georgiadev922663 started this discussion ·
Hi everyone! I want to quit sugar but it seems impossible.. I don't have weight issues, but I want to improve my health. The problem is especially after meals, when I want so bad to eat something sweet and if I don't, I feel hungry. I think the only way to stop eating sugar, is to tell me someone that it's bad for my flexibility or my pole progress..
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Saeth ·
I know this feeling all too well! Reducing sugar for me was a multiple year journey. The biggest break through was when I went paelo for 2 years, that helped a lot, but not fully. Eventually my sugar cravings actually got worse and it turned out my body needs more carbs. However that journey me taught me I could manage with so much lower levels of sugar. For me what worked was so very gradually cutting it back. I used to have 2 sugars in my tea. I cut it back by 1/8 each time over months. Lots of juice in drinks, so I scaled that back too. I set treat days for myself (twice a month, anything more starts the cravings again!) and refuse to buy anything outside of these days. There are no snacks in my house besides oranges and berries. Now, I'm no angel, I do sometimes break these rules, especially when stressed or unhappy however it's limited my sugar nomming hugely. When I do it's pretty bad I have to say. I'm talking 3 chocolate bars, a sweet drink, crisps! But my energy levels are better and more stable and I just don't feel so "meh" since reducing sugar as a lifestyle thing. I find when I fall off the wagon, my food doesn't taste sweet enough. When this happens I do a "sugar reset". Drink nothing but water and eat savoury meals and limited amounts of fruit for a number of weeks and avoid all junk, savoury or not. That sets me right again and food tastes sweet enough without eating lots of junk. Sometimes sugar cravings can be a sign of not enough carbs though that often isn't common for most people. It can also be a sign of an imbalanced gut flora because there's more bad bugs in the stomach than good. Guess what they like? Sugar! Sweet food can be a comfort/emotional thing. My point is what helps another will not help the next. I think it's important to get to the reasons why you crave sugar and when. Keeping a dairy can help. Then like any addiction, you have to want to change and start the journey of that change. It's not an overnight thing for most. Not sure if that'll be of any help or not, it's just my experience :)
Serzi ·
Recovering sugar junkie here. I used to drink pretty much nothing but sweet drinks, especially soda pop. I went on The South Beach Diet (for other reasons) and it pretty much eliminates any use of sugar. After that, guess what? I kinda lost my sweet tooth. I almost feel my blood sugar spike into oblivion if I eat the things I used to or if I drink a bottle of soda pop and I really don't like it. I enjoy my occasional dessert but, unlike before when I could make entire cartons of ice cream disappear, I'm rarely able to finish it all. Something changed when I took sugar out of my diet for so long, I lost the "need" for it. Does absence of sugar effect pole? I would say it does. Sugar is quick buzz of dirty energy, it burns fast and leaves you tired. If you have a junk-food fix before you pole you'll often find your quitting time comes sooner than if you ate a good meal. Certain things will bog you down, for sure. Sweet stuff is one of them.
Casi ·
Hi Georgia, I listen to a nutritionist podcast called Dishing Up Nutrition. They talk about cravings, including sugar, as a result of vitamin or mineral deficiencies or blood sugar imbalances. For sugar cravings, they point to possible zinc deficiency or to uneven blood sugar caused by eating lots of refined carbs. Maybe their info could give you some ideas to try. Glancing through the podcast archive, the third episode down on this list, from July of last year, is specifically devoted to sugar cravings: http://www.weightandwellness.com/index.php/radio-show/search-for-previous-radio-shows/filter_topic/?topic=Addiction%252FCravings I have a wicked sweet tooth as well. I've (mostly!) replaced sweet snacks with nuts, like cashews, pistachios, or almonds. They are full of healthy fats that keep you satiated and don't spike your blood sugar. Good luck!
thank you so much for your time. Great advices. I feel like I'm not alone :)
PinkPony ·
I am on Day 5 of eliminating refined sugar from my diet. I went cold turkey after years of daily Starbucks drinks and a great love of pastries and candy. It's an experiment to see if I can do it for 3 weeks. I am allowing myself one alcoholic beverage a week, so that's a cheat but I think the treat will help me stay on track. So far, I feel good and this is really making me aware of what's in everything I eat! I'm avoiding processed foods for the most part and reading labels on anything that IS processed. I've learned a lot about the different names sugar is listed under, it has many faces! Haha And I am learning to satisfy my sweet tooth in new ways like through unsweetened apple sauce, fruit and almond butter. Lastly, I am learning to eat when I go out. It's hard!! But you can find the nutrition information for just about any restaurant online. It's eye opening to see how different the contents of a dish is when not prepared at home! 😱 So throw out the sugar in your home, research refined sugar online and then start looking for new healthy recipes that will satisfy your desire for something sweet. I've found a lot of good ones on Instagram. Sugar offers no benefits besides flavor and many drawbacks like inflammation, weight gain, energy crashes and they say it can even mess with your moods. And who knows? Maybe once it's out of your system, you won't even want it anymore.
I agree with Serzi about the South Beach Diet. I dit it 3 times with significant weight loss and mostly loosing the sweet tooth. What I recommend is to drink more green juices to switch the PH from acidic to alcaline and you will notice that the sugar cravings will be reduced. Also if this can help, eating sugar decreases our will power because it acts a opium for the brain, thus the addiction and the feeling of being out of control over the temptations and the cravings....
Kaylie ·
Have you considered doing a whole 30? I am pretty much paleo but when crap starts finding its way in my mouth I tighten up with a whole 30!! When I do it, I also have a lot of breakthroughs with pole! Whole30.com
Maybe ween yourself off by eating a small peppermint candy after each meal? Then only eat the candy every other meal. Then no more peppermint candies.
