Quitting sugar!

[lockedhearts]

I quit sugar a few years ago,, or so I thought. I used Splenda and my sweet cravings increased and were even worse. Now if I need sweet, such as coffee, it is Stevia or Truvia and only a little. I feel much better and no longer crave sweet.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Maybe try snacking on something that you do like, to make sure you're keeping your blood sugar up between meals. It doesn't have to be fruit, if you don't like fruit. A whole grain, a little protein, even a little cheese. Protein and fat can be more satisfying and stick with you longer than carbs. Whole grains stick with you longer than refined carbs. Maybe just something in an equivalent calorie amount to what you would normally eat with the sugary foods. There are times when something sugary as a snack sounds good to me, because I'm hungry and it's there. If I eat something else that's better for me that has adequate food value, though, I feel fine later.

 

[desertdarlene]

I agree, try snacking on some whole grains to keep your blood sugar up. That could be why you have a dull headache.

I have often quit sugar and I stopped having cravings usually within a week or two, but I also ate fruit and "sweet" vegetables such as peas.

 

[HLAC]

Are you eating much starch? (particularly in simple form.. potatoes, bread, processed cereal)
Your body treats sugar and starches the same. They both spike blood sugar, which triggers and outpouring of insulin. The insulin knocks the blood sugar down and often keeps working until your blood sugar actually gets too low. This makes you tired and it makes you crave more sugar and starch (food in general). Eventually many people repeat this cycle so much that they become insulin resistant and finally become diabetic.

In the past ten years I've eaten hardly any sugar, corn syrup, honey or any other sugar that spikes my blood glucose level. I eat very little starch either. I still crave sweet stuff... but my cravings did subside after about a month after I quit.

I do eat some fake sugars. Splenda and saccharin mostly. Aspartame gives me a killer headache.

Now an apple is candy sweet to me, same with berries, squash and sweet potatoes.
Things like a reese's peanut butter cup is inedibly sweet to me. (bleagh!!)

 

[Imp]

I have found that a little peanut butter kills any cravings for sugar. Some PB contains a lot of sugar so be aware of that.

Imp

 

[Xtina]

Thanks for the advice, guys!

 

[zippitydooda]

While I have absolutely NO right to tell you HOW to kick the habit as I am overweight, I did hear a person say something once that got me to thinking about what I eat.

He said "Why would you let one organ in your body determine the health of all the rest?"

He was referring to the tongue. Interesting thought.

 

[eenie114]

I did no sugar for nearly a month, (just recently quit) and I found that blasting loud, peppy music that I could sing along with REALLY helped. Weird, but it worked.
Good luck!

 

[SLWyandotte]

Quote:
welcome to addiction. your body is making demands. first for the calories to maintain it's current status. the body doesn't like dipping into the fat stores so it makes you want to get that energy from your food, so it can store the extra you don't use. it's a pack rat. also the mind likes routine. it's not easy to change that. these changes make people restless,nervous, and bored. most people tend to eat when they are bored or stressed. it's the body's response to get ready to run. the pre-flight or fight. it's common for people to gain several lbs while trying to kick any addiction. i did a lot of research while trying to quit smoking. i still crave nicotine, and it's been over 2 years. i hope you kick it. good luck.

 

[FrizzleFreak]

My only advice is to have something like chewing gum in your mouth as much as possible- I realize that it wouldn't be keeping as much with the whole sacrifice for Lent thing, but eventually the sweet taste would go away. Having something in your mouth and actively chewing reduces most cravings (at least in my experience.)
Good luck! Here's hoping that this becomes a habit!