Has anyone succeeded in taming the sugar monster?! How?

[sotiredfornow]

I have absolutely come to the conclusion that I have a sugar addiction. I'm not sure if I should have posted here or in health. At present, I have a silly amount of chocolate every single day (e.g the big bags of maltesers that you're supposed to share or make last a week!) and each day I say I won't but still do. I'm very slim so that's not an issue but it is affecting my skin, gums, eyes and energy levels so I'd like to stop, obviously. I'm otherwise healthy (exercise, no smoking, no drinking).

Any tips? Something very psychological is going on. I simply can't get through one day without calling by the shop to buy chocolate!

No help but you're not the only one

Read the low carb boot amp threads to find kindred spirits who have kicked (or are in the process of kicking) their sugar habit. It is a hard one to break because it's so readily available and there's no stigma attached to it, so unlike other addictions it can be out in the open and nobody bats an eyelid. But it can be a destructive thing.

The stories of increased energy, reduced hunger, reduced weight and improved health from those who have given up the evil sugar are inspiring.

Boot CAMP

I did it on New Year's Day and just went cold turkey. It was hard for the first few days but now I don't miss it at all. I also had at at least 1 bar of chocolate a day and could easily polish off 6 if I was premenstrual. If I go out for dinner I will sometimes have a small pudding (especially if homemade) which doesn't set off any cravings at all.

Do it. You won't regret it.

Once you give up (or massively reduce) sugar, you'll find that once you are past the initial stage you really won't crave it any more. I'm another low-carber, but if I start eating sugar again (at Christmas, for example), then the cravings come back.

Assemble some healthy snacks and nibbles at home, and nibble on those instead. Chunks of cheese, almonds, seeds , veggie sticks....The key is to find a savoury snack that you find just as yummy as Maltesers (tricky, I know ).

Replace chocolate with crisps

Oh I like the idea of assembling healthy snacks. I will do that.

Realistically how many days/weeks before it become easier?

I will check out the diet threads. I really need some kind of support thread to get me through the next few days! Hah!

How do you get past the cravings?

That 10.30am, I've just walked the dog and I know I deserve a piece of chocolate with my coffee type extreme craving. Or the 4.00 energy dip one.

To get past the cravings don't have any type of chocolate etc in the house. If you have to go to a shop to satisfy a craving, it gives you much more of an opportunity to change your mind on the way.

Realistically it takes a couple of weeks to get easier. But it's relatively easy to fall off the wagon again (ask me how I know this ). You don't really get energy dips after a couple of weeks of low carbing.

Ah, interesting. Can I have bread? Can I low carb but not no carb?

If you're going to cut down on carbs then bread and what-based stuff in general has to be the first to go, I'm afraid.

Try a more paleo approach maybe? You can eat carbs and sweet things, just not the over processed crap you - and all of us - become accustomed to.

So 70% dark choc, a few squares after a satisfying steak, that kind of thing,

When I was doing slimming world properly (I lost 3 stone in 6 months) I had to go cold turkey!

I made sure I had 3 good sized meals. Porridge for breakfast with 2 fruit chopped up, don't need sugar if I have pear or banana. And planned my meals so I always knew what I was going to have and looked forward to it. No coming in, raiding fridge and biscuit tin, whilst trying to decide what to cook, then being full on biscuits and chocolate.

I stopped drinking tea in the day, as I always had to have something (3/4 pack of biscuits) with it.

I keep a box of mikado in the fridge, if sugar craving is strong, one usually helps kill the craving.i find I crave sugar straight after eating a meal - when I am full and really don't need to eat any more, so the mikado really help with this. They are too boring for me to ever finish the box in one go!

I found once I got used to less sugar I didn't crave it, but if I had more than usual, my cravings got really strong again!

I have been reducing my sugar, and now I find that a small amount sends me 'high' and can even give me a headache. So it will get easier!

I have reduced it by giving up sugary drinks- except at weekends
I still eat all the other sugary things.
But I've found that I don't like the cheap choc (maltesers and the like-just tastes too sugary now) as much anymore and prefer proper chocolate instead, exceptions are lindt with caramel and choc raisins, no doubt full of sugar (but tasty!).

I've had to do it due to developing diabetes whilst having chemo. I have cut down sugar (including fruit) and processed carbs. I was not over-weight but even so have lost a stone in 3 months and feel amazing. I was a real cycnic about the whole sugar debate but would urge you to try. Snacks for me are now nuts and I allow myself 1 piece of fruit a day. It does get easier - someone told me it takes 40 days to stop the craving and actually I think that might be about right.
(and the diabetes has nearly gone - but am doing loads of exercise as well).

I'm like this too! I'm also slim and eat fairly healthily apart from the excessive chocolate, though I do also drink wine. Not generally over recommended weekly limits though.

Doing 5:2 has helped a bit as on the fast days I have no sugar (apart from fruit) and it means I crave less the following day, so I probably have reduced it a bit- but I need to do more. Not ready to give it up altogether or go low carb however. Just need to cut down. Watching thread!

I make sure I have 3 meals a day and not buying stuff with sugar in.

or having the occasional reduced fat Rich Tea biscuit.

I've also replaced it with natural sugars in fruit etc. but this is fruit I like eg blackberries, raspberries, nectarines, oranges etc.

Before you say this makes me sound saintly i do give in occasionally but I was eating chocolate, sweets, Digestives etc... regularly. I find just being strict helps.

I went cold turkey but not low carb on the sugary stuff. Just cut out completely all cake, biscuits, sweets, chocolate, sugary drinks, jam, fruit juice.

I still eat fruit, whole grain bread, porridge, rice etc. just no processed sugars. I have got used to it really quickly and find I am so much more aware of sweet tastes, eg I had a pizza last week and could really taste sugar in the tomato paste. The initial cut back is tough but achievable if your head is in the right space.

I just ...stopped. I'd never really craved sweet things like chocolate but did used to have very sugary tea. I replaced sugar with sweetener and then stopped having that after about two weeks. Now I have fruit if I want something sweet with the odd chocolate bar if I really fancy it but it's very rare. I've lost two and a half stone since overhauling my diet. It helped to start with that I don't really like fizzy drinks, I especially dislike cola in any form.

I don't believe in going cold turkey with sugar/carbs. What is really important is to stop eating processed and refined sugar (cakes, biscuits, carbonated sodas, fruit juice, breakfast cereal, Nutella... Need I go on?). Whole fruit and reasonable portions of potatoes, rice, pasta, bread etc are part of a balanced, healthy and economical diet.

I started in January, feeling tired, bloated, worried about insulin resistance and damage to my teeth. I also weighed over 15 stone (eek!) I was eating sweets, cake, chocolate, biscuits and white toast every day.

I have lost nearly 3 stone, feel a lot more energetic and my skin is clear. I do think that sweets etc. in very small amounts are fine - but zero intake is better for me because I can't stop.

Totally agree with Bonsoir

Bonsoir aren't too many carbs bad?

suppose I have oat granola now with yogurt but if I switched to just toast for breakfast is that not worse?

Granola is often very sugary - check it out. Yoghurt can be pretty sugary too.

toast for breakfast would be a much better choice, ideally with a boiled egg for protein. I think the key to sweets is to buy very good quality dark chocolate and allow yourself - max - a couple of slabs a day. It's very rich, so you should feel sated. Your tastes do change, I used to love biscuits, cakes etc but now can't abide them.