please help with sugar addiction

[Fannycraddock79]

Okay, I will admit to being a total sugar addict, I will usually have something sweet everyday but some days are seriously out of control (I would be ashamed for someone to see how many sweet things I've eaten on those days). If I don't have something in the cupboard to eat in the evenings then I will feel slightly panicked, however if that turns out to be the case and I go to bed not having had sweets, I will wake up in the morning happy that I haven't and feel slimmer. We don't keep biscuits or sweets/chocolate in the cupboards, I will eat it all. If I get into a good stretch of not having anything then after a few days I feel stronger and have willpower but starting it is hard. I know it's stupid, it's sugar, I know it's incredibly unhealthy, I'm an educated woman and I KNOW all the reasons to stop, but I need to go cold turkey don't I? I don't want to be this way forever and I don't want to end up with diabetes. I have 2 young children and want to be healthy and a good example for them.

I am an emotional eater (will stop eating at signs of stress)

I have a stone to lose after dc2

I work at home

Please tell me how to do this. Do I have to check every single thing for sugar? (Eg crisps? Some flavourings have it in). I am a pretty good cook and do cook from scratch usually, I don't add salt or sugar generally it's just the sweets. Also, if you cut out sugar do you allow yourself the occasional treat or is that asking for trouble? I don't have sugar in tea or coffee, it is the sweet snacks that I have problems with. Thank you for any advice.

Making place to come back later, but first advice would be to cut out completely for a month to break the habit, then think about what you want to reintroduce. Fizzy drinks are a major culprit, don't drink your sugar. You can do it! I was the same but managed to kick it completely for 7 months last year, now I am in so much more control of what I eat. I decide when to have dessert, there are no mid week cravings now where they used to be near constant. Lost a stone too which was nice.

Hard core low carb. Show yourself no mercy for a couple of weeks.

Place marking also....

I don't really have any weight to lose (could do with firming up but that's an easy issue that I'm working on happily) but my diet is shameful with too few veg and fruit and waaaay too much processed sugar/sweet stuff and I have constant low-level worry about my teeth (which are terrible!!) and potential health issues down the line (dementia, etc) but despite this I fall at the first hurdle every morning by having two mochas for breakfast and then just grabbing stuff here and there, which with having two littlies at home and being a sahm never seems to be as healthy as it should and so i often end up eating what I shouldn't....

We don't have choc or sweets at home (I wised up to that yonks ago!) but we're often out and I just can't help snacking on the wrong thing for a quick energy boost. I have adult diagnosed ADHD which doesn't help with meal planning, organisation, impulse control etc....

Eagerly watching for tips!!

Agree with low(er) carb - high protein?? - Diet but anyone any tips on low budget, ethical, vegetarian options??

I know, I know - the moon on a stick and all that but it is the ideal!

Thankyou, I CAN do it, you're right, I just have to get through 5-6 days and then it will be easier right? Will I get terrible headaches like I've heard? I just have to get used to breakfast lunch and dinner rather than snack here and there don't I?

For drinks - swap the fizzy drinks/squash for herbal teas, homemade smoothies (get your self a blender, it doesn't have to be a Nutribullet or Vitamix... A cheaper one will do). Try to drink at least 1.5L of water a day (the amount can differ between genders, weight, activities etc)

Rather than having chocolate or biscuits for a snack, have some fruit - particularly bananas as they are good for slow releasing energy!

You can join us on the low carb boot camp thread, if you like. Look for the week five thread. The rules are simple ( on the spreadsheet of fabulousness) but it is hard core. There is sugar in lots of things you probably don't realise and as sugar is just a carbohydrate, then it is carbs as a whole you might need to curtail.
No potatoes, pasta, rice, sugar, limited fruit. There's a veggie plan in there too.
It can be difficult, especially at the start, and needs planning. But I promise, if you stick to it, your cravings will go.

Depends what you mean by 'sugar'. Cut all sugars out and you'll die pretty fast.

Yes it's processed sugar that's the problem, I don't eat bread or drink fizzy drinks and I do have at least 1.5L water, I only drink one skimmed latte and water all day, that's an easy one for me. I also try to avoid pasta, and will only occasionally have couscous or rice. I have lots of lean meat too. You're all making me feel I can do this, thankyou.

I didn't get any headaches, honestly I don't think the physical withdrawal is that bad. It's the habit/psychological withdrawal which talked Longer to lose

But it is still only temporary. If you can stick it out, you'll develop different habits