Need serious help with SUGAR!!!!

Gemmz2014

I have battled sweets all my life. It wasn't so bad when I was in my teens and eating a bag of oreos because I was skinny!! Now I'm FAT. 5'3 and 185lbs AND almost 50! I am a sugar-aholic. I love cookies, donuts, cakes, brownies, not just one piece and walk happily away either. I have to eat it until they are done.

I am worse now than I have ever been. Being a stress eater doesn't help since my job is very stressful and there is crap to eat everywhere!!

I've tried just limiting myself to a "serving" so I get my sweets without feeling deprived but it never seems to work.

Do I quit cold turkey?? Is this to be looked at as any other addiction?

Thank you all in advance.

Greytfish

It's not an addiction. It's a habit, albeit a pretty deeply ingrained one if this has been lifelong behavior.

whitlisd

Yes and YES. I battle too and you have to go cold turkey and never look back. Look at it as a cocaine addiction. Do it once and you are back in your cycle. Trust me. It will take a week or two, but you will notice your whole frame of mind change, you will become more peaceful and the cravings will go away. That means the white breads and stuff like that too. Don't even go there.

janicebinva

I recommend "Thin Tastes Better" or "The Thin Commandments Diet", both by Dr. Stephen Gullo. He spends a good amount of time on helping people decide what to do when there is a particular food or type of food that they simply can't control.

For me, it's chocolate, and I have to go cold turkey. Otherwise after the first brownie, I eat five more. Then after 45 minutes, when I stop feeling terrible from all the sugar and other bad ingredients, I go eat five more still.

You may be the same way. The only times I've been thin have been when I wouldn't eat any chocolate.

queenbea77

I'm on week 1 without sugar so I can totally relate to your problem. I've been having a cup of hot tea (I'm cutting coffee too) and that is helping a bit. I've been mostly drinking green tea, chamomile and I just finished a cup of white tea with peach so the sweet from the fruit flavor is helping. Friend me if you like - it sounds like we are both faced with the same challenges.

Asherah29

I have hypoglycemia, which causes sugar cravings. I deal with it by buying the healthier snack items like granola bars and lots and lots of fruit with very few things like cookies actually entering my house. I know that if they are there and available I will eat them, so I supplement the cravings with fruit, which takes care of the sugar craving, but has the added benefit of being healthy too! That said I occasionally have days when I'm presented with something like a piece of cake and I end up eating half the pan. its something that you have to be aware of and monitor.

changing4life

It's not just sugar, because sugar is just a carb. It's probably all refined carbs that are contributing to this for you. If you cut out all refined carbs (white bread, white pasta, white rice, cookies, cakes, candy etc.) you will have much better luck than just isolating sugar.

knra_grl

don't totally cut out what you love - leave room for something in your calories but be honest with it and make sure you log it , also have the will power to stick to the treat you have allowed yourself - you will feel better accomplishing that task rather than try to cut it out all together and "cheating"

if you have a cheat moment - don't let it get to you - carry on - I am famous for self sabotage - I really blew it this past weekend but put myself in check and it's all good - no significant loss this week but no gain either

ninerbuff

It's not an addiction, but habitual. Takes about 21 days of consistent behavior to form a habit. You just need to form a new habit. Set aside what ever treats you like in a measured portion for that day and STICK TO IT. Do it for 21 days and see if you can stick to that habit. But you HAVE to want to do this. Don't go in with the case of the "well-uhs":

"Well uh this happened"
"Well uh I wanted more"
"Well uh I don't think I can do it"

Unless you change the habit, it will continue.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

bcattoes

My advice would be yes, go cold turkey. At least for a few weeks. Once you break the habit, you will probably find that you no longer crave it and can eat just one serving.

iamthesweenmachine

I agree with the post above about it being a habit. I was the same way, just fed my stress with ice cream and cheese puffs and other junk. It became habitual and really bad for my waisline, and my wallet.

It's okay to have a piece of chocolate every once in awhile, just don't make it a habit. Go without it for a week and you may find that your cravings subside. Then cut back to only like once or twice a week. And limit it to a serving.

Also, try fruit. It's naturally sweet, and may satisfy those cravings long enough. Or combine the unhealthy item with something healthy. A lot of granola bars contain chocolate chips, or have fruit dipped in dark chocolate. It's a sugar craving you can feel goo about.

Linda09189

I to LOVE LOVE LOVE sugar, However what I've done is really lower my carbs, if you do then it takes away that need
to eat sugar stuff, you can't lose weight if you eat all that sugar, honestly I can't, I'm not a one cookie eater once a week
I can easily sit down and eat a whole box of girl scout cookies and then later on have a piece of cake, I do think you
can be addicted to sugar, some ppl just really crave it....I can say that lower my carbs have really helped me not have
those cravings....good luck

Gemmz2014

I recommend "Thin Tastes Better" or "The Thin Commandments Diet", both by Dr. Stephen Gullo. He spends a good amount of time on helping people decide what to do when there is a particular food or type of food that they simply can't control.

For me, it's chocolate, and I have to go cold turkey. Otherwise after the first brownie, I eat five more. Then after 45 minutes, when I stop feeling terrible from all the sugar and other bad ingredients, I go eat five more still.

You may be the same way. The only times I've been thin have been when I wouldn't eat any chocolate.

We must be related.

jonnythan

I have battled sweets all my life. It wasn't so bad when I was in my teens and eating a bag of oreos because I was skinny!! Now I'm FAT. 5'3 and 185lbs AND almost 50! I am a sugar-aholic. I love cookies, donuts, cakes, brownies, not just one piece and walk happily away either. I have to eat it until they are done.

I am worse now than I have ever been. Being a stress eater doesn't help since my job is very stressful and there is crap to eat everywhere!!

I've tried just limiting myself to a "serving" so I get my sweets without feeling deprived but it never seems to work.

Do I quit cold turkey?? Is this to be looked at as any other addiction?

Thank you all in advance.

Well honestly the best thing you can do is understand it's not an addiction. There's no physical need there, the way there is with nicotine or even alcohol.

Learn to moderate your intake. Learn how to have one donut. There will always be another donut tomorrow. Pre-log your food for the day and stick to the plan. There are other techniques to help you.

susan12c2001

So glad you posted this. A lot of us sugar holics out here. I'd love to see recipes with low or no sugar because the home baked goods are a temptation. Best of luck to you on your journey!!!

konerusp

my sugar issue really had to do with magnesium deficiency,once i started taking supplements i was able to stop with 1.
I still love sweets and eat 1 piece of sweet everyday be it a chocolate,small piece of cake etc.
There are times when i do feel like eating more sweet like during TOM or stress-I pick up fruit in such cases and still stick to my 1 sweet a day rule.
I also found that increased vegetable intake helps the body from craving sweets, i think its all the vitamins in vegetables that make sweets less tasty.I added vegetable juices to my diet and now i get an aversion if i eat too much sweet.Try upping your vegetables and eat them until you are full,it keeps you full and not wanting to eat more.

susan12c2001

Great advice!

Gemmz2014

You guys have some great advice!! It's nice to know there are so many people that can relate to my "issue".

Okay, now to try and quit cold turkey. Why do I feel like it's the end of the world? I'm 49 years old for Christ sake!

Sovictorrious

Just snort it... no calories that way

Fit_Mama84

There are a few things you could try. You could try replacing your sugar foods with sugar free versions or healthier/low calorie versions. Fruit can be helpful for this.

You could try cold turkey and use distractions to keep yourself from eating those sugary foods.

You could also try changing your mindset, which is what I have had the most luck with. Let go the the "I can't stop myself" mindset and take responsibility for the decisions you make. For example, when eating a package of cookies, say to yourself I am choosing to eat the entire package of cookies rather than stop at a serving to improve my health (or whatever goal you have set). Put it in perspective and don't give the sweets the control. Make sure to state with honesty the decisions you are making and soon you'll start making better ones.

And as a side note to the last suggestion, I find that I don't obsess over foods as much now that nothing is considered off limits.

climbing_trees

chocolatecoveredkatie.com

dessertswithbenefits.com

foodiefiasco.com

thecoconutdiaries.net

all have good healthy dessert recipes!
I have a killer sweet tooth and I survive because of blogs like these :P