How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

[COSGringo]

So how do you get around the sugar cravings? I can do it by eating more food but I want to lose weight so that's no good.
L-Glut has not worked for me.
Any other ideas? Fake sugar doesn't cut it for me.
I get these weird cravings for super sweet junk candy like sour patch kids. I know, pretty sad.
I can go through a bag no problem.

[DizzyBee]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

I'm afraid although I'll be your first reply I'll probably won't be your fave

Reason being I don't have that much of a sweet tooth.

BUT when I first cut AL I did develop one and strangely although I ate more chocolates that month than I did my whole life I still lost 4kg. Now explain to me how I now only managed to lose 2kg in almost 2 months of being AL free on Topa?

I do crave salty things though but lately I have this very weird thing of cutting AL cutting most crap food and staying at a weight at least 10-20kg more than whats good for me, depending on how harshly you look at it.

OK, this is your thread so two things that I found lately that I love that is both sweet and natural is

• raw honeydates

My memory is still pretty crap from AL but I think I remember you saying you have training in diets and stuff.

I read a book called the Hibernation Diet which says that honey lowers your blood glucose. So you can add this to your tea or have this at night and it can actually help you lose weight. I'm not sure where you live but I bought the book on the uk amazon site.

I can't say it has changed my life but I've made these energy bars of one cup honey, one cup oats and one cup unsweetened peanut butter. Its really sweet and its supposed to be low GI as well, so its worth a try.

My brother, who I share my cottage with DOES have a real sweet tooth and he has been devouring these as well as the unpitted dates I've been buying. I haven't really read up as much about this but I think you have enough of an inquisitive mind to read up about this?

My opinion thus, so far is, to find sweet treats that are low GI. I even like making fruit smoothies, with real oranges, full fat yogurt, berries, honey, and whatever else you like.

Then of course there is also dark chocolate, which I do like.

I also read that for some reason coconut oil is suppose to help one lose weight but not sure how to make that sweet, maybe combine it with honey or dates, if you can stand it?

And Heidi Klum has those Katjes gummi bear type fruit juice type thingies...

:l

[spacebebe01]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

I dont crave sugar much, only when Im hungry and cant get something to eat, but right now I seem to be hungry around 7 times a day, its a good job we have breakfast, 11's, dinner, afternoon tea, high tea, tea, and supper here:H:H, Im eating them all. only messing I would not seriously eat afternoon tea and high tea, well I dont know what high tea is but a cake or a sandwich in the afternoon might go down well at times

Pippin - Second breakfast - YouTube (Link thanks to Dizzy)

I hope that works, then you can see what Im up against:H:H

[COSGringo]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

DizzyBee;1322378 wrote: I'm afraid although I'll be your first reply I'll probably won't be your fave

Reason being I don't have that much of a sweet tooth.

BUT when I first cut AL I did develop one and strangely although I ate more chocolates that month than I did my whole life I still lost 4kg. Now explain to me how I now only managed to lose 2kg in almost 2 months of being AL free on Topa?

I do crave salty things though but lately I have this very weird thing of cutting AL cutting most crap food and staying at a weight at least 10-20kg more than whats good for me, depending on how harshly you look at it.

OK, this is your thread so two things that I found lately that I love that is both sweet and natural is

• raw honeydates

My memory is still pretty crap from AL but I think I remember you saying you have training in diets and stuff.

I read a book called the Hibernation Diet which says that honey lowers your blood glucose. So you can add this to your tea or have this at night and it can actually help you lose weight. I'm not sure where you live but I bought the book on the uk amazon site.

I can't say it has changed my life but I've made these energy bars of one cup honey, one cup oats and one cup unsweetened peanut butter. Its really sweet and its supposed to be low GI as well, so its worth a try.

My brother, who I share my cottage with DOES have a real sweet tooth and he has been devouring these as well as the unpitted dates I've been buying. I haven't really read up as much about this but I think you have enough of an inquisitive mind to read up about this?

My opinion thus, so far is, to find sweet treats that are low GI. I even like making fruit smoothies, with real oranges, full fat yogurt, berries, honey, and whatever else you like.

Then of course there is also dark chocolate, which I do like.

I also read that for some reason coconut oil is suppose to help one lose weight but not sure how to make that sweet, maybe combine it with honey or dates, if you can stand it?

And Heidi Klum has those Katjes gummi bear type fruit juice type thingies...

:l

I think I will try to go the honey route. I've been trying to use fruit too as it is the lesser of the evils. Still kind of tough but other forums I am on folks just say you'll get over it and just be glad you are a raging alcoholic these days.

Drinking lots of water every time I think of eating and/or sweets.
:thanks:

[COSGringo]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

And yup breakfast too! I need to start eating a good one. Never did in the past although I know better than that.

[LibraryGirl]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

I just started trying to count calories, and I have been eating nearly 600 calories for breakfast. It does seem to help a lot! For lunch yesterday I had only a fruit smoothie and it satisfied me till dinner, where I only ate one half of a chicken salad sandwich. There is a diet that requires you to eat a huge breakfast, but I forget the name of it...

LG

[COSGringo]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

I need the diet that takes like gummy bears without the sugar. Anyone seen that?

[pixie]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

I don't know where you're at with your alcohol situation, but I have found that when I first cut back or go AF I have intense sugar cravings. This can last several weeks and I have often given in to it to spare the sobriety, but it seems to subside after a couple weeks. For me at least there seems to be a link between the alcohol and sugar dependency. If that is not your situation, or you're not like me then this is probably not helpful at all. I have read that eating protein and fat with each meal (or snack) can be helpful in limiting the insulin spike and making your blood sugar more stable.

[FlyAway]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

I'm over 3 months AF and still craving sugar like mad. And I never really ate it before. I'm going to try L-glut.

[Determinator]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

COSgringo, please be very careful with honey, it's approx 38%fructose in composition which is only slightly better than refined white sugar. personally I avoid all sweet extracts of all kinds and find that my best weapon for fighting sugar cravings is to avoid eating excess carbohydrates. especially simple carbs such as those from cereal grains. seconds after they hit the tonge, our salivary amylase kicks into effect turning those disaccharides into sugars which make us crave more and more sugar in a vicious cycle.

[Running4life]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

I crave sugar too and never really did while I was drinking wine. Candida overgrowth can also cause sugar cravings. Candida, to my understanding is a bad bacteria that forms in the gut and intestine when the good bacteria are killed by antibiotics. It lives on sugar. I had this problem a few years ago and there were several symptoms but one of the biggest was craving sugar. I worked with a naturopath and we eliminated sugar completely for 27 days along with a probiotic and I felt much better.
I have found stevia for a sweetener. It comes from a leaf and has no calories. You can find it in drops or powder. I find it helpful for sweetening yogurt or tea and coffee. This can help reduce your calorie intake.
I still crave sugar and I have been pretty much AF since November 4th (with the exception of a couple of minor slips). I do find a healthy breakfast and regular meals helps. When we let ourselves get to hungry we don't make wise choices with food.
Good luck everyone with the sugar battle.
R4L

[COSGringo]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

Thanks all. It's only been a couple weeks so I think I am going to try and limit it but let it take its course.

[spacebebe01]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

Like lots of peeps I found when I first stopped drinking last year my sugar cravings where bad and just kind of wore off over time. But what I also noticed was that the more I gavin into them the bigger they got. We have these mars bars here, I dont know if they have them where you are but I love them and they are the worst for me. I had one for breakfast today and I regret it because now I just want another one. Obviously I know that was not good for me to eat that this morning but its a bit like drink in that I saw it and had it before I even thought about it. Then want more. I stopped buying them for a while and they didnt bother me at all, in fact I am mostley back to not really liking chocolate most of the time. I didnt think about it or like it much when I was drinking.

Also the more I think about it the worse it gets.

Last year on here there where a few peeps who where all into coconut oil. I have 2 unopened pots still there, its supposed to be good fat, I might look into it again and start it of a morning. I do agree with whoever said about protien and fat being a weapon against sugar/carb craving. I might start doing low carb again for 30 days, last time I did Atkins I did feel so much better, and I think if I set a goal for 30 days I hope I can stick to it.

But whatever really, eating sugar or chronic alcoholic ... no contest ... whatever works at the time. Its early days for you COS so I wouldnt worry, you are doing fantastic as you are and you know more than most about diet and nutrition so you will work it out.

[Determinator]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

Spacebebe, I remember the evil Mars bar all to well having grown up as a kid in Australia. sounds like you are on the right track.

Incidentally I go through the very large 54oz container of extra virgin coconut only about 1x per month. I'd probably use it even faster if I was home more often. since I increased my dietary fats and decreased overall carbs I've had virtually no issues maintaining my lower weight, even though I've not been exercising. I also feel TONS better and have much better mental and mood stability.

ciao

[spacebebe01]

How to curb sugar cravings when you are giving up AL

What do you do with the coconut oil Determinator, I tried cooking things with it but not keen on the taste and also dont cook with oil that much anyway. so I was just having a spoonful of it, thats why I stopped because I dont really know what to do with it. I dont mind eating a spoonful but is there any point? If there is I will start again.