Sugar addiction

[Vlad_]

Good evening guys. Couple months ago I realized that I had serious problems with sugar. I couldn't live without deserts, chocolate, ice cream etc. even for one day, so I stopped eating it. I hadn't eaten anything that contained sugar for 40 days, but couple weeks ago I had a huge ego-backlash. Now I'm eating more chocolate and ice cream than I used to, I just can't help myself. Do you know how to deal with this problem? Could you give me some practical advice?

[UDT]

Yup!

Its just a matter of changing your taste.

Try eating carrots when you get cravings. They contain some healthy sugars and you cant overeat on them.

Switch to 100% Dark chocolate, even when you dont like it. Thats your new reality. 

Bonus:
If you really cant go to sleep because you are mentally dying, make a giant mug of hot chocolate with Milk or Soy Milk. That will sedate your brain and you sleep like a baby.

Quitting something which triggers dopamine cold turkey is very very tricky. Ask the cocaine lovers. 

Its always good to replace habit with habit, thats why I mention the carrots and the dark chocolate. 

Could also be you are just hungry because you eat to little real food so your body craves more carbohydrates. In that case, cook stuff and put ready meals in the fridge in tupperware.

 

 

[Username]

I recommend keto.

[Ananta]

4 hours ago, Vlad_ said:

Good evening guys. Couple months ago I realized that I had serious problems with sugar. I couldn't live without deserts, chocolate, ice cream etc. even for one day, so I stopped eating it. I hadn't eaten anything that contained sugar for 40 days, but couple weeks ago I had a huge ego-backlash. Now I'm eating more chocolate and ice cream than I used to, I just can't help myself. Do you know how to deal with this problem? Could you give me some practical advice?

I have a sugar issue also. I don't have to have it daily, but almost. Its my last addiction really. When I quit smoking 3 years ago it got a bit worse. My diet in general sucks lately. Stupid food!?

I was doing well, then went on vacation and it all went to shit. 

Anyways, in the past I've calorie counted to gain back control over how much and what kind of food I eat. I'll probably do that again here soon. Its not abstaining from sweets, but it only allows them occasionally or in small amounts to stay within my daily calorie range. 

 

[Average Investor]

I would recommend slowly switching off of it. Gradually removing the items with it and the overall amount. Towards the end dropping things with small amounts in it. 

While you are doing that start switching to things that are naturally sweet. Fruits, honey, cocoa powder, etc. They will start to taste better and better the further you get away from processed sugars. 

I would also work on building your awareness while eating those items. Leo has some great videos on addiction and awareness. The Sedona method is also a powerful way to break addictions and habits. 

[Vlad_]

On 12/3/2020 at 8:09 PM, UDT said:

Yup!

Its just a matter of changing your taste.

Try eating carrots when you get cravings. They contain some healthy sugars and you cant overeat on them.

Switch to 100% Dark chocolate, even when you dont like it. Thats your new reality. 

Bonus:
If you really cant go to sleep because you are mentally dying, make a giant mug of hot chocolate with Milk or Soy Milk. That will sedate your brain and you sleep like a baby.

Quitting something which triggers dopamine cold turkey is very very tricky. Ask the cocaine lovers. 

Its always good to replace habit with habit, thats why I mention the carrots and the dark chocolate. 

Could also be you are just hungry because you eat to little real food so your body craves more carbohydrates. In that case, cook stuff and put ready meals in the fridge in tupperware.

 

 

Yeah bro I tried Dark chocolate, but now I have no option to buy it (I'm in a ship in the middle of the ocean). 

[Vlad_]

8 hours ago, Average Investor said:

I would recommend slowly switching off of it. Gradually removing the items with it and the overall amount. Towards the end dropping things with small amounts in it. 

While you are doing that start switching to things that are naturally sweet. Fruits, honey, cocoa powder, etc. They will start to taste better and better the further you get away from processed sugars. 

I would also work on building your awareness while eating those items. Leo has some great videos on addiction and awareness. The Sedona method is also a powerful way to break addictions and habits. 

Fruits and honey makes my cravings even harder. I tried to eat less sugar products, but it didn't work, I couldn't help eating more and more. I think I just need to go through it, whatever it takes

[xxxx]

Hey @Vlad_,

Have you heard about the ‘Law of Diminshing Marginal Utility?’

It states that as consumption increases, the marginal utility derived from each additional unit declines.

This might sound harsh, but worth a try - why don’t you start mixing sugar with each meal - a teaspoon or two to give it the sweet taste, and eventually, you would feel unmotivated to try other sweet things; also, this would be much less than the calories that you are getting from the consumption of the multiple processed food items that have loaded sugar in them. 

With you making each meal of yours taste sweet - your romance with sugar isn’t going to be special anymore.

Eating Tacos? Add sugar. Eating rice? Add sugar. Eating bread? Add sugar. Just a teaspoon or two, and slowly that ‘need’ is going to evaporate into thin air. 

I strongly believe that we all need to have a healthy relationship with food - and also in the principle of moderation- but if the habit you have cultivated over a long period of time is going to have some long-term negative effects, it is best to do without it. 

Anyway, I still believe that if you can, you should cut it down slowly. The aforementioned law should be used only if you have no other option left.

Also, on an ending note - I highly recommend you read Russell Brand’s book on addiction - ‘Recovery: Freedom from our addictions.’  

You will get to know the underlying reason for this addiction - there’s always some root, and this sugar addiction is just a symptom. 

I wish you recovery! 

All the best! 

 

 

 

Edited December 6, 2020 by xxxx

[Username]

@xxxx  This is a bad idea, it's going to be counterproductive. This is not a psychological addiction but physical.

It's not sugar that's problem. His body is not adapted to using fat as a fuel. Tacos, rice and bread are equally problematic, this is basically same thing. Eating carbohydrates raise the insuline level and create another cravings.

[xxxx]

@Username

Oh, okay. My bad - I didn’t see it that way. 

Anyway, noted. Thank you.

[AdamDiC]

What you're really craving is fruit sugar. Eat tonnes of fruit. No one will tell you this but it is %100 healthy. Your brain just craves fruit and vitamins.

Eat bananas, dates, apples, melons, pairs, oranges, grapes, pineapple, any fruit lol.

Try it for 1 week, stock your house with fruits and anytime you get a craving eat a fruit. You can't go wrong.

 

[King Merk]

My advice is more mindful eating. How conscious are you when you're over-consuming these sugar foods? You're likely no. You're likely checked out completely and in autopilot mode. Continue to eat the sweets but do it more mindfully. Turn the TV off. No cellphone. No distractions. Chew eat bite 15-30 times. Smell your food. Take deep breaths or sips of water in between bites. Then notice how you feel afterwards. Notice the bloating. The skin rashes. The foggy headedness. The itchiness. The oversized gut. The difficulty breathing through your nose. The energy crashes. Etc. Notice the signs your body is giving you in response to eating all that sugar. 

If you become more conscious more of the time (especially while eating) then you'll naturally stop craving these foods as much.

Replacing the foods with healthy foods that make you feel good and then being aware of these sensations is also important of course.

"Awareness alone is curative" 

[mandyjw]

Sugar cravings can be a vicious cycle. If you are eating white rice, white breads or refined carbs of any kind you will get more sugar cravings. If you start with a really good breakfast with a vegetable, (or fruit) and a good amount of protein, you'll have won most of the battle right there. Carbs are great but make them complex carbs, such as wild rice, oatmeal, etc. You need to focus on eating healthy food and paying attention to how it makes you feel.

Don't just demonize sugar. You will rebel and backlash like crazy anytime you demonize anything. You just need to realize that you like feeling good better than eating sugar, then there's just, feeling good. 

[integral]

@mandyjw Fruits = candy. 

Edited December 9, 2020 by integral

[integral]

@AdamDiC Tell me that when your skin starts peeling off because you ate 4 bananas that day. 

[Michael569]

17 minutes ago, integral said:

Fruits = candy. 

Do you really perceive fruit to be equal to a candy you buy? Like a mars bar? 

[integral]

@Michael569 lol no, healthy food is relative, if the body is in a state where is cant tolerate fruits, the damaging effects from fruits on the body are as good as eating McDonalds. 

The thread was about sugar addiction, personally i could binge bananas all day, fruits are some of the most addicting foods. 

People are also recommending cocao or 100% dark chocolate, one of the most damaging foods that exist for slow metabolizers of caffeine and theobromine. 

[Michael569]

6 minutes ago, integral said:

lol no, healthy food is relative, if the body is in a state where is cant tolerate fruits, the damaging effects from fruits on the body are as good as eating McDonalds. 

The thread was about sugar addiction, personally i could binge bananas all day, fruits are some of the most addicting foods. 

People are also recommending cocao or 100% dark chocolate, one of the most damaging foods that exist for slow metabolizers of caffeine and theobromine. 

Was about to get triggered  good response! 

Yeah true about the intolerance. Unfortunately, most people rather than fixing their damaged gut, avoid fruit and other fibre completely eventually starving their microbiome to the point that the damage is irreversible.

Cocoa and dark chocolate are mostly fine although like with anything, you can go overboard

[integral]

@Michael569 haha true, but i dont know how anyone can restrain themselves eating 100% dark chocolate bars, i think it makes more sense to dilute it in a recipe. 

[mandyjw]

2 hours ago, integral said:

@mandyjw Fruits = candy. 

I bought this, hook line and sinker following the advice of Dave Asprey and Tim Ferris. I went a few years limiting fruit. I ended up with stomach issues and was finding staying at my goal weight even harder. Then I let myself have as much fruit as I wanted. I felt great and found it much easier to stay at my goal weight than before when I was putting all those restrictive efforts in. I mostly just eat a lot of apples and berries daily, other fruits occasionally. 

I will say, fruits are not a replacement for veggies. That's a common temptation for people I think. 

Edited December 9, 2020 by mandyjw