Sugar Addiction Help

Iwishyouwell

I had issues with sugar, or more accurately, certain high sugar-high fat desserts. I gained up to 320 primarily on the back of ice cream, cookies, and cake.

In the past I completely abstained from it. I never intended to cut it out permanently, because I have no desire to do that, but I did so to gain control until such a time I felt confident folding them back in. And it worked as long as I stayed away; out of system, cravings gone. But eventually I would put it back in and often go right back to overeating it.

To be honest the only way I "kicked" sugar was to embrace my all-or-nothing attitude surrounding it. Giving myself full permission to eat those specific trigger desserts any time I wanted, as much as I wanted, ended up being the freedom I needed. It made me feel comfortable just saying "Ok, if I can have them anytime I want, I can also just save them for later". It was the idea of them being this naughty, "addictive", off limits thing that sparked me to chronically overeat because I figured I'd be "perfect" tomorrow. Tomorrow seldom came.

Taking this new approach of just letting them back in, as much as I wanted, was life changing. So now I can eat those yummy treats, enjoy as much as I want, and move on. Doesn't mean I have some every day of every week, or even every month, but it does mean that when I do enjoy them I allow myself the full gambit, to my satisfaction, without shame, guilt, or consternation.

slimbettie

Moderation is key.

slimbettie

Double post

_Terrapin_

I heard moderation is key.

SrMaggalicious

I've seen a lot of these 'baiting' posts lately. One question, only one or two posts from the OP, no stats, no pics...

_Terrapin_

Lately?!? Oh, you've been here how long? srsly r u kiddin' me?

QuietBloom

I've seen a lot of these 'baiting' posts lately. One question, only one or two posts from the OP, no stats, no pics...

I think sometimes the responses make them slink off without a word.

_Terrapin_

Do you really think they slink away?

AlabasterVerve

I eat a low carb, high fat diet in order to have a normal appetite (I get hungry, eat, feel full and then stop eating because I'm full). That is the most important thing for me. If I eat too many carbs/sugar, too often my appetite is insatiable. I'm always hungry, never feel satisfied (even if I'm physically full) and always want more -- so I don't do that -- low carb means I have a normal appetite and can stick to my plan.

I generally eat two large meals a day, don't snack and don't eat after dinner. I don't crave sweets at all anymore so it's easy to stick to my diet. And my diet is made up of delicious, indulgent foods I love to eat so it's no hardship.

For holidays and special occasions I celebrate and enjoy all of the foods I don't eat on a regular basis. And then I get right back into my normal, everyday diet and eating patterns. Which can take some effort/willpower on my part for a few days until the cravings go away again but I think it's worth it since in my family we celebrate with food. I've found it actually makes these occasions more special which helps.

So I severely restrict sugar until I don't want it anymore and it's effortless to say no -- it's not even something I think about, it's just the way I eat. And I indulge on special occasions. That works for me and it's a balance I'm happy with. As a bonus, I don't need to count calories or force exercise in order to maintain my weight loss. I control my calories by eating whole food, satiating high fat meals which naturally keep my appetite in check.

It's not for everyone -- as you can clearly see from this thread -- but I thought I'd share because the everything in moderation, everyday approach was not sustainable for me. There's no one size fits all approach to something like this. Just keep at it until you find a balance that works for you and is as close to effortless to maintain as possible. Best wishes.

Here are few links:

Low Carb for Beginners
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

Food Addiction - A Serious Problem With a Simple Solution
http://authoritynutrition.com/how-to-overcome-food-addiction/

katrinab2015

It does have addictive qualities. When you eat sugar (a straight, simple carb that's not "meant" to be eaten straight, s it is served in most forms, as well as candy, cakes, cookies etc) your body goes into a frenzy and releases too much insulin immediately, so then you crave more sugar to "use up" the insulin, and it's a vicious circle until you hopefully crash and stop, or un-hopefully cause major damage like diabetes.

Cookies, candy, sweets, sugary sodas, and simple sugars—all have this effect of destabilizing our body's chemistry.

When you eat more complex carbs (e.g. vegetables, whole grains etc), your body also releases insulin, but in nice, calmly dosed measurements. The insulin released tackles the sugar and your brain receives the message that the carbs have been metabolized and you don't crave more, because there's no surplus insulin left waiting around to do it's job. Your body released an appropriate amount.

Skewing your system with sugars in this way, too much and too often, is one good way to get diabetes.

Once this is understood, it's easier to stay away from sugars, because if you test the theory, you realize it's true, and can manage your cravings much better.

A good thing to do is satisfy your sweet tooth with high cocoa % dark chocolate. Personally, i don't find it as delicious and creamy as milk chocolate, but the fact that it satisfies my craving with a few pieces, and doesn't send me into a whirlwind of a sugar binge, is a great trade off. I now find milk chocolate and most candy too sweet and chemically destabilizing to binge on it too often. (As a side note, i know also notice how little flavor most candy and sugary foods have).

A good thing to do is also to combine healthy fats with sweet carbs, as the fats help to reach satiety much faster (feel fuller quickly), and the fat also slows down the insulin response... so: carrots (sweet carb) with hummus (fat) OR apple slices (sweet carb) with almond butter (fat) are good options.

I'm sure my terminology is wrong here and there, but the above is a general guide to what's going on in the body.

Once i understood this food science, it really made a difference in how i viewed my eating, and understanding that it's not just a crap shoot, so to speak, helped me make better choices more easily.

I hope this helps you in the same way.

_Terrapin_

Skewing your system with sugars in this way, too much and too often, is one good way to get diabetes.


and sweet carb with fat; interesting. These are two interesting thoughts.

F00LofaT00K

I didn't. I worked it into my macros where I could and ate other things when I couldn't.

Exactly! Check out my diary and see that I eat sugar every day. Unless you have an endocrine disorder, such as diabetes, where your body cannot process sugar properly, then there is no medical reason to avoid sugar entirely. Make sure most of your carbs are from fruits and veggies and grains for the vitamin/mineral/fiber value they also contain and enjoy some sugar also. If you truly feel that its an addiction, see a therapist.

icrushit

I genuinely feel my ability to control what I eat is directly related to how dependent I am on sugar. Of course sugar is not the only factor, but reining in that sugar habit has made things a lot easier, and also much easier to eat real and nutritious food which can otherwise seem quite bland when you're in the throes of a sugar habit.

For me, I am simply trimming it back little by little, and am doing quite well. I'm not sure I could go cold turkey, as I suspect for me it would lead to cravings eventually, so dialling it slowly back is what's working best for me. I still need a little sugar (1/4 tsp) in a coffee or black tea, but eventually I hope to eliminate it entirely, as with most of the other added sugar I've squeezed out of my diet

leeilaxoxo

I don't even track sugar. I track carbs though.
Sugar comes in many forms.... I could eat 6 apples instead of 1 cookie and my body will still treat it the same and convert it to engery which you NEED to lose weight. The only difference is that apples have more fiber, which would fill me up more so I'd be less likely to binge later.

Just balance it out. Have a cookie or a soda if you want, just as long as you don't go overboard.

levitateme

I honestly feel really bad for people who think they can't have certain things. Not here to dump on anyone or post sarcastic gifs, just a general "sorry, y'all."

Besides that, I don't understand people screaming "NO SUGAR GO COLD TURKEY" and they still eat fruit, and trail mix, ... and rice, and literally anything with carbohydrates. What do you guys think happens to the carbohydrates in food after you eat them?

*hint: they turn into sugar*

If you are an active person, why would you be scared that too much sugar is going to give you diabetes? Carbohydrates fill your glycogen stores after they are depleted by exercise and your body uses the rest for fuel. The only people who should be truly worried about diabetes are obese people who are eating a surplus of calories, thus, a surplus of sugar while being sedentary. My body needs sugar, and I don't track my intake because it's not important.

PrissyPisces

I was a SERIOUS sugar addict. MY GOD! I ate cotton candy, cookies, cakes, ice cream, and all the other terrible junk foods that make you unhealthy and overweight. As far as table sugar goes, I added it to grits, oatmeal, ORANGES (my God), and even foods like SPAGHETTI! When my eating plan started, I just said NOPE! I can't afford to keep eating sugar like I'm crazy. I just started my journey to weight loss 9 days ago, and I have resisted MUCH temptation. I have children in the house, so you know how that goes. :laugh: I just want this weight loss SO bad, so I'm willing to say bye to my old habits. HOWEVER, I will still have skinny cow ice cream, granola, light yogurt, and any fruit I want, (yes, bananas and mangos!) and anything that's giving me vitamins along with the sugar. Just keep everything in moderation. Don't go through life thinking I CAN'T eat this. It's makes it too hard.

greetingsliv

Cold turkey baby. You can do it! Once you kick it, when you try to jump back on, you hurt yourself. Try a little agave or honey to get you over the hump but only as reward system.
Your admiring Liv ox

levitateme

Cold turkey baby. You can do it! Once you kick it, when you try to jump back on, you hurt yourself. Try a little agave or honey to get you over the hump but only as reward system.
Your admiring Liv ox

Maybe I'm talking to a brick wall in this thread, but do you not understand that honey contains sugar?

Meerataila

Here's my thesis. If you stop eating it, you will no longer crave it. Just stop for a week or two and you will ask yourself why you even liked to eat sweets. It worked for me and it's worth a shot.

Pass on that. I don't see the point in not eating it if I really want it

I creeped your profile. First, look at you, you probably burn 2500 - 3000 calories a day just sitting around due to all the muscle mass you have. Second, isn't EMT rather physically demanding sometimes? And you work out. Of course you have calories to spare for treats.

I also notice you say you don't drink soda or eat fast food, right? So what if you want to? How is giving up those things different from giving up other things someone else wants in order to have a healthy weight?

You left out the part where I lost 75 lbs in order to get to where I am.
An EMT can be physically demanding. Sometimes not so much.
3000 calories is actually the amount of calories I bulk on. And so you know my daily intake is about 1900.
I don't drink soda for the simple fact that I would rather eat a cookie instead of drinking a soda. But if I want a soda I would drink it, and I have. Just not like I used to.

I don't eat fast food because it isn't easy getting in 700 or 1000 calories in of McDonalds, hitting accurate macros and not remaining hungry. I do eat KFC often, have had french fries plenty of time and eat pizza 3x per week. So i guess maybe I do eat fast food.

Fair enough, you didn't specify why you don't drink soda or eat fast food. However, I'm sure you can see how a more sedentary person with less muscle mass might avoid, for example, fast food in order to make it easier to stay under calorie goals and also avoid cookies for the same reason.

A person not eating it due to limited caloric allowance is perfectly understandable. But avoiding it because someone claims they have an issue where they would sit in the corner of a room crouched down rocking back and forth eating a jumbo bag of cookies is not. It's sugar addiction nonsense imo.

That's my belief and it will differ from maybe yours or other people's.

I won't rock on the floor, but I will be unreasonably hungry and cravy. I'm going to start telling people sugar and bread makes me break out in hives. Being itchy is annoying, and being hungry when I don't need more calories is equally annoying, so it's not exactly a total lie.