Sugar addiction HELP...

Yes, for me the answer was to stop eating wheat. Donuts, cakes, cookies, yes they contain sugar, but they also contain the wheat/sugar combo. When I stopped eating anything with wheat, the cravings went away. I still eat the occasional ice cream, but without the wheat I don't get the out of control cravings. On the rare occasion I do slip up and eat wheat, for example I had some apple crisp, I have to do the sugar detox all over again, with the cravings and crap. Not saying it's true for every sugar addict, but for me it sure is. I can't have just a little cake/cookies. I have to just forget about them and I'm fine with that. If I need something sweet I eat dark chocolate or a little ice cream or pudding (full fat). Nothing with fake sugar in it. I use steevia if I need a sweetener in something.

make it a treat at the end of a week of keeping a good diet, or even at the end of the day (but keep it under your calorie ceiling)

tell yourself "if i do this, this and this, then i can have this"

What normally works for me is if I HAVE to eat something with sugar, I eat what satisfies my craving, then eat something healthy. That way the taste of healthy food is left in my mouth, not sugar.

Sugar is addicting - the more you eat the more your body craves it. If you can eliminate sugar, you will find yourself not craving it as much.

I thought I had to have something sugary/dessert with lunch and dinner because it was how my family ate when I was growing up. At the beginning of the year I just cut sugar out completely. I read Jorge Cruise's Belly Fat Cure to get me going. I lost 7 lbs. and then got stuck. I then went to adding fruit back into my diet and eating very healthy. I've lost 16 lbs. so far. That's about half of my goal and I feel so much bettter. Also, I don't crave food like I used to. Good luck!

Also look out on line for Radiant Recovery (http://www.radiantrecovery.com/) - this is a community that help each other get around sugar addiction and will help you understand why sugar messes you up. Stopping is good - staying stopped can be difficult because of out biochemistry so understanding what is going on can help you.

"£ETA: Don't try to deny yourself what you are craving, though. Whenever I tried that, I would eventually break down and eat a ridiculous amount of whatever I wanted at the time. Just go out and buy a small candy bar, then burn it off if you've gone over your limit. "

I disagree - if you give in to the craving and you are sugar addicted you will have an even bigger craving - best to leave it alone completely.

I was in a rut for ages and I ate heaps of sugary crap every night. I heard that almonds are a healthy snack, so i bought a bag of em, roasted them under the grill for a few minutes,and took them to work. In the first week, i ate so many that it probably wasn't helpful with theweight loss. But, because every time i felt like sugary food i ate those instead, i think my stomach shrank, and pretty much i broke my sugar addiction for the most part within a week. I would recommend that...

bump

being in ketosis cures me. cutting it all out cold turkey. you;;l feel like poop for a few days while you detox but it's so worth it.
no cravings for french fries, donuts, ice cream, anything carby/sugary.

i can't do moderation so very low carb works wonders for me.

Couldn't agree more with this!! Ketosis is what "cured" me of the cravings. Since then I've incorporated a few more carbs (want to stay under 60, but haven't been managing that lately with all the awesome fruit available locally!), but I still don't crave carbs or sugar.

The secret is: you have to find what works for your body and your mind.

I'm a sugar addict too. I find that if I eat fruit when I get the craving then it doesn't perpetuate the cravings.

I have been reading a book by Kay Sheppard and following her food plan which cuts out all wheat, flour, sugar and artificial sugar subs. It's a low fat, clean way to eat and it has really helped me so far.

yea, for me any sugar creates a craving. Its not psychological in physical which affects my psychology. Its not me just wanting something a feeling bad when i do it - same for most sugar addicts. The answer is not to eat sugar. If I don't eat it I don't get a craving - simple. As for bad feelings - well part of the physical affect on my brain is after a while I deplete my serotonin level so I can feel low , depressed and have bad feelings. I also deplete my beta endorphins which makes any bad thoughts I think stronger - all in all I start to feel crap. The low blood sugar I get due to eating sugar (after a while my insulin levels increase to drop my blood sugar and it drops even lower than I started with) makes me feel knackered. Because I am knackered (and I subconsciously know what will spark me up ) and craving along with low serotonin (also responsible for me to being able to control my impulses and say no) I find it very difficult not to eat more. If I do this for a while (over a few days) my adrenalin system starts to get triggered which adds to the psychological fun. I end up feeling anxious and depressed - bad a bout things. I also can feel detached from those I love and have been known to get snappy. All this from a little bit of sugar which my brain told me would be a good idea this time around. I find it best to be on my guard and try and avoid the stuff like the plague. If you identify then seriously go over to radiant recovery for more info. If I slip the way out for me is to forget my diet for a couple of days. Stop eating sugar completely and allow myself to eat anything and everything I want. My blood sugar returns to normal, I stop craving, my psychology returns to normal because the psychical side is back in equilibrium and then I can start my diet again.

I eat ice cream, nutella and chocolate syrup regularly and have not one problem losing weight constantly. I fit it in my calorie intake for the day and continue to lose, no problems. I don't believe in depriving myself TOTALLY of anything, it's a simple matter of moderation. The only people that have issues with that most likely are those with no will power.

We should start a Radiant Recovery group here on MFP, no? I've looked for one every now and then . . .

I am one and I am still having a hard time.