I am ADDICTED to sugar! ... any help?

I'm a recovering junkie myself. I gave it up a few weeks ago and dropped 2 to 3 pounds very quickly. You shoud try going cold turkey. Good luck!

I don't know what you eat through out the day, but have you tried adding a protein source to your carbs? It doesn't have to be like meat, but maybe like apples and peanut butter or drink some milk with your carb source. I always found this curbed my sugar cravings and hunger pains and I never reached for candy.

When I have sugar cravings my first reaction is fruit. This conquors 80% of my cravings (sometimes I need an apple and an orange..lol.) If fresh fruit seems too boring, I munch on frozen fruit (melon, strawberry, blueberry combo is my fav.)...sometimes with a bit of yougert.

If I _must_ have candy or chocolate, I make it gourmet. My favorite chocolate is a Lindt Ball...one of these is quite frankly orgasmic in my opinion...and far better than a whole bar of hersheys or cadbury.

You mention needing more protein in your diet...as a 14+ year vego, I recommend plenty of chickpeas (I use them in everything!) and also, snack on edemame. Edemame are soybean pods that you can find frozen in most grocery stores. You simply boil them as directed, and pop them out of the pod...they are a great healthy snack with a healthy dose of protien.

One of the reasons you might be so hungry is because of deficiencies in your diet. When I am starved for protein, I will eat anything in sight...so bear that in mind. Try to ensure you are getting at least 30 grams of protein a day.

Hope this helps!

Hope this helps

^agree 100%. Love the edamame!

Sugar cravings are frequently a deficiency of some sort in the diet. Though I can't recall the exact minerals assocaited with the deficiency, I think it was magnesium, maybe Vitamin C. It can also be asocaited with an imbalance of bacteria in the gut. Sugar feeds the bad bacteria in the intestines so eating it in excess allows that bacteria to overgrow.

Guide to Healthy Eating and Living here is a good page with some vital information about dieting and body health. It should give you some good avenue to help kick that craving!

sprinkle some splenda on to your fruits! yum!

^ agree!

chickpeas are great, who doesn't love hummus...I also eat a lot of black beans, kidney beans, and lentils.

you say you eat carbs, "i do eat a fair amount of carbs... potatoes, bread, pastries" but are you eating whole grains? not only whole wheat breads, but buckwheat, quinoa, barley etc. are great sources of fiber and protein

I'm a veg and i definitely had a sugar problem growing up. i would eat powdered sugar out of the bag by the cupful. SICK! Now I don't even put sugar in my coffee *pats self on back*

you could also try using a food journal. keep it by you during the day and write down 1. what you eat 2. time 3. why you ate it 4. and how you felt afterwards. I did this once and i relized that within 15 min of eating something really sugary I not only crashed energy-wise but I was also super cranky!

sugar is definitely addicting. I would try to sloooooly start to decrease your intake over a few months. that's the only way it will probably make the change permanent.

good luck:O)

i am also a recovering sugar addict. i always craved something sweet after a meal and i would crave candy & Pepsi all of the time. At the new years I switched to Pepsi One and even got some candy made with Splenda that tastes pretty good. I am usually not a fan of artificial sweeteners, but I was using a lot of calories drinking pepsi and eating sweets and I knew I had to make a change. Its amazing how a small bag of gummi worms has 600 cals. now when i have a craving for something sweet i suck on these hard candies made with splenda that honestly taste like they are made with real sugar.

I am a sugar fiend...it's so bad! I despise pop, coffee, and fruity candies, but I can down chocolate like there's no tomorrow. I am a picky eater and I haven't found the solution to cutting down on my sugary habits, but I'm working on it.

I'd have to say Im one too...lol I'll eat like 3 chocolate bars in one sitting! lol

Maybe this will help...

Don't Skip Meals
When you skip a meal, your energy level drops. As a result, you body begins to crave high-sugar foods to give you a quick energy boost. If you eat a number of small meals in a day, you'll have fewer cravings.

Eat Natural Sugars
If you find that you're craving a bowl of ice cream or a piece of candy, grab a piece of fruit instead. Fruit will not only satisfy your sugar craving, but it also contains fiber. The fiber will slow down the absorption of sugar in your body and help keep your blood sugar from rising too quickly, which can actually lead to even more sugar cravings.

Seek Out Substitutes
There are a number of sugar substitutes on the market, such as aspartame, which is found in Equal, and saccharin, which is found in Sweet and Low. A lot of foods such as ice cream and frozen yogurt are sweetened with these products. And, these artificial sweeteners are generally safe. But, people with a rare condition called phenylketonuria should not eat aspartame.

Brush And Gargle
As a tip to help stop craving for dessert after a meal, brush or gargle with an antiseptic mouthwash right after eating. Sugary foods don't taste good right after you've brushed your teeth or gargled.

Don't Buy Sugary Foods
Many people crave sugary foods late at night when the body's ability to resist is lower. Avoid keeping foods such as ice cream and cookies in your house. If the food isn't there to begin with, you can't eat it.

Take A Walk
Many people eat dessert after a meal. But instead, try taking a walk. Eating sugar can raise your serotonin levels, which can elevate your mood. Taking a short walk can have the same positive effect.

seriously, I doubt you eat more candy than me!! Haha I'm scared to go to the dentist. THis week I told myself that everytime I craved candy I have to eat cereal. Of course I pick sugary ones but i feel like its a good first step.

Not to mention i just came back from buying a huge bag of candy hearts.

don't eat it, J/K!!!!

Seriously, I think it takes about 3 days for the body to break the addiction. There can be headaches too, but it would be worth it.

I would suggest trying to snack on some nuts every couple of hours. I had originally read this in the South Beach Diet, but in Dr. Oz's book You: On a diet, eating the omega-3's is good for you, but I think it also helps the body's satiety as well.

When I was following his program closely I could have cared less if I had any chocolate or ice cream, which I am addicted to!

So far, my cereal thing is working.... although my cocoa puffs are packed with sugar...