Need to crack this sugar addiction.....if I could just do that I know I would succeed !
Replies
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ThatHealthyCaper wrote: »
I can totally relate to this! And I do believe it is more addictive than cigarettes! I quit smoking yet it seems impossible to quit sugar.
I think why this can be, is usually because you KNOW that smoking the cigarettes will start the addiction again and that smoking is very bad for you. It's easy to think that having a Cadbury egg (or whatever) is harmless, because in reality it probably is, and for most of us even overeating isn't that major a thing -- the evidence DOES show that when someone has a concrete reason to lose weight (like a specific health problem) it's easier.
For me, dealing with this issue wasn't really like dealing with an addiction (except the think the consequences through concept can be useful). Instead, it was similar to other ways to compare short term and long term benefits. YES, overeating today is no big thing, and I won't gain meaningful weight, but if I change the focus to having a buy in to a longer term plan (often one that I can believe will work for me as a way of life) than I am choosing between complying with the plan (which I believe is good for me) and hitting my goals as planned vs. not. The choice begins to mean something.
IMO, this is easier if you work in things you couldn't imagine living without, but in an occasional and controlled way, but what those things are is going to vary person by person.
Point is that what makes it difficult is that you need to have a concrete reason, and a way to make a small choice that gives immediate pleasure and little immediate negative be part of the broader whole.As a rule, I do my best to avoid refined sugars (but those damn Cadbury Easter Creme Eggs get me every time)! I feel like those are the ones that are the worst for you.
Sugar is sugar, but some foods with sugar (often it's refined sugar, but it's the food as a whole that's the difference) are easier to overeat, more caloric (often due to fat as much as sugar), and low in nutrients, so it's not that the sugar in fruit (or whatever) is different or other sugar is worse for you, it's that fruit tends to be nutritious, lower cal, harder to overeat.
I really hate things like the Sanfilippo "detox," not only because (as you say) of course it is not a detox, but because it is basically low carb, and anti fruit, as if carbs and specifically fruit were bad and to be "detoxed" from. Some might find it helpful (I suspect it's more that doing some plan that promises effects is fun for some), but most people who struggle with control over some trigger foods or sweets or whatever have no particular reason to cut out fruit. IMO, most people probably could eat more fruit. (Actually, as I recall Sanfilippo is paleo, so no legumes, grains, or dairy. I definitely think there's no benefit for cutting legumes, and probably not dairy or whole grains, for the vast majority of people on the so-called SAD.)
I find taking a break from sweets (snack or dessert-type foods with added sugar) occasionally is helpful for me, but some find that more triggering or problematic than eating the foods in moderation, so it will depend on the person.4 -
Only one factor of many, but this is a factor:
When it comes to subjective experiences or perceptions (such as "sugar addiction" and "sugar cravings"), if you believe it to be true, it is true. We have some influence over our own beliefs.
Might want to think over what are your most productive strategies . . . and there will be more than one strategy that will be helpful in this situation, if you ask me.
Shifting gears: For me, and some others, it helped to consciously work to eat some minimum number of fruit servings every day for few weeks. Personally, I went for 3 servings daily. After a while, many highly-processed sweet foods - like cheap commercial baked goods, most mainstream candy, etc. - started tasting way too simple (i.e. boring, not worthwhile) and way too sweet: Just. Not. Good. YMMV.7 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »
I think why this can be, is usually because you KNOW that smoking the cigarettes will start the addiction again and that smoking is very bad for you. It's easy to think that having a Cadbury egg (or whatever) is harmless, because in reality it probably is, and for most of us even overeating isn't that major a thing -- the evidence DOES show that when someone has a concrete reason to lose weight (like a specific health problem) it's easier.
For me, dealing with this issue wasn't really like dealing with an addiction (except the think the consequences through concept can be useful). Instead, it was similar to other ways to compare short term and long term benefits. YES, overeating today is no big thing, and I won't gain meaningful weight, but if I change the focus to having a buy in to a longer term plan (often one that I can believe will work for me as a way of life) than I am choosing between complying with the plan (which I believe is good for me) and hitting my goals as planned vs. not. The choice begins to mean something.
IMO, this is easier if you work in things you couldn't imagine living without, but in an occasional and controlled way, but what those things are is going to vary person by person.
Point is that what makes it difficult is that you need to have a concrete reason, and a way to make a small choice that gives immediate pleasure and little immediate negative be part of the broader whole.
Sugar is sugar, but some foods with sugar (often it's refined sugar, but it's the food as a whole that's the difference) are easier to overeat, more caloric (often due to fat as much as sugar), and low in nutrients, so it's not that the sugar in fruit (or whatever) is different or other sugar is worse for you, it's that fruit tends to be nutritious, lower cal, harder to overeat.
I really hate things like the Sanfilippo "detox," not only because (as you say) of course it is not a detox, but because it is basically low carb, and anti fruit, as if carbs and specifically fruit were bad and to be "detoxed" from. Some might find it helpful (I suspect it's more that doing some plan that promises effects is fun for some), but most people who struggle with control over some trigger foods or sweets or whatever have no particular reason to cut out fruit. IMO, most people probably could eat more fruit. (Actually, as I recall Sanfilippo is paleo, so no legumes, grains, or dairy. I definitely think there's no benefit for cutting legumes, and probably not dairy or whole grains, for the vast majority of people on the so-called SAD.)
I find taking a break from sweets (snack or dessert-type foods with added sugar) occasionally is helpful for me, but some find that more triggering or problematic than eating the foods in moderation, so it will depend on the person.
its not hard to overeat fruit. you put some cherries in front of me and I can eat more than 3lbs in a setting. watermelon, or any type melon yep I can eat a LOT of it. thats one reason I gained weight. I thought oh I cant get fat its fruit. yep I was going way over my calories just from the fruit I was eating. I can eat a whole pineapple myself too. now I make it fit like everything else into my calories.like today I had one cookie and was fine with it. some days I want more than one. just depends on my mood too.0 -
Good luck! You'll get a lot of mixed opinions and approaches on here to try for yourself, so keep trying and you'll find the solution that works for you.
Yes! Different things work for different people. I have a serious sweet tooth and its hard. Oh so hard! I still haven't figured it out but glad to see some positive advice on here because even though the majority of people posting are positive there are a few low key negative nancys.6 -
I can enjoy Sweet and Low added to a cup of coffee every morning and sometimes at night. It HELPS my sugar cravings. I like Sweet and Low more than Splenda or Equal.lemurcat12 wrote: »
Not me. You can't claim this for others.
Maybe for you. OP should figure out what works for her. (I don't think she even brought up diet soda or whatever, so really this seems to be derailing the thread.)
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The Sugar Addiction 12 steps
We admitted we were powerless over sugar - that our lives had become unmanageable.
Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves (aka Gary Taubes) could restore us to sanity.
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of Gary Taubes as we understood Him.
Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Admitted to Gary Taubes, to ourselves and to another human being (preferably Robert Lustig) the exact nature of our wrongs.
Were entirely ready to have Gary Taubes remove all these defects of character.
Humbly asked Gary Taubes to remove our shortcomings.
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with Gary Taubes as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to sugar addicts and to practice these principles in all our affairs.21 -
It's not "just silly", you think it's silly, and that's ok.Carlos_421 wrote: »
The idea that junk food is practically predigested is just silly. Highly palatable? Yes (due largely to the fat content).
Also, sugar is naturally white. People seem to think it's bleached or processed to get it that way but nope, that's its natural color.
I don't think sugar is bleached in order to be white. "White sugar" could be the wrong term, is it "table sugar"?1 -
But I didn't say that all the flavors in all fruits need habituation. I meant that there are so many components in many fruits, and that some of them need habituation. I rememeber I had to get used to seasonal fruit every year, growing up. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy them once I got into it.lemurcat12 wrote: »
I don't think this is true. The main flavor fruits have is sweet (many of them are pretty intensely sweet too). I think children (who are born mainly wanting sweet and having to learn to like other flavors, if memory serves) generally enjoy fruit. I can't remember back to my own baby or toddlerhood, but I know my sister did, and most small children I know now love fruit, and by the time my memory kicks in I recall loving it. Some kids have weird texture issues with some fruit, but they still tend to enjoy juice (which is the flavor alone).0 -
Heh, I stole sweets at home, even made a feeble attempt at shoplifting once, very embarrassing.
I've seen alcoholics drink mouthwash or even Sterno to get their fix. I've seen smokers rummaging through ash trays or picking up discarded cigarette butts off the street to get a couple drags off them.
Both alcohol and tobacco are legal for everybody to buy and use without a license, and available everywhere.
I've never seen a "sugar addict" digging donuts out of a trash can and licking the sugar off them to feed their "addiction". Nor have I ever seen a "sugar addict" committing residential burglaries, stealing from family/friends or engaging in prostitution to fund their "habit" (as often seen in true "addicts").
And here's what research has to say about "sugar addiction": https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28330706
Are you saying that kids can buy alcohol and tobacco legally where you live??3 -
kommodevaran wrote: »But I didn't say that all the flavors in all fruits need habituation. I meant that there are so many components in many fruits, and that some of them need habituation. I rememeber I had to get used to seasonal fruit every year, growing up. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy them once I got into it.
I just disagree; I don't think the flavors in fruit are complicated or ones that one has to learn to like, no more so than the flavors in anything else (including so called sweets).
But if it's a matter of taste there's no way to change anyone's mind.
Re: ""White sugar" could be the wrong term, is it "table sugar"?"
Yeah, I'd call what I think you are talking about table sugar.0 -
Try chromium picolinate, a mineral supplement available everywhere. It works for my sugar craving.
http://www.womenshealthmag.co.uk/weight-loss/healthy-eating/1139/no-sugar-challenge-chromium-supplements/16 -
3
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Cold turkey, white knuckle is the way to go. You can do it! It doesn't last that long in the scheme of life.16
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i was a smoker for 28 years. I quit cold turkey and haven't smoked in now 7 years. I have a sugar addiction. It is much harder to kick sugar addiction. I can avoid smoking because i can stay away from people places and things that trigger the urge. (even today after 7 yrs - still get urges to smoke). You cannot do that with sugar. Sugar is such a large part of this culture, it is extremely hard to avoid. I always have bad days where i want to eat mounds of sugar. I can fight a lot of the cravings by eating sweet fruits. the sweeter the better, but be careful as this can sometime trigger the overwhelming desire to eat sugary foods.16
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i was a smoker for 28 years. I quit cold turkey and haven't smoked in now 7 years. I have a sugar addiction. It is much harder to kick sugar addiction. I can avoid smoking because i can stay away from people places and things that trigger the urge. (even today after 7 yrs - still get urges to smoke). You cannot do that with sugar. Sugar is such a large part of this culture, it is extremely hard to avoid. I always have bad days where i want to eat mounds of sugar. I can fight a lot of the cravings by eating sweet fruits. the sweeter the better, but be careful as this can sometime trigger the overwhelming desire to eat sugary foods.
This is the thing that really gets me about the folks that claim to have a sugar addiction - how can you fight an addiction to sugar by eating sugar (since the sugar in the fruit is what makes it sweet)?!? This sounds to me like telling a smoker to fight the urge to smoke by having a smoke or telling an alcoholic to have a drink to fight the urge to drink.17 -
kommodevaran wrote: »It's not "just silly", you think it's silly, and that's ok.
I don't think sugar is bleached in order to be white. "White sugar" could be the wrong term, is it "table sugar"?
But how does "junk food" being highly palatable (simple, strong flavors) render it practically predigested? Your digestive system still has to break it down and absorb it.8 -
This is the thing that really gets me about the folks that claim to have a sugar addiction - how can you fight an addiction to sugar by eating sugar (since the sugar in the fruit is what makes it sweet)?!? This sounds to me like telling a smoker to fight the urge to smoke by having a smoke or telling an alcoholic to have a drink to fight the urge to drink.
Right? It's like swapping cigs for chewing tobacco and claiming you beat the habit...5 -
GrammiJano wrote: »No I haven't but thank u for the idea -)
I buy sugarless candy when I want sugar i pop a sugarless candy and desire for candy is gone works for me3 -
This is the thing that really gets me about the folks that claim to have a sugar addiction - how can you fight an addiction to sugar by eating sugar (since the sugar in the fruit is what makes it sweet)?!? This sounds to me like telling a smoker to fight the urge to smoke by having a smoke or telling an alcoholic to have a drink to fight the urge to drink.
While I never claimed to have a sugar addiction (I don't personally think that's a thing), I did at one point - long before losing weight - decide I was eating more high-calorie but not terribly nutritious things than I wanted to eat (baked goods, candy).
I found eating fruit instead very helpful in making that change without needing white-knuckled will power (not my long suit). Fruit tends to be lower calorie and more nutrient dense for those calories than baked goods and candy (though I'm sure you can come up with counter-examples).
That's why I suggested the fruit strategy up thread.
I think it's possible for those of us who don't believe in "sugar addiction" to over focus on arguing that it's not a real addiction, and under focus on trying to help the OP, a strategy that tends to get threads (or parts thereof) banished to the debate forum for yet another tiresome round of same-old same-old.
Some common foods that get a fair fraction of their calories from sugar are also highly palatable to many people, are temptingly ubiquitous, are culturally put on a bit of a pedestal as "treats" (who doesn't deserve a treat?
), may tend to encourage blood sugar swings that trigger cravings in some, are tightly habit-linked for some, and other factors that can make them a challenge to moderate.
It's not an addiction, but it can be a problem. Why not suggest something that can help solve the problem? Just because someone misconceives it as a "cure" for an "addiction" doesn't invalidate the strategy.7 -
While I never claimed to have a sugar addiction (I don't personally think that's a thing), I did at one point - long before losing weight - decide I was eating more high-calorie but not terribly nutritious things than I wanted to eat (baked goods, candy).
I found eating fruit instead very helpful in making that change without needing white-knuckled will power (not my long suit). Fruit tends to be lower calorie and more nutrient dense for those calories than baked goods and candy (though I'm sure you can come up with counter-examples).
That's why I suggested the fruit strategy up thread.
I think it's possible for those of us who don't believe in "sugar addiction" to over focus on arguing that it's not a real addiction, and under focus on trying to help the OP, a strategy that tends to get threads (or parts thereof) banished to the debate forum for yet another tiresome round of same-old same-old.
Some common foods that get a fair fraction of their calories from sugar are also highly palatable to many people, are temptingly ubiquitous, are culturally put on a bit of a pedestal as "treats" (who doesn't deserve a treat? ), may tend to encourage blood sugar swings that trigger cravings in some, are tightly habit-linked for some, and other factors that can make them a challenge to moderate.
It's not an addiction, but it can be a problem. Why not suggest something that can help solve the problem? Just because someone misconceives it as a "cure" for an "addiction" doesn't invalidate the strategy.
I agree with everything that you are saying here - the difference is that the person I quoted was very adamant that she has a sugar addiction and the way to deal with the addiction is to eat more sugar even tho she changes the delivery form of the sugar.2 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »
But how does "junk food" being highly palatable (simple, strong flavors) render it practically predigested? Your digestive system still has to break it down and absorb it.
I think the idea is that it gets digested and you feel the effect of it very quickly (which is true if we are talking things that are sugar and refined carbs -- it's why they are great for fueling just before or during exercise).
Whether that matters to someone is going to vary by person, and I don't think it has to do with "addiction," of course (but I don't think OP's choice of that work should determine what we suggest as possibly helpful for her).
That many people find fruit helpful in dealing with a desire to overeat sweet does suggest to me that the issue is not simply sugar, but more significantly I think fruit CAN BE helpful and many people who find sweets (or some sweets) hard to control find that fruit is no problem.2 -
I used to believe I had a sugar addiction. Turns out sugar is just delicious and I had a self control problem. When I was fat it was no big deal to have 4 more donuts anyway because I was already fat. Are you sure your 'addiction' isn't psychological? I am perfectly able to have just the 1 NOW. Enter personal accountability. It's easy to believe its a big bad substance that's to blame. When the pain of change was less than the pain of staying the same my sugar addiction cured itself. Go figure. Still smoke cigs tho! haha10
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Craving, yes
Addiction, nope
Lack of being able to control your cravings and justifying it in your mind as an addiction to make you feel better about your lack of self control.
Been there, done that. Learned to control my consumption of sugar as all other foods that I over indulged in. Better choices, moderation, portion control and adhering to calorie budget.7 -
Sugar consumption has increased exponentially over recent centuries. When refined sugar was first available the average amount people ate in the 1600's was a couple of lb a year. Over the next centuries the amount gradually increased to the devastating amounts many consume now. Its so difficult to get way from refined sugar, reading labels helps, yet remember the low fat salad dressings, laced with sugar to reduce the fat content. This was because all fat was seen as very bad and it still happens. Thankfully we are somewhat more enlightened now because fats are needed to make hormones and other things our bodies desperately need.
Many of us educated people know if we eat too much sugar our bodies will produce insulin in order to deal with it, we now know glucose is trap and stored for a rainy day when food is in short supply. Fortunately most of us are not undernourished. Regrettably it is often easier to reach for a doughnut than find ingredients for a good meal, which does not tax our systems.
Some where along our road to being so very civilised as we have become, so very far removed from the diet we used to have pre 1700, our foods are now full of highly refined sugar which favour yeast producing microbes the more sugar they receive the more they want.
Not everyone will have a problem with sugar, much depends on their personal range of digestive microbes. Native populations who keep to their ancestral diets have higher digestive microbe specie numbers and their societies do not suffer modern ailments we do. Treated well our bodies look after themselves.21 -
Sugar consumption has increased exponentially over recent centuries. When refined sugar was first available the average amount people ate in the 1600's was a couple of lb a year. Over the next centuries the amount gradually increased to the devastating amounts many consume now. Its so difficult to get way from refined sugar, reading labels helps, yet remember the low fat salad dressings, laced with sugar to reduce the fat content. This was because all fat was seen as very bad and it still happens. Thankfully we are somewhat more enlightened now because fats are needed to make hormones and other things our bodies desperately need.
Many of us educated people know if we eat too much sugar our bodies will produce insulin in order to deal with it, we now know glucose is trap and stored for a rainy day when food is in short supply. Fortunately most of us are not undernourished. Regrettably it is often easier to reach for a doughnut than find ingredients for a good meal, which does not tax our systems.
Some where along our road to being so very civilised as we have become, so very far removed from the diet we used to have pre 1700, our foods are now full of highly refined sugar which favour yeast producing microbes the more sugar they receive the more they want.
Not everyone will have a problem with sugar, much depends on their personal range of digestive microbes. Native populations who keep to their ancestral diets have higher digestive microbe specie numbers and their societies do not suffer modern ailments we do. Treated well our bodies look after themselves.
BEWARE!
THE HORRIBLE LOW FAT SALAD DRESSING FULL OF ADDED SUGAR!
How will I ever deal with that whole 1g more sugar which is most likely caused not by "being laced" but simple volume replacement?14 -
Sugar consumption has increased exponentially over recent centuries. When refined sugar was first available the average amount people ate in the 1600's was a couple of lb a year. Over the next centuries the amount gradually increased to the devastating amounts many consume now. Its so difficult to get way from refined sugar, reading labels helps, yet remember the low fat salad dressings, laced with sugar to reduce the fat content. This was because all fat was seen as very bad and it still happens. Thankfully we are somewhat more enlightened now because fats are needed to make hormones and other things our bodies desperately need.
Many of us educated people know if we eat too much sugar our bodies will produce insulin in order to deal with it, we now know glucose is trap and stored for a rainy day when food is in short supply. Fortunately most of us are not undernourished. Regrettably it is often easier to reach for a doughnut than find ingredients for a good meal, which does not tax our systems.
Some where along our road to being so very civilised as we have become, so very far removed from the diet we used to have pre 1700, our foods are now full of highly refined sugar which favour yeast producing microbes the more sugar they receive the more they want.
Not everyone will have a problem with sugar, much depends on their personal range of digestive microbes. Native populations who keep to their ancestral diets have higher digestive microbe specie numbers and their societies do not suffer modern ailments we do. Treated well our bodies look after themselves.
^
So has the consumption and production of all foods. How does that make sugar consumption an addiction?4 -
"Hidden" Valley, I SEE YOU6
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Pre 1700 human would be amazed by 2018 humans. Probably by everything that has evolved since, and the abundance and availability of food would be a part of that amazement.
Still doesn’t make sugar an addiction6 -
Its so difficult to get way from refined sugar, reading labels helps, yet remember the low fat salad dressings, laced with sugar to reduce the fat content.
No, it's really very easy to avoid added sugar if you primarily eat whole foods (or choose processed foods like dried pasta and canned beans and plain dairy, and many others, which have no sugar added).
Why do people claim it's hard when it's not? I think it's because there's a desire to claim that eating lots of sugar was somehow an accident.
Also, contrary to all this nonsense about hidden sugar, the NJS did an analysis and only 5% of the sugar in the average UK diet is from savory items (and even some of those obviously contain sugar). Note that 5% is less than half the percentage of sugar (11%) as the average UK diet gets from alcoholic beverages.
https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/Top-sources-of-added-sugar-in-our-diet.aspx
That aside, OP's question was not about hidden sugars, it was really more about how to deal with difficulty moderating sweets. I think she's gotten a huge variety of different ideas to try, and I'd be interested to see how it's going for her. Turning this into yet another thread ranting about evil sugar doesn't really allow it to serve that purpose, IMO.10 -
But see, it's much easier to call it an "addiction" because it takes away all that darn 'being responsible for your own actions' stuff (speaking in general terms, not singling anybody out).mrsnattybulking wrote: »I used to believe I had a sugar addiction. Turns out sugar is just delicious and I had a self control problem. When I was fat it was no big deal to have 4 more donuts anyway because I was already fat. Are you sure your 'addiction' isn't psychological? I am perfectly able to have just the 1 NOW. Enter personal accountability. It's easy to believe its a big bad substance that's to blame. When the pain of change was less than the pain of staying the same my sugar addiction cured itself. Go figure. Still smoke cigs tho! haha7
https://youtu.be/KKC5jjFkfgo
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