How to cope with sugar/bad food withdrawal symptoms?

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  • ukrgajka
    ukrgajka Posts: 7 Member
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    eating a piece of fruit + exercising helps me
  • Um12tlwr
    Um12tlwr Posts: 12 Member
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    Sugar is very addictive and your body can become use to high levels of sugar quickly, it sounds like your experiencing a mild hypoglycaemia.
    If you go sort of 'cold turkey' from high sugar foods, your symptoms will probably ebb within a few days.
    Slow-release carbs such as porridge etc. should help normalise your blood sugars a bit more, with some added protein to help you feel full, and vegetables for some nutrients, you should be golden.
    Good luck!
  • Mezzie1024
    Mezzie1024 Posts: 380 Member
    edited January 2016
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    It sounds like you've cut down to way too few calories for your current height and weight. I'd be hungry eating that little, and I weigh over a hundred pounds less than you (assuming the conversion to pounds on the earlier post is accurate -- thanks for that). It's not that you're having withdrawal from "bad" foods -- you just aren't getting enough food period. I'd suggest absolutely no fewer than 1800* calories/day to lose about a pound/week. There's no point in restricting yourself so much that you can't be successful; slow down a little and enjoy life while you lose.

    *Personally I'd do about 2000 because I like slow, steady, painless loss, but 1800 is way better than 1350!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Um12tlwr wrote: »
    Sugar is very addictive and your body can become use to high levels of sugar quickly, it sounds like your experiencing a mild hypoglycaemia.
    If you go sort of 'cold turkey' from high sugar foods, your symptoms will probably ebb within a few days.
    Slow-release carbs such as porridge etc. should help normalise your blood sugars a bit more, with some added protein to help you feel full, and vegetables for some nutrients, you should be golden.
    Good luck!

    Alternatively, and more accurately, highly palatable foods are just really tasty ...hence the name ...and we really like to reward ourselves or give in to our likes. Hypoglycaemia on the other hand is a symptom of medical conditions like diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, alcoholism, endocrine problems or eating disorders etc so diagnosis by a RL medical team is important

    Few people gorge themselves on fruits (fructose) or milk (lactose) or even a bag of granulated sugar rather what we really like to do is satisfy our taste buds with things we enjoy so sugar and fats in form of cakes, cookies, chocolate etc

    If you eliminate them your cravings can diminish

    If you concentrate on highly nutritious foods and your calories and moderate them your cravings can diminish
  • riaward1990
    riaward1990 Posts: 53 Member
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    Finding all of this info really helpful. I'm getting headaches but I know it's from stopping caffeine and refined sugar. I was definitely addicted to the sugar high and relyed on frequent sugary snacks to get me through my working day.

    Just wondering if anyone here has pernicious anemia / B12 injections. Any advice on if/how it can effect diet and exercise would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks
  • Wiseandcurious
    Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
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    riaward1990 wrote: »
    Finding all of this info really helpful. I'm getting headaches but I know it's from stopping caffeine and refined sugar. I was definitely addicted to the sugar high and relyed on frequent sugary snacks to get me through my working day.

    Just wondering if anyone here has pernicious anemia / B12 injections. Any advice on if/how it can effect diet and exercise would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks

    This is absolutely a question for your doctor and not something to rely on internet forums for! Until you can ask them, don't put your health in danger by starting any unaproved diet plan or calorie reduction!
  • comm1t_1984
    comm1t_1984 Posts: 93 Member
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    I had horrible withdraws... Make sure that you speak to a doc or a nutritionist if it keeps up. Sugar is a horrible drug...some compare it to cocaine. Also make sure that you're not cutting out all sugar. Natural sugars and some sugars are okay. You're body will need it or you may end up having low blood sugar and that isn't good.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
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    Have a look at a site called Radiant Recovery. This will help you. For me - up protein considerably and take 5-HTP. The important thing for me is that once I am off I don't start again :-) A little primes the system and it can lead you back to square one. Withdrawl for me usually lasts 2-3 days with day 2 the hardest to get though without eating more. After day 3 things seem to clear up for me. Good luck.
  • riaward1990
    riaward1990 Posts: 53 Member
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    [/quote]

    This is absolutely a question for your doctor and not something to rely on internet forums for! Until you can ask them, don't put your health in danger by starting any unaproved diet plan or calorie reduction!
    [/quote]

    Thanks. After a quick chat they confirmed that while lack of B12 can cause the usual tiredness and brain fog, it doesn't effect metabolism/liver/kidneys and since my stomach can't absorb any B12 anyway, I don't have to worry about levels in my diet.

    Good news is the withdrawal symptoms have gone. I do have a small bit of 85% chocolate incase of cravings but so far I haven't needed it.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
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    comm1t_1984 wrote: »
    I had horrible withdraws... Make sure that you speak to a doc or a nutritionist if it keeps up. Sugar is a horrible drug...some compare it to cocaine. Also make sure that you're not cutting out all sugar. Natural sugars and some sugars are okay. You're body will need it or you may end up having low blood sugar and that isn't good.

    Sugar is not a drug.

  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
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    shantal_96 wrote: »
    Can anybody please give me some advice for overcoming withdrawal symptoms? Every time I try to eat healthy, I end up pigging out around dinner time because I get so shaky, bad headaches and I get so emotional :( my life is this never ending cycle of trying to eat healthy and failing and I'm just starting to get so depressed and I feel like I'm never going to succeed :(

    If "eating healthy" gives you the shakes and a headache you're doing it wrong.

    You may be confusing "healthy" with "not enough." Try eating in moderation, logging calories and having treats that fit within your calorie goals.
  • Wiseandcurious
    Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
    edited January 2016
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    riaward1990 wrote: »

    This is absolutely a question for your doctor and not something to rely on internet forums for! Until you can ask them, don't put your health in danger by starting any unaproved diet plan or calorie reduction!

    Thanks. After a quick chat they confirmed that while lack of B12 can cause the usual tiredness and brain fog, it doesn't effect metabolism/liver/kidneys and since my stomach can't absorb any B12 anyway, I don't have to worry about levels in my diet.

    Good news is the withdrawal symptoms have gone. I do have a small bit of 85% chocolate incase of cravings but so far I haven't needed it.

    Tiredness and brain fog sound like something that can work together with the effects of hypoglecemia and undereating in a bad way, even if the causes are unrelated. Good thinking for the chocolate, and try not to be too agressive in your goals and have a balanced nutrition! Slow and steady wins the day.

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