Sugar, sugar... I'm addicted to sugar - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

julzchiki · 03-03-2007, 11:09 PM

Yeeeeee... Help! I'm addicted to sugar. There, I admitted it. I'm addicted. There are moments (that have become a daily thing) when I feel like I just need a "fix". I've gotten stuck in some very bad habits and I need help refocusing and turn toward better habits without feeling the angst of change. So, I'm also linking this to emotional eating as I'm finding I tend to move to the sugar when I'm down about myself or my life situation (single, alone, and feeling ugly is the big one these days).

Can you relate? Anyone ever overcome a similar issue? What did you do to get to success?

MaWhit · 03-04-2007, 01:15 AM

I have to cut out sugar comletely when I get into the frenzied addictive mode. If I cut it out completely, it's difficult at first, but by adding in just a few sugar-free treats (popsicles, jello, etc) it gets me over the hump. I find that after even just a week sugar-free, I can add fruits back in, and then sweet refined treats once a week or so without becming addicted again.

rockinrobin · 03-04-2007, 07:35 AM

I can surely relate. For me, I decided the best way for me to get a grip on this situation was to completely and totally elminate sugar from my diet. I would say that within a couple of weeks I had no more cravings for the stuff. I know that sounds impossible, but it is the truth. The first couple of weeks were a bit difficult, but I chose to get through them no matter what. Lots of will power involved. But I knew if I stuck to it, it would be worth it, and boy oh boy has it been. I was really shocked to find that elminiating the stuff would really make me not want the stuff. Totally amazing to me. I gave up most fruits as well and now only eat them on rare occasions. You can do this, not easy at first, but extremely doable. Good luck.

jrenzul · 03-04-2007, 10:06 AM

Being addicted to sugar is what got me into this mess in the first place. I've had issues with it all of my life, but I was only 20-30 pounds overweight 16years ago. I went cold turkey on sugar (I went somewhere for a week that didn't serve it at all, and I cried the entire week) and didn't eat it, or want it for 6 years. Then, when my daughter was 2-she was awful. I was so afraid that I'd hurt her, that I stuffed a dozen Hershey kisses in my mouth. And that started my downward spiral. Now I'm 110 pounds overweight with no end in sight. I'm so sick of it all. The worst thing for me is that my husband and I can't sleep in the same room because my snoring is so bad. He's really been great about everything, but I know that wears on him. One of us always has to sleep on the couch.

rockinrobin · 03-04-2007, 10:11 AM

I hear you and I understand. This seems insurmountable, but it most definitely is NOT. You've gotten off the sugar before and stayed off for 6 years, so you KNOW it is possible to do without it. And it IS tough the first couple of weeks. You just have to be real strong and look AHEAD and not even that far ahead. One difficult, okay very difficult week is surely worth a happier, healthier more active life. You can do this. Post here often if you need to be held accountable. Get all the junk out of your house. Journal, read, sew, knit, walk - do whatever it takes. It's worth it. AND you deserve it. You deserve to be happier and healthier. You will start to see huge benefits so very quickly. Come on, you can do this. We're here for you.

CyberGypsy · 03-04-2007, 10:12 AM

i use to lovesuger my thing was coke,,,,,
On thanksgiving I gave it up cold turkey.....and never looked back, funny...I dont want sweets at all.....I could sit down and eat a whole pepperage Farms cake in two day....now all the cravings are gone.....if i could bottle this feeling i would be a millionaire..

deedledee · 03-04-2007, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberGypsy

i use to lovesuger my thing was coke,,,,,
On thanksgiving I gave it up cold turkey.....and never looked back, funny...I dont want sweets at all.....I could sit down and eat a whole pepperage Farms cake in two day....now all the cravings are gone.....if i could bottle this feeling i would be a millionaire..

Same here - I love coke and could easily drink a 1-liter bottle a day. That's a TON of calories, so I have stopped drinking it cold turkey, and let me tell ya' it's no easy feat, but I've replaced it with Crystal Light orange drink if I get the craving. Good luck to those kicking the sugar habit.

GirlyGirlSebas · 03-04-2007, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockinrobin

I For me, I decided the best way for me to get a grip on this situation was to completely and totally elminate sugar from my diet. I would say that within a couple of weeks I had no more cravings for the stuff.

I also completely eliminated sugar with the help of the Southbeach diet. I'm not going to lie to you, that first week was rough. I had headaches and just felt so very fatigued! Now, I no longer have the cravings for sugar. The biggest thing......my depression and mood swings stopped completely! And, my energy level increased with no mid-morning or mid-afternoon "sleepy" times.

I encourage you to let go of the sugars despite the withdrawal process. You will feel so much better.

sharonrr · 03-04-2007, 11:17 AM

I am also addicted to sugar. I say AM because even though I don't eat anything with real or artificial sweetners if I would it would start it all over again. I do not eat FF stuff or anything with artificial sweetners, they give me a headache and I feel sluggish after I eat them. It is not easy to give up but once you do you feel so much better.

Come here and post if you feel you may take a bite of something that triggers your addiction. Just yell help and we will come running.
I do eat whole fruits now but I only have about 3 a day. Usually kiwi, apple and an orange. YOU CAN DO IT. IF I DID ANYONE CAN.
Good luck.

CyberGypsy · 03-04-2007, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deedledee

Same here - I love coke and could easily drink a 1-liter bottle a day. That's a TON of calories, so I have stopped drinking it cold turkey, and let me tell ya' it's no easy feat, but I've replaced it with Crystal Light orange drink if I get the craving. Good luck to those kicking the sugar habit.

Sprite Zero here.......maybe 1 a day...seems a 12 pack last me weeks

CyberGypsy · 03-04-2007, 12:03 PM

Took me 3 months cold turkey.....and no cravings

jrenzul · 03-04-2007, 03:28 PM

Rockinrobin,
I really appreciate your words of encouragement, so sorely needed now. Tough living in a house with 2 people who can eat whatever, whenever they want and don't gain weight. Worst part of it is, my husband sells candy at a flea market, so we always have 10-12 banana boxes full of the stuff here. Chocolate and potato chips are 2 of my biggest weaknesses. Good thing is I don't like soda and I drink around a gallon of water a day and have for the last 20 years. That's probably kept me from being over 300 pounds.

SwimGirl · 03-04-2007, 04:33 PM

Sugar is totally my vice! I consistantly give it up, and then fall back to it. I did quit it again in January, the first week is horrible, the headaches make you want to cry. But it's totally worth it, drink tea, it always has helped me. I am still off sugar, or I would say I am, I sometimes have a little sugar in stuff here and there, but it doesn't have that HOLD on me anymore. You can totally do it, once you make it past that first week you are set

-Aimee

CyberGypsy · 03-04-2007, 05:28 PM

The funny thing is if you just quit...and no sneeking....you will find your cravings gone.....my downfall was snapple summer peach, nothing in my pantry last long.....I have 2 unopened bottlesin ref. and 5 in the pantry......I use to go shopping buy all my snack food....wait till the evening watch TV and bring them out one at a time....2 days all gone......

Please try to stop all sugers, I feel so much better....i also dont use sweetners... just in the sprite zero...I could easy go thru a 12pack of coke in 2 day.s...Give it a try....

royalsfan1 · 03-04-2007, 09:57 PM

I have found I've had the same experience as the others, here. The first week or so was horrible. Absolutely NO energy...to the point of feeling physically ill. Then, I just started feeling better. Now I feel better than I did when I was "on" sugar! I, unlike some others, have not completely eliminated it from my diet. I just SEVERELY restrict it. And when I do have it...it's very tiny quantities (tonight at a church event pie was served and I took a sliver about a 1/2 inch wide). Find what works for you...but trust us....it does get better!