Sugar Addiction

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This topic has 8 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 10 months ago by Marleen.

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November 22, 2014 at 4:53 pm #68257

Sam
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Hoping someone here can help!

For the past few years I’ve been more aware of my eating habits (what I put in my body, cooking more, etc) and along with working out, I’ve felt a lot healthier. The problem is that I think I have a serious sugar addiction. I don’t eat a ton of processed food and cook almost all of my meals (I live by myself which helps a lot – no one to tempt me!). But I’m an emotional eater so whenever I feel sad or stressed I will run to the store or vending machine to find something to comfort me. And I ALWAYS feel sick afterwards. I’ve spent so much time researching sugar addiction and on multiple occasions have gone through my entire kitchen and thrown away everything with refined sugar. But I always “relapse” and I don’t know what to do.

I recently gave up alcohol and I’d like to do the same with refined sugar but it’s proving to be really hard. Anyone have any advice?

November 23, 2014 at 1:11 am #68265

Ness C
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If I were you, come up with a healthy eating plan. Whenever you need something to snack on, eat grapes, apple slices, etc. (fruits) instead of going for junk food. I know how you feel b/c I can get into a sugar craze at times. A few days with my fruit snacks (no pun intended) can help straighten everything out. You may also want to drink some lemon water too for awhile. You may have a candida overload going on and not even know it. Hence the cravings as that’s what an overload of candida will do to you.

November 24, 2014 at 1:05 am #68314

Janice
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Hey Bren, I think the problem may not be so much a physical addiction but rather a psychological/emotional conditioning. You feel stressed or sad and seek to still that pain by eating sweet food. If you can learn to accept and be with the stress without the need to get rid of it, you can weaken the conditioning between stress and food. It’s not easy and it takes time, but if you bring kindness towards yourself every time this happens, you can do it.
All the best.

November 25, 2014 at 11:20 pm #68412

popi
Participant

hello bren,
we all have little addictions,i have with salt in general,and specially junk,bread,and chips.
in fact all these are not addictions,but habits which get stronger and stronger all these years.
we used to eat them,we like these particular foods,and we called them addictions.
one thing you must believe first,is that you CAN do it,you can stop eating sugar and that it’s easy
if you take the decision to do it.
emotuonal hunger comes instantly but real hunger has classifications,
for example you think that you want to eat a bar of chocolate and this thought comes suddenly, and there are many why’s….
maybe because your mind wants to slang.
if you feel emotionally empty
if you feel that you don’t managed your life well and you have plenty of things to do and they’re waiting for you
if you had a divorce etc etc
or simply if you created this urge/habit by yourself,many years ago,and this is now difficult to let go.
you have to find the reasons that you eat chocolate emotionally and usually.
cover up your insecurities or your fears or emotional emptiness, try to replace them with other good emotions or actions and not with sugar.
because sugar except of can cause you health problems,can’t solve your problems.
thanks,good luck.

June 3, 2015 at 8:11 am #77658

Olga Kivaeva Vennik
Participant

Every addiction always starts with the mind before our body gets hooked. Another thing is that we are creatures of habits.
Because of that I strongly believe that if we want to change a habit, the way towards a permanent change is to add a new healthy habit little by little, instead of going completely cold turkey with the old unhealthy one. That way our mind will not start to protest and the transition will become smooth.

F.ex.: Instead of cutting out all of the sugary products at once, try to add a little bit more of fruits and berries in your diet. Let your mind and body get used to the change. Then a little bit more. If you love chocolate – try to gently switch to dark chocolate.
Your mind and body will automatically follow the new direction, and you will avoid emotional turbulance that usually comes if you cut it all out at the same time.

It seems to me that you are pretty aware of what you want to change in your life, and that is one powerful first step you got right there! Congratulations, you’re on your way to success! 🙂

June 3, 2015 at 8:37 am #77659
Chaya
Participant
Hi Bren,

I so completely relate to being addicted to sugar (and other substances). I experienced the same things you described, and I strongly recommend researching Overeaters Anonymous.

Regards,
- This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Chaya.
June 5, 2015 at 6:53 am #77761

Jim
Participant

Hi Bren. I believe Janice and Olgak are one the right track. When we have strong emotion turmoil going on, we find something that numbs the pain, makes us feel better, then we do it excessively. It can be drugs, alcohol, food, work, sex, ect. Thats how addictions start. The problem is, its only a temporary fix. It sounds like you have made some positive changes already with the exercise and cutting out alcohol. Don’t be too hard on yourself and take it one step at a time. Good luck!!

June 8, 2015 at 5:26 am #77852

Stephanie
Participant

I read a good tip that’s helped me too, somewhat: Wait 10 minutes after your craving to act on it. When you feel a sugar need, commit to waiting that full 10 minutes before having it. The idea is that during your 10 minute wait you’re more at ease (because sugar is on the way! yahoo!) and you can have that calm internal talk of “Wait, do I really need this?” and hopefully after the 10 minutes you don’t want it as much anymore and are able to pass it up.

When I feel an emotional binge coming on (all the time) I try to tell myself “This is not your body expressing a need for nutrition, this is your mind desiring comfort. It will not find it in ________ (insert food name)” and right there I try to battle through my emotions, no matter how difficult, to put my mind back at ease and let the craving die down.

June 12, 2015 at 4:43 pm #78140

Marleen
Participant

Hello. ! I understand that you binge when you get emotional but you must start with the root of the problem , why am I doing this all the time ? How I can I avoid doing his ? Who can I go for help ? I have that urge at times to buy a bag of Doritos when I clearly know they do nothing for me except gaining weight I fought off and calories ! I always remind myself that ” if it’s bad for you don’t do it ! I know it’s easy said than done but it’s a mental thing you have to be strong at
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