Anyone else addicted to sugar? Anyone succesfully cut it out

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BeautyFromPain
BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Okay so I know I have too much sugar, 2 tablespoons in my oatmeal in the morning and 2 in every cup of tea I have and when I have anywhere between 3-6 cups per day I am thinking I might really benefit from cutting it out. I used to just be 'in my calories" but in the past couple weeks been trying to eat very "clean" and think that sugar might screw up what I am trying to do here.
And no, don't suggest splenda or equal, that stuff is just plain gross!

So my question is.. is anyone else addicted? Has anyone successfully cut it out? Any tips?

Replies

  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    bump
  • Strivn2day_4aBtrTmrow
    Strivn2day_4aBtrTmrow Posts: 88 Member
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    use splenda ind. packets. for the most part it tastes the same honestly. N im pretty picky about artificial sweatners. I dont use sugar on or in anything anymore, just splenda. the only sugar i still need to weed out comes in prepared foods (etc yogurt). But i wouldnt recommend using the baking kind unless ur putting it in a recipe cause it has diff texture n requires more to have the same flavor
  • LilMissFoodie
    LilMissFoodie Posts: 612 Member
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    I too use splenda haha but I get that some people really don't like it. Honestly, if you cut it back slowly, your taste buds will adjust to it. I've had patients (and colleagues!) who have slowly cut back from 2tsp sugar in tea and coffee to no sugar at all, some by cutting it back by 1/2 a teaspoon every month or so. It just takes time to adjust.
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    I too use splenda haha but I get that some people really don't like it. Honestly, if you cut it back slowly, your taste buds will adjust to it. I've had patients (and colleagues!) who have slowly cut back from 2tsp sugar in tea and coffee to no sugar at all, some by cutting it back by 1/2 a teaspoon every month or so. It just takes time to adjust.

    will defs try this thankyou!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    I agree with LMF. You won't notice the difference after a while. I went cold turkey on sugar in tea decades ago, and now sweet tea to be honest just tastes disgusting to me. I'm guessing that after a few days without sugar, you won't notice it's not there any more (I know I didn't).
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    Used to be - cut it out totally except on my "free day".

    The first month was hell - miserable!
    After that things settled down and now the cravings are all but gone except when I am around others eating that stuff.
    My weakness is being with people and in situations with bad food.

    I can't do that and be resolute. I cave in like I did last Friday.
    It's just something I had to accept.
    And I severed connections with fat friends and replaced them with healthy minded, fit friends.

    Life is about choices, and we are the result of the sum total of out choices.
    It's not easy.

    Good Luck!
  • EmBlazes
    EmBlazes Posts: 374 Member
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    Hi. I was definitely in the "addicted" bracket. If I try to cut it out "cold turkey" I end up with headaches and then I just carb-overload (so eating lots of bread and cereal and stuff like that instead of the sugar). I recommend you slowly cut down, perhaps by adding Splena or similar to your sugar until you can cut the sugar by half. Next try cutting the quantities of sugar/Splenda down gradually until you are down to minimal amounts. Like Meerkat70 says - after a while you notice that the sweet taste is quite sickly and that you don't enjoy it anymore.
  • warfieldm
    warfieldm Posts: 2
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    I have a major sweet tooth, or use to anyway. The thing about sugar and artificial sweeteners is that they drive cravings for more carbs. Try going one day without adding sugar to anything. Only don't look at it as going without. Rediscover the natural taste of your oatmeal and tea. After going the one day, go a couple more. Once you've made it to a couple of weeks, Try adding 2-3 teaspoons of sugar to your tea. You'll be amazed, and disgusted, by how overly sweet it really is. Then it may strike you that sugar tends to overpower our overall sense of taste to the point where we taste little else.

    I've found in cutting out sugars and other artificial sweeteners that most candies and sodas now taste hideously gross.

    What really allowed me to kick the sugar habit is one simple goal: eat healthy. Name one health benefit of table sugar. I couldn't. Sugar itself is essential but best acquired in natural form - fruits, veggies, etc. BTW, it's amazing how much more flavorful fruits and veggies are after removing refined sugar from the diet.

    Okay, not everyone can make that leap. If you absolutely need the sweetness to survive or enjoy life, try honey or agave nectar. Or learn to work with stevia powder (pain in the butt in my opinion since it's not easily dissolvable.)

    Anyway, best of luck in your efforts. It's worthy goal IMHO.
  • CarolynB38
    CarolynB38 Posts: 553 Member
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    Earlier in the year I cut out as much refined sugar as I could. If I really needed something sweet I had fruit or even dried fruit for a snack, sometimes with natural yogurt if I needed something a bit more filling. After about 3 days I found I wasn't craving sugar, biscuits etc and they just tasted too sweet. Perhaps it will be similar with the tea. My friend has switched to splenda and she doesn't notice the difference. I cut sugar out of my tea years ago. It was a bit strange to start with but it only took a few days to adjust. Now I can't drink tea with sugar in it. I can literally smell if a cup of tea has sugar in it! If you really can't bear the taste going cold turkey and you really don't like Splenda, just try reducing the sugar a little bit every few days.
  • jeshutt
    jeshutt Posts: 19 Member
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    My problem is, if I have any sugar at all then I crave sweetness for the rest of the day (which I guess is addiction). At home I can do without, but it's almost impossible to avoid if someone else has cooked for you. (Sucrose, that is. I'm okay with fruit and dairy.) I find, after a couple of weeks of none at all, then so long as I limit it to a small dessert after an evening meal once or twice a week, I can go back to none next day. Much better for teeth as well!
  • Kelly50054
    Kelly50054 Posts: 141
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    Yes, I was very addicted to sugar. I could not get off of Pepsi. I tried for 2 years to stop drinking it and was eating way to much of it also. When I began this weight loss journey I knew something had to be done about it, so I took away all yeast products, bread stuff, cereal, potatoes, pasta and very shortly after doing this, the sugar cravings totally stopped.
    I am running into more and more who have had to do the same thing.
    From past expirence with weight loss, I sabbotaged my eating plan because of sugar.
  • Tara4boys
    Tara4boys Posts: 515 Member
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    Agave nectar has really helped me. Yes it has same calories as sugar but it doesn't cause the insulin spikes and thus cravings. Also upping protein helps control my cravings. I'm also cut out aspartame. It really does set me up for craving sweets.
  • amonkey9
    amonkey9 Posts: 94
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    Still addicted to bananas, apples, grapefruit...etc.
  • SwankyTomato
    SwankyTomato Posts: 442 Member
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    Good topic. I do not drink sugar in tea but I do in my coffee. Great suggestion to cut back slowly, I will try that because I am always over my sugar everyday.

    I don't mind getting sugar from natural fruit, but the coffee and soda have got to go. I am new to it so great tips here!

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