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

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!

Your body, as above, has no idea where the sugar comes from and won't process it differently.

Fruits typically have a mix of fructose and sucrose.. a bit like that devil-processed 'HFCS'!

Avoiding foods with additional added (sic) sugars can be a way to find meals that are more filling per quantity with better Gi levels. But it in no way guarantees it.

Personally, what I find works for me is to see tasty sweet food as a reward for doing exercise.
So I might have my standard calories which I'll plan my day food around... then if I manage a 10k run in the evening, along with a few calories left, that might allow me enough some good WHOLE foods...
Like a WHOLE toffee pavlova! (720 calories if I remember )... pretenious post-cardio 'recovery' products are often basically just sugary stuff, so I get that to replenish energy, keep at my weight goals and get a good bit of exercise.

Some of us can have yeast overgrowth, that is when the balance of bacteria in our guts are out of balance, my issue was from having taken many rounds of antibiotics which knock out the most beneficial bacteria as well as the problem one is taking it for, allowing the least beneficial microbes to thrive when they are usually kept under control by the most beneficial ones, if you follow, my digestive tract was not in a good place. I went added sugar free for 6 months, it started with three weeks fruit free as well. I used probiotics to help the balance as recommended by a nutritionist. Doing this also helps the immune system because when the gut is not working well the immune system can be reduced. I'm no longer bound to foods full of added sugar. For some reason this is a problem faced more often by the females amongst.

I can't remember and list the research papers I've read but it transpires the balance within our gut, which should be external to ourselves, even though it travels through us, allowing the foods we eat to be broken down by our microbes and bacteria which reduces our food particles significantly in size so they can pass through what should be a semi permeable membrane, when this lining is compromised oversized particles are able to pass through causing various health issues in the less fortunate as well as this disbiosis. Antibiotic use not necessarily over use contribute to the problem, as does a diet with a high added sugar content or high alcohol consumption also can be detrimental to these microbes and things, even excessive cleanliness can be detremental. Increasing fibre and and veg content in our diets will help speed up digestive transit times which is beneficial to our microbes.

Please tell me you mean to cut out added sugar. I honestly don't think it's possible to go completely sugar free and have any sort of balanced/healthful diet.

GemstoneofHeart wrote: »

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.

1) Sugar is not physically addictive. Many get pleasure from eating sweets but that is not the same as an addiction

2)There is no difference between the sugars that you eat in your fruit and the white stuff that comes in a bag. All come from nature and all get turned into glucose and are used as energy by your body

3) If self control is your issue, don't buy large quantities of your trigger food. OP: you said chocolate is hard to resist. If you really want chocolate, buy a single serving like one brownie at the bakery or a regular sized candy bar and enjoy it. Don't buy a bag or jumbo bar

4) Artificial sweeteners DO NOT affect blood sugars. There is a reason they are recommended for anyone trying to control their blood glucose

5) Some people have allergic reactions to artificial sweeteners and should not eat them.