Struggling with Sugar

So up until last year at this time I was able to avoid sugar at ease. I had lost about 160 lbs. I was at my smallest, albeit I was too small (5'9 140 lbs male). I had put on weight and was happy at around 155 lbs but have since put on about 15 extra pounds because I can't stop eating sugary desserts. I constantly crave them and can eat an entire quart of ice cream with no problem. I'm very concerned because I can't stop eating these things. I wake up and have awful cravings for these and eventually give in to the cravings. I try to stop myself from buying them but I keep failing and giving in. Anyone have any suggestions?
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Replies

  • jmath0303
    jmath0303 Posts: 71 Member
    Having lost so much weight, I think you must have become an expert and I'd like to hear more about how you've done so well!

    As for sugar cravings, my meager advice is that it seems like the less you succumb, the less the cravings. My tiny achievement this year has been to eat absolutely no standard Halloween candy, despite it being in bowls all over work and elsewhere. I try to stick to the rules at work: no candy, no cookies, no donuts, no desserts. Sometimes, I eat a Kind bar in the afternoon. I also eat a square of dark chocolate after dinner most nights.

    Best wishes of continued success to you! Let us know how you lost your weight!

    I've been trying my best to avoid it. I'm a big time bored eater and also a night eater. I will wake up in the middle of the night with massive cravings for sugar. It's quite a battle. My weight loss was pretty simple: never miss a day in the gym and cut out fast food and just eating cleaner in general. It took about 2.5 years to get all that weight off. Quite a journey and I just don't want to end up being overweight again!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    jmath0303 wrote: »
    So up until last year at this time I was able to avoid sugar at ease. I had lost about 160 lbs. I was at my smallest, albeit I was too small (5'9 140 lbs male). I had put on weight and was happy at around 155 lbs but have since put on about 15 extra pounds because I can't stop eating sugary desserts. I constantly crave them and can eat an entire quart of ice cream with no problem. I'm very concerned because I can't stop eating these things. I wake up and have awful cravings for these and eventually give in to the cravings. I try to stop myself from buying them but I keep failing and giving in. Anyone have any suggestions?

    Sometimes cravings are from undereating. What were your maintenance calories? How quickly are you trying to lose those 15 pounds?

    <<snip>>

    My first thought, too.
  • jmath0303
    jmath0303 Posts: 71 Member
    This is my worst nightmare. It's what I dread, and even dream about. I wish I had advice for you, and I hope someone gives you scintillating advice useful to the rest of us, too.

    And I'm sorry, but I'm going to vent here for those of you who hit disagree every time someone discusses a "sugar addiction". For those who pooh-pooh sugar cravings or addictions, you have not been there. I could scarf down two or three pounds of candy a day without a second thought. Oh, yes, there was a second thought: "I wonder if there's any more candy in the house?" And if there wasn't, well I would cook up some excuse to run to the grocery store to buy more.

    I come from an addictive family- alcohol, drugs, food. Why should sugar be any different? I get the buzz, the letdown, the craving, the "can't stop thinking about how to obtain more", I hid it, ate it in secret, in public, blew off attempts lovingly help me, ignored the prediabetic warnings. The only thing that worked for me was going cold turkey- the same thing an alcoholic family member did. Which, I might add, was one of the most amazing acts of self control I've ever seen in my life. I would count myself honored to be considered in that class.

    Even now, if I have a little, I have to have more. Thank God I have an off switch now. I always worry about the switch getting stuck again, though.

    Don't judge what other people feel is a trial and a burden to them, if you haven't stood in their shoes, which might be in the shifting sugar sands of a freaking mountain of sweets.

    Yes, I used to be very overweight and lost a bunch of weight just going cold turkey. Once I got down to a weight that was too skinny I put on weight intentionally and that's when I reintroduced sugar back in to my life. I am going to have to go cold turkey again but it's been way more difficult this time around
  • jmath0303
    jmath0303 Posts: 71 Member
    This is my worst nightmare. It's what I dread, and even dream about. I wish I had advice for you, and I hope someone gives you scintillating advice useful to the rest of us, too.

    And I'm sorry, but I'm going to vent here for those of you who hit disagree every time someone discusses a "sugar addiction". For those who pooh-pooh sugar cravings or addictions, you have not been there. I could scarf down two or three pounds of candy a day without a second thought. Oh, yes, there was a second thought: "I wonder if there's any more candy in the house?" And if there wasn't, well I would cook up some excuse to run to the grocery store to buy more.

    I come from an addictive family- alcohol, drugs, food. Why should sugar be any different? I get the buzz, the letdown, the craving, the "can't stop thinking about how to obtain more", I hid it, ate it in secret, in public, blew off attempts lovingly help me, ignored the prediabetic warnings. The only thing that worked for me was going cold turkey- the same thing an alcoholic family member did. Which, I might add, was one of the most amazing acts of self control I've ever seen in my life. I would count myself honored to be considered in that class.

    Even now, if I have a little, I have to have more. Thank God I have an off switch now. I always worry about the switch getting stuck again, though.

    Don't judge what other people feel is a trial and a burden to them, if you haven't stood in their shoes, which might be in the shifting sugar sands of a freaking mountain of sweets.
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    jmath0303 wrote: »
    So up until last year at this time I was able to avoid sugar at ease. I had lost about 160 lbs. I was at my smallest, albeit I was too small (5'9 140 lbs male). I had put on weight and was happy at around 155 lbs but have since put on about 15 extra pounds because I can't stop eating sugary desserts. I constantly crave them and can eat an entire quart of ice cream with no problem. I'm very concerned because I can't stop eating these things. I wake up and have awful cravings for these and eventually give in to the cravings. I try to stop myself from buying them but I keep failing and giving in. Anyone have any suggestions?

    Sometimes cravings are from undereating. What were your maintenance calories? How quickly are you trying to lose those 15 pounds?

    Lots of times my cravings just mean I am low on protein or calories. My brain says "ice cream!" but it can be satisfied with a balanced meal with some fruit. For middle of the night hunger, I have either a small snack bar or some almonds and an apricot.

    If I am eating primarily fat and carbs (like ice cream) I can eat and eat and eat and never feel satisfied. I need protein and fiber to feel full.

    Oh, I can't keep ice cream in the house. I try once or twice a year but simply cannot moderate it.

    I was a little out of control with the snack bars (and Halloween candy, and other snacky things) so am challenging myself to limit myself to the WHO recommendation of no more than 5% of calories come from added sugar (which they call "free sugar") and found this challenge very helpful https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10769530/30-day-logging-limiting-added-sugar-challenge/p1

    I'm definitely not under maintenance I've been eating like this for a few months now, just I've been able to keep it at a slow gain because I work out but recently I got a stress fracture in my foot and pulled something iny ribs (probably an oblique but who knows) and haven't been able to hit the gym. I just need to cut it out of my life completely!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    I'm with you, @springlering62, and have the same problem(s) but this forum is just not friendly to food addiction.

    I think after spending a lot of time dealing with this I had to accept that just like alcoholism, people who don't have this problem tend to say, "Just don't drink. Just have one. Just have a small piece of chocolate every day. Why can't you have one beer and stop? Try having a small bowl of ice cream."

    As if.

    They don't understand because it is not their biological experience. They are able to stop.

    I just saw a graphic that illustrates this nicely on another thread today but have no idea where :(

    Fruit! Have a piece of fruit!

    One glass of wine surely won't hurt you!

    Have one serving of pie and put the rest away!

    You could have a drink on New Years, right?

    "A" piece of dark chocolate will do the trick!

    If you just have beer, you won't drink too much!

    You're not going to give up cookies forever?!?!?!?

    Surely you'll be able to drink responsibly, you haven't had one in months!?!?!?!



    It. Never. Stops. I haven't drank in many years. I still have to sidestep these statements Every. Day.

    Huh, I get that the food moderation comments happen because I see it all the time here, but I am really surprised about the alcohol comments. I thought the fact that some people need to abstain from alcohol had penetrated the public consciousness already.
  • jelleigh
    jelleigh Posts: 743 Member
    I find that if I eat carbs, I crave sugar (carbs break down into sugars anyhow). Maybe try to take a few weeks and eat LCHF or high protein? I find that kicks sugar cravings after a few weeks.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,419 Member
    psychod787 wrote: »
    I'm with you, @springlering62, and have the same problem(s) but this forum is just not friendly to food addiction.

    I think after spending a lot of time dealing with this I had to accept that just like alcoholism, people who don't have this problem tend to say, "Just don't drink. Just have one. Just have a small piece of chocolate every day. Why can't you have one beer and stop? Try having a small bowl of ice cream."

    As if.

    They don't understand because it is not their biological experience. They are able to stop.

    @cmriverside , I completely understand having trouble moderating certain foods. Funyun/Chips are one of mine. I fully abstain. I also state that many foods, especially those with high carb/fat combinations can use the same reward pathways as certain chemicals of addiction. Not just food, shopping, hell, even exercise can cause addictive like behaviors, but to call ones self addicted is hard for me to say. While ice cream may cause reward centers in my brain to light up, I won't go into a seizure, poop myself, and possibly die if I don't get it. While no expert in addiction, I have been a nurse for well over 100 people detoxing from alcohol and drugs.

    **edit** interesting blog here.... http://www.stephanguyenet.com/why-are-some-people-carboholics/

    And yet, that is exactly the conclusion of Guyenet's article...
  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,073 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    Having lost so much weight, I think you must have become an expert and I'd like to hear more about how you've done so well!

    The bolded is rarely ever true.

    I have lost over 150 lbs and I would say I am an expert. If you lose weight by changing how you eat, what you eat and exercising I do not see how you do it without becoming an expert. It does not mean you are perfect, but you become pretty knowledgeable about what it takes to lose weight.
  • lizmcvey
    lizmcvey Posts: 64 Member
    I'm in the same situation right now. I've come to the realization that it's a lifetime sentence and I'll be fighting sugar until the day I die. Some days and stretches of time are better than others although I'm pulling out of a tough patch right now. I find that if I cut it off altogether it's the best result. As I don't eat it, I don't crave it. I do eat plenty of fruits though, both fresh and dried no sugar added. It helps to get some of natures candy when you're saying no to all the fake candy. It's hard to explain but I find that I'm very competitive with myself so if I look ahead a the week and say no junk, only packed lunches this week, I tend to want to 'win'. I also tell people around me and they eventually stop offering things they know I'm trying to avoid. People may say you have to live a little but I know myself very well, living a little is eating a piece of pie on Thanksgiving, what I do when I loose control is something else completely. I also make sure not to let me exercise go by the wayside. It at least helps counteract plus its really hard to run with a belly full of sugar.