So, I am completely hooked on sugar and have GOT to get off of it. I have started today and I already have a slight headache. How pathetic. Has anyone else had to go through this and have any suggestions?
Once you get over the initial cravings you will be fine
My headache lasted about 3 days and I felt sicky to my tummy but I drank plenty of water and kept myself busy so I wouldn't think about it
Be proud of yourself - this is a big step
Replacing sugar with artificial sweetners? ..or just stopping sugary food period?
Um...I'm thinking of just going off "real" sugar all together and only when I really, really want sugar then using some artificial sweetners.
Congratulations on making the decision! It's hard at first, but when your blood sugar stabilizes after a few days, you'll be glad you did.
My experience: I feel like I should go to a Refined Carbohydrates Anonymous meeting or two (somebody please let me know if those actually exist). The withdrawals were SOOOO bad, then when my blood sugar levels stabilized after fighting through it for a couple of days, my whole mood and personality changed for the better, I didn't feel so tired all the time, and pounds started melting off, even though that wasn't my initial intention. I'm down almost 10 pounds from where I was 10 days ago when I made the initial decision to give up sugar. The cravings are coming less and less too. But I had to give up sugar AND all refined carbs for it to work, and get off oral contraceptives for me to even have a chance at succeeding. For me at least, BC Pills = sugar cravings. Sorry if TMI :)
An end note about artificial sweeteners: I've been told (and experienced myself) that artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, inhibit your brain's ability to recognize messages from your stomach that you're full. You end up eating way more calories that way. A few people I know switched from regular coke to diet coke and actually gained weight because they were eating so much more.
Eat fruit! Seriously! It will take you out of that withdrawal state, and you will be putting awesome things into your body.
Trust me, I am doing the exact same thing that you are. I used to eat a pack of licorice to myself in a night, or 300g of sour candy. I always stayed bone thin, but it was SO bad for my body.
Right now I am on a blueberry kick:
http://www.bremnerfoods.com/healthbenefits/bl ueberry.php
I agree with no_audience. I have had (and still have, to some extent, though it's better managed) a MAJOR refined sugar addiction. The best thing for it, I've found, is to eat lots of fruits. Bananas are, surprisingly, what helped me the most. I think it's because, in addition to having good sugars, they're also filling (unlike a lot of other fruits). The other thing I did was to take small steps. For instance, I'd make my own iced tea and lemonade, where I could control how much sugar went into them, and put in enough sugar to make it tasty but without having 30g/serving like the packaged stuff. I think I put 30g in my whole pitcher, which had about 8 servings in it! So stepping it down can help a lot.
Also, cutting sodas really helped me get rid of other sugars. It was really hard at first, but after a few weeks I tried a root beer and I couldn't stand it! It tasted acrid to me, like how compost smells. After sodas were out, I stopped drinking any drinks that had more than 10g of sugar per serving (except milk), and now I only drink water, milk, and the occasional glass of wine. I don't feel addicted anymore, and by adding more water to my diet I avoided most of the headaches.
Good luck! It's HARD but totally worth it - kicking my sugar habit has made me feel better than almost anything else I've done to change my diet.
I wish I could kick sugar. Its tooooooo hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got off sugar a while ago because things that have lots of sugar also have lots of empty calories. i didn't have headaches but i did have cravings. make sure your eating enough food and whenever you have a sugar craving have a piece of fruit.
i can barely stand sweets now. today i had 2-3 spoonfuls of this carrot cake ice cream a friend had. ugh. could barely have those and they were teeny bites.
good for you. i think it'll DEF. help with your weight loss. i've never been addicted to sugar, but try to let your taste buds become sensitive to natural sugars. this morning i had my oatmeal with a small handful of frozen berries in it rather than sugar, and it is AMAZINGly delicious. very flavorful and sweet and so much better than sugar. i have also found out that carrots are sweet. they really are. they're sweet and crunchy and low cal. i'm really happy to be able to taste natural sugars now. table sugar is also "natural" in that it comes from nature, but it is highly processed and refined and really messes with your blood sugar and makes you crave more and more. fruits have a lot of sugar too, but they also come with fiber which slows down the blood sugar rush. be careful of fruit juice though. that's almost as bad as table sugar, but it comes with the nutrients.
My problem is that everyone says not to completely cut things out of your diet right away because it leads to bingeing etc... you know everyone says "moderation"
MODERATION is the devil. I cannot moderate. For me its like 1 piece of candy- and its on. I don't stop.
Did any of you just stop cold turkey and allow yourself none? I think that would be the only thing that would work for me.
Original Post by kankan213:
My problem is that everyone says not to completely cut things out of your diet right away because it leads to bingeing etc... you know everyone says "moderation"
MODERATION is the devil. I cannot moderate. For me its like 1 piece of candy- and its on. I don't stop.
Did any of you just stop cold turkey and allow yourself none? I think that would be the only thing that would work for me.
Yeah. I completely cut out meat, eggs, and dairy, almost overnight, but that's me, and I'm vegan. Also I have stopped eating anything refined completely. No white flour. No table sugar. No corn syrup, high fructose or not. No hidden sugars. I get unsweetened soy milk. And I eat fruit.
Up the protein, so you're not so hungry. Try a chromium supplement or foods higher in chromium to stabilize blood sugar too.
datta - AS do not inhibit the recognition of fullness by the body. What they DO do is trick the mind into thinking that it is actually eating something sweet (ie. glucose, fructose...carbohydrates!). This makes your body think that it is going to have to break down carbohydrates...BUT! When no carbohydrates come, because AS have no sugar, your body goes "Hey! What the crap? There are supposed to be carbs here! I need some carbs to break down!"
As a result, your body will crave carbs, potentially causing you to consume more carbohydrates and calories, than your daily allotment. It isn't so much that fullness is not recognized, but moreso that you trick your body detrimentally (and unintentionally). Your stomach will feel full, but your body is still going to crave carbs, because from your body's point of view, your sugarless beverage or food is supposed to contain carbs so that the enzymes being produced to break them down will be used.
Only once the digestive enzymes are used (i.e. your body gets carbs), will your body return to homeostasis (i.e. bye bye cravings!).
I have not had added sugar or dextose for about 6 years now - and it is definitely the best thing you can do for yourself - initially you are going to feel a bit off, but I promise in the long run you will feel so much better about yourself & feel a lot healthier! The way I calm my "sugar" cravings if I ever have them (which is rare) is by using Stevia in my coffee drinks (black coffee with stevia is great!)... I also do chew sugar free orbit gum which does help a lot too.
Maybe a stupid question: what is Stevia?
On the moderation-thing: I agree, for me it's been either-or for years, my body (or brain?) doesn't understand why a little bit of sugar is permitted, but not a lot.
Cold turkey is ok, you get a headache for a few days, but eating fruit is a great way to survive it. Personally I never was one for fruit, but I've come to enjoy it - it's sweet you see ;)
It's a funny thing, isn't it, it's all about not feeling in control of yourself and your body, that's the worst thing about it!
Therefore I agree, the best thing is to try and work out what gets the sugar thing started - when do you crave? And could you maybe for starters teach yourself to eat something else when you're craving - carrots are sweet and very ok f.i. Meanwhile write down what happened and find a way to work on the problem. That helps every time - because you're resuming control then!
Good luck, you can do this :)
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