Aa
quitting sugar
I'm starting a journey today to quit sugar.
I've tried cutting back in the past without much success, and its becoming clear to me that sugar has a pretty big hold on my life. I dont wan that anymore. I find I turn to sugar most when i am stressed, usually in the form of anything chocolate or peanut butter. I will literally eat around 2000 or more calories of this junk in one setting when I feel an "attack" come on.
I quit sugar once before back in 2010, but after the birth of my son, found that i quickly drifted back to my crutch due to sleep deprivation.
I will also mention that I am at higher risk for developing diabetes type 2 later in life because I have had gestational diabetes before.
I am tired of feeling like I have no control over my stress, sugar intake and life.
I am ready for a change.
I'm starting today with a fast/fluid detox, to be followed by healthy eating (a previous gestational diabetes diet I have been on that was well-balanced). I know that this, along with support and check-ins will help me kick my habit.
I'm hoping others will join in with poating their progress and stories :)
Here goes day 1!
I've tried cutting back in the past without much success, and its becoming clear to me that sugar has a pretty big hold on my life. I dont wan that anymore. I find I turn to sugar most when i am stressed, usually in the form of anything chocolate or peanut butter. I will literally eat around 2000 or more calories of this junk in one setting when I feel an "attack" come on.
I quit sugar once before back in 2010, but after the birth of my son, found that i quickly drifted back to my crutch due to sleep deprivation.
I will also mention that I am at higher risk for developing diabetes type 2 later in life because I have had gestational diabetes before.
I am tired of feeling like I have no control over my stress, sugar intake and life.
I am ready for a change.
I'm starting today with a fast/fluid detox, to be followed by healthy eating (a previous gestational diabetes diet I have been on that was well-balanced). I know that this, along with support and check-ins will help me kick my habit.
I'm hoping others will join in with poating their progress and stories :)
Here goes day 1!
I had that same problem...dropped the carbs and sugar even some of the so called good ones...lost a Whopping 95bs.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi
From the description of your struggles with sugar, it really sounds like you may be a sugar addict. Please see the list of criteria below, to see if this fits - it certainly sounds like it does.
You will need to figure out if you are a food addict. Struggles with sugar alone are not enough of an indication. Our brains are hard wired to desire the energy dense 'hit' that sugar gives us. The food industry has created foods that will make all of us salivate for their products - whether we are addicted or not, we will want them. If you are not an addict, knowing that you must cut down on your sugar (esp since your doctor told you to) should be enough of a motivation to cut down to safer levels, perhaps a desert once or twice a week. You were able to do this in the past. Your attempt to do a fluid detox followed by healthy eating and strong support might be enough.
But if you are a food addict, you will find that no matter how hard you try, you inevitably give in and eat too much sugar again.
The reason why it is important to know if you are a sugar (food) addict is because this will determine your solution.
If you are an addict, the solution is simple: you cannot occasionally have sugar (anymore than you can occasionally have cocaine or alcohol if you are addicted to those). Rather, you will have to completely stop eating them. No more deserts each night or even on the weekend.
Please have a look at my website at addictionsunplugged.com for more info on food addiction, as well as some resources to help you stop. For example, there are a number of 12 step programs that are available for the food addict, looking at how to manage food from the addiction framework. If you answer yes to a number of these questions, you may want to call these groups, since it is very difficult to stop any addiction, especially food, on your own. They will give you lots of support.
You can also look at my website for more information: addictionsunplugged.com
The 20 questions for food addiction:
1. Have you ever wanted to stop eating and found you just couldn’t?
2. Do you think about food or your weight constantly?
3. Do you find yourself attempting one diet or food plan after another, with no lasting success?
4. Do you binge and then “get rid of the binge” through vomiting, exercise, laxatives, or other forms of purging?
5. Do you eat differently in private than you do in front of other people?
6. Has a doctor or family member ever approached you with concern about you're eating habits or weight?
7. Do you eat large quantities of food at one time (binge)?
8. Is your weight problem due to you're “nibbling” all day long?
9. Do you eat to escape from your feelings?
10. Do you eat when you’re not hungry?
11. Have you ever discarded food, only to retrieve and eat it later?
12. Do you eat in secret?
13. Do you fast or severely restrict your food intake?
14. Have you ever stolen other people’s food?
15. Have you ever hidden food to make sure you have “enough?”
16. Do you feel driven to exercise excessively to control your weight?
17. Do you obsessively calculate the calories you’ve burned against the calories you’ve eaten?
18. Do you frequently feel guilty or ashamed about what you’ve eaten?
19. Are you waiting for your life to begin “when you lose the weight?”
20. Do you feel hopeless about your relationship with food?
Copyright © 2000-2010 Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous
From the description of your struggles with sugar, it really sounds like you may be a sugar addict. Please see the list of criteria below, to see if this fits - it certainly sounds like it does.
You will need to figure out if you are a food addict. Struggles with sugar alone are not enough of an indication. Our brains are hard wired to desire the energy dense 'hit' that sugar gives us. The food industry has created foods that will make all of us salivate for their products - whether we are addicted or not, we will want them. If you are not an addict, knowing that you must cut down on your sugar (esp since your doctor told you to) should be enough of a motivation to cut down to safer levels, perhaps a desert once or twice a week. You were able to do this in the past. Your attempt to do a fluid detox followed by healthy eating and strong support might be enough.
But if you are a food addict, you will find that no matter how hard you try, you inevitably give in and eat too much sugar again.
The reason why it is important to know if you are a sugar (food) addict is because this will determine your solution.
If you are an addict, the solution is simple: you cannot occasionally have sugar (anymore than you can occasionally have cocaine or alcohol if you are addicted to those). Rather, you will have to completely stop eating them. No more deserts each night or even on the weekend.
Please have a look at my website at addictionsunplugged.com for more info on food addiction, as well as some resources to help you stop. For example, there are a number of 12 step programs that are available for the food addict, looking at how to manage food from the addiction framework. If you answer yes to a number of these questions, you may want to call these groups, since it is very difficult to stop any addiction, especially food, on your own. They will give you lots of support.
You can also look at my website for more information: addictionsunplugged.com
The 20 questions for food addiction:
1. Have you ever wanted to stop eating and found you just couldn’t?
2. Do you think about food or your weight constantly?
3. Do you find yourself attempting one diet or food plan after another, with no lasting success?
4. Do you binge and then “get rid of the binge” through vomiting, exercise, laxatives, or other forms of purging?
5. Do you eat differently in private than you do in front of other people?
6. Has a doctor or family member ever approached you with concern about you're eating habits or weight?
7. Do you eat large quantities of food at one time (binge)?
8. Is your weight problem due to you're “nibbling” all day long?
9. Do you eat to escape from your feelings?
10. Do you eat when you’re not hungry?
11. Have you ever discarded food, only to retrieve and eat it later?
12. Do you eat in secret?
13. Do you fast or severely restrict your food intake?
14. Have you ever stolen other people’s food?
15. Have you ever hidden food to make sure you have “enough?”
16. Do you feel driven to exercise excessively to control your weight?
17. Do you obsessively calculate the calories you’ve burned against the calories you’ve eaten?
18. Do you frequently feel guilty or ashamed about what you’ve eaten?
19. Are you waiting for your life to begin “when you lose the weight?”
20. Do you feel hopeless about your relationship with food?
Copyright © 2000-2010 Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous
You are reading content posted in the Food Addiction / Sugar Addiction Forum
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