Help me cut out sugar completely

[Anonymous]

I am 43 years old and 30 pounds overweight. Since turning 40 I noticed that I crave sugar more and more. If I know that we have chocolate at home, I cannot keep my mind off it until I eat it all.

In the past I tried cutting out sugar altogether. After a short while I did not crave it at all. That went well for a few months until a birthday party or similar when I ate just one piece of chocolate cake. That, however, opened the floodgates again and the old cravings returned.

Every time I start eating sugar again after a few months of going without, I feel that it does more and more damage to my body: especially it causes severe joint pain, which goes away when I don't eat sugar.

The same applies to all foods with a high glycemic index such as bread and rice, which have a similar effect on me.

My mother has a serious case of adiposity. She cannot constrain her eating, and can hardly move as a result of her obesity. I feel that I am headed down the same road if I don't radically stop with sugar and other high GI food.

I work out fairly regularly: jogging, cycling, a lot of walking.

I just don't know what to do at this point. Or rather, assuming I start going without sugar and other high GI food again, how do I keep from eating it again?

For personal and professional reasons it is vitally important that I reign in this problem. I gained 30 pounds in three years, and I even started not attending professional events (pre-Covid) because nothing looked good on my anymore. Furthermore, I am not willing to live with joint pain the rest of my life or take painkillers.

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

When you say cut out sugar, you're referring to added sugar, yes? As in, cutting out sweets?

Quick thoughts
Eat more protein
Don't buy sweets for the house
Lift weights
Plan for some treats, like twice a month, but eat it out of the house and in a pre-portioned size.
Establish new routines. When you hit a point in the day where you normally would turn to the chocolate, replace with something else, like hot tea or something. Do that consistently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 43 years old and 30 pounds overweight. Since turning 40 I noticed that I crave sugar more and more. If I know that we have chocolate at home, I cannot keep my mind off it until I eat it all.

In the past I tried cutting out sugar altogether. After a short while I did not crave it at all. That went well for a few months until a birthday party or similar when I ate just one piece of chocolate cake. That, however, opened the floodgates again and the old cravings returned.

Every time I start eating sugar again after a few months of going without, I feel that it does more and more damage to my body: especially it causes severe joint pain, which goes away when I don't eat sugar.

The same applies to all foods with a high glycemic index such as bread and rice, which have a similar effect on me.

My mother has a serious case of adiposity. She cannot constrain her eating, and can hardly move as a result of her obesity. I feel that I am headed down the same road if I don't radically stop with sugar and other high GI food.

I work out fairly regularly: jogging, cycling, a lot of walking.

I just don't know what to do at this point. Or rather, assuming I start going without sugar and other high GI food again, how do I keep from eating it again?

For personal and professional reasons it is vitally important that I reign in this problem. I gained 30 pounds in three years, and I even started not attending professional events (pre-Covid) because nothing looked good on my anymore. Furthermore, I am not willing to live with joint pain the rest of my life or take painkillers.

Thanks in advance.

OP, reread the words you have written here. As you have demonstrated, what you are trying to do is not sustainable.

There are better, healthier, easier and more long term ways to lose those additional pounds. Please consult a registered dietitian. You have some irrational food beliefs (that's the professional term) that need correcting, lest this become an endless, lifelong cycle.

[Anonymous]

I am 45yo, exercise regularly and also have struggled with sugar addiction my whole life. I am 5'5, weigh less than 120. I used to try to full detox like you but never could sustain it more than a few months. I now limit sugar to fresh and dried fruit after dinner and honey. At this age I accept that I will eat sugar but this way at least get extra fiber.

[Anonymous]

The supplement Chromium lessens sugar cravings. Switch to diet drinks and sugar-free desserts. Meals can consist of salad, a green vegetable and a protein.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The supplement Chromium lessens sugar cravings. Switch to diet drinks and sugar-free desserts. Meals can consist of salad, a green vegetable and a protein.

Not OP but this wouldn't work for me. Diet soda would trigger sugar cravings and I wouldn't say that I have a sugar problem.

Not sure what you mean by sugar free desserts but I wouldn't focus on anything with sweetener. That can backfire. IMO, it's better to have small amounts of the real thing on occasion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 45yo, exercise regularly and also have struggled with sugar addiction my whole life. I am 5'5, weigh less than 120. I used to try to full detox like you but never could sustain it more than a few months. I now limit sugar to fresh and dried fruit after dinner and honey. At this age I accept that I will eat sugar but this way at least get extra fiber.

OP here. Your success is impressive. I do eat fruit, I am noy trying to cut that out.

[Anonymous]

I started reducing my sugar intake at 40. I used to LOVE sugar. I started increasing my protein intake and now, skinny pop and unsalted nuts are my go to. I'm 52 and no longer crave sugar. I do like Equal in my coffee, but that's it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 43 years old and 30 pounds overweight. Since turning 40 I noticed that I crave sugar more and more. If I know that we have chocolate at home, I cannot keep my mind off it until I eat it all.

In the past I tried cutting out sugar altogether. After a short while I did not crave it at all. That went well for a few months until a birthday party or similar when I ate just one piece of chocolate cake. That, however, opened the floodgates again and the old cravings returned.

Every time I start eating sugar again after a few months of going without, I feel that it does more and more damage to my body: especially it causes severe joint pain, which goes away when I don't eat sugar.

The same applies to all foods with a high glycemic index such as bread and rice, which have a similar effect on me.

My mother has a serious case of adiposity. She cannot constrain her eating, and can hardly move as a result of her obesity. I feel that I am headed down the same road if I don't radically stop with sugar and other high GI food.

I work out fairly regularly: jogging, cycling, a lot of walking.

I just don't know what to do at this point. Or rather, assuming I start going without sugar and other high GI food again, how do I keep from eating it again?

For personal and professional reasons it is vitally important that I reign in this problem. I gained 30 pounds in three years, and I even started not attending professional events (pre-Covid) because nothing looked good on my anymore. Furthermore, I am not willing to live with joint pain the rest of my life or take painkillers.

Thanks in advance.

Don't buy it. If not in the house than you can't eat it, right?

[Anonymous]

I cut out added sugar, and find that I can’t eat treats for special occasions anymore - it’s all just disgustingly, cloyingly sweet - ugh. I make my own desserts sometimes with a quarter of the amount of sugar, and that’s perfect. So I made tart lemon bars for Easter that were delicious, but couldn’t eat the Easter chocolates, even though I LOVE chocolate, because they were standard “dark” (meaning not really). I bought a bar of 90% chocolate and it was better for my new palate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I cut out added sugar, and find that I can’t eat treats for special occasions anymore - it’s all just disgustingly, cloyingly sweet - ugh. I make my own desserts sometimes with a quarter of the amount of sugar, and that’s perfect. So I made tart lemon bars for Easter that were delicious, but couldn’t eat the Easter chocolates, even though I LOVE chocolate, because they were standard “dark” (meaning not really). I bought a bar of 90% chocolate and it was better for my new palate.

+1.

I definitely still like the occasional dessert but it has to be my version. I can't do the store bought stuff anymore at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 43 years old and 30 pounds overweight. Since turning 40 I noticed that I crave sugar more and more. If I know that we have chocolate at home, I cannot keep my mind off it until I eat it all.

In the past I tried cutting out sugar altogether. After a short while I did not crave it at all. That went well for a few months until a birthday party or similar when I ate just one piece of chocolate cake. That, however, opened the floodgates again and the old cravings returned.

Every time I start eating sugar again after a few months of going without, I feel that it does more and more damage to my body: especially it causes severe joint pain, which goes away when I don't eat sugar.

The same applies to all foods with a high glycemic index such as bread and rice, which have a similar effect on me.

My mother has a serious case of adiposity. She cannot constrain her eating, and can hardly move as a result of her obesity. I feel that I am headed down the same road if I don't radically stop with sugar and other high GI food.

I work out fairly regularly: jogging, cycling, a lot of walking.

I just don't know what to do at this point. Or rather, assuming I start going without sugar and other high GI food again, how do I keep from eating it again?

For personal and professional reasons it is vitally important that I reign in this problem. I gained 30 pounds in three years, and I even started not attending professional events (pre-Covid) because nothing looked good on my anymore. Furthermore, I am not willing to live with joint pain the rest of my life or take painkillers.

Thanks in advance.

OP, reread the words you have written here. As you have demonstrated, what you are trying to do is not sustainable.

There are better, healthier, easier and more long term ways to lose those additional pounds. Please consult a registered dietitian. You have some irrational food beliefs (that's the professional term) that need correcting, lest this become an endless, lifelong cycle.

+1 strongly agree. Op: see a dietitian. A registered dietitian. Not a “nutritionist,” a registered dietitian.

[Anonymous]

Sugar cravings can occur when you're sleep deprived, PMS-ing, dehydrated, and when you're not getting enough protein and fiber in your diet, or have some kind of mineral or vitamin deficiency.

So I would start by taking a multivitamin, drinking enough water and enough sleep.
Then broaden the variety of fruits and vegetables that you eat.
Make sure that you have protein at every meal.
Make sure that you have enough fiber at every meal.

You will notice that processed foods and certain carbs like white bread, white rice, regular pasta, aren't in any of these categories! Don't eat too much of those. They make your blood sugar spike.

If you are intolerant to certain foods, you might benefit from a low-FODMAP diet (look it up - here's a great book on it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1615193154/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).

In other words, it's not normal to have sugar cravings, however many Americans in poor health seem to have them. You're on the road to diabetes with that kind of lifestyle.

[Anonymous]

I cut it out for lent. No sweets. If a non-sweet food has added sugar (ketchup, marianara sauce, etc) I won't avoid it though.

I lost 4 pounds. The first week was tough -- I had cravings. After a week, I got over that. Your post about opening the floodgates once you had a bit like eating birthday cake. That's what I"m concerned about so I think I'll avoid that also. Sugar seems kind of additctive to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I cut out added sugar, and find that I can’t eat treats for special occasions anymore - it’s all just disgustingly, cloyingly sweet - ugh. I make my own desserts sometimes with a quarter of the amount of sugar, and that’s perfect. So I made tart lemon bars for Easter that were delicious, but couldn’t eat the Easter chocolates, even though I LOVE chocolate, because they were standard “dark” (meaning not really). I bought a bar of 90% chocolate and it was better for my new palate.

+1.

I definitely still like the occasional dessert but it has to be my version. I can't do the store bought stuff anymore at all.

Not OP but I have never had this “problem.” If I stop eating sugar for a while, I’m pumped the second I get some again. Even crappy candy hits the spot. Mmm.