reliant on sugar help!

[MummyZELC]

As the title says I have a serious problem with sugar. I really need to cut as much out as I can - I know the odd sugary cup of tea won't kill me but I have several a day, sugar on cereal (or sugary cereal), chocolate, ice cream, I can't get enough! I can't stand artificial sweetener either - I've put it in my tea before and just cannot drink it. Anyone got any advice? Thanks

If you are really serious, cold turkey works. Two weeks or so and the cravings will be gone, IME.

You can't do any halfway house though and you have to plan for it with proper filling meals with proper fat (butter, olive oil etc) because otherwise your body will just chain your brain up and eat 50 kitkats in a row to spite you.

Thank you. I will try it - really hope I have the willpower. My job is physically demanding at times and low energy levels will affect it quite a lot.
I quit smoking four months ago so I'm sure that won't have helped my weight is spiralling out of control too, I feel like a big fat blob and my skin is really bad at the moment

I've been in your shoes, I looked forward to the end of the day when I could eat a huge chocolate bar/tub of ice cream/family sized bag of sweets when DD wouldn't see. I used to hide the amount of crap I ate from DP too, but I was so reliant on sugar that I would feel a physical need to have it!

What's working for me is sticking to a low carb diet. It does mean I have to be really strict with eating sugar. As in, as little as possible! It works because you replace the carbs with protein and lots of fat which keeps you full. And you get your carbs from green vegetables and full fat natural yogurt. It's hard but so far I'm down 30lbs and I have so much more energy now! I do miss sugar (I was a chocolate addict!) but not enough to give into the inner voice that tells me I've had a hard day and deserve to eat half a chocolate cake in one go!

There is a low carb board on here, along with the boot camp board that is great and explains all the basics. And lots of material on YouTube that explains the science behind what carbs do to your body.

If that sounds too drastic, maybe something like slimming world where you can use your "syns" for anything that isn't in the eating plan? I've done both ways of eating and have lost weight on both.

Good luck, it's so hard but it's so worth it to give it up

Use xlitol instead. It's a good replacement.

You just need the willpower for 2 weeks and after a few days it gets easier, honest

It's really key you eat very well during, more than you usually do if necessary but just no sugar / sweet stuff. Have cheese for pudding, that kind of thing

Once you've lost the craving you can then adjust the amount of savoury food to a reasonable level. I have done it twice and I gave myself a month after which the occasional pud when out for a meal is doable - and everything else just just doesn't even really tempt you. Plus it made my energy levels much more even so less overall ravenous moments.

It is a mindset change though.

More protein and good fats

Hang on, you gave up smoking? Congratulations

You can definitely do this

Low energy levels are cured by eating high protein meals with complex nutrients
nuts, seeds, cheese, fish, chicken, veg

and then yes, cold turkey will reset your palette surprisingly fast

Seconding cold turkey and low carbing.

Thank you formerly
I think I may go back on the slimming world eating plan for a couple of weeks and gradually cut out the sugar - I've read a few packets tonight and the sugar content of some foods is just horrifying!
That said though I frog marched my Pepsi loving DH to the dentist last week (he hasn't been for about 15 years) and I was convinced his up to 10 can a day habit would have caused horrendous issues with his teeth - all he needed was one filling and a clean and polish!
I genuinely can't stand any kind of artificial sweetener in my tea so will have to cut right back, even though tea is my absolute favourite
That said I feel so much better when I've eaten healthily, sugar causes such energy crashes and my job requires a lot of energy so I need to make a massive change - starting with swapping my brew tomorrow morning for a herbal tea and maybe a sneaky apple cider vinegar concoction