Sugar Possessed

[YoungMedic]

I'm working on reducing my sugar intake.

 

I'll do pretty well until someone brings me sugar (coworker brings donuts to work, classmate bakes me cookies, lab partner has ice cream she doesn't want to eat and offers to me and Sunday night potlucks). It's not like I look at and say "oh I shouldn't eat this" and eat it anyway, I don't think at all. I forget I'm trying to limit my sugar intake, I forget that I'm overweight and need to cut this. It's like I'm being possessed or hypnotized. All I can think about is eating that sugar until it's gone, and once I do, I feel horrible. 

 

Does anybody else go through something like this? If so, what do you do when external forces and internal demons override even your best planning?

If I have overlooked a forum that has discussed this previously, please direct me to it!

 

[AwkwardOwl]

Yup, this is the story of my sugar intake as well.  I'll do well until I get to work (which is a toxic, depressing environment with free candy) and then I become possessed and I have a very difficult - if not impossible - time stopping consuming a ton of candy.  I'm not sure that I have any advice, per say, but having healthy sweet treats (Larabars) helped some (until I ate them all....).  I've also been trying to add honey to my tea to curb cravings but that hasn't been helping either.  

 

You're not alone in your struggles!  I'm curious to see how other people have reduced their intake.

[eden_fire]

Yup, sugar has this effect on most people, I think. Our brains are hard-wired to seek it out and the feelings of pleasure and energy that we get from consuming it serve to further reinforce it's addictive qualities. And the more you eat, the more you crave. It's easy to start each day with good intentions, but those good intentions don't stand a chance when temptation arises. It's like all the reasons that once seemed so iron-clad and indisputable for cutting back on sugar evaporate in an instant, as if our brains have found a way to rationalize giving in. Of course, the food industry isn't helping things at all either....sugar, in some form or another, is in practically EVERYTHING.

 

I wish I had some great tips for you, but I don't really. Cutting back on sugar is one of the most difficult dietary changes you'll make. Some people have to go cold-turkey, others (like myself) find more success by slowly weaning themselves off it. Learning about the effect sugar has on your body, physiologically speaking, is helpful because when you understand the harm that you're doing to your body and the glycemic load of certain foods, it can be easier to say no. Reading books on diabetes changed the way I look at sugar. My only suggestion would be to share your goals to cut back on sugar with those well-meaning people that are unintentionally undermining your efforts. Go public in your circle of friends and family with your new way of eating and ask them for their support!  

[Harleytrypp]

if this helps, I have been practicing "mindful eating" recently.. before putting any food in my mouth, I have been asking myself, do I really want this?  Is it healthy?  Can I replace it, or delay for something better or more healthy later?  consider these questions for at least 5 minutes.  If the answer is still yes I want it... I eat it, but often I find by thinking hard about it, I'll pass.  It is a discipline that requires practice.

[dncahn206]

I have been a candy eating beast lately!  Hard times at work certainly don't help.

 

What's worked in the past was 2 things:

 

- slowly realizing that if I can deal with the cravings, and just accept them and ride them out they will subside.

- and that if I do eat sweets, that doesn't mean I need to keep eating it!

 

I'm not in this state of mind now at all, but I have seen the other side of thing where I don't crave it.  It takes real work to get there but it is worth it. 

[driscool]

one thing that worked for me when I was cutting weight ahead of a race a couple of years ago was taking a photo of everyhing I was going to eat. Ot kind of made the decision to eat something more thought through and real, and helped me not to eat mindlessly. I also fpund that cutting one habitual sugar source (in my case, sugar in my coffee) helped me cut cravings considerably.

 

However all that was a couple of years ago and I have now put a lot of the weight back on. I let my guard down and sugar pulled me back in.