Anyone who also has issues w/ alcohol?

aldenxnedla
aldenxnedla Posts: 26 Member
in Motivation and Support
I realize this is a diet/exercise/nutrition site and I'm not looking to get support for anything that is unrelated to that. In this case though, my question is relevant. I am a "former" alcoholic (by former I mean I no longer drink, and this isn't the place to quibble over terminology so I'm just trying to make it simple), and one of the things that comes with giving up alcohol is sugar cravings. There's a scientific reason behind this, but it's not important - what I'm wondering is if anyone else on here who is trying to lose weight is also dealing with giving up drinking alcohol, for any reason, and if they experience sugar cravings in lieu of the alcohol and how they address the cravings. I do fairly well in all the calorie and nutrient categories, but almost every day I am going over MFP's recommendation for sugar intake. I know that the guidelines on here aren't adherent to every person in every scenario, but in this case I know it's right. I just want to know when and if I'm going to stop craving sugar so much, and if anything can be done to ease the cravings, such as eating more of a certain other nutrient (not that sugar really is one). Anyway..... thoughts?

Replies

  • Emi1974
    Emi1974 Posts: 522 Member
    Giving up alcohol is a BIG deal, so I would go easy on myself and not worry too much about going over my sugar intake. Maybe in time your sugar cravings will subside until then be proud that you can resist your vice :) Congrats
  • focused4health
    focused4health Posts: 154 Member
    Have a read of this: It helped me overcome my sugar cravings by replacing it with fructose aversion.

    www.howmuschsugar.com
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
    I'll give you the Reader's Digest version of my current "path". Two years ago I had a lot of different aliments...fatty liver being one of the more major ones. Doc said it was due to my excess weight and over indulgence of booze. Said I had better change my wicked ways or I'd wake up dead some day. Told me to limit alcohol and drop 40lbs. I pretty much quiet booze all together and lost 60 lbs.

    Since then have gone from a BF% of ohhh +25 down to 11%...my goal is to hit 8%.

    So...I've been very successful with both kicking alchohol and cutting weight.

    To answer your question, yes, I did lose my craving for both alcohol and sugar in general. I now drink mostly just coffee, protein shakes made out of water and water (some time flavored with zero calories flavored). I admit I do still slightly go over my sugar MACRO per day, but that is because I drink a class of grapefruit juice in the morning prior to my workout.

    I've found that sour food and/or hot food helps to take my cravings away. So I eat a lot of pickeled vegs, that have very low calories...or I eat protein meals with hot sauce on them. My favorite is eatting shrimp...low calories but high protein..with hot sauce and horesradise sauce.

    Bottomline: It WILL get easier...stick with it. You are making incredible strides in bettering both yourself and those love ones around you.

    Sign me a Brother-in-Arms
  • aldenxnedla
    aldenxnedla Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks everyone, especially Tiberius, those are all things I love to eat, I will give it a try. And yes, I do have a much happier life now, with my own self and those close to me. Thanks for the continuing support everyone! :tongue:
  • jlahorn
    jlahorn Posts: 377 Member
    I am a "former" alcoholic (by former I mean I no longer drink, and this isn't the place to quibble over terminology so I'm just trying to make it simple)...

    Not quibbling :) You might find it easier to use the term "recovering alcoholic". I think everybody accepts that as the description of an alcoholic who doesn't drink anymore.

Categories