Sugar Addict

Some addiction therapists (all addictions) suggest to try writing down for yourself when and how the craving comes about. Are you addressing something other than a sweet tooth or hunger? Then try to think about how giving in to the craving and eating the first piece, then more and more, and the aftermath of binging and the sugar hangover and seeing all the empty wrappers in the trash later make you feel. Think about (and write down) every step along the way, and see if you can learn anything that helps you redirect once you realize what is happening.

Binging is by definition the opposite of mindful eating, so when people force themselves to be super mindful (even in retrospect) of every part of the experience and write it down so they have it to refer to the next time they sense themselves starting in that direction again, they can learn things that are surprising. For instance, people may learn that they start unintentionally preparing to binge when there is an opportunity coming up to be alone and undiscovered. They may buy their favorite addictive foods and stash them away. They can catch themselves in these pre-craving, planning phases and redirect. Similarly, some people say that the stress of keeping disciplined is so difficult that it is the mental giving in to breaking the forbidden food rule that gives them the most relief, rather than eating the food itself. If that is the case, you might shop for the items you crave on instacart or amazon, and not hit the checkout button, or give yourself permission to walk to the store to purchase one sweet if you are still experiencing the craving in 20 minutes equally intensely, but during those twenty minutes do something else to redirect your attention. almost invariably people realize that the desired food or substance doesn’t actually taste that great to them when they focus on describing it, and certainly the second, third, tenth, twentieth, fiftieth piece doesn’t taste good as the first (or maybe it doesn’t even taste like anything at all). What are you thinking/feeling then that is motivating you to keep consuming, and can you satisfy that need or feeling with something else?

In terms of sensory cues to break the sugar cravings, brushing my teeth always makes me disinclined to eat anything. And I am more likely to do unhealthy things when I am bored, my mind is not engaged/I feel like I am just lazing around the house, so doing whatever it takes to signal your mind/body that you are actively engaged in the work or play you are pursuing at the moment may also help.
I wish you luck!

I convinced a friend to try low carb but she always drank diet pepsi and figured because it didn't have sugar in it, she would be ok. She had quite a bit of weight to lose and she also had Insulin resistance and an A1C of just over 6 which kind of woke her up. Anyway, she would binge periodically on some ultra processed sugary dessert foods, she just couldn't help herself. I suggested to drop the diet pepsi for a while and see what happens. That was 2 years ago, and she hasn't binged since or even had the desire. I mentioned this because I've been aware that a sweet taste, even without calorie content can affect our neuroendocrine pathways which is in the hypothalamus, our basic control centre, although I never mentioned that to her. Seemed to work pretty well for her. Basically what I'm saying is that some people even on a low carb diet can't ditch the sugar binging and sometimes any starchy carbs can be a trigger, regardless of the source which need to be removed as well. Out of curiosity, how many grams of carbs do you eat and where are they coming from. Cheers

This may step on some toes here, but have you considered Overeaters Anonymous?
They won’t give you food advice necessarily, but will help with coping skills to manage your triggers.
Even fruit is a trigger for me, as I’m now learning. I have to keep my carb count very low in order to keep a check on my bingeing.

I struggle on weekends as well. I have had better success over the last few years. The biggest thing is to be aware of your challenges and be proactive as possible. Fresh fruit and sugar free yogurt help me. It tastes sweet enough for me and is much healthier than candy. The last item is even at my worst I had good days. So even at my best I have bad days. You have to forgive your mishaps and move on. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Experiment and keep trying. You will find what works best for you. You will do great.

ahoy_m8 wrote: »

OP, for many years I had that exact pattern too -- stuck to a very restrictive plan all week but blew it on weekends. It took me a long time to realize I was setting myself up for failure by being TOO restrictive during the week. Everyone knows overeating works against weight loss, but under-eating isn't helpful either. You need a reasonable, manageable deficit. Not a crazy huge deficit that has high odds of resulting in a binge.

It is worth taking another look at your stats and recalculating a reasonable calorie target that maximizes your probability of success. And just get the candy out of the house. You only get so much will power so you want to conserve it and use it wisely. Make it easier for yourself.

I agree with this, too. A more moderate (slower) weight loss plan one can stick with may actually take less calendar time than a supposedly fast weight loss rate that triggers overeating, setbacks, and maybe causes giving up altogether. There's a lot to be said for working to make weight loss easier, rather than trying to make it faster.

For someone like me with a tendency to overweight, weight management is a lifelong endeavor, not a quick project with an end date, after which things "go back to normal". That latter's a recipe for yo-yos and regain. To me, that puts a priority on figuring out some relatively-happy habits that can continue almost on autopilot, while taking us to a reasonably healthy weight and keeping us there long term.

One other observation: If you like eating more on the weekend, consider a moderate (sensible) calorie deficit you can stick with during the week, then plan to eat maintenance calories on the weekend - a "calorie banking" approach. Yes, that results in somewhat slower weight loss overall, but if it's steady and more sustainable, that's a win, in my world.

I actually think the sugar addiction argument has improved on MFP. When I joined in 2014, it was an absolute land mine and people came down HARD on anyone using the words "sugar addiction." I have always been adverse to asking questions here because of blowhards who beat you over the head when things aren't worded correctly, or God forbid, you've labored under some wrong nutrition/dieting information. That's why the kind posters really are to be appreciated.

Then again, the forums just seem so boring these days. Maybe that's part of things being "nicer." LOL.

I had similar habits before I started. Something that has helped, in addition to buying Halloween or lunch snacks I dislike, is buying some chocolate that I can eat in moderation and be happy with. I buy Brookside Dark chocolate acai and blueberries and dark chocolate covered dried mangos. Its about 170 cals for a serving and I have a full serving. When I first started I had it every afternoon. I ate it slowly around 3pm and it satisfied the craving without turning into more.
I agree that it sounds like keto might not be sustainable for you. It isn't sustainable for me either. I'm not willing to give up carbs forever. That's just not me.

njitaliana wrote: »

See a therapist and a dietitian to help you. The dietitian can give you advice on sugar. The therapist can help you to find other coping mechanisms than eating sugar. I doubt you have an addiction. More like a habit.

Came to say something similar. I was in a similar position with a soda habit. I started drinking seltzers in place of my daily sodas to get the fizziness, and now I don't even miss them or think about them. The key is to either try to train yourself to eat a small/moderate portion of sweets (1 Klondike bar, for instance, always worked for me) or abstaining for awhile. Of course, if you don't have it in the house at all, or buy some fruit instead to help manage the sweet tooth, makes things a little easier