Accountability Buddy—Sugar addiction

JeanneHiggins1

Hi all,
I’m looking for an accountability buddy around sugar addiction. Anyone else struggle with this and might like support and check in with one another?

csplatt

Have you met with a professional about this or is this more of a self diagnosis? I’m only asking because outside of a formal issue that needs professional help, our self talk is powerful. Instead of “I am addicted to sugar,” “I can have two squares of chocolate each day and appreciate it without having more.” I wouldn’t want to give advice to anyone in need of therapy intervention, etc. But if it’s more a general “oh maybe I am addicted to sugar” situation, I would suggest writing some powerful truth statements!

AnnPT77

I think @csplatt has a point there.

But I'm going to go more to nuts and bolts: It doesn't work this way for everyone, but I found that when I made it a point to get 3 or more servings daily of whole fruit, my cravings for less nutrient-dense sweets (things like candy and baked goods) were gradually reduced.

Not gonna lie: It took a little willpower at first - short number of weeks. But after a while, those calorie-dense, nutrient sparse simple sweets weren't craveable, and in the long run many of them seemed unsatisfying, unsubtle, just sweet.

Eventually, I could be more flexible about how much fruit I ate, and keep the effect.

And don't get me wrong: I still eat some desserts (mostly rich ones and only occasionally), and even the very rare simple sweet thing. But they aren't something I want constantly, or can't moderate. Maybe that's just me. And a few others.

Like I said, this isn't a universal thing. However, I'm not the only person here who's said they experienced this. It might be worth a try.

neanderthin

Yeah the carbohydrate insulin model (CIM) of obesity suggests that diets high in processed, high-glycemic-load carbohydrates can lead to overeating and weight gain. Unfortunately sugar laden highly refined foods are the bain of existence for many people, me included. I need to completely stay away from highly processed sugary foods but certain fruit like berries work. I would suggest a lower carb diet that consists of mostly whole foods and without the unfortunate low carb processed foods that the food industrial complex tries to circumvent with nice packaging, marketing and health claims all the while most of these product aren't actually low carb at all and are basically just another highly processed food offering, they really think people are stupid I guess, and many are fooled no doubt.

Eating sugary desserts for example should be consumed after a full meal with a good amount of protein and fat being first to be digested and interrupts the digestion of that dessert which lowers dramatically the insulin response and it's the insulin response where the cascade of hormones dictate our hunger signals in the gut and the brain, basically some people can cope doing that, unfortunately I'm not one of them simply because one dessert a day after dinner becomes 2 desserts after lunch and dinner and it just spirals out of control, but some can manage this, so you might try that.