can't shake the cravings for sugar...any advice?

[aligirrl77 0]

i think im addicted to sugar. i just crave it all day long. like its calling my name. is it just me? How do you stop the cravings? I try and eat healthy and well balanced meals but somehow i still always want something sweet or sugary.... whats wrong with me????

[VegasGrace 1]

To stop the cravings you must feed them, nourish them. That's w/ actual cravings and not just 'head hunger'.

Your body may need sugar.

If I crave something sweet, I eat it. But that's not everyday. Tonight I had an ice cream cone.

But if you constantly crave it, I'd talk to your doctor.

And look at you! You have done terrific!

[Jachut 487]

I agree with Grace - you need to eat to manage cravings.

The way I manage mine (I'm a carbaholic, biscuits, donuts, cakes etc) is to eat PLENTY of good wholegrain carbs. Those are the foods that make my band work like it should - fill me up and sit for a long time in the pouch. For Breakfast for example, I sometimes eat Cereal AND toast. Unheard of with a band. I get up and have a small bowl of Cereal, and an hour later, as I'm nearly ready to leave the house, while I'm drying my hair or something, I'll have a piece of wholegrain toast. Mid morning I have a banana or similar, maybe a granola bar. I lay off the carbs a bit after that, although I do often eat a sandwich for lunch, but dinner is not usually carb heavy.

When I eat like that my energy is even, my stomach stays full and the headhunger and cravings dont hit. If I try to eat just salad and Protein for lunch, I'm picking and nibbling all afternoon.

[cruisemissile 0]

carbs are evil. dont' get me wrong, I was raised on rice, Beans, and tortillas (I'm from Costa Rica).

however, carbs spike your insulin/blood sugar, then you 'crash", only wanting more carbs (CRAVING) just to level out.

eating Protein really helps kill cravings. eating enough calories helps your body feel like its not missing anything.

eat mostly protein, but when you do have carbs, make sure they're good carbs, like from whole wheat. those metabolize much healthier and don't make you "spike and crash".

good luck.

[salsa1877 10]

I ate low carb most of the time I was losing, because that is what made me happiest. However I didn't cut the carbs out completely because that will trigger cravings in most people. Jachut and Grace are absolutely correct when they say that sometimes you have to give into the cravings to prevent binging, but that those carbs need to be wholegrain. If you can't just switch, try going VERY low carb for a week and break the addiction. The first week is always the hardest, but you can make it. During that week of breaking the addiction I didn't allow myself anything sweet. No fruit, no SF Jello, no SF ANYTHING that was sweet. Once I was through that I seemed to be able to eat sweet stuff without sending myself spiraling down. Now when I want something sweet I eat fruit, but I try to partner it with a protein...cheese, Protein fortified cereal, etc. But that is just me. You have to find what works for you. But try some of the suggestions before me as well as mine. Something might work for you. Best of luck.

[babygrl1234 6]

I am addicted to sugar like an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol. To me it is the same thing, different substance.

The only thing I can do to stop the cravings is to not eat any refined sugar. I am not talking no carbs here, because I eat plenty of those, but I am talking the white stuff. The first 4 days are hell on earth. Tired, headaches, cravings. Kind of like detoxing from drugs if you ask me. But after that initial phase I stop craving them completely.