How can you break your sugar addiciton?
mbarcellona
Posts: 9
I am in dire need of advice. This problem has been going on for far too long and it’s getting to the point where I’m beginning to literally –hate myself- with guilt.
First off, let me explain my fitness journey. I have done all sorts of research and as a nursing student; I’ve decided to make fitness and nutrition research my main focus after graduation next May. In January 2013, I weighed 147lbs with a height of 5’3. I cared about the fact I looked and felt chubby but I never had the drive to do much about it. I had previously gotten as high as 160lbs a year prior and did one cycle of the HCG HORMONE diet that brought me to 140lbs and then I slowly over time gained 7 more. I did not like my body. I did not like the way I felt. I did not like the envy I felt for others who had the body shape I desired.
In January, I watched several documentaries out of boredom about America’s weight and dietary problems (specifically Food Matters and Hungry for Change, which I suggest to EVERYONE if you have not already seen these). After watching these documentaries, I got the drive I needed to change my habits- I went organic, made most of my daily intake veggies, I started dedicating myself to the gym (and I mean really dedicating- 2hrs of interval cardio every weekday) etc. I went from 147lbs to 133lbs by April. I felt good, looked better, but still had a ways until I hit my goal (115lbs). I still stick to veggie/chicken diet, and have recently added weight lifting into my exercise routine and am now 127lbs (most days lol).
Now, my problem is this: I am highly addicted to sugar. Yes, I’ve done wonderful for the past few months, but it hasn’t been without hardship. Before January, the majority of the things I ate were sweet, I’ve never had an issue with chips or sodas or even pastas, it has ALWAYS been sugary foods: cereals, baked goods, candies, etc. I live alone so I don’t have to worry about grocery shopping for others- this helped tremendously in the beginning- I just stopped buying it; all of it. Without it in the house, it was hard for me to give into the craving of sugary yums. However, I visit my boyfriend every weekend, who does live with people, and therefore has the stuff everywhere. I can honestly say that I give in to these cravings –every single time- if I am not at home. I try to tell myself not to, I tell my boyfriend to remind me not to, I remind myself what my goals are and how bad these things are for me and that they will make me feel like crap if I eat them- but I still do it. So, it seems, when the weekend rolls around, I indulge in these things and I’m tired of doing it. Even if I bring my own food with me so I have the healthy choice, I still always go for the bad stuff. This is why I have decided that it isn’t just cravings, its addiction and I need help to get rid of it.
“So what, big deal, you have a few sweets on the weekend! You are still making good progress!”. No. This is not what I want to hear. I want to dedicate myself to a healthy lifestyle. Period. I don’t –want- “cheat days”. The only “cheat days” should be special occasions like birthdays or holidays and even that is pushing it in my mind. It’s getting to the point where my progress has halted and I am no longer budging toward my goal and in fact, keep gaining and losing the same 3lbs over and over again. I believe it is because of these ‘weekend cheats’ I keep doing.
Like I said, I’ve done everything I could think of to avoid this but it still has an effect on me no matter what I tell myself. Today, I broke down about it. All I could think about was “I can’t wait for the weekend so I can have a cookie.” And I realized then that ‘no- I won’t have –a- cookie, it’ll be the whole bag’ (binging) and this isn’t how I should be thinking and isn’t how I want to be thinking. If I’m not eating sugar, I’m thinking about sugar! In addition, I feel –extreme- guilt after binging on my weekends. I get home, go to the gym, see all these girls that have that body I’m striving for and I want to cry because by doing this I am kicking myself backwards, away from my goals.
So, I’m looking for a solution to break away from this addiction. I don’t want to crave it or think about it anymore. Frankly, aside from what I’ve been doing, I have no idea what else I can do to stop this. Does anyone have any advice?
First off, let me explain my fitness journey. I have done all sorts of research and as a nursing student; I’ve decided to make fitness and nutrition research my main focus after graduation next May. In January 2013, I weighed 147lbs with a height of 5’3. I cared about the fact I looked and felt chubby but I never had the drive to do much about it. I had previously gotten as high as 160lbs a year prior and did one cycle of the HCG HORMONE diet that brought me to 140lbs and then I slowly over time gained 7 more. I did not like my body. I did not like the way I felt. I did not like the envy I felt for others who had the body shape I desired.
In January, I watched several documentaries out of boredom about America’s weight and dietary problems (specifically Food Matters and Hungry for Change, which I suggest to EVERYONE if you have not already seen these). After watching these documentaries, I got the drive I needed to change my habits- I went organic, made most of my daily intake veggies, I started dedicating myself to the gym (and I mean really dedicating- 2hrs of interval cardio every weekday) etc. I went from 147lbs to 133lbs by April. I felt good, looked better, but still had a ways until I hit my goal (115lbs). I still stick to veggie/chicken diet, and have recently added weight lifting into my exercise routine and am now 127lbs (most days lol).
Now, my problem is this: I am highly addicted to sugar. Yes, I’ve done wonderful for the past few months, but it hasn’t been without hardship. Before January, the majority of the things I ate were sweet, I’ve never had an issue with chips or sodas or even pastas, it has ALWAYS been sugary foods: cereals, baked goods, candies, etc. I live alone so I don’t have to worry about grocery shopping for others- this helped tremendously in the beginning- I just stopped buying it; all of it. Without it in the house, it was hard for me to give into the craving of sugary yums. However, I visit my boyfriend every weekend, who does live with people, and therefore has the stuff everywhere. I can honestly say that I give in to these cravings –every single time- if I am not at home. I try to tell myself not to, I tell my boyfriend to remind me not to, I remind myself what my goals are and how bad these things are for me and that they will make me feel like crap if I eat them- but I still do it. So, it seems, when the weekend rolls around, I indulge in these things and I’m tired of doing it. Even if I bring my own food with me so I have the healthy choice, I still always go for the bad stuff. This is why I have decided that it isn’t just cravings, its addiction and I need help to get rid of it.
“So what, big deal, you have a few sweets on the weekend! You are still making good progress!”. No. This is not what I want to hear. I want to dedicate myself to a healthy lifestyle. Period. I don’t –want- “cheat days”. The only “cheat days” should be special occasions like birthdays or holidays and even that is pushing it in my mind. It’s getting to the point where my progress has halted and I am no longer budging toward my goal and in fact, keep gaining and losing the same 3lbs over and over again. I believe it is because of these ‘weekend cheats’ I keep doing.
Like I said, I’ve done everything I could think of to avoid this but it still has an effect on me no matter what I tell myself. Today, I broke down about it. All I could think about was “I can’t wait for the weekend so I can have a cookie.” And I realized then that ‘no- I won’t have –a- cookie, it’ll be the whole bag’ (binging) and this isn’t how I should be thinking and isn’t how I want to be thinking. If I’m not eating sugar, I’m thinking about sugar! In addition, I feel –extreme- guilt after binging on my weekends. I get home, go to the gym, see all these girls that have that body I’m striving for and I want to cry because by doing this I am kicking myself backwards, away from my goals.
So, I’m looking for a solution to break away from this addiction. I don’t want to crave it or think about it anymore. Frankly, aside from what I’ve been doing, I have no idea what else I can do to stop this. Does anyone have any advice?
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Replies
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Bump...0
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Here's something that might help. The language is a bit crude, but he gets his point across:
http://www.stumptuous.com/how-to-dump-sugar
As for the weekends, maybe you could ask your boyfriend (and his roommates) to hide their treats? Or if you're not that comfortable asking that, maybe just ask your boyfriend to make sure HE doesn't have any sugary snacks in the house while you're around and consider his mates' stuff "off limits," so you're not tempted to take any. Cravings are tough to deal with, and I get that. You've already set yourself up for success at home by getting rid of the stuff altogether. Can he visit YOU on the weekends, so you have more control over it?
Just a few suggestions. Good luck to you.0 -
I am very similar to you, so here's what I've done:
I wrote myself a letter on an index card and I keep it in my purse. I reminded myself why I don't want to eat that kind of food. When I'm out and that food is available, I excuse myself and go to the restroom. I read that letter, and I think about how great I'm going to feel afterward if I don't eat it. I also chew a lot of gum or I brush my teeth so sweets won't taste so great.
It takes a lot of work, but eventually (at least for me) that kind of food doesn't taste so great anymore. It's not emotionally satisfying.
I'm not always able to resist, but if you do it enough, it gets easier. Good luck, I'm cheering for you!!0 -
Thank you for that link!0
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Chewing gum/ brushing teeth actually sounds like a good distraction technique. I think I'll give that a try!0
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The only thing that has worked for me (major sugar junkie, like 30% or more calories from sugar, candy binger) was to quit cold turkey. I made a commitment to myself that I am never going to eat it (refined sugar added to foods) again. Period. After the first few weeks, the cravings went away. They really did. I'm now one of those people I used to marvel at... who can take it or leave it. Sugar used to be the only reason I even wanted to eat at all, and I wanted it all the time, in greater and greater quantities. I might reintroduce it in small quantities at some point down the line, but this is working for me right now.0
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cold turkey...Sorry to sound so blunt, but that is how I did it. best of luck to you0
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