Hi, My name is Melissa and I am addicted to sugar.

shoobz

I quit smoking cigarettes July 2011 after smoking for 26 years and literally watching my mother die of cancer. That was an addiction.
I've had friends die from heroin overdoses and friends destroy their lives over meth. That's an addiction.
Sugar is yummy. That's not the same thing.

Technically, you're not addicted to the sugar, so in one way you're right.

But in another, far more practical, less uppity and pedantic way, you're completely wrong, because you can be addicted to anything you enjoy, and sugar is not JUST enjoyable, it is a necessary part of your diet. An addiction is not necessarily a physical one, but if the OP has a sugar crash and craves sweet things, then yes, that is her body telling her she needs it right now. If she feels like **** because she doesn't have it, it's an addiction. It may not send her into a cold sweat, but a mild addiction is still an addiction.

And even if it wasn't a physical response, often when a person enjoys something they can become addicted to the hormones released when they do it, which DOES satisfy your definition of addiction because they're chemicals too.

smill101

This may already have been said as I haven't read all the posts:
Studies have proved that sugar & corn syrup (artificial sweetener) are a major contributor to the main reasons why Britain & the USA have high levels of obesity. Corn syrup (fructose (HFCS)) is added to most processed foods to soften texture, add volume, prevent crystallization of sugar, and enhance flavour (making the food taste sweeter). The problem starts because high sugar levels in the food fool the brain into thinking it's not full (no off switch for eating), therefore increasing gluttony & binge eating.

aleks80

I was definitely a serious sugar addict until about 6 weeks ago. I ate loads of stuff that I wasn't even aware had high levels of sugar in (e.g. breakfast cereals that are marketed as being healthy, white bread, etc). After reading loads of research on the internet I decided to give up all sugars except for those in fruit and veg (I still keep a reign on fruit to 2-3 portions a day), only eat low GI carbs like oats, and started doing more regular exercise (4 x 30min per week) and the results have been amazing. The numbers are good - I've lost 6kg (13lbs) in 6 weeks of which about 4kg is fat and 2kg water (normal when reducing carbs), but the main positive is that I feel so much better. I can focus more, I'm less moody, less fatigued between meals, etc.

The first 2 weeks were really difficult, as my wife will testify, and I was cranky and tired all the time - definitely signs that sugar is indeed addictive as going cold turkey was a nightmare. Then all of a sudden one day the fog lifted and I felt great. Now where I used to crave chocolate and biscuits in the evening, I look forward to a piece of fruit or a handful of brazil nuts and feel much better for it.

For me personally I am not viewing the 'no sugar' plan as a detox, but hopefully as a life-long change. From what I have experienced, sugar is indeed both addictive and a toxin with no place even in a balanced diet (except for those naturally occurring in fruit and veg in reasonable quantities). As I say I can only speak for myself and how i feel, and don't claim these as broad brush solutions for everyone else, I just know it works for me.

tinks1999

Hi Melissa, it's not known as deadly white powder for nothing! I also have a huge sugar addiction which worries me terribly. I would like any tips. The problem is manufacturers pump nearly everything with it. :frown:

aleks80

Hi Melissa, it's not known as deadly white powder for nothing! I also have a huge sugar addiction which worries me terribly. I would like any tips. The problem is manufacturers pump nearly everything with it. :frown:

May not be the answer you want to hear, but the only real way is to avoid processed foods and cook from scratch. If everything is made up from the basic ingredients without anyone adding things to make it last longer, make it cheaper, colour it, enhance its flavour, etc then it is will be a whole lot better for your body and will almost certainly have a lot less sugar. Its a hassle to find the time to do it, but its definitely worth it. We've got a young family, so when we do cook we make loads that will last for few days, but takes pretty much the same amount of time as just making it for one meal. Hope this helps.

LooseWheel

The first and quickest sure fire thing to help beat a craving is tensing muscles. This has been shown to help with sugar and smoking cravings. The physical motion of tensing all muscles you possibly can all at once for several seconds including, hands, arms, stomach, bum, pelvic floor muscles (for girls only of course!) upper legs, lower legs, toes man!!!! Squeeze, friggen squeeze. That first muscle tension can have a physiological reaction that can release a strong burst of endorphins. A kind of satisfying rush that temporarily distracts your body and mind from the focus of wanting that specific sugar, food or nicotine item. The rush that takes just seconds of tensing, to give you power to beat a five minute craving. That first strong craving can initially be beaten with this tensing technique and the endorphine rush will last that 5 minutes and then do it again if you crave reoccurs minutes later. Keep doing this. Try it for all cravings that you know are not right for your body, you know they are huge if you give in as in you have a lower level of self control (such as eating the whole pack, not just a couple). If you are able to learn to satisfy a craving by a small dose of what you are wanting, such as 10 M&M's and not a whole pack, then you are able to teach your mind 'simple craving satisfaction'.

Just going off what I have learnt and can happily say I dont crave chocolate anymore. It can last in the fridge for ages, I dont even scoff the kids chocies either!

Going cold turkey is hard. It is the hardest thing to do with sugar over cigarettes. I quite smoking cold turkey no probs. Also gave up daily cola over doses cold turkey and put up with head aches for a week. I think your body can get used to sugar differently, every persons body will react to sugar and respond to quitting high doses differently.

Have to look at what you've done b4 thats been even the slightest successful for cutting down on sugar. Often things work better 2nd time round. You have to take note of what your body might go through over the next month and let those around you know what you are doing. You will have withdrawals. Its a shock to your system making extreme changes. If you cant handle the cold turkey kind of shock, do it in steps.

Good luck. You've made the first step of identifying an issue in your life that you want to take control of. Take the second, write it down and remain aware of all changes, thoughts, feelings, physical reactions and remain in control of it all. Best of luck mate. It can be done. You will do this

htimpaired

I truly think there can be an addiction to sugar.
It always hits me towards the end of the day, mostly when I am at work.
I get antsy and fidgety, maybe a little moody.
And then I cave in a buy me go to bag of peanut M&M's. Not the small bag.
But the bag that is meant for sharing. But of course I don't share.
As soon as I put the first M&M in my mouth I can actually feel a sense of relief come over me.
Just like when I used to smoke.

If I can quit smoking surely I can quit sugar.

I need ideas of what I can put in my pocket when I am work. I was thinking about a couple of jolly ranchers.
Sweet and they last long. Or would that not be helpful at all.

I saw this title and thought I wrote something in my sleep and didn't remember, 'cause my name is Melissa too, and I totally have a problem with sugar. Specifically, gummy candies. a big bag of them from the bulk section of my grocery store. I also used to smoke, and totally find myself experiencing cravings, urges, those overwhelming thoughts of how good it will taste...it makes me sad really. I mean, rationally I can tell myself...it's FOOD! and it's making me gain weight!
But as with anything, rational doesn't always apply.

I have sugar-free italian ices in my freezer, and sugar free jello in my fridge. I'm hoping they help with the craving. I'm thinking I'm gonna go cold turkey, just like I did with cigarttes. Unless someone comes up wtih a sugar patch!

LooseWheel

Understanding sugar...And seeing it in a size you know sugar as a spoonful. One can of cola = 10 teaspoons of sugar. Sounds huge as you wouldn't do that in your cup of coffee huh!

This info comes from an article 'The anatomy of a sugar hit' from Good Health magazine, November, 2011. (In Australia)

1 teaspoon contains 4 grams of sugar
to work out how many teaspoons of sugar a product contains, divide the amount of sugar on the pack in grams by four.

eg: A chocolate bar with 12 grams of sugar would equal 3 full teaspoons.

1 gram of sugar provides 12 kj of energy. (Kilojoules)
multiply the grams of sugar in a product by 16 will tell you how many of the foods kj's are actually sugar.

eg: 1gram of sugar = 16kj of energy
so....
12gram of sugar (the chocolate bar) = 192kj of energy.

Thats the math part.

.......................................................

Looking at that can of cola again. It is harmful to you as soon as it enters you face! The high sugar AND acid content, a lethal combination, can increase dental decay and enamel ersoion. (So if you gonna have it, use a straw and save your teeth).

Next stop, cola goes to your stomach. Then into your small intestine where the sugar component metabolises into both glucose and fructose. This is the process that allows the sugar to hit your bloodstream.

After around 20 minutes your blood sugar levels will have peaked, a sensor in your brain instructs your pancreas to secrete large amounts of insulin to help deal with the excess of glucose in your bloodstream. Meanwhile your liver is trying to metabolise the fructose and will also have to work overtime to remove any excess insulin that remains after blood sugar levels have stabalised.

Next effect - your Brain. With insulin pushing the glucose around your body, you will certainly feel a surge of energy and may even feel more mentally alert. The sugar influx also increases the brain's production of serotonin, a neurochemical that's linked with pleasure and reward - right now that sugar high feels good.

After a few hours, your body has burned up all the glucose it could possibly use, while the liver has metabolised as much fructose as it can handle - the leftovers, wait for it, ARE CONVERTED INTO FAT. As levels of circulating glucose fall, that initial sugar high turns into an energy crisis for your brain and you'll feel the need for another hit.

This is a similar physical reaction and effect that taking drugs can have on your body.

Thats why sugar truly can become an addiction as you are teaching your body to feel its become reliant on it and you give in and take another hit.

Hopefully this understanding on the effects that sugar can have on your body, can truly and honestly help you to understand its duty in your body and also motivate you like never before to take control of this substance. Truly take control matey. It can be done.

Best replacement for sugary fixes can be sweet fruits too. It is a beneficial swap in many ways. cheers guys!

ready2tryagain42

I have a very good friend of mine who admits her sugar cravings and addictions. About 4 years ago she had to give up sugar due to them being a symptom that aggravated her chronic arthiritis. She told me some crazy stories..about how she would take Sugar in the Raw packets and shoot them all day long. It is addictive..but it is beatable.

SilviCor

Hi Melissa, Remember, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.

Barbellsandthimbles

Hello Melissa, I'm a Sugar Addict as well. The only way for me to beat it was to give it up, completely for 2 weeks. It was incredibly hard (but you've alreay done that with smoking!) but so worth it. I'm going on 3 months now and am finally at a place where I can have 1 piece of candy or a few bites of cake and not go hog wild. But, I have to stop at that point or I'm back to square one.

DieVixen

I quit smoking cigarettes July 2011 after smoking for 26 years and literally watching my mother die of cancer. That was an addiction.
I've had friends die from heroin overdoses and friends destroy their lives over meth. That's an addiction.
Sugar is yummy. That's not the same thing.

Actually, research is finding it is addictive in the same way that drugs and alcohol are addictive... and completely toxic in the same way. And I do understand the severity of drug addiction.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-skinny-on-obesity-with-robert-lustig-concludes-all-episodes-now-available-on-uctv-primes-youtube-channel-2012-05-31

I see people all the time turning tricks to support their sugar addiction:laugh:

Kebby83

I quit smoking cigarettes July 2011 after smoking for 26 years and literally watching my mother die of cancer. That was an addiction.
I've had friends die from heroin overdoses and friends destroy their lives over meth. That's an addiction.
Sugar is yummy. That's not the same thing.

Cigarettes are yummy.
Meth is mind blowingly yummy to a meth addict.

Everyone is at a different level. Everyone is entitled to their problems and learning how to solve them and if someone is 360lbs and finds they cannot stop eating sugar - sugar is their drug of choice. They have 12 step programs for people who over-eat. It is ruining their lives. I'm sorry you can't imagine and sympathize and try to give supportive comments.

nyteyz82

I truly think there can be an addiction to sugar.
It always hits me towards the end of the day, mostly when I am at work.
I get antsy and fidgety, maybe a little moody.
And then I cave in a buy me go to bag of peanut M&M's. Not the small bag.
But the bag that is meant for sharing. But of course I don't share.
As soon as I put the first M&M in my mouth I can actually feel a sense of relief come over me.
Just like when I used to smoke.

If I can quit smoking surely I can quit sugar.

I need ideas of what I can put in my pocket when I am work. I was thinking about a couple of jolly ranchers.
Sweet and they last long. Or would that not be helpful at all.

Get some fruit and nut mix, 1/4 cup, all natural sugars and protein, 120 calories.

nyteyz82

Also something else i have if i feel like a sugar fix is a cup of green tea, no milk with 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of honey for sweetness, works a treat.

allisondra23

If you really need sugar, drink a fresh/frozen fruit smoothie when you get off work. They are easy to make and so much better than any sugary snack. My craving goes away anytime I drink one. I don't think those cravings really fully go away if you just stop eating sugary things. I don't eat candy or snacks really at all anymore but I still get sugar cravings.

kalesi

So...all this talk about sugar is making me want to reach for those Nutter Butters across the room!

MObodyTION

Yep, sugar gives your brain that "good feeling" just like many other things, Are you sure it's sugar or is it chocolate?
Either way, try having some sugar free candy on hand. Mints help me, but I've also discovered some good sugar free chocolate. You can retrain your taste buds away from sugar to sugar substitutes. Though I'm not a fan of sugar substitutes, try a granola bar. 100-120 calories that offer fiber and some nutrients is better than candy.
You CAN do it, You quit smoking after all (which I wish I could!!)
best of luck!!

sisierra

I have the same problem, and am still working on a solution. But I think a good idea is to brush your teeth whenever you have cravings, I hate eating food when i have that fresh teeth feeling lol

graelwyn

The problem in trying to lower sugar, by switching to low sugar or sugar free things, is that low sugar and sugar free things are usually filled with artificial sweeteners and chemicals, which is just as bad. So what is the real solution ?