Trying to break my sugar addiction.

SarahMorganP
SarahMorganP Posts: 921 Member
edited November 19 in Food and Nutrition
I am a sugar addict. Until yesterday I would eat 2-3 candy bars plus other highly processed sugar food/drinks a day. Even while losing weight. Just for it in with my calories or worked out more. I decided that's just too unhealthy, obviously. So yesterday and today I have not had any sugar, other than what's in "normal" food. I have had fruits and ketchup on my burger and bread. So I am getting sugar, just not the kind I am used to and the kind I crave.

I'm having a very hard time. It's all mental, I feel like I NEED it so bad. I'm SO depressed. I can't do moderation either. If I allow myself any I will go right back to tons of it. Please tell me this will end? It's way harder than quitting smoking and caffeine!
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Replies

  • kimothy38
    kimothy38 Posts: 840 Member
    I empathise. Sugar is my down fall too. I find if I'm eating enough protein I don't feel hungry and haven't binged for ages. If I open a block of chocolate though it's gone soon after so I only do that once a week. At least now though I share it with the family rather than hide it all for myself. The cravings can take weeks to subside. Progress not perfection. How about weaning yourself down to one sugar free chocolate bar a day and go from there.
  • kavahni
    kavahni Posts: 313 Member
    Check out the book "I Quit Sugar." Very humane and tasty. And some good science to read about.
  • CynthiasChoice
    CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
    I'm not good at moderating either - yet! I'm hoping I will be one day. Until then, I have to abstain.

    Over the last few decades, I've been on and off sugar many times. I'm sane when I'm off sugar, and crazy when I'm on it. Simple as that. Since last December, I've chosen sanity again, and I'm determined to make it permanent this time.

    When I quit sugar, I don't count calories for a few days. I just eat my fill of protein and veggies and fruit. Extra protein helps so much with quieting the sugar cravings. For me, eating meat is like taking a diet pill.

    It will get better! After three days you'll notice a big improvement, and after seven days you'll be even stronger. Every month that you are able to abstain or nearly abstain, your confidence will grow.

    Keep sweets out of the house, or at least out of sight. My family insists on having sweets around, but they've agreed to keep them in a box on a high shelf in the garage. Out of sight, out of mind! For the first few months, I couldn't have ice cream in the house, but now when it's around, I don't even think about it.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited June 2017
    SarahMorganP wrote: »
    I'm having a very hard time. It's all mental, I feel like I NEED it so bad. I'm SO depressed. I can't do moderation either. If I allow myself any I will go right back to tons of it. Please tell me this will end? It's way harder than quitting smoking and caffeine!

    I think a lot of the time the issue is breaking the habit of being able to eat whenever, of not having that as a crutch. Sugar was never my particular thing (I like plenty of sugary items, but don't pretend it's all about the sugar, and for snacking non sweet would be fine), but I forced myself to stick to a planned eating schedule because I am more likely to eat well at planned meals (3 meals works for me), and yes it was tough getting out of the habit of being able to go get something whenever the thought crossed my mind or if something tempting appeared, BUT I remembered why it was important to me and pushed through it (I did let myself have raw veg between meals at first) and the difficulty went away. Now, mostly, I don't think about food between meals except in the context of planning for a meal, and am not so likely to notice whatever tempting thing has been added to the break room, and this is totally worth it.

    I did not cut out sugary treats, I just realized that for me I need structure and allowed myself to have them only as a post-dinner dessert to the extent (and in the amount) it fit in my calories. Right now I'm not really eating added sugar for other reasons (low carbing, doesn't fit my macros), and still keep this pattern but with other indulgences -- cheese, for example.

    I really, really think that for many of us structure and habit are really important and people just assume, wrongly, that if they initially resist changing habits or don't do well without structure that that means they are abnormal or have extra problems others don't have in some way. I don't think this is true, I just think sometimes it takes a little effort and time to set a new structure/habit.

    Edit to add: one of my big reasons for cutting out between meal eating and (for a while) sugary treats was that I tend to be an emotional eater and was relying on food for that. Noticing the extent to which you are using food to stuff/deal with feelings -- if you are, and the depression thing makes me think maybe it's this -- then having another strategy is important. Write a bit, listen to a song, go for a quick walk, plan a workout, go get coffee, stuff like that seems small but can help, just a go-to coping mechanism and being aware.

    Also, OFTEN sugar and quick carb craving relates to sleep issues. Be aware of that if you are tired. May not prevent the craving, but again being aware can be helpful.
  • LauraInTheWater
    LauraInTheWater Posts: 477 Member
    I used to be THE BEST at baking...my grandmother is a professional cake decorator and I learned my baking skills from her. I always served dessert after dinner. I had to quit sweets completely. At parties (super difficult) I either have to leave before they cut the cake or be sure to remind people that I don't eat it. Sometimes I'm not strong enough to do the second one though. It used to be a running joke about my sugar addiction--Nutella and Oreos were my thing. For me quitting cold turkey was the only way to go.

    I felt like you do now for about a week. It's called detoxing. You are emotionally and physically addicted to these sweets. I now always keep a healthy snack with me for when I get a craving. Fresh peaches in the fruit bowl at home are awesome. In my bag I keep almonds or granola bars or some home made concoction. If my husband wants sweets he can make them or buy them on his own time.
  • Goin4goal
    Goin4goal Posts: 129 Member
    Yeah, someone else going through the exact same thing!! I also stopped sugar on Monday. So far so good. I've had headaches and have been super tired, but when I need to take a nap, I do. I made a killer broccoli cheese soup that is very filling and really good that I'll have if I'm feeling sorry for myself. Actually, I already have been less hungry than normal. I think the worst part for me is I've had to give up my morning coffee. I get up and have a big glass of cold water and then cook some eggs. It's not going to be easy, but I keep telling myself how much better I am going to feel. Nice to know I'm not alone in my endeavor. Keep up the good work, I'm sure it will get easier as each day passes.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    farrell16 wrote: »
    The way I beat the sugar addiction is by viewing it as such... an addiction, and I hate being reliant or dependent on anything so I used that to motivate my elimination of refined sugar.

    But sugar is sugar -- I agree, of course, that many natural sources of sugar are high nutrient and that it makes sense to eat them and to reduce (or eliminate, if one wants) lower nutrient, high cal sources of sugar, but if you were really treating it as an addictive substance it wouldn't make sense to say it's fine from, say, an apple, because it has a bit of fiber, and not in oats (which have as much fiber). People don't decide no alcohol unless it's fermented at home or some such as an addiction remedy (well, they might, but they are kidding themselves).
    I still eat sugar but in its natural form in fruits etc.... most natural sources of sugar also contain either high fibre or higher fats... two things that can slow the digestion of sugar and avoid the crazy insulin spike from refined sugar.

    I can't think of any natural sources of sugar other than avocado that are high fat (maybe nuts, but they are not high in sugar). On the other hand, the real issue with a LOT of added sugar treats is that they have twice as many calories as a piece of fruit with the same amount of sugar due to all the added fat. And, of course, whether you add the sugar or not says nothing about the nutrient quality of what it's added to. I used to add sugar to rhubarb, and that has as much fiber and nutrients as an apple, even with the added sugar, so what's the difference?

    Anyway, as I said above, I think there are far more sensible reasons that many of us can easily overeat tasty foods than that we must be addicted or have something wrong with us. Humans did not evolve in a situation in which food was always around, cheap, easy, and eaten with no cultural restrictions, so it is not surprising that some kind of external structure is needed to address these kinds of temptations, for many of us.

    The same was true for me and olives, nuts, and cheese, all of which are high cal, high fat, low sugar foods that I used to snack on to great excess.
  • canary_girl
    canary_girl Posts: 366 Member
    Just hang in there. I gave up all processed sugars (I ate high fiber fruit and anything that was lower than 3 grams of sugar per serving) a couple years ago. The first day was okay, the second day was the worst. The third day was better and by the 4th day it was so much easier.

    I ate this way for a couple of years, now I occasionally have sweets. But, I can no longer eat anything that is super sugary and I rarely eat a lot of it.
  • SarahMorganP
    SarahMorganP Posts: 921 Member
    Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »
    Did you have a cigarette habit? Suagr and nicotine are two completely different chemicals.

    Yes, I quit my 2 pack a day habbit 7 years ago. And my caffeine habbit 6 months ago. Both were far easier for me to quit than sugar is. Honestly they dont even compare. I was pbysically addicted to those. I am mentally addicted to sugar on a level i cant explain.

    Thanks so much everyone! I'm trying to tough it out. Believe me, I would love to do moderation, it's just not possible for me. If I allow myself even one small dark chocolate I will eat 3 candy bars.
  • Tmountainmom
    Tmountainmom Posts: 16 Member
    Just wanted to mention a book I'm using to help me with my sugar intake.......called Sugar Impact Diet. Day 5 for me with much reduced sugar in my eating plan and feeling pretty good. I also have very little control with sugar (or bread, cereal, etc) and find moderation difficult. Am hoping this new resource helps me long term. Good luck with making healthy changes!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited June 2017
    CynthiasChoice wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    CynthiasChoice wrote: »
    In my experience, people who suffer from an exasperating lack of self control around sweets aren't particularly interested in a debate about WHY moderation is difficult.

    I think there are lots of factors that lead to someone having trouble and lots of differences. Someone who tends to buy ice cream and binge after a bad day may not be having the same issue as someone who grazes all day as someone who has told herself time and time again that cookies are bad and when she has one decides she's ruined the day (and is a screw up) so might as well go nuts as after tomorrow no more cookies EVER. Understanding what's going on when you struggle (emotional issue, eating without a plan or structure, getting too hungry, unbalanced diet with inadequate protein, no sleep, super tempting item, item seen as off limits and sinful, what?) is really important to understanding what the issue is and solving it. Claiming that everyone who overeats sweets (no matter what sweets) is the same, and doing it for the same reason "sugar addiction" and thus must cut out sugar (but not really) is not particularly helpful. Better to encourage the person to understand their issues and what is going on when they struggle.
    Studies have shown that the pleasure center of the brain lights up in remarkably similar ways when exposed to sugar or cocaine. The debate over whether that's a psychological or biological reaction is best left to the researchers to sort out.

    You say that the addiction discussion is not useful (which I agree with) but then try to distort the facts to get into it again. Yes, the brain "lights up," and it also "lights up" when experiencing other things that are perceived as pleasurable, including eating FAT (and things that have nothing to do with food or drugs, of course). This is normal, that we like to eat calorie dense foods is pretty much evolutionarily beneficial (same with liking sex, something else that causes our brains to "light up").

    Many of us have struggled with control around food (probably most of us), why try to eliminate as irrelevant those who have used strategies that wouldn't work with the addiction model (for example, I think cutting out sugar makes no sense as it's in many healthful foods and to your body is the same, essentially, as starch anyway -- would you claim the ONLY solution for having control issues around SOME sweet foods, often ones with fat too, is going hardcore, super low carb? That might BE the solution for a few people, but hardly the one main or only one.

    Thank you for a very thoughtful post with excellent points. As I understand it, you're saying that it's a mistake to believe you have a sugar addiction and then react by abstaining from sugary foods....that doing so will distract you from discovering your true problem. Please correct me if I misunderstood.

    That's an overgeneralization. I'm saying that if someone struggles with control around sugary foods, it's important not to just assume addiction model (whether one "feels like" it is an addiction or not) and cut out "sugar" (which again is in fruits and veg and dairy), but -- whether one gets off on calling it addiction or not -- to do some work on identifying the specifics of when one has control issues. I do think that cutting out sugary treats (if that's the issue) at least for a while might help (I did this), but I also think it's really important to consider whether you have binging tendencies and whether you are doing all or nothing things and whether you tend to see foods as bad/good and beat yourself up, all things that can mean that the cutting things out strategy may make things worse if you are not careful.

    The main thing, though, is that I think it's important to realize that depending on the specifics of the issue different approaches may work, so assuming that the OP should do exactly what you did because she used the word "addiction" without asking more questions strikes me as not responsible, as overgeneralization.
    This very well may be helpful for some people, but not for me and many others who have shared their stories with me.

    I don't see why considering the specifics of when you struggle with control and trying other ways of asserting control would be harmful. I'm not claiming a one solution fits all -- you are.

    Also, you are ignoring the fact that if SUGAR is the issue, it would be all sugar (and starches become sugar in the body), and 100% cutting it out, basically. That's the addiction model you seem to be preaching. Yet if someone struggles with specific sugary treats, that seems like huge overkill.
    When I have excess sugar in my diet, I behave in most of the ways you listed...

    Sure, but then the question is what is "excess sugar"? That's different than claiming that if you have issues with control around some sugary treats you must treat sugar as an addiction and cut it out.

    Eliminating sweets (which I think can be a sensible solution -- I also think low carbing can be a sensible solution for some and that for many it works better to keep in some sweet treats but add structure, point is you can't assume what will work for OP without knowing more and ultimately SHE has to think about it and try things) is totally not the same thing as what you said before: "sugar is addictive so cut it out." Again, the addiction model would not seem to distinguish between sugar in one source vs. that in another.

    Also, an important part of this is that cutting it out isn't so easy for everyone (it was for me, but if I'd intended it as a permanent change maybe it wouldn't have been) and many struggle with cutting it out and then eating it and feeling bad. Is the solution then to say "it's addictive, you must redouble your efforts?!" or perhaps to mention that other ways of imposing structure can be helpful. Also, so many people say "get it out of your home," but for many of us it's not in our homes where we are tempted by it, but other places we do not control (like a work place). This doesn't mean you can't deal with that -- of course you can -- but removing temptation doesn't work in the same way.
    Sugar in my diet makes me a big fat failure. It robs me of my brain and good intentions. All the scientists in the world can tell me I'm mistaken, but I trust my experience and my own personal wisdom more than what scientists are concluding from their studies. It's a brain chemistry thing they just haven't figured out yet.

    I find it very unlikely that you have eliminated sugar in your diet. I'm quite low carb at the moment and still get a decent amount of sugar from dairy, vegetables, and probably will have some strawberries tonight. Also, again, starches convert to sugar. You mean sugary treats, probably, and that's again not a strategy I think is wrong -- I think it works for some, not others, and is preferred by some, not others, but is hardly the One True Solution. But if you are claiming it's "addiction" and that that's important to this discussion and WHY your way is the best -- which is what you claimed, at least for those who felt out of control -- then I think it's important to address that.

    If you want to back up and say "hey, this worked for me, and other things worked for others, cool," as you seem to be doing, we have no argument and the debate about whether it's really an addiction is irrelevant (which is my personal view).
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited June 2017
    @CynthiasChoice Have you tried subbing your regularl sugary sweets with less calorific alternatives? I don't have a sugar addiction, but i do have a wicked sweet tooth.

    I'll list some stuff i have to satisfy my tooth:

    - I have a huge bowl of watermelon and cantaloupe every afternoon, around 500-700g of fruit for 200ish calories.

    - When i feel like a chocolate bar, i'll have a quest bar for 190 calories, usually double chocolate chunk, much better macros and less calories than my usual chocolate bar.

    I have dessert every single night, and a large quantity too, I'll make:

    - Chocolate pudding, which is simply 200g plain Greek yogurt with 30g chocolate/peanut butter protein powder mixed in.

    - Chocolate peanut butter cup sludge, 60g choc/pb protein powder and 75ml chocolate Almond milk, i make it then pop it in the fridge for a couple of hours and then I'll microwave it for 30ish seconds, it turns out crunchy on the outside and gooey chocolate in the middle.

    - My favourite dessert- http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10500016/low-calorie-protein-cheesecake/p1

    -I buy peters no sugar added icecream, and Halotop icecream. I also buy Flavdrops from Myprotein, and add a few drops in my smoothies or cups of coffee. My faves are chocolate/peanut butter, maple and toffee.

    I honestly have dozens of yummy sweet concoctions that satisfy my sweet tooth and dont break the calorie or macro bank.

    I very rarely bring stuff in the house i know full well i have no control around, like peanut butter cups, snickers, chocolate cake, donuts etc etc If they're not here then I cant scarf them down :wink:

  • CynthiasChoice
    CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
    @Christine_72 That's really nice of you! Thanks for the suggestions. I do use protein powder sweetened with stevia and I enjoy adding cacao powder to smoothies sometimes. I'll look up Flavdrops, Quest bars and the other things you mentioned.
  • heartnp2014
    heartnp2014 Posts: 11 Member
    Thank goodness I'm not alone. I crave chocolate the most so that is my biggest challenge. I try to eat darker chocolate but it doesn't curb my cravings as much as a nice piece of Hershey's chocolate...I'm trying so I really am enjoying reading everyone's input! I'm also new to this site
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    I quit eating sugar by not eating sugar.

    A diet without fruits and vegetables doesn't sound very healthy.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    newmeadow wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    I quit eating sugar by not eating sugar.

    A diet without fruits and vegetables doesn't sound very healthy.

    And here we go.

    It's an important point.

    IF the issue is sugar, it would be all sugar, and IF the only answer is abstinence, then super low carb seems to be the response. Some super low carbers think that's the case for themselves, but most people who say "cut out tasty treats" AREN'T saying that, so they know it's not really about sugar specifically, or sugar alone, or aren't claiming abstinence model. So basically everyone agrees. The question is how to REDUCE high cal sugary treats or, if one wants, to cut them out (while continuing to eat sugar, of course).

    So we are talking about reduction.

    Some think the answer is to remove more hyperpalatable things, some think there are ways to impose structure (IF being one such example) and reduce them other than removing them, some focus on trigger foods, some think moderation can be learned, and some think it depends on the specifics of the issue/depends on the person. Many think it's some combination.
  • yoherbs421
    yoherbs421 Posts: 160 Member
    SarahMorganP wrote: »
    I am a sugar addict. Until yesterday I would eat 2-3 candy bars plus other highly processed sugar food/drinks a day. Even while losing weight. Just for it in with my calories or worked out more. I decided that's just too unhealthy, obviously. So yesterday and today I have not had any sugar, other than what's in "normal" food. I have had fruits and ketchup on my burger and bread. So I am getting sugar, just not the kind I am used to and the kind I crave.

    I'm having a very hard time. It's all mental, I feel like I NEED it so bad. I'm SO depressed. I can't do moderation either. If I allow myself any I will go right back to tons of it. Please tell me this will end? It's way harder than quitting smoking and caffeine!

    Think about how bad sugar really is for you. Early man didnt need sugar, or even carb sources like bread, they were lean mean and strong AF.
    Candy bars and candy in general is bad for your teeth. Makes your breath stink. Candy also spikes insulin to unhealthy levels and leads to diabetes. Diabetes is a beeyotch...always taking your insulin shots, always having to watch what you eat, way more meticulous than plain dieting.
    You might be young now but all that sugar might just show up and pack itself around you waist by the time you hit late 20s. And it will be much harder to get rid of.
    Diabetes is a worsening epidemic and its the b**ch of a chronic diseases right up there with COPD and dementia.
    Our bodys never needed processed sugar. Yet company's are still finding more ways to process and refine this evil bit in and put it in every single thing we eat. Evil jokes they play on us "unsuspecting" population.
    I urge you all if you have kids get them off anything processed and save them the anguish of health complications later in their life.
  • yoherbs421
    yoherbs421 Posts: 160 Member
    heartnp2014 wrote: »
    Thank goodness I'm not alone. I crave chocolate the most so that is my biggest challenge. I try to eat darker chocolate but it doesn't curb my cravings as much as a nice piece of Hershey's chocolate...I'm trying so I really am enjoying reading everyone's input! I'm also new to this site

    Hersheys or any other candy bar is not real chocolate. Its like 20% chocolate and 80% sugar. Real chocolate isnt that sweet. Thats sugar youre addicted to, not chocolate.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    yoherbs421 wrote: »
    heartnp2014 wrote: »
    Thank goodness I'm not alone. I crave chocolate the most so that is my biggest challenge. I try to eat darker chocolate but it doesn't curb my cravings as much as a nice piece of Hershey's chocolate...I'm trying so I really am enjoying reading everyone's input! I'm also new to this site

    Hersheys or any other candy bar is not real chocolate. Its like 20% chocolate and 80% sugar.

    Hmm, that seems like a huge overgeneralization.

    Here's a chocolate bar I had a bit of last night:

    qdflv6nld07v.jpg

    4 g of sugar per serving.

    I made some ice cream without added sugar as an experiment -- it was vanilla, Fage 2%, heavy cream, and lots of fresh strawberries, and then I topped it with some melted dark chocolate (and had a piece). It was delicious (to my taste) and I'm sure I could overeat it easily, as it was high cal, but relatively few of the calories were from sugar (and most of those were from lactose or the sugar in the strawberries).

    I also love this ground chocolate drink which has no sugar at all (and isn't sweet).

    Simply wrong to say it's all sugar, must be sugar.
  • farrell16
    farrell16 Posts: 49 Member
    edited June 2017

    You are forgetting about lactose/Galactose found in dairy products. That is an example where natural sugar is in combination with higher fats as opposed to fibre to slow digestion.
    I can't think of any natural sources of sugar other than avocado that are high fat (maybe nuts, but they are not high in sugar). On the other hand, the real issue with a LOT of added sugar treats is that they have twice as many calories as a piece of fruit with the same amount of sugar due to all the added fat. And, of course, whether you add the sugar or not says nothing about the nutrient quality of what it's added to. I used to add sugar to rhubarb, and that has as much fiber and nutrients as an apple, even with the added sugar, so what's the difference?

  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,002 Member
    SarahMorganP wrote: »
    I am a sugar addict. Until yesterday I would eat 2-3 candy bars plus other highly processed sugar food/drinks a day. Even while losing weight. Just for it in with my calories or worked out more. I decided that's just too unhealthy, obviously. So yesterday and today I have not had any sugar, other than what's in "normal" food. I have had fruits and ketchup on my burger and bread. So I am getting sugar, just not the kind I am used to and the kind I crave.

    I'm having a very hard time. It's all mental, I feel like I NEED it so bad. I'm SO depressed. I can't do moderation either. If I allow myself any I will go right back to tons of it. Please tell me this will end? It's way harder than quitting smoking and caffeine!

    The candy bars have just as much, if not more fat then sugar. Are you addicted to fat as well? Maybe you just like to eat highly palatable food...
  • Nova
    Nova Posts: 10,318 MFP Staff
    Hey folks,

    Please keep the OP's post in mind when replying. This is not a debate about whether sugar is or is not an addiction. If the discussion continues down that path, we will close this topic.

    Take care,
    Nova
    MFP Staff
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited June 2017
    cross posted -- responding to something that seems not to be there, so never mind! Sorry.
  • mkirklions
    mkirklions Posts: 10 Member
    Fake sugar foods are my Savior. I don't crave it until I hit close to 10% BF.

    Diet Coke, sugar free gum.

    I also enjoy tea and coffee.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    edited June 2017
    Sarah, in my experience if you go cold turkey on refined sugars the cravings last about two weeks. After that, refined sugar even begins to taste weird. Mental triggers will trip you up for longer than that - I still have trouble driving past the corner where I used to stop for a Coke icee - but the physical cravings do subside. Just hang in there, it's worth it.

    If you like herbal teas, those can help, by giving your taste buds something zero calorie to distract them.
  • markswife1992
    markswife1992 Posts: 262 Member
    i dont' really like sweets, but i love bread & chips. they are my downfall for sure. i find that if i can get through about a week, it gets MUCH easier and i don't crave it. good luck :flowerforyou:
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