Addicted to sugar, how to wean myself off?

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  • Sugarbeat
    Sugarbeat Posts: 824 Member
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    Sigh... Moderation.

    giphy.gif

    I kind of think that's the OP's point. Some folks have trouble eating sugar in moderation and need to cut it out for a time to control the cravings. If someone has never had to deal with constant and persistent sugar cravings it may seem simple but for others it is not.

    That is fine and good, it doesn't make it addiction. Until people are picking dirty lollipops out of trash bins for their next sugar fix, it is not an addiction.

    Splitting hairs. Call it what you want, the OP can call it what they want. I guess I just don't understand this need to tell someone she doesn't need help with sugar consumption (not saying you specifically, just in general throughout the thread). If she says she does, why can we not take that at face value instead of telling her she is wrong. She knows her body and is looking for solutions to a problem.
  • Holly_Wood_888
    Holly_Wood_888 Posts: 264 Member
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    I think the decision of whether or not to go cold turkey depends on your personality... for me I could not drop sugar entirely - I did at one point and it was a bad decision for my weight loss because my body spazzed out and I ended up binging!
    I stay on my 1200 cal diet and resist further bad carb/refined sugar cravings by including 1-2 coffees a day which include 1 sugar in ea.
    I switched from refined sugar to honey in my coffee ( healthier choice) because I have my coffees I am able to resist things my family eats in the evenings such as popcorn, pop, chips and chocolate bars :)

    Trial and error my friend - Choose a goal that's attainable ~
    Don't set yourself up for failure~
    Listen to your body

    Figure out how to satisfy your body - as mentioned in an earlier post 'sugar is not the devil' - Everything in Moderation !
  • Kixshots
    Kixshots Posts: 74 Member
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    *shrugs* I just learn moderation with everything I enjoy and don't try to blanket my desire to eat certain types of foods with the word, "addiction".

    This
  • drew06
    drew06 Posts: 28
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    Try using other things that taste sorta sweet like cinnamon, vanilla extract, or other spices.

    Also, try getting in your Daily requirement of fiber, if you have carbs left over and feel the need for some sugar after getting in all the fiber, I would say go for the occasional cupcake, so long your stay under your caloric needs.
  • RaceMTB
    RaceMTB Posts: 13
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    I have this same problem. There's always fun sized candy all over the office. Someone brings in a platter of fresh baked cookies from home, donuts in the break room...

    In the past few days since I've increased my protein consumption again (along with higher fats), my sugar cravings have significantly decreased. Also, staying active (strength training/yoga/cycling) has been key to keeping me on track. I don't like to undo my progress.

    Hoping you find what works for you! I'm early on this journey to wean off sugar myself, so I'm hanging in there and splurging once in a while instead of as frequently as I used to.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    I went off processed sugar about 2 years ago. It has been worth it! Food actually tastes GOOD! I make baked goods, homemade ice cream and smoothies using maple syrup as my sweetener. It takes very little and it does not spike your glycemic index.

    I recently went on the Daniel Fast and could only use dates as my sweetener. It has been a bit tough but I'm doing it.

    One thing I noticed a year after giving up sugar completely is that mosquitos are no longer attracted to me! I can sit outside and read a book under the trees and they come around but leave me alone. I used to be their favorite meal.

    Best of luck to you! I'd recommend Nourishing Traditions cook book (and reference book). Very eye opening!

    you gave up sugar and still use maple syrup...? *facepalm*
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Sigh... Moderation.

    giphy.gif

    I kind of think that's the OP's point. Some folks have trouble eating sugar in moderation and need to cut it out for a time to control the cravings. If someone has never had to deal with constant and persistent sugar cravings it may seem simple but for others it is not.

    That is fine and good, it doesn't make it addiction. Until people are picking dirty lollipops out of trash bins for their next sugar fix, it is not an addiction.

    Splitting hairs. Call it what you want, the OP can call it what they want. I guess I just don't understand this need to tell someone she doesn't need help with sugar consumption (not saying you specifically, just in general throughout the thread). If she says she does, why can we not take that at face value instead of telling her she is wrong. She knows her body and is looking for solutions to a problem.

    She is getting solutions.. Moderation. It really is that simple... not easy but simple.
  • Enideve
    Enideve Posts: 1 Member
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    Carbs are not refined sugars which is where the problems of uncontrolled eating lies. Carbs (like all foods) are eventually converted in to Glycogen by the body to be used as energy, however, refined manufactured sugars (therefore excluding natural sugars such as fructose and lactose) AND sweetners cause the body to react in an extreme way, rocketing blood sugar and spiking your insulin. This sets the system up for an insulin drop shortly after which promotes the urge to eat again and if the reaction is sever enough can cause an all out binge.

    Dropping carsb from your diet completely (I'm talking less than 20g per day) will help reduce water retention as for ever gram of cabs you eat your body will retain an additional 3g of water... drop the carbs and your body lets got of the water too. However this is only sustainable for 3 to 4 days, after which you will crave carbs like crazy and run straight for the sweet treats.... exactly NOT what we want when trying to break a sugar addition. I'd suggest choosing clean carb sources such as oats/sweet potatoes/brown rice to help even it all out and keep glycogen stores balanced, and stay away from processed things like bread/pasta/cereal etc. Try a ratio of 40% protein 35% fats 25% carbs for fat loss.
  • eustaciavye
    eustaciavye Posts: 27 Member
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    Hi there -- this is an issue a lot of us share. I know people who struggle with their weight but can have a moderate amount of sugar. Me, not so much, although there are exceptional times when I seem to cope (like a gelato on a walking holiday). But for me, avoidance of sugar day by day is really important. If I have a cookie or two one day it sometimes snowballs into a full-out sugar craving and binge later in the week. I find it easier if I avoid sugar altogether (even checking labels on salad dressings and other processed foods). It also helps me when I avoid white bread, especially the packaged kind. Hope this helps. If you want some support, friend me.
  • lorrennon
    lorrennon Posts: 43
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    Drop sugar?!?!?!?? DON'T!!!! If you drop something you really really crave, you're diet is more likely to fail. Also artificial sweeteners are actually worse for you PLUS they have been linked to cancer. Dont go hog wild with it, but trust me, going without completely is a BAD idea. Same thing holds true for butter. In the end its the calorie count that matters. For instance, for my 4th meal today (5 small ones per day) I am having a sweet potato (baked) with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Yummy and only 311 calories, full of vitamins and minerals, and quite filling. Would be fewer calories but I LOVE my butter on my sweet potato.
  • WLG1974
    WLG1974 Posts: 90
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    Apples help get rid of the sugar cravings. They do for me anyways.

    I had a major problem with sugar for along time but the apples help with that now.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    Read up on what happens to diabetics and how they have to have limbs removed. And type 2 diabetes is self inflicted

    Except for when it isn't. I had hypoglycemia all of my life. Never had a lot of sweets, drank diet sodas from the time I was about 13. Didn't binge on favorite foods. Got a reasonable amount of exercise--in fact, the summer I had no car I walked an average of four miles/day (not including "regular" walking) and never lost an ounce. Long story short: my hypoglycemia became insulin resistance and no matter what I did my weight crept up. Eventually I ended up with Type II diabetes. No one in my family ever shared with me that we had a family history of the disease and I had never been able to afford healthcare to get a diagnosis.

    Shame you felt the desire to demonize a whole group of people.

    And yeah, my roommate died of complications from her diabetes. It happens, but it doesn't have to happen.
  • cwoyto123
    cwoyto123 Posts: 308
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    I eat 450g+ of sugar a day, it's all calories in vs. calories out for weight loss.
  • BurntCoffee
    BurntCoffee Posts: 234 Member
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    I had to go cold turkey pretty much. I was drinking a 2 liter of pepsi with a bag of sour twizzlers every few days. I cut it all out. Now I don't even want it. 4 weeks in.
  • BurntCoffee
    BurntCoffee Posts: 234 Member
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    I eat 450g+ of sugar a day, it's all calories in vs. calories out for weight loss.

    That's correct but someone can develop an emotional attachment to sweet stuff. I sure as heck know I did. I never craved a piece of grilled chicken. It was always twzzlers and soda.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    That's correct but someone can develop an emotional attachment to sweet stuff. I sure as heck know I did. I never craved a piece of grilled chicken. It was always twzzlers and soda.

    I've definitely craved roast chicken. I also gave up meat for a while and craved rack of lamb. I think these kinds of cravings really are normal if you really like a food, which is (as others said earlier) why people crave apple pie or ice cream and not a spoonful of sugar (which sounds unappealing to me, and I like plenty of sweet treats).

    So I don't really think the addiction model is likely to be helpful. I do think that it someone is using treats for emotional purposes or THINKS she can't control herself with them that needs to be broken and dropping them for a while is one way to do it. (I did it for a couple of weeks and found it helpful.). But I doubt the presence of a little sugar in jar pasta sauce is going to matter a bit, just as I doubt anyone really finds sriacha a gateway drug to peanut butter cups. Of course, there are plenty of other reasons to eschew jar pasta sauce. Personally, I'm picky about that sort of thing (and most packaged foods, obviously not all) and prefer homemade. But the whole "they are trying to hook us on sugar" thing drives me crazy, although it might not be fair to impose on this thread.
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
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    My advice:

    Get it out of the house. For me, there is no such thing as a "taste" of a donut...I just don't keep anything with added refined sugar in the house. I could easily polish off a half dozen "healthy" muffins..promising myself with each one that I would stop.

    For me, sugar was like alcohol to someone who is an alcoholic. There was no such thing as "a little" sugar.

    Eat breakfast. Eat lunch Eat dinner. Make sure each meal has both protein and produce in it.

    I aim for 50 grams of fiber a day. Not fiber supplements but fiber coming from real foods.

    After a while (for me it took about 3 months), everything with added refined sugar just started to taste too sweet.

    You can do it! GL!
  • MrTolerable
    MrTolerable Posts: 1,593 Member
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    I eat way too much sugar. I plan to change that, so I have started small, by not adding sugar to things when it's not necessary (ie my coffee). I still get cravings, which I hope will get less and less as I consume less sugar.

    Has anyone here weaned themselves off sugar? Do you have any tips for me?
    ...having quit cigs and other nefarious activities... you can do this rather easily.. just decide whats more important, what you want to become or where you are right now. ..once your target is what you truly want to become than it becomes easy saying no to .. sugar.
  • caseyjarryn
    caseyjarryn Posts: 61 Member
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    To all those saying that it's as simple as calories in calories out: it's really not that simple. Yes, a calorie deficit will cause you to lose weight... but how feel during that process will be a whole lot different depending on what kinds of foods make up those calories.... and will therefore affect how long you stick to your plan. For example fructose doesn't trigger the hormones that make you feel full, so you won't be satisfied after eating it, while protein on the other hand both makes you feel full AND actually requires energy to digest! This is a really great article on the metabolic pathways of food: http://authoritynutrition.com/debunking-the-calorie-myth/

    Sugar IS an addiction... not just lack of self control. I quit sugar 7 weeks ago today, and while that may not seem like a long time, the first few weeks were hell... I had the worst cravings and could barely concentrate in the afternoons. But now 7 weeks on, I'm not even tempted by chocolate; I still remember how amazing it tastes, but I don't crave it the same way that I used to. I also no longer get hungry between meals; the food that I eat keeps me satisfied for longer. I eat the same number of calories that I used to, but I actually feel satisfied by the amount I'm eating, not constantly hungry and wanting to snack between meals. It's amazing.
  • Thezestiest
    Thezestiest Posts: 37 Member
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    try to satisfy your sweet tooth with things that are naturally sweet such as fruit, or some natural peanut butter with honey on some toast. Over time, your sugar addiction will lessen.

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