How to break Sugar addiction

adchak · May 2019

Pl help!!!
I am 5 ft 7 inches, 184 lbs and have lost 20 lbs last year. However my sugar addiction keeps gettg in the way as I make progress. My goal wt is 150 lbs and Im tryg to lose this slowly.
I go abt 7-10 days without sugar and them when I have it , it triggers me to have sugar again and again. Before you know Ive had a big choc cake for dessert 3-4 days in a row. I do 5:2 intermittent fasting to balance things out. I really need help to keep my addiction under control.
Should I eat a piece of dark choc everyday? What has helped ppl to break the addictiom? Would love to get some tips

Fflpnari · May 2019

Figure out how to fit it into your calories. I eat some sort of chocolate every day because I enjoy it!

mmapags · May 2019

adchak wrote: »

Pl help!!!
I am 5 ft 7 inches, 184 lbs and have lost 20 lbs last year. However my sugar addiction keeps gettg in the way as I make progress. My goal wt is 150 lbs and Im tryg to lose this slowly.
I go abt 7-10 days without sugar and them when I have it , it triggers me to have sugar again and again. Before you know Ive had a big choc cake for dessert 3-4 days in a row. I do 5:2 intermittent fasting to balance things out. I really need help to keep my addiction under control.
Should I eat a piece of dark choc everyday? What has helped ppl to break the addictiom? Would love to get some tips

Maybe 5:2 isn't the right plan for you if it's leading to restriction/ binge cycles. Lower carbs and sugar and eating at a reasonable calorie restriction daily may work better and if IF helps you, do 16:8?

MichelleSilverleaf · May 2019

It's not an addiction, sounds more like too much restriction causing you to cave. Do you plan on giving these things up forever? If not, find a way to fit. Find lower cal sweets. Bank calories.

snowflake954 · May 2019

Sometimes it's not the sugar--it's the fat that goes with it. I've found eating nuts (careful they're calorie dense) will sometimes beat the craving. Low fat Greek yogurt with fruit or chocolate toppings or nuts, plus a little honey or marmalade can also work. Try different things to see what works for you, but as the other posters have said, you're probably restricting too much. That brings on binges. Don't worry, it's all trial and error to find what works best. Remember you want to keep the weight off and need to find a long term solution. Good luck.

xxzenabxx · May 2019

Sounds like too much restricting. Actual chocolate is healthy and nutritious. I don’t know why it’s demonised so much. Save about 150 calories for a few squares of milk/dark chocolate. Yes even milk chocolate can be part of your plan! My favourite is Lindt chocolate. It’s soooo creamy and mouthwatering...

zeejane4 · May 2019

OP, if chocolate cake doesn't fit into your plan or you have trouble controlling yourself around it, then why are you still bringing it into your house/putting yourself into situations where you feel out of control?

Most people can still fit in some treats into their calorie plan, in moderation, but if you're not at this point then it's best to just avoid foods that cause you to stumble. The further along you get into the process you may discover that you can re-introduce them.

eta: I'm not a sweets person but I love savory/salty. I know I struggle with things like chips, crackers etc so I no longer include them in my day to day plan. Once in a while I will have a single serve package of something, where it's pre-portioned out and there's no option to eat more. I know my local grocery store sells single slices of cake in the bakery department, maybe see if that's an option for you?

Carlos_421 · May 2019

adchak wrote: »

Pl help!!!
I am 5 ft 7 inches, 184 lbs and have lost 20 lbs last year. However my sugar addiction keeps gettg in the way as I make progress. My goal wt is 150 lbs and Im tryg to lose this slowly.
I go abt 7-10 days without sugar and them when I have it , it triggers me to have sugar again and again. Before you know Ive had a big choc cake for dessert 3-4 days in a row. I do 5:2 intermittent fasting to balance things out. I really need help to keep my addiction under control.
Should I eat a piece of dark choc everyday? What has helped ppl to break the addictiom? Would love to get some tips

Sounds to me like you're being overly restrictive in your approach and that this is leading to failure.
Sugar is neither addictive nor does it cause weight gain in a calorie deficit.
My recommendation is to stop trying to eliminate sweets entirely, establish a realistic calorie goal and fit treats into your diet to avoid over-indulging when cravings occur.

WinoGelato · May 2019

Agree with above posters - sugar in and of itself isn't addictive; and by restricting something you crave too heavily, you may be setting yourself up to give in and overindulge. That said, some people do have difficulty moderating their intake of certain foods. If there is a particular food that you have trouble eating in reasonable amounts that fit within your calorie deficit without crowding out other nutritional components - you may want to look for alternatives to that. Chocolate cake is calorie dense not just because of the sugar but because of the fat as well. If it's chocolate specifically that you're craving, then yes, small pieces of chocolate worked into your daily plan may be a good option for you.

Did you eat sweets/chocolate while you were losing the first 20 lbs? Was there a particular approach that worked well for you? Or did you white knuckle through the cravings and are finding that more difficult now?

nooboots · May 2019

adchak wrote: »

Pl help!!!
I am 5 ft 7 inches, 184 lbs and have lost 20 lbs last year. However my sugar addiction keeps gettg in the way as I make progress. My goal wt is 150 lbs and Im tryg to lose this slowly.
I go abt 7-10 days without sugar and them when I have it , it triggers me to have sugar again and again. Before you know Ive had a big choc cake for dessert 3-4 days in a row. I do 5:2 intermittent fasting to balance things out. I really need help to keep my addiction under control.
Should I eat a piece of dark choc everyday? What has helped ppl to break the addictiom? Would love to get some tips

Well are you continuing to lose weight on a monthly basis? If so, then carry on as you are.

I presume you mean your 'sugar addiction' is about sweet things, my issue is with standard carbs which then trigger me to eat the world and its wife. Even though I dont have a sweet tooth, I would gladly sit and devour a big cake too which would then set off the above.

So my simple trick is just to remove potatoes, rice, pasta and bread and most things made of them from the daily intake (which would include cake and biscuits for those with a sweet tooth). I still eat fruit and veg whereas someone on a 'low carb' diet wouldnt as much, I also have crispbread every morning with something fatty and protieny on it and this lasts me through the day more or less.

Its amazing how quickly the cravings disappear and I use a very dark chocolate, one square if I fancy something sweet, takes the edge off.

However, I do still desperately want a massive pizza, or big chunk of bread with butter, or massive bowl of pasta with butter or a cheese sauce, god.

I find the longer I go on, the easier it gets but if I fall off the wagon it is very hard to get back on. I have done it before and lost about 4 stone.

Now having said that, I am just about to receive a big mug of hot chocolate as Im really tired, I have nearly 600 calories left and am just about to go to bed as I am so tired so at times yes, I do have something sweet.

nooboots · May 2019

snowflake954 wrote: »

Sometimes it's not the sugar--it's the fat that goes with it. I've found eating nuts (careful they're calorie dense) will sometimes beat the craving. Low fat Greek yogurt with fruit or chocolate toppings or nuts, plus a little honey or marmalade can also work. Try different things to see what works for you, but as the other posters have said, you're probably restricting too much. That brings on binges. Don't worry, it's all trial and error to find what works best. Remember you want to keep the weight off and need to find a long term solution. Good luck.

Do you know whats good, a sliced apple with a bit of peanut butter spread on each slice (so about 4 slices). If you need something fatty and sugary.

DaintyWhisper · May 2019

This is what has and will always work for me: save room for dessert! Sometimes fruit or a piece of chocolate wouldn't cut it and I ended up overeating on sweets anyway. So, I just make room for them every day in my calories. If you find that you are unable to control yourself around certain things, maybe avoid those for a little bit. But, don't avoid all things sugar entirely.

Sharon_C · May 2019

I log my desserts first then plan my day around it

rheddmobile · May 2019

I find that eating a variety of different fruit helps me not to overeat sweets.

AnnPT77 · May 2019

rheddmobile wrote: »

I find that eating a variety of different fruit helps me not to overeat sweets.

This helped me, too.

nocgirl72 · May 2019

I have a massive sugar addiction and I binge eat. I’m starting again the 16:8 fasting after a bad birthday weekend. I find I can’t have just 1 piece of chocolate it riggers a craving. I managed to lose 20+ lbs by a lean clean diet and excercise. I have some sort of low sugar low cal snack at night.

livingmybestlife123 · May 2019

I am such an addict the only thing that has helped me is going low carb. And when I want something sweet I eat the Atkins nut roll or ignoring it buy eating cheese or nuts. I eat a good bit of veggies and mixed berries. I also mix heavy whipping cream with frozen mixed berries and splend. Let it sit for a while and it’s almost like a natural ice cream. Good luck!!!

adchak · May 2019

I am also a huge emotional eater so if I feel down or low I automatically reach for sugar. How do ppl control that? I had a strawberry shortbread cookie today and then 2 tiny pieces of cheesecake that were lying ard. Feeling so guilty!

estherdragonbat · May 2019

I decide that if I'm going to have something, I need to pre-log first. When I see the calories, it's like a last minute verification: do I feel it's worth it to indulge? And sometimes? The answer is, "Yes, I really do want a scoop of one of Baskin-Robbins' premium flavors" or that Mars bar or that cake pop. And sometimes, it's, "Maybe, I can get a junior scoop instead of a regular. Maybe if I put a couple of spoons of chocolate chips in my yogurt, instead. On second thought, I can have a Fiber One bar and then I can have a couple of squares of chocolate later, like I wanted to." And sometimes, it really is, "Nah, not worth it."

But for me, the key is realizing that there is no food I "can't" have. There are foods that aren't worth the calorie hit. There are foods I choose to pass up so I can have other foods. But knowing that a treat is not a cheat; it's a choice frees me from the guilt that always used to trigger an emotional-eating down spiral. (I eat something I shouldn't; I feel guilty; I eat more to numb the guilt; I feel guiltier; I eat more; etc etc until I'm thoroughly disgusted with myself). Nowadays, it's more like, "I eat something I planned for; I logged it; I enjoyed it... and that's it."

kshama2001 · May 2019

adchak wrote: »

I am also a huge emotional eater so if I feel down or low I automatically reach for sugar. How do ppl control that? I had a strawberry shortbread cookie today and then 2 tiny pieces of cheesecake that were lying ard. Feeling so guilty!

I use to self-medicate with food but now I manage regular stress with regular exercise and unusual stress with extra exercise. Preferably outdoors. Love gardening season!

cosmichvoyager · May 2019

everyone is different. I have insulin resistance and am trying to take it one day at a time. I eat a lot of berries, carrots, beets, apples because they are sweet but also have fiber and are nutritious. Also on most days I am eating 5 dark chocolate-covered almonds very slowly, pausing in between each one. I'm not logging or thinking about weight loss right now. Main thing for me is to cut out the sugar and see what happens.

How to break Sugar addiction

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