What have you done to deal with sugar addiction?

[Kirsteen]

I was watching this fabulous lecture by Robert Lustig, a US, pediatrician, and he was explaining that sugar and high fructose corn syrup are as addictive as alcohol. He pointed out that alcohol is made from sugar... so possibly thinking of it that way brings into perspective it's dangers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z5X0i92OZQ

I'm wondering how people on this forum have tackled their sugar addiction? I am not addicted to sugar, but I am addicted to coffee, and it sabotages the diet. I had to go total cold turkey and that worked for me. However I know that a sugar addiction is far more all-pervasive and difficult to crack. What did you do to manage it? Has anyone found any helpful books, or found it useful to attend Weight-watchers or Over-eaters Anonymous? And do you think the state should intervene?

Robert Lustig says that 25% of America's exports are foods, and he theorised that it has affected the governmental nutritional guidelines, and led to subsidies on the corn industry, etc. He considers that the health cost alone is so considerable that it justifies cutting the subsidies and putting the cash into subsidising more healthy foods, and the loss of revenue would be balanced by lowered health costs.

[JEY100]

The author of this website, End Sugar Addiction, was recently interviewed by Jimmy Moore. She has many tips on her site and had praise for the OA approach. Much good info here:
http://endsugaraddiction.com/

[ICDogg]

Cold turkey, other than an unconscious slip-up or two early on.

[LorS]

Kirsteen. I have a lot of alcoholism in my family. Now, this is just my personal theory but I have always said, If I did not like sugar so much, I'd be an alcoholic ;) But seriously, I really do think there is a link to these things. I think I just happened to steer towards sugar for my life addiction. This is thee single most uphill battle for me. I absolutely LOVE sugar. I could eat it non stop, all day. It is a demon that I cannot seem to get out of my life and it has literally ruined my health. Some days it is an all day thought and I really try to substitute with sugar free sweetners which really never stop that craving. I think, like alcoholism, it is all about having the support (like all of you around me) to keep my head on straight and a constant realization that if I don't keep my head straight, and refrain from sugar, my health will continue to spiral downward because of the damage sugar does to the body. I will say, that I love berries of all kinds and apples and I eat a piece of fruit, even up to one per day to help my severe cravings. I feel that I will always battle this. It will never go away for me. It is a daily struggle but I have decided that I will conquer this. Now, I know this is going to sound crazy....but something I have found since LC'ng...is hot wings.. I love them. I will go out and have hot wings and be totally fine without sugar for the rest of the day. Not sure why, but I have found a non sweet substitute for my sweet tooth.

[LorS]

Kirsteen. I have also read on so many different places, how bad corn is for us. Some say that it should not even be fed to our animals. They are even feeding it to farmed salmon if you can imagine. That is why I will only eat wild fish. Corn is in the past for me but it is something I love. It is very much like sugar to me. Tortillas, popcorn, polenta....all of it. It is something I had to say goodbye to. And this is just my personal opinion also, but I strongly feel that it part of our obesity problem here in America.

[Nancy LC]

My ND recommends taking 3x daily 1,000 mcg of chromium. They're hard to find in that dosage, but I've ordered them online. It really works for me.

[mio1996]

Cold turkey worked for me and I'm not even tempted anymore. I actually quit all carbohydrates cold turkey this time, except for basically induction-level veggies. The first time I low-carbed I played around with lc meal bars/shakes, lc breads, etc. and I was miserable with cravings. This time it's purely meat, vegetables, nuts, and high fat/lc dairy like cheese and heavy cream (and honestly, a good bit of decaf coffee, it's my only indulgence and causes me no issues), and I have absolutely no issues with cravings. I'm a much happier person. My advice is to not flirt with junk carbs at all. Btw, the cheese and heavy cream are purely to get enough calories to maintain and I have to force them down.

My diet is very liberating, as food has become a means of sustenance and nothing more. I hope this helps someone!

[Kirsteen]

Kirsteen. I have also read on so many different places, how bad corn is for us. Some say that it should not even be fed to our animals. They are even feeding it to farmed salmon if you can imagine. That is why I will only eat wild fish. Corn is in the past for me but it is something I love. It is very much like sugar to me. Tortillas, popcorn, polenta....all of it. It is something I had to say goodbye to. And this is just my personal opinion also, but I strongly feel that it part of our obesity problem here in America.

The reason corn is like sugar is because it is very high in fructose, which is similar to, but worse than sugar. I guess you have heard of high fructose corn syrup? It is a lot cheaper than sugar, so it's added to just about all processed foods in the USA now - it's even in burgers. Have a look at that link I placed above, because Robert Lustig explains the way that the corn syrup affects the body. It is really, really scary.

I was so moved by your post. I have a great amount of sympathy for you, because every day must be so hard for you to accomplish this diet. I saw a young girl on Oprah who'd had some time of weight-loss surgery explain that she'd become an alcoholic after the surgery, because she had simply shifted the addiction over. She'd come onto the show to warn other people.

I'm glad you feel that you're getting the support you need here.. It's just baby steps and every time you fall, you just need to get back up and keep at it. I am addicted to coffee, and I do have to cut it out to enable me to manage this diet. For weeks after I go cold turkey, I crave it every second of every day with every fiber of my being.. but it does get easier.. I know the sugar addiction is far, far worse, but I do believe that over time, you can master it. Jimmy Moore, who is a low-carb blogger, and has become an important person in the low-carb community as a result of conducting interviews with all the low-carb movers and shakes, struggled for years with a diet soda addiction, and I think he did eventually manage to cut it out. He used to challenge himself to go totally sweet-free and soda free for several weeks at a time, and I think that was a good thing.. It gave him a short-term goal which was more achievable than to think he was giving it up for good. I have a huge respect for Jimmy. And his podcasts are just fab!

P.S. Just talking about switching addictions over.. I have noticed that I do that too. Alcohol/coffee/chocolate... for me these are interchangeable. I give up coffee and find myself tippling, etc.. I find it easier to limit alcohol because I don't like feeling drunk, and although I enjoy a small amount, I wouldn't want to get tipsy every day.. However, there are no such barriers in the other two, so in ways they are worse for me. Unfortunately, I cannot drink alcohol and lose weight, so I need to be strict about cutting them all out.

[Kirsteen]

The author of this website, End Sugar Addiction, was recently interviewed by Jimmy Moore. She has many tips on her site and had praise for the OA approach. Much good info here:
http://endsugaraddiction.com/

Thanks for this link. I love Jimmy's podcasts, so I will listen to that..

Here's the link for the interview with Jill Escher:

http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/the-llvlc-show-episode-550-jill-escher-tells-sugar-addicts-to-say-farewell-club-permachub/13424

Incidentally, I listened to a fantastic podcast with Julia Ross, author of the Diet Cure and The Mood Cure. Julia is a psychologist dealing with addiction, and shares some tips which might be worth trying. This is well worth listening to:

http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/310/nutritional-psychologist-julia-ross-on-curing-carb-addiction-episode-266/

Other podcasts on the subject, which I haven't listened to yet are:

Pam Killeen Claims That Addiction Is The Hidden Epidemic:

http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/3549/pam-killeen-on-addiction-the-hidden-epidemic-episode-435/

Nutrition And Sugar Addiction Coach James Hahn II

http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/1702/nutrition-and-sugar-addiction-coach-james-hahn-ii-ep-343/

Also, Jimmy seems to love Karly Pitman, who shares her experiences with her own sugar addiction in a number of podcasts:

http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/?s=Karly+Pitman

I hope people might enjoy some of these. I love all Jimmy's podcasts, but particularly enjoyed the Julia Ross one.

[solarmom]

I used to call chocolate chip cookies "my heroin" because I never ate just 1, and they called to me from the freezer. Then when I gave up wheat, chocolate chips by the handful and vanilla ice cream filled the sugar gap. Looking back, it's been a very gradual progress for me to eat LCHF. When I was a kid I would drink sugar water after school, steal money from my parents to buy candy, and positively gorge myself if there was every a candy jar or dish of mints available. There is a history of alcoholism and drug addiction in my family, not to mention obesity. I do think these things go together. Here are my rules now (just coming off a slippery slope back down to handfuls of chocolate chips) I cannot have chocolate (even the 85% variety), but cocoa is OK. Too much artificial sweetener just makes me feel lousy, especially if it doesn't come along with a load of fat. In general, eating enough fat and staying really LC (induction veggies, occasional slice of strawberry, and minimal carbs from cream and cheese) keeps my sugar cravings at bay to a good degree, it's when I let the carbs creep up that all those old cravings come back and next thing I know I'm stuffing cookie dough and fresh cookies into my mouth and feeling horrible (both emotionally and physically). Not worth it!

[cpsnow]

I have been a lifelong sugar addict. Every day. Until I stopped cold turkey. I find Lustig convincing. Cravings are gone. But one more thing happened. I became certain that sugar is bad for me. I defined it as poison. Now I look at sugar, and I think "That is poison. It's toxic."

Rats find rat poison delicious. I'm done with sugar.

[kayekaye12]

Even reading this is making the monster roar. I too, can eat chocolate non stop, it's my heroin too. Any sugar laden product from candy to baked goods. Being full has nothing to do with the amount. I've always told my husband I can't have "just one" because it's like a drug addict only shooting up a little bit once. No one believes me. But I've been off all my "goodies" since last fall and I know it's bad for me.

[Kirsteen]

Thanks everyone for sharing.

Solarmom, it's pretty amazing that you have managed to keep your top weight to below 180 under the circumstances.

KayeKaye - I have the same issue with not even being able to read about certain things.. However, I have begun to notice a shift, after three years of low-carbing. I really think that the insulin monster is getting a bit more tame, so hang on in there, because it gets easier eventually.

Mio1996 - it sounds as if you just get your head down and use a routine to keep things ticking over, not allowing yourself to get hungry, which might cause stress or weakness - that's probably quite an important point.

Nancy.. Thanks for sharing about chromium supplementation.. Julia Ross mentioned both nutrition and supplements in her interview with Jimmy. I'll try and list her suggestions in a separate post at the end, and add yours in too, if it's different.

[Kirsteen]

I have been a lifelong sugar addict. Every day. Until I stopped cold turkey. I find Lustig convincing. Cravings are gone. But one more thing happened. I became certain that sugar is bad for me. I defined it as poison. Now I look at sugar, and I think "That is poison. It's toxic."

Rats find rat poison delicious. I'm done with sugar.

That is a powerful thought. :agree:

[Blackstone]

Hi Kirsteen - I'm glad you started this thread. I'm very worried about my family and the amount of sugar they eat. My daughter is 6 years old and eats so much sugar. :( And my husband is no help either. He's just as bad. It's in everything and everywhere. And I truly believe it is poison! I don't know what to do to change it. Going sugar free is a good start but for me, my next goal is to get away from all artificial sweeteners as well. Aspartame, sucralose, sweet n low etc...they are all evil. But they are such a part of our daily living, I find it hard to keep on course. I know people that eat very healthy natural diets and I so want to be that person and I want my family to follow suit. It really is so important but so difficult to overcome. It would take a radical life change.

To answer the original question, for me it has always been cold turkey. I do make a lowcarb dessert to have on hand but again, it has aspartame in it so I don't feel good about eating it either.

[aj_cohn]

My experience is much like solarmom's. When a dinner guest brought over 85% chocolate for dessert (she thought it would be OK for a low-carber), I felt a long-dormant part of me drool and heard it give an evil chuckle. We all ate part of the first bar for dessert, but that second bar — my preciousssssss — was mine, ALL MINE. It didn't last through the second day, and I went through withdrawal for the next two days.
So, I have to put myself in the "sugar is poison" camp.

But the problem is larger for me. Although the sugar cravings are quiet when they're not provoked, emotional eating, especially when I'm tired, is still a problem. This week for example ate 10-15 Tbs. of almond butter without pausing — three times. So, I won't be buying that again.

[Whofan]

Cold turkey for all forms of sugar and starch, including all alcohol and all fruit, for the first 6 weeks. There was no other way for me to break the sugar addiction. After 6 weeks I experimented with how much wine, berries, and 90% chocolate I could tolerate without inducing cravings and weight gain. The answer was not very much! I've over-done it with the wine and chocolate a few times in the past year and had to go cold turkey again immediately.

[Kirsteen]

Hi Kirsteen - I'm glad you started this thread. I'm very worried about my family and the amount of sugar they eat. My daughter is 6 years old and eats so much sugar. :( And my husband is no help either. He's just as bad. It's in everything and everywhere. And I truly believe it is poison! I don't know what to do to change it. Going sugar free is a good start but for me, my next goal is to get away from all artificial sweeteners as well. Aspartame, sucralose, sweet n low etc...they are all evil. But they are such a part of our daily living, I find it hard to keep on course. I know people that eat very healthy natural diets and I so want to be that person and I want my family to follow suit. It really is so important but so difficult to overcome. It would take a radical life change.

To answer the original question, for me it has always been cold turkey. I do make a lowcarb dessert to have on hand but again, it has aspartame in it so I don't feel good about eating it either.

It's great that you want to be a better parent. I think you should go for it, and don't let the way you and your husband eat influence the way you treat her. If you were sitting chugging back alcohol and smoking, you'd not give those to her.. Perhaps you could view sugar the same way. The two of you can eat sugar or poisonous artificial sweeteners every day, but you don't need to give them to her. You can explain properly to her that it is addictive and poisonous, and that you are hooked and it has caused you to be overweight and miserable all your life. As a result, you want better for her, and so you want her making healthier choices and avoiding sugar which will ruin her metabolism and spoil her teeth. That way, she understands that you are doing it because you care. I'm not saying that she can't occasionally enjoy something sweet, but that at her age, she shouldn't be allowed free access to sugary stuff, and you can control how much of it she gets at home. Even better would be if you could just not have stuff like that in the house, if your husband would agree to it.

I don't have children myself, but my parents were quite strict about our sugar intake. Here's what they did:

My mother was always telling us that sugar is a poison, and my parents strictly monitored the amount of sugar/junk food we consumed. Chocolate, crisps (chips), ice cream and fizzy juice were simply never kept in the house. They were occasional treats, bought specially and shared - one small bar of chocolate would be shared between six of us over two evenings - one piece each. We'd all share an occasional small bottle of pop, sometimes made into ice-cream sodas - there was usually some left, but we were not allowed to help ourselves to it. A choc ice or one scoop ice-cream cone was a special summer evening treat, but if we wanted a nougat wafer or a chocolate flake in the cone, that was fine too - it just wasn't assumed that we'd want the larger or more fattening choice. At Christmas and Easter, my mother would keep any sugary gifts, and allow us a moderate amount every day, at the end of a meal, like a dessert, until they were finished. She baked sweet things as occasional treats, but any desserts were fruit/dairy based, such as fruit crumble with milk, stewed rhubarb with custard made with very little sugar, fruit and/or live yoghurt. My mum did buy biscuits (cookies) but they were kept out of our reach, and by the time we were old enough to reach them, we kinda knew the rules, as far as when/how many were acceptable. Also, it was only plainish biscuits(cookies) which were stored there. The chocolate biscuits were hidden by my mother, and still are - my boyfriend found them one time we were visiting recently, lol. Even when I was going to a party, before I left, my mother would tell me that before I ate the cakes, I had to eat a sandwich. This, coupled with the way I had been taught to politely eat, usually mean that the other children would have guzzled the best cakes and left the table while I was still finishing my sandwich, lol.

My mother read all the food labels, and explained from when we were tiny that sugar was a poison, and which foods were healthier. We weren't given pocket money to spend on what we wanted - we explained what we wanted to buy, and were given the amount requested. The only thing that was denied was sweets: I was sometimes allowed them, but other times, my mother would explain it was near a mealtime, or suggest a healthier snack from the fridge. I never felt deprived by her saying that, and I never resented it. It felt like care to me. Often you do want something sugary if your blood sugar has fallen a bit low, but having a wholemeal cheese sandwich or a wholemeal biscuit with peanut butter is a far healthier option.

A friend of mine who was obese was allowed any money she asked for, without explaining what it was for, so she'd buy pop, chocolate and anything else she fancied in large quantities every day. Although the sight of all the fizzy juice and sweets in her bedroom was like untold riches to my eyes, at a vague level, even though I was only about 8 or 9 at the time, I realised that although her parents meant to be kind, it seemed to be a form of laziness.. They'd be sitting watching the TV, and she could get a large money bill from them on request immediately, to spend on whatever she wanted - she never had to explain what it was for. My parents had little spare money, but dad built a caravan to take us on holidays, he built a swing in the garden, he'd play with me, allow me to "help" him in the garage workshop. As a family, we went on picnics, swimming, skating, go-carting, walking, evening quizzes at home, and much more, mostly organised by my dad. The quality time we shared together are really precious memories. He wasn't perfect, by any means, but for me at least, he was the perfect parent, because he always made me feel loved, he always had a smile, joke and a wink, and he always gave me hugs and attention. Even the occasional sweets he'd bring home in his pocket were extra-special, because he'd hide them, and drop hints, with his face lit up with pleasure at the sight of our excitement - jumping up and down and running to find them - a small 4oz bag to be shared between the family.

Your daughter is only six, and the world has changed now. There is a lot more social pressure on obese teens, and some develop eating disorders and anorexia.

I hope maybe my description of my parents' style might give you some ideas. I also hope that you won't feel patronised.. but I always feel I can learn different things from other people's lives. I watch a lot of reality TV shows to try to develop myself and learn from other people's strengths.

[kayekaye12]

Even though I ate a lot of sugar before, I never let my daughter eat any or have any pop (soda) in the house till she was about 4th grade for candy and 7th grade for pop. She is now 22 and is very thin naturally, doesn't overeat and isn't drawn to sweets but when she has some they are the hard candy very sweet so she eats only one or two. She hates chocolate and doesn't like pop or ice cream, or pie now. Amazing.

Yesterday, my husband found our favorite rum caramels, made at one place hard to find. He bought them and I ate one even though I knew I was making a LC cheesecake. The second one I split with him, that was a first, usually I could eat the whole box in one day. It didn't set off any cravings either. But I told him again the heroin comparison and he said he wouldn't do it again. Danger.

[Kirsteen]

Even though I ate a lot of sugar before, I never let my daughter eat any or have any pop (soda) in the house till she was about 4th grade for candy and 7th grade for pop. She is now 22 and is very thin naturally, doesn't overeat and isn't drawn to sweets but when she has some they are the hard candy very sweet so she eats only one or two. She hates chocolate and doesn't like pop or ice cream, or pie now. Amazing.

Yesterday, my husband found our favorite rum caramels, made at one place hard to find. He bought them and I ate one even though I knew I was making a LC cheesecake. The second one I split with him, that was a first, usually I could eat the whole box in one day. It didn't set off any cravings either. But I told him again the heroin comparison and he said he wouldn't do it again. Danger.

That's great about your daughter, and also that you can stop at one now. I still could not have one bite of chocolate. I bought an egg at Easter for my boyfriend, but I didn't taste it, otherwise I'd have eaten the whole thing, even if I had to fight him for it, lol.

I think it's really hard when someone else buys you a present. I have gone through that with people at times.. and actually had to get quite aggressive trying to explain how I feel guilty not eating them if they have bought them for me. My boyfriend "gets" it now.. He's really supportive of my diet now, particularly after I took a few weeks break last Christmas and couldn't manage back to the diet for three months. He saw what a struggle it was in the end to get back again, and he agreed to support and encourage me with getting back on track.. And I don't have a sugar addiction, as such. I just have wonky blood-sugar control, making it difficult to control my eating of carbs.

[Kirsteen]

My experience is much like solarmom's. When a dinner guest brought over 85% chocolate for dessert (she thought it would be OK for a low-carber), I felt a long-dormant part of me drool and heard it give an evil chuckle. We all ate part of the first bar for dessert, but that second bar — my preciousssssss — was mine, ALL MINE. It didn't last through the second day, and I went through withdrawal for the next two days.
So, I have to put myself in the "sugar is poison" camp.

But the problem is larger for me. Although the sugar cravings are quiet when they're not provoked, emotional eating, especially when I'm tired, is still a problem. This week for example ate 10-15 Tbs. of almond butter without pausing — three times. So, I won't be buying that again.

Ooooh - I know that evil chuckle, lol. I now give away food left-overs to dinner guests when they leave, but it's a bit more difficult when they've brought it for you. I'd be the same with dark chocolate - it'd be gone two hours after the guests left.

Interesting that being tired brings on cravings for you. I have a really horrible illness, and during my particularly bad days, I really, really crave chocolate. It seems to have something that revives me, more than just the immediate distraction and the effect of the caffeine. I should try cocoa powder melted in butter. That might work better, without me going so mad.

[Kirsteen]

The author of this website, End Sugar Addiction, was recently interviewed by Jimmy Moore. She has many tips on her site and had praise for the OA approach. Much good info here:
http://endsugaraddiction.com/

I listened to Jill Escher's podcast with Jimmy. She was so buoyant and speaking from a personal experience as an addict. I looked up the OverEaters Anonymous link she mentioned.

http://www.oalaig.org/speakers-podcasts/oa-speakers.html

There were great personal stories there. The top one in The Classic Virtual Speakers' Bureau by Terryl B, was so amusing - by someone who had almost lost their eyesight because of the sugar intake. He'd been sugar and flour free for 25 years, and still considered it a daily discipline. It reminded me of the lady in the States who was killing herself by drinking fizzy juice. She said she didn't want to change - she was ready to die, and happy drinking her pop. Her sole carer was her 15 year old daughter. Listening to Terryl helped me to have a better understanding of where that lady was coming from with that.

Thanks very much for sharing that link to Jill's site. She has good ideas there: here's a link to 20 snacks a former sugar addict can love:

http://endsugaraddiction.com/2012/02/20-snacks-a-former-sugar-addict-can-love/

[Blackstone]

Kristeen - It sounds like you grew up in a very loving environment. Your parents sound like the treated you very well indeed. :) I welcome your advice and perspective. Thanks so much for taking the time to share that with me. Amber

[Kirsteen]

Thanks, Amber. I am glad you weren't offended. I know that my parents were quite unusual in their interest in our health, so that's why I thought some of their techniques might be useful to you. I hope I'd use similar strategies if I had children.

[Seejay]

Hi Kirsteen - I'm glad you started this thread. I'm very worried about my family and the amount of sugar they eat. My daughter is 6 years old and eats so much sugar. :( And my husband is no help either. He's just as bad. It's in everything and everywhere. And I truly believe it is poison! I don't know what to do to change it. Going sugar free is a good start but for me, my next goal is to get away from all artificial sweeteners as well. Aspartame, sucralose, sweet n low etc...they are all evil. But they are such a part of our daily living, I find it hard to keep on course. I know people that eat very healthy natural diets and I so want to be that person and I want my family to follow suit. It really is so important but so difficult to overcome. It would take a radical life change.There is a book called "Little Sugar Addicts" by Kathleen DesMaisons that has a ton of info about changing family habits. I know several families personally who have turned things around with these techniques. It gets really fun too - the whole family gets to decide on the changes, with the parents directing of course.

[charlene1]

I love reading all of your stories. Personally, I can't keep any 'forbidden' food in the house at all. Not at all. I'm fine most of the day, but when I get home I am usually starting to get very hungry (which is a dangerous time!) so I make sure to eat some lunchmeats and cheese to tame the beast. If I find out that there are any sweets in the house, it will be on my mind all night. It's kndof like if an alcoholic finds out that there's beer in the fridge. I have almost zero self-control. Cold turkey (sometimes literally)works best for me.

[Blackstone]

SeeJay - Thanks!!! I'll order it right now. Amber

[solarmom]

Thanks everyone for sharing.

Solarmom, it's pretty amazing that you have managed to keep your top weight to below 180 under the circumstances.

Hi Kirsteen, I guess I should put a top weight of 202 or so (what I weighed after my first 2 pregnancies), but my average adult weight has probably been 183, that's where I was before I gave up wheat in Dec 2010. Then I lost 20lbs, and promptly gained back 15 due to carb creep (and just delusional thinking about what I could "get away with"), bringing me to my starting weight this go round of 178.

I think perhaps the reason I never got heavier, despite being absolutely addicted to chocolate chip cookies and baking lots of bread and other goodies, is where my weight is distributed. I'm decidedly mesomorphic, with more weight in my lower half. I figure my considerable "assets" were all that kept me from early diabetes considering how wonky my blood sugars have always been. Fat in the lower body has a different metabolism/action than visceral fat, right?

[solarmom]

I think the tiredness/chocolate thing is an evil downwards spiral! Feel tired, eat chocolate, start slipping down the slope, eat more chocolate, get more tired...
When I was tracking my intake on Fitday I noticed that on the days I didn't get enough sleep I ate about 400 more calories than on the days I was well rested. Not that I usually succumbed to the actual chocolate, but cocoa enhanced whipped cream is my next best. What I find about eating low carb is that I'm more honestly tired, my tiredness doesn't come from a sugar crash anymore. If I'm tired, I need a nap, end of story. Back in the bad old days I'd grab a handful of chocolate chips or some other sugary treat and I'd get the sugar rush that would tide me over. Now that I'm ketoadapted, the carbs don't really have the same effect, and I'm so sensitive to caffeine that even a large diet coke will practically make me jump out of my skin, so coffee is out. Now of course I usually have a lot more energy than I did before LCHF, so this isn't as much of an issue, but it is an interesting change that came along with LCHF for me.
I also struggle with emotional eating, mostly when I'm just avoiding doing what I know I should do - I'm pretty lazy sometimes, although that too has improved with LCHF because now I just have more energy. If I slide far enough down into the carb pit I get so anxious I'm emotionally paralyzed, which looks like depression and laziness.
If I'm lacking energy, but I'm getting enough sleep (not honestly tired) and not too many carbs I look at my fat intake. Protein without enough fat just doesn't work.
I'm really so thankful for steady blood sugar and energy levels. I have been known to say "So this is what it feels like to be normal!" Sugar binges and crashes pretty much ruled my life for years, and the resulting anxiety (not diagnosed, low grade and always there) was not how I wanted to live - and now I don't have to, I know the secret!

[bambi501]

Hi everybody. I have Diabetes II and have been a total sugar addict.
I also grew up in an alcoholic home and I know the drug of choice was sugar for me.

I "dieted" my way to being over 100 lbs overweight. Sadly, I started with only 20 lbs to lose, 30 years ago and over the years tried just about every diet ever created!

Finally at 50, decided no more diets. Lost 25 lbs a year over 3 years. Then almost 2 years ago found out I had DII. The damage had been done but was lucky that it was caught early and no damage to my body, well ,except my pancreas. First 11 months, followed SAD, which did not work, and research led me to Atkins.

Low carb made my health improve tremendously. Even off one of the two oral meds I was put on. But I am losing VERY slowly.

But the last two months have been extremely stressful. Personal and work stress and what do I want to do but eat everything and anything made with sugar. The cravings have been horrible.

I have given in to too much fruit, Atkins bars, and have even given in to sugar items a few times. The only thing that has kept me from going on an all out binge is that I am terrified what it will do to me. I am back to induction and have more control but had to cut them all out. The first few days were very difficult.

Yes, I am def a sugar addict. I too believe it is poison but I still want it when I don't know how to cope. I don't think I will ever be one of those people who low carb and look at something high sugar and think "yuck." Thanks for the links.

Thanks for starting this thread. For now, coping a day at a time.

[CMCM]

Sugar is the ***challenge*** of my existence. Controlling sugar, I mean! The least amount can set me off on binges, I've seen that over and over. The only thing that works for me is cold turkey, leave it alone, don't have any in the house. I can go long periods that way, and can even handle it if I limit it to very occasional tastes only when out somewhere, in a small amount. I dare not bring any home or it calls my name incessantly and I always lose the battle of resisting it.

[Kirsteen]

Hi everybody. I have Diabetes II and have been a total sugar addict.
I also grew up in an alcoholic home and I know the drug of choice was sugar for me.

I "dieted" my way to being over 100 lbs overweight. Sadly, I started with only 20 lbs to lose, 30 years ago and over the years tried just about every diet ever created!

Finally at 50, decided no more diets. Lost 25 lbs a year over 3 years. Then almost 2 years ago found out I had DII. The damage had been done but was lucky that it was caught early and no damage to my body. First 11 months, followed SAD, which did not work, and research led me to Atkins.

Low carb made my health improve tremendously. Even off one of the two oral meds I was put on. But I am losing VERY slowly.

But the last two months have been extremely stressful. Personal and work stress and what do I want to do but eat everything and anything made with sugar. The cravings have been horrible.

I have given in to too much fruit, Atkins bars, and have even given in to sugar items a few times. The only thing that has kept me from going on an all out binge is that I am terrified what it will do to me. I am back to induction and have more control but had to cut them all out. The first few days were very difficult.

Yes, I am def a sugar addict. I too believe it is poison but I still want it when I don't know how to cope. I don't think I will ever be one of those people who low carb and look at something high sugar and think "yuck." Thanks for the links.

Thanks for starting this thread. For now, coping a day at a time.

I'm really glad that you have it under control. Like you, I have to strictly limit the carbs in any form, and sticking close to induction carbs works for me. I have found that my tastes have changed over time, so the diet has got easier.

Listening to the speakers on the Overeaters Anonymous site was interesting to me because they all identify the foods which lead to binging and they stop eating those, or they limit them. They refer to them as their "abstinence". Some were having to eliminate any sugar, flour and alcohol, for example, and most of the speakers seemed to be on a low-carb diet. A sizeable proportion also went to Alcoholics Anonymous, because stopping the food can often lead to substituting alcohol. People on this site talk about trigger foods. My worst trigger "food" is coffee, and coffee is my "abstinence". I allow myself an occasional cup if I am out somewhere and others are tucking into cakes etc., but I never drink it at home now because it is a doorway to other things.

I have never thought of myself as a binge eater, or having a sugar addiction, but in fact, all my life, I have never had biscuits (cookies) in the house, because if I eat one, I will finish the packet. If I buy several packets to offer to a group of visitors, I will finish any open packets after the visitors leave. Foods "call to me", as CMCM put so well. Listening to the AO podcasts, I found myself alternately wishing that I belonged to such a supportive group, knowing I didn't have the strength to offer to be an ongoing support for someone else, and feeling an overwhelming emotion and panic at the thought of standing up and "owning" to being a compulsive over-eater. I don't know where the overwhelming emotion came from - relief at admitting it? Or the feeling that I am lying, because I am not a regular binger, and perhaps finishing a bar of chocolate isn't really a binge? Who knows.. I have decided that if I find that I cannot maintain my weight once I get to goal as a direct result of over-eating the wrong foods, then I will go along to one of these meetings myself, and admit that I have a problem.

[Kirsteen]

Sugar is the ***challenge*** of my existence. Controlling sugar, I mean! The least amount can set me off on binges, I've seen that over and over. The only thing that works for me is cold turkey, leave it alone, don't have any in the house. I can go long periods that way, and can even handle it if I limit it to very occasional tastes only when out somewhere, in a small amount. I dare not bring any home or it calls my name incessantly and I always lose the battle of resisting it.

It must be horrible to be addicted to something which is so pervasive throughout our diet. It sneaks in so many places, and hides in innocent looking foods. Plus, as you say - it's seductive.. whispering your name in the quiet times, calling to you appealingly if you miss a meal, and doing merry dances across the floor in time to TV ads. Grrrr.

[crunchman]

I was what most would consider a hopeless alcoholic.I used to wake up shaking so profusely I needed a straw for my first few.
I needed valium to prevent seizures of which I had many, but I was able to quit drinking, then smoking and now I have to deal with sugar, I think it just takes practice and a good motivating factor !!

[Kirsteen]

I was what most would consider a hopeless alcoholic.I used to wake up shaking so profusely I needed a straw for my first few.
I needed valium to prevent seizures of which I had many, but I was able to quit drinking, then smoking and now I have to deal with sugar, I think it just takes practice and a good motivating factor !!


Wow! What an achievement. You must be really proud. If you can do that, you can do anything. What's next??

[WereBear]

We had a box of individually packaged oyster crackers brought into the break room; and you'd think it was something both delicious and exotic. People kept snagging more bags; talking about it; exclaiming over it. It's flour and water and a bit of salt and malt! Yet everyone else acted like it was Nectar of the Gods.

It's not because it's delicious. It's because wheat is addictive.

Sugar is the same way. When I got a paper route at 12, my reward at the end of the awful and arduous collection process was to blow some money on straight sugar candy. That was my drug; and everyone smiled, because of course kids like candy!

It's not the package that makes the drug. It's the effect.