If I can live without alcohol and feel content why is living without sugar harder lol

Stevia is healthier than Splenda from what I've heard.

bubblebum82 wrote: »

Thinking should I just go sugar free this year. I'm all or nothing and I believe that won't change. I can go ages without it but once I have it I just want more. I don't want to continue fighting. Might be easier to remove it for good

What are your goals and how is cutting sugar out going to help you get there?

I truly believe sugar is one of the most (if not THE most) addictive substances in the world. It is hard to give up, I don't personally know anyone who has been successful at it.
I think a gradual reduction in sugar (added sugar that is...) is the best approach. Just my opinion though, because it has worked for me over the last 4 months. I used to roughly have 140 grams of sugar a day (yikes!) to now 50-60 ish grams. Still not great, but a lot better and most of those grams are from natural sugar.

I gave up sugar at the beginning of the year, lost 11.6kg. No junk food, nothing in a packet or a box, read the labels, they all have added sugar. I drink low carb beer or straight spirits with soda water, not everyday, read Sweet Poison, you will understand.

It's true your body needs sugar, but you need naturally-occurring sugars, like those found in fruits and vegetables. You do not need the added sugars found in most foods and sweets like pastries and candy. It's harder to give up because it reacts in your brain like cocaine, triggering the dopamine reward system (making you feel happy and "high") and reducing the acetylcholine satiety response, thus telling you you want more and more. Alcohol triggers the same neuroreceptors as anti-anxiety drugs like benzodiazepines (Xanax, Ativan...), which means it's a "downer," so you feel better when you're off of it. Don't substitute with artificial sweeteners, they are actually WORSE on the brain's reaction because your brain "thinks" it's getting the sugar because you've "tasted it," but then when you don't, the brain kind of freaks out and makes you crave sugar even more. When you eat natural sugars found in fruits and veg, it comes packaged with the right about of vitamins and fiber so that your body processes it differently, and therefore doesn't cause the same "rise and fall" of added processed sugars. Here is a link to some studies regarding sugar and food addiction. They are very "sciency" but it's an annotated bibliography so there is a summary after each article. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lE9NbnLwULIfptTy2RUfCqKUS-xMZjRxxtM0jiEY6r0/edit?usp=sharing

Regardless, a great thing to do is get away from processed/added sugars. I did it back in the fall and lost 40 pounds. Of course the holidays derailed me but I'm one week back in and feel MUCH better. The first week SUCKS because you go through withdrawal, but keep eating fruits and that will keep the symptoms at minimum. Then it will get easier, I promise. Just stick to whole foods whenever possible. Once you get a month or so into the no-sugar thing, you will be able to have a little sweet here and there. But if you find yourself losing control, go back to the completely-sugar-free life for a bit. Good luck!

I struggle daily with binge eating. Sugar is addictive and it's hold on me is similar to alcohol or drugs for others. I've fought with it my entire life. I've actually just eaten spoonfuls of sugar at times, and this started when I was young. I too am an all or nothing person but this year I've come to learn how to moderate. Unfortunately I can't have just one chocolate now, or it will derail my progress. I've learned to log every single thing I eat. I stay away from fake sugars, and the only thing I allow is natural or stevia to be added. I am weight lifting so I get some sucralose from my protein bars/powder but again, I read the labels. I have to look at everything. It's time consuming, and limiting, but it's worth it. I personally am focusing on lowering my sugar because of the crash. I would get the high, and then crash. I would drink 2-4 cups of coffee a day and each cup had at least 30 grams of sugar in it because I like my coffee sweet. So I'm down to one cup a day with unsweetened almond milk. I no longer touch candy, although I long for it. But I gave up cigarettes almost 10 years ago, so I know I can do this. Moderation does not work when you're a sugar-holic. Just like an alcoholic cannot have just one glass of wine. It's an endless battle, because yes, sugar is in everything. But you can do this. Your life kind of depends on it!