How can I get some willpower with sweet stuff?

[Roblakeswife]

If you have lost weight how did you do it? I start with good intentions then get tempted by sweet stuff and then beat myself up after eating it! It's like the craving overrides every other rational thought in my head and I have to have the cake or chocolate or whatever it is and cant think about anything else. I think I'm addicted to sugar.

No point saying dont buy it, other people live in this house so there will always be temptations.
I'm pre-diabetic so I'm not even allowed it, but even that doesnt stop me.

I weigh more than I ever and it's making me miserable. The irony is the unhealthy food comforts me when I'm low about my weight but it is only making me bigger!!
I find it so so hard.

I absolutely know the answer to this. You don’t eat it. You cut out refined foods and high carbohydrate starches and you instead eat protein, fat, dairy and low carb vegetables. You make sure you adopt a minimum of a 16:7 fasting protocol each day and then you realise you’re no longer constantly hungry and the weight falls off.

You are (understandably) addicted to sugar... cold turkey is the only way.

Cold turkey is unfortunately the only way. I definitely find after 3 days or so of not eating sweet things I don't want them. Reduce high sugar carbs in your diet to make it easier.

I totally get where you are coming from, I'm exactly the same and I've struggled with it for years.
One thing that has been helping recently is that I've started intermittent fasting, 16 hours fast then 8 hours eating. I haven't forbidden myself from eating anything, I've just waited and eaten it in the 8hr window and I've also started measuring out smaller portion sizes of things like rice and pasta.
I've lost a bit of weight but the main thing I've noticed is that my cravings have definitely lessened - I think the 16:8 fast works by allowing your blood sugars to stabilise and stopping the constant insulin spikes and high/low blood sugars which can be a factor in triggering the cravings.

Say to yourself I can eat anytime I want to but at this moment in time I choose to be healthy. Look at pictures of people a similar height and the goal weight you desire. Had an adult toy box filled with things you love. Maybe an adult colouring book, learn a new word and definition in the dictionary, knitting, the recorder and songbook. You can think of things. Sniff the food you want and see of that's enough. Do you need tougher love? Search Steve Miller Fatnosis on Facebook

Keto. It was the only thing for me because I’m a carb addict. I can’t control my portions of carbs and I certainly can’t moderate my intake. Went keto with zero sweeteners or carb replacements. I’ve lost 8 stone and kept it off for 4 years. I see myself like an alcoholic, I can’t have just a little because it so easily descends into a binge. Carb addiction is real!

For low carb and keto this site is really helpful:

www.dietdoctor.com/

Don't eat it and cut out carbs as much as possible.

After about 3-4 days the cravings disappear completely. It's not you and no willpower, it's your gut hormones driving it - the more you eat it, the more you choose it.

Once your insulin levels drop you mysteriously stop wanting it and also feel way less hungry.

Unfortunately if you are tempted back all the weight goes back on. You have to appreciate this is a change for life. If the other people in the house are your family then make them eat the same as you, it's good for their health too.

Can I just add that you have said you have You don’t want to sleepwalk into diabetes as what’s lying ahead of you is very serious health complications including the potential for blindness and amputations.

It’s possible to put diabetes into remission using diet alone but you must stick to the rules and sugar has to go.

LongPause. I get you. Congratulations

Can I just add that you have said you have prediabetes. You don’t want to sleepwalk into diabetes as what’s lying ahead of you is very serious health complications including the potential for blindness and amputations.

It’s possible to put diabetes into remission using diet alone but you must stick to the rules and sugar has to go.

You are right its been a long time since I had my blood sugar checked and for all I know it could be really high. I try to go cold Turkey but cave. Longest I've done is about 13 days. It very much is like being an alcoholic.

No point saying dont buy it, other people live in this house so there will always be temptations.
Ask the other people in the house to support you. If they want sweets, buy one and eat it rather than buying a pack and leave some in the cupboard. Or buy it and keep it in their rooms or somewhere that you wont see it.

@Roblakeswife

You are right its been a long time since I had my blood sugar checked and for all I know it could be really high. I try to go cold Turkey but cave. Longest I've done is about 13 days. It very much is like being an alcoholic.

It’s EXACTLY like being an alcoholic or drug addict. Don’t underestimate the addictive nature of carbs. Even non sweet carbs turn to sugar when you eat them and drive cravings. It’s hard OP but as another poster said after 5 days no more cravings. They go and they don’t come back as long as you stick to it.

There’s no point in just cutting it out without a plan of what you’re eating instead. With low carb initially the advice is to forget calories and just concentrate on high fat, high protein, low carb. You have to eat until your full, three meals a day and then when your hunger calms you can think about the fasting aspect. All the junk has to go. The starchy carbs have to go.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/meal-plans-/low-carb%3famp

A Doctor I used to follow online said tobacco companies now own junk food manufacturers and the tobacco scientists make junk food to be super addictive.

Overeating needs to be taken as seriously as any harmful addiction is.

I have lost 65lb this year from being in ketosis. I love it. Also I have a fantastic support coach 12 hours a day 7 days a week.

Checking in as I started a thread in Chat today about giving up sugar...

I started calorie counting few weeks back and found that cutting down on carb heavy foods has helped massively with sugar cravings. I still have bread, pasta, chips, rice but in small weighed out portions. I do still have sweets but again only in very small amounts. Also def cut out any sweetened drinks, no squash or diet lemonade. These make my sweet cravings much worse.

IME if you stop eating sweet foods after a week or so you don't really want them anymore. However something always knocks me off course and so I end up going back to them.
I am about to cut them out again this week because I am way too thick about the middle again.

@Jenjenn

I started calorie counting few weeks back and found that cutting down on carb heavy foods has helped massively with sugar cravings. I still have bread, pasta, chips, rice but in small weighed out portions. I do still have sweets but again only in very small amounts. Also def cut out any sweetened drinks, no squash or diet lemonade. These make my sweet cravings much worse.

Thanks for your post. I'm trying to do a Keto diet myself and Googled that low carb was 130g or less. However, I looked at the LC section on here and they are on 20g a day to start with! I don't think I could go that low...So it's very interesting to hear that you still have carbs and are loosing. Thank you., and good luck all!

Honestly the fasting is so important with Keto. That’s the magic pill. Your body needs a rest from digestion to allow for healing. Two meals a day. Eat low carb meals only but eat until you’re full. Don’t worry about calories. The weight will fall off and you won’t eveb look at sweet stuff anymore.

Thank you. So do I fast, do keto? Or eat three meals a day until im full?

I found it really useful to become a food snob about sweets. Most of what I was shoveling in was dull, dreary, low quality junk.
I don't tell myself that I'm never allowed sweets, but I stick to once a week, and they have to be something really special - an expensive truffle, a single scoop of gelato, an exquisite pastry.
You really have to play tricks with your own mind, reframe things.