Help with my sugar addiction

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RachelH25
RachelH25 Posts: 108
in Motivation and Support
So I have a big time sugar addiction. Whenever I try to cut back on my sugar I just end up bingeing. my self control isn't stronge enough. Help! What have others done to help ease off? Any advice?

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  • absolament
    absolament Posts: 278 Member
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    Have you tried chewing gum?
  • mjmusic2003
    mjmusic2003 Posts: 3
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    I also struggle with sugar addiction. I have found that if I drink a full glass of water before I grab for the sugar I either don't need the sugar anymore or at least don't eat as much. Exercise also works sometimes!
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    There are several dietary changes you can make to help you through the addiction. The one I am most familiar with is the South Beach Diet, which tends to be reasonable. For example, he offers desserts that don't involve additional sugar during the phase where you are trying to retrain your body.
  • blackpearlgrl
    blackpearlgrl Posts: 35 Member
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    I too love my sugar especially in the afternoon or evenings. What has helped me is by increasing my fiber intake. This keeps me satisfied and not hungry. But I reward myself once in a while with small portions that fit in my daily intake so that I dont binge. Exercise makes a difference too.
  • Jlennhikes
    Jlennhikes Posts: 290 Member
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    My only advice is find some of the small portion/lower calorie treats that are out there. There are a few that aren't too bad. The Jello brand Temptations are good. I like the lemon meringue and chocolate silk. I love Nerd jelly beans and a few other candies that are non-fat. A 100-calorie portion gets me through to dinnertime when I'm spending long hours at my computer working.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Ultimately you need to completely cut refined sugar and artificial sweeteners out of your diet completely. I was a life-long sugar addict and was never able to curb my cravings until I cut it out back in January. I didn't go cold turkey, that never worked for me. But what I did totally worked and it only took a week. Now I can't handle much sugar at all, it's just too sweet and my body doesn't want it. Even the apple I had tonight was too sweet. And I can have sweets in the house without being tempted. I have leftover cake from my son's birthday party in the refrigerator and I know how delicious it is, but I don't want it.

    So here's what I did:

    For the first couple of days I made myself wait until after lunch to have a cookie or a piece of chocolate. That was easy, I really didn't have sugar in the mornings anyway. The next couple of days I made myself wait until my afternoon snack. That wasn't too hard. The couple of days after that I made myself wait until after dinner. After two days of waiting until "dessert" I was over it. I honestly didn't care if I had a chocolate or not.

    I'm really surprised it was that simple. I think knowing that I'd be able to have sugar at some point during the day took the mental craving away so the physical craving wasn't as strong. I still have a mental addiction but now any time I have a soda or some candy I realize that I don't physically want it as soon as I have the first drink or bite. I'm shocked that it worked, I've been addicted to sugar since I was about 2 years old, but I have conquered my sugar addiction completely! But you really do have to get rid of sugar completely in order to beat the cravings and replacing it with artificial sweeteners is not the answer, they just make you crave sugar more.
  • peytjalmom
    peytjalmom Posts: 76
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    Google "sugar addiction" and there will be websites that give you plan to break the addiction. I followed one that had me eat alot of protein(up to 1g per lb body weight/day) with good carbs, divided and eaten every 2 or 3 hours. Also talked to a dietician that explained that when we load up on sugar, the pancreas shoots out a load of insulin that takes too much sugar out of the bloodstream, leaving you with low blood sugar, thus craving more sugar. Eat good carbs in combination with good proteins (a good balance is 15g protein to 30g carbs) or fats every few hours (meals-less than 400 calories, snacks- around 200calories) and that helps keep your blood sugar even, calming the cravings. At least that worked for me!
  • missygail
    missygail Posts: 30 Member
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    I too fight with sugar addiction. I have a serious sweet tooth. You can try to find sweets that are better for you, like cruise the diet aisle at the grocery store. They have slimfast bars and atkins bars and some candies. Just watch the calories.

    I wouldn't worry too much about going over your sugar intake right now, wait until you get everything else under control.

    I loved those lindt mint chocolate squares until I read the nutritional facts on the backside of the box, suddenly they weren't the greatest. Also, to quit smoking I used tootsie pops, I've thought about buying some more to keep me out of the kitchen and my hands busy.
  • RockinmyLocs
    RockinmyLocs Posts: 1
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    I wish I could help with the sugar addiction. I am a sugar addict and I tried drinking water, and it didnt work. I tried take a walk before I grab some sweetness and it didnt work either. So I have tried tricking myself. Instead of denying the sugar and binging later, I have tried this(I love snickers). I pour a tsp of choc. syrup or honey and I take a cup of nuts and dab a nut into the sweetness. Yes, you are eating something sweet to kill the sweet tooth. The nuts are good for you, and it fills you up without feeling guilty.
  • Tangerine302
    Tangerine302 Posts: 1,509 Member
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    I always liked something sweet after a meal. Loved chocolate during the day too! Ever since tracking everything and being aware of calories it seems like the sweets have slowed way down. Sometimes after a meal and when I'm full, I still drink a glass of water after eating. Just to feel like I'm extra full and hopefully the sweet feeling leaves. So far that's worked pretty good. Although I do like something sweet every once in a while. I have found the 100 calorie Yoplait delights satisfies really good! Maybe just try to gradually cut down. Buy some 100 calories snacks, or other lower calorie items. Even something like yogurt with sliced bananas is a great snack. Almost tastes like banana cream pie! It's almost like the less you eat it the less you crave it. I was always looking for something chocolate! ha
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    I always liked something sweet after a meal. Loved chocolate during the day too! Ever since tracking everything and being aware of calories it seems like the sweets have slowed way down. Sometimes after a meal and when I'm full, I still drink a glass of water after eating. Just to feel like I'm extra full and hopefully the sweet feeling leaves. So far that's worked pretty good. Although I do like something sweet every once in a while. I have found the 100 calorie Yoplait delights satisfies really good! Maybe just try to gradually cut down. Buy some 100 calories snacks, or other lower calorie items. Even something like yogurt with sliced bananas is a great snack. Almost tastes like banana cream pie! It's almost like the less you eat it the less you crave it. I was always looking for something chocolate! ha

    Understanding the calories and knowing the effects of sugar are big helps! Just knowing that eating sugar makes your body release insulin, which stops the body's fat burning processes, made me think twice about eating sugar.
  • ladyeyessogreen
    ladyeyessogreen Posts: 42 Member
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    I know what seems to help me, so I am going to throw it out there. When I get a serious craving for sugar (esp the T.O.M.), I have found if I drink (actually sip slowly) a cup of a sweet flavored tea like raspberry zinger or a pomagranite flavor. I found a cute little tea shop in town and picked up a couple organic herbal loose leaf teas. For me it seems to curb the craving to where I can tolerate it and easier to get over.

    I know this isn't for everyone, but I thought I would share.
  • aeckels616
    aeckels616 Posts: 210 Member
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    What worked for me was to cut it out cold turkey with a low glycemic index diet for a month (I was addicted to sugar and bread most of my life). Now, I have eased some of it back in, but I don't crave or binge on it. If I do find that I want a sweet treat, mixing fresh strawberries in with some plain greek yogurt and Truvia hits the spot perfectly (tastes like strawberries with whipped cream). No sugar, except what's naturally in the lactose of the yogurt.
  • RachelH25
    RachelH25 Posts: 108
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    Thanks everyone! Everyone has great suggestions. I find that if I drink a few cherry coke zeros during the day it helps my cravings but I don't like haveing diet soda in my deit. I would like to go as natural as I can but my body totally rebels when I try.
  • Jellyphant
    Jellyphant Posts: 1,400 Member
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    I had the same problem. I don't even know how, but I stopped cold turkey. Bam, no more caffeine headaches if I don't have a pepsi every 10 seconds. And that's what's kept me away from it since then. :)
  • Tangerine302
    Tangerine302 Posts: 1,509 Member
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    Also if it's chocolate that you want, have you tried the chocolate whey protein drinks? I like to add a little powdered malt mix with the water/protein mix. It's really filling too! :)

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