Anybody else a sugar addict?

[VaKim]

All the weight loss threads lately made me wonder just how others who would like to lose weight eat. I do not eat much at all in the way of "regular" food. For instance, I can be satisfied with a 2 ounce pork chop and a baked potato with butter and sour cream. I often will just eat half a sandwich and a handful of chips for lunch, or 2 chicken tenders (baked at home) and a half cup of mashed potatoes. I eat much less of actual "real" food than most people I observe.

 

HOWEVER! When it comes to sweets, particularly cakes, cookies, donuts, brownies, the really "bad" stuff, in other words, my stomach has no bottom! I often joke that even if I am full after a meal, I have a second "dessert" stomach. I will actually eat sweets until they make me feel sick. It is honestly just like what they say drug addicts or alcoholics experience. If it is in the house, I cannot resist it! Therefore, I do not buy it. But other people bring stuff in. And if I am somewhere else and it is offered to me, I have absolutely no will power. I eat it because it tastes wonderful. Not because I am anxious, bored, hormonal, etc. Just straight up because it is delicious and I cannot resist it. And once I start, it is like I just can't make myself stop. My mom brought over a walmart bakery cake today and I ate a fourth of it this evening! And I am actually a small person ( 5 feet and 124 or so, but need to be about 100 at my height).

 

Anybody else deal/dealt with this? And what in the world can we do about it?

[goldberry]

They say sugar craving is related to blood sugar issues.  I did a diet once that was supposed to regulate my blood sugar, and indeed my sugar cravings went away.   I'm not able to self moderate when it comes to sugar or sweet junk food.  I can handle being out somewhere you have to order something because it's self limiting.  Donuts are my worst.  I literally will eat donuts until they are gone.  I don't care how many are there.  Gosh I love donuts... Okay now you just made me hungry.

[Spryte]

Oh no.  Now I want donuts.    :leaving:

 

I have a sugar addiction.  If I don't buy it, I'm fine, but like OP, it it's available - I'll eat it and eat it.  Otherwise, I'm a fairly light eater.  

 

It probably is a blood sugar issue, for me, and a no sugar diet would help.  

 

And - I'm not quite 5', so gaining any weight at all shows fast.  

[DesertBlossom]

Me.

 

I did an atkins diet for a while a few years back. I realized while doing it how crummy sugar makes me feel. All these years I assumed allergies were the source of my constant headaches. Nope, it's mostly sugar. Still, I overindulge way too much.

 

Just an aside, ever since that short aktins diet I did, I can't handle soda with hfcs. It instantly makes me feel super crummy and foggy. Like I can't even take a sip of DH's pop. I can eat a bowl of ice cream. But not pop. :-P

[Plateau Mama]

This program http://21daysugardetox.comwill cure your sugar addiction. I went 4 months w/o any sugar, but then I went on vacation and thought I could cheat for a week. Nope. Once my I laws leave I will be doing this dog ram again and no more cheating!

 

My neighbor gave up sugar about 3-4 years ago. Doesn't touch it. Realizes it's like crack to her. I'm the same way but I have such a hard time telling my kids no when they offer me a bite! Especially my youngest. He gets so sad if I say no!

[redsquirrel]

I just don't eat it. I don't start therefore I don't have to stop.  Sadly, that has been the only solution I have found that works for me. Something has to be one of my all time favorite most desired things in the world for me to eat it.  A supermarket sheet cake?  Forget it. Not good enough to spend my calories or carb count. It's just not. Ice cream from the place down the street? Please, don't even try.  I'll have a cup of decaf while the kids have a cone. Something has to be really special to be worthy of my attention. If I am tempted, I use my phone to calculate the calories in a serving. That generally makes me think it through a little bit more.

 

I love to bake. I only bake when I have a reason, not because I am bored or I want to try something. If we are having guests or going to a potluck I will bake. Then I allow myself a single serving when everyone else has one.  There is a VERY good ice cream place in town and when we went there and saw they had some Irish coffee ice cream, made with Jamison's whiskey, well, then I had a scoop because I am not stupid, lol.

 

It took years of practice. I did it one thing at a time. I have learned that I won't die if I don't have a bite. I have learned that I don't regret it if I don't get desert or eat the cupcake or have sugar in my coffee. That said, if 3/4 of a cake were left in my house it would either get put in the freezer or down the garbage disposal. Nothing like that gets saved for the next day. I toss with abandon. Just because it is food doesn't mean we have to eat it.  And I don't see any virtue in treating our bodies like a compost pile just to avoid 'wasting' food that isn't nutritious.  If you can't afford to toss it, then don't buy junk to begin with. Spend your money on something more nutritious. I don't buy ice cream or sweets because no one in the house needs that kind of junk around. No one has ever complained, but that is because I have always done it. It just doesn't exist the next day.

 

[snickerplum]

I'm going to read the responses while I eat my Junior Mints.

 

 

But, really, I know I feel much better without sugar. Most of the time I care and avoid it. Sometimes I don't care (ie Junior Mints).

[redsquirrel]

I just want to say that I think it is quite normal not to be able to regulate when it comes to sugar. I don't think any of us should think of it as a personal or moral failing. We didn't evolve to live in an environment with such access to glucose and fructose. Our brain, the part of it that regulates our bodies, doesn't understand central heating or supermarkets. It's not you, we are not bad because we taste sugar and want to eat and eat and eat. We are responding in the way we were made to respond to get that precious and rare SUGAR....only we were made to do it once or twice a year, not every day.

 

I don't mean people don't have to take responsibility for their actions or anything like that. I just don't like to hear people judging themselves as having a moral failing or being 'bad' etc. when it comes to food.

[Heatherwith4]

Yes. I felt like a million bucks when I gave it up. Alas, I have fallen off the wagon big time.

[MiMi 4under3]

Why, yes... I'm eating a box of cookies as I type.   :D

 

 

[VaKim]

Well, it is good to know I am not alone anyway!

 

What I have noticed so far from the responses is that many people have managed to conquer their cravings at some point, but it was always a temporary thing. The couple who replied that they can eat it in moderation, or even bake and not eat it all, are not in the same category as the rest of us at all, in my opinion. I can eat chips and salty snacks (that others find irresistible) in moderation. A bag of chips can sit in my cabinet all week and I am not the least bit tempted to touch them. But a box of glazed donuts, or a pan of brownies? Ha! 

 

I am going to check out that detox site that one of you linked, though I don't have much hope for myself at this moment. Perhaps if I lived by myself and didn't have to ever be in the presence of sweets. But alas….

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Oddly it is the one thing I don't crave, but I don't think I'm typical.

 

Some people seem to do well if they avoid it altogether.  Not claiming that is easy!

 

Now chips...that's another story....

 

 

[gardenmom5]

when candida gets out of control - I absolutely cannot control myself around sugar. (if I stay away, I'm okay, but one bite . . . JUST. ONE. BITE!  . . . . /)

 

then I started reading if your candida levels are high enough, the candida can make a type of alcohol out of the sugar  - not enough to show up on a breath test or blood test, but enough to make your brain happy and want more, (and more and more)  and even to make a foggy brain. (or results in reduced coordination . . . )

 

one reason why when treating candida overgrowth, you need to go slowly - because you *are* going through withdrawal and yeast die-off. (the first time I was given nystatin - which kills yeast - oh. my. goodness.   not pleasant. at. all.  it went way too fast.)

 

I do candida cleanses (from renew life)  when I feel sugar cravings coming back -  it will kill the sugar cravings  - because it kills the candida.  I also do probiotics (currently pro-15). makes it easier to eat a healthier diet with more vegetables.  or I should say - more appetizing.

if doing a candida cleanse - drink lots of water, and get lots of fiber as it helps to clear the system.

 

when the candida is under control, I'm far less interested in sugar.  (if the candida was under control, I could work in a donut shop and not be affected. actually, the idea of being around that much sugar becomes sort of repulsive. . . . )

[Greta]

I was a vegetarian for five years during my late teens and early 20's. Over that period of time, I became more and more addicted to sugar. I also developed symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia, though I had no idea what it was at the time. But my cravings for sugar just kept growing and growing. At one point, I commented to my then-boyfriend/now-husband that I really needed to give up desserts. His response was "Greta, I think the calories from those desserts are the only thing keeping you alive." Until then I had not realized just how much the real food in my diet had given way to the sweets. But he was right, the vast majority of my calories were coming from sweets at that point! I had no ability to resist them, no ability to stop once I started. It was like the more I ate, the more I wanted. A vicious cycle.

 

Several years later, my grandmother died from diabetes complications. I didn't know much about diabetes, but I did know that it was a disease of carbohydrate metabolism, so I was mystified that her doctors had put her on a carbohydrate-based diet. I wanted to learn more about it, and someone recommended the book Life without Bread by Drs. Allan and Lutz.. It's not a very well-known book, as low-carb books go, but it is a really good one, and remains one of my two favorites, though I've read dozens now.

 

After I read that book, I started their recommended diet, and I broke my sugar addiction. I stayed on that diet almost effortlessly for three years. I don't even remember now how/why I fell off the wagon, but I did an on-again, off-again thing with low-carb for several years after that. Then my reactive hypoglycemia got to a point where I knew I had to recommit, or I would be looking at a diabetes diagnosis in my near future. Once again, I did it effortlessly for three years, without cravings. I'm not sure what it is about that three-year mark for me, but I struggled again at that point. But I'm hanging in there.

 

I do eat low-carb, sugar-free treats made with non-caloric sweeteners. But I don't crave them the way that I did sugar. They don't have that power over me. I can eat them in moderation and be content. Now, if I crave anything that I shouldn't have, it's usually something crunchy and salty, like chips or popcorn. That's pretty amazing coming from the same person who used to eat half a box of oatmeal cream pies or half a pan of brownies in one sitting. Also, on the rare occasion that I run across a good crème brûlée, I will eat that. It's my favorite dessert in the world, so I allow myself to indulge in real sugar for that on special occasions. But I also have a pretty decent sugar-free creme brûlée recipe, and no nearby bakeries that make the real deal, so it's a very rare treat.

 

I will say that in my experience, there are three factors that are absolutely critical in kicking the sugar habit: restricting overall carbohydrate intake, eating plenty of healthy fats, and getting protein at every single meal. If I don't follow all three of these guidelines, then I set myself up for huge swings in blood sugar, and that triggers the cravings.

[tammyw]

Me! I decided a few days ago I'm going to try and give it up (though I will still allow myself raw organic honey). Yesterday was the first day and while it was okay, I really wanted that piece of dark chocolate in the fridge!!!

[Greta]

One of my biggest downfalls with sugar is juice. I hate it when all we have in the house to drink is water. I'm not tempted by a glass of milk or tea or coffee or soda (usually). I love juice and lemonade, though. Sometimes Gatorade. I try to water down my juice or at least compensate by drinking more water than juice.

Just a thought, and it may not work for you, but have you ever tried La Croix? It's fruit-flavored, but NOT sweet, sparkling water. I like it, though iced tea is always my go-to beverage. Personally I like the fact that it isn't sweet, but you could always add a bit of stevia or splenda or whatever to sweeten it. But it does have a nice fruity flavor.

[VaKim]

As I sit here binging on this cake (to get rid of it, you know), and researching the whole topic, I keep seeing the protein thing over and over, as a pp mentioned. I already use MyFitnessPal (sporadically), so I upped my protein and hope to start doing the "protein with every meal" thing. Monday, of course.  ;) I love quinoa, so plan to make a big pot of that and freeze it in individual bowls. I am not a big meat eater though, so not sure what else to include. I guess maybe some greek yogurt (can add protein powder to make it even more). I also saw a few recommendations to drink milk to help curb sugar cravings. Not so sure about that, as I normally don't drink many calories at all, and that would leave me with fewer to eat. Also, milk has some of its own drawbacks, I am sure. Need to research that point some more. 

 

Oh, and I ordered some of that chromium that I think a pp mentioned. Read a bunch of reviews on Amazon and it looks like it helps a lot of people with the sugar problem. We shall see. Starting Monday.  :)

 

 

[KungFuPanda]

I'm not. If I HAD to give up a food category, everything else would be harder. Don't get me wrong, I made a pan of brownies the other night and ingested plenty of them, but I don't feel compelled to do that daily, or even weekly. I have tea with milk and sugar twice a day. I'd give up the sugar before I'd give up the milk. I'd give up sugar BEFORE meat, wheat, dairy, or veggies. I tend to fill up on savory food before I ever get to dessert. I think I'd choose a twice baked potato over cake any day.

[Greta]

Quinoa is 15% protein. But it's also 71% carbs. You may not have any interest in going low-carb, but I wanted to point that out just in case. People talk about quinoa like it's a protein food, but first and foremost it is a starch.

 

Non-meat protein sources can include cheese (not just hard cheeses, but also things like cottage cheese), nuts, eggs, and whey powder (from which you can make shakes and smoothies). Whey protein is a very complete protein, and it has a very high bioavailability rating - meaning that your body is able to digest it and make good use of it. So if you don't like meat, it's a good one to add to your diet. Even though you're not a vegetarian, you might want to check out the information available online for vegetarians on the Atkins diet. I'm sure there's got to be lots of good recommendations for getting adequate fat and protein.

 

I think yogurt (as long as it's unsweetened!) is much better for you than milk. The lactose (milk sugar) gets converted to lactic acid in the fermentation process, and that's a much better fuel source. It is, quite literally, good food for your brain! Neurons burn it preferentially to glucose. Also, I personally prefer creme fraiche over yogurt. It is super easy to make yourself at home, and it's higher in fat so it is really filling and sticks with you longer. It does, however, have an oiler mouth-feel, so not everyone likes it. I've been eating high-fat/low-carb for so long that I love the taste and texture of fatty foods! Some creme fraiche with a handful of berries, and/or some chopped nuts and unsweetened coconut flakes (a bit like granola, and I sweeten it with a touch of Torani sugar-free vanilla syrup) makes a really good breakfast.

[KungFuPanda]

I lied. After my last post I promptly went into the kitchen and prepared a tray of French toast to bake. I may have dumped a little spiced rum in it. I WILL be serving it with powdered sugar and syrup. Aunt Flo LOVES sugar.

[VaKim]

Quinoa is 15% protein. But it's also 71% carbs. You may not have any interest in going low-carb, but I wanted to point that out just in case. People talk about quinoa like it's a protein food, but first and foremost it is a starch.

 

Non-meat protein sources can include cheese (not just hard cheeses, but also things like cottage cheese), nuts, eggs, and whey powder (from which you can make shakes and smoothies). Whey protein is a very complete protein, and it has a very high bioavailability rating - meaning that your body is able to digest it and make good use of it. So if you don't like meat, it's a good one to add to your diet. Even though you're not a vegetarian, you might want to check out the information available online for vegetarians on the Atkins diet. I'm sure there's got to be lots of good recommendations for getting adequate fat and protein.

 

I think yogurt (as long as it's unsweetened!) is much better for you than milk. The lactose (milk sugar) gets converted to lactic acid in the fermentation process, and that's a much better fuel source. It is, quite literally, good food for your brain! Neurons burn it preferentially to glucose. Also, I personally prefer creme fraiche over yogurt. It is super easy to make yourself at home, and it's higher in fat so it is really filling and sticks with you longer. It does, however, have an oiler mouth-feel, so not everyone likes it. I've been eating high-fat/low-carb for so long that I love the taste and texture of fatty foods! Some creme fraiche with a handful of berries, and/or some chopped nuts and unsweetened coconut flakes (a bit like granola, and I sweeten it with a touch of Torani sugar-free vanilla syrup) makes a really good breakfast.

 

I wasn't really planning on going terribly low carb, but I neglected to say that the way I eat quinoa is scrambled with eggs and cheese and onions. Can't imagine eating it plain. :-) We eat the devil out of some cheese around here. I do like cottage cheese, but had forgotten about that. Thanks for the reminder. I have a bunch of ON whey powder here. Good to know it is good stuff. 

 

I have no idea what creme fraiche is. Off to check that out. I love anything that feels oily in the mouth! Full fat is the way to go for flavor, as far as I am concerned. 

[Greta]

I wasn't really planning on going terribly low carb, but I neglected to say that the way I eat quinoa is scrambled with eggs and cheese and onions. Can't imagine eating it plain. :-) We eat the devil out of some cheese around here. I do like cottage cheese, but had forgotten about that. Thanks for the reminder. I have a bunch of ON whey powder here. Good to know it is good stuff.

 

Oh, that sounds delicious! And that would give it a very healthy macronutrient ratio. So, yeah, I may have to try that myself! :D

 

I have no idea what creme fraiche is. Off to check that out. I love anything that feels oily in the mouth! Full fat is the way to go for flavor, as far as I am concerned.

Agreed!

 

To make creme fraiche, you just stir a tablespoon of buttermilk into a cup of heavy cream, cover it (doesn't have to be air tight) and leave it at room temp for 36 hours. That's it, you're done. After that you store it in the fridge.

 

We eat so much of it that I make it by the quart. So I put a third of a cup of buttermilk into a quart-sized mason jar, fill it the rest of the way with heavy cream, and stir. I then put the flat part of the jar lid over it (but not the screw-on ring) and leave it out on the kitchen counter for a day and a half.

 

It sets up to a texture similar to sour cream, and though the flavor does have a bit of tartness to it, it isn't as sour as sour cream.

 

(Edited for multiple typos.)

[Halcyon]

I wouldn't say i had a sugar addiction--but i certainly loved my sugar.....and my chips. Key Lime Pie is my weakness. I love me a good key lime pie...

 

Anyway, now I am eating "clean" for health reasons, so that means low-carb, mostly gluten free, very little meat but organic when I do, vegetables, fruit and nuts. No sugar except in whole fruits (no juices). 

 

I would love to be more laissez-faire about my eating habits--I don't have a weight problem and would love to eat ice cream or pie more often. But whenever i eat anything processed, I suffer terribly. Perhaps I will get to a point where those foods don't bother me, I don't know. I can hope!

[TranquilMind]

They say sugar craving is related to blood sugar issues.  I did a diet once that was supposed to regulate my blood sugar, and indeed my sugar cravings went away.   I'm not able to self moderate when it comes to sugar or sweet junk food.  I can handle being out somewhere you have to order something because it's self limiting.  Donuts are my worst.  I literally will eat donuts until they are gone.  I don't care how many are there.  Gosh I love donuts... Okay now you just made me hungry.

I definitely believe it is something in the chemistry.  Alcohol and sugar temptations are really the same thing in the bloodstream, so don't drink if you can't stop eating sugar (I learned). 

 

We don't keep it in the house, generally.  If we do, they hide it from me.  I don't need it and I'm really tempted. 

[VaKim]

I definitely believe it is something in the chemistry.  Alcohol and sugar temptations are really the same thing in the bloodstream, so don't drink if you can't stop eating sugar (I learned). 

 

We don't keep it in the house, generally.  If we do, they hide it from me.  I don't need it and I'm really tempted. 

I actually don't have a problem with alcohol at all. Probably because I hate the taste. We sometimes get some of the flavored Mike's on a weekend, and one is all I can drink. No desire for more whatsoever. But then, I don't actually drink a whole lot of any liquid. Just like my mom. Liquid is just so bloating. 

[VaKim]

Hmmm. Wondering how I am going to get in 90 grams of protein a day and keep my calories below 1200. 

[Laurie4b]

Hmmm. Wondering how I am going to get in 90 grams of protein a day and keep my calories below 1200. 

 

4 oz chicken breast cooked without skin is 124 cal and 26 gr of protein. 

 4 0z 85% lean ground turkey is 200 cal and 19 grams of protein

6 oz of nonfat plain Greek yogurt (use in place of sour cream or top with fresh fruit) is 100 cal and 18 g of protein

 

Are you sure that you need to go below 1200 to lose? 

[Laurie4b]

I have a history of cravings like that. This is what helped:

 

• Adding enough fruits and veges to my diet. I am full for one thing when I get within the 5-9 recommended servings per day. 
• Getting enough sleep. (Cuts cravings big time) 
• Eating Trader Joe's organic dark chocolate. It's not super creamy so I don't binge on it, but it has a deep chocolate flavor that satisfies me if I want dessert. I can eat a few squares of it. (But it's the only kind I can eat just a few squares of)
• Asking family members who bring trigger foods into the house to please hide them. In your case, I would tell your mom that you are going off desserts and to 1) either not bring them over anymore or 2) to bring one serving per person only, not a whole cake. 
• Planning ahead for parties: I will decide ahead of time how much dessert I will eat. Sometimes I post that to a group I created on FB for healthier living. Posting it helps make it more of a commitment. I also make sure that I am full when I go to a party.
• It is often easier for me to eat none of something rather than "a moderate amount." There are some things I know full well I won't eat a moderate amount of. 

 

About that cake (the one you have now or any future ones) : you don't have to be the garbage disposal. Your health is more important than that. Either designate specific servings to other family members or throw it in the trash. It is okay to throw food that is bad for you in the trash if you need to. Your health is more important. 

[Laurie4b]

Well, it is good to know I am not alone anyway!

 

What I have noticed so far from the responses is that many people have managed to conquer their cravings at some point, but it was always a temporary thing. The couple who replied that they can eat it in moderation, or even bake and not eat it all, are not in the same category as the rest of us at all, in my opinion. I can eat chips and salty snacks (that others find irresistible) in moderation. A bag of chips can sit in my cabinet all week and I am not the least bit tempted to touch them. But a box of glazed donuts, or a pan of brownies? Ha! 

 

I am going to check out that detox site that one of you linked, though I don't have much hope for myself at this moment. Perhaps if I lived by myself and didn't have to ever be in the presence of sweets. But alas….

 

I think it's been pretty permanent for me, but it does depend on managing the environment and planning ahead to avoid as much eye-to-mouth as possible. 

[VaKim]

I just trashed the last bit of that cake after gorging on it until it is disgusting to think about. Go me!  :lol:

Nobody else in the house like that kind of cake, by the way. With donuts, I can say, "Make sure these are gone before I get up in the morning," and the donut fairy takes them away. Not so with anything that has nuts or coconut in it. She hates those ingredients. 

[kitten18]

I was a vegetarian for five years during my late teens and early 20's. Over that period of time, I became more and more addicted to sugar. I also developed symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia, though I had no idea what it was at the time. But my cravings for sugar just kept growing and growing. At one point, I commented to my then-boyfriend/now-husband that I really needed to give up desserts. His response was "Greta, I think the calories from those desserts are the only thing keeping you alive." Until then I had not realized just how much the real food in my diet had given way to the sweets. But he was right, the vast majority of my calories were coming from sweets at that point! I had no ability to resist them, no ability to stop once I started. It was like the more I ate, the more I wanted. A vicious cycle.

 

Several years later, my grandmother died from diabetes complications. I didn't know much about diabetes, but I did know that it was a disease of carbohydrate metabolism, so I was mystified that her doctors had put her on a carbohydrate-based diet. I wanted to learn more about it, and someone recommended the book Life without Bread by Drs. Allan and Lutz.. It's not a very well-known book, as low-carb books go, but it is a really good one, and remains one of my two favorites, though I've read dozens now.

 

After I read that book, I started their recommended diet, and I broke my sugar addiction. I stayed on that diet almost effortlessly for three years. I don't even remember now how/why I fell off the wagon, but I did an on-again, off-again thing with low-carb for several years after that. Then my reactive hypoglycemia got to a point where I knew I had to recommit, or I would be looking at a diabetes diagnosis in my near future. Once again, I did it effortlessly for three years, without cravings. I'm not sure what it is about that three-year mark for me, but I struggled again at that point. But I'm hanging in there.

 

I do eat low-carb, sugar-free treats made with non-caloric sweeteners. But I don't crave them the way that I did sugar. They don't have that power over me. I can eat them in moderation and be content. Now, if I crave anything that I shouldn't have, it's usually something crunchy and salty, like chips or popcorn. That's pretty amazing coming from the same person who used to eat half a box of oatmeal cream pies or half a pan of brownies in one sitting. Also, on the rare occasion that I run across a good crème brûlée, I will eat that. It's my favorite dessert in the world, so I allow myself to indulge in real sugar for that on special occasions. But I also have a pretty decent sugar-free creme brûlée recipe, and no nearby bakeries that make the real deal, so it's a very rare treat.

 

I will say that in my experience, there are three factors that are absolutely critical in kicking the sugar habit: restricting overall carbohydrate intake, eating plenty of healthy fats, and getting protein at every single meal. If I don't follow all three of these guidelines, then I set myself up for huge swings in blood sugar, and that triggers the cravings.

I agree.  

 

Cutting out just sugar does nothing for me.  I need to restrict all carbs in order to keep cravings (blood sugar) under control.

[gardenmom5]

I watched my elderly grandma with a sweet tooth try to rid herself of candida. There was so little she could eat, it seemed. It was so extreme. I'm not sure where her diet stands now.

 

How would you even know if you had a problem? Are we talking seeing a yeast infection?

 

One of my biggest downfalls with sugar is juice. I hate it when all we have in the house to drink is water. I'm not tempted by a glass of milk or tea or coffee or soda (usually). I love juice and lemonade, though. Sometimes Gatorade. I try to water down my juice or at least compensate by drinking more water than juice.

 

Can someone suggest a nut bar that isn't too sweet and doesn't feel like it's going to break my teeth? I'm having a really hard time lately finding a balance here.

 

 

I use straight lemon juice in my water - sometimes.  just throw in a chunk of lemon wedge.  we have good water here, and I prefer water.  would a brita help? (juice is loaded with sugar - even without adding any 'extra' sugar.)

 

how about just plain nuts?  nut bars have so many added "you don't need that" ingredients  . . . . .

 

there are many symptoms of candida overgrowth - one of which *can* be mega sugar cravings . . . . (yeast lives off of sugar)

 

 

eta: as I said - I do yeast cleanses from renew life. they have at "regular' and an "intense".  I don't eat sugar junk while doing so, but my diet really isn't restricted.  I stay away from processed cereals (plain oatmeal to which you've added your own apples, or cinnamon, etc. is far healthier.) and most and breads, sugary foods, etc. - but I eat normally otherwise.

[freeindeed]

I was, but I am not now. Atkins has broken me of that.

[shanezomom]

VaKim, I am a raging sugar addict. I buy a plastic container of frosting and I will end up eating spoonfuls if I don't use it on a cake right away. I will down bowls of ice cream until my heart is racing and I feel awful. We in our extended family add additional sugar to lots of non-sweet foods like chili, stuffed peppers, baked beans, creamed cukes, etc.   If I haven't had a sugar fix in a few hours and I'm getting antsy, I might grab a little ball of brown sugar out of the bag and let it melt in my mouth. The sheet cakes you mentioned don't have a chance with me in the house, and I will scrape every bit of frosting off the paper liner after the actual cake is gone.  Other than that, I'm normal. :laugh:

 

I quit sugar for 6 months a long time ago, but continued to eat refined things like corn chips and high-carb foods which do the same thing to me, so there was really no difference in how I felt. I now have Lyme disease so I need to clean up my act to let my immune system repair. I am concerned about all the inflammation sugar causes, but like an addict, I will ignore my health and mortality to have my "fix."

 

I like Redsquirrel's approach and realize that's how I will have to achieve "sugar sobriety."

 

VaKim, do you want to start a 21-Day Sugar Detox on the buddy system? Anyone else?

[VaKim]

VaKim, I am a raging sugar addict. I buy a plastic container of frosting and I will end up eating spoonfuls if I don't use it on a cake right away. I will down bowls of ice cream until my heart is racing and I feel awful. We in our extended family add additional sugar to lots of non-sweet foods like chili, stuffed peppers, baked beans, creamed cukes, etc.   If I haven't had a sugar fix in a few hours and I'm getting antsy, I might grab a little ball of brown sugar out of the bag and let it melt in my mouth. The sheet cakes you mentioned don't have a chance with me in the house, and I will scrape every bit of frosting off the paper liner after the actual cake is gone.  Other than that, I'm normal. :laugh:

 

I quit sugar for 6 months a long time ago, but continued to eat refined things like corn chips and high-carb foods which do the same thing to me, so there was really no difference in how I felt. I now have Lyme disease so I need to clean up my act to let my immune system repair. I am concerned about all the inflammation sugar causes, but like an addict, I will ignore my health and mortality to have my "fix."

 

I like Redsquirrel's approach and realize that's how I will have to achieve "sugar sobriety."

 

VaKim, do you want to start a 21-Day Sugar Detox on the buddy system? Anyone else?

I know I would fail miserably on such a venture. Perhaps if I lived alone. Was a hermit or something. 

But if anybody starts a group or thread on it, I will definitely be following for inspiration!

 

Sorry to hear that you are fighting Lyme. I had a friend who had that for years. It was always such a battle to just stay reasonably well enough to function.  :(  (The friend didn't die or anything, btw. That isn't why I used past tense. We just separated due to "irreconcilable differences.")

[Joanne]

I don't buy into the sugar addiction thing. 

 

I like sugar. Sweets are yummy. 

 

All things in moderation - and you know what ? Sometimes not even that. 

If a chocolate bar is going to get me through an afternoon of study, I'm not going to get guilted by the sugar free industry into feeling like 'an addict'.

 

I don't believe in assigning moral values to food, other than those relating to their production. So I might try to buy slave free or fair trade chocolate, but sugar it'self is not a moral issue, imo. And in moderation, i don't even believe it's a health issue. People have been sweetening their food for a looooong time now. 

 

I don't care if other people are sugar free or have strong thoughts about sugar addiction for themselves.

 

 

For me, it is scientifically just like alcoholism. Some *bodies* can "moderate." Those bodies don't have the same biochemical reaction to alcohol. In MY body, alcohol creates a physical need for more.

 

I believe sugar is the same. In some bodies, they can enjoy, and even over-indulge but not experience the actual, physiological craving for more. But those who DO have a physiological craving, sugar in that body is not the same as sugar in those who don't have the craving response.

[kiana]

About that cake (the one you have now or any future ones) : you don't have to be the garbage disposal. Your health is more important than that. Either designate specific servings to other family members or throw it in the trash. It is okay to throw food that is bad for you in the trash if you need to. Your health is more important. 

 

Yes. Better to have it going to waste than to waist. 

[Ausmumof3]

Yep. I haven't found a permanent solution but I sometimes go for a spoonful of straight chilled honey and it seems to satisfy the craving.

 

I also don't do well with a deprivation approach I just need to get better at moderating my moderation.

[Caribbean Queen]

To prepare for my diabetic mother's visit, I learned to make meals on the diet her doctor recommended for her. Of course, I had to eat these meals.  My desire for sweets left me.  I was the only one who didn't eat the dessert at my job's luncheon.  It tasted like straight-up corn syrup to me - icky sweet. 

 

Here is the diet:  half your plate is non-starchy veggies, a quarter protein (meat), and the last quarter is a whole grain or starchy veggie.  Milk and half a cup of fruit are on the side.  I am not diabetic, so I didn't try to follow it super strictly. I skimped on the diary products.  I had a few ounces of juice.  I had more meat than it said....Little cheats.  Still, my desire for sweets went away.  I think swapping white rice for brown, and staying away from white flour made all the difference. 

 

 

 

 

[VaKim]

To prepare for my diabetic mother's visit, I learned to make meals on the diet her doctor recommended for her. Of course, I had to eat these meals.  My desire for sweets left me.  I was the only one who didn't eat the dessert at my job's luncheon.  It tasted like straight-up corn syrup to me - icky sweet. 

 

Here is the diet:  half your plate is non-starchy veggies, a quarter protein (meat), and the last quarter is a whole grain or starchy veggie.  Milk and half a cup of fruit are on the side.  I am not diabetic, so I didn't try to follow it super strictly. I skimped on the diary products.  I had a few ounces of juice.  I had more meat than it said....Little cheats.  Still, my desire for sweets went away.  I think swapping white rice for brown, and staying away from white flour made all the difference. 

That sounds very good. But I already rarely eat bread at all, and haven't had rice in ages. When I do have pasta (rarely because DH hates it), I go for whole wheat. But I still will eat those particular yummy sweets like there is no tomorrow.