So I have a question. Does anyone else have a problem with sugar and/or sweets? I seem to be spending most of my calories on sweet treats because I have a big sweet tooth. I'm not going over my calories, but I feel like I have to have something sweet after lunch and dinner, and of course I have coffee with splenda and creamer in the morning. I feel like I'm being controlled by my sugar cravings. Has anyone found anything to help this? I was considering cutting out sugar all together, but I don't think I can keep this up the rest of my life. Should I limit sweet treats to 100-200 cals a day? Should I buy organic sweets so the sugar isn't so bad for my body? I just don't know what to do. I'm tired of spending all my calories from workouts on sweets. Any thoughts? Thanks!!

Oriana

I have a major sweet tooth. I have tried various plans over the years to cut out sugar, but I've finally realized that I do not want to live the rest of my life without dessert ! However, I have made some adjustments. At least fifteen years ago, I stopped having sugar in my coffee. I did it gradually, though. I don't even remember how much I used to put in, but let's say that I went from two tsps. to 1 1/2 tsps. for a while, and then to 1 tsp for a while and then to 1/2 and then to none. Cut it down gradually, and you will eventually wean yourself from that habit. Today, even though I do have a sweet tooth, I cannot stand the taste of sugar in my coffee.

Also, in the past I've found that when I would allow myself dessert at night, it would become addicting. I would need something sweet after dinner. However, if you can just force yourself to resist that urge even for just three - four nights, the urge will go away. It also helps if you can have something after dinner that isn't sweet. For example, I like espresso, and I'm a snob about it---buying organic beans, grinding them myself, using a good espresso machine, etc. I have two espressos a night. Having that to look forward to has helped me not to feel so deprived giving up sweets at night.

And because you asked . . . I use organic sugar and have not used any artificial sweetners for at least ten years. I just don't feel comfortable putting those chemicals in my body. In terms of weight loss or taste, though, I'm not sure it makes any difference whether you use organic sugar or regular sugar. I just use it because I try to buy organic whenever I can.

Good luck with controlling your sweet tooth; I know how hard it is. Oddly enough, I'm at some sort of magical period in my life right now where I am actually managing to eat sweets in moderation----even at night if I want. Maybe all those years of doing the above routines helped. In any case, I'm hoping this lasts!

Dear Oriana,

I don't have the answers, but I can tell you my experiences and what worked (and didn't work) for me.

I was crazy, madly, deeply addicted to sugar and other carbs. Like you and Lin43, I NEEDED to have something sweet after meals. I couldn't even think of having a bowl of soup without a big piece of crusty bread to go with it. It got to the point where I would start to have anxiety/panic if I thought there might not be anything sweet in the house. It was bad and I felt out of control.

I tried cutting down, but that didn't work for me. I tried substituting fruit for chocolate and other sweet treats. That didn't work either.

The only thing that worked for me was going cold turkey. I cut out all carbs, except those from lower carb veggies and some dairy, for 4 and 1/2 months. (I didn't need to do it that long, but I was dropping weight so I stuck with it.)

I eventually transitioned back to having an occasional sweet treat, an occasional piece of crusty bread, and (best of all) an occasional beer. I can enjoy the things I love once in a while. Those mad cravings are gone.

Hope this helps.

I have found that if I look at a sweet compared to how many minutes of exercise it is going to take me to burn it off, it is easier for me to make the deicision if it is actually worth it. I have also decided that if I start to eat a sweet and discover that it is not great, I will not finish it.

Another key thing that I learned from this site which has really helped me is to concentrate and completely enjoy each bite. After the 2nd bite, the enjoyment has gone down.

This is such a great thread. I've posted about calorie cycling and having "high days." I have found that on my "high days" I allow myself more sugary junk than I normally would. Boy oh boy have I noticed a huge difference in my mood on those days. Actually, I feel worse the following day. I have noticed there is a direct correlation between the amount of sugar I have had, my appetite, and my mood the next day. This is a new development as I've hit my 30s. I am coming to accept that even the little bit I've allowed might have to be reduced even further. As Lin said, I can't imagine that for the rest of my life I won't enjoy chocolate or sweets in moderation but it seems as though I have to redefine what "moderation" even means at this point. I am coming to realize that the enjoyment from a sweet, even when it fits into my overall calorie count for the day, is not worth the crappiness I feel afterwards (most of the time). Figuring how this will all work for me is a work-in-progress. Interestingly enough, I do not have the same responses to bread, pasta, rice and other carbs. It's primarily the sugar! Though I have drastically cut back on that stuff too!

I too am a great fan of sugar! That said...for about half of my weight loss journey I had to completely CUT OUT all sugary sweets. I was too addicted and didnt' feel in control when eating them. Gradually and very slowly (during the latter half of my WL journey), I added them back in. Now, I eat sweets every day, and yes, I love them after a meal, but they are always always HOMEMADE (so I control the ingredients) and I have no problems controlling the amount I eat. Hope this helps.

Thank you for the tips everyone! I hate how much I enjoy sweets and feel like I have to have something sweet after lunch and dinner. I decided I am going to start by cutting out cookies (those are pretty much the only thing I eat that's really bad) I am going to go 30 days without cookies. For the other sweets I will have a granola bar, carnation instant breakfast no sugar added, a special K bar, or sugar free chocolate pudding. I don't think I could go cold turkey on all sweets without ending in a binge so I will try to keep what I do have somewhat healthy. When I get home I'm going to look into organic sweets so it's better for my body, and I will try to cut out the splenda in the coffee!! Thanks for the tips everyone, I really appreciate it!!

1 day cookie free!!
Oriana

Oriana - Your post just reminded me of my go to drink when I am really craving something sweet, my low cal version of a mocha drink. It is not overly sweet, my husband likes me to add agave nectar to his. If anyone tries it, you may find that you prefer more or less of the cocoa powder and coffee...just play with it and see what works for you.

1/2 frozen banana
1tsp hershey cocoa unsweetened
2tsp instant coffee
some ice
some water

blend it all up in a blender

So, I've been following SouthBeach on and off for about a year, and it has really helped me get my sugar cravings under control. (I'm lurking over here now that I'm combining SB principles and CC)

Going cold turkey for the two weeks really helped me, and I can honestly say that what I used to think was sweet, is now waaaay too sweet. I think a nectarine makes a great after meal sweet, or I just want a bite or two of something, instead of a whole cookie.

The biggest thing I've taken away from cutting out sugar is the ability to realize how it affects my body. After ODing on sugar (which, surprisingly, doesn't seem to take much, one full dessrt can do it) I feel terrible. I get a headache, my stomach feels sick, and the next day, I feel like I have a hangover. In a lot of ways, this is what has ultimately helped me cut my sweet tooth- I have sugar infrequently enough to realize how terrible it makes me feel. Which, in turn, makes me want it waay less frequently. (and I tend to only cave for things that are really worth it)

Just dig and dig and find some low-calorie sweet snacks! My current vice is sugar-free popsicles. They give me my chocolate fix at only 40 calories, and they're perfect for summer!

Now I just need to stop eating 2-3 of them per day...hey, at least it's not 2-3 200-calorie hersheys bars!

I agree with going cold turkey, after I did that, I tried eating fruit and found that my teeth actually hurt from how sweet the fruit was--in particular strawberries and raspberries. They're like candy by themselves!

Sugar is an addiction. The more you eat, the more you want. The only solution, imo, is to cut back as much as possible - gradually, if you have to. I used to want sweets ALL THE TIME, but I've gotten used to not having them, and I don't miss them much.

I do have an issue with sugar/simple carbs. I pretty much had to cut all alcohol, juice, sugary drinks, sweets, etc. to get a handle on the cravings. I found I would actually crave it like a drug. I blew it yesterday because I allowed myself to have a bottle of sweetened ice tea but I'm back on the wagon today. I think it's like so many other things- some people can have them in moderation and do fine, others can't. In my case, I can't and I have to stay away from simple carbs.

Thanks everyone. I've been doing good lately and only having sugar free chocolate pudding if I want something sweet. I'm 5 days cookie free since I made myself aware that cookies are my vice, and I'm feeling much better. I'm also following the Beck Diet guidelines and it has helped me a lot these past couple of days to recognize my sugar cravings, label them as a craving, and purposefully choose not to give in. Thanks for all the support!!
Oriana

This is my second day of South Beach! I have a problem with carbs and sugar... I know that my body begins to have an addictive response to them. My weight has stalled despite calorie counting, so I am beginning this new diet to cut out the bad stuff and detox. My roots are deep with calorie counting so I still plan to watch my intake in combination with SB.