I have a suger addiction
anna_mjrd
Posts: 5 Member
Some days I Eat great. I can say most days I eat well. But I always ruin it because I constantly crave so much suger. 
Cakes, cookies, Cheesecake. Saying no Is much easyer said than done. If Anyone have any tips or suggestions it will be greatly appreciated.
Cakes, cookies, Cheesecake. Saying no Is much easyer said than done. If Anyone have any tips or suggestions it will be greatly appreciated. 0
Replies
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How is it that you have those things around? Do you buy it?2
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In the past I eliminated "added" sugar when I was on a diet. The problem for me was that was not something I intended to continue when I got to goal. So, of course, I gained the weight back.
This time, there is no elimination. I manage my added sugar intake. I allow myself a sweet treat every day. That way I portion control ALL foods, not just diet ones. I save my treat until later in the day. I pick the thing that I'm really craving. I keep single portion sizes available: an ice cream bar, individual chocolate squares, 100 calorie pack cookies. You may find there is something you can't keep in the house (I rarely make Toll House cookies....then I will bring them somewhere). I make it a point to have that thing once in awhile.1 -
I don't have foods I cannot moderate in the house.
When I do the following, I don't have cravings:
1. Get sufficient sleep
2. Exercise regularly - when I get the happy hormones from exercise, I'm not prone to seeking them from food.
3. Get sufficient protein in relationship to carbs. I'm not low carb, but reducing carbs and upping protein worked for cravings for me. See also http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
4. Eat moderate amounts of fruit. This makes me less interested in higher calorie sweets.
5. Take a magnesium supplement. This can be especially helpful for women premenstrually.
6. Save foods like chocolate for after dinner, in small amounts
7. Stay hydrated7 -
If moderation is completely out of the question, just don't have them in the house.
This does not mean eliminating anything, but if you fancy some cake, you can purchase a size on the fly to suit your needs, or if you fancy a donut you can buy one, not have a box laying around.
I can moderate most things, but I have to employ the above tactics with ice cream or else it's all out carnage.2 -
Fruit has less calories. Think of healthier choices. I need to not even start snacking on sugar or I'll overdo. Also I need to ask if I'm really hungry or just thirsty. Eat real food.1
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Don't bring them in the house. That's the only thing that saves me. If we buy them, we eat them. Problem is supermarkets pile these stupid boxes of them up by the cash registers so you can grab a box or 4 on the way out. I do pretty good if I keep that in mind when at the store. I know if I buy it, i'll eat it. Sometimes we have family gatherings and will buy chips and snacks for the kids/grandkids. I make sure to send it home with them so it gets it out of the house lol. Over a period of time it gets easier to resist. Also, even if sugar doesn't bother you (as in diabetic/insulin resistance) consider switching to a natural sweetener like Stevia. I still have sugar in a few things, like some things I cook (chili for one, and other things it simply brings out the flavor a bit more) but I don't add it to things like coffee/drinks any more, I reach for a Stevie packet or two first. I also now buy things that are "no sugar added" or are "sugar free". I've never been diabetic but the sugar free or no-sugar added stuff has a bonus.. it's lower in calories. Good luck!1
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Try eating the flavored yogurts. Lower calories, but have the same taste. Might be an option.1
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The struggles with sugar addiction are real. First thing I can suggest is to get the sugar out of the house. Out of sight out of mind. I personally have horrible self control when surrounded by sugar. I had to get it out of my house. I took it so far as to clean both my fridge and pantry of every single product with added sugar with the exception of honey and bottled/canned products with less than 2g per serving like my pasta sauce and of course my wheat bread . Next I found myself some low sugar foods I could substitute for dessert that feel like a treat but easily fit into my plan and don't contain added sugar or contain minimal amounts of added sugar. For me those were super dark chocolate (85%+), whole yogurt that I blend with fresh fruit, rice crackers with a small amount of cream cheese and fresh fruit on top, or Ruby Rockets Pops. Basically I tried to switch my main source of sugar to whole fruits. So far doing this Im very happy with my progress. Some days I am still over my sugar goals but theyre usually from fruit and I am ok with that. It hasnt slowed my weight loss at all. It might sound extreme, and I know it's especially hard to do if you have other family members are home but for me... this is what it takes to keep me off the sugar. If and when my BF does bring something sweet home I literally make him hide it. I have no shame. lol2
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OP's examples were really hyperpalatable sugar/fat combo's, not just sugar. I used to think I had a sugar issue until I had to go on a low fat diet (gallbladder problems) and realized that it's not the sugar, it's the high reward combo of sugar and fat together.
I eat plenty of fruit, maple syrup on oats, PB2 with added sugar, and even plain old white sugar, and I have no trouble moderating them. I also know lots of low carbers who use butter, coconut oil, and other fats with no control issues whatsoever. It's when you put them together that they become a problem for some people.
Almost everyone who thinks they are addicted to carbs or sugar, (or who thinks dietary fat is making them fat) when giving examples of the foods they can't stop eating, lists carb-fat combinations. Pizza, buttered bread, cake, cookies, pasta with olive oil or rich sauces...
I've yet to hear of anyone "addicted" to apples or cantaloupe.5 -
MakePeasNotWar wrote: »
OP's examples were really hyperpalatable sugar/fat combo's, not just sugar. I used to think I had a sugar issue until I had to go on a low fat diet (gallbladder problems) and realized that it's not the sugar, it's the high reward combo of sugar and fat together.
I eat plenty of fruit, maple syrup on oats, PB2 with added sugar, and even plain old white sugar, and I have no trouble moderating them. I also know lots of low carbers who use butter, coconut oil, and other fats with no control issues whatsoever. It's when you put them together that they become a problem for some people.
Almost everyone who thinks they are addicted to carbs or sugar, (or who thinks dietary fat is making them fat) when giving examples of the foods they can't stop eating, lists carb-fat combinations. Pizza, buttered bread, cake, cookies, pasta with olive oil or rich sauces...
I've yet to hear of anyone "addicted" to apples or cantaloupe.
But pineapples! yum, seriously hard to stop.2 -
queenliz99 wrote: »How is it that you have those things around? Do you buy it?
This is a good question. (Not saying there's not perhaps a good answer -- I can't prevent sweets from being around me, so have to come up with other strategies.)
I always think the first step with problems like this is to really think about the specifics:
(1) How many calories are you eating? (Related to this, what are your stats and how active are you?) Purpose of this question -- are you letting yourself get too hungry.
(2) When are you finding your ability to resist temptation lowest? When are you eating the foods at issue? (This includes how long before/after another meal and what was eaten at the prior meal.) Purpose of this--maybe it's meal timing or some situational trigger.
(3) What are your macros and how are they spread out over your meals/snack (this is protein/fat/carbs).
(4) How do you feel before you give in to temptation?
(5) How do you feel afterwards -- are you telling yourself they are bad foods or everything is ruined or feeling shame or guilt?
(6) How much do you eat? If more than planned, what leads you to keep eating?
(7) How much are you sleeping?
(8) Is there a particular location where you eat these foods?
(9) Are you trying to cut them out entirely? Have you tried working them in in smaller amounts with structure? Telling yourself you can have them later?
(10) Do you enjoy your current diet.
I'm sure there are many others, but I'd start by thinking about stuff like this. If you want to share, we may have better and more helpful ideas for you than just talking about our own specifics (although I bet you get good advice from that stuff too, if you accept that it will be contradictory and focus on what speaks to you the most).1 -
sugar addict here too. The major part of the addiction is the mental aspect. You have to train yourself to stay away from it on a constant basis. No drug is "good" or "bad", but in how much you use that causes problems.
1- don't buy it and bring it home to sit there tempting you.
2- when you go to the grocery store and see those trigger foods, tell yourself you don't need them
3- don't go to the store hungry!!!!!
I loooooove me some sugar in all forms. cake, pie, icecream, cookies, donuts..... but I know that eating them continually is really bad. So I let myself have some, in limited quantities, on special occasions. Train your brain to eat reasonable amounts infrequently. Forbidden things only become more desireable, so never say never.0 -
queenliz99 wrote: »gonetothedogs19 wrote: »
Because a donut or a serving of ice cream does not equal a pear, that's why. Both in terms of calories, and in terms of health.
Sugar is sugar, you gut cannot tell the difference.
Addiction is far less about the body and much more about the mind. It's the smell, the feel, the taste that draws us back. Even though I know I would gain weight and feel like complete *kitten* for a week, I would LOVE to go eat a whole peach cobbler right now.0 -
If you absolutely need sugar, stick with hard candy and have it slowly dissolve in your mouth. That's your sugar without all the fat that makes "sugary" items high in calories. As a bonus, you are less likely to overeat them because your mouth will be sore before you manage to eat enough hard candy to equal the calories of a slice of cake.2
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I have found that I cannot have a sugary food item as a snack. It has to be as the dessert to a full meal, and the portion needs to be small.
PS ... and that goes for most fruit as well. If I do have a fruit as a snack, it would be something like a 4 ounce apple with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or 1 ounce of hard cheese with it, but never on it's own.2 -
MakePeasNotWar wrote: »
OP's examples were really hyperpalatable sugar/fat combo's, not just sugar. I used to think I had a sugar issue until I had to go on a low fat diet (gallbladder problems) and realized that it's not the sugar, it's the high reward combo of sugar and fat together.
I eat plenty of fruit, maple syrup on oats, PB2 with added sugar, and even plain old white sugar, and I have no trouble moderating them. I also know lots of low carbers who use butter, coconut oil, and other fats with no control issues whatsoever. It's when you put them together that they become a problem for some people.
Almost everyone who thinks they are addicted to carbs or sugar, (or who thinks dietary fat is making them fat) when giving examples of the foods they can't stop eating, lists carb-fat combinations. Pizza, buttered bread, cake, cookies, pasta with olive oil or rich sauces...
I've yet to hear of anyone "addicted" to apples or cantaloupe.
This is exactly right.
And sugar IS sugar, which is the problem with claiming sugar is the issue. When people realize it's that they have difficulty controlling the calories they are consuming from certain highly-palatable and high cal trigger foods (both sugar/fat and salt/starch/fat, often), THEN suggestions like "eat fruit instead" can make sense (as I think they often do). Fruit is different from a cupcake in lots of ways (ways making the fruit often a better choice). Sugar isn't one of those ways.1 -
queenliz99 wrote: »MakePeasNotWar wrote: »
OP's examples were really hyperpalatable sugar/fat combo's, not just sugar. I used to think I had a sugar issue until I had to go on a low fat diet (gallbladder problems) and realized that it's not the sugar, it's the high reward combo of sugar and fat together.
I eat plenty of fruit, maple syrup on oats, PB2 with added sugar, and even plain old white sugar, and I have no trouble moderating them. I also know lots of low carbers who use butter, coconut oil, and other fats with no control issues whatsoever. It's when you put them together that they become a problem for some people.
Almost everyone who thinks they are addicted to carbs or sugar, (or who thinks dietary fat is making them fat) when giving examples of the foods they can't stop eating, lists carb-fat combinations. Pizza, buttered bread, cake, cookies, pasta with olive oil or rich sauces...
I've yet to hear of anyone "addicted" to apples or cantaloupe.
But pineapples! yum, seriously hard to stop.
I have to admit to the same problem!1 -
I agree with a lot of what has been said.
If you can't just have a little -- like 2 cookies -- don't keep the stuff in the house. At the very least get it off the counter and up on a high shelf.
I was always a sweets junk food junkie -- cake, cookies, ice cream, & gallons of regular Pepsi etc. We still have ice cream in the house but now I eat the correct portion -- 1/2 cup not a giant bowl which is more like 2-3 cups. When I'm "bad" and eat a whole cup, I take a walk around the block after.
Eating more fruit has helped me. Yes, a calorie is a calorie & sugar is still sugar especially if you are diabetic, but I feel less guilty after eating the fruit because unlike the cake cookies etc the fruit has other nutritional value & more importantly it helps me to feel fuller longer.
If you can't go cold turkey don't. Simply start by eating less. Baby steps still represent forward progress.0 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »If you absolutely need sugar, stick with hard candy and have it slowly dissolve in your mouth. That's your sugar without all the fat that makes "sugary" items high in calories. As a bonus, you are less likely to overeat them because your mouth will be sore before you manage to eat enough hard candy to equal the calories of a slice of cake.
Dum Dum lollipops are pretty good. Each one has 25 calories. Just brush your teeth when you are finished.1 -
I really like the Gillian Riley book "Eating Less" as an approach to managing your addictive desire for sugar.0
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lemurcat12 wrote: »MakePeasNotWar wrote: »
OP's examples were really hyperpalatable sugar/fat combo's, not just sugar. I used to think I had a sugar issue until I had to go on a low fat diet (gallbladder problems) and realized that it's not the sugar, it's the high reward combo of sugar and fat together.
I eat plenty of fruit, maple syrup on oats, PB2 with added sugar, and even plain old white sugar, and I have no trouble moderating them. I also know lots of low carbers who use butter, coconut oil, and other fats with no control issues whatsoever. It's when you put them together that they become a problem for some people.
Almost everyone who thinks they are addicted to carbs or sugar, (or who thinks dietary fat is making them fat) when giving examples of the foods they can't stop eating, lists carb-fat combinations. Pizza, buttered bread, cake, cookies, pasta with olive oil or rich sauces...
I've yet to hear of anyone "addicted" to apples or cantaloupe.
This is exactly right.
And sugar IS sugar, which is the problem with claiming sugar is the issue. When people realize it's that they have difficulty controlling the calories they are consuming from certain highly-palatable and high cal trigger foods (both sugar/fat and salt/starch/fat, often), THEN suggestions like "eat fruit instead" can make sense (as I think they often do). Fruit is different from a cupcake in lots of ways (ways making the fruit often a better choice). Sugar isn't one of those ways.
These two posts right here are on point. It isn't the sugar, it's the combos.
If you can't moderate it, get them out of your house
I'm the same with avocados. I can go through 4-5 a day so it's easier to not buy them except only when they are needed for a recipe and I only buy the needed amount.
Yet, I have bags of candy in the house that I have no issue avoiding if it doesn't fit.2 -
I have a definite sweet tooth and am currently weaning myself its going well I have swapped chocolate bars and sweets for lower sugar/fat/calorie Hot chocolate at the point in the evening where I would eat a whole bar of chocolate or bag of revels I Now have a 39-43 calorie mug of hot chocolate depending on brand and flavor. A tub of Ben and Jerry's is now a mini milk or a small portion of fro yo. And all them biscuits have been swapped for weight watchers ones that I now only eat on occasion with my green or fennal tea mid morning. Your talking 83 calories and less sugar than the 160 calories that are in two of the normal brand cookies I like. Oh and them small bags of slightly sweet popcorn are awesome and apples I have always loved apples and strawberries tend to have them in my breakfast or lunch.
Substitution then gradually cutting back seems to be working for me I'm craving chocolate and sweets less. And now eating smaller amounts of my substitutes.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »MakePeasNotWar wrote: »
OP's examples were really hyperpalatable sugar/fat combo's, not just sugar. I used to think I had a sugar issue until I had to go on a low fat diet (gallbladder problems) and realized that it's not the sugar, it's the high reward combo of sugar and fat together.
I eat plenty of fruit, maple syrup on oats, PB2 with added sugar, and even plain old white sugar, and I have no trouble moderating them. I also know lots of low carbers who use butter, coconut oil, and other fats with no control issues whatsoever. It's when you put them together that they become a problem for some people.
Almost everyone who thinks they are addicted to carbs or sugar, (or who thinks dietary fat is making them fat) when giving examples of the foods they can't stop eating, lists carb-fat combinations. Pizza, buttered bread, cake, cookies, pasta with olive oil or rich sauces...
I've yet to hear of anyone "addicted" to apples or cantaloupe.
This is exactly right.
And sugar IS sugar, which is the problem with claiming sugar is the issue. When people realize it's that they have difficulty controlling the calories they are consuming from certain highly-palatable and high cal trigger foods (both sugar/fat and salt/starch/fat, often), THEN suggestions like "eat fruit instead" can make sense (as I think they often do). Fruit is different from a cupcake in lots of ways (ways making the fruit often a better choice). Sugar isn't one of those ways.
These two posts right here are on point. It isn't the sugar, it's the combos.
If you can't moderate it, get them out of your house
I'm the same with avocados. I can go through 4-5 a day so it's easier to not buy them except only when they are needed for a recipe and I only buy the needed amount.
Yet, I have bags of candy in the house that I have no issue avoiding if it doesn't fit.
Heh. I've tossed moldy cheesecake, stale candies, soggy chips and even old soda. But open a pack of beef jerky in my presence and it's going down!5 -
Try slowly weaning off sugar products. That way it's not the "cold turkey" style and you can control how quickly you reduce the amount of sugar consumption. Even if it's just a gram or two of sugar reduction every few days, eventually that reduction adds up.
It's how I got rid of my sweet tooth. Nowadays most sweets are way too sweet and rich for me [I even have to dilute those sugar-free water flavor packets just to get the sweetness perfect for me, like putting a packet made for a 2 quart pitcher into a gallon of water].0 -
MakePeasNotWar wrote: »
OP's examples were really hyperpalatable sugar/fat combo's, not just sugar. I used to think I had a sugar issue until I had to go on a low fat diet (gallbladder problems) and realized that it's not the sugar, it's the high reward combo of sugar and fat together.
I eat plenty of fruit, maple syrup on oats, PB2 with added sugar, and even plain old white sugar, and I have no trouble moderating them. I also know lots of low carbers who use butter, coconut oil, and other fats with no control issues whatsoever. It's when you put them together that they become a problem for some people.
Almost everyone who thinks they are addicted to carbs or sugar, (or who thinks dietary fat is making them fat) when giving examples of the foods they can't stop eating, lists carb-fat combinations. Pizza, buttered bread, cake, cookies, pasta with olive oil or rich sauces...
I've yet to hear of anyone "addicted" to apples or cantaloupe.
Carb-fat combinations were certainly my issue. However, what about soda?0 -
It's all good and well saying 'don't have it in the house' but what if you live with other people who shouldn't suffer because you're on a diet...eg my kids and husband. Also if I'm craving enough I can pop to the shops down the road and pick up whatever sweet treat I want. Doesn't help that I also live within walking distance of a dessert bar
I never had a sweet tooth before I started my diet so it must all be in my head! anyway I get around the issue by saving a few calories for a small treat at the end of the day. It could be a fun size chocolate bar (around 100cals), 2 squares of rich dark chocolate or like tonight I had a pot of low fat chocolate mousse (80cals). Some days I don't need it and don't eat it but it helps me not binge during the day knowing I'm not depriving myself of sweet treats. Maybe it's one of those 'you only want what you can't have' things so this works for me. 0 -
Caffeine...kshama2001 wrote: »MakePeasNotWar wrote: »
OP's examples were really hyperpalatable sugar/fat combo's, not just sugar. I used to think I had a sugar issue until I had to go on a low fat diet (gallbladder problems) and realized that it's not the sugar, it's the high reward combo of sugar and fat together.
I eat plenty of fruit, maple syrup on oats, PB2 with added sugar, and even plain old white sugar, and I have no trouble moderating them. I also know lots of low carbers who use butter, coconut oil, and other fats with no control issues whatsoever. It's when you put them together that they become a problem for some people.
Almost everyone who thinks they are addicted to carbs or sugar, (or who thinks dietary fat is making them fat) when giving examples of the foods they can't stop eating, lists carb-fat combinations. Pizza, buttered bread, cake, cookies, pasta with olive oil or rich sauces...
I've yet to hear of anyone "addicted" to apples or cantaloupe.
Carb-fat combinations were certainly my issue. However, what about soda?
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I can only speak for myself, but when I stopped eating and drinking foods that contain artificial sweeteners and increased my protein intake, my sugar cravings went down surprisingly quickly.
I had gotten to the point that fresh, ripe pineapple tasted bland or even a bit bitter to me, so I was trying to "reboot" my tastebuds.
I don't have a whit of science to back me up, but it was an easy experiment and it seemed to help.0 -
It's all good and well saying 'don't have it in the house' but what if you live with other people who shouldn't suffer because you're on a diet...eg my kids and husband. Also if I'm craving enough I can pop to the shops down the road and pick up whatever sweet treat I want. Doesn't help that I also live within walking distance of a dessert bar I never had a sweet tooth before I started my diet so it must all be in my head! anyway I get around the issue by saving a few calories for a small treat at the end of the day. It could be a fun size chocolate bar (around 100cals), 2 squares of rich dark chocolate or like tonight I had a pot of low fat chocolate mousse (80cals). Some days I don't need it and don't eat it but it helps me not binge during the day knowing I'm not depriving myself of sweet treats. Maybe it's one of those 'you only want what you can't have' things so this works for me.
I actually have nothing against sugar, for me though it simply leads to more cravings. As far as not having it in the house when others want it, that's a tough one. I'm lucky in that respect, my wife supports my efforts and is on her own journey to losing weight and being fit. My kids are raised, and grand kids and kids only show up on family nights/bbq's/whatever to eat. So it's easy to send any leftovers with them and keep it out of my house otherwise. There are some things though we do buy, like Doritos. We love making taco salads with Doritos, and Corn chips in our chili. What we do is buy a smaller bag, use it up as quickly as possible then try to be good the rest of the week. As far as treats, I eat no sugar added ice cream all the time, it's low cal (80-100 calories per half cup) and tastes great. It helps me not crave the other stuff too badly. So maybe buying less, or smaller quantities at a time. It was the bulk purchase of junk food that caused me to end up overweight in the first place.
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