Sugar withdraws
MissTattoo
Posts: 1,203 Member
Why is quitting sugar so hard!?
I used to do cocaine (been clean 9 years this April) and quitting that cold turkey was easier than quitting sugar!
I haven't had a Mt. Dew since the summer. For some reason I just grabbed one from the grocery store last night and had a few sips before dumping it down the drain. It tasted like syrup.
Now I'm at work hiding in my office because I just stood in front of the vending machine for 5 minutes fighting with myself to not get a Mt. Dew or Vitamin Water.
lol
Is this going to be like drugs? Once a sugar addict always a sugar addict?
I used to do cocaine (been clean 9 years this April) and quitting that cold turkey was easier than quitting sugar!
I haven't had a Mt. Dew since the summer. For some reason I just grabbed one from the grocery store last night and had a few sips before dumping it down the drain. It tasted like syrup.
Now I'm at work hiding in my office because I just stood in front of the vending machine for 5 minutes fighting with myself to not get a Mt. Dew or Vitamin Water.
lol
Is this going to be like drugs? Once a sugar addict always a sugar addict?
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Replies
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No such thing. You are not addicted other than in your head. We all have struggled at times but you can do it.
This is a lifestyle change, it isn't that you cannot have a soda, it just has to fit within your calorie goal.0 -
For many of us, sugar or even non-sugar sweet tastes pique our desire for more. It's not medically addiction or withdrawal but the feeling is real. This is used by food manufacturers to increase our consumption of their products. There is some scientific data out there indicating this effect is not only different for individuals but also may have an ethnicity aspect to the differences. Consider http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11054593 and others.
I'm very susceptible to sweet tastes sending my appetite through the roof. I've cut way back on sugar consumption, eliminated artificial sweeteners, and feel more in control. I was a Diet Coke "addict" -- no, not a true addict but I almost always had a can of diet coke at hand. The way I replaced my soda desire was to change to unsweetened carbonated waters.0 -
I haven't found taking a break from added sugar from time to time especially hard, but on the whole people find it difficult because they have emotional attachments to certain foods or (more commonly) find that they taste good. It's natural for humans to enjoy sweet tastes.
If you find yourself wanting something you don't think tastes good, I'd try to think through what's going on. Is some part of your mind still convinced you will enjoy it? If so, and if you dumped it before, maybe let yourself learn that you don't enjoy it anymore.
For me one thing that has been helpful is becoming snobby about what I will spend my calories on. A truly delicious sweet, like some really high quality chocolate or a special homemade dessert from my friend who loves to bake, sure, I'll fit it in. Some random candy at the office? Not worth what I'd have to give up.0 -
I wish it were just in my head, but since I stopped, I've been agitated, have had a dull headache for about 2 weeks now, (which by the way, went away after having a tiny amount of Mt. Dew)
it's the same feeling I had when I stopped cocaine. Just irritated, tired, anxious, headaches, jaw clenching, etc.0 -
MissTattoo wrote: »I wish it were just in my head, but since I stopped, I've been agitated, have had a dull headache for about 2 weeks now, (which by the way, went away after having a tiny amount of Mt. Dew)
it's the same feeling I had when I stopped cocaine. Just irritated, tired, anxious, headaches, jaw clenching, etc.
Did you quit sugar and caffeine at the same time? This sounds like me when I try to quit caffeine cold turkey.
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Well wait a second, are you sure it's the sugar you are addicted to and not the caffeine? Your symptoms sound a lot like a caffeine addicition.0
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So you're not eating fruits either?
Those have plenty of sugar.0 -
It does sound a lot like caffeine withdrawal. And a few other things. (PMS). Good luck OP!techgal128 wrote: »Well wait a second, are you sure it's the sugar you are addicted to and not the caffeine? Your symptoms sound a lot like a caffeine addicition.
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Im a recovering pastry addict. Lol. Pies, Donuts, Fudge bars... etc. Herbal teas help. Even drinks that are aimed for Diabetics helped. Talk to your doctor first though, to make sure it's ok for you! I'm not Diabetic, but it helps regulate my sugar cravings.0
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I have cut out all my fizzy drinks and only drink water and green tea and it's killing me I just want Dr p but not drinking them has cured my migraines but sugar is the devil0
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emmalouwho2 wrote: »I have cut out all my fizzy drinks and only drink water and green tea and it's killing me I just want Dr p but not drinking them has cured my migraines but sugar is the devil
I've found that sparkling water (no sweeteners, no sodium) is a great substitute for pop. It satisfies the "fizzy" craving.0 -
Soda was the easiest for me. Now I only taste the syrup and it becomes less appealing. Lowering my sugar around the same time as my period hasn't been easy. I drove past some dried Mudd the other day and started craving brownies. Lol. But it's temporary. I have read drinking a lot of water helps. I like to load mine with lemon juice. It helps with the cravings.0
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emmalouwho2 wrote: »sugar is the devil
You mean Satan specifically or just one of the fallen angels? I'm thinking Belial might be the most likely, but it's been a while since I read Paradise Lost.
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lemurcat12 wrote: »emmalouwho2 wrote: »sugar is the devil
You mean Satan specifically or just one of the fallen angels? I'm thinking Belial might be the most likely, but it's been a while since I read Paradise Lost.
You're my favorite. :flowerforyou:
OP: I think it might be the caffeine, or lack thereof, as well.
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lemurcat12 wrote: »emmalouwho2 wrote: »sugar is the devil
You mean Satan specifically or just one of the fallen angels? I'm thinking Belial might be the most likely, but it's been a while since I read Paradise Lost.
Ahh Milton. You made me smile. :flowerforyou:0 -
;-)0
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janejellyroll wrote: »MissTattoo wrote: »I wish it were just in my head, but since I stopped, I've been agitated, have had a dull headache for about 2 weeks now, (which by the way, went away after having a tiny amount of Mt. Dew)
it's the same feeling I had when I stopped cocaine. Just irritated, tired, anxious, headaches, jaw clenching, etc.
Did you quit sugar and caffeine at the same time? This sounds like me when I try to quit caffeine cold turkey.
I still drink a small amount of caffeine in the morning. I can't have a large coffee anymore because the caffeine causes a pain in my armpit. If I have a small or medium, I'm okay, but if I get a large, my stomach starts hurting and this pain comes back.0 -
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When I quit added sugar I thought the first two weeks were really rough. I didn't have all the symptoms you do, but I did have headaches...which were mild, and nearly constant cravings...which were very strong. After a couple of weeks it got much better, and gradually went away completely.
I have made the change permanent...both because sugar triggers cravings and eating more sugar for me and because I feel better without it...more energy, no sluggishness and big energy level swings. Also, I just feel it is healthier to not eat that stuff on a regular basis. Hang in there, it gets easier.0 -
Excess sugar (fructose) consumption is linked to a condition called Leptin Resistance. Leptin is a hormone that tells you when you've had enough food. The problem is, we often ignore the signal our brain sends to us. For some people though, leptin simply does not want to work, leaving the person with no signal whatsoever that the body has enough food to function. This in turn can lead to over consumption of food and consequently, obesity. Why the silent killer? Because it all happens without symptoms or warning bells.
When embarking on a sugar-free mission, try to keep the long-term goals at the forefront of your mind. Keep reminding yourself of how much you'll enjoy feeling stronger and healthier, or how you'll enjoy better-fitting clothes.
Take a week or two to monitor exactly when the cravings hit. Then figure out what the cues are — like stress, boredom, emotional downers or the need for a distraction.
In these moments when the cravings hit, pause and think about what you need or do not need to eat at the moment. Are you actually hungry? Can you fulfill the need another way, like taking a quick walk?
Find new foods that are rewarding, like new kinds of nuts and fruits, and keep them around. "Our environment always shoves in our face hyper-rewarding foods, and we can't control that. "We can keep foods we do like around, so that if we find ourselves in a bad mood, with cravings, we're not setting ourselves up to fail."
Exercise. A recent brain imaging study found that cardiovascular activity may repair the part of the brain affected by food addiction. It also found that people who exercise regularly had a lower "reward response" to images of palatable food.0 -
sugar is a powerful addiction but for me once i quit it, i am good to go til PMS. This is why i dont believe in cheat days. once you give in to sugar, you want more and more0
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No, no. Haha. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, I promise. I feel your pain. Going very low carb means not consuming things with added sugars. I will be naughty every once in a while and drink a Coke Zero Cherry because it’s made from sugar alcohols, but other than that I consume foods that are higher in dietary fiber, lower in lactose or fructose (natural sugars found in dairy and fruits) or foods that contain old trace amounts of sugars at all.
Have fun drinking your water! Get a bottle with one of those fusion baskets in it. Drop fruit in it and enjoy. Or lemon juice, lime juice, anything to liven it up a bit if you need to. If you want to treat yourself every once in a while, diet beverages contain 0g natural sugars. Sugar alcohols are secreted from the body when you urinate.
As far as foods go, go for healthier options without added sugars. Or look up low carb recipes. It will definitely help move past the sugar addiction. You don't have to be a low carber to enjoy the meals, after all.
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MissTattoo wrote: »
Are you sure about that? That sounds like an awful lot.0 -
emmalouwho2 wrote: »I have cut out all my fizzy drinks and only drink water and green tea and it's killing me I just want Dr p but not drinking them has cured my migraines but sugar is the devil
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Yeah, there's no difference.MissTattoo wrote: »
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MrCoolGrim wrote: »emmalouwho2 wrote: »I have cut out all my fizzy drinks and only drink water and green tea and it's killing me I just want Dr p but not drinking them has cured my migraines but sugar is the devil
HAHAHAHA how'd I miss this?0 -
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We can just laugh as we eat all them yum carbs while posting in response to their lunacy.BritDillinger wrote: »No, no. Haha. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, I promise. I feel your pain. Going very low carb means not consuming things with added sugars. I will be naughty every once in a while and drink a Coke Zero Cherry because it’s made from sugar alcohols, but other than that I consume foods that are higher in dietary fiber, lower in lactose or fructose (natural sugars found in dairy and fruits) or foods that contain old trace amounts of sugars at all.
Have fun drinking your water! Get a bottle with one of those fusion baskets in it. Drop fruit in it and enjoy. Or lemon juice, lime juice, anything to liven it up a bit if you need to. If you want to treat yourself every once in a while, diet beverages contain 0g natural sugars. Sugar alcohols are secreted from the body when you urinate.
As far as foods go, go for healthier options without added sugars. Or look up low carb recipes. It will definitely help move past the sugar addiction. You don't have to be a low carber to enjoy the meals, after all.
I love when people start their journey, go low carb then run around the forum preaching that it is so awesome while at the same time getting all their information from biased carb sites.
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