How to curb sugar cravings?

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  • emotionalharlequin
    emotionalharlequin Posts: 83
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    Go cold turkey and force yourself to stop eating them for a day or a week, then nother day or week, then another and then another, etc.
    I admit, these are extreme measure but theyre what help me when I become uncontrollable around sugar. (Just look at my diary yesterday!)
  • diinva
    diinva Posts: 57
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    The purpose of phase one of the South Beach Plan is get rid of sweet and carb cravings. It has worked for everyone I know who did it by the book. It is the only thing that has worked for me.

    {{this}} Phase one of South Beach totally curbs your sweet cravings. It is the one thing that has worked for me.
  • soulfulsally
    soulfulsally Posts: 326
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    I came across a program called Rational Recovery yesterday when I was searching for ways to beat my nasty chocolate habit. It's set up for drug and alcohol addicts, but I'm thinking it could also be useful for those of us with intense sugar cravings. The gist of it seems to be that we need to distance ourselves from what the program calls our 'addictive voice'. So when that sugar craving hits, think in terms of "it wants sugar" not "you want sugar." This "it" is like a parasite inside your body (the program calls it a beast). It wants the sugar so badly, but can't get it without your help. Either you hand over your power to the parasite, eating that sugar, or you keep your power and deny the parasite what it wants.

    I've haven't had a chance yet to really read up on this program, but so far it sounds like it could be a useful tool for conquering cravings.
  • NurseJodies
    NurseJodies Posts: 65 Member
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    I agree with everyone to a degree. I only takes me 6-7 days of abstinance to curb my cravings. However, I still enjoy something sweet and it is my aim to make a healthy lifestyle change- not just lose some weight. So I do eat a lot of melons, plums, greek yogurt, etc to satisfy the sweet need.
  • Becca_007
    Becca_007 Posts: 596 Member
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    . I agree on the addiction of sugar, for me that's been so true. If I get caught up in the cycle it's hard as hell to get back out of. I don't know if it's an addiction for everyone but I do believe it works that way for some of our bodies, the same as other addictive substances!
    I came across a program called Rational Recovery yesterday when I was searching for ways to beat my nasty chocolate habit. It's set up for drug and alcohol addicts, but I'm thinking it could also be useful for those of us with intense sugar cravings. The gist of it seems to be that we need to distance ourselves from what the program calls our 'addictive voice'. So when that sugar craving hits, think in terms of "it wants sugar" not "you want sugar." This "it" is like a parasite inside your body (the program calls it a beast). It wants the sugar so badly, but can't get it without your help. Either you hand over your power to the parasite, eating that sugar, or you keep your power and deny the parasite what it wants.

    I've haven't had a chance yet to really read up on this program, but so far it sounds like it could be a useful tool for conquering cravings.
    Sounds interesting.. thanks!
  • Zuberer
    Zuberer Posts: 5 Member
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    I get those cravings too, and it is really hard to deal with being that I work at Starbucks.

    Anyhow how I deal with it is a good Dark Chocolate square when I start craving or if it is a Root Beer float then try a sorbet float. I use (Safeway's) Refresh Strawberry Kiwi Seltzer with a Low Calorie Sorbet (Mandarin or Rainbow).
  • hdutoit17
    hdutoit17 Posts: 83
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    I have a terrible sweet tooth, so buy caring candies at dischem. They contain isomalt (alcohol sugar) so you cant eat to much of them at a time. It curbs my sweet tooth and cravings. I also eat a maxilean protein bar with 3g carbs when I have a chocolate craving.
  • rosikinslovesyou
    rosikinslovesyou Posts: 24
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    I found that diet soda was giving me sugar cravings. Since I stopped drinking diet coke and things with aspartame/sucralose in, I barely crave any of that stuff now. :)
  • apittmanrn
    apittmanrn Posts: 200 Member
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    Wish I had this problem. Mine is fat and salt. Fries, burgers, chips, fast food...I need a rehab too. :)
  • uwharriegold
    uwharriegold Posts: 47
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    My current sweet of choice is baby carrots.
  • NatsukoG
    NatsukoG Posts: 104
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    People scoff at this but I truly think sugar is an addictive substance. Not in the same sense as nocotine or heroin maybe, but the more you eat the more you want. And it takes some real guts and determination to "give it up". As others have said, if you can just stay away from sugar and sweeteners (yes, sweeteners too) for a few weeks you'll be surprised how much better you'll feel and how much easier it will be to refuse it.

    Best wishes! :flowerforyou:

    ^^^this^^^
    Cold turkey all the way.
  • susiemeri
    susiemeri Posts: 38 Member
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    I had to cut out processed sugar totally - I'm one of those folks who cannot eat one piece of chocolate - I'd want the whole bag.

    It's amazing how quickly the cravings went away though, once I cut sugar out of my diet. I do use stevia in my morning coffee, and I eat fruit - but no white sugar or products with sugar added. Actually, cutting down anything "white" - potatoes, white bread, white rice - simple carbs - has done wonders for the cravings. My energy and concentration have improved 100% since giving it up, for real.
  • takumaku
    takumaku Posts: 352 Member
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    Increase your protein; decrease your carbs; "balance your carbs with your proteins" (i.e. strive to create a 1:1 (some can get away with 2:1) ratio of carbs to protein); eat smaller meals (50g of carbs per meal); get rid of artificial sweetners as they trigger an insulin release and causes cravings; get rid of MSG; All suggestions I have to follow with my disorder.
  • DessarayColeman
    DessarayColeman Posts: 1
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    It very hard to do. But I Skinny Cow candy and it was GREAT!!!!!
  • vwillan
    vwillan Posts: 28 Member
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    I agree with using the South Beach Phase 1. I did this and really went through withdrawal for several days, which opened my eyes to how addicted I was. I fell off the wagon on Valentine's Day with some incredible truffles and I was SICK the next day. I, for one, know that I cannot even have a taste, because it puts me right back to square one. I am unable to stop at one. I have to keep checking back on these boards, thank you all for being here!
  • Dulcemami4ever
    Dulcemami4ever Posts: 344 Member
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    How about just incorporating a sweet into your diet. Maybe a weight watchers icecream or low cal something? Just because you crave something doesn't mean you need to go buck wild and eat the whole thing. Buy something thats sweet, that has a set amount of calories and is preportioned so you can add it to your calorie intake for the day :) It's not hard to try in moderation. Because sorry you aren't going to never have sweets again, thats just being silly.
  • sjkdgun
    sjkdgun Posts: 6 Member
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    I hear you, I am addicted to real sugar!! And I LOVE my Mtn Dew!!! My husband just shakes his head at me in disbelief when he saw me use sugar along with the International Delights French Vanilla coffee creamer. It is almost impossible for me to make my coffee to sweet.

    Having said that, let me ask you this. Which form of Stevia have you used? I can use the Stevia Extract (liquid) by Kal. I buy it from the health food store or online at Amazon. I can only use it in my coffee (along with the creamer) and maybe in Kool-Aid. But that is about all I have managed to incorporate it into so far. I keep trying but I am having difficulty doing so.

    I have managed to get my self down to 1 bottle (20 oz) of Mtn Dew a day and just one cup of coffee a day. I have gone from the 3.5 serving size Milk Duds to the smaller 1 serving size. I am just taking things one VERY small step at a time. I would love to hear of anything out there that helps to curb the cravings, cause at this point I just get incredible *****y when I am on a bad craving and don't have my sugar!!
  • kaylabdermer
    kaylabdermer Posts: 9
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    Go low-carb for a week or two, makes a huge difference :)
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
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    I have to have at least a bit everyday or i binge so i get dark chocolate that usually helps

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