New addiction for me

[Jules]

I know I dont post very often but I am here reading every day and new I need advise.

I have been AF since Dec of last year. My drink ( bottle ) of choice was rum that was lemon- lime flavored. Fifth a day and about a gallon on the weekends. I see people talk about sugar cravings and now I realize I am having them. I HAVE to have suger of some kind before I lay down to try and sleep ( another problem) If I dont all I do is lay there thinking about my bowl of..........icecream, lemonlime sherbert. I know this sounds stupid but I am gaining a lot of weight. Sometimes after satisfying my craving I will sleep a few hours only to wake up and eat cookies and go right back to bed.

I work midnights which is a hard shift for sleeping anyways but I have to get away from the sugar. Any advise??? Herbal remidies??Should I go back on my Campral??

Thanks............Julie

[Newyear]

New addiction for me

Hey Julie.. I've been af since the end of Oct. I too am still dealing with a sugar issue. In fact it kind of started getting worse the last couple of months...maybe due to more stress.
Anyway, I'm just trying to start Atkins now. I tried starting yesterday but remembered I had chocolate ice cream in the fridge. Today - no sugar so far!
I'm just trying to cut it way down.
Good luck-
Lisa

[xtexan]

New addiction for me

Julie:

I have never dieted before in my life, because I felt no reason to....until a few weeks ago when I realized my weight was holding back my running and biking performance. I looked into various things, and had a close friend tell me of her success with Atkins. I also knew of several others who had success with it as well.

So I'm on day 12 of the Atkins induction diet, and so far, I am amazed at the results. I've had to cinch my belt up tighter, and my gut is visibly smaller. I realized after only a few days, how much better I felt, and how much better I was sleeping. Many anxieties for no reason, just dissappeared. It was the sugar doing it, and now I know it.

I too, was waking up in the middle of the night just craving anything massively sweet. Orange juice and a snickers would fix me right up. Little did I realize that the sugar was just making me feel terrible mentally and emotionally.

I'm not recommending any diet for anyone else, but this thing is working for me like nothing else ever has. I am looking forward to putting more complex carbohydrates, fruits, and nuts, and low-carb breads back into my diet gradually after Thursday. The point has been made to me crystal clear though. Refined sugar and sugar products (high fructose corn syrup) is another toxic poison to me.

I'm also studying the so-called glycemic index factor, which is how fast things go into glucose (your bodies base fuel), from various things eaten.

Of course over the last couple of weeks, I had the incredible sugar cravings. I went with Atkins recommendation, and made some zero carb lemonade with some zero carb flavor packets, and liquid saccharin sweetner. It got me through the massive sugar cravings AOK, and now my desire for super sweets seems to be slowly going away.

Also amazed at how my overall energy level has climbed along with my emotional and mental states. Looking forward to much improved performance in all areas once I get this thing all dialed in properly.

Hope you find what is best for you.

Neil

[Mags]

New addiction for me

Sugar cravings are real common in recovering alcoholics. Your post is not silly at all - gaining weight is a terrible thing and shouldn't be the cost of sobriety. I take L-glutatmine 2,000 mg per day - some people like Determinator take even more. It is supposed to help with the sugar cravings and I have to say I haven't noticed that I have had them since starting the L-glutamine. Do you have RJ's book? You could read up on it.

There is a daily exercise thread going also - that's always a good way to help keep the weight off.

Good luck to you. Let us know how you are doing. Nice to hear from you. Congratulations on AF since December. That is a real success story!!!!!!
:goodjob:

[nancy]

New addiction for me

I think Neil is right.

As long as you keep satisfying the cravings, your blood sugar will be on mad cycles of craving, giving in and craving again. it's a kind of viscious circle.

The author of the south beach diet recommends cutting all that stuff out for two weeks and then the cravings go away. I tried South Beach (based on glycemic index) and got off junk food, refined sugar etc.

you can have natural sugars that don't affect blood sugar as much, like agave nectar honey. and the south beach diet recommends splenda based products, though i don't hear good things about artificial sweeeteners.

complex carbohydrates give you energy but in a slow release kind of way, so 100% whole grains are better than white bread products.

stay away from fruit juices if you can. have fruit with fiber, with the skin on it.

[Determinator]

New addiction for me

well, with great advice like that all I have left is:
HUGE congrads to you Jules on the AF victory...what a success story!
I'm sure you will kick sugars ass next

[Jules]

New addiction for me

Thank you everyone that responded. Adkins is a good idea. I was on it in the past and did very well and it is easy to stay on it at work. I sent my hubby to buy L- Glutamine so all I have to do is fine out what dose to start out with.

I went to my DR. yesterday and I gained anither 7 LBS. in 4 weeks...He explained that it is proven that people that work night shifts aslo gain weight and a lot has to do with not sleeping right ( me also) so he is trying me on a natural sleep aid. We will see about this.

I WOULD RATHER BE PLUMP THAN DRUNK:H

Thanks again Julie

[lushy]

New addiction for me

Yep, L-glut, L-glut, L-glut. According to Determinator you can take up to 3 grams a day. You want to take more than what the "normal" person does because our brains need that help. Also maybe try hard candies because they take longer to eat but will still supply some sugar while you are trying to cut back.

Good luck!!

[Jules]

New addiction for me

I just read about the benefits of it and I am sooo excited. Now maybe I will start letting my grandkids eat my ice cream instead of me hiding it. Hiding ice cream like I did my rum..good god I am pathetic:H

Julie

[IAD]

New addiction for me

Jules,
Thier are supplements that can help you. Read MWO & take part of the Supplements ! Your craving will be satisfied ! The phyic job is up to you !. IAD

[Reenie]

New addiction for me

Hi Jules! Wow, congratulations on being AF since last December. It is day 46 for me. Initially I lost weight (5 lbs). I haven't been on the scale lately, but I do know that my cravings for sugar have been increasing. My nightly snack is cookie dough icecream in an Oreao Cookie cone. Mind you, I pack the cone with as much icecream as I can. I've done Atkins in the past. After reading these posts, I plan on starting the 14 day induction tomorrow. I forgive myself for consuming tons of icecream. I too rather be plump than drunk!

[Change]

New addiction for me

xtexan;179885 wrote: Julie:
Little did I realize that the sugar was just making me feel terrible mentally and emotionally.

Interesting that you say all of this Neil. I noticed terrible anxiety a few days ago after consuming a whole packet of chocolate biscuits (not uncommon for me, i do it every day), even to the point where i thought i was going to have an anxiety attack. Well, i decided not to eat sugar the next day (i did, but anyway).

When i woke up the next day, i felt great and mentally serene. I ended up caving and giving in to the sugar cravings, but after reading this post, i am going to try to give it another whirl. I feel mental when i have sugar, but i can't seem to help myself. I have some goals and i really need to give it up.

:hitme:

[IAD]

New addiction for me

Jules,
When I went to AA meetings I always wondered why they had a candy dish. I know now !One or 2 pieces should handle it. But really try the supplements.....your body is trying to tell you something. Thier is a herbal way to satisfy your craveings. IAD

[Jules]

New addiction for me

Good morning everyone.....( morning for me) I started L- Gluta last night. 1 pill before work and 1 at lunch. I didn't have any sugar at work and no diet pepsi after lunch. I don't know if its the Gluta but I was really thirsty. I doubled my water intake. YAY! No juice before bed and no ice cream but I layed there for 2 hours craving it so I ate about 1/3 of what I normally would.

I haven't checked on the supp. yet but I will. If I can tear myself away from Big Brother 8 live feed I will start searching Adkins ro refresh my memory. Anyone with a link??

Julie


If I get the sugar cravings under control, p**p regular and sleep better, my life would be a bed of roses