cutting back on sugar

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MissMandy1010
MissMandy1010 Posts: 52 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey peeps, Im having a really hard time cutting back on my sugar intake. Its pretty ridiculous. Yesterday I actually paid attention and made a conscious effort and came in UNDER my daily goal for sugar (YAY ME!!!!!!) and today Im already over. I went to bed last night CRAVING anything sweet and woke up today still itching for sweets. Im not a candy/cookie/cake eater, but I do love sugar in my coffee and sweet tea. Anyone have any advice on how to just DO THIS??? Im trying to wean myself slowly, and I think as long as I make a conscious effort I do better, but better doesn't always cut it!!! Just typing this right now makes me think of my arizona sweet green tea in the fridge... calling my name.... yikes!!

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  • laurenlei
    laurenlei Posts: 96
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    I'd love some help with this too!
  • NIKKIHERM
    NIKKIHERM Posts: 1 Member
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    When I up my protein and lower my overall carbs I crave sugar less. I plan for "sweet" treats throughout the day like plain 0% fat greek yogurt topped with a mix of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and red grapes. I drink fresh brewed, unsweetened iced tea and have gotten so used to it that I prefer it to sweet. It takes discipline for sure!
  • skinnyhappy
    skinnyhappy Posts: 152 Member
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    I try to replace cravings with fruit as much as I can. Anyway you just have to stick it out long enough to break the chemical bonds in your brain that make you crave it! Your brain is literally addicted to the pleasure chemicals it releases when you eat sweets. The bonds can be broken, just takes a bit of discipline!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    In my younger days I was a complete sugar-holic! The only thing that worked for me was cold turkey. I just stopped eating ANY added suger. No cookies, no candy, no pies or cakes, nothing. No honey or syrup either. I didn't even have a bag of sugar in the house. It was hard at first but after a while I stopped wanting it. After a few months I could eat just one cookie and think that was enough, sometimes too much if it was too sweet. I now can have one or two waffles with maple syrup and not feel the need to binge.
  • jonikeffer
    jonikeffer Posts: 218 Member
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    I have a HUGE sweet tooth. I say "have" instead of "had", even though I don't eat much at all anymore. I think of it that way because like an addiction, it would be soooo easy to slide back into eating a ton of sugar if I let myself. For me, it basically just took a lot of willpower at first, but once you don't eat it, you stop craving it. Eliminating soda was a huge piece of that puzzle. So was cutting back a lot on the simple carbs. If I let myself have one baked potato, it all starts to get slippery. I can't honestly say I have much self control, so trying to stay away altogether is easier for me than the whole "anything in moderation". I don't have a very good ability to moderate myself. :laugh: Addiction runs in my family and we tend to find that you just replace one addiction with another. My father is addicted to healthy eating, instead of turning to alcohol like many in his family did.
  • katrinalynne1213
    katrinalynne1213 Posts: 8 Member
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    The only beverage you should drink is water. If you need a caffeine boost try a 5 hour energy or a sugar free coffee creamer. It will feel hard to drink only water at first, but after the first 2 weeks,any other drink will not seem as appealing as H2O.
  • MissMandy1010
    MissMandy1010 Posts: 52 Member
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    I drank only water during my pregnancy and did not experience what you are speaking of. I gave up all sweet/caffeinated drinks and only drank water. and craved the sweets the ENTIRE time!! Im not that person that only drinks water, it bores me after awhile. I enjoy tea and feel that its way better for me than soda and all the other crap out there!! I just need to stop drinking the sweetened kind. I appreciate your advice, though. :-)

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