Food/Sugar Addiction.

Options
mrsplatten
mrsplatten Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi There ..
This is my first post in the forums, I use MFP on my phone normally ..
I have been trying to 'get healthy' or 'lose weight' for a few months now .. My daughter is 8 months old so I'd say the last 4 - 5 months I have been trying to change my ways ..
I am 166cm tall and weight 82kg - overweight.
I usually HATE exercise, but have managed to get that under control - I walk my dogs for half hour in the morning an then do a high intensity wii zumba class as soon as I get home, I also walk my girls in the pram most days to and from the shops/nippygym etc .. I also play netball, so I'm happy with the amount of exercise I'm doing. My measurements are improving a lot .. I have lost 20cms from various places in the past 8 weeks, (bust/hips/waist/thigh/calf combined) so I can see that work paying off ..

My problem is - - - FOOD! Lol ..
I have a terrible problem with food! I can meal plan my day ahead of time, with perfect intentions of sticking to it .. but as a SAHM I find myself heading to the pantry wayyy too often!!! Even for silly little snacks - I'm not hungry AT ALL .. And I know I'm not, I tell myself I'm not as I'm opening the chocolate bar and eating it .. It's habit .. And a damn hard one to break!
It's all well and good to say "Don't have it in the house" .. my problem is my very low amount of will power, I have no problems driving to the shop to buy junk if there is none at home .. so it's not about not having it accessible (because it always is) it's about changing my ways of thinking about it and killing my addiction!!!

So my question is - has any one been in a similar position?? I cannot lose weight with the terrible diet I am on!
I do great with my breakfast/lunch/dinner .. I weigh everything and chose healthier options, less carbs, more protein etc etc, but I just cannot for the life of me, get out of the snacking habit! After dinner is the WORST time for me, once my girls are in bed and I'm in relaxation mode, I eeeeat! It's insane! Soo tips?? Throw them at me pleeease!! How have you managed to curb your cravings for good??

Sam xo

Replies

  • hdlb123
    hdlb123 Posts: 112 Member
    Options
    All you can do it dig down deep inside and find your will power. You don't have an addiction, you have a bad habit. Break it. Instead of reaching for the silly snack or chocolate bar, reach for carrot sticks. You can still eat all day, but eat something healthy and low in calories.

    Remind yourself when you want to go out and buy junk food that your daughters are watching you. They see what you are eating, and how you and eaitng, and they will end up thinking its normal. Do you want them to struggle with this too?
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    Options
    Eat a little less during the day and save some calories for late night. Low fat popcorn is my go to late night snack.
    Entering your day ahead of time helps too. That way you know before you eat it and can make changes.
  • mandii066
    mandii066 Posts: 14
    Options
    Sugar literally has an effect to the brain as sex, drugs, or other "pleasures" do. It is addictive. I too struggle with more than a typical "sweet tooth." I found, a hard candy, cup of cereal, fiber bar or diet root beer (my favorite) curbs that craving. You can trick your taste buds for the most part. I also have a grapefruit or large piece of fruit once a day that takes a while to eat and raises my blood sugar, slowly, and stable. (As appose to eating a donut which is high in sugar/fat/carbs/flour etc. Having your blood sugar sky rocket then crash.. at which point you feel the depression, guilt, and extreme fatigue. I don't have all the answers, I've just dealt with an akward food relationship for ten years :/ I eat little meals allday and if I cheat I don't take it out on myself (which would cause a horrid food binge) I just literally say okay, tomorrow you're burning that off and "earning" that cookie. :)
  • StrongGwen
    StrongGwen Posts: 378 Member
    Options
    Sugar literally has an effect to the brain as sex, drugs, or other "pleasures" do. It is addictive. I too struggle with more than a typical "sweet tooth." I found, a hard candy, cup of cereal, fiber bar or diet root beer (my favorite) curbs that craving. You can trick your taste buds for the most part. I also have a grapefruit or large piece of fruit once a day that takes a while to eat and raises my blood sugar, slowly, and stable. (As appose to eating a donut which is high in sugar/fat/carbs/flour etc. Having your blood sugar sky rocket then crash.. at which point you feel the depression, guilt, and extreme fatigue. I don't have all the answers, I've just dealt with an akward food relationship for ten years :/ I eat little meals allday and if I cheat I don't take it out on myself (which would cause a horrid food binge) I just literally say okay, tomorrow you're burning that off and "earning" that cookie. :)

    Good post! I too have an "awkward food relationship" and can easily get into a sugar binge if I allow myself to do it. Apparently sugar hits my brain like cocaine does a junkie's--it's really tough to have a high-sugar treat and then stop. I allowed myself to eat the dozen gourmet chocolate dipped strawberries I got for Valentines Day, but I was willing to pay the price: each one cost me 10 min of intense cardio. You may want to look at it like your bank account: if you eat the cookies/candy/sweet treats, you have written a check for that many calories, so you need to "deposit" that many into your calorie bank with exercise to avoid being over-drawn. I can say that for me, eating healthy and "clean" has really helped cut out the sugar cravings, but I monitor myself all day, every day. We are bombarded with invitations all day and night to eat junk, but we CAN say no!

    Also, if you can eat whole-grain foods and avoid white sugar, white flour, white rice, and white potatoes. That would be a huge help to your cravings.
  • 19kat55
    19kat55 Posts: 336 Member
    Options
    I've struggled with this all my life and I am now 56 years old and finally have it under control for the most part. For me, I was/am an emotional eater. And it really did not matter the emotion. It could be sadness, stress, happiness, boredom. Stress and boredom were the biggies and sweets and salty foods were my weapon of choice. What helps me more than anything when I find myself headed to the pantry is to sit down and diary about it. What time is it? What precipitated the need to snack? How are you feeling emotionally? Why are you feeling that way? Write write write. And I did not realize until later in life that I was using food in this way. Just like an alcoholic uses alcohol or drug addict turns to drugs. My drug of choice was food. Chances are if you are an emotional eater exchanging carrots for a candy bar won't work. You will eat the carrots and then grab the candy bar. You need to divert your attention from the food. Other people I know will do something active. Bottom line is you need to figure out why you feel the need to go to the pantry. If you diary I think you will see certain patterns develop. Good luck!
  • 19kat55
    19kat55 Posts: 336 Member
    Options
    Sugar literally has an effect to the brain as sex, drugs, or other "pleasures" do. It is addictive. I too struggle with more than a typical "sweet tooth." I found, a hard candy, cup of cereal, fiber bar or diet root beer (my favorite) curbs that craving. You can trick your taste buds for the most part. I also have a grapefruit or large piece of fruit once a day that takes a while to eat and raises my blood sugar, slowly, and stable. (As appose to eating a donut which is high in sugar/fat/carbs/flour etc. Having your blood sugar sky rocket then crash.. at which point you feel the depression, guilt, and extreme fatigue. I don't have all the answers, I've just dealt with an akward food relationship for ten years :/ I eat little meals allday and if I cheat I don't take it out on myself (which would cause a horrid food binge) I just literally say okay, tomorrow you're burning that off and "earning" that cookie. :)




    Good post! I too have an "awkward food relationship" and can easily get into a sugar binge if I allow myself to do it. Apparently sugar hits my brain like cocaine does a junkie's--it's really tough to have a high-sugar treat and then stop. I allowed myself to eat the dozen gourmet chocolate dipped strawberries I got for Valentines Day, but I was willing to pay the price: each one cost me 10 min of intense cardio. You may want to look at it like your bank account: if you eat the cookies/candy/sweet treats, you have written a check for that many calories, so you need to "deposit" that many into your calorie bank with exercise to avoid being over-drawn. I can say that for me, eating healthy and "clean" has really helped cut out the sugar cravings, but I monitor myself all day, every day. We are bombarded with invitations all day and night to eat junk, but we CAN say no!

    Also, if you can eat whole-grain foods and avoid white sugar, white flour, white rice, and white potatoes. That would be a huge help to your cravings.



    And yes, eating clean was the only way I've been able to fix it for me. I cannot allow myself one or anything that resembles it because within four weeks I would be back to my old habits. I've eaten very clean since 10.1.11 and have no intention to add it back in. Some people can do it. That is not a possibility for me. Breaking the cycle is hard. You can do it. If you can "stay clean" for about a week I think you will find the cravings will go away. Take one minute at a time. Decide in this minute I am not going to eat that candy bar. And make that choice moment by moment
  • number45
    number45 Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    I'm the same. I take a couple of squares of chocolate or a biscuit then find I've had a full bar of half a packet before i know what I'm doing.

    Not having snacks in the house would be a solution as I'm usually too lazy to go to the shop but I live with my parents and my Father is as much a junk food junkie as I am so there is always crisps, biscuits sweets etc in the house.

    I really wish will power wasn't so difficult to find :(
  • 19kat55
    19kat55 Posts: 336 Member
    Options
    I'm the same. I take a couple of squares of chocolate or a biscuit then find I've had a full bar of half a packet before i know what I'm doing.

    Not having snacks in the house would be a solution as I'm usually too lazy to go to the shop but I live with my parents and my Father is as much a junk food junkie as I am so there is always crisps, biscuits sweets etc in the house.

    I really wish will power wasn't so difficult to find :(



    It is very difficult, but you can do it! You have more power than the food! Moment by moment. If you think I can never have another candy bar chances are you will never be able to break the cycle because you can't imagine never having another candy bar. But if you decide right now, at this moment in time, I am not eating that candy bar it's much easier. Then you are making that decision moment by moment. Those moments stretch into hours, hours into days, days into weeks. And suddenly, you won't even think about that candy bar because it is no longer an option for you and the craving for it is gone. This is literally how I did it. I made one decision, and that led into other decisions. And now I don't crave or miss it all.
  • harebearva
    harebearva Posts: 216 Member
    Options
    I had a similar problem as well. My eating habits were often dictated by habit and not hunger. Here's what worked for me. I changed my daily routine. Everyday, I did things in a different order. Something as simple as squeezing shampoo out of the bottle using the other hand. Brush your teeth with the oposite hand, walk the dogs at a different time, and I switched it up every other day. This will keep your brain so busy trying to think of how your going to do things without forgetting anything that you simply won't remember to eat those in between snacks. It's a total brain reboot. Distraction is a powerful tool! Hope this helps
  • mrsplatten
    mrsplatten Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    Thank you everyone! A lot of helpful tips here!! I have to agree with the comment about the carrot, that's exactly what I would do - eat the carrot THEN eat the chocolate bar .. because it has nothing to do with hunger, so the carrot won't stop anything! This is really the hardest thing I've ever done, trying to control food - my cousin is studying Health & Food Science at Uni and she tells me that sugar addiction is actually heavier than cocaine addiction - harder to break as well .. CRAZY! I can definitely relate though! Thanks again for your tips, will be taking it moment by moment from now on ... Gosh I hope something clicks soon x

    Also, I find most days I don't log all of my naughties because I started a biggest loser comp with 21 of my friends, we're up to week 8 and together we have lost 83kg's .. But some of them are doing such an amazing job, I am so proud of them, but I am doing so poorly :-( And I'm the one organising the competition!? It's silly. And I'm embarrassed by my efforts thus far. SO I don't log my food so I don't feel embarrassed .. It's a vicious cycle :'-(
  • aapayette
    aapayette Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    Maybe forcing yourself to log whatever you're craving before you actually eat it might help make you question if it's worth it. You'll see it right in front of you all the calories and sugar. One thing that helped me stop drinking pepsi was to see the 41 grams of sugar pop up everytime.

    I've also heard a tip on tv to buy a "closed" sign and actually close your fridge and pantry at certain times, I don't know if it would work, I have never tried it, but it would be a nice big reminder of your goals when you're reaching for a snack.
  • deekaydee
    deekaydee Posts: 158 Member
    Options
    LOG EVERYTHING!

    That was what really helped to change my poor eating habits.

    I didn't promise myself I would stop eating chocolate. I DID promise myself I would log EVERYTHING.

    There was no reason I couldn't keep that promise, and it made me much less likely to go for a second handful of M&Ms.
  • mrsplatten
    mrsplatten Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    OK. First step - LOG EVERYTHING!!
    This morning, I had toast for breakfast (I'm in Australia so I'm sure that sounds confusing lol!), I would usually have 3 or 4 pieces :-/ .. Just because I have massive portion control issues .. So anyway, I had two pieces and told myself "Right now, I am not going to over eat" (as suggested above) and it totally worked! I'm about to have lunch, and I haven't snacked since breakfast .. This is going to be a good week! I can feel it! Thanks again everyone!
  • number45
    number45 Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    Thank you everyone! A lot of helpful tips here!! I have to agree with the comment about the carrot, that's exactly what I would do - eat the carrot THEN eat the chocolate bar .. because it has nothing to do with hunger, so the carrot won't stop anything!
    Yep, do that too. Healthy snacks just don't have the same effect.

Categories