Why can't I stop stuffing my face?

[iluvcake]

I know what I need to eat to be healthy. I exercise. I don't overeat at mealtimes and usually eat pretty healthily.

I very rarely eat takeaways. Very rarely drink.

BUT why oh why can I not stop eating chocolate, cakes, biscuits or anything sweet?They are becoming like a drug to me. I can eat a whole packet of biscuits or box of chocolates and have to hide the evidence. I've always been like this. Today I've had 12 mini jaffa cakes, a kellogs chocolate crispy square, two kit kats and a bar of chocolate as well as two slices of toast with jam.

I know when I start eating sweet things in the morning, it's only a matter of time before my blood sugar crashes and my body will crave more.

I'm doing WW at the moment but keep yo-yoing. I only have a stone to lose and no-one thinks I look overweight but I want to lose it. More than that, I want to break this sugar addiction. I feel like a crack addict. I always have to have biscuits or chocolate in the house, I get twitchy if I don't have any. I sometimes keep eating even when I feel sick. I'm worried I'll develop diabetes. I disgust myself.

Can anyone help?

Don't buy them. Shop online so you aren't tempted. Buy dried fruit - it's sweet but less addictive.

Sugar is evil stuff, try and break the addiction by low carbing for a while. Its the only thing known to me man that stops my chocolate cravings. Once you've gone without the sweet stuff for a while its like turning off a switch in your head.

also yogurt is good for a craving

I buy biscuits for DS-probably going to make him like me . Also, DH also likes something sweet after dinner.

I just don't know if I could just not have anything in the house. I think I would be literally crawling the walls.

I have done low-carb and yes, it does help Aloiseq. I just seem to have NO willpower at all.

Try a GI diet.

When you are eating the sugar, your body over reacts to it and your blood sugar drops, you crave sugar, eat sugar and go around in circles.

I found on a GI diet I was eating 800 calories a day, because it was all my body was asking for and I was not hungry and had no food cravings.

Change your snacks to high protein snacks not high carb, such as a small square of cheese of a piece of cold chicken.

I know all of this and I've tried them all and they work but how do you STICK to it?

I have enough willpower for about a week and a half.

And Lynli-have you kept the weight off? Do you still eat like this?

I'm exactly the same iluvcake! (although I have 2 stone to lose)
Once I start eating sugar, I just can't stop. At the moment, I've had my dinner and I just can't stop eating sugary things even though I'm not in the slightest bit hungry. I can carry on tl I go to bed!

I'm joining slimming world on thurs. You're not really allowed sugary things except fruit and a little something as a treat on that plan. I'm going to try to use low gi foods as much as possible (brown rice, wholemeal pasta) and see how I go.

I'm really hoping it'll work as I can feel my clothes getting tighter and tighter. I feel so low at the moment and keep postponing meeting up with friends and family because I think I look too fat and I should wait a few weeks til I lose some weight. It never happens and I feel like lifes just passing me by.

I have kept off what I lost but have a lot more to lose.

I stopped the diet as my gall bladder stopped working and found fats and protein too hard to digest.

I have had surgery last Friday and will be going back to it as soon as I have recovered.

op I wish I knew.
I am the same

yesyouknowme, it's a bugger isn't it. DH tells me "just don't eat them" but it's not as easy as that.

I think (especially with women)eating is all so tied up with our emotions and self-esteem.

SwimLittleFish, I postpone things too or just don't go. I'm always saying "by Easter", "by the summer", "By Christmas" and it never happens.

I've had more jaffa cakes and a piece of victoria sandwich tonight. it's an addiction, a disease. Sugar is a drug, there is no doubt.

I noticed you said in your op that if you eat something sweet you'll crave more.
I'm the same.
How about we decide to NOT have sugary things for breakfast? what about some eggs and low fat/quorn sausages? or whatever you like thats not sugary or bread(I find bread is a trigger for me too)

Can I hop on board with this one too? Like you, my meals are fine, I eat far too many sugary things and when I start I can't stop. I have 2 stone to loose as well, and just seem to be lacking in willpower. Evenings are my worst - admittedly I am having a terrible time at home and think I am on the verge of leaving my husband, but my weight (probably along with the sugar rushes, etc) are really affecting my energy and confidence levels. I can't remember the last day when I didn't binge on sweet things.
Am going to try to cut them out completely as it looks like the only way, but like some of the other posters, my house is always filled with biscuits, etc as OH eats them.

I agree with others that low carb or low gi are they way to go.

And then go through the day from breakfast with no sugar in your meals, meal by meal. And don't have things like low fat yoghurts or mayonnaise as they are all high in sugar.

I am avoiding wheat and sugar at the moment. Sruggling a bit the last few weeks but have lost 21 pounds since March. Have lots more to go.

I have to admit that sugary stuff is not my weakness other than biscuits - I am more a bread freak.

For breakfast I have porridge. This morning's was made with milk and I added blueberries and flaked almonds. The blueberries are sweet enough that I didn't need to add any sugar or honey.

Snack later will be a natural yoghurt with a piece of fruit.

Lunch will be a slice of rye bread with some hard boiled eggs and cherry tomatoes and mayonnaise.

Snack will be a couple of oatcakes with low fat Philadelphia and another piece of fruit.

Dinner will be butternut squash and red onion soup. And maybe some Ryvita crakers if still hungry.

I was really bad at the weekend and as a result really struggled on Monday. Was hungry all day. Yesterday was much easier. and today will be easier still. After 3 days cravings subside hugely. You just need to make sure that you have NOTHING bad in those three days or you are back to square one.

Low carb would be good for you as it is also a no sugar plan. You really need to just grit your teeth and do it meal by meal, day by day.

Oh - avoid things with artificial sweeteners - diet drinks etc too as they don't help with the cravings.

iluvcake - I feel your pain. In fact you could be me.

I too want to lose a stone, know what I should be eating and I exercise but as soon as I start on the sugary stuff I just can't stop.

I too hide the evidence, I know its not right and need to stop.

I'm going try the tip of cubes of cheese when I feel the sugar urge take hold. Let's hope I don't then have an issue with cheese

SwimLittleFish, I used to have porridge for breakfast and I found it helped keep the hunger pangs at bay.

ATM, I've got into a honey cheerio habit which I know is no good but it's quicker than porridge when I'm rushing to do the school run. Coming back from school I have got into a habit of coffee and a biscuit-at NINE a.m.!! Before I know it, I'm looking for more sugar...

I think I associate sweet things with "treats" and I feel like I "deserve" them but at the same time, I've ALWAYS craved sugar. I remember at 6 years old, going to the shops with my mum and hiding a bar of chocolate she had bought me (because I wasn't allowed it until after tea). I then went out to play and ate it (I'd hidden it in my coat pocket, telling her I'd lost it. I've always secretly sneaked chocolate and biscuits. With my DS, I feel as if I'm treating him if I give him sweet things. There is a voice in my head saying "no, you're not-you are setting him up for a lifetime of sugar addiction". It's like I can't stop myself. I feel sorry for him if he doesn't have something sweet every day. How mad is that?

justaminute, i might try that too!

Buda, well done on your weight loss. You have done amazingly well.

I have done low-carb, atkins, low GI, low GL, no wheat/sugar/dairy, WW, SW, you name it.

I know what to eat, when to eat it and what works, I just can't stick to it. Can you be hypnotised to give yourself more willpower?

Sounds like you are trying to replace something that is missing in your life with sugary things/food. I used to do that too. Used to get up early on a Saturday morning and sneak downstairs and raid the biscuit tin. I would go back to bed with a pile of about 6 biscuits. I also used to sneak back downstairs and make myself bread and jam when I was supposed to be in bed. I would also have toast and jam for supper every night before bed. While waiting for the bread to toast I would eat another 2 slices of bread.

I am on a weight loss thread on here - the Nothing Tastes Better than Slim Feels one. There are some mantras on there that for some reason have stuck with me this time. Well most of the time!

1 Will it make me happy?
2 Will it still be there when I am slim.
3 NOTHING TASTES BETTER THAN SLIM FEELS.

I think your current breakfast is setting you up for a day of sugar craving. If you can't make porridge before school run then why not have breakfast AFTER you get back? That's what I do. If you need something earlier maybe just a natural yoghurt or something to keep you going.

I was out walking my dogs earlier and I was thinking about this. Another thing to look at is how processed your diet is generally. Cooking from scratch is much better and healthier. I am of the firm belief that most of the processed food we buy has little nutritional value and we just end up craving things but that the cravings for more are our bodies telling us that they are not getting enough of the healthy stuff they need.

sugar is addictive, you have some, yur body says - gimme more

which is why i find a low carb diet effective. essentially this cuts out all sugars

take a look at www.carbfree.wordpress.com

Iluvcake I recognise another one of your issues. I always need food quickly too and unfortunatley, it seems that all the sugary rubbish food is the quickest to grab.

Have you tried soaking your porridge the night before for quicker cooking?

I've had no sugar except in fruit today but I've had to plan really quick meals. I think I can do this if I know I have quick healthy stuff to eat. I think I need to start planning.

I've realised I just can't do it on my own, my willpower isn't strong enough.

I've just dug out my Paul Mckenna book and listened to the CD. My problem is I always do things in a half hearted way. Am going to read the book properly to the end and listen to the CD every day.

Having listened to the CD and read the last few posts, I feel a bit more positive. Have just had rye bread, ham and olives and a yoghurt for lunch. Will have a fruit and nut snack later.

I do cook nearly everything from scratch (healthy too) but it't the snacking on chocolate and cakes that is my downfall.

I'm going to try and kick my cheerios habit (I do love them...) and do what you suggested Buda-thank you.

Will let you know how I get on. Anyone care to join me and post to say how you're getting on?

Yes, planning is key isn't it? May pop out to Supermarket later-I am rubbish at planning my meals.

My porridge is only Oatso simple-couldn't be any quicker really-just need to get out of bed a bit earlier probably.

Come and join us on the Nothing Tastes Better thread. We are nice and friendly and we kick ass!

Might just do that Buda thanks. Am off to the supermarket to buy some supplies(not cakes or biscuits)!

Next time you go to the library look for "Overcoming Binge Eating"- it deals with those moments where you open the mouth and everything goes in and five minutes latter you are filled with guilt up to your ears. If you want have a look at it on Amazon
www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Binge-Eating-Christopher-Fairburn/dp/0898621798/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1286977132&sr=8-1