Trying to break my sugar addiction.

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  • yoherbs421
    yoherbs421 Posts: 160 Member
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    SarahMorganP wrote: »
    I am a sugar addict. Until yesterday I would eat 2-3 candy bars plus other highly processed sugar food/drinks a day. Even while losing weight. Just for it in with my calories or worked out more. I decided that's just too unhealthy, obviously. So yesterday and today I have not had any sugar, other than what's in "normal" food. I have had fruits and ketchup on my burger and bread. So I am getting sugar, just not the kind I am used to and the kind I crave.

    I'm having a very hard time. It's all mental, I feel like I NEED it so bad. I'm SO depressed. I can't do moderation either. If I allow myself any I will go right back to tons of it. Please tell me this will end? It's way harder than quitting smoking and caffeine!

    Think about how bad sugar really is for you. Early man didnt need sugar, or even carb sources like bread, they were lean mean and strong AF.
    Candy bars and candy in general is bad for your teeth. Makes your breath stink. Candy also spikes insulin to unhealthy levels and leads to diabetes. Diabetes is a beeyotch...always taking your insulin shots, always having to watch what you eat, way more meticulous than plain dieting.
    You might be young now but all that sugar might just show up and pack itself around you waist by the time you hit late 20s. And it will be much harder to get rid of.
    Diabetes is a worsening epidemic and its the b**ch of a chronic diseases right up there with COPD and dementia.
    Our bodys never needed processed sugar. Yet company's are still finding more ways to process and refine this evil bit in and put it in every single thing we eat. Evil jokes they play on us "unsuspecting" population.
    I urge you all if you have kids get them off anything processed and save them the anguish of health complications later in their life.
  • yoherbs421
    yoherbs421 Posts: 160 Member
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    heartnp2014 wrote: »
    Thank goodness I'm not alone. I crave chocolate the most so that is my biggest challenge. I try to eat darker chocolate but it doesn't curb my cravings as much as a nice piece of Hershey's chocolate...I'm trying so I really am enjoying reading everyone's input! I'm also new to this site

    Hersheys or any other candy bar is not real chocolate. Its like 20% chocolate and 80% sugar. Real chocolate isnt that sweet. Thats sugar youre addicted to, not chocolate.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    yoherbs421 wrote: »
    heartnp2014 wrote: »
    Thank goodness I'm not alone. I crave chocolate the most so that is my biggest challenge. I try to eat darker chocolate but it doesn't curb my cravings as much as a nice piece of Hershey's chocolate...I'm trying so I really am enjoying reading everyone's input! I'm also new to this site

    Hersheys or any other candy bar is not real chocolate. Its like 20% chocolate and 80% sugar.

    Hmm, that seems like a huge overgeneralization.

    Here's a chocolate bar I had a bit of last night:

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    4 g of sugar per serving.

    I made some ice cream without added sugar as an experiment -- it was vanilla, Fage 2%, heavy cream, and lots of fresh strawberries, and then I topped it with some melted dark chocolate (and had a piece). It was delicious (to my taste) and I'm sure I could overeat it easily, as it was high cal, but relatively few of the calories were from sugar (and most of those were from lactose or the sugar in the strawberries).

    I also love this ground chocolate drink which has no sugar at all (and isn't sweet).

    Simply wrong to say it's all sugar, must be sugar.
  • farrell16
    farrell16 Posts: 49 Member
    edited June 2017
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    You are forgetting about lactose/Galactose found in dairy products. That is an example where natural sugar is in combination with higher fats as opposed to fibre to slow digestion.
    I can't think of any natural sources of sugar other than avocado that are high fat (maybe nuts, but they are not high in sugar). On the other hand, the real issue with a LOT of added sugar treats is that they have twice as many calories as a piece of fruit with the same amount of sugar due to all the added fat. And, of course, whether you add the sugar or not says nothing about the nutrient quality of what it's added to. I used to add sugar to rhubarb, and that has as much fiber and nutrients as an apple, even with the added sugar, so what's the difference?

  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    SarahMorganP wrote: »
    I am a sugar addict. Until yesterday I would eat 2-3 candy bars plus other highly processed sugar food/drinks a day. Even while losing weight. Just for it in with my calories or worked out more. I decided that's just too unhealthy, obviously. So yesterday and today I have not had any sugar, other than what's in "normal" food. I have had fruits and ketchup on my burger and bread. So I am getting sugar, just not the kind I am used to and the kind I crave.

    I'm having a very hard time. It's all mental, I feel like I NEED it so bad. I'm SO depressed. I can't do moderation either. If I allow myself any I will go right back to tons of it. Please tell me this will end? It's way harder than quitting smoking and caffeine!

    The candy bars have just as much, if not more fat then sugar. Are you addicted to fat as well? Maybe you just like to eat highly palatable food...
  • Nova
    Nova Posts: 9,994 MFP Staff
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    Hey folks,

    Please keep the OP's post in mind when replying. This is not a debate about whether sugar is or is not an addiction. If the discussion continues down that path, we will close this topic.

    Take care,
    Nova
    MFP Staff
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited June 2017
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    cross posted -- responding to something that seems not to be there, so never mind! Sorry.
  • mkirklions
    mkirklions Posts: 10 Member
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    Fake sugar foods are my Savior. I don't crave it until I hit close to 10% BF.

    Diet Coke, sugar free gum.

    I also enjoy tea and coffee.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    edited June 2017
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    Sarah, in my experience if you go cold turkey on refined sugars the cravings last about two weeks. After that, refined sugar even begins to taste weird. Mental triggers will trip you up for longer than that - I still have trouble driving past the corner where I used to stop for a Coke icee - but the physical cravings do subside. Just hang in there, it's worth it.

    If you like herbal teas, those can help, by giving your taste buds something zero calorie to distract them.
  • markswife1992
    markswife1992 Posts: 262 Member
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    i dont' really like sweets, but i love bread & chips. they are my downfall for sure. i find that if i can get through about a week, it gets MUCH easier and i don't crave it. good luck :flowerforyou:
  • eyeamAnne
    eyeamAnne Posts: 24 Member
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    Here is what has been working for me:

    I have started doing a 5k most days on the treadmill. I can't run it --- I'm not fit enough for that. So I spend over an hour on the treadmill. I've never done that before. It has completely killed my sugar cravings. I literally do not crave sugar. It's insane. My husband can bring home treats for the kids and I'm not tempted to eat them. I missed the treadmill for a few days recently and Sunday I had a few cookies my husband made. The temptation was back. So I made sure to hop on the treadmill Monday morning. I'm back in business.

    In the past I dealt with sugar cravings by blending a frozen banana, a little bit of milk, and quite a bit of cocoa powder (a tablespoon or two). Bananas are more satisfying than other sweet things, and dark/bitter chocolate satisfies my cravings better than milk chocolate. It was a great way to get my chocolate fix and satisfy my snacky tummy.
  • NightShadeMary
    NightShadeMary Posts: 16 Member
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    Sarah Morgan, it's been a few days, and I hope you're feeling better now! I too have addiction/binge problems with sugar/fat/carbs, and transitioning out of them can be a rough time. It's not just you!! I find that cold turkey (or nearly cold turkey) is the best way for me, because it's too easy for me to binge if I keep anything in the house - chips, cookies, etc. The one thing I'm okay with is small pieces of dark chocolate - like Dove, Ghirardelli, etc. I find I can eat one or two of those and that satisfies the craving. My suggestion would be this: find something to substitute when your body says it wants sugar. And I don't mean just sugar-free candy, but maybe have a cup of hot tea, or strawberries. Something else you enjoy that is healthier for you. I tend to eat too much chocolate when I'm at work because I'm bored (totally an emotional eater), so I found some chocolate teas to try. So yes, my recommendation is a substitute - gum, tea, fruit, whatever works for you! So when your body says "I want THIS!" you can say "Nope! We're not having THIS, because we want to be healthy and strong. You can have THAT instead!"
  • jzynanja
    jzynanja Posts: 25 Member
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    I can't do moderation either so I just stay away from it. My go to is blackberries or some other type of berry. I just had to make myself stop, it takes some time, but now the thought of eating something sugary and sweet just doesn't "feel" that great - now I honestly enjoy those little berries :smiley: you'll get hold of it, just hang in there and be kind to yourself.
  • angela_mangold
    angela_mangold Posts: 11 Member
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    I also went cold turkey Monday. I found out that I am an impulse eater, as well as emotional. I work at a daycare and this week found myself starting to grab a handful of whatever snack the kids were having. The first day, I ate it without even realizing it, until afterwards. Tuesday, I started to eat some, but caught myself before I did. The rest of the week just got easier, as I was more aware.
  • lpina2mi
    lpina2mi Posts: 425 Member
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    Another MFPer recommended this video. Although the focus is on carbs v fat, midway through there is a brain scan that is quite enlightening. https://proteinpower.com/drmike/2017/03/11/dr-david-ludwig-high-carb-vs-low-carb-vs-slow-carb-diets/
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    How do you determine it's the sugar in the candy bar and or other highly processed foods that you are addicted to? What about the fat? What about the salt? Unless you are eating straight table sugar because you need it so bad, I have a hard time understanding the addiction. It may not seem like it, but these are honest questions...
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,583 Member
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    It's not an addiction. It's a HABITUAL BEHAVIOR that people have a hard time changing. Sugar is highly palatable, so since it tastes good, it's an easy go to. And we've naturally known this even as babies. Let a baby taste a lollipop or a brussel sprout and let them choose and they'll choose the lollipop because of taste.
    So how do you reduce it? Start by eating smaller portions and continue to eat a little less each week or so.
    Honestly, I eat ice cream every night. But I only eat the half cup serving on the label each time.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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