Food addiction-Sugar

kwantlen2051

I was addicted to soda. Four or five cans a day addicted. So, I switched to tea first, full sugar. Then I started paring the sugar content down and drinking it until it tasted sweet to me again. Once I got to 1/2 cup sugar in a gallon of tea, I was good. I think that ended up like 50 calories per pint Mason jar. I didn't use sweeteners because I wanted to try to learn how to like less sweet things rather than use sweeteners to keep up a level of sweetness that wasn't healthy for me anyway, you know?

I don't know how you'd accomplish this with food, but when I get a chocolate craving, I go to the local cake store, buy 1 or 2 cake pops, eat them, and immediately go next door to walk around the museum for an hour or so. To oversimplify, what works for me is to sate the craving with something small and flavorful, then immediately shift my focus to something else and get a little exercise while doing it. Hope that helps in some way!

Great Advice on the sweeteners and on shifting focus onto something more healthy like walking!

(Edit: I should also mention I'm not doing this everyday, maybe once a week, and I don't even like soda anymore. I'd say its ok to keep the stuff around the house, just not in quantities that will wreck your progress, you know?)

kwantlen2051

I was addicted to soda. Four or five cans a day addicted. So, I switched to tea first, full sugar. Then I started paring the sugar content down and drinking it until it tasted sweet to me again. Once I got to 1/2 cup sugar in a gallon of tea, I was good. I think that ended up like 50 calories per pint Mason jar. I didn't use sweeteners because I wanted to try to learn how to like less sweet things rather than use sweeteners to keep up a level of sweetness that wasn't healthy for me anyway, you know?

I don't know how you'd accomplish this with food, but when I get a chocolate craving, I go to the local cake store, buy 1 or 2 cake pops, eat them, and immediately go next door to walk around the museum for an hour or so. To oversimplify, what works for me is to sate the craving with something small and flavorful, then immediately shift my focus to something else and get a little exercise while doing it. Hope that helps in some way!


(Edit: I should also mention I'm not doing this everyday, maybe once a week, and I don't even like soda anymore. I'd say its ok to keep the stuff around the house, just not in quantities that will wreck your progress, you know?)

Great Advice on the sweeteners and on shifting focus onto something more healthy like walking!

magerum

andi5285

Nope, but because SCIENCE says that there's no such thing as food addiction, then there's no such thing as food addiction. People are free to have their own opinions, but people can't have their own facts.

And that science would be???????

SCIENCE is a funny thing. There are lots of things that couldn't be proven...until they were. There's a lot about the brain and human genetics that aren't yet understood. A lot of people think addiction, in general, is not a disease. I believe it is. I believe there are actual scientists who believe it is. God help us, there might even be scientists that do think FOOD addiction is real! I am not a scientist, and I gather, neither are you. However, I'm sure if you wanted to take some time and research you could find some who do hypothesize about food addiction. A quick google search of "science of food addiction" will lead to several articles that reference scientifc studies of it. For what it's worth, its apparently something that some in the academic/scientific community feel is worthwhile to look into. Until something can be proven false, it does not mean that it cannot be true.

sunshyncatra

Don't keep sugary foods or things you tend to overeat with in your home. Be prepared at home and work with baggies/snack containers of low cal munching foods like celery, carrots and cucumbers (salsa is low cal for dipping, but watch the sodium if you use it). I ate tons of celery when I first started a healthy eating lifestyle because I was in the habit of just munching all the time. It really helped, and I tapered off needing that "crutch" after awhile.

tigersword

these threads always end up going absolutely no where....

I personally do not believe in sugar addiction.

And because you don't believe, no one else is allowed to either?

Nope, but because SCIENCE says that there's no such thing as food addiction, then there's no such thing as food addiction. People are free to have their own opinions, but people can't have their own facts.

Science isn't a person and can't say anything. If there is conclusive scientific proof that food can't be addictive, I'd certainly like to see it.

Considering you can't prove a negative, you're asking for something that doesn't, and can't possibly exist. Which means you are either trolling, or you have absolutely no idea how science works.

Leonidas_meets_Spartacus

I do not keep anything sugary or salty a la junk food in my house. I cannot. I will eat it. One serving bags? Nope, I will eat every single on of those bags. The only thing that works for me is to NOT keep them in the house. I know this may not be the best strategy for everyone, but it works for me. I have absolutely no self control when it comes to stuff junk food. So it is best to just cut off the supply completely.

Why not try to teach yourself some self-control? That's what it's going to take in the long run. You can't make everything out of sight, out of mind.

Its hard when some one has metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance. I was one of those tough guys with self control, until I developed insulin resistance. Human body is much more complicated than self control, your hormones play a bigger role.

tigersword

Nope, but because SCIENCE says that there's no such thing as food addiction, then there's no such thing as food addiction. People are free to have their own opinions, but people can't have their own facts.

And that science would be???????

SCIENCE is a funny thing. There are lots of things that couldn't be proven...until they were. There's a lot about the brain and human genetics that aren't yet understood. A lot of people think addiction, in general, is not a disease. I believe it is. I believe there are actual scientists who believe it is. God help us, there might even be scientists that do think FOOD addiction is real! I am not a scientist, and I gather, neither are you. However, I'm sure if you wanted to take some time and research you could find some who do hypothesize about food addiction. A quick google search of "science of food addiction" will lead to several articles that reference scientifc studies of it. For what it's worth, its apparently something that some in the academic/scientific community feel is worthwhile to look into. Until something can be proven false, it does not mean that it cannot be true.

Articles are the problem. The entire "food addiction" thing is based on media spin, taking random studies completely out of context, and drawing conclusions that don't actually exist in the science.

For instance, a study noting how heroin co-opts the dopamine release system in the brain suddenly gets quoted in an article as saying "Sugar is as addictive to heroin!" (Not even close to what the study actually concluded.)

The same thing happened with fat, the same thing happened with fructose, and now it's happening with "food addiction." Heck, someone recently posted an article here that claimed that eating protein causes cancer. So if we are to go by articles, and not the actual scientific studies themselves, well then all food is bad, and we should stop eating everything.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Nope, but because SCIENCE says that there's no such thing as food addiction, then there's no such thing as food addiction. People are free to have their own opinions, but people can't have their own facts.

And that science would be???????

SCIENCE is a funny thing. There are lots of things that couldn't be proven...until they were. There's a lot about the brain and human genetics that aren't yet understood. A lot of people think addiction, in general, is not a disease. I believe it is. I believe there are actual scientists who believe it is. God help us, there might even be scientists that do think FOOD addiction is real! I am not a scientist, and I gather, neither are you. However, I'm sure if you wanted to take some time and research you could find some who do hypothesize about food addiction. A quick google search of "science of food addiction" will lead to several articles that reference scientifc studies of it. For what it's worth, its apparently something that some in the academic/scientific community feel is worthwhile to look into. Until something can be proven false, it does not mean that it cannot be true.

While there are some anecdotes that have circulated on MFP that make me think food addiction can be real, I don't think it's possible to be addicted to sugar in cake and not addicted to sugar in fruit.

magerum

Nope, but because SCIENCE says that there's no such thing as food addiction, then there's no such thing as food addiction. People are free to have their own opinions, but people can't have their own facts.

And that science would be???????

SCIENCE is a funny thing. There are lots of things that couldn't be proven...until they were. There's a lot about the brain and human genetics that aren't yet understood. A lot of people think addiction, in general, is not a disease. I believe it is. I believe there are actual scientists who believe it is. God help us, there might even be scientists that do think FOOD addiction is real! I am not a scientist, and I gather, neither are you. However, I'm sure if you wanted to take some time and research you could find some who do hypothesize about food addiction. A quick google search of "science of food addiction" will lead to several articles that reference scientifc studies of it. For what it's worth, its apparently something that some in the academic/scientific community feel is worthwhile to look into. Until something can be proven false, it does not mean that it cannot be true.

While there are some anecdotes that have circulated on MFP that make me think food addiction can be real, I don't think it's possible to be addicted to sugar in cake and not addicted to sugar in fruit.

Do you even forum? Sugar in fruit is outside the law.

magerum

cravings for sweet things can mean you are not getting enough sleep or not sleeping deep enough.
do you get your 8+ hours everynight?

Who the hell sleeps that much? You wont get that time back. 8 hour sleep cycles were promoted to help factory shift work in the early 20th century.

SunofaBeach14

Yeah, but have you had sex with a stranger for a box of Twinkies?

Best comment EVER!!!

+1

Hell, I'm not an addict but I'd love it if people would give me Twinkies for sex. And I don't even like Twinkies . . .

Holly_Roman_Empire

I do not keep anything sugary or salty a la junk food in my house. I cannot. I will eat it. One serving bags? Nope, I will eat every single on of those bags. The only thing that works for me is to NOT keep them in the house. I know this may not be the best strategy for everyone, but it works for me. I have absolutely no self control when it comes to stuff junk food. So it is best to just cut off the supply completely.

Why not try to teach yourself some self-control? That's what it's going to take in the long run. You can't make everything out of sight, out of mind.

Its hard when some one has metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance. I was one of those tough guys with self control, until I developed insulin resistance. Human body is much more complicated than self control, your hormones play a bigger role.

I believe you, but I hardly think most of the "I'm a sugar addict, somebody help me!" threads originate from OPs that have medical issues. It's an assumption on my part, but I think it's a safe one.

Hornsby

Subscribing.

DamePiglet

Yeah, but have you had sex with a stranger for a box of Twinkies?

Best comment EVER!!!

+1

Hell, I'm not an addict but I'd love it if people would give me Twinkies for sex. And I don't even like Twinkies . . .

see my quote on the first page.

jmarcin78

I do not keep anything sugary or salty a la junk food in my house. I cannot. I will eat it. One serving bags? Nope, I will eat every single on of those bags. The only thing that works for me is to NOT keep them in the house. I know this may not be the best strategy for everyone, but it works for me. I have absolutely no self control when it comes to stuff junk food. So it is best to just cut off the supply completely.

Why not try to teach yourself some self-control? That's what it's going to take in the long run. You can't make everything out of sight, out of mind.

Its hard when some one has metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance. I was one of those tough guys with self control, until I developed insulin resistance. Human body is much more complicated than self control, your hormones play a bigger role.

Yes, I agree, hormones do play a huge role, too. Sometimes during that time of the month (or not!) I pace my apartment for an hour or so because all I want to do is go down to the corner store and buy a bag of chips or a pint of ice cream. It usually passes, but sometimes it will stick around for two days. If that is the case, then I will probably indulge. It's rare this happens, but when it does I find it not worth the stress to keep pacing. If I indulge in these rare occasions I usually don't want it anymore for months.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Nope, but because SCIENCE says that there's no such thing as food addiction, then there's no such thing as food addiction. People are free to have their own opinions, but people can't have their own facts.

And that science would be???????

SCIENCE is a funny thing. There are lots of things that couldn't be proven...until they were. There's a lot about the brain and human genetics that aren't yet understood. A lot of people think addiction, in general, is not a disease. I believe it is. I believe there are actual scientists who believe it is. God help us, there might even be scientists that do think FOOD addiction is real! I am not a scientist, and I gather, neither are you. However, I'm sure if you wanted to take some time and research you could find some who do hypothesize about food addiction. A quick google search of "science of food addiction" will lead to several articles that reference scientifc studies of it. For what it's worth, its apparently something that some in the academic/scientific community feel is worthwhile to look into. Until something can be proven false, it does not mean that it cannot be true.

While there are some anecdotes that have circulated on MFP that make me think food addiction can be real, I don't think it's possible to be addicted to sugar in cake and not addicted to sugar in fruit.

Do you even forum? Sugar in fruit is outside the law.

Oh right, I forgot. We need to placate the masses when we forum. :drinker:

ndj1979

these threads always end up going absolutely no where....

I personally do not believe in sugar addiction.

Then get off here dude seriously if you have nothing positive to say just leave you are ridiculous. You're beliefs are you're beliefs and I respect that but honestly you look like an *kitten* if you have no advice just leave.

Dr. Peeke gives you advice and her method is to get your mind right eat right an exercise and to log everything you do and feel called mind, mouth, movement. So you would be wrong.

I said "personally" and I did not extrapolate that to everyone..

And if you do not want public comments on a public thread, then I suggest you start a 'sugar addiction' group and make it private ...

I am sorry you can't control yourself around sugar..it does not mean that you are an "addict' and it really discredits people that have real addictions and real problem with say pain killers, crack cocaine, etc...

Madddonnnaaa

I think the whole "sugar addiction" thing is a bunch of baloney. They used to vilify fat, now it's sugar. People love having something to blame. The best advice I can give you is to just not have trigger foods in the house if you are prone to bingeing. But don't eliminate them completely or you'll go nuts. There's no reason to be super restrictive if you're staying under your calorie limit.

I can eat a whole box of sugary cereal and not feel full. Then search the house mindlessly for more sugar. I eat some fat, and I feel full, and stop. I myself am addicted to sugar.

No. You binge on fast absorbing sugars, your blood sugar spikes, your pancreas overcompensates, your blood sugar crashes due to the overcompensation, and your brain screams for sugar in an attempt to correct things.

That's not "addiction." That's called an "unbalanced diet," which leads to health problems.

Also, I can't explain the science behind it, but I think it's widely known around here that protein and fat give you a "full" sensation much better than a meal of carbohydrates.

That's subjective. In general, protein is more satiating, but not always. Besides, my explanation had nothing to do with satiety, I was explaining why the human body craves sugar soon after eating a ridiculous amount of fast absorbing sugars.

Pretty sure I am addicted to , sorry, TABLE SUGAR But this is me. Science may or may not back it up or whatever nonsense, but after living in my body for the past 26 years I know that I am PHYSICALLY addicted to TABLE SUGAR. I don't need a book, scientific journal, nor MFP member to prove to me otherwise.

Hornsby

Science may or may not back it up or whatever nonsense

Best line I have ever heard.....

bcattoes

Nope, but because SCIENCE says that there's no such thing as food addiction, then there's no such thing as food addiction. People are free to have their own opinions, but people can't have their own facts.

And that science would be???????

SCIENCE is a funny thing. There are lots of things that couldn't be proven...until they were. There's a lot about the brain and human genetics that aren't yet understood. A lot of people think addiction, in general, is not a disease. I believe it is. I believe there are actual scientists who believe it is. God help us, there might even be scientists that do think FOOD addiction is real! I am not a scientist, and I gather, neither are you. However, I'm sure if you wanted to take some time and research you could find some who do hypothesize about food addiction. A quick google search of "science of food addiction" will lead to several articles that reference scientifc studies of it. For what it's worth, its apparently something that some in the academic/scientific community feel is worthwhile to look into. Until something can be proven false, it does not mean that it cannot be true.

While there are some anecdotes that have circulated on MFP that make me think food addiction can be real, I don't think it's possible to be addicted to sugar in cake and not addicted to sugar in fruit.

You don't think it is. Meaning you really don't know.

ndj1979

these threads always end up going absolutely no where....

I personally do not believe in sugar addiction.

And because you don't believe, no one else is allowed to either?

you can believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny for all I care...I said "I personally" and did not extrapolate that to anyone else's belief system..

and if you want to see why these threads go nowhere..just go search the forums for "sugar addiction'

SunofaBeach14

these threads always end up going absolutely no where....

I personally do not believe in sugar addiction.

And because you don't believe, no one else is allowed to either?

you can believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny for all I care...I said "I personally" and did not extrapolate that to anyone else's belief system..

and if you want to see why these threads go nowhere..just go search the forums for "sugar addiction'

At least Santa Claus is real . . .

Madddonnnaaa

I'm also addicted to the penis

ndj1979

I think the whole "sugar addiction" thing is a bunch of baloney. They used to vilify fat, now it's sugar. People love having something to blame. The best advice I can give you is to just not have trigger foods in the house if you are prone to bingeing. But don't eliminate them completely or you'll go nuts. There's no reason to be super restrictive if you're staying under your calorie limit.

I can eat a whole box of sugary cereal and not feel full. Then search the house mindlessly for more sugar. I eat some fat, and I feel full, and stop. I myself am addicted to sugar.

No. You binge on fast absorbing sugars, your blood sugar spikes, your pancreas overcompensates, your blood sugar crashes due to the overcompensation, and your brain screams for sugar in an attempt to correct things.

That's not "addiction." That's called an "unbalanced diet," which leads to health problems.

Also, I can't explain the science behind it, but I think it's widely known around here that protein and fat give you a "full" sensation much better than a meal of carbohydrates.

That's subjective. In general, protein is more satiating, but not always. Besides, my explanation had nothing to do with satiety, I was explaining why the human body craves sugar soon after eating a ridiculous amount of fast absorbing sugars.

Pretty sure I am addicted to , sorry, TABLE SUGAR But this is me. Science may or may not back it up or whatever nonsense, but after living in my body for the past 26 years I know that I am PHYSICALLY addicted to TABLE SUGAR. I don't need a book, scientific journal, nor MFP member to prove to me otherwise.

so you can eat fruit sugar, honey, etc with no problem? Pray tell, how does the body distinguish between table sugar and fruit sugar?

jmarcin78

I do not keep anything sugary or salty a la junk food in my house. I cannot. I will eat it. One serving bags? Nope, I will eat every single on of those bags. The only thing that works for me is to NOT keep them in the house. I know this may not be the best strategy for everyone, but it works for me. I have absolutely no self control when it comes to stuff junk food. So it is best to just cut off the supply completely.

Why not try to teach yourself some self-control? That's what it's going to take in the long run. You can't make everything out of sight, out of mind.

This is my form of self control, not keeping it in the house. I practice self control every time I go to the grocery store and not buy these things. You know how hard that is? If I can get out of the store without buying a bag of Cheetos or the half/off Valentines candy, then I WIN.

The form of self control you are talking about is one that does not work for me as I am indeed an out-of-sight-out-of-mind type of person. I know what works for me and I am passing the knowledge on the OP. So spare me your judgment.

Who's judging? Geez, I guess you can't say anything that might question a post on here in regards to advice. But anyway, it sounds like you are exercising self-control by not buying it in the first place. :ohwell:

Maybe you should go back and read your posts. You come off as pretty judgmental as opposed to someone trying to provide advice.

eric_sg61

I'm also addicted to the penis

Holly_Roman_Empire

Nope, but because SCIENCE says that there's no such thing as food addiction, then there's no such thing as food addiction. People are free to have their own opinions, but people can't have their own facts.

And that science would be???????

SCIENCE is a funny thing. There are lots of things that couldn't be proven...until they were. There's a lot about the brain and human genetics that aren't yet understood. A lot of people think addiction, in general, is not a disease. I believe it is. I believe there are actual scientists who believe it is. God help us, there might even be scientists that do think FOOD addiction is real! I am not a scientist, and I gather, neither are you. However, I'm sure if you wanted to take some time and research you could find some who do hypothesize about food addiction. A quick google search of "science of food addiction" will lead to several articles that reference scientifc studies of it. For what it's worth, its apparently something that some in the academic/scientific community feel is worthwhile to look into. Until something can be proven false, it does not mean that it cannot be true.

While there are some anecdotes that have circulated on MFP that make me think food addiction can be real, I don't think it's possible to be addicted to sugar in cake and not addicted to sugar in fruit.

You don't think it is. Meaning you really don't know.

Well, let's go back to the whole "you can't prove a negative" post someone made to you earlier.

Madddonnnaaa

I'm also addicted to the penis

life is hard.

Inspiring_Sara

You know what you are right I should just do a group but excuse me for not knowing the site very well (i didnt know there were groups) and also for the fact that i thought this was a supportive site but from comments on here and my profile I see that making a forum is nothing but an issue and people get judgmental pretty quick.

This forum has become so unwelcoming I hope that other people who post don't get such an negative response ESPECIALLY their first few times.

I'm done with the thread I'm done with your comments. thank you for those SUPPORTIVE ones that gave advice like the whole point of a freaking forum is. To the other I'm sorry you are still so miserable with yourself that this is what your life has come to I would hate to see your facebook, twitter, instagram, or any other social site. i respect your opinion so respect mine and just go away please.

I really wish that there was a delete button for the darn forum.

and a HUGE thank you to anybody who reached out to me with advice in a PM, Means a lot!

I'm happy for anybody success but please people don't forget how hard it was to get started and show a little support instead of knocking somebody when they are down...