Sugar Cravings

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Replies

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.
    OP's request was "What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?"

    It said nothing about not consuming. If you're going to accuse people of needing to read, you should try it first.

    To be clear: what request of the OP did two of the first three posts "ignore"?

    Is it your position that eating some sugar in the context of a diet containing enough protein and fat isn't possibly a way to alleviate sugar cravings?

    I have great confidence that if solving the cravings by eating them was a valid solution to OP, that he would not be here asking for help.

    It worked for me. Moderation was the key to get much of what I thought was cravings (before I knew any better) under control and handling a life long problem with binging.
    Since I went the elimination route instead the moderation route, I cannot give details on how moderation helps with cravings.

    Nobody has really bothered to give any details on it that could help the OP, so maybe you could elaborate on the process, what you did, how it helped with your cravings, etc.
    How much more detail do you think an adult needs beyond making some room in his calorie goals to be able to eat some of what he craves while still being in a deficit?
    That's not what the OP asked. They asked for help with cravings, so maybe some detail on how it works would be helpful.

    Since I know you don't personally believe these things exist, I'm not sure that you'd be able to help much. But if you could, that would be nice.
    The OP asked how to deal with cravings. How is the answer I gave not responsive to what the OP asked? Is it your position that satisfying a craving within a controlled context isn't a way to deal with a craving?

    On what do you reach the conclusion that I don't think cravings exist? Are you trying to equate cravings and addictions?

    Maybe you could explain how it worked for you, then? How your cravings were, what you did, how that helped with the cravings and how you ended them.

    I believe that moderation helps people. I've seen enough people post that it has helped them to believe it. I think it might be especially helpful for some people who had emotional eating issues. It's every bit as valid as elimination, IMO.

    What I don't know is how it helped them because I never went that route. I can't give personal experience.

    But if people who are suggesting it as a way to help eliminate (or at least subdue) the cravings, then some details on how they went about it, specifically as it relates to their cravings, might be helpful to the OP.
    I've already said how I handled it: I made room in my caloric goal for what I craved. What I craved was red meat -- not much of a problem, since I need a lot of protein -- and Tex-Mex food, including chips and salsa.

    Rather than going to get Tex-Mex whenever I craved it, I planned how I could make it fit, and went a couple of days later. That's different because it's an entire meal and is harder to work in than some sweets, but it's the same idea. In fact, it would be much easier, both from a dietary perspective and from a cravings perspective, to plan around some ice cream or cookies or cake or whatever sugar the OP craves.

    I don't need to stop craving Tex-Mex. I just need to manage the cravings to fit them within my calorie goal. Knowing that I can have what I want and that I've not eliminated it from consideration makes it easier for me to eat in a more reasonable way. So, 117 pounds later, I still enjoy the food I crave. It's a win/win.

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.
    OP's request was "What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?"

    It said nothing about not consuming. If you're going to accuse people of needing to read, you should try it first.

    To be clear: what request of the OP did two of the first three posts "ignore"?

    Is it your position that eating some sugar in the context of a diet containing enough protein and fat isn't possibly a way to alleviate sugar cravings?

    I have great confidence that if solving the cravings by eating them was a valid solution to OP, that he would not be here asking for help.

    It worked for me. Moderation was the key to get much of what I thought was cravings (before I knew any better) under control and handling a life long problem with binging.
    Since I went the elimination route instead the moderation route, I cannot give details on how moderation helps with cravings.

    Nobody has really bothered to give any details on it that could help the OP, so maybe you could elaborate on the process, what you did, how it helped with your cravings, etc.
    How much more detail do you think an adult needs beyond making some room in his calorie goals to be able to eat some of what he craves while still being in a deficit?
    That's not what the OP asked. They asked for help with cravings, so maybe some detail on how it works would be helpful.

    Since I know you don't personally believe these things exist, I'm not sure that you'd be able to help much. But if you could, that would be nice.
    The OP asked how to deal with cravings. How is the answer I gave not responsive to what the OP asked? Is it your position that satisfying a craving within a controlled context isn't a way to deal with a craving?

    On what do you reach the conclusion that I don't think cravings exist? Are you trying to equate cravings and addictions?

    Maybe you could explain how it worked for you, then? How your cravings were, what you did, how that helped with the cravings and how you ended them.

    I believe that moderation helps people. I've seen enough people post that it has helped them to believe it. I think it might be especially helpful for some people who had emotional eating issues. It's every bit as valid as elimination, IMO.

    What I don't know is how it helped them because I never went that route. I can't give personal experience.

    But if people who are suggesting it as a way to help eliminate (or at least subdue) the cravings, then some details on how they went about it, specifically as it relates to their cravings, might be helpful to the OP.
    I've already said how I handled it: I made room in my caloric goal for what I craved. What I craved was red meat -- not much of a problem, since I need a lot of protein -- and Tex-Mex food, including chips and salsa.

    Rather than going to get Tex-Mex whenever I craved it, I planned how I could make it fit, and went a couple of days later. That's different because it's an entire meal and is harder to work in than some sweets, but it's the same idea. In fact, it would be much easier, both from a dietary perspective and from a cravings perspective, to plan around some ice cream or cookies or cake or whatever sugar the OP craves.

    I don't need to stop craving Tex-Mex. I just need to manage the cravings to fit them within my calorie goal. Knowing that I can have what I want and that I've not eliminated it from consideration makes it easier for me to eat in a more reasonable way. So, 117 pounds later, I still enjoy the food I crave. It's a win/win.
    That is more helpful. Maybe not specifically sugar cravings, but it's something. :)

    You resisted having the food until your calories allotted for it. That's something someone could do with sugar, if they can resist and keep reminding themselves that they can have some on another day. :)
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.
    OP's request was "What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?"

    It said nothing about not consuming. If you're going to accuse people of needing to read, you should try it first.

    To be clear: what request of the OP did two of the first three posts "ignore"?

    Is it your position that eating some sugar in the context of a diet containing enough protein and fat isn't possibly a way to alleviate sugar cravings?

    I have great confidence that if solving the cravings by eating them was a valid solution to OP, that he would not be here asking for help.

    It worked for me. Moderation was the key to get much of what I thought was cravings (before I knew any better) under control and handling a life long problem with binging.
    Since I went the elimination route instead the moderation route, I cannot give details on how moderation helps with cravings.

    Nobody has really bothered to give any details on it that could help the OP, so maybe you could elaborate on the process, what you did, how it helped with your cravings, etc.
    How much more detail do you think an adult needs beyond making some room in his calorie goals to be able to eat some of what he craves while still being in a deficit?
    That's not what the OP asked. They asked for help with cravings, so maybe some detail on how it works would be helpful.

    Since I know you don't personally believe these things exist, I'm not sure that you'd be able to help much. But if you could, that would be nice.
    The OP asked how to deal with cravings. How is the answer I gave not responsive to what the OP asked? Is it your position that satisfying a craving within a controlled context isn't a way to deal with a craving?

    On what do you reach the conclusion that I don't think cravings exist? Are you trying to equate cravings and addictions?

    Maybe you could explain how it worked for you, then? How your cravings were, what you did, how that helped with the cravings and how you ended them.

    I believe that moderation helps people. I've seen enough people post that it has helped them to believe it. I think it might be especially helpful for some people who had emotional eating issues. It's every bit as valid as elimination, IMO.

    What I don't know is how it helped them because I never went that route. I can't give personal experience.

    But if people who are suggesting it as a way to help eliminate (or at least subdue) the cravings, then some details on how they went about it, specifically as it relates to their cravings, might be helpful to the OP.
    I've already said how I handled it: I made room in my caloric goal for what I craved. What I craved was red meat -- not much of a problem, since I need a lot of protein -- and Tex-Mex food, including chips and salsa.

    Rather than going to get Tex-Mex whenever I craved it, I planned how I could make it fit, and went a couple of days later. That's different because it's an entire meal and is harder to work in than some sweets, but it's the same idea. In fact, it would be much easier, both from a dietary perspective and from a cravings perspective, to plan around some ice cream or cookies or cake or whatever sugar the OP craves.

    I don't need to stop craving Tex-Mex. I just need to manage the cravings to fit them within my calorie goal. Knowing that I can have what I want and that I've not eliminated it from consideration makes it easier for me to eat in a more reasonable way. So, 117 pounds later, I still enjoy the food I crave. It's a win/win.
    That is more helpful. Maybe not specifically sugar cravings, but it's something. :)

    You resisted having the food until your calories allotted for it. That's something someone could do with sugar, if they can resist and keep reminding themselves that they can have some on another day. :)
    Yeah, but with sugar -- as opposed to a whole meal -- one doesn't necessarily have to resist until another day. Fitting in a few cookies is a different ballgame from fitting in three cheese enchiladas, rice, beans, tortillas, chips, and salsa.

  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.
    OP's request was "What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?"

    It said nothing about not consuming. If you're going to accuse people of needing to read, you should try it first.

    To be clear: what request of the OP did two of the first three posts "ignore"?

    Is it your position that eating some sugar in the context of a diet containing enough protein and fat isn't possibly a way to alleviate sugar cravings?

    I have great confidence that if solving the cravings by eating them was a valid solution to OP, that he would not be here asking for help.

    It worked for me. Moderation was the key to get much of what I thought was cravings (before I knew any better) under control and handling a life long problem with binging.
    Since I went the elimination route instead the moderation route, I cannot give details on how moderation helps with cravings.

    Nobody has really bothered to give any details on it that could help the OP, so maybe you could elaborate on the process, what you did, how it helped with your cravings, etc.

    What exactly is a craving anyway? Just really wanting to have a food? I got that under control as a side effect of really wanting to lose weight more than really wanting the food. Before I tried losing weight, when I felt like eating something, I just had it. Because why not, right?
    When I started counting calories, the moderation of those foods came with it, choosing not to have it at times because of the calories and other times having it because it fit or I made it fit (or sometimes still just because).

    When I'm out with friends and eating out I don't think too much of it, I just have the food, maybe estimating the amount it might have, but overall I'm like "Eh, at worst that sets me back 1-2 days, that's nothing." And it's not like I go eat out daily. Some people seem to have a problem in those situations which may contribute to failure/binges down the line.

    Another thing is looking for lower cal alternatives. I could have some ice cream that's 200 kcal per serving, or another that's only 50. I could have soda, or diet, regular cheese or low fat, etc. That way I didn't even really have to reduce the amounts of most things I ate regularly.

    All in all, I think the main reason why I've been successful is because I don't take these things too seriously. I don't beat myself up over going over my calories one day, or not perfectly hitting my macros or micros. I think this kind of attitude helps keep on track with all this, from hitting your goals to keeping your wants in check.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,213 Member
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    You'll get a lot of advice, so here's personal experience and you can take it for what it's worth.

    To cut my sugar craving, I had to give up all sugar for about 4 months. No sugar, no honey, no fruit, nothing that tasted sugary. I could handle "sweet" via Splenda, because it tastes like Splenda and not sugar to me. Once I broke my cravings for sugar, I got to where I didn't want it very often. When I did want it, I wanted just a taste and then done. Yesterday was one of those days. I reached a weight loss goal 11 days ahead of schedule. To celebrate, I ate a brownie. Actually, I ate two bites of said brownie and said, "Ok, that's all I want."

    For me, I had to break the sugar cycle and that meant giving it up completely until I didn't crave it anymore. Your mileage may vary.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.
    OP's request was "What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?"

    It said nothing about not consuming. If you're going to accuse people of needing to read, you should try it first.

    To be clear: what request of the OP did two of the first three posts "ignore"?

    Is it your position that eating some sugar in the context of a diet containing enough protein and fat isn't possibly a way to alleviate sugar cravings?

    I have great confidence that if solving the cravings by eating them was a valid solution to OP, that he would not be here asking for help.

    It worked for me. Moderation was the key to get much of what I thought was cravings (before I knew any better) under control and handling a life long problem with binging.
    Since I went the elimination route instead the moderation route, I cannot give details on how moderation helps with cravings.

    Nobody has really bothered to give any details on it that could help the OP, so maybe you could elaborate on the process, what you did, how it helped with your cravings, etc.

    What exactly is a craving anyway? Just really wanting to have a food? I got that under control as a side effect of really wanting to lose weight more than really wanting the food. Before I tried losing weight, when I felt like eating something, I just had it. Because why not, right?
    When I started counting calories, the moderation of those foods came with it, choosing not to have it at times because of the calories and other times having it because it fit or I made it fit (or sometimes still just because).

    When I'm out with friends and eating out I don't think too much of it, I just have the food, maybe estimating the amount it might have, but overall I'm like "Eh, at worst that sets me back 1-2 days, that's nothing." And it's not like I go eat out daily. Some people seem to have a problem in those situations which may contribute to failure/binges down the line.

    Another thing is looking for lower cal alternatives. I could have some ice cream that's 200 kcal per serving, or another that's only 50. I could have soda, or diet, regular cheese or low fat, etc. That way I didn't even really have to reduce the amounts of most things I ate regularly.

    All in all, I think the main reason why I've been successful is because I don't take these things too seriously. I don't beat myself up over going over my calories one day, or not perfectly hitting my macros or micros. I think this kind of attitude helps keep on track with all this, from hitting your goals to keeping your wants in check.
    Some people mean that they really want to eat something. Others mean the physical drive that cannot be shaken. You can usually suss out what they mean from context, although the OP is up for grabs and makes it hard to tell. :)

    It's the extremely rare occasion that I indulge in restaurant food or sweets, but when I do, I eat whatever the heck I like best. If I'm going to eat something I really shouldn't, I'm going to enjoy it as much as possible!! (Well, if someone else is paying for it, I might go the cheaper route, but still.) :)
  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.

    I think you are illustrating exactly why I get involved in these posts. You have convoluted my statements of established nutritional science to mean that I advocate eliminating carbs completely from diet! Please just read the exact words.

    My point is, if someone - for any reason whatsoever - is concerned with sugar or carb intake and wants to minimize or restrict, just flipping support them doing it! It cannot hurt them nutritionally and might actually help with very common health issues. At WORST they will simply learn that carbs are not their problem. The point is to not undermine peoples attempts to modify diet and learn from it!

    Established nutritional science
    says 50% of your calories being carbs is pretty damn normal because your protein and fats should be something between something like 10 minimum and 30 at most.

    I think you may be referring to guidelines by governmental panels? These are not science and frequently based on bad science, big personalities and the food industry.

    Yeah, I'm sure they just went to random.org and took the first number they got.

    Over the last 25 years of nutritional reading and researching specific nutrients, I've come across some RDAs, TUL and other guidelines that did not involve a scientific basis, but rather a guess in the absence of research. It is not as bad as random, but you definitely need to review basis.
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22150425 protein intake of up to 1.8g/kg is a good amount for athletes. No real advantages above that. That comes out to 126 g for me, which is 504 calories, which is less than 25% of my maintenance calories. Sedentary people need nowhere near as much. The minimum and maximum amounts for protein are well researched.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15107010
    Macronutrients for bodybuilders: up to 30% protein, 15-20% fat, 50-65% carbs.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9624878
    http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/102/18/2284.full?rf=29620&mc=MTY2NDY4NDc.

    Fat intake under 30% is sufficient

    http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carmen_Perez-Rodrigo/publication/230625209_Recommended_dietary_reference_intakes_nutritional_goals_and_dietary_guidelines_for_fat_and_fatty_acids_a_systematic_review/links/0a85e52de7ef7f242c000000.pdf
    Review of dietary fat guidelines around the world, the most lenient one says that up to 40% is fine, most are in the area around 20-30.

    Etc. etc. No source that I know of apart from diehard keto folks who want you to have 70-80% of your calories in fat call for having much more than 20-30% of fat or protein (maximum that is). The rest would necessarily be carbs. 50% is a normal amount of carbs to have.

    The bolded study was a gathering of recommendations for fat intake levels by assorted governmental and nutritional bodies. Fascinating how consistent they all are! Especially since the conclusion of the review was 'HEY GUYS, WE NEED EVIDENCE!'

    I'm done doing off topic in this thread, go argue about keto somewhere else as it has been a life changing diet for many with chronic diet related health problems.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.

    I think you are illustrating exactly why I get involved in these posts. You have convoluted my statements of established nutritional science to mean that I advocate eliminating carbs completely from diet! Please just read the exact words.

    My point is, if someone - for any reason whatsoever - is concerned with sugar or carb intake and wants to minimize or restrict, just flipping support them doing it! It cannot hurt them nutritionally and might actually help with very common health issues. At WORST they will simply learn that carbs are not their problem. The point is to not undermine peoples attempts to modify diet and learn from it!

    Established nutritional science
    says 50% of your calories being carbs is pretty damn normal because your protein and fats should be something between something like 10 minimum and 30 at most.

    I think you may be referring to guidelines by governmental panels? These are not science and frequently based on bad science, big personalities and the food industry.

    Yeah, I'm sure they just went to random.org and took the first number they got.

    Over the last 25 years of nutritional reading and researching specific nutrients, I've come across some RDAs, TUL and other guidelines that did not involve a scientific basis, but rather a guess in the absence of research. It is not as bad as random, but you definitely need to review basis.
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22150425 protein intake of up to 1.8g/kg is a good amount for athletes. No real advantages above that. That comes out to 126 g for me, which is 504 calories, which is less than 25% of my maintenance calories. Sedentary people need nowhere near as much. The minimum and maximum amounts for protein are well researched.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15107010
    Macronutrients for bodybuilders: up to 30% protein, 15-20% fat, 50-65% carbs.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9624878
    http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/102/18/2284.full?rf=29620&mc=MTY2NDY4NDc.

    Fat intake under 30% is sufficient

    http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carmen_Perez-Rodrigo/publication/230625209_Recommended_dietary_reference_intakes_nutritional_goals_and_dietary_guidelines_for_fat_and_fatty_acids_a_systematic_review/links/0a85e52de7ef7f242c000000.pdf
    Review of dietary fat guidelines around the world, the most lenient one says that up to 40% is fine, most are in the area around 20-30.

    Etc. etc. No source that I know of apart from diehard keto folks who want you to have 70-80% of your calories in fat call for having much more than 20-30% of fat or protein (maximum that is). The rest would necessarily be carbs. 50% is a normal amount of carbs to have.

    The bolded study was a gathering of recommendations for fat intake levels by assorted governmental and nutritional bodies. Fascinating how consistent they all are! Especially since the conclusion of the review was 'HEY GUYS, WE NEED EVIDENCE!'

    I'm done doing off topic in this thread, go argue about keto somewhere else as it has been a life changing diet for many with chronic diet related health problems.

    The conclusion was that there's some gaps in the research regarding very specific scenarios, not that the recommendations are just made up of thin air.
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.
    OP's request was "What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?"

    It said nothing about not consuming. If you're going to accuse people of needing to read, you should try it first.

    To be clear: what request of the OP did two of the first three posts "ignore"?

    Is it your position that eating some sugar in the context of a diet containing enough protein and fat isn't possibly a way to alleviate sugar cravings?

    I have great confidence that if solving the cravings by eating them was a valid solution to OP, that he would not be here asking for help.

    It worked for me. Moderation was the key to get much of what I thought was cravings (before I knew any better) under control and handling a life long problem with binging.
    Since I went the elimination route instead the moderation route, I cannot give details on how moderation helps with cravings.

    Nobody has really bothered to give any details on it that could help the OP, so maybe you could elaborate on the process, what you did, how it helped with your cravings, etc.

    What exactly is a craving anyway? Just really wanting to have a food? I got that under control as a side effect of really wanting to lose weight more than really wanting the food. Before I tried losing weight, when I felt like eating something, I just had it. Because why not, right?
    When I started counting calories, the moderation of those foods came with it, choosing not to have it at times because of the calories and other times having it because it fit or I made it fit (or sometimes still just because).

    When I'm out with friends and eating out I don't think too much of it, I just have the food, maybe estimating the amount it might have, but overall I'm like "Eh, at worst that sets me back 1-2 days, that's nothing." And it's not like I go eat out daily. Some people seem to have a problem in those situations which may contribute to failure/binges down the line.

    Another thing is looking for lower cal alternatives. I could have some ice cream that's 200 kcal per serving, or another that's only 50. I could have soda, or diet, regular cheese or low fat, etc. That way I didn't even really have to reduce the amounts of most things I ate regularly.

    All in all, I think the main reason why I've been successful is because I don't take these things too seriously. I don't beat myself up over going over my calories one day, or not perfectly hitting my macros or micros. I think this kind of attitude helps keep on track with all this, from hitting your goals to keeping your wants in check.
    Some people mean that they really want to eat something. Others mean the physical drive that cannot be shaken. You can usually suss out what they mean from context, although the OP is up for grabs and makes it hard to tell. :)

    It's the extremely rare occasion that I indulge in restaurant food or sweets, but when I do, I eat whatever the heck I like best. If I'm going to eat something I really shouldn't, I'm going to enjoy it as much as possible!! (Well, if someone else is paying for it, I might go the cheaper route, but still.) :)

    For me, a craving is like a mental preoccupation. It's kind of like

    -Hey, that brownie looks good. We should eat it
    - No, it doesn't fit in my calorie goals today
    - but it would be really good.
    - it would, but I need to use my calories for dinner
    - what if we had the brownie for dinner
    - that's stupid, let me get back to work. No brownie
    - you seem upset. you should take a break. Maybe eat that brownie
    - seriously, no brownie today. Maybe tomorrow
    - ok, but it would be really good. Let's just eat it and then eat less tomorrow.
    - are you going to let me work?
    - yes. After the brownie. Then I'll leave you alone.
    - I'm not eating the brownie beca-
    - brownie
    - because I am trying to red-
    - brownie
    - reduce my calories and lose we-
    - brownie
    - weight so I can be healthier
    - browniebrowniebrowniebrownie
    - oh, ffs, fine. We'll have the brownie. Happy?
    - yes. *eats brownie*. Hey, those cookies look good. We should eat them.
    - *cries*

    (ok, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but that's the general gist of it)

    That's why, for me at least, It's easier to just avoid the food. No brownie = no brownie debate. More like:

    -Hey, do we have any brownies?
    -Nope
    -Oh, okay.
  • Blueseraphchaos
    Blueseraphchaos Posts: 843 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.
    OP's request was "What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?"

    It said nothing about not consuming. If you're going to accuse people of needing to read, you should try it first.

    To be clear: what request of the OP did two of the first three posts "ignore"?

    Is it your position that eating some sugar in the context of a diet containing enough protein and fat isn't possibly a way to alleviate sugar cravings?

    I have great confidence that if solving the cravings by eating them was a valid solution to OP, that he would not be here asking for help.

    It worked for me. Moderation was the key to get much of what I thought was cravings (before I knew any better) under control and handling a life long problem with binging.
    Since I went the elimination route instead the moderation route, I cannot give details on how moderation helps with cravings.

    Nobody has really bothered to give any details on it that could help the OP, so maybe you could elaborate on the process, what you did, how it helped with your cravings, etc.

    What exactly is a craving anyway? Just really wanting to have a food? I got that under control as a side effect of really wanting to lose weight more than really wanting the food. Before I tried losing weight, when I felt like eating something, I just had it. Because why not, right?
    When I started counting calories, the moderation of those foods came with it, choosing not to have it at times because of the calories and other times having it because it fit or I made it fit (or sometimes still just because).

    When I'm out with friends and eating out I don't think too much of it, I just have the food, maybe estimating the amount it might have, but overall I'm like "Eh, at worst that sets me back 1-2 days, that's nothing." And it's not like I go eat out daily. Some people seem to have a problem in those situations which may contribute to failure/binges down the line.

    Another thing is looking for lower cal alternatives. I could have some ice cream that's 200 kcal per serving, or another that's only 50. I could have soda, or diet, regular cheese or low fat, etc. That way I didn't even really have to reduce the amounts of most things I ate regularly.

    All in all, I think the main reason why I've been successful is because I don't take these things too seriously. I don't beat myself up over going over my calories one day, or not perfectly hitting my macros or micros. I think this kind of attitude helps keep on track with all this, from hitting your goals to keeping your wants in check.
    Some people mean that they really want to eat something. Others mean the physical drive that cannot be shaken. You can usually suss out what they mean from context, although the OP is up for grabs and makes it hard to tell. :)

    It's the extremely rare occasion that I indulge in restaurant food or sweets, but when I do, I eat whatever the heck I like best. If I'm going to eat something I really shouldn't, I'm going to enjoy it as much as possible!! (Well, if someone else is paying for it, I might go the cheaper route, but still.) :)

    For me, a craving is like a mental preoccupation. It's kind of like

    -Hey, that brownie looks good. We should eat it
    - No, it doesn't fit in my calorie goals today
    - but it would be really good.
    - it would, but I need to use my calories for dinner
    - what if we had the brownie for dinner
    - that's stupid, let me get back to work. No brownie
    - you seem upset. you should take a break. Maybe eat that brownie
    - seriously, no brownie today. Maybe tomorrow
    - ok, but it would be really good. Let's just eat it and then eat less tomorrow.
    - are you going to let me work?
    - yes. After the brownie. Then I'll leave you alone.
    - I'm not eating the brownie beca-
    - brownie
    - because I am trying to red-
    - brownie
    - reduce my calories and lose we-
    - brownie
    - weight so I can be healthier
    - browniebrowniebrowniebrownie
    - oh, ffs, fine. We'll have the brownie. Happy?
    - yes. *eats brownie*. Hey, those cookies look good. We should eat them.
    - *cries*

    (ok, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but that's the general gist of it)

    That's why, for me at least, It's easier to just avoid the food. No brownie = no brownie debate. More like:

    -Hey, do we have any brownies?
    -Nope
    -Oh, okay.

    This sounds like me. And when i do get something in the house, usually i am able to plan for it since i managed to cut everything and reintroduce it, but sometimes that willpower is non-existent, and after i buy it, i realize that it's getting eaten no matter what, so i just eat it and move on.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,213 Member
    For me, a craving is like a mental preoccupation. <snip>

    That's why, for me at least, It's easier to just avoid the food. No brownie = no brownie debate. More like:

    -Hey, do we have any brownies?
    -Nope
    -Oh, okay.


    Yep, that's the mental part. For the physical part, the body can do some pretty awful things to force you into eating the sugar, if you're prone to having a physical component to the craving. If you are, those things the body can do are akin to an addiction to alcohol or drugs and the accompanying withdrawal symptoms. That doesn't hold true for all, but it does for some.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    edited August 2015
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.
    OP's request was "What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?"

    It said nothing about not consuming. If you're going to accuse people of needing to read, you should try it first.

    To be clear: what request of the OP did two of the first three posts "ignore"?

    Is it your position that eating some sugar in the context of a diet containing enough protein and fat isn't possibly a way to alleviate sugar cravings?

    I have great confidence that if solving the cravings by eating them was a valid solution to OP, that he would not be here asking for help.

    It worked for me. Moderation was the key to get much of what I thought was cravings (before I knew any better) under control and handling a life long problem with binging.
    Since I went the elimination route instead the moderation route, I cannot give details on how moderation helps with cravings.

    Nobody has really bothered to give any details on it that could help the OP, so maybe you could elaborate on the process, what you did, how it helped with your cravings, etc.

    What exactly is a craving anyway? Just really wanting to have a food? I got that under control as a side effect of really wanting to lose weight more than really wanting the food. Before I tried losing weight, when I felt like eating something, I just had it. Because why not, right?
    When I started counting calories, the moderation of those foods came with it, choosing not to have it at times because of the calories and other times having it because it fit or I made it fit (or sometimes still just because).

    When I'm out with friends and eating out I don't think too much of it, I just have the food, maybe estimating the amount it might have, but overall I'm like "Eh, at worst that sets me back 1-2 days, that's nothing." And it's not like I go eat out daily. Some people seem to have a problem in those situations which may contribute to failure/binges down the line.

    Another thing is looking for lower cal alternatives. I could have some ice cream that's 200 kcal per serving, or another that's only 50. I could have soda, or diet, regular cheese or low fat, etc. That way I didn't even really have to reduce the amounts of most things I ate regularly.

    All in all, I think the main reason why I've been successful is because I don't take these things too seriously. I don't beat myself up over going over my calories one day, or not perfectly hitting my macros or micros. I think this kind of attitude helps keep on track with all this, from hitting your goals to keeping your wants in check.
    Some people mean that they really want to eat something. Others mean the physical drive that cannot be shaken. You can usually suss out what they mean from context, although the OP is up for grabs and makes it hard to tell. :)

    It's the extremely rare occasion that I indulge in restaurant food or sweets, but when I do, I eat whatever the heck I like best. If I'm going to eat something I really shouldn't, I'm going to enjoy it as much as possible!! (Well, if someone else is paying for it, I might go the cheaper route, but still.) :)

    For me, a craving is like a mental preoccupation. It's kind of like

    -Hey, that brownie looks good. We should eat it
    - No, it doesn't fit in my calorie goals today
    - but it would be really good.
    - it would, but I need to use my calories for dinner
    - what if we had the brownie for dinner
    - that's stupid, let me get back to work. No brownie
    - you seem upset. you should take a break. Maybe eat that brownie
    - seriously, no brownie today. Maybe tomorrow
    - ok, but it would be really good. Let's just eat it and then eat less tomorrow.
    - are you going to let me work?
    - yes. After the brownie. Then I'll leave you alone.
    - I'm not eating the brownie beca-
    - brownie
    - because I am trying to red-
    - brownie
    - reduce my calories and lose we-
    - brownie
    - weight so I can be healthier
    - browniebrowniebrowniebrownie
    - oh, ffs, fine. We'll have the brownie. Happy?
    - yes. *eats brownie*. Hey, those cookies look good. We should eat them.
    - *cries*

    (ok, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but that's the general gist of it)

    That's why, for me at least, It's easier to just avoid the food. No brownie = no brownie debate. More like:

    -Hey, do we have any brownies?
    -Nope
    -Oh, okay.

    That actually did make me laugh out loud. So many people have been there. I agree, it's very easy to resist what isn't in the house. :)

    I eliminated LOADS of things from my diet. Hundreds of things. I have not binged on them. There is no, "I have to eat it OR ELSE!" I just don't.

    Elimination is a good strategy, too. :)
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    LOL
    I'm not that good at controlling sugars. My inner dialogue would have looked more like this:

    -Hey, do we have any brownies?
    -Nope.
    -Do we have bread? Muffins? Banana bread? Candy? Pop? Ice cream?
    -No. No. No. No. No. No.
    -Where are my car keys?

    I went with elimination because of that. After 40 years of failing at moderation, it was time to try something new. Thank goodness it's working. LOL
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.
    OP's request was "What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?"

    It said nothing about not consuming. If you're going to accuse people of needing to read, you should try it first.

    To be clear: what request of the OP did two of the first three posts "ignore"?

    Is it your position that eating some sugar in the context of a diet containing enough protein and fat isn't possibly a way to alleviate sugar cravings?

    I have great confidence that if solving the cravings by eating them was a valid solution to OP, that he would not be here asking for help.

    It worked for me. Moderation was the key to get much of what I thought was cravings (before I knew any better) under control and handling a life long problem with binging.
    Since I went the elimination route instead the moderation route, I cannot give details on how moderation helps with cravings.

    Nobody has really bothered to give any details on it that could help the OP, so maybe you could elaborate on the process, what you did, how it helped with your cravings, etc.

    What exactly is a craving anyway? Just really wanting to have a food? I got that under control as a side effect of really wanting to lose weight more than really wanting the food. Before I tried losing weight, when I felt like eating something, I just had it. Because why not, right?
    When I started counting calories, the moderation of those foods came with it, choosing not to have it at times because of the calories and other times having it because it fit or I made it fit (or sometimes still just because).

    When I'm out with friends and eating out I don't think too much of it, I just have the food, maybe estimating the amount it might have, but overall I'm like "Eh, at worst that sets me back 1-2 days, that's nothing." And it's not like I go eat out daily. Some people seem to have a problem in those situations which may contribute to failure/binges down the line.

    Another thing is looking for lower cal alternatives. I could have some ice cream that's 200 kcal per serving, or another that's only 50. I could have soda, or diet, regular cheese or low fat, etc. That way I didn't even really have to reduce the amounts of most things I ate regularly.

    All in all, I think the main reason why I've been successful is because I don't take these things too seriously. I don't beat myself up over going over my calories one day, or not perfectly hitting my macros or micros. I think this kind of attitude helps keep on track with all this, from hitting your goals to keeping your wants in check.
    Some people mean that they really want to eat something. Others mean the physical drive that cannot be shaken. You can usually suss out what they mean from context, although the OP is up for grabs and makes it hard to tell. :)

    It's the extremely rare occasion that I indulge in restaurant food or sweets, but when I do, I eat whatever the heck I like best. If I'm going to eat something I really shouldn't, I'm going to enjoy it as much as possible!! (Well, if someone else is paying for it, I might go the cheaper route, but still.) :)

    For me, a craving is like a mental preoccupation. It's kind of like

    -Hey, that brownie looks good. We should eat it
    - No, it doesn't fit in my calorie goals today
    - but it would be really good.
    - it would, but I need to use my calories for dinner
    - what if we had the brownie for dinner
    - that's stupid, let me get back to work. No brownie
    - you seem upset. you should take a break. Maybe eat that brownie
    - seriously, no brownie today. Maybe tomorrow
    - ok, but it would be really good. Let's just eat it and then eat less tomorrow.
    - are you going to let me work?
    - yes. After the brownie. Then I'll leave you alone.
    - I'm not eating the brownie beca-
    - brownie
    - because I am trying to red-
    - brownie
    - reduce my calories and lose we-
    - brownie
    - weight so I can be healthier
    - browniebrowniebrowniebrownie
    - oh, ffs, fine. We'll have the brownie. Happy?
    - yes. *eats brownie*. Hey, those cookies look good. We should eat them.
    - *cries*

    (ok, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but that's the general gist of it)

    That's why, for me at least, It's easier to just avoid the food. No brownie = no brownie debate. More like:

    -Hey, do we have any brownies?
    -Nope
    -Oh, okay.

    That actually did make me laugh out loud. So many people have been there. I agree, it's very easy to resist what isn't in the house. :)

    I can relate to this, but I never had sweets in the house much. I still got fat because I overate on all kinds of foods and I ate sweets at work. (I am not actually home all that much.)

    I have zero control over whether there are sweets at work, so I had to figure out a way to deal with this that did not involve making them unavailable.

    I kind of think most people will fail if it's all about things being unavailable, since everything is really easily available if you want it to be.

    As it is, I have things that used to tempt me (like ice cream and cheese) available at home and eat them in moderation, because I've trained myself to have better habits.

    I don't believe that everyone will binge if one eliminates things (bingeing is a specific issue that people who don't binge probably don't really understand, and shouldn't opine on, IMO). I do think it's hard to maintain an elimination strategy if one doesn't really have a reason for the elimination. That was my issue with paleo--I couldn't come up with any reason why I'd cut grains, let alone legumes, so it was impossible to justify. I feel the same way about sweets. I think I should eat them in moderation, so do, but see no reason why I would be healthier if I never ate them.

    I do think it's easier to stick to an extreme diet if it's prescribed by a doctor and there are real health reasons for it.
  • emily_fox
    emily_fox Posts: 62 Member
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    I eat fruit to alleviate this

  • Unknown
    edited August 2015
    This content has been removed.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.
    OP's request was "What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?"

    It said nothing about not consuming. If you're going to accuse people of needing to read, you should try it first.

    To be clear: what request of the OP did two of the first three posts "ignore"?

    Is it your position that eating some sugar in the context of a diet containing enough protein and fat isn't possibly a way to alleviate sugar cravings?

    I have great confidence that if solving the cravings by eating them was a valid solution to OP, that he would not be here asking for help.

    It worked for me. Moderation was the key to get much of what I thought was cravings (before I knew any better) under control and handling a life long problem with binging.
    Since I went the elimination route instead the moderation route, I cannot give details on how moderation helps with cravings.

    Nobody has really bothered to give any details on it that could help the OP, so maybe you could elaborate on the process, what you did, how it helped with your cravings, etc.

    What exactly is a craving anyway? Just really wanting to have a food? I got that under control as a side effect of really wanting to lose weight more than really wanting the food. Before I tried losing weight, when I felt like eating something, I just had it. Because why not, right?
    When I started counting calories, the moderation of those foods came with it, choosing not to have it at times because of the calories and other times having it because it fit or I made it fit (or sometimes still just because).

    When I'm out with friends and eating out I don't think too much of it, I just have the food, maybe estimating the amount it might have, but overall I'm like "Eh, at worst that sets me back 1-2 days, that's nothing." And it's not like I go eat out daily. Some people seem to have a problem in those situations which may contribute to failure/binges down the line.

    Another thing is looking for lower cal alternatives. I could have some ice cream that's 200 kcal per serving, or another that's only 50. I could have soda, or diet, regular cheese or low fat, etc. That way I didn't even really have to reduce the amounts of most things I ate regularly.

    All in all, I think the main reason why I've been successful is because I don't take these things too seriously. I don't beat myself up over going over my calories one day, or not perfectly hitting my macros or micros. I think this kind of attitude helps keep on track with all this, from hitting your goals to keeping your wants in check.
    Some people mean that they really want to eat something. Others mean the physical drive that cannot be shaken. You can usually suss out what they mean from context, although the OP is up for grabs and makes it hard to tell. :)

    It's the extremely rare occasion that I indulge in restaurant food or sweets, but when I do, I eat whatever the heck I like best. If I'm going to eat something I really shouldn't, I'm going to enjoy it as much as possible!! (Well, if someone else is paying for it, I might go the cheaper route, but still.) :)

    For me, a craving is like a mental preoccupation. It's kind of like

    -Hey, that brownie looks good. We should eat it
    - No, it doesn't fit in my calorie goals today
    - but it would be really good.
    - it would, but I need to use my calories for dinner
    - what if we had the brownie for dinner
    - that's stupid, let me get back to work. No brownie
    - you seem upset. you should take a break. Maybe eat that brownie
    - seriously, no brownie today. Maybe tomorrow
    - ok, but it would be really good. Let's just eat it and then eat less tomorrow.
    - are you going to let me work?
    - yes. After the brownie. Then I'll leave you alone.
    - I'm not eating the brownie beca-
    - brownie
    - because I am trying to red-
    - brownie
    - reduce my calories and lose we-
    - brownie
    - weight so I can be healthier
    - browniebrowniebrowniebrownie
    - oh, ffs, fine. We'll have the brownie. Happy?
    - yes. *eats brownie*. Hey, those cookies look good. We should eat them.
    - *cries*

    (ok, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but that's the general gist of it)

    That's why, for me at least, It's easier to just avoid the food. No brownie = no brownie debate. More like:

    -Hey, do we have any brownies?
    -Nope
    -Oh, okay.

    That actually did make me laugh out loud. So many people have been there. I agree, it's very easy to resist what isn't in the house. :)

    I can relate to this, but I never had sweets in the house much. I still got fat because I overate on all kinds of foods and I ate sweets at work. (I am not actually home all that much.)

    I have zero control over whether there are sweets at work, so I had to figure out a way to deal with this that did not involve making them unavailable.

    I kind of think most people will fail if it's all about things being unavailable, since everything is really easily available if you want it to be.

    As it is, I have things that used to tempt me (like ice cream and cheese) available at home and eat them in moderation, because I've trained myself to have better habits.

    I don't believe that everyone will binge if one eliminates things (bingeing is a specific issue that people who don't binge probably don't really understand, and shouldn't opine on, IMO). I do think it's hard to maintain an elimination strategy if one doesn't really have a reason for the elimination. That was my issue with paleo--I couldn't come up with any reason why I'd cut grains, let alone legumes, so it was impossible to justify. I feel the same way about sweets. I think I should eat them in moderation, so do, but see no reason why I would be healthier if I never ate them.

    I do think it's easier to stick to an extreme diet if it's prescribed by a doctor and there are real health reasons for it.
    Of course everyone who eliminates things won't binge. The people who insist that you must include all things in your diet OR ELSE are just wrong...and a little foolish, IMO. What works for one doesn't work for all. Duh.

    It is true that some people will get in the car and go get their treats, but that's a whole other ball of wax and one that probably could be helped with some therapy. For most people, not having the items in the house is good enough. Not in house, can't eat it.

    Moderation is great, too, and every bit as valid a course as elimination. If people can have things in the house and not overeat them, that's a great way to go. You should know by now that I support all methods and even every stupid diet fad, so long as it isn't obviously dangerous.

    Personally, I choose not to eat those things. It isn't because I'll binge. It's just the route I've gone. It's worked very well for me. But I eat 1200 calories a day and have a hard enough time trying to get all my nutrients in without adding empty calories to the mix. I don't have the well-balanced diet that you do. Not yet, anyway. A few things need work, still. If I added junk, I'd never manage to get my nutrients in.

    I know you've found a plan that works well for you. I've found one that works for me. I hope the OP can find something that works well for them. As usual, our OP has not come back. I hope they will let us know what they've decided. :)
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  • drgmac
    drgmac Posts: 716 Member
    This may not work for you, but it worked for me: I haven't had any sugar since july 8. I just decided I was going to define my abs more and I have switched to no sugar--no catsup, no energy bars, and no fruit. My sweets come from greek yogurt and cottage cheese. I do not miss it at all. I'm never hungry and I my midsection is definitely showing results in such a short period of time, I also chew sugar free gum
  • This content has been removed.
  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    No. The reason so many people are overweight is they are eating too many calories. Period. There are some people with medical conditions that may need to restrict carbohydrates, but that is not the majority of the population.

    Reducing carbohydrates can be an effective tool to help achieve a calorie deficit, enabling people to lose weight and become healthier, but to advise that a diet of meat and water is better than a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, dairy, and healthy fats is ludicrous.


    The reason so many people are overweight is they are eating too many calories of carbohydrates.

    In the last 4 decades in the US consumption went up by 200c pp per day and carb consumption percent of calories went up by 20%. Results equal diabesity epidemic. It follows that we also have a pre-diabetic epidemic also since it takes years or decades of inappropriate diet to create a diabetic. This is what happens when we elevate a non-essential macronutrient (carbs) to an unnatural level in our diets.

    No one said meat and water was healthier except you. Don't misread.

    Our health system is strictly oriented to treating identified sickness. It is pretty useless at stopping people from getting sick by diet, that is strictly the job of the individual.

    I've only read this far in the thread, but do you have any sources for what appear to be these rather far fetched claims you keep making?

    Because your statement you yourself bolded is blatantly false

    Here is my farfetched source - http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5304a3.htm

  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    No. The reason so many people are overweight is they are eating too many calories. Period. There are some people with medical conditions that may need to restrict carbohydrates, but that is not the majority of the population.

    Reducing carbohydrates can be an effective tool to help achieve a calorie deficit, enabling people to lose weight and become healthier, but to advise that a diet of meat and water is better than a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, dairy, and healthy fats is ludicrous.


    The reason so many people are overweight is they are eating too many calories of carbohydrates.

    In the last 4 decades in the US consumption went up by 200c pp per day and carb consumption percent of calories went up by 20%. Results equal diabesity epidemic. It follows that we also have a pre-diabetic epidemic also since it takes years or decades of inappropriate diet to create a diabetic. This is what happens when we elevate a non-essential macronutrient (carbs) to an unnatural level in our diets.

    No one said meat and water was healthier except you. Don't misread.

    Our health system is strictly oriented to treating identified sickness. It is pretty useless at stopping people from getting sick by diet, that is strictly the job of the individual.

    I've only read this far in the thread, but do you have any sources for what appear to be these rather far fetched claims you keep making?

    Because your statement you yourself bolded is blatantly false

    Here is my farfetched source - http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5304a3.htm

    I read the link...and yes...our carb intake has increased. I think however that you have to look beyond just the "carb" and ask yourself why...just why has our carb intake increased.

    IMO...no scientific data to prove my point...one reason is that as food prices have risen people have had to adjust their food expenditure. Carbs on the whole are generally cheap...they go a long way...they are versatile...they are filling when combined with other foods. Pasta...rice...potatoes...bread...along with other carbs are inexpensive thus allowing a family to stretch their food budget.

    In the Editorial section of the link that you posted...

    "The increase in caloric intake described in this report is consistent with previously reported trends in dietary intake in the United States (7). USDA survey data for 1977--1996 suggest that factors contributing to the increase in energy intake in the United States include consumption of food away from home; increased energy consumption from salty snacks, soft drinks, and pizza (8); and increased portion sizes (9)."

    There are other factors to consider...namely...eating outside the home and increased portion sizes. These two reasons would and do apply to any food group...fat/protein.

    There has been more than once in my life that I have had little money to buy food. I stretched what I could buy with things such as pasta and potatoes. Someone telling me to cut my carbs at those times without knowing my circumstances would not have been helpful. I have gone from pasta/potatoes being a food item that I had every day to now about once a week...I have more options now.

    Moral of this story...know your audience before you hand out advice. Life is much more complicated than just...don't eat carbs or sugar...IMO

  • This content has been removed.
  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
    Annie_01 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    No. The reason so many people are overweight is they are eating too many calories. Period. There are some people with medical conditions that may need to restrict carbohydrates, but that is not the majority of the population.

    Reducing carbohydrates can be an effective tool to help achieve a calorie deficit, enabling people to lose weight and become healthier, but to advise that a diet of meat and water is better than a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, dairy, and healthy fats is ludicrous.


    The reason so many people are overweight is they are eating too many calories of carbohydrates.

    In the last 4 decades in the US consumption went up by 200c pp per day and carb consumption percent of calories went up by 20%. Results equal diabesity epidemic. It follows that we also have a pre-diabetic epidemic also since it takes years or decades of inappropriate diet to create a diabetic. This is what happens when we elevate a non-essential macronutrient (carbs) to an unnatural level in our diets.

    No one said meat and water was healthier except you. Don't misread.

    Our health system is strictly oriented to treating identified sickness. It is pretty useless at stopping people from getting sick by diet, that is strictly the job of the individual.

    I've only read this far in the thread, but do you have any sources for what appear to be these rather far fetched claims you keep making?

    Because your statement you yourself bolded is blatantly false

    Here is my farfetched source - http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5304a3.htm

    I read the link...and yes...our carb intake has increased. I think however that you have to look beyond just the "carb" and ask yourself why...just why has our carb intake increased.

    IMO...no scientific data to prove my point...one reason is that as food prices have risen people have had to adjust their food expenditure. Carbs on the whole are generally cheap...they go a long way...they are versatile...they are filling when combined with other foods. Pasta...rice...potatoes...bread...along with other carbs are inexpensive thus allowing a family to stretch their food budget.

    In the Editorial section of the link that you posted...

    "The increase in caloric intake described in this report is consistent with previously reported trends in dietary intake in the United States (7). USDA survey data for 1977--1996 suggest that factors contributing to the increase in energy intake in the United States include consumption of food away from home; increased energy consumption from salty snacks, soft drinks, and pizza (8); and increased portion sizes (9)."

    There are other factors to consider...namely...eating outside the home and increased portion sizes. These two reasons would and do apply to any food group...fat/protein.

    There has been more than once in my life that I have had little money to buy food. I stretched what I could buy with things such as pasta and potatoes. Someone telling me to cut my carbs at those times without knowing my circumstances would not have been helpful. I have gone from pasta/potatoes being a food item that I had every day to now about once a week...I have more options now.

    Moral of this story...know your audience before you hand out advice. Life is much more complicated than just...don't eat carbs or sugar...IMO

    I think we're on the same page as far as advice. The only time I open my mouth is when people come to the forums with concerns about how much sugar or carbs they consume and they get told to not fight the cravings or to not worry about eating carbs because of an anti- low carb agenda.

    Low carb is a worthwhile dietary strategy and possibly even health saving for some people with no downside risks.

    If people have a hunch they need to start addressing weight or health problems with sugar or carb reduction it is important to respect that concern.
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    As Judge Milian from the People's Court would say....any proof of that statement other than your flapping gums???

    People are overweight because they are eating too many calories. Not calories of carbohydrates. Calories. Period. Choosing low carb as your diet of choice doesn't mean you have to demonize a whole food group. I am glad the diet works for you, but it doesn't mean that it is the way everyone needs to meet, especially with people without any medical necessity to.

    There are many many factors as to the increasing issue of obesity in the United States. It's too complicated for this thread and well, it's off topic.

    I will gladly stop 'flapping my gums' as you so rudely put it when OP's with self identified sugar or carb control issues stop being told to eat carbs/sugars and don't worry about it.

    It is very distressing to witness someone attempting to solve their issues being undermined instead of supported in their quest to improve their health.

    Please point out in this thread where OP was told to eat carbs/sugar and don't worry about it. What people said was that reducing carbs can be a method of creating a calorie deficit but if the OP struggles with feelings of guilt when she falls off the no carb wagon, maybe she should look for ways to work some treats into a primarily nutrient dense diet.

    I find it distressing when people promote unnecessary restriction of entire food groups or macros based on fallacious extrapolation of scientific/medical data.

    Her goal is to lose 20 lbs to get back to her "ideal weight". Hardly a candidate for a sweeping restriction of a macro that can include nutrient dense foods in order to reach her goal. People were merely pointing out that there may be ways which would leave the OP feeling less restricted, stressed, etc.

    I think you are confusing threads - OP here is male and 2 out of first 3 posts ignored OPs request and encouraged consumption.
    OP's request was "What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?"

    It said nothing about not consuming. If you're going to accuse people of needing to read, you should try it first.

    To be clear: what request of the OP did two of the first three posts "ignore"?

    Is it your position that eating some sugar in the context of a diet containing enough protein and fat isn't possibly a way to alleviate sugar cravings?

    I have great confidence that if solving the cravings by eating them was a valid solution to OP, that he would not be here asking for help.

    It worked for me. Moderation was the key to get much of what I thought was cravings (before I knew any better) under control and handling a life long problem with binging.
    Since I went the elimination route instead the moderation route, I cannot give details on how moderation helps with cravings.

    Nobody has really bothered to give any details on it that could help the OP, so maybe you could elaborate on the process, what you did, how it helped with your cravings, etc.

    What exactly is a craving anyway? Just really wanting to have a food? I got that under control as a side effect of really wanting to lose weight more than really wanting the food. Before I tried losing weight, when I felt like eating something, I just had it. Because why not, right?
    When I started counting calories, the moderation of those foods came with it, choosing not to have it at times because of the calories and other times having it because it fit or I made it fit (or sometimes still just because).

    When I'm out with friends and eating out I don't think too much of it, I just have the food, maybe estimating the amount it might have, but overall I'm like "Eh, at worst that sets me back 1-2 days, that's nothing." And it's not like I go eat out daily. Some people seem to have a problem in those situations which may contribute to failure/binges down the line.

    Another thing is looking for lower cal alternatives. I could have some ice cream that's 200 kcal per serving, or another that's only 50. I could have soda, or diet, regular cheese or low fat, etc. That way I didn't even really have to reduce the amounts of most things I ate regularly.

    All in all, I think the main reason why I've been successful is because I don't take these things too seriously. I don't beat myself up over going over my calories one day, or not perfectly hitting my macros or micros. I think this kind of attitude helps keep on track with all this, from hitting your goals to keeping your wants in check.
    Some people mean that they really want to eat something. Others mean the physical drive that cannot be shaken. You can usually suss out what they mean from context, although the OP is up for grabs and makes it hard to tell. :)

    It's the extremely rare occasion that I indulge in restaurant food or sweets, but when I do, I eat whatever the heck I like best. If I'm going to eat something I really shouldn't, I'm going to enjoy it as much as possible!! (Well, if someone else is paying for it, I might go the cheaper route, but still.) :)

    For me, a craving is like a mental preoccupation. It's kind of like

    -Hey, that brownie looks good. We should eat it
    - No, it doesn't fit in my calorie goals today
    - but it would be really good.
    - it would, but I need to use my calories for dinner
    - what if we had the brownie for dinner
    - that's stupid, let me get back to work. No brownie
    - you seem upset. you should take a break. Maybe eat that brownie
    - seriously, no brownie today. Maybe tomorrow
    - ok, but it would be really good. Let's just eat it and then eat less tomorrow.
    - are you going to let me work?
    - yes. After the brownie. Then I'll leave you alone.
    - I'm not eating the brownie beca-
    - brownie
    - because I am trying to red-
    - brownie
    - reduce my calories and lose we-
    - brownie
    - weight so I can be healthier
    - browniebrowniebrowniebrownie
    - oh, ffs, fine. We'll have the brownie. Happy?
    - yes. *eats brownie*. Hey, those cookies look good. We should eat them.
    - *cries*

    (ok, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but that's the general gist of it)

    That's why, for me at least, It's easier to just avoid the food. No brownie = no brownie debate. More like:

    -Hey, do we have any brownies?
    -Nope
    -Oh, okay.

    LOL! This is very familiar to me.

    I am definitely in the just don't buy it category. If I don't have it, I can't eat it, and I don't want or need it. It's not like junk food is necessary for a healthy diet.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    Science says we do not need to eat sugar or carbs to survive. That isn't the same as health.
    All obese and overweight people eat too many calories, period.
    You're trying to use the fact that the human brain is so dependent on glucose that it can manufacture it as needed to try to make it look like glucose is unimportant.
    I'd like to know how someone is going to get sufficient vitamin c from from meats and water, unless you're going to advocate eating raw meat. The fact that primates don't produce their own vitamin c like many other animals is pretty indicative that we lost the ability without harm because of an evolution that involved eating large amounts of vitamin c containing plants.
  • Cstratton82
    Cstratton82 Posts: 3 Member
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    A personal trainer told me eat a handful of raspberries and 10 almonds...it works well for me
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    umayster wrote: »
    Annie_01 wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    Jefbro98 wrote: »
    What can I do to help alleviate sugar cravings?

    Hi, @Jefbro98.

    Do you have a medical reason for avoiding sugar?

    If not, did you know that sugar is a vital part of a healthy diet, so it's fine to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/added-sugar/art-20045328

    The science says we do not need to eat sugar or any carbs for health. Protein and fats are essential nutrients. This fundamental understanding is important to help people combat the overpromotion of carbs by the food and nutrition industries and put them in the proper place and amount in diets built for health.

    A majority of obese, overweight and even skinny people with metabolic illnesses are over eating carbohydrates, please do not undermine the accurate understanding of nutritional needs that will help them address their health issues.

    Yes because a diet void of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is obviously the healthiest possible diet.


    There are many, many healthy carbs. If the OP wants to restrict added sugars from her diet (either permanently or forever) because she has difficulty moderating them, I have no issues with that, but I feel that extreme restriction of an entire macro group because someone has labeled carbs as junk is unnecessary and definitely not a straight pathway to health for any individual.

    The bolded statement is true due to our overeating of a non-essental nutrient for a very large group of people with metabolic health issues.

    It is fully possible to get all nutrients needed from a variety of meats and water.

    To your body, carbohydrates are non-essential. Non-essential means you do not need to eat them to sustain your life. The reason so many so many of us are sick and overweight is we are eating HALF of our diet (or much more fore some) of a non essential nutrient that our many of our bodies cannot handle eating at that quantity.


    No. The reason so many people are overweight is they are eating too many calories. Period. There are some people with medical conditions that may need to restrict carbohydrates, but that is not the majority of the population.

    Reducing carbohydrates can be an effective tool to help achieve a calorie deficit, enabling people to lose weight and become healthier, but to advise that a diet of meat and water is better than a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, dairy, and healthy fats is ludicrous.


    The reason so many people are overweight is they are eating too many calories of carbohydrates.

    In the last 4 decades in the US consumption went up by 200c pp per day and carb consumption percent of calories went up by 20%. Results equal diabesity epidemic. It follows that we also have a pre-diabetic epidemic also since it takes years or decades of inappropriate diet to create a diabetic. This is what happens when we elevate a non-essential macronutrient (carbs) to an unnatural level in our diets.

    No one said meat and water was healthier except you. Don't misread.

    Our health system is strictly oriented to treating identified sickness. It is pretty useless at stopping people from getting sick by diet, that is strictly the job of the individual.

    I've only read this far in the thread, but do you have any sources for what appear to be these rather far fetched claims you keep making?

    Because your statement you yourself bolded is blatantly false

    Here is my farfetched source - http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5304a3.htm

    I read the link...and yes...our carb intake has increased. I think however that you have to look beyond just the "carb" and ask yourself why...just why has our carb intake increased.

    IMO...no scientific data to prove my point...one reason is that as food prices have risen people have had to adjust their food expenditure. Carbs on the whole are generally cheap...they go a long way...they are versatile...they are filling when combined with other foods. Pasta...rice...potatoes...bread...along with other carbs are inexpensive thus allowing a family to stretch their food budget.

    In the Editorial section of the link that you posted...

    "The increase in caloric intake described in this report is consistent with previously reported trends in dietary intake in the United States (7). USDA survey data for 1977--1996 suggest that factors contributing to the increase in energy intake in the United States include consumption of food away from home; increased energy consumption from salty snacks, soft drinks, and pizza (8); and increased portion sizes (9)."

    There are other factors to consider...namely...eating outside the home and increased portion sizes. These two reasons would and do apply to any food group...fat/protein.

    There has been more than once in my life that I have had little money to buy food. I stretched what I could buy with things such as pasta and potatoes. Someone telling me to cut my carbs at those times without knowing my circumstances would not have been helpful. I have gone from pasta/potatoes being a food item that I had every day to now about once a week...I have more options now.

    Moral of this story...know your audience before you hand out advice. Life is much more complicated than just...don't eat carbs or sugar...IMO

    I think we're on the same page as far as advice. The only time I open my mouth is when people come to the forums with concerns about how much sugar or carbs they consume and they get told to not fight the cravings or to not worry about eating carbs because of an anti- low carb agenda.

    Low carb is a worthwhile dietary strategy and possibly even health saving for some people with no downside risks.

    If people have a hunch they need to start addressing weight or health problems with sugar or carb reduction it is important to respect that concern.

    You seem to have a pro low carb agenda then. And people are not saying to "not worry about eating carbs" in the way you're claiming.
    The times when people are saying eating carbs is okay is when people come around saying carbs are literally poison or some cocaine-like addictive substance. Or when someone says you'll be totally healthy on meat and water alone.
  • Reema_capricorn
    Reema_capricorn Posts: 1,032 Member
    I just read a book called Only fat people skip breakfast by Lee jagnoly and the only advice she doles out throughout the book is remove sugar from your diet and eat anything you want in moderation. You will experience withdrawal and also headaches if you are seriously addicted but if you are so desperate stick to dark chocolate
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    I just read a book called Only fat people skip breakfast by Lee jagnoly and the only advice she doles out throughout the book is remove sugar from your diet and eat anything you want in moderation. You will experience withdrawal and also headaches if you are seriously addicted but if you are so desperate stick to dark chocolate


    Remove sugar but eat anything you want in moderation? Why not just eat sugar in moderation too?