Addicted to sugar, how to wean myself off?
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Sigh... Moderation.
I kind of think that's the OP's point. Some folks have trouble eating sugar in moderation and need to cut it out for a time to control the cravings. If someone has never had to deal with constant and persistent sugar cravings it may seem simple but for others it is not.
That is fine and good, it doesn't make it addiction. Until people are picking dirty lollipops out of trash bins for their next sugar fix, it is not an addiction.
Splitting hairs. Call it what you want, the OP can call it what they want. I guess I just don't understand this need to tell someone she doesn't need help with sugar consumption (not saying you specifically, just in general throughout the thread). If she says she does, why can we not take that at face value instead of telling her she is wrong. She knows her body and is looking for solutions to a problem.0 -
I think the decision of whether or not to go cold turkey depends on your personality... for me I could not drop sugar entirely - I did at one point and it was a bad decision for my weight loss because my body spazzed out and I ended up binging!
I stay on my 1200 cal diet and resist further bad carb/refined sugar cravings by including 1-2 coffees a day which include 1 sugar in ea.
I switched from refined sugar to honey in my coffee ( healthier choice) because I have my coffees I am able to resist things my family eats in the evenings such as popcorn, pop, chips and chocolate bars
Trial and error my friend - Choose a goal that's attainable ~
Don't set yourself up for failure~
Listen to your body
Figure out how to satisfy your body - as mentioned in an earlier post 'sugar is not the devil' - Everything in Moderation !0 -
*shrugs* I just learn moderation with everything I enjoy and don't try to blanket my desire to eat certain types of foods with the word, "addiction".
This0 -
Try using other things that taste sorta sweet like cinnamon, vanilla extract, or other spices.
Also, try getting in your Daily requirement of fiber, if you have carbs left over and feel the need for some sugar after getting in all the fiber, I would say go for the occasional cupcake, so long your stay under your caloric needs.0 -
I have this same problem. There's always fun sized candy all over the office. Someone brings in a platter of fresh baked cookies from home, donuts in the break room...
In the past few days since I've increased my protein consumption again (along with higher fats), my sugar cravings have significantly decreased. Also, staying active (strength training/yoga/cycling) has been key to keeping me on track. I don't like to undo my progress.
Hoping you find what works for you! I'm early on this journey to wean off sugar myself, so I'm hanging in there and splurging once in a while instead of as frequently as I used to.0 -
I went off processed sugar about 2 years ago. It has been worth it! Food actually tastes GOOD! I make baked goods, homemade ice cream and smoothies using maple syrup as my sweetener. It takes very little and it does not spike your glycemic index.
I recently went on the Daniel Fast and could only use dates as my sweetener. It has been a bit tough but I'm doing it.
One thing I noticed a year after giving up sugar completely is that mosquitos are no longer attracted to me! I can sit outside and read a book under the trees and they come around but leave me alone. I used to be their favorite meal.
Best of luck to you! I'd recommend Nourishing Traditions cook book (and reference book). Very eye opening!
you gave up sugar and still use maple syrup...? *facepalm*0 -
Sigh... Moderation.
I kind of think that's the OP's point. Some folks have trouble eating sugar in moderation and need to cut it out for a time to control the cravings. If someone has never had to deal with constant and persistent sugar cravings it may seem simple but for others it is not.
That is fine and good, it doesn't make it addiction. Until people are picking dirty lollipops out of trash bins for their next sugar fix, it is not an addiction.
Splitting hairs. Call it what you want, the OP can call it what they want. I guess I just don't understand this need to tell someone she doesn't need help with sugar consumption (not saying you specifically, just in general throughout the thread). If she says she does, why can we not take that at face value instead of telling her she is wrong. She knows her body and is looking for solutions to a problem.
She is getting solutions.. Moderation. It really is that simple... not easy but simple.0 -
Carbs are not refined sugars which is where the problems of uncontrolled eating lies. Carbs (like all foods) are eventually converted in to Glycogen by the body to be used as energy, however, refined manufactured sugars (therefore excluding natural sugars such as fructose and lactose) AND sweetners cause the body to react in an extreme way, rocketing blood sugar and spiking your insulin. This sets the system up for an insulin drop shortly after which promotes the urge to eat again and if the reaction is sever enough can cause an all out binge.
Dropping carsb from your diet completely (I'm talking less than 20g per day) will help reduce water retention as for ever gram of cabs you eat your body will retain an additional 3g of water... drop the carbs and your body lets got of the water too. However this is only sustainable for 3 to 4 days, after which you will crave carbs like crazy and run straight for the sweet treats.... exactly NOT what we want when trying to break a sugar addition. I'd suggest choosing clean carb sources such as oats/sweet potatoes/brown rice to help even it all out and keep glycogen stores balanced, and stay away from processed things like bread/pasta/cereal etc. Try a ratio of 40% protein 35% fats 25% carbs for fat loss.0 -
Hi there -- this is an issue a lot of us share. I know people who struggle with their weight but can have a moderate amount of sugar. Me, not so much, although there are exceptional times when I seem to cope (like a gelato on a walking holiday). But for me, avoidance of sugar day by day is really important. If I have a cookie or two one day it sometimes snowballs into a full-out sugar craving and binge later in the week. I find it easier if I avoid sugar altogether (even checking labels on salad dressings and other processed foods). It also helps me when I avoid white bread, especially the packaged kind. Hope this helps. If you want some support, friend me.0
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Drop sugar?!?!?!?? DON'T!!!! If you drop something you really really crave, you're diet is more likely to fail. Also artificial sweeteners are actually worse for you PLUS they have been linked to cancer. Dont go hog wild with it, but trust me, going without completely is a BAD idea. Same thing holds true for butter. In the end its the calorie count that matters. For instance, for my 4th meal today (5 small ones per day) I am having a sweet potato (baked) with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Yummy and only 311 calories, full of vitamins and minerals, and quite filling. Would be fewer calories but I LOVE my butter on my sweet potato.0
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Apples help get rid of the sugar cravings. They do for me anyways.
I had a major problem with sugar for along time but the apples help with that now.0 -
Read up on what happens to diabetics and how they have to have limbs removed. And type 2 diabetes is self inflicted
Except for when it isn't. I had hypoglycemia all of my life. Never had a lot of sweets, drank diet sodas from the time I was about 13. Didn't binge on favorite foods. Got a reasonable amount of exercise--in fact, the summer I had no car I walked an average of four miles/day (not including "regular" walking) and never lost an ounce. Long story short: my hypoglycemia became insulin resistance and no matter what I did my weight crept up. Eventually I ended up with Type II diabetes. No one in my family ever shared with me that we had a family history of the disease and I had never been able to afford healthcare to get a diagnosis.
Shame you felt the desire to demonize a whole group of people.
And yeah, my roommate died of complications from her diabetes. It happens, but it doesn't have to happen.0 -
I eat 450g+ of sugar a day, it's all calories in vs. calories out for weight loss.0
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I had to go cold turkey pretty much. I was drinking a 2 liter of pepsi with a bag of sour twizzlers every few days. I cut it all out. Now I don't even want it. 4 weeks in.0
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I eat 450g+ of sugar a day, it's all calories in vs. calories out for weight loss.
That's correct but someone can develop an emotional attachment to sweet stuff. I sure as heck know I did. I never craved a piece of grilled chicken. It was always twzzlers and soda.0 -
That's correct but someone can develop an emotional attachment to sweet stuff. I sure as heck know I did. I never craved a piece of grilled chicken. It was always twzzlers and soda.
I've definitely craved roast chicken. I also gave up meat for a while and craved rack of lamb. I think these kinds of cravings really are normal if you really like a food, which is (as others said earlier) why people crave apple pie or ice cream and not a spoonful of sugar (which sounds unappealing to me, and I like plenty of sweet treats).
So I don't really think the addiction model is likely to be helpful. I do think that it someone is using treats for emotional purposes or THINKS she can't control herself with them that needs to be broken and dropping them for a while is one way to do it. (I did it for a couple of weeks and found it helpful.). But I doubt the presence of a little sugar in jar pasta sauce is going to matter a bit, just as I doubt anyone really finds sriacha a gateway drug to peanut butter cups. Of course, there are plenty of other reasons to eschew jar pasta sauce. Personally, I'm picky about that sort of thing (and most packaged foods, obviously not all) and prefer homemade. But the whole "they are trying to hook us on sugar" thing drives me crazy, although it might not be fair to impose on this thread.0 -
My advice:
Get it out of the house. For me, there is no such thing as a "taste" of a donut...I just don't keep anything with added refined sugar in the house. I could easily polish off a half dozen "healthy" muffins..promising myself with each one that I would stop.
For me, sugar was like alcohol to someone who is an alcoholic. There was no such thing as "a little" sugar.
Eat breakfast. Eat lunch Eat dinner. Make sure each meal has both protein and produce in it.
I aim for 50 grams of fiber a day. Not fiber supplements but fiber coming from real foods.
After a while (for me it took about 3 months), everything with added refined sugar just started to taste too sweet.
You can do it! GL!0 -
...having quit cigs and other nefarious activities... you can do this rather easily.. just decide whats more important, what you want to become or where you are right now. ..once your target is what you truly want to become than it becomes easy saying no to .. sugar.I eat way too much sugar. I plan to change that, so I have started small, by not adding sugar to things when it's not necessary (ie my coffee). I still get cravings, which I hope will get less and less as I consume less sugar.
Has anyone here weaned themselves off sugar? Do you have any tips for me?0 -
To all those saying that it's as simple as calories in calories out: it's really not that simple. Yes, a calorie deficit will cause you to lose weight... but how feel during that process will be a whole lot different depending on what kinds of foods make up those calories.... and will therefore affect how long you stick to your plan. For example fructose doesn't trigger the hormones that make you feel full, so you won't be satisfied after eating it, while protein on the other hand both makes you feel full AND actually requires energy to digest! This is a really great article on the metabolic pathways of food: http://authoritynutrition.com/debunking-the-calorie-myth/
Sugar IS an addiction... not just lack of self control. I quit sugar 7 weeks ago today, and while that may not seem like a long time, the first few weeks were hell... I had the worst cravings and could barely concentrate in the afternoons. But now 7 weeks on, I'm not even tempted by chocolate; I still remember how amazing it tastes, but I don't crave it the same way that I used to. I also no longer get hungry between meals; the food that I eat keeps me satisfied for longer. I eat the same number of calories that I used to, but I actually feel satisfied by the amount I'm eating, not constantly hungry and wanting to snack between meals. It's amazing.0 -
try to satisfy your sweet tooth with things that are naturally sweet such as fruit, or some natural peanut butter with honey on some toast. Over time, your sugar addiction will lessen.0
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To all those saying that it's as simple as calories in calories out: it's really not that simple. Yes, a calorie deficit will cause you to lose weight... but how feel during that process will be a whole lot different depending on what kinds of foods make up those calories.... and will therefore affect how long you stick to your plan. For example fructose doesn't trigger the hormones that make you feel full, so you won't be satisfied after eating it, while protein on the other hand both makes you feel full AND actually requires energy to digest! This is a really great article on the metabolic pathways of food: http://authoritynutrition.com/debunking-the-calorie-myth/
Sugar IS an addiction... not just lack of self control. I quit sugar 7 weeks ago today, and while that may not seem like a long time, the first few weeks were hell... I had the worst cravings and could barely concentrate in the afternoons. But now 7 weeks on, I'm not even tempted by chocolate; I still remember how amazing it tastes, but I don't crave it the same way that I used to. I also no longer get hungry between meals; the food that I eat keeps me satisfied for longer. I eat the same number of calories that I used to, but I actually feel satisfied by the amount I'm eating, not constantly hungry and wanting to snack between meals. It's amazing.
Sugar is NOT an addiction... having had real substance abuse problems that has to be the brightest post I've read in a while.
And you want to feel full? drink a shot of apple cider vin with the 'mother' and you will feel fuller.0 -
I have a bit of a sweet tooth, but nothing too crazy.
Here are things that helped me:
-Stop consuming sugar substitutes. They breifly help the cravings, but then they come back with a vegence!
-Drink water to make yourself full.
-Keep yourself occupied with other things to take your mind off of the cravings.
-Drink a low-sugar protein shake. I use Optimum Nutrition's 100% whey and that usually quenches my need for something sweet, although it really isn't too sweet.
-Everything in moderation. If you cannot stand it, go ahead and eat a cookie (or whatever your vice is). Just keep it at one. Usually, this is a struggle for me, so I just drink a protein shake.
Good luck!0 -
Your body can have "withdrawals" from sugar, so yes, I'd say it could count as an addiction. These days, they consider gambling and shoplifting addictions, so why not sugar?
There is a physical response to lack of sugar - that's why I got sick when I tried going extremely low carb (Atkin's diet - never again).
Like any addiction, it takes willpower to overcome.0 -
.:huh:0
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To all those saying that it's as simple as calories in calories out: it's really not that simple. Yes, a calorie deficit will cause you to lose weight... but how feel during that process will be a whole lot different depending on what kinds of foods make up those calories.... and will therefore affect how long you stick to your plan. For example fructose doesn't trigger the hormones that make you feel full, so you won't be satisfied after eating it, while protein on the other hand both makes you feel full AND actually requires energy to digest! This is a really great article on the metabolic pathways of food: http://authoritynutrition.com/debunking-the-calorie-myth/
Sugar IS an addiction... not just lack of self control. I quit sugar 7 weeks ago today, and while that may not seem like a long time, the first few weeks were hell... I had the worst cravings and could barely concentrate in the afternoons. But now 7 weeks on, I'm not even tempted by chocolate; I still remember how amazing it tastes, but I don't crave it the same way that I used to. I also no longer get hungry between meals; the food that I eat keeps me satisfied for longer. I eat the same number of calories that I used to, but I actually feel satisfied by the amount I'm eating, not constantly hungry and wanting to snack between meals. It's amazing.
Sugar is NOT an addiction... having had real substance abuse problems that has to be the brightest post I've read in a while.
And you want to feel full? drink a shot of apple cider vin with the 'mother' and you will feel fuller.
For those who say that Refined sugars don't have addictive qualities please check out this group.
http://www.foodaddictsanonymous.org/faa-food-plan
FAA is a real group about food addicts addicted to refined sugars and flours, they have regular meetings and even have sponsers, maybe the addiction might not as considered to you as a 'real substance abuse problem' but it is a big enough problem to where people need help. Addiction is addiction regardless to what it is you had your substance issues and others substance might be considered to be sugar. I don't get why people on this forum bash others who want to cut out refined sugars from their diet, if they feel as if they are addicted to it then so be it, clearly they are reaching out for help.0 -
To all those saying that it's as simple as calories in calories out: it's really not that simple. Yes, a calorie deficit will cause you to lose weight... but how feel during that process will be a whole lot different depending on what kinds of foods make up those calories.... and will therefore affect how long you stick to your plan.
I think this is true--although how different foods make you feel, especially with respect to hunger, seems to differ from person to person. But I don't think it's inconsistent with calories in/calories out. It's just that you can make restrictions on calories in either easier or harder and you can make the overall mix of calories you ingest meet your nutritional needs or not. (Many people can limit calories quite easily and meet their nutritional needs without cutting out added sugar. That a diet too high in sugar would be unhealthy and make dieting more difficult does not lead to the conclusion that no added sugar is best, although it could work very well for particular individuals, including you.)Sugar IS an addiction... not just lack of self control. I quit sugar 7 weeks ago today, and while that may not seem like a long time, the first few weeks were hell... I had the worst cravings and could barely concentrate in the afternoons. But now 7 weeks on, I'm not even tempted by chocolate; I still remember how amazing it tastes, but I don't crave it the same way that I used to.
I think this can be explained just as well by habit, especially since no one seems tempted to replace their favorite treats with pure sugar IME. But I don't actually think the terminology matters that much (if sugar is addicting, it's not addicting for everyone, clearly), but what's interesting is what calling it an addiction is intended to mean for those who think they eat too much of it or eat it uncontrollably. For example, sometimes this seems to be related to a binge eating disorder, and there I think treatment is important in much the same way it is for many addicts, but it's probably not really the same thing as an addiction in that cutting out the substance is the key to most addiction treatments, and binge eating seems broader than one substance (and also cutting out the substance here isn't actually possible and most examples of the substance don't seem to trigger binges). The other is simply desire for the food. Here, I think it's often habit or a misuse of food (emotional eating) and cutting it out temporarily can be helpful, but usually that doesn't require a lifelong abstention but a break of the pattern for enough time to establish new habits and patterns. But your mileage may vary.I also no longer get hungry between meals; the food that I eat keeps me satisfied for longer. I eat the same number of calories that I used to, but I actually feel satisfied by the amount I'm eating, not constantly hungry and wanting to snack between meals. It's amazing.
I think simply changing your diet so it's not so significantly made up of simple carbs tends to do this. I used to eat a carb-based breakfast and when I felt less energetic in the morning I might grab a carby snack or just wait for lunch which was often more carb-based than not and end up sometime in the late afternoon having a cookie or something as a pick me up. When I switched my diet to a more balanced one (dropping sweets for a couple of weeks due to the emotional pattern referenced above) and even after I reintroduced occasional sweets and started eating a higher percentage of carbs than initially but much lower than before I had the same experience. I eat three meals and am not hungry in between, I don't feel a need for a pick me up in the afternoon unless I need a post workout snack, etc. But I haven't found that it's necessary to eliminate anything and I don't connect this to addiction. I think it can be simply about blood sugar. (Also, for what it's worth, it was not physically hard for me to change my diet. I expected to feel low energy, but never did.)
Anyway, like I said, I think the question is whether an addiction model actually addresses the problems experienced for individual people. For most, I doubt it, and for many who use the term they just mean something more casual, like how some people claim to be addicted to pizza or a TV show. However, some of the same strategies to deal with it (seeing the situations that trigger you to want it, breaking the pattern of misuse) might be similar.0
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