Addiction to Refined Flour/Sugar

mygirlbrenna

My husband had no idea that I was addicted to flour/sugar. He knew I had a "sweet tooth". (Wow, is that the understatement of the century?) It's my drug. It cannot be in my house. We had an argument one day about me throwing out about a 1/3 of a leftover birthday cake from our son's party. He had no idea what that did to me...sitting there, staring at me, passing by it and eating bite after bite after bite. Never really cutting myself a "piece" because then I'd actually be eating it. (lol) Finally, throwing it out to stop the obsession on how to cut more and it not look smaller than when he went to work. Father in law is "nice enough" to bring over 12 snickerdoodle cookies. I ate NINE. Only because the kids ate 3 did I stop at 9. Hubby didn't see that one either. He knows I can't go to buffets now either now. I'll eat a decent, balanced...maybe even low simple carb or paleo dinner and head to desserts where I go nuts. Now, he knows. He knows not to let it in this house. I can't eat even a tiny mini-muffin because it's flips the switch. MUST HAVE MORE. I've lost 80 lb (gained five back during holidays due to enormous amounts of cookies and pies). Trying to get those off now. I'd love to know if anyone else is fighting this battle daily.

Signed,
Just a Sweet Tooth...not.

Bet_Lynch

Oooh I lurve my bread and cakes, sweets and biccy's, so i know what you mean.:frown:

The only way I controlled that was doing a low carb diet (no more than 20g of carbs per day, Atkins)
And after persevering through a couple of weeks it really stopped the cravings.

But low carb is hard cos you have to get used to making meals without potato,bread, pasta, rice. Stopping the sweets and cakes was ok, but it was the staple foods (potato, bread etc) that made it hard. But it worked.

I read that when you eat something sugery or bread or startchy it raises your insullin levels really high, so you feel good, but quickly they plummet down and your craving again, so it's a vicious circle.

I'm stopping smoking at the moment so doing low carb is too hard for me right now, so I've opted for low cal instead.

dogwalk

I have that problem also,Once i get started I'm not done till it's gone,I can't go to buffets either, I wish I was normal ,I love how my spouse can eat 2 peices of candy and stop,not me,I call it obsessive compulsive disorder with foodsI haven"t been able to cure myself,maybe someone else has some ideas for us!

mygirlbrenna

(By the way, I do low simple carbs/sugar because I have reactive hypoglycemia.) It's not a fad thing. Doc recommended.

carolinagirl7

I fight the battle daily---sometimes hourly as well. I am lucky that sugar and not the carbs is what triggers me to over eat. I could make myself sick to finish off an entire cake just because it is there...once I get the taste of sweet...it is over for me. For me, the trick is not to get started. If I can make it through 2-3 days with no processed food, my cravings go away. That cake leads to ice cream, leads to more sweets, etc...Last week I got started again, and I was actually walking around visiting all the offices that had chocolate, and not because I was hungry mind you...not my finest moment. The blinders to sugar/sweets MUST stay on for me. I exercise a lot--about 45-60 minutes a day...it helps to keep my cravings in check. It is amazing how working out until you are almost sick to your stomach decreases an overall appetite. I work through each craving, usually with a diversionary activity (short walk, reading, shower, call friend etc). It is getting easier...for now!

jamielynn1981

um, yes!!! I really struggle with this too!! If I see something sweet like cake or cookies I will think about it until I just finally give in, and then sometimes it ends up in a binge. I have no solution to this problem, except keep it out of the house completely. But then it shows up at work, or somewhere on the weekends.......:grumble:

Amber82479

I fight this battle every. single. day. I swear, one little bite of cake, brownies, chocolate and the like and I jump right off the deep end. We used to have these little pastries (kolacky's?) delivered to work before the holidays every year. They'd put a huge tray at the end of every aisle in the building. I would eat... And eat... And eat... Until I thought I'd die, and then I'd eat some more Thankfully, last year they stopped bringing them. I'm sick of people telling me "all things in moderation", because for me, a single bite sends me into an addictive overeater binge. The only real solution for me is to stay far, far away. I've thrown out brownies and cakes that I've made in the heat of the moment because I ate half of the darned thing and fully intended to eat the other half if I didn't throw it in the garbage. It took me a very long time to understand that it's an addiction issue for me. Now I try to just stay clear of what I call my "trigger" foods. It mostly works, but sometimes I still binge, even if I haven't eaten anything to trigger it... Very frustrating! Hugs to you - I hope you're able to get your addiction under control!

ehunte

I'm def a sugar addict. I was doing so well before the XMAS holidays. I know that once I start eating anything with sugar I can't stop until it is all done, so I have to fight to not have any at all. It's a daily battle!!

luvmycandies

I have this problem too. You are not alone. I tried a sugar detox, but doesnt last long. I allow myself a sweet, a few times per week. Bread I have also very rarely. Candy and sweets I die for.

nissafull

I definitely an addict. This past year has been one of the most stressfull in a while. I found myself doing as some of you confessed...hoping no one notices the cake has shrunk. Buying another pack of ready to bake cookies because I ate my husbands cookies while he is at work, i might add he is a runner and is 159 lbs. I had lost from 278 to 196 few years ago, but plateaued and never acheived a goal, but managed not to gain....this was the year 22lbs. back...and i know kalackys...ate my fair share during Christmas when the goodies came into our office. I have seen a weight loss physician and nutritional counselor the beginning of the year and the first thing we are working on is compulsion over sweets and carbs. I wish us all much luck this year!

luv2Bsilly

I'm soooo happy to read others are just like me. If I have a bite, I want the whole thing. Made a 9 x 9 pan of coffee cake and ate the whole thing by noon once. I've thrown away many cakes and cookies because it's like you just can't stop till it's gone. Now I just don't buy it or keep it in the house. If it's at work...like today...I drank lots and lots of water and just kept saying I can do this. It worked but I really think it's an addiction like alcohol and it's one day at a time. thanks for all the support everyone:)