If I can live without alcohol and feel content why is living without sugar harder lol
bubblebum82
Posts: 34 Member
Thinking should I just go sugar free this year. I'm all or nothing and I believe that won't change. I can go ages without it but once I have it I just want more. I don't want to continue fighting. Might be easier to remove it for good
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Replies
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I am fighting sugar too,not easy I must say and sometimes I just give myself some treat and not buying sugar or sweet is easier heh lots of carrots instead some are really sweet
fight, we are all fighting here, gd luck 3 -
I can also go without alcohol and not miss it.
I truly believe different people's bodies crave different things in terms of enjoyment of food. Personally, I can cut sugar no problem, never eat it again, and it doesn't affect me one bit. I don't even miss it. Cookies? Candy? Ice cream? Donuts? Basically any processed packaged food? Never eat it, never think about it.
But what I do crave is salty/crunchy, like saltine crackers and tortilla chips, and high-fat foods (olives, eggs, nuts etc) If you look at my food diary, I have many low-calorie days where my fat is thru the roof. I feel like I'm going to DIE if I don't get my salt and fat fix. Those are the hardest things for me to not eat! To each their own!
Do you think you could learn to eat these things in moderation, within your calorie allowance? If I can't fit something, I don't eat it, but generally I try pretty hard to be able to fit my priority high-fat foods, even though they're also highest in calories as well.5 -
Sugar is much more difficult to avoid than alcohol because it is naturally present in or added to so many foods. Therein lies the problem with going 'sugar free.'9
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Great posts. I'm gonna crack this one way or the other. I'll update progress or lack of0
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Have you tried any of the stuff made with Splenda. Some don't like it, but I do. Sometimes my "sweet tooth" becomes a raving beast so I have to satisfy it somehow and this takes off that edge but without as much of the bad effects.
There are some other natural sweeteners on the market that taste the same and your body can't process it; (Stevia, or Xylitol for example) some are more cost conscious than others.0 -
Life without sugar or alcohol? Ya no... I wouldn't be a happy camper. But I am a good moderator. Maybe some time away from it can help you and you can come back to it (or not.. )
Good luck!6 -
Artificial sweeteners are great for diabetics but for those who are not, it can be dangerous. They've been linked to a lot of scary diseases and studies have shown that they still effect your blood sugar levels and cravings.2
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Stevia is healthier than Splenda from what I've heard.
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bubblebum82 wrote: »Thinking should I just go sugar free this year. I'm all or nothing and I believe that won't change. I can go ages without it but once I have it I just want more. I don't want to continue fighting. Might be easier to remove it for good
What are your goals and how is cutting sugar out going to help you get there?2 -
Because people would judge me if I was sitting here with a vodka tonic at 10am on a work day. When it comes to my muffin, however, they're just a little jealous.11
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I truly believe sugar is one of the most (if not THE most) addictive substances in the world. It is hard to give up, I don't personally know anyone who has been successful at it.
I think a gradual reduction in sugar (added sugar that is...) is the best approach. Just my opinion though, because it has worked for me over the last 4 months. I used to roughly have 140 grams of sugar a day (yikes!) to now 50-60 ish grams. Still not great, but a lot better and most of those grams are from natural sugar.3 -
where do you use all this sugar? in coffee or tea?1
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I gave up sugar at the beginning of the year, lost 11.6kg. No junk food, nothing in a packet or a box, read the labels, they all have added sugar. I drink low carb beer or straight spirits with soda water, not everyday, read Sweet Poison, you will understand.1
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Thanks everyone I will take this all on board. My vice is choc. Like I could buy a box of chocolate brevitas before and eat the lot. I've actually done that before. I'll crack it. Only had dark choc today and a couple of dark chocolate nairs wheat free biscuit things.0
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Typo0
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You can go sugar free, but the body makes glucose for energy. Not to mention your brain works efficiently when supplied with sugar.
Habitual behavior CAN be changed. You just have to be willing to do it.
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Yes you are right. I'm not a slave to my cravings. They will be my *kitten*0
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Another typo, that was meant to say *kitten* ha0
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Bluddy hell man what does it take to type *kitten*. My cravings will be my *kitten*2
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Simple answer, cause your body runs on sugar and is vital to life, unlike alcohol.4
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This sight must not allow bad language B i t c h My cravings will be my B I T C H LOL0
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bubblebum82 wrote: »Bluddy hell man what does it take to type *kitten*. My cravings will be my *kitten*
You've been kittened! The MFP version of bleeped. 2 -
I can ands do live without sugar but can't live without alcohol, go figure.0
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bubblebum82 wrote: »Another typo, that was meant to say *kitten* ha
You could just write a swear word and mfp will do the kittening for you
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Ha ha. Holy kitten! Lol. Yeah maybe I need some alcohol. All I know is that I'm not over chocolate yet. However I didn't buy a lion bar today in shop. So I have willpower it's just challenging lol1
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It's true your body needs sugar, but you need naturally-occurring sugars, like those found in fruits and vegetables. You do not need the added sugars found in most foods and sweets like pastries and candy. It's harder to give up because it reacts in your brain like cocaine, triggering the dopamine reward system (making you feel happy and "high") and reducing the acetylcholine satiety response, thus telling you you want more and more. Alcohol triggers the same neuroreceptors as anti-anxiety drugs like benzodiazepines (Xanax, Ativan...), which means it's a "downer," so you feel better when you're off of it. Don't substitute with artificial sweeteners, they are actually WORSE on the brain's reaction because your brain "thinks" it's getting the sugar because you've "tasted it," but then when you don't, the brain kind of freaks out and makes you crave sugar even more. When you eat natural sugars found in fruits and veg, it comes packaged with the right about of vitamins and fiber so that your body processes it differently, and therefore doesn't cause the same "rise and fall" of added processed sugars. Here is a link to some studies regarding sugar and food addiction. They are very "sciency" but it's an annotated bibliography so there is a summary after each article. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lE9NbnLwULIfptTy2RUfCqKUS-xMZjRxxtM0jiEY6r0/edit?usp=sharing
Regardless, a great thing to do is get away from processed/added sugars. I did it back in the fall and lost 40 pounds. Of course the holidays derailed me but I'm one week back in and feel MUCH better. The first week SUCKS because you go through withdrawal, but keep eating fruits and that will keep the symptoms at minimum. Then it will get easier, I promise. Just stick to whole foods whenever possible. Once you get a month or so into the no-sugar thing, you will be able to have a little sweet here and there. But if you find yourself losing control, go back to the completely-sugar-free life for a bit. Good luck! 4 -
Sugar in fruit are simple sugars just like those found in cakes. Your body needs sugar, period. You either give it sugar or it will make its own.2
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I struggle daily with binge eating. Sugar is addictive and it's hold on me is similar to alcohol or drugs for others. I've fought with it my entire life. I've actually just eaten spoonfuls of sugar at times, and this started when I was young. I too am an all or nothing person but this year I've come to learn how to moderate. Unfortunately I can't have just one chocolate now, or it will derail my progress. I've learned to log every single thing I eat. I stay away from fake sugars, and the only thing I allow is natural or stevia to be added. I am weight lifting so I get some sucralose from my protein bars/powder but again, I read the labels. I have to look at everything. It's time consuming, and limiting, but it's worth it. I personally am focusing on lowering my sugar because of the crash. I would get the high, and then crash. I would drink 2-4 cups of coffee a day and each cup had at least 30 grams of sugar in it because I like my coffee sweet. So I'm down to one cup a day with unsweetened almond milk. I no longer touch candy, although I long for it. But I gave up cigarettes almost 10 years ago, so I know I can do this. Moderation does not work when you're a sugar-holic. Just like an alcoholic cannot have just one glass of wine. It's an endless battle, because yes, sugar is in everything. But you can do this. Your life kind of depends on it!2
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