Caffeine and sugar cravings

[CS04]

Over the last 2-3 days, I have been drinking more coffee (I usually drink 2-3 cups in the morning) and really wanting sugar. I've been AF for 18 days and considerably less A during May, but have had virtually no sweet cravings whatsoever. It's not PMS, and haven't changed any supps recently, except weaning off the Topa. Anyone else experience this?

[Accountable for Me]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

You aren't alone!!!! My coffee intake has skyrocketed this time around. I crave coffee all day long. I am trying not to drink a lot of it anymore; but it is still hard. Sugar, too, but I eat a bit of peanut butter on the spoon to kill that.

The last time I had a significant amount of AF time, I didn't have any cravings. Pretty weird.

[Determinator]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

I was just fighting the urge to fire up another pot of espresso when I came across this thread LOL.
yep...caffeine junkie here. Love my good java. I usually only go "bonkers" on the java when I'm traveling/driving a lot...not sure why. Some annoying talk radio and a veni Starbucks seems to keep my motor running.

fortunately I managed to nip the sugar thing in the bud. Sugar affects me dreadfully now that I am more in tune with my body. Occasionally I'll still have some ice cream or cake...oink.

[Cinders]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

I have to watch the caffeine intake because if I drink too much and get jittery, it kicks off the "I need to relax with a glass of vino" thinking.

I do drink coffee but keep it to morning and early afternoon.

Love,
Cindi

Oh, sugar?? I love chocolate. Love it. Stay away from it. It makes you fat. :H

[boozehag]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

Yup me too. I never had a sweet tooth when I was drinking and considering that covered most of the last 20 years I have been really surprised to discover that I like cakes - a lot. I never ever ate cake or buns before now I am salivating over cakes and buns (even photos of them). It doesnt worry me as I would rather eat a whole cake every day than go back to the AL and cigs.
Also the coffee intake has increased a bit too but like you Cindi I only drink it in the am.
BH (no more)

[hippie37]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

The last time I drunk coffee was back in 1995 when I was working in the recording studio. My boss was a big 'coke' head and so he always had the strongest filter coffee 'on the go' in the cafe, below the studio. I came into work early one morning after an all night session on the drink and drugs and had about 3 mugs of this stuff in the space of an hour (on the advice from my boss that it would 'wake me up'). About another hour into the recording session I was trying to get rid of some unwanted bass frequencies and I hit a subsonic frequency that induced the caffeine/drugs rush. I fell to the floor almost in a state of panic and this panic attack lasted nearly all day. I could hardly talk to the band members and it was a really 'nasty' buzz I was experiencing. Anyway I never touched that coffee EVER again and subsequently I never touched ANY caffeine for a long while. I still don't drink tea or coffee and only drink herbal teas as too much caffeine in my body sends my head 'reeling'.

Anyway just thought I'd share that funny story with you all today!!!

Love and Happiness
The sub-sonic attacked Hippie
xx

[patricia]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

Hi, Since taking up my 30 days challenge (3 weeks yesterday) I've eaten chocolate for England - I could compete in the Olympics and probably get gold! I've also upped my coffee at work by one or two a day but guess what - I've still lost weight - amazing!! My theory is that when we're drinking if we have sweet things then it puts us off the booze!! Not sure if I'm right but I think that's what happens to me . . . .

[hippie37]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

Yeah, I'd agree with that Pat too. Sweet things were a necessity to help with stemming the cravings I got. I was a cider drinker and so was getting a lot of sugar intake from that. I had to replace that when I stopped and so I started eating Haribo sweets for England. (tangy twisters were my favourites as they were caked in sugar!!). It surprises me to still hear at some AA meetings I attend of how people have been sober for years and still have the need for chocolate!! I've always had a sweet tooth even when I was a kid. I'd put sugar on everything even Frosties that where already sugar coated!!. I guess that's why I drunk cider rather than bitter or Guiness!!.

Love and Happiness
Hippie
xx

[Doggygirl]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

AL turns to sugar in your blood, regarless of what it is mixed with. So...when you take that sugar away, your body wants sugar in some form. (blood sugar spikes and dips - all that jazz)

Feeding that sugar craving can be particularly bad for some of us...especially if we have any tendency toward Type 2 Diabetes. (i.e. family history, or borderline blood sugar levels ourselves)

Caffeine is also reported to cause blood sugar spikes (to a lesser degree than AL or sugar) which IMO could explain why cravings for that go up for some, post AL.

For me anyway, the benefit of not feeding the sugar craves is that level blood sugar without the highs a lows minimizes ALL sugar craving - including AL. My brain wants a fix of AL for other reasons...but for me it's just all easier to deal with sans sugar messing things up.

Sadly, I have neglected my country by not Eating Chocolate For The USA.

Hippie, you need to write a book someday!!

DG
:award: + ****

[patricia]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

Hi Doggiegirl,

This is really useful information and it explains a lot - think I'll cut the chocolate back a bit and the coffee - don't want diabetes as well as this struggle . . . . .

[Poppie]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

hi there
yes i just bought a chocolate from the shop and now i see why, we all experiencing a sugar craving. I hardly ever eat sweet things especially chocolate and if i do it's always one. i was hooked on sugar as a child and now still sick of it. And i work at the dentist so don't even have sugar in my tea, although we all need some sugar at times. excuse my grammar..

[just h]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

Hmmm, well I've always love caffeinated products. I grew up on sweet coffee and tea. My Mom was born and raised in the south. For a while in my twenties I cut back on a health kick and was exercising and only binged once every two months while clubbing in LA. The Ex didn't allow alcohol in the house. So, I was able to cut the sugar cravings for a while. But these past few years that my binging has gone up and down I noticed when I have more frequent binges I want more candy/carb loaded snacks(chips esp.). I think it does have something to do with needing to keep my sugar going to keep going. But, I am more bloated and have gained so much weight. So, I'm trying to get healthier carbs and cut back on sugar and drink lots of water. Also if I drink more water then there's really nothing to mix my drink with.

[Kimberley]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

Stopping alcohol does bring on sugar cravings as you have taken away a massive source of sugar (alcohol). What you do about it really depends on how you feel about eating sugar and your health.

Giving in to the cravings by eating cakes and sweets will mean you continue to have the cravings. If you want to get rid of them entirely, do what I did. Cut out ALL sugar from your diet, bit like the Atkins diet, this includes bread, sauces with sugar, very sweet fruits etc. You may feel awful sugar withdrawal for a while (headaches etc) but it does take away cravings and also helps with alcohol cravings. You dont have to do this forever, but staying sugar free for a few weeks or a month will get the cravings right under control.

I did this as I am going AF for ayear and could not bear to have the sugar cravings for that long- I got them really bad every other time i stopped drinking. It's worth it for me, though many people wouldn't want to try this route I know.

Caffeine cravings? I love coffee anyway, so I don't know if it's a craving, but I drink about 4 cups a day cos I love it. And it's not putting any weight on me. Good luck however you deal with it - cravings are such a bitch.

[patricia]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

Hi everybody

This was a really useful bit of info - I've just always assumed I didn't eat sweet things because it could interfere with drinking - but really it all makes sense. Have started today to watch sweet things and also caffene intake - I wouldn't wish this struggle (AL) on anybody but it's absolutely brilliant to know that I can talk to everybody and they'll know exactly what I'm talking about . . . . . by the way, weather is crap here today - hope we get a bit of a heatwave soon . . . . would make life so much more pleasant . . . . X

[gabby1go]

Caffeine and sugar cravings

I have never had a sweet tooth but definately crave something sweet (usually after lunch and dinner). I stay away from refined sugar but sometimes I NEED it!! I try to limit myself to a bite or two and that seems to work. I figure that as long as I'm not drinking it is fine whatever I eat. If I want to eat a pint of ice cream (low-fat of course) it is okay because I am not drinking two bottles of wine.