Runner with a serious sugar addiction
Replies
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Healthy and junk are accurate enough disruptions of food (from one end of the spectrum to the other).
When the only tool you understand is a hammer, every project is a bucket of nails, I guess.
Tell me tennisdude. Have you ever run a marathon? What was your nutrition plan for this endurance event?
No but I have friends who have run the London marathon several times, the brother in law did a 3.24 in this years (he is a keen club runner). He does not fuel his running on junk food.
Starches and complex carbs yes, but he doesn't fuel up on a bar of galaxy before a run, so not sure on what your point is (blunt probably).
I'll see your anecdote and raise you the fact that I can run fueled on Peeps and Cheez Its.
Do you have an issue with binging on chocolate that stop your weight loss?0 -
All of the people advising a sugar detox, or cutting out junk food, or whatever, for an endurance athlete are out of their gourd and should stop giving such terrible advice on the forums. Good freaking lord. You have no idea what you're talking about and you're giving advice based not on nutrition or performance but whacked-out ideas you've learned from the popular media and stupid diet books.
Sorry is there a different opening post to this thread that I have missed?
Not sure where you have got the term endurance Athlete from, the op is starting training for a first marathon the end of the year (starting being the words you should focus on) not sure they are going to be pounding out that many miles to start with.
In fact if they are going from cold the first couple of weeks may be light jog/walk sessions.
I'll take - jumping to huge conclusions - for 200 (derple jeopardy)
OP has been running since 2011 and is currently training for a marathon.
You have one trick, and it's the wrong trick for this thread.
Has started training for a marathon.
Again endurance athlete ?
OP can you help us out here. What is your current training regime and are you hitting your calorie target for eating?
We're all struggling here with making assumptions.
Some if think you are a fun runner, some think you are an Olympian.
Some think you have sugar cravings, some think you're malnourished.0 -
Healthy and junk are accurate enough disruptions of food (from one end of the spectrum to the other).
When the only tool you understand is a hammer, every project is a bucket of nails, I guess.
Tell me tennisdude. Have you ever run a marathon? What was your nutrition plan for this endurance event?
No but I have friends who have run the London marathon several times, the brother in law did a 3.24 in this years (he is a keen club runner). He does not fuel his running on junk food.
Starches and complex carbs yes, but he doesn't fuel up on a bar of galaxy before a run, so not sure on what your point is (blunt probably).
I'll see your anecdote and raise you the fact that I can run fueled on Peeps and Cheez Its.
Do you have an issue with binging on chocolate that stop your weight loss?
Define "binge" and I'll answer0 -
Healthy and junk are accurate enough disruptions of food (from one end of the spectrum to the other).
When the only tool you understand is a hammer, every project is a bucket of nails, I guess.
Tell me tennisdude. Have you ever run a marathon? What was your nutrition plan for this endurance event?
No but I have friends who have run the London marathon several times, the brother in law did a 3.24 in this years (he is a keen club runner). He does not fuel his running on junk food.
Starches and complex carbs yes, but he doesn't fuel up on a bar of galaxy before a run, so not sure on what your point is (blunt probably).
I'll see your anecdote and raise you the fact that I can run fueled on Peeps and Cheez Its.
Do you have an issue with binging on chocolate that stop your weight loss?
Define "binge" and I'll answer
Do you have an issue with controlling the amount of chocolate that you eat to the point it affects your weight loss - sorry not sure another way to word it.0 -
All of the people advising a sugar detox, or cutting out junk food, or whatever, for an endurance athlete are out of their gourd and should stop giving such terrible advice on the forums. Good freaking lord. You have no idea what you're talking about and you're giving advice based not on nutrition or performance but whacked-out ideas you've learned from the popular media and stupid diet books.
Sorry is there a different opening post to this thread that I have missed?
Not sure where you have got the term endurance Athlete from, the op is starting training for a first marathon the end of the year (starting being the words you should focus on) not sure they are going to be pounding out that many miles to start with.
In fact if they are going from cold the first couple of weeks may be light jog/walk sessions.
I'll take - jumping to huge conclusions - for 200 (derple jeopardy)
OP has been running since 2011 and is currently training for a marathon.
You have one trick, and it's the wrong trick for this thread.
Has started training for a marathon.
Again endurance athlete ?
OP can you help us out here. What is your current training regime and are you hitting your calorie target for eating?
has been running for a while and is currently training for a marathon... marathon is 26 miles. even if it's her first marathon then you'd expect that she's at least been doing a lot of 10ks... and training for a marathon means running very long distances several times a week.... so yes I would class her as an endurance athlete
Anyway, your question for the OP - that should be the first question asked - but yes I totally agree with that question.... the OP needs to answer that one, plus details of how many calories she's eating (she may think she's hitting her target but she isn't or her target is too low, or similar) before anyone can give advice or even assume that it's sugar addiction.0 -
Healthy and junk are accurate enough disruptions of food (from one end of the spectrum to the other).
When the only tool you understand is a hammer, every project is a bucket of nails, I guess.
Tell me tennisdude. Have you ever run a marathon? What was your nutrition plan for this endurance event?
No but I have friends who have run the London marathon several times, the brother in law did a 3.24 in this years (he is a keen club runner). He does not fuel his running on junk food.
Starches and complex carbs yes, but he doesn't fuel up on a bar of galaxy before a run, so not sure on what your point is (blunt probably).
I'll see your anecdote and raise you the fact that I can run fueled on Peeps and Cheez Its.
Do you have an issue with binging on chocolate that stop your weight loss?
Define "binge" and I'll answer
This is the definition that I use for binge eating: (From the DSM) 1. Eating, in a discrete period of time (e.g. within any 2-hour period), an amount of food that is definitely larger than what most individuals would eat in a similar period of time under similar circumstances. AND 2. A sense of lack of control over eating during the episode (e.g. a feeling that one cannot stop eating or control what or how much one is eating.)0 -
My issue is that I'm addicted to sugar, big time. Obviously so much so that it's undoing all the good I'm doing by exercising. Chocolate is my biggest weakness and despite managing to go cold turkey a few times I always end up having a massive binge then going back to my old habits.
Not a distance runner, but I've struggled with food issues since I was 16. I started with anorexic tendencies, then I moved on just being a binger and I've learned a few things along the way.
I've got a few suggestions:
1) Make sure you are eating enough to sustain your lifestyle/training. I would not be aiming for a big loss during this time - 1/2 pound per week would probably be a good goal. From what I've read, many people training for marathons have a hard time losing any weight at all. Make sure you are eating a good mix of carbs, fat and protein to fuel you and help you recover when needed.
2) Since you've tried cold turkey multiple times and it hasn't worked, try moderation. Pick your favorite chocolate treat and plan to have a serving (or more) every day. Figure out a menu plan that helps you meet your nutrition goals and leave a few hundred calories for chocolate every day (yes, I said a few hundred). It's probably against everything you think you know about dieting, but if it prevents binges and helps you stay on track calorie wise, then it's going to be the best solution for you. I've done this with peanut butter and with chocolate. Once I truly accepted the fact that I really could have what I really wanted if I really wanted it and when I really wanted it, it became less of a struggle. I still deal with binge eating due to emotional reasons, but I don't struggle with binging because of deprivation anymore. At least it's progress
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3) Look in to CBT - cognitive behavioral therapy. There are self help books for this and there are counselors trained in it. I first learned about CBT from a book called The Beck Diet Solution. While I now find the book a bit hokey for my tastes, I do still find the lessons inside helpful and will re-read portions of it when I feel the need.0 -
All of the people advising a sugar detox, or cutting out junk food, or whatever, for an endurance athlete are out of their gourd and should stop giving such terrible advice on the forums. Good freaking lord. You have no idea what you're talking about and you're giving advice based not on nutrition or performance but whacked-out ideas you've learned from the popular media and stupid diet books.
I'm still unsure where anyone has actually said sugar detox and cutting out junk food. OP says she has problem with chocolate and certain sweet treats mainly. Can't she cut chocolate and still eat pasta if she wants to hit her calorie needs?
ETA: Not saying anyone hasn't used the term, I just don't see it.
it was suggested earlier in the thread and a lot of the advice was telling her ways to deal with "sugar addiction", combat cravings etc............ without any thought to whether she's actually getting enough calories to fuel her activity levels to begin with... it's like people just focussed on the words "sugar addiction" and were completely blind to the rest of the situation
how she gets the calories (pasta or chocolate) isn't the issue... the point is that if she's undereating then she's not suffering from "sugar addiction", the cravings and binge eating chocolate are caused by undereating and she needs to be sure she's eating enough to fuel her activity.... if she is then it's likely that these extreme cravings for stuff like chocolate will either go away completely or become a lot more manageable, and her calories will end up coming from stuff like pasta, rice, etc rather than chocolate (and nothing wrong with some of them coming from chocolate if she wants)
I understand what you are saying but I feel that people, like myself, are just simply sharing their own personal journey and understanding of similar issues. There is no way at all through a forum post to truly assess what the real issues are. But she asked if anyone else had struggled with the same things, and those who have shared their experiences. The truth is, her issue could be one of the various issues that everyone has shared. She could be overeating, she could be under-eating, she could have a psychological issue. None of us know. I didn't share my post with her because I believe it is her issue. I just shared with her because I believe it could be and just wanted to share my thoughts.
but training for marathons + intense sugar cravings.... this doesn't raise a red flag for undereating being a likely cause? That's my issue. This was completely missed.
Even if it's a genuine psychological issue, it's imperative that you rule out hunger/physiological cravings due to undereating as a cause first, before you treat the problem as psychological. So no matter what the actual cause of the cravings turn out to be, undereating should be the first possibility considered. Rule that out first, then discuss psychological causes.
I am interested in your theory about under-eating but I am curious...is it possible that the same effect could occur from eating the wrong kinds of foods (not meeting your macros)? I don't see how someone could be under eating if they are overweight.
I am also training for a my first marathon in September. I am about 35 pounds overweight and I have fallen victim to the whole "I run a lot, therefore I can eat whatever I want and not count the calories", yeah...no...Also, I also crave sugar after a long run (10+ miles). I KNOW I am not under eating. I am fat. BUT, I also know that I do not meet my macro nutrient goals, like...ever. Thoughts?
(not trying to hijack thread, just thought my parallel experience can help OP)0 -
Not going to disagree on Behavior Addiction (gambling is a good example). I just wanted to put out there that sugar as a substance isn't an addiction and that people shouldn't think that it is. That's all.
I think something that is tripping us all up in this particular facet of the discussion is that for people who tend to binge on sugary treats (and when I say "sugary treats" I'm talking about foods w/a sugar/fat combo such as cookies, chocolate bars, or ice cream), it matters little whether or not it is behavior-driven, substance-driven, both, or neither. The scientists may be overly concerned with these details (as they should be), but the people practicing compulsive behavior could give two hoots about the minute discrepancies and semantics. This insight is important when doling out advice to them.
And it's also very frequently overlooked that cravings for food can have a purely physiological basis as a normal, healthy response to eating too little.
You can't diagnose someone with a psychological problem unless you've ruled out possible physiological causes for the behaviour in question. Arguing about whether on not psychological addiction to sugar exists is entirely missing the point if the cravings in question are actually caused by undereating.
While I agree with you in theory (and thank you for pointing this out, I'm totally going to add this to what I've been saying), the OP in this particular case said, "Chocolate is my biggest weakness and despite managing to go cold turkey a few times I always end up having a massive binge then going back to my old habits." The words, "old habits", to me, indicates this person has been dealing with this issue a long, long time. They also indicated they've always been "big"....so it seems to me that the odds are strong they haven't been "undereating" all these years.
As a compulsive overeater I tend to recognize "signs" in posters on these threads. I always reach out to them in PM's. I've not had a single one tell me I was wrong. I'm not saying I'm perfect or anything. I'm just saying....it's not all in our heads - this stuff is very real.
That being said, I'm glad you said this because it'd be a good first step to first clarify with these folks whether or not this is a problem that just cropped up when they started dieting, or if it's been more of a life-long issue. This would help hone in on the real problem. Thank you, sincerely, for the clarification.
I'm not saying sugar addiction isn;t real (i.e. a real psychological addiction)... this thread just alarms me greatly because people are telling the OP to do "zero sugar detoxes" and the like without even knowing what she's eating to begin with. If it is the case she's undereating and craving sugar as a direct result of that, then all the advice about sugar detoxes and how to combat cravings and the rest is actually dangerous advice.
even if she's had problems with sugar addiction or complusive overeating prior to this, it doesn't mean that her current cravings etc are not the result of undereating. And in some cases people can be battling both.... if it is both then they first need to be sure they're eating enough so they're only battling the psychological issue
Totally agree w/you on the dangers of "zero sugar detoxes" and you're absolutely right that someone (ideally a nutritionist) should determine the OP's diet/macros to make sure the right amount of cals and carbs are being delivered to their system! Again, thx for the clarification. Communication is good.
All that being said, I do still believe the principals of moderation and/or abstinence would apply to someone training like the OP is. They can, for example, forego the chocolate that is tripping them up, but load up on fruit and quinoa instead. (I'm just throwing out ideas, here).
How about this for good advice to the OP?
1.) First speak with a nutritionist (and esp. someone familiar with diets necessary for heavy exercise training) to determine necessary and ideal calorie intake/macros.
2.) If you're nailing this but STILL finding yourself out of control with chocolate, try moderating with it and see if that helps curb the cravings.
3.) If you're moderating but STILL out of control, consider that you may be exhibiting addictive-like behaviors and might need to practice some methods that have worked for compulsive overeaters dealing with similar issues, such as abstinence from that particular food. This may be permanent abstinence or temporary until you can regain control.
4.) Repeat steps 1-3 until issue is under control.
How's that?
yes.... although I'm strongly inclined to think that the cravings the OP is experiencing will go away if she eats more. But if they don't then your other advice is very good.
I think people have just honed in on "sugar addiction" and focused on that without looking at the bigger picture of what's going on.... as sugar addiction is a topic that people like to bang a drum about (i.e. whether it's real or not) so they missed the fact that long distance running + intense sugar cravings is far more likely to be a case of inadequate nutrition than sugar addiction.... unfortunately people when they experience strong desires to eat so-called "bad" foods their first reaction tends to be to beat themselves up for lacking willpower, or to diagnose themselves with a psychological problem - if not sugar addiction then something like binge eating disorder or comfort eating... all of which are real disorders (the addiction one being psychological addiction, to distinguish it to physiological dependence such as you get with heroin, etc) ... but in a lot of these cases the cravings are the direct result of eating too little, and so the person becomes locked in a cycle of excessive restriction (which is often seen as a punishment for being "bad"/lacking willpower, etc) and then rebound overeating or binge eating, and trying to tackle it with psychological approaches or more restriction (e.g. going "cold turkey" from foods they blame for it) that are never going to work because the problem is from a normal physiological response to eating too little........ the solution in these cases is simply to eat enough that the rebound overeating or binge eating does not occur, and the person gets out of the cycle and is able to maintain a suitable deficit for fat loss, or eat the right amount to maintain a healthy weight, etc. Unfortunately this phenonenon, while extremely common, is frequently missed.
You may very well be right about the cravings subsiding when the OP eats more, and for the OP's sake, I hope you are! I'm still strongly inclined to think that the cravings the OP is experiencing will persist if the OP continues to eat chocolate, (wink) but you know what? We're both probably right to some extent.
I would agree that advising total abstinence right off the bat without garnering enough information is not wise. And it's definitely a typical "go-to" self-diagnosis/solution for people who are struggling. It seems to make sense to people - "this thing is giving me a problem so I must get rid of this thing and then I won't have the problem anymore". But just like fad diets, this can be "quick-fix" thinking which doesn't benefit them at all - because real change requires real work, real time, and real patience.
Real abstinence, when understood and done properly, and really determined as the best course of action, is not at all a quick fix and herein lies a lot of the misunderstanding about it. It can be a powerful tool when wielded properly. But again - it's not a catch-all for everyone at ALL. Same with moderation.
I've learned something today. Much thanks. 0 -
All of the people advising a sugar detox, or cutting out junk food, or whatever, for an endurance athlete are out of their gourd and should stop giving such terrible advice on the forums. Good freaking lord. You have no idea what you're talking about and you're giving advice based not on nutrition or performance but whacked-out ideas you've learned from the popular media and stupid diet books.
Sorry is there a different opening post to this thread that I have missed?
Not sure where you have got the term endurance Athlete from, the op is starting training for a first marathon the end of the year (starting being the words you should focus on) not sure they are going to be pounding out that many miles to start with.
In fact if they are going from cold the first couple of weeks may be light jog/walk sessions.
I'll take - jumping to huge conclusions - for 200 (derple jeopardy)
OP has been running since 2011 and is currently training for a marathon.
You have one trick, and it's the wrong trick for this thread.
Has started training for a marathon.
Again endurance athlete ?
OP can you help us out here. What is your current training regime and are you hitting your calorie target for eating?
has been running for a while and is currently training for a marathon... marathon is 26 miles. even if it's her first marathon then you'd expect that she's at least been doing a lot of 10ks... and training for a marathon means running very long distances several times a week.... so yes I would class her as an endurance athlete
Anyway, your question for the OP - that should be the first question asked - but yes I totally agree with that question.... the OP needs to answer that one, plus details of how many calories she's eating (she may think she's hitting her target but she isn't or her target is too low, or similar) before anyone can give advice or even assume that it's sugar addiction.
Cool I do 30 mike bike rides quite a bit at weekends, and am training for a 10 hour race the sun event in August am I an endurance athlete?0 -
Healthy and junk are accurate enough disruptions of food (from one end of the spectrum to the other).
When the only tool you understand is a hammer, every project is a bucket of nails, I guess.
Tell me tennisdude. Have you ever run a marathon? What was your nutrition plan for this endurance event?
No but I have friends who have run the London marathon several times, the brother in law did a 3.24 in this years (he is a keen club runner). He does not fuel his running on junk food.
Starches and complex carbs yes, but he doesn't fuel up on a bar of galaxy before a run, so not sure on what your point is (blunt probably).
I'll see your anecdote and raise you the fact that I can run fueled on Peeps and Cheez Its.
Do you have an issue with binging on chocolate that stop your weight loss?
Define "binge" and I'll answer
Do you have an issue with controlling the amount of chocolate that you eat to the point it affects your weight loss - sorry not sure another way to word it.
your question in the other post, about how much she's eating and what training she's doing, is a much more important question to be asking
she's binging on chocolate, she's having difficulty controlling the amount she's eating... the pertinent question is whether this is the direct result of eating too little (in which case the solution would be to reassess calorie needs and eat more, which may resolve the problem completely, as sufficient carb intake would stop the cravings, and therefore the overeating/binge eating) or whether it's a psychological issue (if she's definitely eating enough food every day and we can be sure the cravings are not due to undereating, then we need to start looking into what's going on psychologically and once we know that, find a solution that will work for overcoming the overeating/binge eating)0 -
All of the people advising a sugar detox, or cutting out junk food, or whatever, for an endurance athlete are out of their gourd and should stop giving such terrible advice on the forums. Good freaking lord. You have no idea what you're talking about and you're giving advice based not on nutrition or performance but whacked-out ideas you've learned from the popular media and stupid diet books.
Sorry is there a different opening post to this thread that I have missed?
Not sure where you have got the term endurance Athlete from, the op is starting training for a first marathon the end of the year (starting being the words you should focus on) not sure they are going to be pounding out that many miles to start with.
In fact if they are going from cold the first couple of weeks may be light jog/walk sessions.
I'll take - jumping to huge conclusions - for 200 (derple jeopardy)
OP has been running since 2011 and is currently training for a marathon.
You have one trick, and it's the wrong trick for this thread.
Has started training for a marathon.
Again endurance athlete ?
OP can you help us out here. What is your current training regime and are you hitting your calorie target for eating?
has been running for a while and is currently training for a marathon... marathon is 26 miles. even if it's her first marathon then you'd expect that she's at least been doing a lot of 10ks... and training for a marathon means running very long distances several times a week.... so yes I would class her as an endurance athlete
Anyway, your question for the OP - that should be the first question asked - but yes I totally agree with that question.... the OP needs to answer that one, plus details of how many calories she's eating (she may think she's hitting her target but she isn't or her target is too low, or similar) before anyone can give advice or even assume that it's sugar addiction.
Cool I do 30 mike bike rides quite a bit at weekends, and am training for a 10 hour race the sun event in August am I an endurance athlete?
yes0 -
Read "Racing Weight" by Matt Fitzgerald and also "Ditching Diets" by Gillian Riley.
Apply.
And then?
Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You'll never see me cry
Here I stand
And here I'll stay
Let the storm rage on...
Errrr, wait those are the lyrics from "Let It Go" from "Frozen" but you catch my drift...0 -
Louise,
Like you, I would say I was addicted to sugar and it's definitely what got my weight up. What really made me quit the habit of needing some bit of sugar daily was participating in Lent with my Catholic Fiance (I'm not Catholic). For 40 days I gave up all dessert and anything sweet (candy, cakes, cookies, scones, etc.). Now that Lent is over, I feel like I am much more in control of my sugar intake and got used to saying "no" to the offer of cake for celebrations at work.
Amber
I tried this and it ended in the biggest sugar binge of my life and gaining ten pounds. I am glad it worked for you ,though. I am probably just a baby!0 -
Healthy and junk are accurate enough disruptions of food (from one end of the spectrum to the other).
When the only tool you understand is a hammer, every project is a bucket of nails, I guess.
Tell me tennisdude. Have you ever run a marathon? What was your nutrition plan for this endurance event?
No but I have friends who have run the London marathon several times, the brother in law did a 3.24 in this years (he is a keen club runner). He does not fuel his running on junk food.
Starches and complex carbs yes, but he doesn't fuel up on a bar of galaxy before a run, so not sure on what your point is (blunt probably).
I'll see your anecdote and raise you the fact that I can run fueled on Peeps and Cheez Its.
Do you have an issue with binging on chocolate that stop your weight loss?
Define "binge" and I'll answer
Do you have an issue with controlling the amount of chocolate that you eat to the point it affects your weight loss - sorry not sure another way to word it.
I'm a grown up. I know what my body can and should take, and I work for every last speck of sugar.
Back in my late 20s til I was 32 I ate what I pleased without regard for myself and slowed down when I either ran out of money or just felt awful. Not chocolate, but I would start my morning with a Kit Kat, a bag of Skittles (before they ruined Original with green Apple), and a Mountain Dew. For lunch, I would go where ever the coworkers went. For dinner, much of the same. I probably consumed a good 3000ish calories a day with zero physical activity. I was a puffy 180.
"Binge" is one of the most misused words around here, right next to "addiction." Personally, I think it's a lot of denial and accountability-shifting drama. It's easier to blame a pseudo-condition than to admit a shortcoming within yourself.
On face value, OP sounds like a child trapped in an adult's body, kinda like I was. Want, want, want, and be shocked with the consequences. Nowadays, I hit my macros, I eat what some call "junk," and I run 50MPW. Maybe I'm just an anomaly, who knows.0 -
All of the people advising a sugar detox, or cutting out junk food, or whatever, for an endurance athlete are out of their gourd and should stop giving such terrible advice on the forums. Good freaking lord. You have no idea what you're talking about and you're giving advice based not on nutrition or performance but whacked-out ideas you've learned from the popular media and stupid diet books.
Sorry is there a different opening post to this thread that I have missed?
Not sure where you have got the term endurance Athlete from, the op is starting training for a first marathon the end of the year (starting being the words you should focus on) not sure they are going to be pounding out that many miles to start with.
In fact if they are going from cold the first couple of weeks may be light jog/walk sessions.
I'll take - jumping to huge conclusions - for 200 (derple jeopardy)
OP has been running since 2011 and is currently training for a marathon.
You have one trick, and it's the wrong trick for this thread.
Has started training for a marathon.
Again endurance athlete ?
OP can you help us out here. What is your current training regime and are you hitting your calorie target for eating?
has been running for a while and is currently training for a marathon... marathon is 26 miles. even if it's her first marathon then you'd expect that she's at least been doing a lot of 10ks... and training for a marathon means running very long distances several times a week.... so yes I would class her as an endurance athlete
Anyway, your question for the OP - that should be the first question asked - but yes I totally agree with that question.... the OP needs to answer that one, plus details of how many calories she's eating (she may think she's hitting her target but she isn't or her target is too low, or similar) before anyone can give advice or even assume that it's sugar addiction.
Well, there's this too... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1258272-i-m-running-a-marathon0 -
Healthy and junk are accurate enough disruptions of food (from one end of the spectrum to the other).
When the only tool you understand is a hammer, every project is a bucket of nails, I guess.
Tell me tennisdude. Have you ever run a marathon? What was your nutrition plan for this endurance event?
No but I have friends who have run the London marathon several times, the brother in law did a 3.24 in this years (he is a keen club runner). He does not fuel his running on junk food.
Starches and complex carbs yes, but he doesn't fuel up on a bar of galaxy before a run, so not sure on what your point is (blunt probably).
I'll see your anecdote and raise you the fact that I can run fueled on Peeps and Cheez Its.
Do you have an issue with binging on chocolate that stop your weight loss?
Define "binge" and I'll answer
Do you have an issue with controlling the amount of chocolate that you eat to the point it affects your weight loss - sorry not sure another way to word it.
I'm a grown up. I know what my body can and should take, and I work for every last speck of sugar.
Back in my late 20s til I was 32 I ate what I pleased without regard for myself and slowed down when I either ran out of money or just felt awful. Not chocolate, but I would start my morning with a Kit Kat, a bag of Skittles (before they ruined Original with green Apple), and a Mountain Dew. For lunch, I would go where ever the coworkers went. For dinner, much of the same. I probably consumed a good 3000ish calories a day with zero physical activity. I was a puffy 180.
"Binge" is one of the most misused words around here, right next to "addiction." Personally, I think it's a lot of denial and accountability-shifting drama. It's easier to blame a pseudo-condition than to admit a shortcoming within yourself.
On face value, OP sounds like a child trapped in an adult's body, kinda like I was. Want, want, want, and be shocked with the consequences. Nowadays, I hit my macros, I eat what some call "junk," and I run 50MPW. Maybe I'm just an anomaly, who knows.
You're something - not sure it's an anomaly. Lol0 -
All of the people advising a sugar detox, or cutting out junk food, or whatever, for an endurance athlete are out of their gourd and should stop giving such terrible advice on the forums. Good freaking lord. You have no idea what you're talking about and you're giving advice based not on nutrition or performance but whacked-out ideas you've learned from the popular media and stupid diet books.
Sorry is there a different opening post to this thread that I have missed?
Not sure where you have got the term endurance Athlete from, the op is starting training for a first marathon the end of the year (starting being the words you should focus on) not sure they are going to be pounding out that many miles to start with.
In fact if they are going from cold the first couple of weeks may be light jog/walk sessions.
I'll take - jumping to huge conclusions - for 200 (derple jeopardy)
OP has been running since 2011 and is currently training for a marathon.
You have one trick, and it's the wrong trick for this thread.
Has started training for a marathon.
Again endurance athlete ?
OP can you help us out here. What is your current training regime and are you hitting your calorie target for eating?
has been running for a while and is currently training for a marathon... marathon is 26 miles. even if it's her first marathon then you'd expect that she's at least been doing a lot of 10ks... and training for a marathon means running very long distances several times a week.... so yes I would class her as an endurance athlete
Anyway, your question for the OP - that should be the first question asked - but yes I totally agree with that question.... the OP needs to answer that one, plus details of how many calories she's eating (she may think she's hitting her target but she isn't or her target is too low, or similar) before anyone can give advice or even assume that it's sugar addiction.
Cool I do 30 mike bike rides quite a bit at weekends, and am training for a 10 hour race the sun event in August am I an endurance athlete?
I would say so. It seems like that event is an endurance event and not a sprint. Also, I would consider MYSELF an endurance athlete! Sounds kind of full of myself doesn't it? Especially since I'm overweight and relatively new to running, but I'm up to running 10 miles and I think lots of people would qualify being able to run 10 miles endurance.0 -
another day another sugar addiction thread...
I love how these threads go ..my personal favorite is "I cut out all added sugar, but continue to eat fruit, honey, and dark chocolate"
Hey, I am a recovering crack head, and I occasionally snort cocaine to get rid of the cravings.....0 -
All of the people advising a sugar detox, or cutting out junk food, or whatever, for an endurance athlete are out of their gourd and should stop giving such terrible advice on the forums. Good freaking lord. You have no idea what you're talking about and you're giving advice based not on nutrition or performance but whacked-out ideas you've learned from the popular media and stupid diet books.
Sorry is there a different opening post to this thread that I have missed?
Not sure where you have got the term endurance Athlete from, the op is starting training for a first marathon the end of the year (starting being the words you should focus on) not sure they are going to be pounding out that many miles to start with.
In fact if they are going from cold the first couple of weeks may be light jog/walk sessions.
I'll take - jumping to huge conclusions - for 200 (derple jeopardy)
OP has been running since 2011 and is currently training for a marathon.
You have one trick, and it's the wrong trick for this thread.
Has started training for a marathon.
Again endurance athlete ?
OP can you help us out here. What is your current training regime and are you hitting your calorie target for eating?
has been running for a while and is currently training for a marathon... marathon is 26 miles. even if it's her first marathon then you'd expect that she's at least been doing a lot of 10ks... and training for a marathon means running very long distances several times a week.... so yes I would class her as an endurance athlete
Anyway, your question for the OP - that should be the first question asked - but yes I totally agree with that question.... the OP needs to answer that one, plus details of how many calories she's eating (she may think she's hitting her target but she isn't or her target is too low, or similar) before anyone can give advice or even assume that it's sugar addiction.
Cool I do 30 mike bike rides quite a bit at weekends, and am training for a 10 hour race the sun event in August am I an endurance athlete?
I would say so. It seems like that event is an endurance event and not a sprint. Also, I would consider MYSELF an endurance athlete! Sounds kind of full of myself doesn't it? Especially since I'm overweight and relatively new to running, but I'm up to running 10 miles and I think lots of people would qualify being able to run 10 miles endurance.
Lol we can be endurance athletes together.
Well done on running 10miles - running is my nemesis (I'm that bad at running I would miss catching the bus 9 times out of 10).0 -
I'm a grown up. I know what my body can and should take, and I work for every last speck of sugar.
Back in my late 20s til I was 32 I ate what I pleased without regard for myself and slowed down when I either ran out of money or just felt awful. Not chocolate, but I would start my morning with a Kit Kat, a bag of Skittles (before they ruined Original with green Apple), and a Mountain Dew. For lunch, I would go where ever the coworkers went. For dinner, much of the same. I probably consumed a good 3000ish calories a day with zero physical activity. I was a puffy 180.
"Binge" is one of the most misused words around here, right next to "addiction." Personally, I think it's a lot of denial and accountability-shifting drama. It's easier to blame a pseudo-condition than to admit a shortcoming within yourself.
On face value, OP sounds like a child trapped in an adult's body, kinda like I was. Want, want, want, and be shocked with the consequences. Nowadays, I hit my macros, I eat what some call "junk," and I run 50MPW. Maybe I'm just an anomaly, who knows.
I agree with you. I think a lot of people on here blame lack of self control on "addiction."
That being said, some people have a higher capacity for self control than others, and a lot of what goes into someone's obesity or weight management problems can be emotional or mental. It's simple to say, "just put down the crap and eat within moderation," and you would be right, technically. The execution of that isn't always easy, particularly when people use food to treat underlying emotional issues.0 -
another day another sugar addiction thread...
I love how these threads go ..my personal favorite is "I cut out all added sugar, but continue to eat fruit, honey, and dark chocolate"
Hey, I am a recovering crack head, and I occasionally snort cocaine to get rid of the cravings.....
Go on do it - I know you really want to bust out your magic gif.0 -
Isn't that kinda the very definition of 'addiction' - lacking the self control to not do something?0
-
another day another sugar addiction thread...
I love how these threads go ..my personal favorite is "I cut out all added sugar, but continue to eat fruit, honey, and dark chocolate"
Hey, I am a recovering crack head, and I occasionally snort cocaine to get rid of the cravings.....
Don't recovering heroine addicts substitute methadone?0 -
Isn't that kinda the very definition of 'addiction' - lacking the self control to not do something?
No.0 -
OP - I'll get straight to the point. You had me at Sugar!
I love sugar. I'll eat it straight out the box. My fav candy is plain Skittles.
As for chocolate, are you deficient in Magnesium? A symptom of deficiency is chocolate cravings. Because I love hot drinks, I make my own hot cocoa with milk. It gives me the hot drink, chocolate, and a boost in dairy calcium & magnesium without the guilt. (heh, I like to add Baileys too)
I also burn a butt-load of calories biking. I had to stop thinking "oh you can eat this because you just burned 2800 calories" attitude and switched instead to fresh whole fruit and plenty of protein. It seemed to help curb this massive deep desire to dive into the C&H box.
(eta: fixed typos after indulged in an orange instead of skittles in the cupboard, heh)0 -
OP, in time you will learn to be more guarded as to what you post, or more specifically as to how you word what you post, so as to not summon the Dark Lord Derp.
In the meantime, here's my suggestion:
- identify which foods trigger binges (you mentioned chocolate)
- don't stock up on them but don't remove them either, buy them in single serving packages
- work on a timetable towards introducing them into your routine
I don't want to get drawn into this debate, but just FYI I do count a few heroin addicts among my friends and those that found lasting recovery consider methadone or suboxone to be temporary rather than permanent solutions. I don't think the analogy holds.Don't recovering heroine addicts substitute methadone?0 -
another day another sugar addiction thread...
I love how these threads go ..my personal favorite is "I cut out all added sugar, but continue to eat fruit, honey, and dark chocolate"
Hey, I am a recovering crack head, and I occasionally snort cocaine to get rid of the cravings.....
Don't recovering heroine addicts substitute methadone?
heroin addiction is different, because it's an actual physiological addiction (although people who become addicted to heroin through recreational use are usually both physiologically and psychologically addicted) - because of that methadone is used to prevent the withdrawal symptoms while the person is giving up heroin. most drugs are only psychologically addicted so there's no need to give anything to prevent withdrawal symptoms because there are none.
this distinction between physical and psychological addiction is very important to understand before you can get into the issue of whether sugary food is addictive.... all living things have a physiological need of sugar, but this isn't addiction, it's how living things work. i.e. sugar (or rarely, other similar molecules) is broken down to give the cells the energy they need to carry out all the processes that keep them alive. To consider sugar to be physiologically addictive in the way heroin is, is ridiculous, because living things require it already just to stay alive. However, when it comes to psychological addiction, anything that's enjoyable can potentially be psychologically addictive. This is very different to physiological addiction. there are no withdrawal symptoms other than those which is caused by the anxiety of not having it. the thing is craved for its ability to alter the mood of the person using it. Sugary food can certainly be something that people have this kind of addiction to.0 -
another day another sugar addiction thread...
I love how these threads go ..my personal favorite is "I cut out all added sugar, but continue to eat fruit, honey, and dark chocolate"
Hey, I am a recovering crack head, and I occasionally snort cocaine to get rid of the cravings.....
Don't recovering heroine addicts substitute methadone?
heroin addiction is different, because it's an actual physiological addiction (although people who become addicted to heroin through recreational use are usually both physiologically and psychologically addicted) - because of that methadone is used to prevent the withdrawal symptoms while the person is giving up heroin. most drugs are only psychologically addicted so there's no need to give anything to prevent withdrawal symptoms because there are none.
this distinction between physical and psychological addiction is very important to understand before you can get into the issue of whether sugary food is addictive.... all living things have a physiological need of sugar, but this isn't addiction, it's how living things work. i.e. sugar (or rarely, other similar molecules) is broken down to give the cells the energy they need to carry out all the processes that keep them alive. To consider sugar to be physiologically addictive in the way heroin is, is ridiculous, because living things require it already just to stay alive. However, when it comes to psychological addiction, anything that's enjoyable can potentially be psychologically addictive. This is very different to physiological addiction. there are no withdrawal symptoms other than those which is caused by the anxiety of not having it. the thing is craved for its ability to alter the mood of the person using it. Sugary food can certainly be something that people have this kind of addiction to.
Edit to add: Though I love the fascinating tangent this thread has taken, it's also hilariously off topic. Still absolutely adore the above response. Bravo, lady, bravo.0 -
Right. They use methadone and other substitutes because heroin withdrawal can literally kill you. Nobody ever died from sugary-food withdrawal (which is not to say that sugar withdrawal couldn't kill you... in the sense that sugar is produced from digesting food... withdraw food long enough and they'll die!).heroin addiction is different, because it's an actual physiological addiction (although people who become addicted to heroin through recreational use are usually both physiologically and psychologically addicted) - because of that methadone is used to prevent the withdrawal symptoms while the person is giving up heroin. most drugs are only psychologically addicted so there's no need to give anything to prevent withdrawal symptoms because there are none.
this distinction between physical and psychological addiction is very important to understand before you can get into the issue of whether sugary food is addictive.... all living things have a physiological need of sugar, but this isn't addiction, it's how living things work. i.e. sugar (or rarely, other similar molecules) is broken down to give the cells the energy they need to carry out all the processes that keep them alive. To consider sugar to be physiologically addictive in the way heroin is, is ridiculous, because living things require it already just to stay alive. However, when it comes to psychological addiction, anything that's enjoyable can potentially be psychologically addictive. This is very different to physiological addiction. there are no withdrawal symptoms other than those which is caused by the anxiety of not having it. the thing is craved for its ability to alter the mood of the person using it. Sugary food can certainly be something that people have this kind of addiction to.
I really wish the OP would return and provide the follow-up information. I'm dying to know whether she's trying to run marathons on an empty tank or whether she just needs to rein it in and find a successful coping strategy.0
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