Craving sugar (please help)

I used to have a terrible sweet tooth and I really had to totally cut sugar from my diet to be able to manage my cravings. I did an eight week program called "I Quit Sugar" and that helped me a lot (Australian program that no longer runs). Also, I believe that gut bacteria balance contributes to the cravings (I have put a lot of work into this!) so I would look at restoring the balance. I'm not an expert but that's what worked for me.

missysippy930 wrote: »

If you can’t learn to moderate certain foods, maybe you have to totally restrict them from your diet.

I agree. Get rid of it, completely.
It will suck in the beginning, but eventually, it will pass.

To quit anything, you have to really bring your rational mind into focus. Write up a contract that includes the reasons you want to quit, set your rules, pick a start date, psyche yourself up, and do it. You have to get the sweets out of your house for a while, so engaging your family is very helpful.

I eat so much less sugar than I used to and somehow it's fine these days. My wife (a breast cancer survivor) has also cut way back on sugar. There are lots of good reasons to do it.

theatric_musician wrote: »

Hi guys. I’m typically doing well with staying under my calorie limit but I turn into such a witch when I cut back on my sugar. I’ve always ate sweet things and it use to be that most of my calories where solely from sugary sodas and ice cream. I’m working on my diet but I crave sugar constantly. Is there anyway to curb this? (I literally ate most of my calories today in cookies I needed sugar so badly)
Also I get really mean on the diet and don’t know why? Is it because I’m detoxing from the sugar? (Or is my personality on sweet because of the sugar lol)

Are you also cutting cals drastically? Have you tried adding more structure to the diet and fitting in smaller amounts of dessert items in?

I cut out sweets for a while, but I didn't find it hard (I thought it would help with stress/emotional eating, but not snacking was what really helped me with that).

What I think might help is having a plan for the day that you enjoy mostly based on foods other than sweets (but see if including some fruit can help with the sweet tooth -- fruit has lots of sugar, most dessert foods are sugar + fat, as well as other ingredients).

Then tell yourself you can have something you enjoy that is a dessert food within your cals. Since you know you can have it later that may help with the cravings vs. thinking you have to cut it out entirely. But make sure you eat enough other foods first, especially protein and foods with fiber (including veg) -- foods you find filling.

I personally find it easier to eat something dessert-like in moderation later in the day and generally right after a meal rather than as a snack when hungry.

Having enough sleep can be very helpful too.

Just some ideas.

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Eat some fruit

This... for me, learning to enjoy fruit was the tipping point. It took me about 6 weeks of no added sugar foods and only eating fruit as my "sweet tooth" snack. After that, I had a much greater appreciation for fruit flavors and tend to find soda and added sugar foods far too sweet tasting.

*Edited for spelling and grammar.

I’m a chocoholic but in moderation. I’ve always had a few bite size pieces everyday for as long as I can remember.

Now for the first time my taste buds have just changed. My team at work started buying fruit weekly to share, which I have switched to eating. I usually snack around 11am and 3pm. But I found the 11am snack had to be nuts and baby bell cheese to keep me going till lunch and fruit at 3pm as a treat.

Don’t reach for that sugar and salt treat drawer any more!