Sugar Addiction / Healthy eating

I am 27 years old and I am not getting any younger. I am 139.4 at a height of somewhere in between 5'1'' and 5'2''. I am very uncomfortable and unhappy with my body, I am obsessed with sweets and junk food, but this wasn't always the case...

At age 17 (118 pounds), I recall looking at a LiveJournal group for girls who were pro-anorexia and thinking that it would be fun to try the diet that they insisted helped girls lose weight. Well, of course drinking a million bottles of water and only eating 500 calories a day would do that. Needless to say, I did it for a few months and realized how much I hated it. I went back to normal, eating only when I was hungry and having very little interest in foods that were bad for me. I had a much bigger sense of will power and I cared about what was good and what was bad to put into my body.

The common theme here though is that ever since I was younger I had an obsession with eating and an obsession with my body image.

These days I work full time in a bakery, surrounded by excess cookies. I don't know when I became a sugar addict, especially since I used to be a person who would rather not eat than have pizza or cake at a birthday party. Now I want three helpings. I want to lose 20 pounds in four months but I don't want to work hard to get it. There in lies my problem. I do enjoy working out but I don't enjoy having to eat healthy, and I don't enjoy the way I constantly think about food.

I am a vegetarian but I eat nothing but garbagey processed foods or I'll have a veggie wrap from Sheetz and I'll tell myself this is good for me when it's still fast food, no matter how many veggies are involved. What is my problem? I feel such intense guilt after eating bad foods but I go back to them every single time I have the chance to sink my teeth in.

Does anyone know a good way to detox from sugar when you are surrounded by it at your job? There's no way I can quit my job. I need a good eating plan that will help curb cravings and keep me off of the white granulated poison for good.
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Replies

  • (Reposting from the correct account so I can better follow it)

    I am 27 years old and I am not getting any younger. I am 139.4 at a height of somewhere in between 5'1'' and 5'2''. I am very uncomfortable and unhappy with my body, I am obsessed with sweets and junk food, but this wasn't always the case...

    At age 17 (118 pounds), I recall looking at a LiveJournal group for girls who were pro-anorexia and thinking that it would be fun to try the diet that they insisted helped girls lose weight. Well, of course drinking a million bottles of water and only eating 500 calories a day would do that. Needless to say, I did it for a few months and realized how much I hated it. I went back to normal, eating only when I was hungry and having very little interest in foods that were bad for me. I had a much bigger sense of will power and I cared about what was good and what was bad to put into my body.

    The common theme here though is that ever since I was younger I had an obsession with eating and an obsession with my body image.

    These days I work full time in a bakery, surrounded by excess cookies. I don't know when I became a sugar addict, especially since I used to be a person who would rather not eat than have pizza or cake at a birthday party. Now I want three helpings. I want to lose 20 pounds in four months but I don't want to work hard to get it. There in lies my problem. I do enjoy working out but I don't enjoy having to eat healthy, and I don't enjoy the way I constantly think about food.

    I am a vegetarian but I eat nothing but garbagey processed foods or I'll have a veggie wrap from Sheetz and I'll tell myself this is good for me when it's still fast food, no matter how many veggies are involved. What is my problem? I feel such intense guilt after eating bad foods but I go back to them every single time I have the chance to sink my teeth in.

    Does anyone know a good way to detox from sugar when you are surrounded by it at your job? There's no way I can quit my job. I need a good eating plan that will help curb cravings and keep me off of the white granulated poison for good.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    A lot of successful people on here eat what they want in moderation. You should look into IIFYM in the search bar.

    Also, detox is a load of poo.

    Stop labeling foods as good or bad.
  • A lot of successful people on here eat what they want in moderation. You should look into IIFYM in the search bar.

    Also, detox is a load of poo.

    Stop labeling foods as good or bad.

    Very unhelpful. I am struggling with moderation, I am not one of those successful people you speak of. Detox is not "a load poo" for me, it is a matter of overcoming an obstacle that repeatedly stands in my way. I can label foods as I see fit, it's probably good to begin to recognize cake, cookies, etc as 'bad' food or less healthy foods so that I can begin to eat less of them.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    A lot of successful people on here eat what they want in moderation. You should look into IIFYM in the search bar.

    Also, detox is a load of poo.

    Stop labeling foods as good or bad.

    Very unhelpful. I am struggling with moderation, I am not one of those successful people you speak of. Detox is not "a load poo" for me, it is a matter of overcoming an obstacle that repeatedly stands in my way. I can label foods as I see fit, it's probably good to begin to recognize cake, cookies, etc as 'bad' food or less healthy foods so that I can begin to eat less of them.
    Pardon me, I should have given you different advice (I.e. stuff you want to hear). My bad.
    Maybe you should get a refund.
    Good luck on your journey.


    Eta: detox is literally a load of poo. Sorry to burst your bubble.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    All I've got is this - take a look at the why. Why do you eat your "bad" foods? Is it to bury emotional problems and/or general life stress? Are you getting enough fat from the "good" foods?
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    I hate to say it, but I would counsel you to reconsider being a vegetarian. I applaud your decision from a moral point of view, but I think it is much harder to get control over a sugar addiction when you are eating a high percentage of carbs. At least have a look at your protein intake levels and do everything you can to get them up.
  • Mangopickle
    Mangopickle Posts: 1,509 Member
    Sounds like you are medicating with food to deal with stressors. High glycemic carbs are the usual food of choice for the stress eater as the spike in blood sugar hits the body rapidly. You should also probably see your doctor and get labs, especially Hgba1c. If you have become a type 2 diabetic you will have an intense craving for carbs to maintain a higher than normal blood sugar. Avoiding high glycemic carbs or carefully portioning them and eating them with other foods will lessen the cravings. After eating them there is often a strong hormonal response causing cravings for the next 7 -10 hrs. People who don't eat large amounts of simple carbs on a regular basis tend not to crave them. When I eat simple carbs I tend to think about them and experience a strong craving to eat them again even when not hungry. When I don't eat simple carbs I really don't think about food much at all.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Helpful link:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants


    You feel guilty about eating stuff because you have labelled it as good and bad. I put this at the end, because I know you don't want to hear it and I am hoping that you will look at the link before deciding my thoughts/opinions make everything I say invalid. Please consider that there could be a world where you can enjoy your food and your body shape.
  • rebprest
    rebprest Posts: 149 Member
    Pardon me, I should have given you different advice (I.e. stuff you want to hear). My bad.
    Maybe you should get a refund.
    Good luck on your journey.


    Eta: detox is literally a load of poo. Sorry to burst your bubble.

    Bahahhahha, it can't "literally" be a load of poo. I'm sorry, but only a load of poo is literally load of poo. I'm just saying. I also was obsessed with sugar and carbs etc, and I also felt I needed to cut them out in the beginning to help me get my head on straight. Rather than thinking of sugary foods as "bad", try thinking of other foods as "healthier" or nutrient dense for their calorie load. After the first week or so (which was torture), I found that when I looked at a piece of cake I was imaging a flax seed, dark chocolate, oatmeal cookie. I naturally started craving foods that would give me more energy. It just takes so much mental energy to see foods with limited or stilted nutrient value as "bad". Or maybe I just work best with positive reinforcement, but anyway, something to try. drinking a lot of water helps, too.
  • Helpful link:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants


    You feel guilty about eating stuff because you have labelled it as good and bad. I put this at the end, because I know you don't want to hear it and I am hoping that you will look at the link before deciding my thoughts/opinions make everything I say invalid. Please consider that there could be a world where you can enjoy your food and your body shape.

    I appreciate your link and I am currently reading through it. It isn't that I don't "want" to hear something, it may have come off that way by my response to the other poster, but in actuality I just didn't like the way they said what they said and especially the remarks that came thereafter my response to them. As though I was supposed to respect their thoughts and opinions but they weren't supposed to respect mine.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    Pardon me, I should have given you different advice (I.e. stuff you want to hear). My bad.
    Maybe you should get a refund.
    Good luck on your journey.


    Eta: detox is literally a load of poo. Sorry to burst your bubble.

    Bahahhahha, it can't "literally" be a load of poo. I'm sorry, but only a load of poo is literally load of poo. I'm just saying. I also was obsessed with sugar and carbs etc, and I also felt I needed to cut them out in the beginning to help me get my head on straight. Rather than thinking of sugary foods as "bad", try thinking of other foods as "healthier" or nutrient dense for their calorie load. After the first week or so (which was torture), I found that when I looked at a piece of cake I was imaging a flax seed, dark chocolate, oatmeal cookie. I naturally started craving foods that would give me more energy. It just takes so much mental energy to see foods with limited or stilted nutrient value as "bad". Or maybe I just work best with positive reinforcement, but anyway, something to try. drinking a lot of water helps, too.

    It is poo...how does your body get rid of waste?
    :smokin:
    I'll be waiting for my apology via pm
  • krisg71
    krisg71 Posts: 34 Member
    I recently did a ten day sugar free challenge. I was still allowed to eat sugar naturally found in fruits, veggies, and dairy, but all added sugar was off limits. This restriction will almost guarantee that you stay away from processed food. The first trip to the grocery store took some time because I read all the labels. Even some brands of cottage cheese contain added sugar! I packed a lunch box daily that had my breakfast, lunch, and any snacks I would need during the work day. Personally, this challenge wasn't too difficult for me since I had already cut out most processed foods, but some people really struggled with it. However, since the end if the challenge, I have allowed myself to add back a little bit of sugary foods (frozen yogurt last night). Now that I am trying to eat sugar in moderation, I can really feel the hooks of addiction digging in. I'm afraid it might be an all or nothing thing for me. That is often the case of any addiction. All this to say, if you want to beat your sugar craving, you will have to make conscious decisions not to eat processed junk. Mother nature has done a great job providing us with an abundance of yummy foods. I'm not sure why we (Americans usually) began thinking that processed sugary chemical laden "food" was the way to go or the way to treat ourselves.

    One thing though, I am your height and your current weight is my goal weight. 139 is within the healthy weight/height ratio for 5'2". However, I understand if you are not comfortable there. No one has the right to dictate what we want for our bodies. I suspect, though, that you are 1) having problems letting go of that "perfect" high school weight and 2) probably need to tone more than drop a significant amount of weight. You mentioned that you don't want to work hard, but I hope you realize that hard work has to go into any significant improvement you want in life. My non-expert advice would be to make big changes in your food choices. Some people say to make gradual changes, but that has never worked for me. Once I decided to get healthy for real, I made big changes almost overnight. You do what works for you. You should find that after you cut the poison out of your diet (and that's really what many processed foods amount to. Read the freaking labels. Do you know what half of that stuff is?), you will begin to feel better and more optimistic in general. Also, I would begin a light cardio and weight training program. As you begin to drop a few pounds and build some muscle, you should be more pleased with the look of your body, and you will find yourself not as willing to sacrifice your hard work for that office cookie.

    Good luck and good sweatin'!

    Kris
  • rebprest
    rebprest Posts: 149 Member
    Oh, you got me. I may admit defeat, but death before apologies.
    Pardon me, I should have given you different advice (I.e. stuff you want to hear). My bad.
    Maybe you should get a refund.
    Good luck on your journey.


    Eta: detox is literally a load of poo. Sorry to burst your bubble.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    Oh, you got me. I may admit defeat, but death before apologies.
    Pardon me, I should have given you different advice (I.e. stuff you want to hear). My bad.
    Maybe you should get a refund.
    Good luck on your journey.


    Eta: detox is literally a load of poo. Sorry to burst your bubble.

    :grumble:
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Helpful link:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants


    You feel guilty about eating stuff because you have labelled it as good and bad. I put this at the end, because I know you don't want to hear it and I am hoping that you will look at the link before deciding my thoughts/opinions make everything I say invalid. Please consider that there could be a world where you can enjoy your food and your body shape.

    I appreciate your link and I am currently reading through it. It isn't that I don't "want" to hear something, it may have come off that way by my response to the other poster, but in actuality I just didn't like the way they said what they said and especially the remarks that came thereafter my response to them. As though I was supposed to respect their thoughts and opinions but they weren't supposed to respect mine.

    We all have different personalities. The link has a lot of information. I hope you find some helpful stuff in there.
  • Chelz2013
    Chelz2013 Posts: 176 Member
    I understand what OP is saying. You're young enough to nip it in the bud so you don't end up even more overweight at 40 (like me). Although, as for advice, I'm no expert. I'm still learning myself. I have insurance (do you?) and I've signed up to speak with a counselor. I have TONS of knowledge but lack implementing and maintaining. I'm not sure of all the ins/outs with what vegetarians eat, but the other poster did mention IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros). You need to do some research and decide what works for you. Make sure you're getting your protein/carb/fat. Everyone will have different opinions on this. You sound like you know what you're eating and need to make some healthier choices. Start small - 1st - log every morsel you eat. 2nd - make one healthier choice every week (maybe you need healthy snacks at work - yogurt, almonds, veggies, protein bar - something that's satisfying and may help curb your hunger so you're not just grabbing cookies out of convenience.)

    You have to remember it's a lifelong journey. I would never cut something out totally, because I would binge. I have to eat what I want to eat, but of course, within reason. (and therein lies the million dollar question - how to do it all within reason) Your choice of foods, water consumption, exercise and dedication to living a healthy life will help you reach your goals. 1 lb a week is reasonable, but also take measurements. Don't just rely on the scale. Good luck!
  • omnisis
    omnisis Posts: 85 Member
    I can relate somewhat. I tend to do better by just avoiding sugary foods at all for the most part. I guess they are a "trigger food" for me. I don't generally crave sugar when I'm not downing cookies and the like so I just eat fruits, smoothies , etc for my sugar fix and occasionally I will have a frozen yogurt or dessert at a restaurant. This seems to work for me but I know others that can eat sweets everyday and still be under maintenance. As long as you remain in control and don't feel overly deprived you should be okay. As others have mentioned, Dont make this into a guilt thing, just find a balance that works for you and stick with it .
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    I can relate somewhat. I tend to do better by just avoiding sugary foods at all for the most part. I guess they are a "trigger food" for me. I don't generally crave sugar when I'm not downing cookies and the like so I just eat fruits, smoothies , etc for my sugar fix and occasionally I will have a frozen yogurt or dessert at a restaurant. This seems to work for me but I know others that can eat sweets everyday and still be under maintenance. As long as you remain in control and don't feel overly deprived you should be okay. As others have mentioned, Dont make this into a guilt thing, just find a balance that works for you and stick with it .

    I agree wholeheartedly. Exercise helps me prevent cravings too.
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  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Just making sure I understand. So you want to lose weight but don't want to put any effort into it. - If you won't take the time or effort you aren't ready. Which isn't a bad thing just means you aren't ready, try again when you are.

    You have bad body image issues already. - You may want to speak with someone about this

    Sugar is the devil. - Nope try again

    And you think a detox is going to solve all your problems. - What are you detoxing that your body doesn't do all on it's own already?

    Stop looking for quick fixes get help with your relationship with food and body image issues. Oh and good luck :flowerforyou:
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    OP deactivated this AM; so if you're waiting for a response it may take her a while :)
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    OP deactivated this AM; so if you're waiting for a response it may take her a while :)

    She deactivated the first account, the second one is still there. Hopefully, she figures things out.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Oh no, sugar addiction. Wait, selling my TV for cookies.

    Bad food.....bad. Evil food.

    I wrote out 2 comments. One for each of your accounts which you should know is against TOS.

    :laugh:
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
    My height and weight are very similar. Anyways, I eat a lot of sugar/carbs but the majority is from fruit. Eating whole foods helps me feel the fullest and i think that helps me to stay away from other things, like donuts. You can check out my food diary.
  • I am 27 years old and I am not getting any younger. I am 139.4 at a height of somewhere in between 5'1'' and 5'2''. I am very uncomfortable and unhappy with my body, I am obsessed with sweets and junk food, but this wasn't always the case...

    At age 17 (118 pounds), I recall looking at a LiveJournal group for girls who were pro-anorexia and thinking that it would be fun to try the diet that they insisted helped girls lose weight. Well, of course drinking a million bottles of water and only eating 500 calories a day would do that. Needless to say, I did it for a few months and realized how much I hated it. I went back to normal, eating only when I was hungry and having very little interest in foods that were bad for me. I had a much bigger sense of will power and I cared about what was good and what was bad to put into my body.

    The common theme here though is that ever since I was younger I had an obsession with eating and an obsession with my body image.

    These days I work full time in a bakery, surrounded by excess cookies. I don't know when I became a sugar addict, especially since I used to be a person who would rather not eat than have pizza or cake at a birthday party. Now I want three helpings. I want to lose 20 pounds in four months but I don't want to work hard to get it. There in lies my problem. I do enjoy working out but I don't enjoy having to eat healthy, and I don't enjoy the way I constantly think about food.

    I am a vegetarian but I eat nothing but garbagey processed foods or I'll have a veggie wrap from Sheetz and I'll tell myself this is good for me when it's still fast food, no matter how many veggies are involved. What is my problem? I feel such intense guilt after eating bad foods but I go back to them every single time I have the chance to sink my teeth in.

    Does anyone know a good way to detox from sugar when you are surrounded by it at your job? There's no way I can quit my job. I need a good eating plan that will help curb cravings and keep me off of the white granulated poison for good.
  • Well, sugar is addicting. I am a former pastry cook/baker and alcoholic. I still struggle with sugar as well. Your cravings can really be caused from candida, the bad yeast. If your willing, try the candida cleanse or the specific carbohydrate diet (scd for short). You have the baking knowledge to help yourself make treats to reward yourself at the end of the day. I have been using honey and agave mostly for sweeteners. It would also help you to eat some protein even if you are vegetarian, eat eggs or some non-processed source of protein. I usually like sprouts on salads and they are very good for you. You are probably craving sugar since candida loves sugar. So, when your sick of feeling sick, try a healthier approach to food as more than just food, but FUEL to keep cancer cells away and to flush your system. Weight will naturally "drop off" when you can get the candida under control. =):smile:
  • This content has been removed.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Well, sugar is addicting. I am a former pastry cook/baker and alcoholic. I still struggle with sugar as well. Your cravings can really be caused from candida, the bad yeast. If your willing, try the candida cleanse or the specific carbohydrate diet (scd for short). You have the baking knowledge to help yourself make treats to reward yourself at the end of the day. I have been using honey and agave mostly for sweeteners. It would also help you to eat some protein even if you are vegetarian, eat eggs or some non-processed source of protein. I usually like sprouts on salads and they are very good for you. You are probably craving sugar since candida loves sugar. So, when your sick of feeling sick, try a healthier approach to food as more than just food, but FUEL to keep cancer cells away and to flush your system. Weight will naturally "drop off" when you can get the candida under control. =):smile:
    that's just to funny for words
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    Well, sugar is addicting. I am a former pastry cook/baker and alcoholic. I still struggle with sugar as well. Your cravings can really be caused from candida, the bad yeast. If your willing, try the candida cleanse or the specific carbohydrate diet (scd for short). You have the baking knowledge to help yourself make treats to reward yourself at the end of the day. I have been using honey and agave mostly for sweeteners. It would also help you to eat some protein even if you are vegetarian, eat eggs or some non-processed source of protein. I usually like sprouts on salads and they are very good for you. You are probably craving sugar since candida loves sugar. So, when your sick of feeling sick, try a healthier approach to food as more than just food, but FUEL to keep cancer cells away and to flush your system. Weight will naturally "drop off" when you can get the candida under control. =):smile:

    She is trying to lose weight, not cure a yeast infection.:noway:
    dude, wth?
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    A lot of successful people on here eat what they want in moderation. You should look into IIFYM in the search bar.

    Also, detox is a load of poo.

    Stop labeling foods as good or bad.

    You...I like you...

    I wanted to quote all of your posts here.

    OP squared...(because you have 2 accounts, I'm not calling you a square)...:noway: