help! addicted to sugar

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  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
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    I am noticing a trend with my ignore list its al shirtless men who have an ego issue who think that they must assert their dominance on the internet lol Why do I think Highlander every time I see a idiotic troll.

    Haha
    314x314px-LL-aa7dc103_clap.gif
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
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    Knowledge helps please watch this and I think you will thing differently about sugar.
    Sugar the bitter truth:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM
    he has been disproven and he is mad

    Where is the proof that "he has been disproven and he is mad?" Just because you don't agree doesn't mean it isn't true or that he's "mad."

    http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2013-01-07/dr-robert-lustig-fat-chance-beating-odds-against-sugar-processed-food-obesity-and-0

    there you go.
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
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    Anyone can see you're an intelligent person by the way you write. You're aware of this addiction you have and as cliched as it sounds, that really is the first step. I strongly recommend you get some help, whether it is seeing a doctor, psychologist, or even attending a meeting in your area like the previous poster suggested. The feelings of guilt and shame associated with addiction are tremendous and they make it hard to think straight, which is why some people have what is called a "moment of clarity." However you can choose at any time to take steps towards a brighter future. I think you've probably tried stopping cold turkey before and it didn't work. That doesn't mean anything about you, it just means that idea didn't work. Accept that you'll eat sugar today, tomorrow, and the next day. But over time, if you take positive steps you can reduce it until it was just a dim memory in your past. Take care :)

    Thank you so much, and your very insightful. I'm a student and still live at home with my family so they have an idea of how reckless my sugar consumption has become. Although we've worked together to change what we keep in our cabinets, to stop buying sugar completely wouldn't be fair to the other three people in the house. Yes I have tried to stop on my own a million times, and yes my parents actually wanted me to speak to someone about it a couple years ago but I totally dismissed it because I thought that would be unnecessary and ridiculous. Now it doesn't seem as ridiculous, but I want to try and defeat this on my own first. So, i'm going to definitely start with your suggestion of meeting with a doctor :)


    Regardless of some of the opinions given on this subject, sugar addiction is real and has been proven as such and it should be treated like any other addiction. Seek the help of someone that understand addiction and is able to treat it. Good luck.
    post your proof or stfu


    I already have and I just reported you

    no u didnt.

    nice job trying to message me a comeback and reporting the public message
  • joleenl
    joleenl Posts: 739 Member
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    "...I wonder if there are any women who have been overweight but lost weight on a non low carb diet without 2-3 hrs in the gym."

    Calorie restriction alone will cause weight loss but the other bio-chemical problems are not addressed through calorie-restriction alone. If proper nutrition is not a part of the scene, she will regain. That is why 97% (IIRC) of obese people (and I suspect it is even a higher proportion of obese women) regain all of the weight (plus more) that they lost, within a short period of time, after a standard low-fat/calorie-restricted diet has ended. Unless she is obsessively vigilant, she will regain while eating sugar and starch. Many women have figured this out for themselves. I have not regained an ounce in three years. And my experience was yo-yo weight-gain/weight-loss for many years before that. What you are saying is destructive.

    ETA: I must leave for my swim session. I will return to the discussion later today.

    IMO there are two separate issues here. One is weight loss, which is the same for everyone calories in < calories out. No one is immune to it. The second issue is nutrition, which can different for everyone particularily those with medical conditions, allergies, and food intolerances. A normal healthy person can eat whatever they want as long as calories in < calories out. A person with one or more of the problems listed above have to eat in accordance to what's good for their condition but even if they don't they can still lose weight based on calories in < calories out.

    Don't get me wrong, I believe everyone can benifit from eating a nutrious healthy whole unprocessed foods. I believe eating healthy is medicine for people with conditions and it's good as preventative measures for normally healthy people. I do think eating healthy for normally healthy people is a personal preferance. Let's not confuse nutrition with weight loss. You don't have to be "healthy" to lose weight. You don't have to have nutrition to lose weight. (ie starving people in 3rd world countries still lose weight.) You only need your calories in to be less then your calories out. IMO being healthy and eating healthy are even two separate issues. Lot's of healthy people eat whatever. A lot of unhealthy people eat healthy. A large part of health is genetic. My suggestion it to find out what works for you and continue on. When you recieve advice in the forums take it or leave it.... RESULTS will vary. Your experiences and results will be different then the advisers.

    Yes--I understand your point of view. However, what is the point of losing, only to regain? The wider issue that the OP was going for, I think, is her issue of "sugar addiction" (and I'm guessing she is also addicted to simple carbs as well--the two seem to go together). Just as an alcoholic is advised to simply abstain from alcohol, so an obese (30% or more above "ideal" lean weight) sugar/simple carb addict must refrain from them to bring her hormones, leptin, insulin, adiponectin, cortisol, human growth hormone, etc. (all of which have a bearing on adiposity) back to a healthier level. At the same time, she must increase her level of exercise, as that will aid in correcting her hormones, in addition to burning calories and enabling her to eat more nourishing food to "heal" her body of its derangement.

    I have no problem with low carb. It helps regulate blood sugar and certainly can help combat sugar cravings specifically for sugar addicts. I am a sugar addict as well. I also have PCOS which caused me to be insulin resistant and border line diabetic. Low carb and quiting all processed sugar helped me get a handle on my addiction and my medical issues. However, low carb is not the ONLY way to lose weight and keep it off for women. Once a woman has lost most of her excess weight and changes her lifestyle, she learns portion control, he blood sugar regulates, and her hormones regulate thus allowing her to eat carbs in moderation with going crazy. It can and does happen. If a women tries to restrict herself for ever on something as broad as carbs.... she will NEVER IMO keep the weight off. It'd be like dieting for the rest of your life which is not sustainable.
  • andyisandy
    andyisandy Posts: 433 Member
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    I really dont know if someone can have an actual addiction to sugar, so here only my op on it: I think people can have horrible cravings to it and they feel it like an addiction. My help would be like others said is to go cold turkey or if you really feel it like an addiction review aa program and go thru there steps. Until I start hearing about people breaking into stores stealing candy, or spending all their money on it and end living in a box on the streets, or destroying their lives over it, then ill say that a 100% addiction. I can be wrong and it can be a real thing and Ill be fine with that, like I said just my two cents.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I am noticing a trend with my ignore list its al shirtless men who have an ego issue who think that they must assert their dominance on the internet lol Why do I think Highlander every time I see a idiotic troll.

    Calling someone a troll when all you can come up with ad hominems and not substantiate any of the stuff you post, pot meet kettle
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,124 Member
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    1) THROW IT ALL AWAY. If you don't have it in the house, you can't eat it.
    2) No more store bought juice... even if you DON'T add sugar to it it is FULL of sugar. Or, when I do drink store bought juice I add 1/3 water to dillute it out.
    3) Fruit - it's naturally sweet.
    4) Try getting no sugar added popsicles or something for when you have a "sweet craving".

    I used to have an entire drawer in my pantry AND refridgerator full of candy. When I decided to get serious about this... I threw it all away. I don't even go in the candy aisle at the store as not to tempt myself.

    Good luck.
  • challenger9509
    challenger9509 Posts: 286 Member
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    Stop completely...I agree with the others that said this. The first week for me was terrible but now I feel so much better not depending on sugar. You can do this!
  • GlassslippersAndFairyDust
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    I am noticing a trend with my ignore list its al shirtless men who have an ego issue who think that they must assert their dominance on the internet lol Why do I think Highlander every time I see a idiotic troll.

    Haha
    314x314px-LL-aa7dc103_clap.gif

    :flowerforyou:
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
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    Here's an article about a food addiction study in humans. Looks like Yale's been looking at this. Was an interesting read.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703712504576243192495912186.html
  • GlassslippersAndFairyDust
    Options
    Anyone can see you're an intelligent person by the way you write. You're aware of this addiction you have and as cliched as it sounds, that really is the first step. I strongly recommend you get some help, whether it is seeing a doctor, psychologist, or even attending a meeting in your area like the previous poster suggested. The feelings of guilt and shame associated with addiction are tremendous and they make it hard to think straight, which is why some people have what is called a "moment of clarity." However you can choose at any time to take steps towards a brighter future. I think you've probably tried stopping cold turkey before and it didn't work. That doesn't mean anything about you, it just means that idea didn't work. Accept that you'll eat sugar today, tomorrow, and the next day. But over time, if you take positive steps you can reduce it until it was just a dim memory in your past. Take care :)

    Thank you so much, and your very insightful. I'm a student and still live at home with my family so they have an idea of how reckless my sugar consumption has become. Although we've worked together to change what we keep in our cabinets, to stop buying sugar completely wouldn't be fair to the other three people in the house. Yes I have tried to stop on my own a million times, and yes my parents actually wanted me to speak to someone about it a couple years ago but I totally dismissed it because I thought that would be unnecessary and ridiculous. Now it doesn't seem as ridiculous, but I want to try and defeat this on my own first. So, i'm going to definitely start with your suggestion of meeting with a doctor :)


    Regardless of some of the opinions given on this subject, sugar addiction is real and has been proven as such and it should be treated like any other addiction. Seek the help of someone that understand addiction and is able to treat it. Good luck.
    post your proof or stfu


    I already have and I just reported you

    no u didnt.

    nice job trying to message me a comeback and reporting the public message

    actually, i did it in reverse and thank you :laugh:
  • jonikeffer
    jonikeffer Posts: 218 Member
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    I definitely have a fierce sweet tooth too. I have in the past tried making substitutions (like fruit, as subbing fake sugar does NOT work for me, and I doubt it will work for you b/c your brain still thinks it's getting sugar and acts accordingly), but it didn't work nearly as well as something I did recently that was not even meant to break the sugar habit.

    I went on a low carb diet. Yep, never thought I would, not entirely sure I fully approve of it from a health perspective, but damn if it didn't quell the sugar cravings VERY well. Basically by not eating the simple carbs anymore (store bought bread, pasta, processed grains, boxed cereals, chips, the whole she-bang) I totally stopped caring about sugar. And I mean I was someone who had to have something "sweet" after every meal. Had that cycle where you want something salty, then you need something sweet, which then makes me want more salt, ad infinitum. After just a couple days on the low-carb thing (where the carbs you do eat come from mostly veggies, and a little fruit) my appetite plummeted so low I was worried I wasn't getting enough calories at all. That part passed after the first couple of weeks, and now I just eat frequently, small amounts, and I have no cravings for anything, really. I can even eat the occasional fruit or dessert or "splurge" like a piece of pizza without it kicking those cravings in again.

    I am not a low-carb fangirl by any means, but it's something you might try. All it can say was it was super effective for me, for breaking the addiction.
  • rmhand
    rmhand Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Sugar cravings can come from an imbalance in your digestive system (lack of good intestinal bacteria). Check out the 21 day sugar detox, paleo, and primal lifestyle.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
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    I would just like to point out to the ladies getting all in a tizzy, that just because you don't like the delivery of information, doesn't make it any less valid. The advice to take responsibility for weight issues, rather than trying to explain them away, is good advice.


    Also, I'd say the "shirtless men..." probably know what they're talking about, don'tcha think? Said shirtless man in question is probably one of the most helpful and knowledgeable people I've interacted with on MFP. Don't be so close-minded, ladies. :flowerforyou:
  • iFeelBrandNew
    iFeelBrandNew Posts: 263 Member
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    I believe i'm seriously addicted, and that if not for this addiction I wouldn't be as overweight as I am. Any suggestions on how I can start phasing out the amount of candy & sugar I eat? Maybe some healthy alternatives that can satisfy my cravings :sick:

    Maybe the first step should be, stop trying to blame "sugar addiction" if there is even such a thing and take responsibility for your weight issues

    look it up. there IS such a thing. its also mental in that it affects your serotonin levels and is even linked to depression. i am one of those people. i had to cut it out completely. one tiny piece of chocolate will send me into a week long carb and sugar binge. i even sweat at night in withdrawal when i havent had sugar. coming off a pretty tough binge from last weekend and i have sweat at night, EVERY night, this week.

    i said no to the donuts in the break room this morning.
  • moonjuleigh
    moonjuleigh Posts: 12
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    I know there are a ton of people that will tell me I am wrong, and that we can all eat "whatever" just in moderation. The problem is: some of us CAN'T eat our craving food in moderation! When we are totally addicted to something, even sugar, it's best to give it up cold turkey and stay away from it until we detox. You won't find an AA meeting where they are trying to teach the people to drink in moderation, and you won't find a narcotics anonymous where they are trying to teach people to only smoke crack once a day or shoot up only on weekends. Some of us just have to stop eating our trigger food, period.
    And there are many who believe that sugar is a drug.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    "...I wonder if there are any women who have been overweight but lost weight on a non low carb diet without 2-3 hrs in the gym."

    Calorie restriction alone will cause weight loss but the other bio-chemical problems are not addressed through calorie-restriction alone. If proper nutrition is not a part of the scene, she will regain. That is why 97% (IIRC) of obese people (and I suspect it is even a higher proportion of obese women) regain all of the weight (plus more) that they lost, within a short period of time, after a standard low-fat/calorie-restricted diet has ended. Unless she is obsessively vigilant, she will regain while eating sugar and starch. Many women have figured this out for themselves. I have not regained an ounce in three years. And my experience was yo-yo weight-gain/weight-loss for many years before that. What you are saying is destructive.

    ETA: I must leave for my swim session. I will return to the discussion later today.

    IMO there are two separate issues here. One is weight loss, which is the same for everyone calories in < calories out. No one is immune to it. The second issue is nutrition, which can different for everyone particularily those with medical conditions, allergies, and food intolerances. A normal healthy person can eat whatever they want as long as calories in < calories out. A person with one or more of the problems listed above have to eat in accordance to what's good for their condition but even if they don't they can still lose weight based on calories in < calories out.

    Don't get me wrong, I believe everyone can benifit from eating a nutrious healthy whole unprocessed foods. I believe eating healthy is medicine for people with conditions and it's good as preventative measures for normally healthy people. I do think eating healthy for normally healthy people is a personal preferance. Let's not confuse nutrition with weight loss. You don't have to be "healthy" to lose weight. You don't have to have nutrition to lose weight. (ie starving people in 3rd world countries still lose weight.) You only need your calories in to be less then your calories out. IMO being healthy and eating healthy are even two separate issues. Lot's of healthy people eat whatever. A lot of unhealthy people eat healthy. A large part of health is genetic. My suggestion it to find out what works for you and continue on. When you recieve advice in the forums take it or leave it.... RESULTS will vary. Your experiences and results will be different then the advisers.

    Yes--I understand your point of view. However, what is the point of losing, only to regain? The wider issue that the OP was going for, I think, is her issue of "sugar addiction" (and I'm guessing she is also addicted to simple carbs as well--the two seem to go together). Just as an alcoholic is advised to simply abstain from alcohol, so an obese (30% or more above "ideal" lean weight) sugar/simple carb addict must refrain from them to bring her hormones, leptin, insulin, adiponectin, cortisol, human growth hormone, etc. (all of which have a bearing on adiposity) back to a healthier level. At the same time, she must increase her level of exercise, as that will aid in correcting her hormones, in addition to burning calories and enabling her to eat more nourishing food to "heal" her body of its derangement.

    So unless women go low carb, there is zero chance of them maintaining weight loss, at least without 2-3 hrs of exercise a day, hence you saying women must go low carb? And none of the hormones you listed can be "corrected" without low carb, weight loss in and of itself will do nothing to improve things?

    I didn't SAY low-carb. I do not approve of very low-carbohydrate diets. I just disapprove of high-carbohydrate diets--especially ones containing sugar and starch which are typically deficient in a number of important nutrients. Vegetables and fruits are an important and healthy part of a nourishing diet and they are mainly carbohydrates, but they are "slow carbohydrates" because there is a lot of fiber and fluid there.

    There are some women who could maintain their weight no matter what they eat (I know a few) but the vast majority of obese women must accept their limitations and learn to work with them. Losing body fat (no matter how it is done) will help to correct the hormonal situation, IF IT IS MAINTAINED. But it is a bit of a catch-22. For example, you need adequate levels of magnesium (--and 85% of us are deficient because we do not eat enough vegetables, among other causes) to raise adiponectin levels so that fat can be mobilized for energy instead of being stored.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I believe i'm seriously addicted, and that if not for this addiction I wouldn't be as overweight as I am. Any suggestions on how I can start phasing out the amount of candy & sugar I eat? Maybe some healthy alternatives that can satisfy my cravings :sick:

    Maybe the first step should be, stop trying to blame "sugar addiction" if there is even such a thing and take responsibility for your weight issues

    look it up. there IS such a thing. its also mental in that it affects your serotonin levels and is even linked to depression. i am one of those people. i had to cut it out completely. one tiny piece of chocolate will send me into a week long carb and sugar binge. i even sweat at night in withdrawal when i havent had sugar. coming off a pretty tough binge from last weekend and i have sweat at night, EVERY night, this week.

    i said no to the donuts in the break room this morning.

    Try looking up "sugar addiction" at the NIH or DSM and see what pops up.

    Also you had 4 pieces of choc yesterday, is the weeklong sugar and carb binge starting today? Do you generally eat 0 carb since carbs are saccharides?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I am noticing a trend with my ignore list its al shirtless men who have an ego issue who think that they must assert their dominance on the internet lol Why do I think Highlander every time I see a idiotic troll.

    How about shirtless women? It will probably serve you well to actually listen to some of those shirtless men.
  • REDI4CHANGE60
    REDI4CHANGE60 Posts: 170
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    I have made a commitment to myself to lose weight and eat right, and I have made a lot of drastic changes, but I can't stop my sugar cravings. I love anything "gummy", gummy bears, gummy dolphins, fuzzy peaches... my addiction too sweets has gotten so bad that for the past year, I've taken to adding insane amounts of sugar to juice, enough sugar that I have to eat it out the glass with a spoon :cry:
    I believe i'm seriously addicted, and that if not for this addiction I wouldn't be as overweight as I am. Any suggestions on how I can start phasing out the amount of candy & sugar I eat? Maybe some healthy alternatives that can satisfy my cravings :sick:

    Yep, you sound like you are addicted, but it's an addiction that you can break ... you just have got to want it. Accept that there are hidden sugars everywhere ... so NO sugar isn't really a true option. Going low carb is. I was heavily addicted to sugar and eating low carb broke the addiction. That's not to say that occasionally I don't have something sweet ... a single serving chocolate bar, something small as a treat every couple of weeks ... but sugar is a controlled substance in my life now. I use quite a bit of Splenda to sweeten things ... mainly my coffee. Most of my foods are home cooked meats and veggies, no fruit juices (for sure), and an occasional piece of fruit. I get my fiber from the veggies and I take vitamins to supplement what I might be missing - Alive is a good, all around multivitamin.

    If possible, clean out your home and make it a safe zone ... if it's not there, you won't eat it. If not, why not? Noone needs a lot of sugar ... spouses, children, etc. ... and eating healthy is good for everyone. You might need to work others in the family into it gradually, but you can begin on yourself immediately. Just do it ... if you don't begin, it will never get better. I can't even tell you how much better I feel since I lowered my sugar intake ... it's incredible. Make the effort .. it is SO worth it!