're just eating food.

arl1286

I'm exactly the same way. Honestly, I find that going cold turkey is the best option for me-- or, only eating sweets while I'm out (aka not keeping any in the house). That way, I CAN'T binge on other stuff, because there won't be any other stuff.

vivmom2014

Change "cheat" to "treat"; eat something sweet - enjoy! Then exercise! Repeat.

heartpie

Giving up sugar doesn’t have to be as miserable as you think. It doesn’t have to mean getting the shakes, being in a bad mood, or never eating chocolate again. Your energy will be through the roof when you finally kick the sugar habit for good. So here are my eight tips to kick sugar and not hate your life!

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Experiment with spices.
3. Get physically active.
4. Read your ingredient labels.
5. Use mild and more natural sweeteners.
6. Rid your kitchen of sugar and artificial sugar.
7. Get more sleep, rest and relaxation.

We often tend to crave sugar for reasons other than natural hunger. For many, sugar has become an emotional crutch, a way to celebrate, or simply a way to relax. Take time to slow down and decode your cravings when you absolutely need that piece of chocolate or cake. Identifying the real need behind the sugar is the key to kicking your sugar habit for good.

fattyfat1000

lemurcat12 wrote: »

It's like I figure I already gave in so who cares

This sounds like the key to me. A lot of people do this in some form or another--tell themselves they've already screwed up so might as well go nuts and start again the next day. It's how I used to ruin weeks before I got started this time (although not with sugar particularly, just overeating or falling off the exercise wagon or some such). It's an all or nothing attitude that's the enemy here, the idea that you are doing well or poorly, and usually too strong a sense that some food is inconsistent with eating healthy or is "bad."

I think what helps is getting rid of this idea that eating some sort of "treat" is inconsistent with dieting or that you need to be perfect.

lemurcat12 wrote: »

It's like I figure I already gave in so who cares

This sounds like the key to me. A lot of people do this in some form or another--tell themselves they've already screwed up so might as well go nuts and start again the next day. It's how I used to ruin weeks before I got started this time (although not with sugar particularly, just overeating or falling off the exercise wagon or some such). It's an all or nothing attitude that's the enemy here, the idea that you are doing well or poorly, and usually too strong a sense that some food is inconsistent with eating healthy or is "bad."

I think what helps is getting rid of this idea that eating some sort of "treat" is inconsistent with dieting or that you need to be perfect.

This +1000 . As soon as you can accept it isn't a zero sum, all or nothing behavior the easier it will be to succeed. If you plan to work out 3 times a week, but only make it twice. Don't berate yourself over missing the one time. Pat yourself on the back for making it twice.

RoxieDawn

No need to quit sugar. But I do allow a sweet treat and here is how I do and I savor every single morsal like it will be my last and the enjoyment of this is much better.

1) Allow and log these calories in my diary.

2) I take a portion (a piece of pie, cake, ice cream, cookies, candy bar, etc...) and put it on a plate and put back the box or what ever and put it back in the frig or cabinet.

3) Take the plate to another room and eat it slow

4) Enjoy... make sounds of enjoyment and savor every bite... The sounds and looks on my face are priceless.

If you do not allow what you enjoy in life, this will evidently lead to failure. Life is mean to be enjoyed and even with a sweet or two!

elleykat

I like what others said about changing "cheat" to "treat." It sounds like guilt over the "cheat" is a powerful motivator causing you to go into a crazy sugar-binge to eat away your sugar guilt with more sugar! I've done this too, and reframing your view of your treat and your relationship to food/sugar can be very powerful. Plan your reward, log it into your diary, savor it and enjoy it, know you earned it for a job well done that week or whatever you need to do so you don't feel guilty or bad about it. You're NOT cheating at anything, you're simply enjoying a treat the way you're supposed to, in moderation. Ain't nothin' wrong with that. I fully intend to make a couple of girlscout cookies my reward for completing my strength training each week, and I'll work those cookies into my plan for that day. Woo hoo! You can do it! Also, GREAT Job with the weight loss so far - how do you like PiYo? That's my "reward" for when I lose a certain number of pounds (I think 30? I'll have to check) is buying the BeachBody PiYo DVDs. Funfunfun.

Jolinia

herrspoons wrote: »

The problem isn't sugar. It's you.

Learn moderation or expect to yo yo diet for the rest of your life.

Proof? If I never eat sugar again and stay low carb (because I will eat a whole loaf of bread in a sitting), I see no reason that I'd gain weight back. Of course that requires the willpower to stay low carb, but I see lots of people on here advocating that self-control thing, so I'd think they'd be cheering abstinence as well as cheering moderation. It comes down to the same thing. Lifestyle change vs diet.

Acg67

Jolinia wrote: »

herrspoons wrote: »

The problem isn't sugar. It's you.

Learn moderation or expect to yo yo diet for the rest of your life.

Proof? If I never eat sugar again and stay low carb (because I will eat a whole loaf of bread in a sitting), I see no reason that I'd gain weight back. Of course that requires the willpower to stay low carb, but I see lots of people on here advocating that self-control thing, so I'd think they'd be cheering abstinence as well as cheering moderation. It comes down to the same thing. Lifestyle change vs diet.

Can't not eat sugar and be low carb, you'd have to be zero carb.