Incapable of moderating sweets
RosslandMTBr
Posts: 78 Member
I have been refined sugar free(except for honey in cooking) for the last 8 months for health reasons that don't have to do with weightloss. I recently gave a new brand of protein bars a try that are made with coconut sugar (something I am allowed) and I couldn't stop myself from eating 3 of them. I have tried them once before a week ago and the same thing happened.
I have always had a huge sweet tooth and would frequently eat more than my fair share if I had them in the house(which I always tried not to do). Since being off sweets, for the first time in my life I have finally gotten to the point where I don't crave them. I don't have this issue with other foods, just anything sweet.
I know everyone talks about the importance of everything in moderation but are there some people that this just doesn't work for? Do any of you have to keep foods off limits for this reason or am I just weak for having no willpower?
I have always had a huge sweet tooth and would frequently eat more than my fair share if I had them in the house(which I always tried not to do). Since being off sweets, for the first time in my life I have finally gotten to the point where I don't crave them. I don't have this issue with other foods, just anything sweet.
I know everyone talks about the importance of everything in moderation but are there some people that this just doesn't work for? Do any of you have to keep foods off limits for this reason or am I just weak for having no willpower?
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Replies
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I'm not a big fan of the "everything in moderation" thing. That's because I'm like you - there are just some things I can't have around. Call it no willpower or being weak or whatever - but just can't have it around. Could be the food addict in me, I dunno. Oreo's - can't have them in the house. Peanut butter cookies - I could care less about. I'm not so sure it isn't more about discipline than it is about willpower anyway. If you have the discipline to not have something in the house or not, then willpower doesn't even enter into the equation.
I've found that having a "snack box" of healthy 100-150 cal foods helps me. I can raid it and not feel bad. Baggies of pretzels, protein bars, fiber thingies...and a dorm fridge that has cold bottled water, Diet Coke, Greek yogurt, string cheese next to it. Thing that really is funny is that my daughters have started raiding it too.
FOr what it's worth....3 -
If I used to eat a couple of M&Ms, I'm would end up eating the whole bag :-) , same with chips. It took me a while, a few months to sort of get the correct mindset. Now I'm capable of eating a few, but it took a while. I would suggest to avoid these foods for a while.4
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Nothing wrong with keeping trigger foods out of reach for now.10
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Take little baby steps, by surely eating the unprocessed foods daily. Eat at least one fruit, one vegetable. Even if the sweet-tooth stays with you, you'll still be eating right. Ultimately the good foods will substitute and replace the sweet tooth. And hang around people who like to eat right, instead of those who joke and enable the sweet tooth.0
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I'm not a big fan of the "everything in moderation" thing. That's because I'm like you - there are just some things I can't have around. [....]
I've found that having a "snack box" of healthy 100-150 cal foods helps me. [...]
I've lived in rooming houses and close shared apartments for many years. And that always involves food on the counters. Many times I can get others to keep their sweet snacks in their rooms, or in their personal refrigerators, and away from at least me. I don't believe in that "moderation" thing either, when it applies to eating. I don't want to even consider these where I live: pies, cakes, cupcakes, cookies or sweet drinks. So if you buy those, don't leave them out on the counter, or in the living room, or in the kitchen, or on top of the refrigerator. And just because they are free, you're not doing us a favor by buying them and dumping them in our common living area. Those aren't sacred spaces for you to dominate others, through their sweet tooth. Just keep the sweets to your own sweet self, because we don't want them.1 -
I don't keep peanut butter cups in the house, or any choc/peanut butter combo confectionery, as i have zero self control around them. My other kriptonite is Cheerios, i buy a small box once a month and finish the box within 24 hours.
There are just certain things i cant "eat in moderation", and it's easier for me to abstain then moderate.1 -
If you can't moderate, eliminate
Interesting that you have no issue with honey though cos sweet is sweet (sugar is sugar) ...what's the difference there? ...perhaps you should consider that consciously that might help
But seriously it's about adherence so if that's your thing then just don't eat it
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Don't rely on willpower, use your skillpower. If you don't enjoy something, just overeat it - keep it out of your immediate surroundings. You won't miss it, so there is no point in trying to be "hip and cool and do what everybody else does" when it just makes you struggle. It's not a secret that some foods trigger overeating for some people. For people who don't experience this, it's a mystery. The best we (I) can do, is to not get into arguments around this.1
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i am taking a supplement that helps regulate your blood sugar levels and help stop cravings for sugar.GYMNEMA. get it at sprouts or probably any health food store, whole foods? really does help. designed for diabetics. brand is HIMALAYA. WORKS FOR ME!1
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I know everyone talks about the importance of everything in moderation but are there some people that this just doesn't work for? Do any of you have to keep foods off limits for this reason or am I just weak for having no willpower?
You are not alone in this
I can't keep crisps (US - chips) in the house because I will eat them in one sitting. It may not be immediate, the packs of crisps may sit in the cupboard a few days and I may think to myself, hey, I can handle this! But then as soon as I open one pack ... they're all gone very quickly. So, no more crisps.
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Yeah I don't buy cheese balls anymore for this reason, doesn't help that they come in a family pack, so unlike other Crisps where I can just have a single serving pack, I'd have to use real willpower to not eat a massive bag. No point making it harder for yourself. Biscuits as well, basically anything that isn't pre packaged into single serving portions!0
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I keep chocolate out of the house because I can't moderate with that kind of access.
Instead, I buy a pack or mini bar (or occasionally, large bar of dark sea salt) of chocolate when I intend to eat it. What size I buy depends on how much I'm planning to eat, because I will have the whole thing in one sitting. Last night, I went to the movies and smuggled in my own single serving 49g pack of peanut M&Ms. I would otherwise have bought the huge theatre pack that's 3x the size and eaten the whole thing.0 -
Alluminati wrote: »Nothing wrong with keeping trigger foods out of reach for now.
^ This makes things easier.
Over time the longer I've stayed away from chocolate, potato chips, etc the less I care about them. It takes no willpower for me to stay away from something not around me.
I think very little about trigger foods these days, but I can quickly go back to old ways if I start eating them. I concentrate on what I can have and not on what I can't. It gives me less stress to eliminate them. My tastes have changed so much now without them that I don't even want some of the old trigger foods even when available.2 -
I know everyone talks about the importance of everything in moderation but are there some people that this just doesn't work for? Do any of you have to keep foods off limits for this reason or am I just weak for having no willpower?
You are not alone in this
I can't keep crisps (US - chips) in the house because I will eat them in one sitting. It may not be immediate, the packs of crisps may sit in the cupboard a few days and I may think to myself, hey, I can handle this! But then as soon as I open one pack ... they're all gone very quickly. So, no more crisps.
I'm exactly the same way. They can sit there for a few days like a time bomb. All things are okay... tick... tick... until I open the bag and take a taste.5 -
Everyone is different. OP do what works best for you.
Almost all food was trigger food for me. I ate too much of everything. So, "moderation in all foods" has worked best for me. I lost over 1/2 of my current body weight and have kept it off for 33 months (and counting). Plus there was no transition into maintenance for me because there is no food off limits.2 -
snowflake930 wrote: »Everyone is different. OP do what works best for you.
Almost all food was trigger food for me. I ate too much of everything. So, "moderation in all foods" has worked best for me. I lost over 1/2 of my current body weight and have kept it off for 33 months (and counting). Plus there was no transition into maintenance for me because there is no food off limits.
I'm moderate in everything that is low glycemic but have trouble with managing with refined sugar and flour items. If a person doesn't have food sensitivities then they can moderate those items. My problem is a health one plus I get very puffy and bloated with certain items. Not all people have insulin resistance, but the ones who do can sometimes benefit from cutting out sugary items.0 -
we all have ower own addictions. like you mine is carbs and sweets ( natural or industrial). i recently failed going keto for my asthma because i had the most severe headache : i could stand light (not even tv) or sounds, even medications did nothing to reduce the pain until i binged on cookies and then i'm fine again.
What matter i believe is to know if it is a benign foodness for sweets or a real addiction like in my case with severe withdrawal symptomes.
i'm still looking for a way around this ....0 -
Interesting that you have no issue with honey though cos sweet is sweet (sugar is sugar) ...what's the difference there? ...perhaps you should consider that consciously that might
I think it is because I only use it in cooking. I use it in small portions to make salad dressings and marinades. Plus I don't love the taste of honey.
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Glad to hear I am not alone in this. I am actually fine not eating any sweets. I have done it for the last 8 months (no cookies, cakes, candy, icecream, etc...). Before I had the protein bar I would have told you that sweets no longer have a pull on me because I can sit in front of a plate of cookies and not be tempted. I never even think about eating sweets anymore because it is second nature. But then I ate the protein bar and now I'm craving more. Plus it has thrown my hunger levels all out of whack so I am feeling hungrier than normal. I guess for me moderation of sweets just isn't going to work.
Weird thing is, salty foods like chips have no major sway over me. I could have them in the house and I wouldn't even think to touch them but I had to make my husband take the protein bars to work with him so that I wouldn't eat a bunch.3 -
If you can't moderate, eliminate
This. I suspect it's more trigger foods than all things that are sweet (although if you say nothing sweet ever it's not uncommon to develop an urge to overeat them when you do have them), because as Sued said, honey is sweet (and basically sugar). But if you prefer not dealing with them and that's the easiest thing for you, do that.
The point about only using it in cooking is interesting, but isn't that the same with granulated sugar? I only use it (quite rarely) when cooking, and go through it very slowly. But I've never enjoyed sugar added to things like hot beverages (ugh, I hate sweetened coffee with a passion) or oatmeal. I use honey in cooking too, of course.
Anyway, I don't moderate everything and don't think people are saying you need to. There are plenty of things I just don't eat. Generally things where I don't think the calories are worth it, so I don't consider that cutting them out, but people approach these things differently.
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formylover wrote: »we all have ower own addictions. like you mine is carbs and sweets ( natural or industrial). i recently failed going keto for my asthma because i had the most severe headache : i could stand light (not even tv) or sounds, even medications did nothing to reduce the pain until i binged on cookies and then i'm fine again.
What matter i believe is to know if it is a benign foodness for sweets or a real addiction like in my case with severe withdrawal symptomes.
i'm still looking for a way around this ....
I think I am like you. I am extremely sensitive to the foods I eat. I can not eat gluten (celiac), dairy, caffeine, and sugar because they affect my body so harshly. Some people think my diet is very restrictive but I feel so awful if I don't eat this way that it is worth it to me.
I get similar reactions to going low carb. 100g of carbs a day seems to be the sweet spot. I have gone lower and suffered through the "carb flu" like you were probably experiencing but then one little mistake or off moment and I have to do the whole process over again. It's just not worth it to me. You have to find what works for you and stick with it.
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I choose not to do sweets in moderation. I just don't eat them anymore. Not worth it to me. I'll try something like a Quest bar, and if it doesn't cause me to *want* to eat more of them, I may keep them around. if I start to feel like it's a battle, nah, it's not worth it.
It works for me. I don't miss donuts and what not. They just don't really exist for me.3 -
Christine_72 wrote: »I don't keep peanut butter cups in the house, or any choc/peanut butter combo confectionery, as i have zero self control around them. My other kriptonite is Cheerios, i buy a small box once a month and finish the box within 24 hours.
There are just certain things i cant "eat in moderation", and it's easier for me to abstain then moderate.
I thought I was the only person who can eat a box of cereal in a day. It's not just Cheerios. I can eat most of my favorite cereal in a day. That's why I never buy them anymore.1 -
It's not that you're incapable. You're just not willing to change a habit enough. For many people who consume sweets till they are all gone, it's a habitual behavior. Maybe you had to fight with siblings to get the last piece of candy, or maybe somewhere in your life it wasn't available as often as you wish.I have been refined sugar free(except for honey in cooking) for the last 8 months for health reasons that don't have to do with weightloss. I recently gave a new brand of protein bars a try that are made with coconut sugar (something I am allowed) and I couldn't stop myself from eating 3 of them. I have tried them once before a week ago and the same thing happened.
I have always had a huge sweet tooth and would frequently eat more than my fair share if I had them in the house(which I always tried not to do). Since being off sweets, for the first time in my life I have finally gotten to the point where I don't crave them. I don't have this issue with other foods, just anything sweet.
I know everyone talks about the importance of everything in moderation but are there some people that this just doesn't work for? Do any of you have to keep foods off limits for this reason or am I just weak for having no willpower?
You change behavior by adhering constantly to a new behavior. Break that consistency, then you have have to start over again (of course that doesn't mean you can't have any "fun" days).
In the real world, people are more drawn to eating food that tastes good, but nutritional value isn't great and calories are high. That usually means they are possibly laden with sugar somewhere in the ingredients. So you're used to the taste. Not having them around, you're changing your behavior on taste. The only issue I see now with the all or nothing approach, is the first time you eat something sweet again, you may not stop.
Moderation for many work because they've learned the habit of not over consuming anything. It takes time and some attention, but it can be done IF you're really wanting to do it.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I have been refined sugar free(except for honey in cooking) for the last 8 months for health reasons that don't have to do with weightloss. I recently gave a new brand of protein bars a try that are made with coconut sugar (something I am allowed) and I couldn't stop myself from eating 3 of them. I have tried them once before a week ago and the same thing happened.
I have always had a huge sweet tooth and would frequently eat more than my fair share if I had them in the house(which I always tried not to do). Since being off sweets, for the first time in my life I have finally gotten to the point where I don't crave them. I don't have this issue with other foods, just anything sweet.
I know everyone talks about the importance of everything in moderation but are there some people that this just doesn't work for? Do any of you have to keep foods off limits for this reason or am I just weak for having no willpower?
Some people are moderators and some are abstainers: http://gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2012/10/back-by-popular-demand-are-you-an-abstainer-or-a-moderator/
I abstain from some foods and moderate the ones I have learned by trial and error that I can indeed moderate. Because of the Completion Compulsion, I can moderate many single serve items. For example, I can have 70-140 calories of Ghirardelli squares (1-2 squares) and stop, but once I open a bar of chocolate, it's difficult for me to not eat the whole thing. I can have a 1 oz bag of chips around the house for ages, but once I open a bigger bag, it calls to me.
I was hungry last time I went to BJs (never a good idea) and bought a case of what I thought was single serve trail mix, but each bag is 2.5 servings, and I'm having a really hard time not eating the whole bag once I open it.0 -
Only 1 box of cereal ? I'm not trying to boast here ladies but i had a 2 days marathon of double chocolat chips cookies just because i went keto 6 days. Casualities: 11 XL Packs of cookies, and a cramped digestive track. For the life of me i could not eat anything else! not even potato chips when my husband offered .... what can i say, not sugary enough!
Today i'm back on Keto ( Aka sugar detox for the addicts).0 -
kommodevaran wrote: »Don't rely on willpower, use your skillpower.
Love this! What a great quote. You're right. If moderating sweets doesn't work for me then I shouldn't try to force it.
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It's not that you're incapable. You're just not willing to change a habit enough. For many people who consume sweets till they are all gone, it's a habitual behavior. Maybe you had to fight with siblings to get the last piece of candy, or maybe somewhere in your life it wasn't available as often as you wish.I have been refined sugar free(except for honey in cooking) for the last 8 months for health reasons that don't have to do with weightloss. I recently gave a new brand of protein bars a try that are made with coconut sugar (something I am allowed) and I couldn't stop myself from eating 3 of them. I have tried them once before a week ago and the same thing happened.
I have always had a huge sweet tooth and would frequently eat more than my fair share if I had them in the house(which I always tried not to do). Since being off sweets, for the first time in my life I have finally gotten to the point where I don't crave them. I don't have this issue with other foods, just anything sweet.
I know everyone talks about the importance of everything in moderation but are there some people that this just doesn't work for? Do any of you have to keep foods off limits for this reason or am I just weak for having no willpower?
You change behavior by adhering constantly to a new behavior. Break that consistency, then you have have to start over again (of course that doesn't mean you can't have any "fun" days).
In the real world, people are more drawn to eating food that tastes good, but nutritional value isn't great and calories are high. That usually means they are possibly laden with sugar somewhere in the ingredients. So you're used to the taste. Not having them around, you're changing your behavior on taste. The only issue I see now with the all or nothing approach, is the first time you eat something sweet again, you may not stop.
Moderation for many work because they've learned the habit of not over consuming anything. It takes time and some attention, but it can be done IF you're really wanting to do it.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Hahaha...you hit the nail on the head with both the sibling comment and the lack of sweets. My mom didn't allow us any sugar so it became a feast or famine mentality in our house. If you didn't eat sweets fast you didn't eat.
At the moment because I am regulating my sugar for health reasons (I have postpartum panic disorder and sugar is a trigger) I will probably abstain for now but in the future I will probably need to figure out how to have a more healthy relationship with sweets.
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JayWillis99 wrote: »
I've lived in rooming houses and close shared apartments for many years. And that always involves food on the counters. Many times I can get others to keep their sweet snacks in their rooms, or in their personal refrigerators, and away from at least me. I don't believe in that "moderation" thing either, when it applies to eating. I don't want to even consider these where I live: pies, cakes, cupcakes, cookies or sweet drinks. So if you buy those, don't leave them out on the counter, or in the living room, or in the kitchen, or on top of the refrigerator. And just because they are free, you're not doing us a favor by buying them and dumping them in our common living area. Those aren't sacred spaces for you to dominate others, through their sweet tooth. Just keep the sweets to your own sweet self, because we don't want them.
Controlling what others around you do is rarely an option. In a rooming house or in life.
When at work, for example, you don't get to tell people what they can and can't have in the break room or bring in for others to share. So at some point, you have to do you and let others do them. If you cannot control yourself in an environment where foods you don't want to partake in are available, that really is your issue to deal with and not the responsibility of others to meet your standards of what should or shouldn't be done with their food.
Life just doesn't work that way. 1 -
formylover wrote: »we all have ower own addictions. like you mine is carbs and sweets ( natural or industrial). i recently failed going keto for my asthma because i had the most severe headache : i could stand light (not even tv) or sounds, even medications did nothing to reduce the pain until i binged on cookies and then i'm fine again.
What matter i believe is to know if it is a benign foodness for sweets or a real addiction like in my case with severe withdrawal symptomes.
i'm still looking for a way around this ....
This is the keto flu - it occurs as the body transitions to ketosis which requires the brain to adjust to a new fuel source.
It happens to everyone who goes keto and has nothing to do with addiction to carbs.2
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