Massive Sweet Tooth

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StephMDtoo
StephMDtoo Posts: 37 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have intense sugar cravings, and I am looking for ideas to try to help conquer them so to speak. I have found that I really have a hard time having something in moderation, if I have one cookie, I will have a whole sleeve of cookies for example. If I try to ignore it, it gets very strong and I will sometimes eat spoonfuls directly. I was doing pretty well after a few months of stringent dieting, but after falling off the wagon, I am finding it really, really hard to get back on.
I don't have any health issues like diabetes, but I certainly don't want to dance close to it or be a sugar zombie anymore.

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  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I found that stringent "dieting" led me straight to regaining.
    I finally chose to simply reduce my calories but not ridiculously.
    I eat well but include chocolate and other treats in moderation.
    I make sure to eat all the protein, fat and carbs I need to be healthy and then have a small to medium sized treat depending on how many calories I have remaining.
    Sometimes I eat too much but I just continue on without beating myself up about it.
    I would like to lose a few more vanity pounds but I'm in no rush-I know they will come off eventually and I've been at a healthy BMI for a couple of years and maintaining very well.
    If I tell myself I absolutely can't eat something, eventually I WILL binge on it.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited January 2015
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    You actually have gone so far as to eat spoonfuls of sugar directly? Well, this is a first.

    I used to consider myself a sugar addict. Starchy stuff too. I did give them up completely for a time. I ate a diet of proteins, fats, and non-starchy vegetables for quite a few years. During that time, I did some thinking and came to realize that the foods weren't the problem, I was. I think that some distance from the foods helped me get that perspective, though.

    I started small. I added back whole grains. I didn't have a problem with cravings.

    I added back low glycemic starchy vegetables. I didn't have a problem with cravings.

    I let myself have something sweet. I didn't have a problem with cravings.

    My tastes changed over the time that I gave up sugar and starches completely. I don't like overly sweet things now, so a little sweet goes a long way.

    I'm not saying that going cold turkey and giving it all up is necessary, but I am saying that moderation is possible even if you think it's not. I'm at the point now that if I want something sweet, I'll eat it. I just don't very often want something sweet that's not fruit.
  • gonzanab
    gonzanab Posts: 117 Member
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    When I have a sweet craving, I go for a piece dark chocolate or something that won't get foo far off track. You could try eating fruits that are sweet too instead of cookies or spoonfuls of sugar.
  • StephMDtoo
    StephMDtoo Posts: 37 Member
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    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    I used to consider myself a sugar addict. Starchy stuff too. I did give them up completely for a time. I ate a diet of proteins, fats, and non-starchy vegetables for quite a few years. During that time, I did some thinking and came to realize that the foods weren't the problem, I was. I think that some distance from the foods helped me get that perspective, though.

    Do you think just not having it for so long "killed" the brain connections? Or somehow toned down your taste buds? Not sure if I'm saying that right.

  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    StephMDtoo wrote: »
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    I used to consider myself a sugar addict. Starchy stuff too. I did give them up completely for a time. I ate a diet of proteins, fats, and non-starchy vegetables for quite a few years. During that time, I did some thinking and came to realize that the foods weren't the problem, I was. I think that some distance from the foods helped me get that perspective, though.

    Do you think just not having it for so long "killed" the brain connections? Or somehow toned down your taste buds? Not sure if I'm saying that right.

    I don't believe that there's such a thing as brain connections, but it definitely had an effect on my taste.

    I used to like milk chocolate, I like dark chocolate now. It's much less sweet.

    Anything overly sweet tastes cloying to me. I like more complex sweets now. I'm also satisfied with smaller portions of sweets. I used to eat an embarrassing amount of ice cream. I can savor one spoonful now and be content.

  • KimMc60
    KimMc60 Posts: 112 Member
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    Maybe separate cookies into individually wrapped Ziploc bags? It's a lot easier to only grab one that way! There's also plenty of healthier cookie recipes out there - this one's my favorite: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-breakfast-cookies/
  • kulsuma_begum1
    kulsuma_begum1 Posts: 1
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    I'm massive sweet tooth, I usually have few bars chocolate a day and the day I start my period.... Well let's not go there.

    But what I'm doing is having a piece of chocolate now at 4pm everyday. That way I look forward to it and won't crave it. Slowly I'll make it a two day thing, you'll have to wean yourself off.
  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
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    Dark chocolate and single serving packages, my friend. More expensive to get a single serving, so it's aslo a reason to not do so much. When I want sugar, I walk my happy butt a half mile to CVS, buy a single serving of skittles, and walk back. It's been a wonder keeping me in line.
  • anjaaufsuche
    anjaaufsuche Posts: 1 Member
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    I'd class myself as a chocolate addict and I've found reducing the amount of sugary treats slowly each week is a good way to wean off without feeling huge cravings. Don't try to do too much too fast, your body's addiction response like headaches and the cranks just make it more likely to fail. I started with allowing myself my normal amount of calories per day in the first week but just stuck to dark chocolate with nuts. Week two I lowered my daily calorie limit and allowed myself two pieces of dark chocolate a day. I'm in week 4 now and alteady I'm not craving sugars as much. Good luck - you can do it!! Just don't buy big bags of cookies, it's hard to resist them when they are right in front of you ;)
  • healthyinpink
    healthyinpink Posts: 87 Member
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    shadowofender wrote: »
    Dark chocolate and single serving packages, my friend. More expensive to get a single serving, so it's aslo a reason to not do so much. When I want sugar, I walk my happy butt a half mile to CVS, buy a single serving of skittles, and walk back. It's been a wonder keeping me in line.

    Ooh I love this! I never even thought of doing that! So for me, walking to cvs one way takes 15 mins, so that's a total of 30 mins of walking and calorie burning to sort of off set the treat and then I may not even want it anymore! Brilliant!
  • StephMDtoo
    StephMDtoo Posts: 37 Member
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    I like the idea of setting up 'good' sweet snacks in portions ahead of time, gonna give that one a try for a while.
  • msred26
    msred26 Posts: 2
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    Hi my name is sherika and I too am a junk food junkie I just can't let go of snickers so in replace of my chocolate I started drinking slim fast for breakfast and dinner and it curves my craving for chocolate I eat what ever for lunch I move around a lot during that time so I'm burning of what I ate
  • AbsoluteTara79
    AbsoluteTara79 Posts: 266 Member
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    I have found some success in cutting out sweets for a short time period - like 2-3 weeks. Just to sort of break the cycle of looking for treats when the blood sugar drops. And then adding them back in single servings in moderation. I've been shocked how well it's worked actually. I was a total black/white dieter before. My pantry is full of candy and cookies and I've managed to stick to my single serving ice cream cups several times a week. And the feelings of wishing it could be a pint have nearly subsided.
  • ArkMom35
    ArkMom35 Posts: 225 Member
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    I love treats. If you look at my diary I eat several sweet treats a day. I've just found lower calorie options and eat a much smaller amount of something than I used to. I've found the Fiber One 90 calorie brownies hit my sweet spot perfectly.

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