Need serious help with SUGAR!!!!
Replies
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I had two fundamental rules.
1) If it don't move, eat it.
2) If it does move, eat it until it stops.
There were days the stuff I ate tasted like a crap sandwich but I didn't care, I just ate it . I don't think there was a day in my life when I was hungry. Sure I was ready to sit down and eat but I'm talking about hungry, like a starving dog hungry. The things that I ate and how often I ate had nothing to do with hunger or the nutritional value of my food. Eating was a symptom. No matter how many times I went into battle against the symptom, the real problem was just over the horizon. I was in denial over what my problem was and it was not pleasant to " fix" that problem.
I still have problems but my arms are not swinging like a windmill in a hurricane to get food in my mouth. Fix problems not symptoms0 -
If you're stupid enough to go that route, knowing what we know about those substances, then I have little sympathy for the recovery process not being fun. If you mess up and get addicted, fine, but own your mistakes and deal with it. Whether you call it an addiction, a habit, a compulsion or whatever other term you want to use, the answer is the same: if you want to get past it, you need to suck it up and deal with it.
God, I hope you don't ever meet anyone that is "stupid enough" to try an addicting drug.0 -
If you're stupid enough to go that route, knowing what we know about those substances, then I have little sympathy for the recovery process not being fun. If you mess up and get addicted, fine, but own your mistakes and deal with it. Whether you call it an addiction, a habit, a compulsion or whatever other term you want to use, the answer is the same: if you want to get past it, you need to suck it up and deal with it.
God, I hope you don't ever meet anyone that is "stupid enough" to try an addicting drug.
Why, do a lot of recovering addicts consider their decision to begin using drugs a smart move? Give me a break. We've all done stupid things that we knew were unwise, and yet we did them anyways. At least for me, I look back on those decisions and say wow, wasn't that stupid.0 -
and walk happily away either. I have to eat it until they are done.
So you basically binge on it. This might sound weird...but that's a great thing. Why? Because unless it's progressed into a full blown disorder (which it seems is not the case) there are some readily accessible techniques which you can use to keep it in check (using your pre frontal cortex - your conscious brain - to control the unconscious habits ingrained in your more primitive mid brain.)
I would suggest checking out books by Kathryn Hansen, Gillian Riley or Josie Spinardi for techniques you can use to get this under control once and for all.
Great! Thank you!0 -
If you're stupid enough to go that route, knowing what we know about those substances, then I have little sympathy for the recovery process not being fun. If you mess up and get addicted, fine, but own your mistakes and deal with it. Whether you call it an addiction, a habit, a compulsion or whatever other term you want to use, the answer is the same: if you want to get past it, you need to suck it up and deal with it.
God, I hope you don't ever meet anyone that is "stupid enough" to try an addicting drug.
Why, do a lot of recovering addicts consider their decision to begin using drugs a smart move? Give me a break. We've all done stupid things that we knew were unwise, and yet we did them anyways. At least for me, I look back on those decisions and say wow, wasn't that stupid.
You hit a nerve. Most kids try drugs. Who's to say who will become addicted? I don't think a teenager/young adult is stupid for trying drugs. It's not a smart decision, no, but you don't know why they tried it in the first place.0 -
I had two fundamental rules.
1) If it don't move, eat it.
2) If it does move, eat it until it stops.
There were days the stuff I ate tasted like a crap sandwich but I didn't care, I just ate it . I don't think there was a day in my life when I was hungry. Sure I was ready to sit down and eat but I'm talking about hungry, like a starving dog hungry. The things that I ate and how often I ate had nothing to do with hunger or the nutritional value of my food. Eating was a symptom. No matter how many times I went into battle against the symptom, the real problem was just over the horizon. I was in denial over what my problem was and it was not pleasant to " fix" that problem.
I still have problems but my arms are not swinging like a windmill in a hurricane to get food in my mouth. Fix problems not symptoms
Very very interesting!! Thank you for sharing. :-)0 -
I see. Well there goes that idea!
I don't know if my problem is an addiction but I can tell you, I have been addicted to certain things in my life and I know for a fact that if one of them was in front of me now, I would really have the urge to do it.
Do I have the urge to eat sugar? Yes, in certain situations though. Work.. always. Home... not so much.
You're confusing addiction/dependence with desire for something pleasurable and an absence of self control.
And, for those who have actually had a real dependence/addiction or dealt with those who have done so, yes, it is wholly insulting.
But, please, feel free to point out what other bad habits you have the removal of which would cause physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms severe enough that psychiatric medications need to be administered to prevent death during detox from it.
Exactly. I used to have a problem eating too much sugar, but I overcame it by getting my head on straight and willfully changing my behavior. Now I *can* eat sugar in moderate amounts without eating it all up until gone. I changed my habits.
What made the difference? Knowledge and will power. Those two don't matter a hill of beans though if undergoing a detox and suffering withdrawal syndrome.0 -
I still eat things with sugar. Everything in moderation!0
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Chocolate protein shakes curb my sweet cravings pretty well.0
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LMAO..... Damnit! My *kitten* is still there! I laughed so hard too!! It must have been that serving (you know the whole the whole thing of oreos !) Life is too short, laugh a little.0
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I have the same problem. Saving topic to read later. Good luck!0
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I used to be, and still am at times, really bad with sugary junk food. I allow myself 4 squares of dark chocolate every now and again if it fits into my calories and macros. But what I really do which works wonders to beat my sugar craving is eat an apple. I find the taste of a granny smith apple overrides my sugar cravings
It's all about moderation, and can be a tough habit to break. I had an awful weekend with sugar cravings, but am back on the wagon now 0 -
Well honestly the best thing you can do is understand it's not an addiction. There's no physical need there, the way there is with nicotine or even alcohol.
Speak for yourself.
When you know the pain of smashing up biscuits and snorting them through a straw, then I'll take your opinion seriously.0 -
If you're stupid enough to go that route, knowing what we know about those substances, then I have little sympathy for the recovery process not being fun. If you mess up and get addicted, fine, but own your mistakes and deal with it. Whether you call it an addiction, a habit, a compulsion or whatever other term you want to use, the answer is the same: if you want to get past it, you need to suck it up and deal with it.
God, I hope you don't ever meet anyone that is "stupid enough" to try an addicting drug.
Why, do a lot of recovering addicts consider their decision to begin using drugs a smart move? Give me a break. We've all done stupid things that we knew were unwise, and yet we did them anyways. At least for me, I look back on those decisions and say wow, wasn't that stupid.
You hit a nerve. Most kids try drugs. Who's to say who will become addicted? I don't think a teenager/young adult is stupid for trying drugs. It's not a smart decision, no, but you don't know why they tried it in the first place.
Right. I know tons of kids who tried everything from ketamine to cocaine and never got addicted. Most teens try drugs because our current drug policy makes drug use "cool" and "sexy." (It would be nice if we put a drug policy in place that focused on health instead of "war" and we made it boring, *AND* begin telling the truth instead of LEO lies, but that's a subject for a different thread.)
No, these kids are not "stupid." Even the most highly intelligent people have made mistakes in their lives.0 -
Well honestly the best thing you can do is understand it's not an addiction. There's no physical need there, the way there is with nicotine or even alcohol.
Speak for yourself.
When you know the pain of smashing up biscuits and snorting them through a straw, then I'll take your opinion seriously.
:laugh:0 -
Show me someone that goes through withdrawal symptoms similar to drug or alcohol addicts and watch them be "detoxed" and then MAYBE i will consider food addiction a real thing.
Why would the symptoms have to similar or as severe? Giving up smoking does not have similar symptoms to a heroin addict giving up heroin, yet few would argue that both were addictions.
Few would argue? Anyone "in the know" would agree that nicotine addiction is more severe than heroin addiction. Nicotine is the most difficult drug to quit. In fact, NIDA used to have a chart on this...
That was more or less my point. They are both addictive, but the reactions are not similar.
I don't really have an opinion on whether one can be addicted to sugar other than I doubt there is sufficient research for anyone to say deifinitively one way or the other.
They have been trying for decades to prove that sugar is addictive and have been unable to do so without intellectual dishonesty. :ohwell:0 -
Chocolate protein shakes curb my sweet cravings pretty well.
They help me too. I get bad cravings at night. I add a TBSP of sf jello pudding mix for flavor in mine, 'cuz I get the cheap stuff that tastes like crap. Maybe even a TBSP of peanut butter too, if I have the calories. 0 -
Right. I know tons of kids who tried everything from ketamine to cocaine and never got addicted. Most teens try drugs because our current drug policy makes drug use "cool" and "sexy." (It would be nice if we put a drug policy in place that focused on health instead of "war" and we made it boring, *AND* begin telling the truth instead of LEO lies, but that's a subject for a different thread.)
No, these kids are not "stupid." Even the most highly intelligent people have made mistakes in their lives.
Obviously I didn't mean stupid in the sense of low IQ or that only stupid people make mistakes; I meant you don't get addicted to substances without making a stupid decision. And please don't tell me people are ignorant as to the effects of these substances when they try them. Been there, knew the consequences, did it anyways for superficial reasons - and that's why it was a stupid decision. It doesn't change my point though. Once you've made that decision, the only way out is to own it, deal with it and move on. Whatever word you want to use to call it, be it addiction, compulsion, etc., doesn't change the solution. As such, even if sugar is addicting and that addiction is preventing you from reaching a caloric deficit, the only solution is to find a way to deal with it and get your eating under control.
Getting back to the OP's question, I would set a pretty low carb macro for a bit (maybe 100g/day) and see how you do. The problem with sweets like you're describing is that they aren't filling, and yet they're very dense in calories. Not only that, but you expect to feel hungry again within an hour or two, due to the resulting spike to your blood sugar from eating those foods. You may be surprised how you feel if you try something like a paleo diet or something similar, where you eat mostly fresh vegetables, meats and some fruit. Many people find they stay satiated eating this way and it's much easier to resist snacks and other temptations when a) they don't fit your macros and b) you aren't hungry.0 -
I use to have that problem. Try a golden delicious apple in the morning. It helps to ward off the sugar craving in the evening.0
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that method works for me. I feel in control and don't miss what i didn't have. I also get a big kick out of taking cakes to work for my colleagues(we take it in turns to bring treats in) and not indulging.0
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I see. Well there goes that idea!
I don't know if my problem is an addiction but I can tell you, I have been addicted to certain things in my life and I know for a fact that if one of them was in front of me now, I would really have the urge to do it.
Do I have the urge to eat sugar? Yes, in certain situations though. Work.. always. Home... not so much.
You're confusing addiction/dependence with desire for something pleasurable and an absence of self control.
And, for those who have actually had a real dependence/addiction or dealt with those who have done so, yes, it is wholly insulting.
But, please, feel free to point out what other bad habits you have the removal of which would cause physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms severe enough that psychiatric medications need to be administered to prevent death during detox from it.
Don't get me wrong, I am actually questioning myself if sugar is addicting.
I have never had to take psychiatric meds to quit an addiction. I did cocaine for 9 months straight. Just stopped. This was 30 years ago. I also quit smoking cold turkey. I never ever crave a cigarette. yuk!!
Good for you! If you can beat cocaine and cigarettes, you can handle sugar. Seriously!~
I have a BIL who has struggled with cocaine for over thirty years and is now homeless. No one will help him anymore because he has stolen and lied to people so many times that he no longer has any friends. Some people do have more trouble than others.
Best of luck to you, OP! :flowerforyou:0 -
I have battled sweets all my life. It wasn't so bad when I was in my teens and eating a bag of oreos because I was skinny!! Now I'm FAT. 5'3 and 185lbs AND almost 50! I am a sugar-aholic. I love cookies, donuts, cakes, brownies, not just one piece and walk happily away either. I have to eat it until they are done.
I am worse now than I have ever been. Being a stress eater doesn't help since my job is very stressful and there is crap to eat everywhere!!
I've tried just limiting myself to a "serving" so I get my sweets without feeling deprived but it never seems to work.
Do I quit cold turkey?? Is this to be looked at as any other addiction?
Thank you all in advance.
Yes; sugar is addictive and is being aligned with alcohol and cocaine!! Feel free to join the group, the Skinny on Obesity, and there is a great article on how to help stop! YOU CAN.0 -
Gotta thank jonnythan for a reminder of why I absolutely hate message boards. Condescending, patronizing posters like him, who criticize without calmly explaining why they disagree with someone, is why this is not the most positive forum for someone trying to make a healthy change in their life.
I'm new to MFP, but will opt to get my support with friends offline who are respectful in how they handle others and disagreements.
--A certified MPH-epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Lol...okay. Maybe you don't find him helpful but I actually think he sets things straight when people try steamrolling the conversation with nonsense. Have fun in your private forums.
-a certified Crapologist, Internet reader for my personal entertainment and learning benefit.0 -
It's absolutley possible to become dependent on a drug without making a studpid decision. Anyone could be made, quite quickly, addicted to morphine. There are plenty of people whose entry into chemical dependence is recreational, but plenty are self-medicating for undiagnosed mental disorders or people undergoing extreme pain and trauma for which they must be medicated to prevent death from the extreme pain itself. Those are different scenarios, but none are in the realm of "sugar addiction."0
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I have battled sweets all my life. It wasn't so bad when I was in my teens and eating a bag of oreos because I was skinny!! Now I'm FAT. 5'3 and 185lbs AND almost 50! I am a sugar-aholic. I love cookies, donuts, cakes, brownies, not just one piece and walk happily away either. I have to eat it until they are done.
I am worse now than I have ever been. Being a stress eater doesn't help since my job is very stressful and there is crap to eat everywhere!!
I've tried just limiting myself to a "serving" so I get my sweets without feeling deprived but it never seems to work.
Do I quit cold turkey?? Is this to be looked at as any other addiction?
Thank you all in advance.
Yes; sugar is addictive and is being aligned with alcohol and cocaine!! Feel free to join the group, the Skinny on Obesity, and there is a great article on how to help stop! YOU CAN.
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I can only say what has worked for me and that is to give it up cold turkey. Any time I try to limit myself to servings or splurge on a reward etc., I don't seem to be able to stop myself. So for me, I had to go cold turkey on all sugary snack food, white sugar etc. I only use one teaspoon of honey in my tea per day. I haven't even ventured into the whole natural sugar alternative thing. So far, it's the only thing that works. Best of luck to you!0
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It's a habit. What worked for me was just sugar from one area at a time. Coffee (cream has a lot of natural sugar) and hot beverages was were I started, I simply didn't add any. Then I cut it from yogurt by stepping back from flavored, to fruit, to vanilla, to plain.
Etc. Each step made the next one easier because your palate adjusts until those things taste unbearably sweet. One thing I do continue to eat is whole, local, raw honey (on occasion) for when I want a sweet.
Good luck!0 -
It's absolutley possible to become dependent on a drug without making a studpid decision. Anyone could be made, quite quickly, addicted to morphine. There are plenty of people whose entry into chemical dependence is recreational, but plenty are self-medicating for undiagnosed mental disorders or people undergoing extreme pain and trauma for which they must be medicated to prevent death from the extreme pain itself. Those are different scenarios, but none are in the realm of "sugar addiction."
Fair point, and in hindsight, I wouldn't have made that comment in the first place had I known it would derail this thread so much. Regardless, I agree that those situations have little to do with sugar addiction, whatever that means.0 -
I am right there with you. I have such an addiction to sugar, it's awful. It definitely made me gain weight, but I've also recently figured out that it's a major migraine trigger.
Here's the thing: when you stop, it's TERRIBLE. But only for a little while. At first, you want to get in the car at 3 AM to go buy a candy bar. But after a couple of days, you start to manage it. After a week or two, you start to kind of forget about it.
But then if you have a slice of birthday cake... it's VERY easy to go home and eat more sugar, and you get stuck in the cycle again.
Anyway, what I did is I cut out desserts entirely, but still have sugar in things (in my tea and oatmeal, etc.). When I got sugar cravings at first, I'd eat a box of raisins. Eventually I stopped needing to eat 3 boxes of raisins a day 0 -
Go cold turkey, but try to substitute when you can. The first 3 days are hell, the first week is ok, and after a month, you won't even miss it.
Good sugary food substitutes (in moderation; these aren't health foods):
Sugar free hot chocolate - make iced or hot
Fruity tea with stevia (my favorite is Tazo baked cinnamon apple, iced)
Trader Joe's (or any high quality grocery store) 72%+ dark chocolate
Arctic Zero chocolate/vanilla whey protein popsicles
Banana "ice cream" - peel, cut and freeze several bananas overnight, then put them in a blender until ice-cream consistency. Add fruit/nuts if you want.
FRUIT
Hope this helps! Good luck.0
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