Can a sugar addict successfully give up sugar?

[Herewegoagain751]

I really would like to but my willpower is rubbish and I always crave chocolate, and there’s always a lot of treats in my house!
can a sugar addict successfully give up sugar?
Anyone done it?

Oh dear, I’m also a sugar addict, a slim one but still an addict.
my groceries always consist of plenty of naughty things like ice creams, biscuits, deserts, anything you can think of.
you hear about the negative effects of sugar all the time, but I really don’t think I can do it.

Can you wean yourself onto dark chocolate - which really isn't all that bad.

Also there is some fabulous fruit about atm - nectarines, cherries, peaches. These can seem even sweeter if you bake them or sweat down into a kind of compote. You don't need to add sugar. I'd start there.

My husband did. He still has a sweet tooth but eats far less of it than he did, and has lost 2 stone. He puts it down to partly will power but mostly having eggs for breakfast, and protein and salad or soup for lunch, he’s not getting the same desperate dips that would have him reaching for chocolate in the afternoon or evening.

we’ve also really cut down on what is in the house.

I went cold turkey when i was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, two stone lost and bloods back in the normal range so no way am i slipping back, i avoid everything with added sugars now.

I quit sugar and the first couple of weeks were hard but then the cravings just went away, I’ve lost 2.5 stone and mostly eat low carb now, I have a little bit of dark chocolate now and then

Yes I've done it.

Firstly don't go cold turkey, it's hell.

Over a month or so, pick one of the snacks and stop that.

Start to crowd in healthier foods. Diverse foods to rebuild gut health.

Then stop another snack. Make sure you replace the calories, or male sure you are eating your TDEE.

Sugar is empty calories, nutritious food is not. The body still needs calories, it doesn't care where from.

Re chocolate, what we crave in chocolate is actually the nutrients especially magnesium. Look up foods rich in these nutrients. I also still have cacao powder on overnight oats. It has no sugar and is the raw cocoa bean crushed into powder so has a chocolate taste but is not sweet. I have that every day and it really stops the craving.

If you do Want sugar have honey, use agave syrup, bake with brown coconut sugar as they are all lower sugar than actual refined sugar.

Finally be prepared to feel slightly depressed for 6 weeks to 3 months, it's fine as long as you exercise and are aware, it goes away!

Thank you! Haven’t for past two weeks but normally I do do a lot of exercise. For breakfast I usually have cooked apple with honey and cinnamon and Greek yoghurt.
high protein salad for lunch and healthy ish dinners. It’s mid afternoon and evenings I reach for the sugar.
dark chocolate is nice but I could still eat the whole bar!
maybe I could just say sugary things are an occasional treat

bad advice, avoid honey at all costs, many times worse for you than sucrose.

Just do it cold turkey - the first few days are the worst, then it gets easier. Avoid all artificial sweetners- they are jsut as bad for your insulin levels, and keep you in the habit of eating sweet things

Thanks, it’s this time of night that I struggle!! Partly about breaking the habit I think