Sugar addiction taking over my life.

I agree with the others that making small changes is probably best. You end up going back to the crisps and chocolates because you're removing them completely but you're likely not replacing them with something you like. As such, your diet becomes a punishment rather than a change, and going back to the crisps and chocolate is a release from that punishment.

Cut down on the snacks as much as possible. Like Jaykhunter said, maybe for the first few weeks just space them out more, or reduce the quantity. Then try introducing healthier snacks you do like to fill that gap. Your breakfast is a yoghurt, crisps and bars. Maybe find something more filling than just the yoghurt (is there any cereal you like for example), and cut down on the crisps/bars. Same for your other meals. Slowly introduce something better you enjoy to replace a portion of the crisps/bars. Every 2-3 weeks, increase the healthy food and reduce the snacks. Myfitnesspal as jkh recommended is fantastic, and after using it truthfully and honestly for a few weeks you'll see where you can make proper changes, and Slimming World could be a great way to meet people in the same boat and see the progress they've made, get advice from them and the group as a whole, and give you an accountability to keep pushing forward.

When it comes to dinner, again, small changes. Try ditch the takeaways as much as possible. When it comes to cooking, find healthy versions of foods you like. It might mean using a low fat ingredient here and there, or having a smaller portion size, but it doesn't have to be all in one go. Start slow and every few weeks, reduce your typical portion size of the meals you like or add in a different healthy alternative ingredient. I particularly recommend the BBC Good Food website for recipes. Some amazing low calorie recipes on there for lots of different types of meals.

It's an important thing to always enjoy the food you're eating. If you're trying to replace the snacks with stuff you don't like but is healthy, it's going to be a lot harder to stick with it. But there are loads of delicious, healthy snack alternatives out there.

I'm pretty much in the same boat as jaykhunter, in that I've lost just over 4 stone and I still have about another 4 stone to go. I've been right where you are, bingeing on pure sh*te, hating how I looked and felt all the time. But since I started losing weight, I feel and look so much better, I'm enjoying almost all the food I'm eating and the weight is falling off me. A few months ago I could have been having a chicken fillet roll, bag of crisps and maybe even 4 chocolate bars for lunch. Now I'm about to tuck into a salmon and prawn salad I made myself. Months ago for dinner, I might have just had peanut butter sandwiches and more bars and crisps for dinner. Tonight I'll be having a lovely homemade thai green chicken curry. And I fully enjoy what I'm eating now more than all the crisps and bars, to the point where I don't crave that stuff any more. I want to eat the foods I'm eating now. But that change doesn't happen overnight. The sugar in the snacks/bars/crisps is giving you a temporary high, but once you push past those cravings and start losing weight, you won't crave them as much because you'll have a more consistent high from how much more energy you'll have, and how you'll be losing weight, looking better etc.

Work up to it slowly, focus on making small changes. Maybe focus on changing one meal a little bit each week (eg. change your breakfast a little this week, lunch the following week etc). Be honest and truthful on myfitnesspal. And just remember, the craving for sugar/sweet stuff will always pass. Ignore it and it'll pass.

There's a lot of support on the forum here and like jayk, if you ever want to send me a private message, I'd be happy to give any advice I can. You can do it. You really can. It's about doing it right. Extreme measures like just quitting cold turkey can be a lot harder to deal with and stay consistent with. Keep focusing on smaller changes, piece by piece.

I think you should get some specialised help from a specially trained therapist e.g. the Rutland centre.

Hi, the first thing to begin believing is not everyone has the willpower to overcome problems with food. Our bodies have incredibly powerful systems for food seeking behaviours and these can go into overdrive for SOME people because of trauma, environmental factors or repeated behaviors.
The truth is that ten to twenty percent of people who are obese will never be able to lose weight permanently without some kind of medical intervention. Please go and see an obesity specialist/ endocrinologist and see what they say. We have at least one world renowned expert in morbid obesity in Ireland. There are emerging treatments for obesity that could literally change your life.
Parts of our stomach generate craving/hunger hormones: for some, no amount of willpower will overcome these cravings.
Please don’t blame yourself for this, no matter what criticism or prejudice people might visit on you. Your issue is complex and as a highly qualified psychotherapist and psychologist I can tell you: it isn’t your fault and sometimes no amount of therapy is going to help, but there are medical interventions that can make a difference. Be kind to yourself and best of luck, I hope you find a solution.
If you do continue with the nutrition route, I’d agree what was said above and to add to this I would say protein, protein, protein plus water may help. You need to be consistent with your eating habits if this route is to make a difference, it’s like having another job if you are able to committ fully to managing your nutrition (stress and poor sleep can derail any nutrition effort but keep recommitting if you fall off the wagon and accept your wonderful self!)

Finiardo wrote: »

Hi, the first thing to begin believing is not...........

i agree with you post but just to add you can retrain/ get rid of cravings. nobody has to think they will have the same cravings for pizza, crisps or other junk food for the next 40 years of their life from their current position.

Finiardo wrote: »

I partly agree with you also, but I’m sorry: it’s a scientific fact that some (not all) people can battle with cravings all their life up to the point of dying from weight-related issues. Yes, some can overcome these cravings with various interventions but a percentage of people have what is known as a “rising set point “ for gaining weight, and willpower will not overcome this. People who are able to control their weight and are “positive thinkers” often think there is something wrong with the willpower or motivation of obese people: there is as in some cases the physical urges will always overcome the intention. We have to get away from the view that the problem is willpower or behavior or “make a few small changes and it will work”: for some people this will never work.
Truthfully, the view that everyone can manage their cravings with small changes is not going to be true for some. After a certain amount of therapy SOME people should seek medical help.
I’m not saying that people should forget behavioral or therapeutic interventions, they can be an important step along the way to recovery, but these don’t work for everyone and there are other interventions emerging from the medical field, including medication and surgery.

in fairness though weight reduction strategies overwhelmingly rely on "eat less move more" which for some people is essentially like a a low cocaine diet so compliance can be an issue. for someone like the op i would look for something more radical like go zero carb for a month say and slowly reintroduce carbs from whole foods, green veg that sort of thing. You suggested a lot of protein which seems fine, a month or 2 of that and the op's body would start adapting and they would notice their cravings dropping. it is true it would be tough at the start because the digestive system is an organ of sorts and "it" does send out signals if deprived of its precious sugar but that doesnt last.

Finiardo wrote: »

It doesn’t last, for some people. For others, it never goes away. It’s science, not willpower or behaviour, for some.

science doesnt have everything figured out, i tend to respect a researcher that says they dont know it all. i just wouldnt be so gloomy to say there isnt a path for everyone out there, with the proviso that some people actively dont want to help themselves. Willpower shouldnt have to be that important, if a particular strategy is wearing you down, find a new one or you will fail

Gave up sugar last year. Fizzy drinks bars sweets etc. Was hard and i got terrible headaches for a few weeks. Found it easier when i always had water to hand. Get a pang for something sweet id drink a litre of water fill me right up. Might help might not.

Best of luck.

I'd suggest a regular therapist OP. These things often have huge emotional drive behind them. If you are addicted as you say, it will be really hard to come off it and talking to someone about the stuff that will bubble up would help.

I reduced my 'sugar' alot a while ago. It helped to replace it with other stuff that was sweet but better like fruits..
However What helped me alot was actually bettering my life style. It just had lots of minor knock on effects that cumulatively worked out great.

I joined some exercise classes, the gym, made some friends of similar persuasion. Heck even a couple of more lazy people in my job are now starting the couch to 5k because i keep showing up telling them about the progress and healthy im finding. Now we help support each other. Social support is awesome support for it. I realized that when there are voids in my life, unhealthy habits creep in for quick pleasure bursts. I need to cultivate healthy living through all my environment to keep it on track. Friends, social life, work, exercise, hobbies, home etc.

As different parts of my life improved, different parts were boosted by those things. eg: I work out in the gym.. when i get back.. I gotta take protein shakes.. If i take the protein shake.. I am FAR less likely to crave sweets... and far less likely to want to do anything that gets in the way of my progress.

Some diet drinks might help you quench some sweet craving for a while. There are also these things called Miracle Berries on amazon. They make regular fruit SUPER sweet for about 10 minutes.. so its not extra sugar, but tastes like it.

I'd suggest listing all your sugar intakes for a few days.. Then just aim to reduce it by even 20% each week. Thats your goal. 20% of whatever remains each week. You can definitely do that, and it will be a massive reduction in a few weeks.
Throw some healthy habits into that tire your body out and you will sleep like a baby which also has been proven to reduce sugar craving.

Hope some of this helps OP

Agree with myfittnesspal idea , do this and track everything you eat for one week without any changes then sit down and review your diet over a week and you will see exactly how many calories you are spending on sweets , sugar and drinks then makes adjustments to it.

Look , for most people in your situation cold turkey is not realistic so set achievable goals but make sure you stick with them , small changes can be made that you won't notice a major difference from and as you go and see benefits it will urge you on to make further adjustments - one thing is for sure though only you can make the changes and lying to yourself will produce no results, you cann't outrun a bad diet and your body cannot outrun a good one in terms of weight loss.

Sugar Drinks - Swap full calories for none like 7up free , diet coke , pepsi max - there honestly is not a huge difference in these (Do this and you could savings a few hundred calories a day)

Sweets - Opt for low calorie options there are plenty in the supermarket these days and some are really nice, I like the Fibre on bars 90 calories per par as opposed to 250 - 300. - Nuts , dried fruit etc loads and loads of options

NanaBanana wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm a student nutritional therapist and new to this forum. Loved reading through the forum - some great tips and recommendations given.

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I could be wrong but I dont think posts like this are allowed....and you have posted the same thing in about 5 forums