Sugar addiction!!!
NadNight
Posts: 794 Member
It's quite well known that sugar is addictive. Does anyone have any experience with overcoming it?
We got some halloween sweets in for the trick-or-treaters and my housemates have had like a chocolate bar and a bag of haribos each and I'm eating 20 bags of sweets because once I start I just can't stop. It tastes so good and I just think 'oh what the hell why hold back on enjoyment?' and then I eat so much I lose count and regret it. But do the same the next day. This ALWAYS happens around sweet things and with Christmas coming up I don't know what to do. I gained 8 lbs last Christmas. I don't want it to be a repeat!
How in the hell do you keep your inner sugar monster in check?!
We got some halloween sweets in for the trick-or-treaters and my housemates have had like a chocolate bar and a bag of haribos each and I'm eating 20 bags of sweets because once I start I just can't stop. It tastes so good and I just think 'oh what the hell why hold back on enjoyment?' and then I eat so much I lose count and regret it. But do the same the next day. This ALWAYS happens around sweet things and with Christmas coming up I don't know what to do. I gained 8 lbs last Christmas. I don't want it to be a repeat!
How in the hell do you keep your inner sugar monster in check?!
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Replies
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I have the same issue. I have found putting the sugar somewhere where it's hard to get at makes it easier to not over-indulge. I don't believe in eliminating things and that includes chocolate (: however, I try to fill up on good choices first, then reward myself after with a treat. Right now our extra Halloween candy is in the basement and in order to grab a piece, I have to go downstairs. It makes taking some less impulsive. Good luck! Sugar is a hard one!8
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It's like alcoholic, just stay away from it don't even start12
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Here's a really good test to see if you're truly addicted to sugar:
http://physiqonomics.com/sugar-addiction-test/
TL;DL - most people say "sugar" when they actually mean "chemically enhanced carbs+fat+salt"19 -
I have a major sweet tooth while going through depression. People at the office have candy everywhere. I bring healthy snacks but break down by the end of the day. I'm taking it one day at a time. It's all I can do.5
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It is so hard to stay away from sugar this time a year. Especially with leftover Halloween candy. I think just knowing other people are also struggling helps. This time of year i start to lose my motivation, but with gaining weight recently, I don’t want to see the scale keep moving up! Hopefully reading these comments from you all more often will help.1
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I’m with you! I find it harder to stop than not to start eating the candies at all. So I saved up one piece on the kitchen counter and tossed the rest of my Halloween candies. And I challenge myself not to eat it - looks like a win at least for today!1
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Good for you! I didn’t do so well tonight. The candy won, but tomorrow is another day.0
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Don't start, that's my only advice. You deny yourself the enjoyment of sugar so you can experience the enjoyment of a healthy happy weight.2
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According to what source? If it's addictive, then why isn't it treated at addiction clinics and what would be the actual protocol since sugar is in foods like fruits and vegetables?It's quite well known that sugar is addictive. Does anyone have any experience with overcoming it?
Sugar tastes good which is why just about everyone will eat it. Even animals around the world will indulge in it.We got some halloween sweets in for the trick-or-treaters and my housemates have had like a chocolate bar and a bag of haribos each and I'm eating 20 bags of sweets because once I start I just can't stop. It tastes so good and I just think 'oh what the hell why hold back on enjoyment?' and then I eat so much I lose count and regret it. But do the same the next day. This ALWAYS happens around sweet things and with Christmas coming up I don't know what to do. I gained 8 lbs last Christmas. I don't want it to be a repeat!
How in the hell do you keep your inner sugar monster in check?!
Control is yours. There is no such thing as CAN'T stop, there is WILL NOT or REFUSE. So you just have to prioritize what's more important to you. Slamming down a bag of sweets or making sure you're not exceeding your calorie limit?
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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Sugar is in vegetables and fruits. As well as carbs breaking down to simple sugar in your system. You CAN'T avoid sugar because lots of GOOD food get broken down into simple sugars in the digestion process.barbswire13 wrote: »It's like alcoholic, just stay away from it don't even start
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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Here's a really good test to see if you're truly addicted to sugar:
http://physiqonomics.com/sugar-addiction-test/
TL;DL - most people say "sugar" when they actually mean "chemically enhanced carbs+fat+salt"
So you if you can quite cheerfully eat several spoonfuls of the stuff, and used to get in trouble as a kid constantly for sneaking into the sugar box and downing large amounts of it, to the point of being often grounded, and failing school projects because you literally ate the glue coated sugarcubes that makeup your Mission walls, after spending hours building it?2 -
This content has been removed.
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According to what source? If it's addictive, then why isn't it treated at addiction clinics and what would be the actual protocol since sugar is in foods like fruits and vegetables?It's quite well known that sugar is addictive. Does anyone have any experience with overcoming it?
Sugar tastes good which is why just about everyone will eat it. Even animals around the world will indulge in it.We got some halloween sweets in for the trick-or-treaters and my housemates have had like a chocolate bar and a bag of haribos each and I'm eating 20 bags of sweets because once I start I just can't stop. It tastes so good and I just think 'oh what the hell why hold back on enjoyment?' and then I eat so much I lose count and regret it. But do the same the next day. This ALWAYS happens around sweet things and with Christmas coming up I don't know what to do. I gained 8 lbs last Christmas. I don't want it to be a repeat!
How in the hell do you keep your inner sugar monster in check?!
Control is yours. There is no such thing as CAN'T stop, there is WILL NOT or REFUSE. So you just have to prioritize what's more important to you. Slamming down a bag of sweets or making sure you're not exceeding your calorie limit?
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
What exactly is your definition of addiction? I promise I'm not being snarky, seriously. I'm honestly curious what you consider to be an actual addiction, and if and why you might consider alchohol, heroin, cigarettes or video games to be "true" addictions vs sugar.0 -
Kicking sugar is so worth it. The only way to reduce sugar cravings is to not eat it. It’s that simple.
I did this and it worked.
Remove the temptations from the house.
Don’t buy the sweets in the first place.
Gradually replace processed sugars with fruit and all Whole Foods. It’s all sugar in the end, but fruit contains water and fiber, which will help you feel full. Then gradually reduce the amount of fruit per day.
I am constantly amazed at the obsession with making everything taste sweet. Cut out the artificial stuff and the processed stuff.
I eat cake on special occasions. It looks so tempting but it now tastes sickly and I don’t enjoy it. Victory!6 -
Kicking sugar is so worth it. The only way to reduce sugar cravings is to not eat it. It’s that simple.
I did this and it worked.
Remove the temptations from the house.
Don’t buy the sweets in the first place.
Gradually replace processed sugars with fruit and all Whole Foods. It’s all sugar in the end, but fruit contains water and fiber, which will help you feel full. Then gradually reduce the amount of fruit per day.
I am constantly amazed at the obsession with making everything taste sweet. Cut out the artificial stuff and the processed stuff.
I eat cake on special occasions. It looks so tempting but it now tastes sickly and I don’t enjoy it. Victory!
Why would you reduce fruit?1 -
It's quite well known that sugar is addictive. Does anyone have any experience with overcoming it?
We got some halloween sweets in for the trick-or-treaters and my housemates have had like a chocolate bar and a bag of haribos each and I'm eating 20 bags of sweets because once I start I just can't stop. It tastes so good and I just think 'oh what the hell why hold back on enjoyment?' and then I eat so much I lose count and regret it. But do the same the next day. This ALWAYS happens around sweet things and with Christmas coming up I don't know what to do. I gained 8 lbs last Christmas. I don't want it to be a repeat!
How in the hell do you keep your inner sugar monster in check?!
If you find the cure, please let me know. I have even gone as far as to checking into hypnosis. The sugar crave is STRONG.4 -
Have you tried portioning out your sweets? If I buy a chocolate bar I usually break it up into individual servings and put them in little baggies so I don't over indulge. Might help.4
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Here's a really good test to see if you're truly addicted to sugar:
http://physiqonomics.com/sugar-addiction-test/
TL;DL - most people say "sugar" when they actually mean "chemically enhanced carbs+fat+salt"
So you if you can quite cheerfully eat several spoonfuls of the stuff, and used to get in trouble as a kid constantly for sneaking into the sugar box and downing large amounts of it, to the point of being often grounded, and failing school projects because you literally ate the glue coated sugarcubes that makeup your Mission walls, after spending hours building it?
If you legitimately were/are able to consume bowls full of pure sugar (passing over donuts/cookies/cake/ice cream/meat/eggs/fruit/vegetables/etc EXCLUSIVELY for sugar every time), have developed an unhealthy relationship with it to the point of detriment regardless of consequence, then you may be one of the rare people that are truly addicted to sugar.
People might develop a psychological addiction to it since there's no chemical reason why it should illicit a physiological addiction, but the reward center might be hypersensitive to stimulation. In any event, that is more of an 'eating' addiction instead of a pure sugar addiction, which might be possible, but not as common as people think.0 -
I had to quit cold turkey. If I crave sugar, I have fruit or natural peanut butter. There's no balance with me. Sweets are my weakness. Rationing doesn't work for me because I have zero self control.
I cut out baked goods, candy, drinks and anything else with unneccesary amounts of sugar months ago and lost about 12 pounds without trying, aside from avoiding sweets around the office that I would generally partake in and changing my sweet tea to unsweet.
I was a mean, unpleasant individual for about 6 days and had a headache for 4 days. But the cravings have all but subsided and have become much easier to manage when they do rear their ugly little heads. I also have more energy and sleep better.6 -
And ignore the people who are overly literal. Obviously, you're not snorting a line of Dixie Cane Sugar off a toilet tank at a truck stop to get your fix-- 'Addiction' is maybe a bit hyperbole, but you can absolutely have an unhealthy relationship with the stuff. Most anything with cane sugar is going to be calorie dense so it makes sense that cutting it out would result in pleasant changes overall. And anyone who has ever had a craving for anything knows that your body becomes accustomed to demanding what it wants when you continually give in.
Most of us are here to help and will not belittle you for struggling. Kudos to you for noticing an unhealthy trend in your habits and choosing to fight it.14 -
iamthemotherofdogs wrote: »And ignore the people who are overly literal. Obviously, you're not snorting a line of Dixie Cane Sugar off a toilet tank at a truck stop to get your fix-- 'Addiction' is maybe a bit hyperbole, but you can absolutely have an unhealthy relationship with the stuff. Most anything with cane sugar is going to be calorie dense so it makes sense that cutting it out would result in pleasant changes overall. And anyone who has ever had a craving for anything knows that your body becomes accustomed to demanding what it wants when you continually give in.
Most of us are here to help and will not belittle you for struggling. Kudos to you for noticing an unhealthy trend in your habits and choosing to fight it.
Cravings do not equal addiction.
Unhealthy relationships do not equal addiction.
Hyperbole in comparing "cravings" with actual addiction while acknowledging that you are, in fact, not an addict, is insulting to anyone with an actual addiction.7 -
You just said more or less the same thing I did. I just applied kindness and empathy to mine.6
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Anyway, glad we agree.1
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According to what source? If it's addictive, then why isn't it treated at addiction clinics and what would be the actual protocol since sugar is in foods like fruits and vegetables?It's quite well known that sugar is addictive. Does anyone have any experience with overcoming it?
Sugar tastes good which is why just about everyone will eat it. Even animals around the world will indulge in it.We got some halloween sweets in for the trick-or-treaters and my housemates have had like a chocolate bar and a bag of haribos each and I'm eating 20 bags of sweets because once I start I just can't stop. It tastes so good and I just think 'oh what the hell why hold back on enjoyment?' and then I eat so much I lose count and regret it. But do the same the next day. This ALWAYS happens around sweet things and with Christmas coming up I don't know what to do. I gained 8 lbs last Christmas. I don't want it to be a repeat!
How in the hell do you keep your inner sugar monster in check?!
Control is yours. There is no such thing as CAN'T stop, there is WILL NOT or REFUSE. So you just have to prioritize what's more important to you. Slamming down a bag of sweets or making sure you're not exceeding your calorie limit?
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
What exactly is your definition of addiction? I promise I'm not being snarky, seriously. I'm honestly curious what you consider to be an actual addiction, and if and why you might consider alchohol, heroin, cigarettes or video games to be "true" addictions vs sugar.
Well for one, you can die coming off of alcohol and other drugs...not quite so severe with nicotine, but there are some nasty withdrawal symptoms that go well beyond just craving or wanting. I've also known alcoholics to resort to drinking things like Lysol to get their fix.
I don't believe video games are an addiction...I used to be a big gamer and had no issues when I decided I needed to grow up and stop spending all of my free time playing games.
Gambling and the like is a behavioral addiction...I can see food as a behavioral addiction, but not a specific food. A gambler may prefer black jack, but one it comes down to it, he/she can get her fix playing other games. If sugar was actually an addictive substance, everyone could easily get their fix from eating fruits and vegetables given that sugar is sugar on the molecular level.
I personally have no issue with sweets and candies and whatnot...but I love salty and savory things and can go to town and not stop on a platter of Italian cured meats or cheeses or a bag of chips. I'm not addicted to these things, I just find them highly palatable and pleasurable to eat.5 -
iamthemotherofdogs wrote: »You just said more or less the same thing I did. I just applied kindness and empathy to mine.
No. You seem to think there is nothing wrong with hyperbole. I think it is harmful.4 -
iamthemotherofdogs wrote: »You just said more or less the same thing I did. I just applied kindness and empathy to mine.
No. You seem to think there is nothing wrong with hyperbole. I think it is harmful.
I think you're reaching for something to be bothered by, and deflecting. This thread is about OP's issue with sugar. Nobody is saying that by making a statement like "I'm addicted to sugar", that anyone with an honest, true, medically diagnosed addiction is somehow any less important. It's not a contest. On the contrary-- by comparing sugar cravings and dependence to an addiction, OP was by the very definition of the word doing their best to accurately describe how serious the problem is for them. OP wasn't trying to one-up anyone by asking for support for their issue. Could it have been worded better? Sure.
As someone who has struggled with abuse and addiction, I do not feel put upon by this.
Perhaps you should start a thread about hyperbole if it upsets you to that degree.
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iamthemotherofdogs wrote: »iamthemotherofdogs wrote: »You just said more or less the same thing I did. I just applied kindness and empathy to mine.
No. You seem to think there is nothing wrong with hyperbole. I think it is harmful.
I think you're reaching for something to be bothered by, and deflecting. This thread is about OP's issue with sugar. Nobody is saying that by making a statement like "I'm addicted to sugar", that anyone with an honest, true, medically diagnosed addiction is somehow any less important. It's not a contest. On the contrary-- by comparing sugar cravings and dependence to an addiction, OP was by the very definition of the word doing their best to accurately describe how serious the problem is for them. OP wasn't trying to one-up anyone by asking for support for their issue. Could it have been worded better? Sure.
As someone who has struggled with abuse and addiction, I do not feel put upon by this.
Perhaps you should start a thread about hyperbole if it upsets you to that degree.
I'm not upset at all. I just think the words we choose are important.
And, really, people come on to these forums all the time citing their sugar 'addiction' and literally telling people it is the same as a heroin addiction. You don't see a problem with that?0 -
iamthemotherofdogs wrote: »iamthemotherofdogs wrote: »You just said more or less the same thing I did. I just applied kindness and empathy to mine.
No. You seem to think there is nothing wrong with hyperbole. I think it is harmful.
I think you're reaching for something to be bothered by, and deflecting. This thread is about OP's issue with sugar. Nobody is saying that by making a statement like "I'm addicted to sugar", that anyone with an honest, true, medically diagnosed addiction is somehow any less important. It's not a contest. On the contrary-- by comparing sugar cravings and dependence to an addiction, OP was by the very definition of the word doing their best to accurately describe how serious the problem is for them. OP wasn't trying to one-up anyone by asking for support for their issue. Could it have been worded better? Sure.
As someone who has struggled with abuse and addiction, I do not feel put upon by this.
Perhaps you should start a thread about hyperbole if it upsets you to that degree.
I'm not upset at all. I just think the words we choose are important.
And, really, people come on to these forums all the time citing their sugar 'addiction' and literally telling people it is the same as a heroin addiction. You don't see a problem with that?
I do, but I didn't see any comparison like that in this post.0 -
YepItsKriss wrote: »People keep claiming this addition to sugar. However no one is spooning sugar straight from the bag.
Personally if i had an addiction to sugar i would pay 1.99 for a large bag of granulated sugar just to eat and get my fix. Also included in this list of things would be as others said, fruit, veggies, spaghetti sauce, milk, yogurt... however the only thing that seems to get the finger pointed at it is so called junk foods, cake, cookies, chocolate, ice cream, candy, etc.
Basically this. It seems to me that if you are really craving SUGAR specifically, one of the most efficient sources (short of table sugar) is fruit. If I really just want sweet, I know I go for fruit. Of course, for me usually if I want dessert I don't just want sweet, I want something more complex (and often less sweet) like good chocolate or ice cream or a fruit pie (not commonly available as I only bake them on holidays and don't really go buy stuff at bakeries). That makes it clear to me that what I'm after is not just sugar.
So I'd say that if you really think your issue is just sugar there's an easy solution: eat fruit. Not that hard to fit in a day if you make an effort, reasonably nutritious, there you are!
If it's a behavioral addiction to overeating tasty things (I don't really think of this as addiction but it can become one, I'm sure, and emotional eating and bingeing disorders are probably in the same ballpark in some ways) or simply a bad habit relating to foods you think taste really good, well, that's different, but it's not because sugar -- again, if it's about sugar, fruit is an easy option.1
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