Tips on breaking the sugar addiction

[AdiosAnnie300 16]

I am a month post op and had been doing really well. This weekend we went to a friends place and I brought a variety of foods to get me through the two days. There were treats there and I tried one. I didn’t have any kind of adverse reaction. One small bite would lead to another and tonight I am completely off track. I am so disappointed in myself and I am quite nervous for my weigh in Monday morning. Looking for some encouragement. I know tomorrow is a new day but want to make sure I stay away from carbs and specifically sugar.

[Lyngolean 81]

Ugh! Sugar addiction is the worst! I have struggled SO MUCH with this! Prior to surgery, for about a year I had made a "No desserts" policy for myself. (with the exception of a piece of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving!) I just could NOT eat sweets and Desserts in any sort of normal way. Everyone's solution is different. I have started to have very small servings of dessert the past 2-3 weeks. I have had a few bites of ice cream mainly. I discovered how horrible cake made me feel! Oy! I had half of a wafer of one side of an Oreo thin (not the inside stuff). One day I had a few M and M's. I dunno...I'm thinking about whether I should continue to stick to my no sweets policy (or re-commit at this point!) or if I should see if I can do sweets in moderation post surgery.

[allwet 868]

1 hour ago, AdiosAnnie300 said:

One small bite would lead to another and tonight I am completely off track

as you said its a zero sum game when it comes to sweets. some people cant have even a little and it appears you are one of that group. Its bread for me if i have a little i get so hungry its crazy. the only way is to cut them out. no little bit here little bit there. Others may be able to have small amounts but for some it all or nothing.

accept this and move on with your life. No piece of candy is worth the mental anguish you are putting yourself thru right now or the damage to your progress cause by a candy binge.

good luck and put this behind you but don't forget.

[James Marusek 5,244]

This is the approach that I use:

I strictly avoid processed sugars. I have a sweet tooth and that is one of the major causes that contributed to my weight gain over my lifetime. I limit myself to artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda and sugar alcohols), to natural low calorie sweeteners (such as Stevia) and to the natural sugars found in fruits and milk. I had diabetes. That went into remission when I left the hospital two days after surgery and I have not taken any diabetic medicine ever since and my blood sugar levels are good. I test my blood sugar levels periodically. [Currently over 5 years post-op] I read the labels of all food that I consume. I look at the grams of sugar per serving. If it is above 5 grams, I look at the ingredients. The ingredients are listed in order by highest percentage, and if the first 5 ingredients contain processed sugar (in any of its many forms), then I avoid this food, like a plague.

I also restrict myself to about one meal per day containing complex carbohydrates (such as Pasta and bread). I also avoid all carbonated beverages. I lost 20 pounds pre-op solely on eliminating carbonated beverages from my diet and I will not go back.

[Orchids&Dragons 9,047]

From more than 40 years of yo-yo dieting, I know that I have to abstain from sugar entirely, at least during the weight-loss phase. It is a slippery slope covered with banana skins covered with ice for me.

[Matt Z 4,139]

I worked pre-op to reduce my sugar intake, I took the slow reduction approach. I used to put 4 packets of sugar in my daily coffee. I worked down to only 1 by gradually reducing the sugar added. Now I don't even use sugar in my coffee, I just add some of the sugar free flavored Creamers and I'm good now.

The whole "cold-turkey" approach didn't seem appealing or sustainable since it wasn't allowing me to ween off the sugars. So, I took the step down approach and it's served me quite well.

Good luck!

[AdiosAnnie300 16]

9 hours ago, allwet said:

as you said its a zero sum game when it comes to sweets. some people cant have even a little and it appears you are one of that group. Its bread for me if i have a little i get so hungry its crazy. the only way is to cut them out. no little bit here little bit there. Others may be able to have small amounts but for some it all or nothing.

accept this and move on with your life. No piece of candy is worth the mental anguish you are putting yourself thru right now or the damage to your progress cause by a candy binge.

good luck and put this behind you but don't forget.

This is very helpful. Thank you.

[AdiosAnnie300 16]

1 hour ago, James Marusek said:

This is the approach that I use:

I strictly avoid processed sugars. I have a sweet tooth and that is one of the major causes that contributed to my weight gain over my lifetime. I limit myself to artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda and sugar alcohols), to natural low calorie sweeteners (such as Stevia) and to the natural sugars found in fruits and milk. I had diabetes. That went into remission when I left the hospital two days after surgery and I have not taken any diabetic medicine ever since and my blood sugar levels are good. I test my blood sugar levels periodically. [Currently over 5 years post-op] I read the labels of all food that I consume. I look at the grams of sugar per serving. If it is above 5 grams, I look at the ingredients. The ingredients are listed in order by highest percentage, and if the first 5 ingredients contain processed sugar (in any of its many forms), then I avoid this food, like a plague.

I also restrict myself to about one meal per day containing complex carbohydrates (such as Pasta and bread). I also avoid all carbonated beverages. I lost 20 pounds pre-op solely on eliminating carbonated beverages from my diet and I will not go back.

This is a helpful strategy, thank you.

[AdiosAnnie300 16]

10 hours ago, allwet said:

as you said its a zero sum game when it comes to sweets. some people cant have even a little and it appears you are one of that group. Its bread for me if i have a little i get so hungry its crazy. the only way is to cut them out. no little bit here little bit there. Others may be able to have small amounts but for some it all or nothing.

accept this and move on with your life. No piece of candy is worth the mental anguish you are putting yourself thru right now or the damage to your progress cause by a candy binge.

good luck and put this behind you but don't forget.

My Monday morning weigh confirms I am a person who needs to break away from sugar completely. Having just a little opened a flood gate. Thank you for the insight.

[GreenTealael 25,350]

Stevia substitutions

[Screwballski 540]

AdiosAnnie300, there are some of us who are sugar addicts just like others are crack addicts, heroin addicts and alcoholics.
We just can’t.
When people say, “Just have a bite,” I want to say, “Would you hand an alcoholic a glass of wine and say, Just have a sip?”
But it seems so benign to others. And I get that. It’s playing with fire to us. ;)

[AdiosAnnie300 16]

It’s so true. When you politely decline dessert or other food item people get very defensive. I have had people say that I’m obsessed about my diet and that I am not fun. Turning down alcohol gets the same reaction as turning down cake and ice cream.

[bluebutterfly 60]

@adiosannie300 while this may sound harsh people who truly care about you will be supportive. I have run into people who seem very upset by the fact I will no longer eat sweets, breads or drink alcohol.. it bothered me for a bit but when I thought about it.. they are just upset with themselves that they have not made the changes in their lives and I will not sabotage myself for anyone. True friends will support you on your endeavors and encourage you to do the right thing! I hope we all have more of those types :)

[magpie26 244]

I can't eat sugar, and I can't really have those floury, refined, junky carbs such as crackers, or and good bread, chips, even Pasta. If I eat any of those things now I will crave it and want it for weeks. I broke the habit but then had some cake at a wedding and then some of my husband's candy the next day and a bite of ice cream the next. Tiny bites won't kill me but I was left wanting cheez-its and Ritz crackers and junk for a week. I haven't wanted that stuff for months.

[macadamia 591]

On 7/4/2018 at 1:34 PM, Screwballski said:

AdiosAnnie300, there are some of us who are sugar addicts just like others are crack addicts, heroin addicts and alcoholics.
We just can’t.
When people say, “Just have a bite,” I want to say, “Would you hand an alcoholic a glass of wine and say, Just have a sip?”
But it seems so benign to others. And I get that. It’s playing with fire to us.

Well said!