Sugar is NOT My friend

fannydavis21
fannydavis21 Posts: 29 Member
edited November 21 in Getting Started
I'm having a really hard time staying away from sugar. Anyone else have a crazy sugar addiction? How can I step away from eating so much sugar? Someone please help me!

Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited September 2017
    You have two choices, like @teabea said.

    Completely eliminate - this causes me to freak out and binge on ALL THE CHOCOLATE eventually.

    OR

    Moderate - I have dessert every night. Usually candy, chocolate, or ice cream, about 200-300 calories. I log it, make sure it fits in my daily calories, and enjoy the heck out of it.

    You'll have to figure out which one of these options works for you.





    (Not even going into the "it isn't sugar you're craving" or "sugar addiction" debate.)
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,164 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    I'll assume you mean added sugar.............

    Sugar is not addictive....you like the taste of sugar, so do I. You can eliminate added added sugar forever, or learn to manage portions. Those are basically your 2 choices.

    I manage sugar by allowing myself so much each day. I tend to put a sugary treat off until later in the day. Individual portion packs help. If there are particular foods that you can't manage right now (individual or otherwise) then steer clear for awhile.

    You can try substitutes - herbal tea, fruit, etc. But when I want chocolate......I want chocolate.

    ^^^^This. 100%.

    I find it helps me to prelog something sweet. Sometimes when I look at the amount of calories I will change my mind and have something else. But if I want chocolate, then chocolate it is. I believe I have had some chocolate everyday since I've been on mfp. I've been on here for 718 days and I'm at maintenance. If you want sweets then learn to moderate them. If you tell yourself you can't moderate them, then you will be right. But it can be done. Don't convince yourself that you are powerless. You may like or even love sweets. But you are NOT addicted to sugar.
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    edited September 2017
    If it fits in your calories eat it.
  • dwilliamca
    dwilliamca Posts: 325 Member
    I started limiting my sugars in my 40's and now really don't crave it the way I used to. I still like sweets from time to time but try to stay within the sugar guidelines. I've never liked many sugar free substitutes, but I do like Stevia and use it in my baking and cooking. It is natural from a plant and in fact I have my own plant growing in my yard which works great to chop up the leaves and add to recipes sweetness that doesn't have the aftertaste of aspartame and some others.
  • Healthyforachange
    Healthyforachange Posts: 3 Member
    L-glutamine is a supplement that helps me reduce cravings for sweet foods.
  • Capencowl
    Capencowl Posts: 7 Member
    I found using individual packs or stevia leaves helped me. You can also grow your own stevia.
  • littlebuffbiddy
    littlebuffbiddy Posts: 63 Member
    I weened myself off of it for the most part and rarely crave it anymore. You can do it! Just stay strong and I promise the cravings will go away. I find using natural sugars in fruits helps satisfy the sweet tooth in the beginning
  • SuzMar17
    SuzMar17 Posts: 30 Member
    dani_1977 wrote: »
    Wow... I'm always so surprised at the back and forth on this website. Can't we all just agree, to understand that NOT one of us are the same. What works you may not work for all.

    Some people are addicted to alcohol. Some are not, and can drink in moderation......some can't .

    I find sugar to be extremely addictive. So, I myself can not practice "every thing moderation" when it comes to sweet/sugary items. I get my sugar from natural sources, fruits,veggies, whole grains, agave & raw honey.

    I am 50 days almost days in and I have no real cravings. When previously it was daily!!! I will say I did this before, but what I didn't change was white bread and pasta. I have pretty much removed it from my diet, this time around. I can completely tell that this has assisted majorly in helping lower my cravings for sugar even around my T.O.M. !!!

    To each, his own.

    I also know plenty of folks who practice " everything in moderation". Fitting the sweet treats in to their daily caloric allowance, it works for them.

    Find what works for you. But if fitting sugar in your daily allowance doesn't work out. Give it two weeks to detox ( eliminating sugary treats for 2 weeks) and see how you feel.

    Exactly what she said!!! Yes, everyone is very different and I can say I am or had sugar addiction....not meaning I need to eat Twinkies, candy cars, soda....SUGAR is in every food, it's amazing how much sugar is loaded in something like yogurt that even is low fat, low calorie. Once I really cut those sugars in the beginning I get headaches, feel tired so that is what I refer to as sugar being addictive. So, you just have to be mindful and this app will help. In the beginning is very hard but then it will be easier....
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Sugar's not in the fat-free yogurt I buy, though. (Norman's fat-free double-protein)
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    SuzMar17 wrote: »
    dani_1977 wrote: »
    Wow... I'm always so surprised at the back and forth on this website. Can't we all just agree, to understand that NOT one of us are the same. What works you may not work for all.

    Some people are addicted to alcohol. Some are not, and can drink in moderation......some can't .

    I find sugar to be extremely addictive. So, I myself can not practice "every thing moderation" when it comes to sweet/sugary items. I get my sugar from natural sources, fruits,veggies, whole grains, agave & raw honey.

    I am 50 days almost days in and I have no real cravings. When previously it was daily!!! I will say I did this before, but what I didn't change was white bread and pasta. I have pretty much removed it from my diet, this time around. I can completely tell that this has assisted majorly in helping lower my cravings for sugar even around my T.O.M. !!!

    To each, his own.

    I also know plenty of folks who practice " everything in moderation". Fitting the sweet treats in to their daily caloric allowance, it works for them.

    Find what works for you. But if fitting sugar in your daily allowance doesn't work out. Give it two weeks to detox ( eliminating sugary treats for 2 weeks) and see how you feel.

    Exactly what she said!!! Yes, everyone is very different and I can say I am or had sugar addiction....not meaning I need to eat Twinkies, candy cars, soda....SUGAR is in every food, it's amazing how much sugar is loaded in something like yogurt that even is low fat, low calorie. Once I really cut those sugars in the beginning I get headaches, feel tired so that is what I refer to as sugar being addictive. So, you just have to be mindful and this app will help. In the beginning is very hard but then it will be easier....

    Low fat natural yoghurt is not loaded with sugar. It has slightly more lactose (sugar) than full fat, because it has less fat.

    You likely get headaches because when you reduce sugar, you're reducing carbs. Your body will drop water, and your electrolyte balance would be out.
  • CynthiasChoice
    CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
    ccrdragon wrote: »
    Billiejo77 wrote: »
    Sugar is in fact very addictive, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23719144, i always find myself wanting/needing it, the only thing i've found that helps me is self control, it's a mind/craving thing, good luck to you fannydavis21

    The summary from the article you linked to:

    ;SUMMARY:
    The biological robustness in the neural substrates of sugar and sweet reward may be sufficient to explain why many people can have difficultly to control the consumption of foods high in sugar when continuously exposed to them.

    This does not say that sugar is addictive - it says that people may have a hard time controlling themselves.

    Thanks for posting this - since I was too lazy to read the study!

    Some people really do have a very hard time controlling themselves when they are continuously exposed to foods high in sugar. Including me. Those of us who are affected like this are not morally inferior, stupid or crazy. There's a biological component to this related to insulin and other hormones - possibly discussed in the study listed above. (I'll get to it!)

    I haven't yet learned how to moderate, though I hope one day I will. If I eat a high sugar treat, all I can think of for days afterwards is eating another high sugar treat. The cravings can come once every half hour throughout the day, and it's exhausting to keep saying "No!" These cravings are intense, and it's difficult to turn them off.

    The only thing that turns them off for me is abstinence. If I can get through 3 - 4 days without added sugar or flour, I notice a drastic change in my thoughts and impulses. Life becomes much more peaceful and I feel in control. I've finally realized that's more important to me than a donut.
  • sytchequeen
    sytchequeen Posts: 526 Member
    edited October 2017
    yeah, well, there's physical addiction and psychological addiction. Because a substance is not addictive per se does not mean a person wont develop a psychological response to it.
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