** I am a sugar addict...**

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mfergie889
mfergie889 Posts: 77
in Food and Nutrition
I really need help...If I dont eat something sweet after a meal (lunch and dinner specifically) I feel like I am going through withdrawls. If I can somehow manage to go to bed without dessert, I think about sugar until I go to sleep and wake up craving it. I know that dark chocolate really helps, and that avoiding sugar earlier in the day reduces your overall cravings. Starting tomorrow I am really going to stop feeding my craving every second I feel it..

Has anyone struggled with something similar and found a way to cope?
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Replies

  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
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    I'm the same. I just make smarter choices every night for dessert. Instead of that huge brownie with cream cheese icing and vanilla ice cream, I choose something that is around 100 calories. Skinny cow is great as well as sugar free pudding cups or low fat ice cream. Mu husband and I eat dessert every night. \He's lost 20 and I've lost about 10. Don't let it push you over your calorie count and you'll be fine.
  • ashleynicoleb
    ashleynicoleb Posts: 376 Member
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    I have a hugeee sweet tooth :( I'm interested in tips, too!
  • mfergie889
    mfergie889 Posts: 77
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    I'm the same. I just make smarter choices every night for dessert. Instead of that huge brownie with cream cheese icing and vanilla ice cream, I choose something that is around 100 calories. Skinny cow is great as well as sugar free pudding cups or low fat ice cream. Mu husband and I eat dessert every night. \He's lost 20 and I've lost about 10. Don't let it push you over your calorie count and you'll be fine.

    I actually eat relatively healthy desserts...besides the occasional mini candy, I like cinnamon swirl bread, cocoa rice krispies cereal, trail mix, etc. Its the fact that I need it after each meal and that I am not satiated easily, so I end up eating too much of it!!!
  • fink21061
    fink21061 Posts: 53 Member
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    skinny cow ice cream. i am the same way and these things rock. im eating one now thats why i cant type. and they have fibre in them
  • momtodeshawn
    momtodeshawn Posts: 54 Member
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    I will not deny myself things I crave. Instead, I just make sure that if I go over my calories, I exercise enough to cover it. :) It may not be the "healthy" way to do it, but it's what works for me.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    Are you getting enough water? I crave sugar like crazy when I'm dehydrated. Try upping your water intake and see if it helps.

    If that's not the problem, you just may need to go cold-turkey for a couple of weeks. When I was in college I saw a massage therapist who turned out to be some kind of naturopath -- I don't know if I buy most of what he said to me, but he did say that he thought I needed to cut out sugar for a while because I seemed to be addicted. How he knew that, I have no idea. But I was -- I carried Skittles around every day and drank tons of soda, and chocolate was my best friend. I got it all out of my dorm room and just didn't have any refined sugar at all for about two weeks, and it was a hard two weeks, but then it all got out of my system and it was much easier to cope. Now I'm still to the point that I can handle a little sugar, but if I have something like a piece of cake, I can't stay away from it until it's all gone. I just have to either abstain completely, or re-break the habit. It's a tough one to break.
  • Vicky14174
    Vicky14174 Posts: 715 Member
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    sugar free jello and sugar free pudding are good and low calories. also wal-mart has their own fat free no sugar added ice cream that is 70 calories per serving that is pretty good.
  • Ding724
    Ding724 Posts: 791 Member
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    Maybe just stick with some fresh fruits (grapes, grapefruit, strawberries, bananas) which are sweet to satisfy your sweet-tooth craving, but won't ruin your day :happy:
  • merrillfoster
    merrillfoster Posts: 855 Member
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    fruit?
  • Raychillen
    Raychillen Posts: 11
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    I love sweets, my coworkers are killing me by bringing chocolates to share. I have just found Target's sugar-free brand of crystal light type drink mixes are awesome. They are sweeter than Crystal light but don't have the calories. I personally love the cherry limeade. Don't feel like you have to cut sweet completely out, just watch how much you eat and how often. If you completely cut it out you may find yourself in a pile of chocolate wrappers and wondering what just happened. :) Good luck.
  • smelmel
    smelmel Posts: 98 Member
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    I just went through this 2 weeks ago, I always wanted chocolate after a meal, so I use natvia natural sweetener in my tea and eat dark chocolate and grapes instead, I had 2 days of head aches but I'm fine now and also I started snacking on protein foods like nuts and boiled eggs. It's hard but so good not to be thinking about chocolate all the time also this is the least I have exercised and my jeans are bigger and I am not bloated anymore, good luck and big high five for ditching the evil white stuff. :bigsmile:
  • Raychillen
    Raychillen Posts: 11
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    Aj- your massage therapist might have figured out you like sugar by your skin. Someone who consumes a lot of sugar does not have the best of skin. Someone who rubs on people's back for a living can tell the difference pretty quickly.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    Aj- your massage therapist might have figured out you like sugar by your skin. Someone who consumes a lot of sugar does not have the best of skin. Someone who rubs on people's back for a living can tell the difference pretty quickly.

    I still have crappy skin, even now that I'm not addicted to sugar. :laugh: But I see your point. That makes sense.
  • shanpgh
    shanpgh Posts: 10 Member
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    I too have a major sugar addiction. I find that 25 calorie hot chocolate can be very satisfying. Also, sugar free jell-o can curb the craving, especially at lunch when you don't have much time. One other secret goodie (I'm a chocaholic) is a fake ice cream sandwich. Take 1 full chocolate graham cracker and break it in half. Then add 2 TBSP of fat free or sugar free or lite Cool Whip to the center of one cracker and sandwich the crackers together. Wrap in wax paper and freeze for 2 hours or longer. 85 calories (using fat free Cool Whip) of complete indulgence! I keep these in the freezer as often as possible, but they don't last too long. :bigsmile:
  • TripleJ3
    TripleJ3 Posts: 945 Member
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    I have a small amount of the real stuff, no artificial sweetners for me.
    If I'm going eat it, I want it to be worth it.

    Try a small piece of candy after a meal. I like Nips because they keep my mouth busy. Or a good quality chocolate.

    A spoonful of Ben & Jerrys works too:wink:
  • Ding724
    Ding724 Posts: 791 Member
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    fruit?

    Oh yeah! Fruit is full of sugar!!!
  • Raychillen
    Raychillen Posts: 11
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    Fruit is a better choice than chocolate or ice cream. Fruits contain more complex sugars that require more from our body to break down for use. Fruit also contains fiber, vitamins, and nutrients your body need.
  • bella123105
    bella123105 Posts: 2 Member
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    I love deserts and carbs/sugar but i am more interested in losing weight. Therefore i eat anything i want but avoid carbs and sugar as much as possible. consequently i have stopped craving it and that has made all the difference. the struggle no longer exists most days.
  • aflane
    aflane Posts: 625 Member
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    I have a MONSTER sized sweet tooth, and I'm working with it, not against it. I decided that if I wanted something sweet, I'd go for the item with sugar instead of sugar substitute. So, when my sweet tooth is calling for sugar (often an hour after dinner), I have either some chocolate or one of my fav hard candies. I eat the sweet very slowly, and enjoy every gram it. And then I log it in my food diary. I figure I'm learning how to eat in proper moderation, with control. In fact, since I allow myself a sweet every day, I haven't gone over my calories in over 2 months.
  • hemlock2010
    hemlock2010 Posts: 422 Member
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    I save 270 calories for sugar/chocolate at the end of the day b/c that's when I'm most likely to go on a bender. Here's how I use them: 2 milk chocolate Hershey nuggets (100 calories) when I get home from work while I'm making supper and 1 c of homemade hot cocoa in the evening after all the household chores are done.

    The whole double shift thing (work all day, come home and work all evening) is a big emotional trigger for me. The cocoa is indulgent enough so that I feel rewarded after all that instead of feeling as though life is all work and no play. Also, when I'm sitting around (as in that last hour before bed), I'm most likely to notice being hungry and not to have the tools to deal with it in a constructive way. :-)

    I use 2tsp sugar, 3/4 tsp Hershey's cocoa. Stir it up in the bottom of a microwaveable mug, add 1 c 2% milk, and microwave for 75 seconds. Stir.

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