Sugar addiction - Page 2

[DoulaReese]

Regarding fat, this is some repeat of above but to add a little more detail... when I was doing well on this sugar thing...for 1 1/2 years I ate nothing processed.  I ate fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds, good oils (like olive, coconut) eggs and non-lean meat, No sugar, wheat, dairy, corn, soy, cocoa or peanuts.  I ate TONS of fat that way as nuts are like 1/3 fat alone and I ate a lot of them - always the dark meat, avocados without a second thought, cooked with full fat coconut milk and oil.  I could NOT for the life of me put weight on.  I am 5'9", went from 155 lbs pre no-sugar &wheat, to 125 lbs during no-sugar, maintained that for well over a year and went up to 136 within ONE WEEK of reintroducing sugar and wheat, and now 4 months after that sad reunion I am at 142 though overall my healthy fat intake has gone down.  I didn't do any of this to lose weight, but it has been interesting to observe that pattern. I actually reintroduced it for an allergy test, and I needed to eat all possibly offending foods for the test to work right, and I've never gone back   

[treeoflife3]

I've heard that taking extra omega fats and eating more healthy fats helps with sugar cravings.  I've also heard that cravings for meats could mean you need to take supplemental amino acids because your body might need more than what your current diet is offering.

[puffingirl]

I concur about the additional fats not leading to weight gain.  I've been on the elimination diet for 2 weeks and have lost weight and inches despite eating a ton more healthy fat--2 servings of nuts/day, avocados and/or coconut everyday, olives and olive oil, chicken with the skin, fatty fish, etc. I'm even taking a Tbsp of olive oil before bed at night. It's quite remarkable. 

[Ldavis24]

Wow,

I feel like I just found the holy grail of understanding how miserably addicted to sugar I am. 

to the PP who makes frosting...been there done that, my college roommate and I used to eat frosting together and watch movies! Granted we had a little help for our appetite from a certain plant but I still make frosting now and eat it sometimes.

I love to bake and so that fuels my addiction because baking and cooking is totally therapeutic for me. DH and I are going to try to go cold turkey because I CANNOT control myself and moderate. I am not capable of it. If I have 1 piece of candy I end up eating it all even if it takes all day. 

I am depressed about the idea of not being able to bake a ton of goodies anymore but the upside is that DH and I won't be munching on cookies and cakes and brownies and pies every single night...

I have found this thread so helpful and meaningful to me. I don't know how to explain it, is just feels really good know I am not alone and I do see sugar as a horrible addiction, one that could kill DH or myself. It is crazy how little people think of it!

Thank you mamas who have shared your successes and struggles, please keep telling more!

[AFWife]

Another admission:

My mom and I used to make white cake mix (like, from a box) and then eat it...raw...It was AMAZING. I still get cravings for it. If DH liked white cake mix (he prefers yellow and we can't agree) I'd weigh 300lbs.

[DoulaReese]

So just curious - does anyone else run into yeast issues?  Lately when I have a sugar binge I can feel my eyeballs, skin and other stuff start to itch very soon 

[AutumnAir]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one!!

I hide stashes of sweets in the bedroom and munch them at night.  For some reason my need for sugar sky-rockets after 6pm.  If I really excercise my will-power I can usually make it through the day up to that point with only natural sweet things, but once the evening comes I *need* biscuits and chocolate and sweets.  

I have a suspicion that it's linked to exhaustion and the pretty severe sleep deprivation I'm dealing with - DD2 wakes every 30-60 minutes all night long, often throwing in a couple of hours of awake time in the middle there somewhere.  I'm unbelievably exhausted and end up eating all sorts of junk because it gives me the energy to get through the next few minutes, and TBH it's about the only thing I have to look forward to at the moment.  I dread night-time because I never get anywhere near enough sleep and I hate the daytime because I'm far too tired and cranky to be a good mother.

So, for me, I think there are a few roots to the addiction.

Physical - exhaustion exacerbates the need to get energy fast

Emotional - I'm using sugar as a replacement for actual enjoyment of life

Psychological - double-edged; one part of me is 'rewarding' myself with sugar, because I was never allowed to have it as a child, and always felt that it was because I wasn't 'good' enough, but the other part of me is punishing me for being a bad person by eating unhealthy stuff so I'll be fat, unhealthy and unattractive.

Has anyone tried hypnosis to deal with a sugar addiction?  I wouldn't have even thought about it before, but I had success with Hypnobabies, so maybe hypnosis does work?

[chewynotcrunchy]

 

Originally Posted by kdaisy 

I am so glad to hear so much feedback on this!  You are right when you say people would just laugh at the idea of a sugar addiction.  Everyone except my husband, that is, who has seen me make frosting and eat it all.  Or suspects but says nothing about the fact that we buy bags of chocolate chips every other day...

You actually MAKE the frosting? I buy the container and eat it right from the tub in spoonfuls. 

 Me too!!! There is *always* a container of frosting in my fridge!  My DH thought I was crazy when we first got together, but now he doesn't bat an eye when I tell him to pick up a can of frosting while running out for milk and eggs.

 I love to bake and so that fuels my addiction because baking and cooking is totally therapeutic for me. DH and I are going to try to go cold turkey because I CANNOT control myself and moderate. I am not capable of it. If I have 1 piece of candy I end up eating it all even if it takes all day. 

 This is so me! I have no moderation whatsoever.  It is all or nothing.

I smoked for 10 years and only quit to conceive DD and quitting that addiction was *so* much easier than quitting sugar!!!  I feel so much better knowing there are other struggling sugar addicts out there!!!  Thanks for the thread, OP!

[AFWife]

Starting tomorrow I'm doing this! I'm giving up refined sugar! I read somewhere today that your brain reacts to sugar like it does to heroin (something about the same hormones being released) Uh, really? That's insane! I can't have that going on in my body.

And to a PP that mentioned yeast: Yep, me too! I've always had a yeast imbalance. Those "yeast free" diets are too strict for me right now (I barely get 5min intervals to eat with a newborn and toddler) and I don't like nuts...which are apparently a huge part of the diet. I'm going with no processed sugar. Natural sweeteners are okay.

Question: What do you do about baking? Like breads and stuff that *need* sugar to make the yeast work? Does maple syrup and honey work the same way or do you go with sugar because it's not going to be "sweet" in the end?

[DoulaReese]

@Autumn Air - I know hypnosis can be a tool to unwrap any negative beliefs and replace them with new truth, the same principles apply as do in birth.  If negative thoughts or beliefs are part of the equation, definitely it can be helpful.  Also, studies show we reach for the high sugar-processed foods when we're exhausted because of the energy fix, ironically, it robs us of energy later and we're in a sick cycle!  Acupuncture, was also helpful for me - sounds strange I know but it works.

AFWife - I'm TOTALLY digging that you're starting tomorrow! What's your plan??  Cold Turkey?  I will also limit myself to raw honey and maple syrup this week, we'll see how it goes.

And, on your baking question, I've found that sugar affects the texture and taste of baked goods... the crumb is not as good, BUT, honey or any kind of sugar will activate yeast so it will rise.  I think I'm going to avoid yeast for this little challenge too, though, as it increases my yeast cravings drastically.  

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by DoulaReese 

AFWife - I'm TOTALLY digging that you're starting tomorrow! What's your plan??  Cold Turkey?  I will also limit myself to raw honey and maple syrup this week, we'll see how it goes.

And, on your baking question, I've found that sugar affects the texture and taste of baked goods... the crumb is not as good, BUT, honey or any kind of sugar will activate yeast so it will rise.  I think I'm going to avoid yeast for this little challenge too, though, as it increases my yeast cravings drastically.  

Pretty much cold turkey. I had my "Fat Tuesday" yesterday (Donut with icing and a soda) and I'm doing only natural sweeteners until Easter. Hopefully I'll be detoxed enough that I won't even want candy by then! We have maple, honey, and stevia in the house so I should be able to have "sweet" without SUGAR.

[wendyland]

Yes, I do have yeast problems.  I also get tingly itchy lips and other itching after a day of eating lots of sugar.  The best site I've found for healing yeast is healingnaturallybybee.com.  It's a pretty strict diet but people have really awesome results.  

[hildare]

  hi.  my name is hildare, and i am a sugar addict.

this is a great thread.  especially since i had my 'breakfast dessert' already - twice- this morning.

yes, i have noticed that the sugar is connected with yeast.  most noticeable with my (sorry) feet fungal problems.  i know that it is connected b/c my dd had intolerance issues through my breastmilk and when i did a TED it all went away. 

those of you mamas not getting adequate rest (is that like ALL of us?) have you read anything about the connection between inadequate sleep and sugar/carbohydrate cravings?  (it's not our fault!!!!!!)

[AFWife]

So, yesterday was NO FUN! I was seriously craving sugar by 10am. I made it, though.

One thing that saved me was DH's "chocolate milk" he made when doing his raw diet:

- 2cups milk (we use raw milk)

- 2Tblsp raw cacao powder

- Large dollap of honey

- egg yolk

- cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger (a dash of each if you like)

(I added a couple drops of stevia because I needed it to feel sweet)

Run it through a blender and drink. The milk, cacao, and egg are all protein rich so that helps a lot!

We're going to get avacado tonight. The last ones we bought were stringy on the inside (uhm, not normal right?) and I ended up tossing them because it grossed me out too much.

[JayGee]

I need to join this thread.  My sugar cravings have gotten out of control (again...)  Like the OP, I am an intuitive eater after years and years of dieting, but sugar is the one thing that sends me back to eating WAY past fullness/satisfaction.  And it makes my face and lips feel numb and tingly.  That can't be healthy.  I haven't had any sugar yet today, so I hope to keep the no-sugar momentum going for the rest of the day!

[LionessMom]

i have terrible cravings for sugar. i was just diagnosed with fructose intolerance or fructose malabsorption. the diet involves no sugar really, no brown rice or wheat (which is a fructan) no sorbitol, no fruit or juice, and no to certain veggies as well. some of you might also have this. the number one symptom is sugar cravings. it is linked to chronic fatigue, skin problems, depression, fibromyalgia, and leaky gut etc. it can be diagnosed with a breath test at a gastro....

[Storm Bride]

I'm actually almost crying reading this thread. It's nice to see people talk about sugar addiction as something other than a big laugh (think a pp said that, too). I have major issues with this, rooted in some psychological stuff, but the physical side definitely kicks in, too. I buy bulk candy and then eat it all in the car, so that my kids don't know about it. In the past (has been while), while I haven't made frosting, I have blended butter and sugar, as in the early stages of cookie dough, and then eaten it straight out of the bowl. Lots of sugary things that I do make me wince to admit them (and I do have a couple of people irl that I've talked about this with - dh, my bff, and a mom from dd1's ballet...who astonished me when she very seriously said, "oh, yes - I've done that, too"). And, I'm obese, so I feel as though the sugar addiction is plastered out there for everyone to see...even if they all think butter is the problem. *sigh*

So - I have kicked it in the past (as others have done, I fall back into it over Halloween/Christmas/Valentines/Easter - we have too many junk food holidays in this culture!). I also made sure to eat a fair bit of fat - butter, coconut oil, nuts, and I also took a fish oil supplement since we don't eat much fatty fish (I love salmon, but it's expensive and dh doesn't like it, so i don't eat it that often). I've found cream to be a lifesaver, because I can often "trick" myself by indulging in a large splash of cream...just in a glass, sometimes! And, I also find that it helps if I eat a fair bit of plain yogurt, and take probiotics. I'm sure that's yeast-related, although I don't know the mechanism, but it does seem to help lessen the sugar cravings.

Lately, I'm so scatter-brained and overwhelmed that it's a good day if I remember to take one of each supplement (my fish oil recommends 3X a day, and the probiotic is a twice daily), and I'm eating too much sugar and too many refined carbs. And, now it's hot cross bun season! Ugh.

It also helps a little if I can make myself think of all the awful things sugar is doing to my body while I'm eating it. I've actually thrown away half a bag of candy by doing that. But, it's hard to maintain...and sometimes it backfires by making me feel even weaker and less in control, while I keep eating it!

Sugar sucks.

[JayGee]

Day 1 ~ FAIL

My body seems to be triggered to crave sugar at exactly 3:00pm.  Every day.  I lose the fight against it every day too.  Why is it that I can eat a delicious, healthy breakfast and a yummy salad with chicken and olive oil for lunch, but then plow through M&Ms, chocolate covered strawberries, and whatever else I was able to salvage from the kids' Valentine bags at 3:00pm????  Now I feel all bloated and crappy and on edge.  I must kick this.

[Ldavis24]

Originally Posted by JayGee 

Day 1 ~ FAIL

My body seems to be triggered to crave sugar at exactly 3:00pm.  Every day.  I lose the fight against it every day too.  Why is it that I can eat a delicious, healthy breakfast and a yummy salad with chicken and olive oil for lunch, but then plow through M&Ms, chocolate covered strawberries, and whatever else I was able to salvage from the kids' Valentine bags at 3:00pm????  Now I feel all bloated and crappy and on edge.  I must kick this.

don't give up! At least you tried. I haven't gotten the nerve up yet to actually try.

We need to set up a support group here! A permanent one since it will be a battle forever for me I think.

This weekend I am doing a super grocery trip to really try and maximize any chance of success. If I set up DH and I for success it is just one less obstacle toward the ultimate goal.

I am trying to think of as many healthy filling meals and snacks so battle cravings with.  It feels like an insurmountable hill but then I think of the odds of me getting diabetes and that I don't really have a choice for me and the sake of my family. Trying to keep the bigger picture in focus and all you mamas are very helpful!

[kdaisy]

Thanks to everyone who has posted here!  I feel so great just knowing this thread is here. 

JayGee- You didn't fail  !I still haven't cleaned out all of the sugar from the house, but I am definitely eating a lot less.  I made banana bread to "get rid" of the ripe bananas in the freezer.   But I did make it through a Target shopping trip without buying candy!

I think my mood is definitely showing the withdrawals.

StormBride- I can so relate to the feeling of a sugar addiction being so obvious as someone who is overweight.  I worry what people are thinking as I buy chocolate every time.  But I have some extra motivation, in that regard, we are on food assistance now, and it is doubly hard for me to feel ok buying junk.  (hard but not impossible sometimes )