Im addicted to sugar

[tinkersfig]

And I really want to cut it out but my knowledge on what I shouldn't be eating is lacking. Does anybody have any suggestions on resources and books etc that I can purchase to start me on the right path?

Oh and anyone else who feels they eat too much sugar, get on board and maybe we can help each other out!

I have a sweet tooth so I make sure there's no sweets in the pantry. When I get a sweet craving I eat fruit. Or some dark chocolate buttons that I keep in the freezer. I think I have weaned myself off other sweet treats. I haven't tried to cut sugar right out of my life. I don't want to be thinking about what I should or shouldn't be eating- I have other things I'd rather think about. I'm a fan of HAES - Healthy At Every Size. Because diets don't work. Of course that may not be why you're cutting out sugar. I've largely replaced sugar with honey (eg in tea). Good luck!!

@tinkersfig I am the same. I started eating avacado and it put me off sugar! Cut down on chocolates and biscuits. 3 weeks today. I feel so much better!

Sorry but cold turkey is the only way. I gave up alcohol when I started chemo last year and started on chocolate - that was harder to give up.

You have to be brutal. When you walk around the supermarket, tell yourself to make good choices

What is your diet like in general.
I found once I introduced meat protein daily into my diet , it stopped my sugar cravings dead.
Make sure you're actually eating enough also.

Starving yourself will trigger sugar cravings ( and get enough sleep)

Don’t buy it. Fill up on other things - bigger meals and things that you like but which aren’t sugary. Have them to hand (e.g. nuts, Babybel, in your bag; hardboiled eggs, pre-cut crudités in the fridge). Preempt the moments in the week when you want to reach for sugar and have something else planned.

I found cutting down was easier than going cold turkey, I now eat the low glycaemic impact diet for people who are pre diabetic. It isn't too bad. Sugar substitutes are all awful tasting so I don't bother with them at all.
If I'm baking I used mixed flours, grains and vegetables instead of wheat flour, and I use carrots & beetroot instead of sugar. I use frozen berries, cherries, citrus fruit, pineapple or mango instead of raisins. Its been hit and miss but I can now make OK rock buns, cakes and drop scones.
I also found that a sugar craving would stop if I had a hot salty drink like Bovril.

Can I join? Decided to substantially reduce my sugar nearly four weeks ago after a blood test showed high cholesterol.

So far it's going well and I haven't had unmanageable cravings but I have t noticed that I feel significantly better either (but I do have Long Covid so never really feel well).

@Norugratsatall that's interesting, I also suspect sugar causes high cholesterol in some way. What led you to try that? Mine is slightly raised and after Easter I am going to cut down on baked goods and try a retest. I did that in the autumn but then slipped in the run up to Christmas, too many treats around then, I find it easier in the summer months.

I also found when craving a snack not to go for anything sweet, even fruit but have a small piece of cheese, in my case, goat's cheese.

@MeMoi . Well my diet is pretty good (apart from sugary treats) and I don't smoke neither do I drink so there wasn't much else I could try really. We do eat a lot of white rice so thinking. About swapping that for brown. Cholesterol was fine 10 months ago at my last blood test.

Rather than thinking about what you can't eat, consider what you need to eat.

Eat lots of veg, whole grains, sources of protein. Pulses, nuts, seeds. Use herbs and spices to give flavour. Fizzy water (I put PLJ in it). Snack on olives, or sun-dried tomatoes, or pickled onions. If you're not veggie, oily fish.