Any tips for curbing my serious sugar addiction?
A postscript: as seen here, most of the advice regarding sugar addiction is in the form of pithy tips. Tips can be helpful, but they are rarely a solution for something like addiction – especially something like sugar addiction, when sugar consumption is woven into the fabric of our lifestyles from the moment we are born. I had been on a constant diet since I was eight years old, and believe me, I tried many, if not all of these things. Brushing my teeth didn’t make a damn difference, any more than it would keep an alcoholic from a six-pack. Cutting out sugar for good required not only a total lifestyle change for me, but a total paradigm shift. I work in the addiction field now (an interest that was triggered by my own battles with sugar) and every day I am more and more convinced that sugar addiction, while of course less devastating than drugs and alcohol, is otherwise exactly the same.
As Granted said above, sugar addiction is a true addiction. I use a twelve step approach, not necessarily overeaters anonymous. I can’t manage or control my sugar addiction. I have to surrender and admit I am truly powerless over it. I need help beyond myself to achieve some sense of sane eating. Also, I keep it in today. If I had to go my entire life without sugar I don’t think I could do it, but I can be sugar free for today.
This may not curb your sugar cravings, but may help prevent you from acting on them. If walking by the bakeries near your house is a big temptation, don’t carry cash or just leave your entire wallet at home if possible. Once at home, even though the temptation to buy is less, it’s still helpful to keep very little cash in the house. Like 45moore45 said, stopping yourself from taking the first bite can make a big difference.
And at the risk of being too talky – yes, exercise does counterbalance the effects. I know that if I drink (I never claimed to be perfectly sugar free), I really need to exercise the next day to get the alcohol AND the sugar out of my system. And drink lots of water and eat many whole grains. So yes, eating well and exercising will help.
