CAN'T Give up CANDY!!!!

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  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    edited June 2015
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    The OP is talking about 1 piece or a packet of candy. She not sitting in the corner, rocking and crying, pounding down 3 lb bags of m&ms. It's not a drug.

    Is there ever a time that it's appropriate to cut things out of the diet because of lack of control? Sure. I've had to cut out 1 or items myself. It in this case, I'd say OP just needs to learn how to fit a perfectly reasonable amount of candy into her diet, because she enjoys it.
  • Chrysalid2014
    Chrysalid2014 Posts: 1,038 Member
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    I am going to get beat up again. Sugar is a drug for you. It is like the one cigarette that will make you smoke again, Try to give it up entirely.

    I completely agree that this is the case for some people (including me), but doesn't sound like this is the problem for the OP if she's able to limit herself to one Hershey's kiss or a bag of Skittles a day.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    The OP is talking about 1 piece or a packet of candy. She not sitting in the corner, rocking and crying, pounding down 3 lb bags of m&ms. It's not a drug.

    Is there ever a time that it's appropriate to cut things out of the diet because of lack of control? Sure. I've had to cut out 1 or items myself. It in this case, I'd say OP just needs to learn how to fit a perfectly reasonable amount of candy into her diet, because she enjoys it.

    This^^^
  • SarahRMerts
    SarahRMerts Posts: 31 Member
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    One other suggestion would be to limit how many times a week you can have it. That's what I have needed to do with pop and it really helped. Highly recommend what the others have said too: exercise with the intention of using some of those burned calories to eat candy.
    It can be a self control challenge (coming from one candy-holic to another), but it can be done.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
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    When I was losing weight and didn't exercise as much so therefore had a smaller calorie goal, I limited myself to one bar/packet of chocolate/sweets on a Friday evening (because mentally I will always be 6 years old, so the tradition of getting a chocolate bar on the way from home school prevails) and pudding only on Sundays. Silly and largely arbitrary, but it worked for me. I knew I was going to enjoy it at some point, so I could hold off til then.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    One piece and/or serving isn't causing weight gain. I have a sweet tooth as well and always leave room for good chocolate and hard candy. Just adjust your CICO and you'll be fine.
  • djf23
    djf23 Posts: 58 Member
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    I love chocolate and cranberries!..... I get dark chocolate and a little box of dried cranberries but save it for after dinner...think it's easier if you just keep it too one time that you have sweets or whatever gives you something to look forward too
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    I am going to get beat up again. Sugar is a drug for you. It is like the one cigarette that will make you smoke again, Try to give it up entirely.

    I completely agree that this is the case for some people (including me), but doesn't sound like this is the problem for the OP if she's able to limit herself to one Hershey's kiss or a bag of Skittles a day.

    sorry, sugar does not equal drugs.

    ridiculous claim is ridiculous.
  • jacklfc88
    jacklfc88 Posts: 247 Member
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    i get what people are saying about it being part of daily caloric intake. but they have little to no nutritional value. it's not just a case of being under caloric intake per se, it's what you're putting in to your body that is gonna make the biggest changes. it's hard to train yourself to stop eating stuff like that but it's doable. like when you at first can't stand coffee with no sugar in coz you're used to having 2. reduce to 1, then to half, then to none and eventually you won't like coffee with sugar!

    i tend to have a handful of fruit gums or something whilst training; it causes insulin levels to spike which means more nutrients going to cells, increased amino acid utilisation etc so it's ok to have them then. but i'd try to avoid otherwise, or at least reduce.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
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    gothchiq wrote: »
    I'm going to say something unpopular. Don't buy it. Don't walk down the aisles in the store where they sell it. Stay far, far away. Yes, there are people who have such a generous calorie allowance that they can "work it in" and people who can do the moderation thing... but that's not everyone. If you tried that, and all that happened was you gained weight, then I say avoid that crap. That's how I reached my goal last November and I've stayed there ever since. I said to hell with candy, ice cream, etc... being strong and healthy and not looking like a blob is more important to me than eating that stuff. We're not all the same person. There are plenty of ppl who think that if they can get away with eating candy then so can you.... meh let them think it. You know what your truth is in your life, and how you personally function.

    For me, this is true. Not everyone can " be strong" and avoid this stuff if it is handy. I am one of those people. OP you will need to decide what works best for YOU.
  • JengaJess
    JengaJess Posts: 109 Member
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    I've lost about 30 lbs and maintained it while still absolutely loving candy and eating it frequently. I've found there's not really a good substitute for chocolate- when you want chocolate, you just gotta have it. But I like a lot of sour gummies, skittles, starbursts and candy like that. I find sometimes when I'm really craving those, some tropical fruits will do the trick. Pineapple and mango are some of my go-tos when I want candy and either can't make a 230 calorie bag of skittles fit in or don't feel like wasting my money at the store. I keep frozen mango and pineapple in my freezer at all times.
    But like people said, it's just a matter of making it fit in your calorie allowance. Don't give up something you love- just figure out how you can incorporate it.
    The other day I really wanted a bag of sour gummie worms, so I ran (literally) to the gas station, which is a little over a half mile away, and ran back and then bam! they fight into my calorie allowance haha.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    jacklfc88 wrote: »
    i get what people are saying about it being part of daily caloric intake. but they have little to no nutritional value. it's not just a case of being under caloric intake per se, it's what you're putting in to your body that is gonna make the biggest changes. it's hard to train yourself to stop eating stuff like that but it's doable. like when you at first can't stand coffee with no sugar in coz you're used to having 2. reduce to 1, then to half, then to none and eventually you won't like coffee with sugar!

    i tend to have a handful of fruit gums or something whilst training; it causes insulin levels to spike which means more nutrients going to cells, increased amino acid utilisation etc so it's ok to have them then. but i'd try to avoid otherwise, or at least reduce.

    yes, and no one is saying get 100% of your calories from candy.

    What we are saying is that in the context of an overall diet where you are eating a different variety of foods there is noting wrong with eating nutrient dense foods AND some candy/ice cream, etc.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    shelby929 wrote: »
    I absolutely love it, I probably have at least 1 piece of candy a day (anywhere from literally 1 hershey kiss to a bag of skittles).

    Are you logging? I ask because you simply are not gaining weight from a 22 calorie Hershey kiss or whatever one bag of Skittles is. It's not hard to fit candy in those amounts into ANY reasonable calorie goal.

    What could be a problem is if you are eating far more calories in candy, and then you need to be honest to yourself about it and whether you can simply cut down the amount you eat or if you need to either cut it out or come up with some other strategy to keep the amount down.

    If you are really eating the amounts mentioned, though, that's not the issue, and looking at your overall logging and total calories and where they are coming from is what will matter.

    People assuming that you are unable to control your candy consumption and the rest and that you must cut out those horrible 22 calorie kisses based on what you've said seem to me to be jumping the gun and too committed to their own ideas that people CAN'T eat sweets in moderation.

    Personally, snacking on certain kinds of food indiscriminately during the day would kick me over my calorie limit very easily, as I would tend not to have great self-control. But fitting in a serving of ice cream after dinner is never a problem, and similarly grabbing a life saver or a couple of jelly beans or something in the middle of the day usually isn't something I want to get in the habit of (since I don't like candy enough to spend calories on it) but also can be pleasant and doesn't cause me to eat more. So I see no reason why you couldn't incorporate candy into your plan if you wish.
  • Docbanana2002
    Docbanana2002 Posts: 357 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Why does this issue have to be so black and white?? It the only choice that (1) skittles are exactly like crack emotionally and physically or (2) skittles are no different than any other food for everyone on the planet and if someone claims otherwise they are making excuses? Is there no middle ground--that some people have genuine struggles to practice moderation with certain foods for various reasons and that they need to figure out strategies to deal with that? Like going cold turkey or managing the circumstances under which they enjoy them? If you personally have never dealt with this, it might not make sense to you, but can't you just accept that some people may struggle in areas you don't and vice versa?

    Skittles are like crack? Wow. Because you've been addicted to crack before?

    I don't think you comprehended my post....I wasn't saying I agree with the point of view that crack = skittles, I was saying it is extreme. But I also think it is extreme to ignore a persons struggle entirely because it isn't exactly like crack addiction. So it isn't the same--can you stil allow that the person has a struggle and that it is meaningful to them and that they might need help? Or that some of the 12 step principles might be helpful for food related struggles too, even if they are less severe? There are many psychological issues that involve addictive or compulsive behavior and not all of them involve the same neurological mechanisms as are involved with alcohol or drugs....that doesn't mean that they are fake conditions or that "I don't have that problem and so you must not really have it either, so just stop it!!" Is useful therapy.

    And for the record it doesn't sounds like the OP is dealing with food related issues or binge eating disorder, I just think it is a matter of fitting the skittles into the calorie budget. Anyone can eat just one piece of chocolate and quit is in control of their eating.

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited June 2015
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    can you stil allow that the person has a struggle and that it is meaningful to them and that they might need help? Or that some of the 12 step principles might be helpful for food related struggles too, even if they are less severe?

    I think jumping to the conclusion that a poster who mentions eating anywhere from one kiss to one bag of Skittles a day has a struggle with moderation and would benefit from cutting it out entirely or the 12 steps is kind of extreme too. I mean, imagine if a poster said "I like to have a glass of wine with dinner most nights, is that compatible with weight loss" and the response was "NO!" and "go to AA." And unlike "candy addiction," there actually is good evidence that a certain percentage of people are alcoholics.

    I do think that some people have issues with food where cutting things out for a while or controlling how they eat them can help, but the assumption that people can't control themselves with sweets is not always warranted and the one-size-fits-all advice to just cut out sweets entirely gets tiresome.
  • BlueSkyShoal
    BlueSkyShoal Posts: 325 Member
    edited June 2015
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    I have trouble eating candy in moderation. Sometimes I can manage it, but usually I end up eating more than I planned to. So I do tend to not buy it much. There's nothing wrong with avoiding a food that's giving you problems or that you tend to cave around.

    Like, it's great to have a dog that's well-trained enough to daintily step over a pungent dead squirrel instead of rolling in it, but if your dog is not to that level yet, what's wrong with seeing the dead squirrel and crossing the street? You can keep training your dog and hopefully someday step over that dead squirrel, but it doesn't have to be today.

    Set yourself up for success, whatever that takes.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    I have trouble eating candy in moderation. Sometimes I can manage it, but usually I end up eating more than I planned to. So I do tend to not buy it much. There's nothing wrong with avoiding a food that's giving you problems or that you tend to cave around.

    Like, it's great to have a dog that's well-trained enough to daintily step over a pungent dead squirrel instead of rolling in it, but what's wrong with seeing the dead squirrel, foreseeing a stinky dog if you continue, and crossing the street? Especially if the dog training is a work in progress.

    say what?
  • Chrysalid2014
    Chrysalid2014 Posts: 1,038 Member
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    I have trouble eating candy in moderation. Sometimes I can manage it, but usually I end up eating more than I planned to. So I do tend to not buy it much. There's nothing wrong with avoiding a food that's giving you problems or that you tend to cave around.

    Like, it's great to have a dog that's well-trained enough to daintily step over a pungent dead squirrel instead of rolling in it, but what's wrong with seeing the dead squirrel, turning around, and crossing the street? Especially if the dog training is a work in progress.

    Surely there is no such dog!

    Still I like your analogy. And the farther away you can spot the dead squirrel, the easier it will be to lure the dog away. But once he gets a sniff of it, he's gonna be pulling like hell on that leash and you might not be able to hold him...
    Like it very much!

    So, how to spot a dead squirrel from 200m, is the question....