How can I kick my sugar habit/addiction?

Answer 1

By keeping your blood glucose steady. For a few days or a week, eat a LOT of fruit, every few hours, to get there. Expect minor headaches. Like 5 pieces of fruit a day, really.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

You already took your first, and most important step in kicking it:
Recognizing for what it is---an addiction.
Fortunately it does not produce chemical dependency, as other addictions (such as nicotine, cocaine etc...).
One way to kick it is to substitute the sugars by things that tastes like sugar but will not be absorbed by your metabolism.
There are currently two in the market out there.
One is Splenda, which so far has not shown any side effects to anyone I know. The other is the alcohol Xilitol, which you can not buy pure but it is used to sweeten products such as chocolate (Hersheys has some, Russel Stove as well) and some protein bars.
The way to find them is to read the Carbohydrates content in the label. Usually it is lower than 4 g when it is sweetened with Xilitol.
Splenda you can use in anything you are used to put sugar on, coffee, tea, cakes etc...
However, if you are trying to kick a sugar habit, you should at the same time kick the simple carb habit as well (simple carbs are quickly transformed into sugar after you ingest them).
Stay completely away from ALL SODAS, including diet ones (their sweeteners can be decomposed into chemicals that can cause damage to the nervous system if the cans/bottles have been exposed to heat, such like storage rooms without air conditioning).

Substitute simple carbs by complex carbs such as bread made with whole grains, vegetables, raw fruits etc....

Good luck, and congratulations on your decision.

Answer 4

Okay, it is beyond obvious to me that none of the other posters has ever personally dealt with this problem! Telling someone to wean themselves off of it is the same as telling an alcoholic to cut back to just one drink a day!

Personal experience (and a LOT of reading on the topic) tells me that a low-carb diet will definitely help you. Atkins is a great way to go (he evens likens it to an alcoholic, advising that you should give it up altogether). The first two weeks are SO difficult, but after that it becomes surprisingly easy and enjoyable (and don't listen to the negative publicity, even people who write for diet magazines often do so from a point of ignorance as far as not really knowing what the diet entails...you can't eat a pile of bacon with butter on it, lol)

Trying to replace sugar with artificial sweeteners is not a safe or smart way to go about it. The sweet taste can tempt you more and remind your body of what you are "missing".

I would suggest using some high-quality vitamin, mineral, and essential oil supplements and getting some non-stressful physical activity every day (yoga or pilates). Getting enough sleep is VITAL, because often we eat more sugar to get some "energy". Eat LOTS of vegetables for real, lasting energy.

Answer 5

It isn't easy for the first week especially. Easiest is to take all the really sugar full foods out of the house, like only have all natural foods such as apples, carrotts, etc... There are certain herbs and minerals you can take that supposedly help, but they didn't work for me. Removing the temptation is the easiest way, and when you see the weight loss from cutting back on the sugar, you will be motivated to keep it up. Sugar is really bad for you and packs the pounds on - it is in everything from milk, bread, ketchup to crackers and whole wheat cereals. You have to read all labels to see the sugar content, it's about impossible to avoid, but you can cut back on the high sugar foods if you read the labels and get informed.

Answer 6

OK - handbag junkie - we bought 5 of those things by those designers in NYC last time we went. Da&mn woman spent $6,000 on purses. These are a couple of the things that grossed me out and helped me kick sugar. They are so desperate to keep Americans addicted they have more sugar in Prego spaghetti sauce than in Hersheys chocolate syrup. Papa John's pizza said years ago they rose to NO 1 pizza by taking the tomato out of the tomato sauce and replacing it with Sugar. and then this year they annonced a new sausage where the sage is replaced with sugar.

Answer 7

Use substitutes... Splenda, sugar free products... they all help. You need to find some other alternatives, but use in moderation.

Sugar Substitutes

Do you have an artificial sweet tooth? Many people are choosing sugar substitutes instead of sugar. But why, and are they safe?

There are three main reasons why people use low-calorie sweeteners, like Equal, Sweet 'n low, and Sweet One:


To save calories: one teaspoon of sugar contains 16 calories, whereas there are fewer than 4 calories per teaspoon in sugar substitutes;

For dental health: sugar substitutes do not cause cavities; and

To help prevent health problems: diabetics need to limit foods sweetened with sugar in order to control their blood sugar.
No matter what your reason, low-calorie sweeteners are commonly purchased staples. Nearly 1500 foods are sweetened with sugar substitutes.

Leading health authorities, including the American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetic Association, agree that all available sugar substitutes are safe for most people. Those who need to be concerned are pregnant women (consume in moderation) and individuals with Phenylketonuria (PKU).

In regards to the concern about saccharin causing cancer, all research was conducted on rats. A human would have to consume 850 cans of diet soda daily in order to ingest the same amount of saccharin researchers used in their studies.

The Food and Drug Administration and the American Medical Association also found no correlation between Aspartame causing headaches and mood swings.

No matter what you consume, remember to monitor portion sizes. Too much of anything is not a good thing. Rather, opt for some calorie-burning activities… one passionate kiss burns about 12 calories!!!

Answer 8

Eat only when hungry. No more than three meals a day unless diabetic. Eat nourishing food with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables being part of it. Chew each morsel at least 32 times. This will activate signal to the brain as soon as u have had enough. Besides this change in eating style, take regular light exercises and brisk walks every day. U will be able to shed all extra weight gracefully and in a reasonable time span. Remember sweets are also food. Please take them first item in the meal.

Answer 9

Give it up for lent tomorrow. Then if you eat anything God will punish you...
Just joking
Try to find something healthy that you can substitute for the sugary treats or at lease something with less sugar. Maybe a dietitian could help

Answer 10

Sugar is not bad for you. It is not an addiction. Sugar will pick you up and then you will feel a down. maybe......... the only real problem with sugar is dental...... don't believe everything you read. Everything in moderation. I would rather use real sugar than chemicals IN MODERATION....... question is why do you think it is a problem..... Are you depressed????? Do you eat a lot of sweets?? Chocolate to feel better.? Maybe your problems need a doctor, or a psychological one. sorry, sugar is not a bad thing. IN MODERATION