Sugar withdrawals

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  • LC458
    LC458 Posts: 300 Member
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    Here is a pretty good article on sugars. While it does say the body recognizes all sugars equally it does explain the different sugars and sweeteners and how to reduce your intake and the benefits of reducing your sugar intake.

    http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09301.html
  • NewMsT
    NewMsT Posts: 33
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    I think I got lucky this time around. I had given up on my diet coke with lime addiction before and it had about driven me mad. I had intense cravings and headaches. I eventually just gave in a drank one, then another, and before I realized it I was back to drinking soda whenever I was stressed or needing a pick-me-up.
    Last Sunday (one week ago) I just simply decided enough! I am done with soda for a while until I realize that it doesn't really do anything for me. It doesn't satisfy me. I doesn't make me feel great. Yes, the first taste is nice but after that it's just there. I have been strong now and am on day 7 of no soda. I feel amazing! Even my students have noticed that I haven't had one all week and they've put inspiring post-its on my desk to help me stay motivated.
    Additionally, I am so proud of myself for this. That pride has helped me turn it down a lot easier. I gave up soda on the day of the time change, as well as during the first week of softball practice (I am coaching for the first time). Instead of turning to soda to help me get through the long 12 hour days of teaching and then going to practice I am learning to snack and have some water. I am down 7 pounds this week and I know that letting go of the soda has a lot to do with that (thanks to the water retentive properties of artificial sweeteners).
    Long story short - hang in there! The rewards are worth it!
  • shmoony
    shmoony Posts: 237 Member
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    Quitting sugar is like quitting smoking in the sense that the "addiction" is twofold. There is the craving your body has to fulfill energy demands and maintain blood sugar levels, and there's the craving your mouth and brain have to fulfill the hedonistic desire and comfort that sweet foods provide. Although these two things are somewhat linked biologically, overcoming them has to be attacked differently. Eating fruit, artificial sweeteners, dark chocolate, etc. can and will help reduce your bodies needs for simple carbohydrates over time by reducing your spikes in insulin and blood sugar levels, but it will not allow you to overcome the "habit". It's kind of like the nicotine patch or those vapor cigarettes. Your only solving half the problem. I see alot of people say they're eliminating sugar only to pound fruit, or diet coke, or frozen bananas with peanut butter. That's not really getting to the heart of the issue which is that the goal is to create a lifestyle where sweet flavors are not part of your everyday diet. Just because fruit is natural does not mean it's healthy. Bacon is natural too. Yes, fruit has vitamins, but you can get those through vegetables and without the calories and blood sugar spike and without cultivating one's dependence..
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
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    I do think it is a good idea to cut out sugar as much as possible and trying to do this really makes you focus on eating healthily.

    It means that you really do have to cook your own food and meals from scratch, since so many companies tend to shove sugar in most processed food and ready made meals.

    But sugar is like a drug isn't? And giving it up is almost like giving up smoking. Such a difficult thing to do.

    Good on you for going for it!

    I'm trying to do the same.


    Perhaps there are extreme cases where people eat so much sugar it effects their ability to meet their goals, even in extreme cases like this, I don't believe that sugar on its' own is to blame and I don't personally know anyone like this. Actually, the people I know who are successful at reaching their goals and like ice cream and donuts, continue to eat sugar and do very well indeed. I don't think it's an accurate statement to say that it's addictive or that you need to cut it out completely in order to reach your goals. I'm more of a deep fried salty person and even I haven't completely ruled out potato chips and French fries.

    If you are using mfp to track your intake and meet your macros, there is no reason to worry about the "type" of sugar you consume.
  • aprilw2222
    aprilw2222 Posts: 23 Member
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    I took a month off from eating any sugar and yes it was very hard. Now when I say sugar I mean SWEETS!! Cookies, candy, ice cream, all desserts. I did not however eliminate ALL sugar. I ate yogurt with sugar in it, peanut butter, and also used honey. There is sugar in so many products but giving up the BEST sugar was hard for me. I am planning to do it again for the next two month's. Don't give up and you know what give yourself a break once in awhile and have a small treat.
  • aprilw2222
    aprilw2222 Posts: 23 Member
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    Its funny how some people can give up one aspect of sugar and lose weight, and others like myself give up sugar and didn't even lose one stinking pound. Gonna try it again though!!
  • judylutz
    judylutz Posts: 32 Member
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    Great idea! Sugar is toxic and of no value nutrition wise. Once you avoid fast processing carbs and sugar and keep your blood sugar normal you will not crave it anymore. Good nutrition is crucial, however, and has a lot to do with cravings too.Your body cries for sugar because it is the fastest way for it to get fuel (glucose.) If any nutrients are missing (especially micro nutrients) you will continue to crave until your body receives nourishment. Please don't switch to artificial sugar as a substitute! This will trick your body into thinking it is receiving fuel, and when it doesn't get the real deal it will make you crave sugar all day long.
  • judylutz
    judylutz Posts: 32 Member
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    Studies have shown that sugar is more addictive than cocaine because it stimulates seratonin.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    Studies have shown that sugar is more addictive than cocaine because it stimulates seratonin.

    0020se3g
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Great idea! Sugar is toxic and of no value nutrition wise. Once you avoid fast processing carbs and sugar and keep your blood sugar normal you will not crave it anymore. Good nutrition is crucial, however, and has a lot to do with cravings too.Your body cries for sugar because it is the fastest way for it to get fuel (glucose.) If any nutrients are missing (especially micro nutrients) you will continue to crave until your body receives nourishment. Please don't switch to artificial sugar as a substitute! This will trick your body into thinking it is receiving fuel, and when it doesn't get the real deal it will make you crave sugar all day long.

    so sugar is a s toxic as say, radiation????

    rolling eyez at sugar fear mongering..

    protein causes insulin spikes too ..is it toxic?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Studies have shown that sugar is more addictive than cocaine because it stimulates seratonin.

    links to said studies?
  • judylutz
    judylutz Posts: 32 Member
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    Many types of sugar - fructose is not metabolized in the blood (so your insulin does not react with a spike) but will be immediately stored as fat and could be more detrimental to your health. We were not designed to be eating fruit (especially high fructose corn syrup) as much as we do - year round. Fruit is not bad by all means eat fruit. Just be aware of which fruits have a high sugar content.
  • judylutz
    judylutz Posts: 32 Member
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    How does protein cause insulin spike? I don't understand...
  • mamafairey
    mamafairey Posts: 6 Member
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    'A TOXIC FAT BOMB': WHY IS SUGAR SO BAD FOR US?
    James says:
    'Sugar is designed to hook us in. It comes in the forms of pretty pink cupcakes, fluffy marshmallows, light sponge cakes with jam in the middle and creamy chocolate. It looks and smells delicious. But in reality, there's almost nothing to love about refined sugar. It makes us put on weight, increases the size of our liver (a bad thing), makes us unwell and ages us inside and out, leaving us tired, fat and wrinkled.
    'As well as being highly addictive, refined sugar drags valuable nutrients out of our body, and it's the number one reason why, for the first time in history, children of this generation are predicted to die younger than their parents.

    WHY SUGAR IS PHYSICALLY ADDICTIVE
    Sugar has a similar effect on the brain to pain-killing drugs like morphine and opther opiates (such as heroin). These drugs produce an almost instant feeling of pleasure, calm and satisfaction, making them incredibly addictive.
    When the food manufacturers figured this out, they began producing foods full of sugar. Back in the 1950s, sugar would mainly be found in homemade cakes, but now it's pumped into almost all of the processed foods, alcoholic and soft drinks and even so-called 'healthy foods' (such as breakfast cereals) and foods aimed at children.
    Many of us turn to something sugary for 'energy' - and technically, it is a form of energy. But it's a bad type. So yes, you will get a qcuik burst after eating a chocolate bar, but about ten minutes after that you'll feel even more tired than you were before.
    That's because sugar quickly hits the bloodstream, creating a rapid rise in blood sugar (a 'spike'). But, just as quickly, you then crash (due to insulin being produced from the pancreas), leaving you exhausted. A far better way of getting energy is to eat complex carbohydrates (low-GI fruits, berries), clean & lean proteins, vegetables, drink plenty of water and exercise regularly. If you do all these things, you won't need to rely on something as toxic as sugar to keep you energised.
    WHY SUGAR IS EMOTIONALLY ADDICTIVE
    For most of us, when we were growing up, sugary foods were used as a 'reward' by our parents, grandparents and almost everybody else we knew as children. Is it any wonder that by the time we reached our teens we'd learnt to associate sugary foods with happy times and making ourselves feel better?


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2449009/James-Duigan-Clean--Lean--Rosie-Huntington-Whiteleys-roast-chicken.html#ixzz2w9t9wkgW
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
  • judylutz
    judylutz Posts: 32 Member
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    finding them - hang on!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    How does protein cause insulin spike? I don't understand...
    http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319

    read that...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    Options
    'A TOXIC FAT BOMB': WHY IS SUGAR SO BAD FOR US?
    James says:
    'Sugar is designed to hook us in. It comes in the forms of pretty pink cupcakes, fluffy marshmallows, light sponge cakes with jam in the middle and creamy chocolate. It looks and smells delicious. But in reality, there's almost nothing to love about refined sugar. It makes us put on weight, increases the size of our liver (a bad thing), makes us unwell and ages us inside and out, leaving us tired, fat and wrinkled.
    'As well as being highly addictive, refined sugar drags valuable nutrients out of our body, and it's the number one reason why, for the first time in history, children of this generation are predicted to die younger than their parents.

    WHY SUGAR IS PHYSICALLY ADDICTIVE
    Sugar has a similar effect on the brain to pain-killing drugs like morphine and opther opiates (such as heroin). These drugs produce an almost instant feeling of pleasure, calm and satisfaction, making them incredibly addictive.
    When the food manufacturers figured this out, they began producing foods full of sugar. Back in the 1950s, sugar would mainly be found in homemade cakes, but now it's pumped into almost all of the processed foods, alcoholic and soft drinks and even so-called 'healthy foods' (such as breakfast cereals) and foods aimed at children.
    Many of us turn to something sugary for 'energy' - and technically, it is a form of energy. But it's a bad type. So yes, you will get a qcuik burst after eating a chocolate bar, but about ten minutes after that you'll feel even more tired than you were before.
    That's because sugar quickly hits the bloodstream, creating a rapid rise in blood sugar (a 'spike'). But, just as quickly, you then crash (due to insulin being produced from the pancreas), leaving you exhausted. A far better way of getting energy is to eat complex carbohydrates (low-GI fruits, berries), clean & lean proteins, vegetables, drink plenty of water and exercise regularly. If you do all these things, you won't need to rely on something as toxic as sugar to keep you energised.
    WHY SUGAR IS EMOTIONALLY ADDICTIVE
    For most of us, when we were growing up, sugary foods were used as a 'reward' by our parents, grandparents and almost everybody else we knew as children. Is it any wonder that by the time we reached our teens we'd learnt to associate sugary foods with happy times and making ourselves feel better?


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2449009/James-Duigan-Clean--Lean--Rosie-Huntington-Whiteleys-roast-chicken.html#ixzz2w9t9wkgW
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

    again - link to actual study rather than a news article and or blog post…
  • rachaelfisher1
    rachaelfisher1 Posts: 69
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    For the love of god, do not cut out sugar.
  • mamafairey
    mamafairey Posts: 6 Member
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    Sugar also leeches vitamins and nutrients from your body so look at it like a parasite. and yes it is as addictive as crack that is nhs information
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Many types of sugar - fructose is not metabolized in the blood (so your insulin does not react with a spike) but will be immediately stored as fat and could be more detrimental to your health. We were not designed to be eating fruit (especially high fructose corn syrup) as much as we do - year round. Fruit is not bad by all means eat fruit. Just be aware of which fruits have a high sugar content.

    we were not designed to eat fruit??? Humans have been eating fruit for thousands of years..I don't even understand the logic behind that claim…

    excess calories are stored as fat …

    if you are eating sugar and are in a deficit it will not be stored as fat…

    so you are saying that we should eat zero sugar…no carbs, vegetables, fruit, etc???

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