Sugar cravings - how do you cope?

Think of sugar like a drug. Sugar is basically crack of the food world. It is very addictive. You have a little, you want more. Every time you let yourself have one oreo, you are going to want to eat 5 more. So best course of action, have no oreos. Also I highly recommend against "healthy" alternatives. There is nothing healthy about a FiberOne bar, and if you check the nutrition label, I bet they have as much sugar as the oreoes. A better snack would be fresh fruit (cherries and grapes are in season) or celery with peanut butter (sugar free of course).

It also sounds like you might be eating out of boredom or stress. When you are eating not because you are hungry, but to satisfy some other craving, ask yourself if it's really worth it. Ask yourself why you want to eat - are you bored, tired, angry? Then find another way to deal with it. Usually no matter what the emotion is, a 5-10 minute walk can help distract you. When I'm at work I often have sugar cravings in the afternoon. Rather than reach for the candy bowl, I take a lap around the building.

One thing that helped me break my sugar habit was doing a 14-day no sugar challenge. After two weeks without having any added sugars in my diet it was easier to resist. You can sign up at http://fedupmovie.com/#/page/home and they will send you daily tips and reminders to keep accountable.

Another thing that sometimes helps me, make a cup of herbal fruit tea and sip that instead. Keeps your mouth busy without the sugar.

I lost 2 stone, I was going to the gym three evenings a week. Stupidly I stopped it all, Two months later, I'm heavier than when I started and because of the sudden weight gain I have a couple of lovely stretch marks on my stomach. I can't stop myself from eating the full bar/cake/dessert that serves 6! This week, I've started to introduce a healthier diet. The sugar craving that is helping me at the moment is frozen Ice pops. 9 (sugar free) Ice pops is about 2Kcal. You can't shovel them in as fast as a cookie, after one it seems to satisfy me.

Food Doctor pots, similar to pot noodle but are full of Quinoa and Bulgar Wheat, 300Kcal a pot for lunch. 300Kcal but keep you full longer than something similar in Kcal.

Another option, possible quite controversial, a friend has lost a lot of weight by 'snacking' on a ZERO nicotine electronic cigarette. She bought a cheap one off Ebay and filled it with ZERO nicotine strawberry flavoured liquid. Every time she felt like she was going to eat the kitchen bare she puffed on the electronic cigarette for a few mins. The sweet taste helped her pass the sugar craving.
I'm emphasising the zero nicotine as there is no potential addiction involved. I haven't personally tried this, but that's because I'm trying to quit myself with a high strength nicotine liquid.

Stevia is a natural extremely sweet substance that is 0kcal. A hot sweet tea, with Stevia, should do the trick as well.

Another option, slightly easier for me as I'm already a full time vegetarian is trying a Vegan diet. I'm trying this starting next week, my long term goal is to become Vegan due to the health/ethical reasons. I'm not trying to persuade you to become a full time Vegan, just suggesting you give it a go, unless your allergic to Soya, on a temporary basis. I don't think I've ever met an overweight Vegan!

Don't forget Vitamins! Supplements are brilliant. CoQ10/Sea Kelp/B Complex a good mixed vitamin too

Steve

I don't deprive myself of anything. If you have a sugar craving eat something sweet. The key is planning for it (calorie wise) and stopping at 1 portion

Part of my problem is that my husband left last week until September for work. It's easier to eat right and exercise when you have an "audience," particularly when that audience has helpfully told you recently that you're too fat to be attractive. (Which is the truth so, while it's bugged me a bit, has been good motivation.) But honestly the bigger problem is years and years of giving in to myself whenever I had a sugar craving.

So, what do you suggest to put an end to the sugar habit? I bought myself some "healthy alternatives" in the form of Fiber One brownies and Healthy Choice fudgesicles, but at the end of the day I think those just encourage the cravings. If you've sat all the way through this novel of a post, I hope you'll be able to give me some advice!

1. As for your husband, I feel for you. A couple of years ago, I had a similar conversation with my significant other, and I started 'trying' to lose the weight, but to be perfectly honest, my heart wasn't in it. I was ok with the way I was, and I was dieting and exercising solely for him, not for me. Needless to say, I only lasted a few weeks, a month, tops. We are no longer together (for different reasons), but just over a month ago, I just decided one day that I was tired of being fat and really ready to commit to losing the weight. It's been so much easier this past month than it was a couple of years ago, just because my mindset changed. I'm not saying whether he should or should have said anything to you--I believe that, if something is really bothering someone, they should be allowed to voice their concern, as long as it's done tactfully.

2. I crave sugar like nobody's business. My biggest weaknesses have been soda and chocolate. I try to eat fruit and yogurt and all that stuff, but it's not like the real stuff. My biggest helps have actually been diet sodas and Crystal Light lemonade. I allow myself one non-water drink per day and then make myself drink that much extra water, afterwards. It works for me. I also discovered another solution purely by accident. Because it's the summer and I have two children under the age of three, I've been buying Pop-Ice popsicles (the ones in a tube in a box). Because the evening after dinner is my weakest time, that's the only thing I allow myself to eat during that time. One is only 15 calories, so even if I have two, I still feel like I did a really good job. I get just enough sweetness without downing uber-calories.

Good luck with everything! I hope it all works out for you!

You have issues with binge eating, not sugar.

And the two are completely unrelated? Wrong, at least for some people. Binge eating is not psychological at all in my experience; rather, one of many symptoms of malnutrition/disordered metabolism.

OP: the only way I cope is that I don't eat added sugar at all and I limit natural sugars. I have zero sugar cravings when I'm barely eating any sugar. The first week or two of cutting the sugar is not much different than coming off of drugs, unfortunately, but it can be done. Or you can just struggle for years trying to use moderation and willpower as many here will advise... which was a big fail for me. Glad I found a better way.

Wow! This is one of the BEST threads of responses I have seen in awhile! I love it. All of it is actually really good advice. There is a lot too!

Moderation
Sugar Free
Distraction
Water
Natural Alternatives
and the impossible - don't eat it at all.

Everyone is different and I can see each working for someone.

I applaud your attitude that this is a life-style change and not a diet to drop and go back to your ways. In that case think of weening off the worst offenders. Use the scare tactics people mentioned. Watch the videos that tell you what is really in this junk food. I like to browse Pinterest for fitness tips when I am craving. Seeing all the work-out options and fit people really makes me realize what I am working for.

I also use fat to substitute. I will have 1 serving of nuts and drink like 16oz of water to get the full feeling. I find that fat cuts the craving. I also pick out healthier choices to use at times when I know I will want sugar. If I get a 4pm craving I save a piece of fruit and eat it. The greek yogurt and fruit is great too!

I also make a chocolate smoothie for less then 300 calories with frozen banana that you would never know is a complete meal unless I told you. Tastes like something from an ice cream shop.
Vega One Chocolate (soy and whey free meal shake powder mix)
Ghiradeli Cocoa powder (1tsp)
Chia Seeds 1tsp soaked (for a 10 min about) in 1 cup of non-dairy drink (unsweetened- like almond of coconut milk)
1/2 frozen banana
Few cubes of ice
Blend till smooth

Personally I love sugar. The healthier the meal... the harder the craving hit after. I think keeping nothing that will trigger a binge, and only things that are 200 cal or less satisfying chocolate helps.

I also avoid ALL Sugar-free items because I find it sends my cravings through the roof. I mean from 10-1000! That's me personally.

Best of luck and keep at it.

What helps for me a little bit of something sweet with hot skim milk. A latte in the morning with sugar free vanilla syrup and hot milk with chocolate flavour Ovaltine as my bedtime snack. I started with almost 2 tablespoons of Ovaltine and have gradually whittled it down to 2 tsp. Really helps keep those sweet cravings at bay for me, plus will eat a small amount of dark chocolate once a week or so. Also a small amount of a dessert if it looks really great, and is homemade. I find saying no to myself makes the cravings stronger.

I agree.....it toke me about two weeks of not eating any sugar (white flour) to finally not crave for it.

Unfortunately, after three months of reading that it doesn't matter where the calories come from only how many I burn. I decided to allow myself one day a week of eating the foods I was not eating (dark chocolate w/salt, Oreo cookies, pizza, etc). I stay within my calorie burned when I do this.

PROBLEM .......I am now struggling with the cravings. I am not feeling as good as I was. My energy level has decreased. I am not losing the same amount of fat.

As of tomorrow, I am not eating anything white again. Hopefully, I can last two weeks again.

My advise.....if it matters....struggle with the addiction for two weeks. You won't have the terrible cravings.

As for your husbands comment, Ummmmmm....I'll be nice.....good thing he is going to be gone for a while. Don't worry about what he said. Worry about you. Take this time to evaluate what you want. Take the time to decide what is the best for you (diet, exercise). Join a gym. Join a group of other dieter. See your doctor, nutritionist, etc.

Good luck......If you want a friend to struggle with....I'm here