I am seriously addicted to sugar and it's hurting my weight loss. I know that I should just NOT EAT IT, but that's like telling a drug addict to stop taking the drug.

I just would like some suggestions on overcoming the addiction, strategies I can put in place. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated it.

Well, what is it exactly that you are eating or drinking. My addiction was sweet tea. Man it was hurting my weightloss significantly. I hated the taste of artificial sweetener in my tea. Well, after some really good advice on hear I concured my addiction and now I will never go back to old fashioned sweet tea again. I was told to mix 3parts splenda to 1 part sweetnlow or equal, or 3 parts splenda to 1/2 part sweetnlow and 1/2 part equal. Well it worked and I am so glad for the advice I was given. Also my family is big dessert eaters. If you don't have a dessert at the end of a meal, the meal was incomplete. So, I started buying the Smart ones frozen box desserts, and man are they good. They are also portioned and tell you how many calories you are consumming so it takes all the guess work out of it. Another thing I do is buy sugarfree birthday cake from publix, which in my opinion is way better than the regular cake. I found this out prebanding because my dad is diabetic and he had a sugar free birthday cake. It is sweetened with sorbitol or malitol (sp?) which in all actuality is a baby laxitive. Needless to say, one piece of this cake will put me on the toilet wishing it had some handle bars to hold onto. That usually cures my sweet craving for a while, cause who in thier right mind would want to spend an explosive day on the pot? Plus sugar free sweets have come a long way and now most taste like the real thing and you never miss the sugar. Just be careful or you will be running to the bathroom every 5mins.

I am also a sugar addict. I loooove chocolate. When I slip it is so hard to stop. Unfortunately, there is no easy way. Just like drugs, you have to go cold turkey. I usually takes 5 to 7 days with no sugar ( and i mean NO SUGAR) for the craving to subside.

It helps to identify your trigger foods. These are the foods that start the whole process. For me it is choc. I can eat 1 cookie or a small piece of cake and be OK. 1 m&m will have me craving choc for a week.

I wish I had a quick and easy fix, but I don't.

Good Luck

Lynne

::raises hand:::

i belong here too.

i have a thing about specific sugar foods.

Birthday cake, and sugar cookie dough specifically but there are a handful of foods that i really struggle with. when im 'on the program' and by that i mean, exercising regularly, eating three planned meals with two low carb snacks in between, its not so bad and i can usually satisfy the sweet tooth with the occasional wieght watchers dessert (love those, 150 cals and just the right portion) . I find when im sick or depressed, its easier to reach for the cookie dough or bake a cake.

I was on atkins for two years prior to being banded. i can get off sugar for short periods of time.

but long term? i dont know. it is a struggle for me.

That part, and getting in adequate exercise, are the hardest parts for me for all of it.

I totally understand. I have torn the house apart like a crazy person looking for chocolate. I worked in a building that didn't have a vending machine, and I would get the shakes. I had a party this weekend and ate everything in sight that was left, which, of course, was all the desserts! I can't even eat certain hard candy, because I won't stop until it's gone. And I am a stress eater, big time - the more stress, the more sugar. Do you know that scientists did a study and offered rats sugar in one place and cocaine in the other, and the rats chose the SUGAR??? Anyway, I have one recipe that helps. In the morning, I make a very thick oatmeal with cocoa powder, Splenda and a spoonful of crunchy Peanut Butter. It is almost like a cookie, or a candy bar, and the oatmeal provides some bulk and also stays with you. I also make my own iced coffees with flavored coffee, skim milk, and Splenda. Why give Starbucks $4? I also got the very worst Halloween candy that I could find - sour something. But I am SO bad. I can't make any desserts that have more than one serving, because I eat them all. Even with the sugar-free fudgsicles, I can't stop until I've had about three. There is NOTHING like the buzz that I get from sugar - I don't even know if it's the taste anymore...

Eileen

I am or was a sugar addict but I have found ways to cope Maud!

I replaced sugar with high protien foods. I love cheese now, I never really did before. Those string cheese things ROCK! I use Splenda instead of sugar, it is pretty good. Somethings I can't evne tell it is not sugar.

But the best advice is to get it out of the house, since it is an addiction you have to make sure there aren't things to tempt you around you, it si the ONLY way to do it!

Good luck, we can all do it!

Here is how I did it.

First, start taking L-Carnitine (1000 mg a day) and a good Multivitamin. Do this for about a week, and forever afterwards.

Second, eat only non sweet/sugar carbs for a day or so... like potatoes/bread/whatever you eat. Start substituting the sugar.

Then one day don't eat any carbs for dinner.

The following day cut out all carbs except for those found in fruits/veg. (And I mean mostly berries as the fruit.)

Stay with fruit/veg/protein and add in some fat here and there. The fat/protein ratio helps satisfy hunger. Then in time, add whole grain items but nothing with white flour or sugar.

I use Stevia as a sweetener, with some splenda. My man Jack (here on the forum) recommended stevia, and I have read that it helps blood pressure on top of being a sweetener.

As for L-Carnitine, it is recommended by the Atkins plan, and I have found that it really does help. It is the #1 supplement Dr. Atkins took to keep away cravings. You can take up to 2000 mg a day, I believe, but I have found that 1000 works for me. If I get off of it the cravings return. I have been sugar free for 3 years before, but now I am on month 4 this go around. Made it thru Thanksgiving/Christmas, so it must work.

Then don't take one bite of anything with real sugar. NOT ONE BITE!!! If you do, you have to start over. Now, I look at cakes/candies/stuff and think: do I really want to get addicted again? Do I really want to be on that rollercoaster? And now it is just habit to say no to sugar.

I eat sugar free Jello, pudding, atkins endulge bars, and drink coffee with sugar free syrup. (For a real treat try Starbucks with SF syrup, they have it.) But I only eat these occasionally now. I enjoy berries with cream and a little stevia much better as a sweet treat.

Good luck. I know exactly how you feel. It is not fun being addicted to something so good. But this is something we all have to let go.

Remember: Sugar is the Devil!!!!

Sugar is the Devil - is Right.

What a great reply Poodles.

Sugar also sets up inflammation at the cellular level.

Now that I am off of it - I don't ache anymore.

It is such an addiction - once off you cannot have any.

I am tempted to try the L-Carnitine. Just as a preventative measure.

As Poodles posted - Stevia works very well. Don't try it in oatmeal though.

Has anybody else had success with L-Carnitine?

Here is a link to a site with multiple carnitine reviews. It is also good for info on Atkins/low carb... http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-1641.html

My favorite information post from it:

L-Carnitine is known in ‘Vita-Nutrient’ circles as the ‘fat buster’ This amino acid enables your body to burn more fats as fuel; converts them into fuel for your body. Carnitine also elevates levels of certain enzymes in your body needed to metabolize starches, sugars & other carbohydrates. For regular exercisers L-carnitine taken optimally about one hour prior to exercise will give an energy boost & also the carnitine reduces the accumulation of lactic acid, a by product of heavy exercise, that’s responsible for the burn & soreness of muscles after heavy exercise, because of this some muscle-heads call L-Carnitine the 'Gain without Pain; supplement.

It is also well known an the most effective nutrient for overcoming metabolic resistance to weight loss. Atkins recommends 500-1000Mg a day as a supplement; double that amount for those doing Atkins properly but experiencing ‘stalls’

Atkins himself was a big believer in L-Carnitine, saying repeatedly that 'he always took his Carnitine daily'

OK, here's the reality:

Your body has to go through a withdrawl stage before your cravings will stop. No joke! I'm totally serious. Have you ever done Atkins? Remember those first 7 days away from all carbs... wow. I thought I was in Oreo Rehab. Fuck! (sorry) But, once you break through the wall, quit cold turkey, and let the time pass, your sugar cravings will go away. You'll start subbing out new foods and you'll find new passions other than sweetness.

GOOD LUCK!

OK, here's the reality:

Your body has to go through a withdrawl stage before your cravings will stop. No joke! I'm totally serious. Have you ever done Atkins? Remember those first 7 days away from all carbs... wow. I thought I was in Oreo Rehab. Fuck! (sorry) But, once you break through the wall, quit cold turkey, and let the time pass, your sugar cravings will go away. You'll start subbing out new foods and you'll find new passions other than sweetness.

GOOD LUCK!

Pretty much yeah. It totally blows but the craving do go away.