Best way to defeat sugar cravings?

[maggiemuggins]

I didn't used to have a sweet tooth, and then after going into hospital unexpectedly I put on a stone quite quickly - in about 2-3 months. Mainly due to pretty much just sitting on my arse eating the boxes of chocolates people brought me!

So now I'd like to lose it again. I've started taking more exercise and generally being careful not to over-eat, and that's all fine, but the main thing I know I need to do is cut out the refined sugar - chocs, sweets, biscuits, cake, you name it I now crave it. Cheese used to be my treat, but now I just want sweet things.

So, my question is - is it better to just go cold turkey and cut out sugary food, or should I substitute with fruit, dried fruit etc? Or will that just still encourage the sweet tooth, as it's all sugar, even if not the bad stuff?

TIA if you can help!

cold turkey

nothing with added sugar
no sweeteners
limit fruit - have veg instead

if you can do a week you'll have started retraining your system

Has to be cold turkey. Bloody difficult too.

Damn, I knew this but been in denial!! Guessing fruit juice should be avoided then too? I usually only drink water, coffee (plain) and herbal tea, but juice has crept into my diet too!

Definitely drop the juice ...may as well drink coke in terms of sugar.

I'm going against the grain, but I tried cold turkey and just found it too hard. So over the course of a couple of weeks I've cut out bits here and there and I have definitely found that my overall desire for sugary things has decreased, so I'm hoping if I keep at it it will decrease some more. I have also lost weight, and have more energy.

Thanks, will try the cold turkey & at least if it's too hard will know that cutting back will help :)