Sugar ADDICTION

Rather than get caught up in the terminology, I think it makes sense to focus on the details of what you are struggling with. For example, what helped me was to think about things like this: what do I overeat, when, what's going on when I do, what am I saying to myself, etc.

That helped me to understand that I tended to overeat sweet things mainly at work, when I was stressed or trying to avoid doing something or had had a long tiring day and didn't have other foods at hand.

What worked for me was getting out of the habit of snacking, period, and eating only at mealtimes (or a planned snack that met my nutrition goals). I can have something sweet after dinner (or occasionally after lunch) if it fits in my calories, but I don't think about eating at other times of the day.

Other people really enjoy snacking so find other ways to deal.

I also find things are easier if I'm not overly tired, have an overall healthy lifestyle (some workout goals to focus on), and eat a nice balanced diet with enough protein and vegetables. Sometimes not eating enough will be a problem, as when you get too hungry self-control is tougher.

Another thing that can be a problem for people is thinking of foods as forbidden, as that can make them seem more appealing, or you think "oh, I ruined it, might as well go nuts" any time you do eat them. I've found it helpful to try and think really logically about foods -- to understand what they contribute to my diet and how many calories they have -- and not engage in restrictive or catastrophic thinking about foods. It's just food, after all.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10226257/food-addiction-a-different-perspective/p1

Most people that claim to have an "addiction" to carbs/sugar have no such thing. It's an excuse. In the end, you either want to change or you don't. If you want it bad enough, you'll make it happen. I could sit down and eat a dozen donuts and it would be awesome - however, I know that I can't reach my goals (fitness, aesthetics, health, etc.) by doing that. I say everything in moderation, including moderation. I sometimes go buck wild and eat a crap load of calories in one day, but most of the time I'm able to hit my macros while still having sweets on a regular basis. Finding a balance that allows you to enjoy your life and enjoy food while still reaching your goals is key. Putting the thought in your head that you have an addiction to sugar is only going to hold you back.

Some people find that completely cutting something out of your diet reduces cravings for it, but I found the opposite to be true. I did a low carb diet for four months a few years ago and I'll never do it again. I was miserable, and that's why I quit and gained all the weight back. Now, I don't worry about the possibility of giving up and regaining - this is just how I eat now. It's not always perfect, but it works and life doesn't suck.

kmfeig87 wrote: »

Interestingly, I found that by eating low carb (<45/day) I actually crave carbs less. Unfortunately eating flour/sugar carbs appears to make me want more and not satiate at all. I thought the low carb would be un-doable, but I actually feel better and find it easier to avoid the carbs.

Yes - I've done low carb in the past, it does reduce cravings. However, it wasn't a sustainable lifestyle change for me. So, here I am again.

A sustainable diet is one thing but a sustainable lifestyle change is another. After all, losing weight is just the first step.

Look at Dr. Robert Lustig's lectures on YouTube. He's a pediatric endocrinologist.

I work in a lab that researches the addictive nature of salient (very tasty) foods. Particularly, fats and sugar in combination do some wild stuff to your brain. On a brain level, food addiction is not unlike other addictions. You have one area of your brain that processes pleasure and addiction and cravings etc, and no matter what it is you're addicted to, at the level of whats happening to your brain the process is pretty similar.

That being said, the brain has a property called plasticity. This means that your brain isn't stuck responding the same way forever. The longer you go without having the thing you're addicted to, the more accustomed your brain becomes and eventually you can stop having cravnigs altogether. But it takes time.

My honest advice - TRACK YOUR FOOD. Accountability is huge. Talk to people around you, in your real life, about the lifestyle changes you make. Even just the tracking. It's important to have social support, and not just from strangers. If you know you have triggers, then start doing some hard brainstorming about how to break the trigger - response - behaviour cycle. Experiment and find healthy foods that you enjoy. Don't avoid any food altogether. Avoidance can easily lead to obsession, and is one of the easiest ways to set yourself up for bingeing behaviour. Have treats, but have them outside your home in a social setting where there will be some social pressure to eat reasonable amounts.

Try new ways to cope with this stuff, and don't knock a method until you actually give it a good solid effort, but if something doesn't work for you don't force yourself to keep it up. It's best to make the process easier on yourself than harder. So keep it manageable, and take it one step at a time.

There are a few different paths that you can take, but unfortunately, you will have to play with each one to see what works best for you. Some people benefit from cutting specific foods out of their diet, some see improvements from lowering an entire macro (such as low carb) and others, such as myself, saw less binging from incorporating smaller amount into their diet. I learned when I focus on calories overall (with a focus on protein and fiber), I was then able to incorporate smaller amounts of treats into my diet.