I'm addicted to sweets and need help!

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angel82
angel82 Posts: 3
in Food and Nutrition
I have a terrible addiction to sweets. I always tell people that my favorite meal of the day is dessert. Problem is, it is really starting to affect me. My husband and kids love cookies, cakes and pies (so do I of course), and so I like to make those things because it makes them happy. And, of course, if the food is there I tend to eat it too. It has gotten really bad over the holidays. I even had just pie and cake for lunch yesterday (not good). I keep telling myself I should not eat the sweets, but it's always just talk. I never follow through. What can I do? How can I overcome this addiction?
If there are other people who have addictions to a certain food or type of food I would love to know, and find out how you are coping. Or, even better, if there are people out there that have overcome their own food addictions, how did you do it? I need help!

Replies

  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
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    Hi

    I am SOOOOO right there with you!
    I have a HORRIBLE sweet tooth and when I binge I binge on cakes, candy, sweets
    Since about the beginning of the mnth I have been doing low carb...I know everyone has their 2 cents as far as this approach but it as helped me tremendously as far as my cravings for sweets etc

    If u want to talk or need more info, feel free to pm me
    Good luck, Kim
  • kksam
    kksam Posts: 38
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    You can't stop eating sweets...just control them. I have had a container of white chocolate chip cookies on my counter for 3 weeks now and I only had one of them. My husband's been in them so they'll be gone soon. I use sweets as a reward to myself. Every 10 lbs I loss I eat a very delicious chocolate bar which is frozen; (longer to eat it). If you can't resist sweets, take part of one and nibble on it with a glass of water or low fat milk. It's when you fight your cravings that you loss. Good luck.
    .:wink:
  • kermiehiho
    kermiehiho Posts: 193 Member
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    I feel you. I also have so much junk food in the house from friends and relatives, everything from chocolates to cookies to wedding cake from my sister's wedding the day after Christmas! :sick: I'm taking an early New Year's resolution about my eating habits. I feel like waiting for New Year's to start is just trying to put off what I should be doing now, so I've written my resolutions out specifically in my diary. I want it to be as concrete and accountable as possible. The real test will be New Year's day, when my extended family gets together and has a potluck. Let's be strong! b(^-^)
  • Mina133842
    Mina133842 Posts: 1,573 Member
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    I have always said my favorite food group was cake. AND I used to manage a bakery - talk about killing yourself slowly..with goodies. Here is what I have done - I have tried to use Non-food rewards for myself, and my family. cake is reserved for birthday, holiday, and weddings.

    I do have a cake recipe- it's an old Weight Watchers standby for the "emergency need for cake"

    1 cake mix (your choice)
    1 can of diet soda (your choice)
    1-2 eggs depending on the cake mix

    mix these together, and use the baking instructions for cupcakes- once these are cooled, I put them into a gallon storage bag, and when I really "need" a treat, I can have one. I especially like the devils' food cake with diet cherry cola, but I've made these for "non-dieting" friends, and they have all loved them. I don't frost these, but when serving them for guests, I've topped them with fat-free cool whip, or any kind of light whipped topping will do.

    Good luck - I've done really well with trying to avoid it, if I don't make it, it's not there to tempt me. Your family may object at first, but you'll find other ways of "treating" them. I promise.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    I have the same addiction to sweets, and it's greatly affecting my ability to lose the weight and keep it off. I don't know whether it's better to completely quit them or to try to moderate them...neither of those is working for me. I do know you can't have them in the house- at all. That's equal to a drug addict knowing there's heroin in the kitchen cupboards- what are the chances he's not going to use it? Those people who aren't addicted to sweets don't quite get the fact that we could quite literally live on sweets if that were an option, and having a tub of cookies on the counter just isn't going to work for us.
  • lizbeth787
    lizbeth787 Posts: 101 Member
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    I may be an exception to this sweets addiction - because I beat it! Take it from a former sweets connoisseur... it can be done if you want to! I used to "have to have" something sweet after every single meal. I basically stopped cold turkey. That was the easiest way for me... BUT! Beware... you may fall into a sweet-laden binge. I did that a few times... and believe me, I paid the price. I feel like I have a hangover whenever I have sugar anymore. It took me three days to feel better after indulging in some flourless chocolate cake at Christmas... yuck (but, it was oh so good at the time!) !
  • benw
    benw Posts: 211 Member
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    Maybe your whole family could cut back. I am sure it would be good for everyone. Can you replace some of the sweets with a serving of fruit.
  • phitme
    phitme Posts: 124
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    I had to stop eating them at all. It was the only way for me. One bite and I just can't stop. I'll stop when I am completely miserable... each and every time.

    Now, I don't have anyone else who eats them. It is just my husband and I and he doesn't eat sweets at all.

    Can you not buy those things or make them on a regular basis and have them only for special occasions like someone else suggested? Maybe when you make a cake you each could have a serving and then you could send the rest to work with your husband?

    Just some thoughts, I know its hard. I wish you luck in your quest to cut back on them.
  • Christie422
    Christie422 Posts: 120 Member
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    I have a huge problem with sweets too. I've eaten nothing but sweets all day in the (recent!) past. I have replaced sweets with "healthier" sweets. In my experience if I totally deprive myself I go on a binge. There's a WW recipe for pumpkin muffins, real simple...just a small can of pumpkin and a cake mix, baked according to the directions on the box. Its good with spice cake and also with chocolate cake mix. I do sometimes add 1/2 cup water because the batter is very thick but they do help with my cravings! I've also eaten this one, mix 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese, 1 1/2-2 teaspoons sugar (more or less to taste) and 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa I puree it with my hand blender otherwise it looks pretty gross, but its not too bad and it also helps when I need a chocolate fix.
  • christine918
    christine918 Posts: 261
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    I went on a serious sweets binge over the holiday. I am also addicted to sweets. I am starting to believe the only way to stop is not to have any at all... that means low cal or regular. This is a very sad realization.:frown:
  • BroiledNotFried
    BroiledNotFried Posts: 446 Member
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    I feel for you.

    Here's what I do.

    Sweeten everything with Agave Syrup (sold even in Walmart). It is absolutely sweet and low on the glycemic index. You will love it on whole wheat pancakes.

    Stop eating refined flour and sugar (i.e. white). White grains have the outer layer stripped. This means that your gut quickly absorbs the sugar, you get a terrible sugar high, and as soon as the high wears off....you are craving more carbs.

    Whole grains will cause you to burn more calories, by just the extra work your gut has to do to strip the outer kernel. The inside "good stuff sugar" is more evenly absorbed over time by your body (as the kernel is broken down). This means that there is much less of a "sugar high" and it doesn't leave you craving more highs.

    Also, Stevia is another sweetener in the sugar isle I like. It is made from the Stevia plant (which I found in Home Depot's garden center). It is a little bitter, at first. But, now I prefer it in my tea. It has almost no calories and lots of fiber. So, my evening herb tea sets me perfect for an after 7:00 snack.

    Hope some of this helps.
  • BroiledNotFried
    BroiledNotFried Posts: 446 Member
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    One last thing...

    I stopped ALL aspartame and diet products. Doctor Radio (on XM Radio) reported a study of thousands of women. The study found that those who drank 2+ diet drinks a week were twice as likely to have higher protein in their urine. These women were all nurses, and in their 50's and 60's (i.e. older). Apparently, higher protein in urine is a sign of kidney failure. Kidneys are a very important organ as they clean toxins out of your blood and produce a hormone that triggers your bones to make red blood cells.

    It has been over a month since I stopped the diet products, replacing with Stevia plant or Agave Syrup. I don't have to run to the bathroom as unpredictably anymore. I was super addicted to diet sodas, drinking 3+ a day.
  • BroiledNotFried
    BroiledNotFried Posts: 446 Member
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    This talks about the study on Aspartame...

    http://www.naturalnews.com/027482_diet_soda_kidney_disease.html
  • BroiledNotFried
    BroiledNotFried Posts: 446 Member
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    One other thing I learned that my help you.

    look for pancake/baking mixes that are made with 'naturally aged' whole grains. i use one that makes the best whole grain pancakes and baked goods. It has alot of "aged, whitened" whole grains. Flour naturally whitens with age, and becomes a lighter product. The pancakes are absolutely not heavy or bitter, and you would not believe they are made with whole grains All the "better" flours tend to use more of the naturally aged whole grains. Read up on it. A trick I learned from a NY bread baker. Some of these premium better flours are even carried at the mega stores and supermarkets, but are usually not on the prime shelf...but on the bottom shelf as they are from smaller mills who put their money in their product instead of on shelf location and advertising.

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