Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

[koki]

So i've been AF for 36 hours but I cant stop eating cookies and cake etc for the last two nights its been insane! I'm worried coz ive always struggled with this and its what always makes me go back to AL coz im terrified of growing fat but these are the same kind of powerful cravings I had with Al what can I DO?:upset:

[mspryss69]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

I notice the same thing too when I don't have alcohol. I have been AF for 48hrs and last night I made a pan of brownies and woke up at 4am to eat one

[newlywed 214]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

Hi Koki & ms. pryss,

I know the sugar cravings are hard. I have them quite often too. Only on 48 hours AL free this round but still taking L-Glutamine supplement and drinking lots of Crystal Light. This does help. I also keep grapes around for the constant trip to the fridge and allow myself hershey's kisses throughout the day. Don't worry about being fat right now, I am trying not to obsess over that too. Right now worry how about we all worry about being sober and then maybe set some goals for fittness (we can all do together!!) in a few days. Hang in there guys...we can do this AND be in the best shape of our lives, we just have to make it through now and if it takes cake (for today) I say we have it and eat it too!

[koki]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

Thanks guys for the support I would be ok with the cake etc but when I eat like that I get a headache and wake up so puffy and groggy and seriously being fat would depress me enough to drink. ill try the glutamine but how much? and does kudzu really work?

[AMELIA]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

Hello All,

I can see Newlywed has mentioned L-Glutamine.
I have read a few times that L-Glut is good for carbohydrate cravings. I take it along with other amino acids (L-Theanine, Tyrosine and 5 HTP) and feel as much benefit as when I was on Baclofen, ie: I hardly think about booze any more.
Here is part of one of many bits of info on the web about carb cravings and L-Glutamine:

One of the main reasons to consider L-Glutamine supplementation, however, is "closer to the heart" of the low carb dieter! That is, it's ability to relieve symptoms of craving. L-Glutamine appears to act on the brain directly to naturally suppress and relieve cravings.

"Glutamic acid, with the help of vitamin B6 and manganese, is also a precursor of gaba (gamma-aminobutyric acid), an important neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Glutamic acid helps transport potassium into the spinal fluid and is itself an excitatory neurotransmitter. (gaba, however, is inhibitory.) Glutamic acid thus has been used in the treatment of fatigue, parkinsonism, schizophrenia, mental retardation, muscular dystrophy, and alcoholism. Supplemented as L-Glutamine, it penetrates the blood-brain barrier and can be used as a brain fuel. Research has shown that L-Glutamine, in a dose of 500 mg. four times daily, decreases the craving for alcohol. This amino acid is now commonly used in alcoholism clinics. L-Glutamine also seems to reduce the craving for sugar and carbohydrates and so may be helpful for some people in dealing with obesity or sugar abuse. It may also help in the healing of ulcers."3

So we see that L-Glutamine is extremely useful in fighting cravings, especially those related to carbohydrate and sugar! This is a major reason to consider L-Glutamine if you are burdened with uncontrollable desire for carbohydrates. In one study, on a college campus, two groups of students were allowed free access to vending machines with high sugar foods. One group was given L-Glutamine while the other was given a placebo. The placebo group consumed four times as much sweets as the L-Glutamine group.
Do your own searching on the web and see what you can find....

[AMELIA]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

Koki,
I really would try the L-Glut if I were you.
I buy it here in the UK. I think I paid ?10.95 for 60 capsules???
Well worth the money!!

[startingover]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

Hiya Koki.
Lglut is definitely the way to go. If you can get the powder rather than the capsules it works out cheaper I think. I dissolve a teaspoon in water twice a day. Really helps. And for a severe craving, diissolve a bit directly under your tongue
You can get it from any health food shop.
Hang in there it gets easier

[Guest]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

You might also try cleaning up your diet - sounds daft but avoiding sugars themselves, eating slow release carbs with good sources of protein and plenty of veg does also help too. Eat little and often too (I aim for every 3 hours). At first you'll get the cravings but eventually your body settles down and gets used to a steady drip feed.

I hardly ever want sugary things now.

[Ringing Cedars]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

Ukblonde good advice...I did that for four years then gradually fell off the nutritional wagon. Then the booze wagon followed...on and off since....

[mollyka]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

Ditto all the above re. sugar cravings, our body tries to replace the sugar we used to have in alcohol. As regards putting on weight - I too get the sugar cravings - never used to have sugar - but have lost over 20lbs since Christmas, did nothing except give up the empty calories in the booze, so don't worry too much about the odd bar of chocolate, way better than 600+ calories in a bottle of wine
Molly

[spuddleduck]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

hey koki, i agree with all the above advice, but i personally think as its early days just do whatever you need to stop drinking. adress the cakes and stuff when youve got a few days AF. im diabetic so i couldnt go down the sugar route but i smoked like a flipping chimney... i know thats bad it helped me get AF and i can now adress that sober.. good luck

[K9Lover]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

Hi Koki,
I agree with Spuddle, do whatever it takes to avoid alcohol, if that involves eating lots of sweets then go ahead and do it for now. The cravings for sugar and alcohol will both dimish. Focus on staying alcohol free and everything else will fall into place. Dont take on too much at once, i.e. quitting alcohol, dieting, quitting smoking...that's overwhelming. Focus your efforts on one thing at a time and do whatever it takes to stay sober. Best of luck to you! Keep us posted on your progress!
xoxo
K9

[Liverbirdy]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

That's great advice K9Lover

[Rusty]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

Help for the Sugar Cravings

Welcome Koki,

Everyone is right about the L-Glutamine. I take 3,000 mg. 3 times per day. You could buy it in the capsule form at the health food store and then while you're doing that, order it online. It is so much cheaper than say, GNC.

I'm thrilled with it. I've lost 6 lbs. in the last 2 weeks just using that....and it really helps!
K-9 is absolutely right....one demon at a time. For me, when I gave up alcohol for a week several months ago, I lost 5 lbs in a week just not drinking and my sugar cravings were horrendous for the first 2 days....I pigged out on ice cream and Peanut M & Ms....things I NEVER eat!

Good luck,

Rusty

[Boss.man]

Please help the sugar cravings will make me drink!

I'm with Ukblonde in pushing it to complex carbs. What works best for me is exactly two oatmeal cookies after dinner. If I'm feeling "dietary" I'll make my own to insure I know the ingredients.

I also make "sundaes" at night. Usually some sugar free pudding or ice cream (depending on season), fat free whipped cream, nuts, wheat germ, and fresh or canned (light) fruit.

Overall I found it was the sweet taste I craved first, and so artificial sugar/splenda/fruit works for that. But over a couple hours, I needed some complex carbs to avoid a return of the cravings. Also at meals, I focus on complex carbs and protiens, and avoid simple carbs (potatoes, bread) which tend to leave me with carb craving 2 hours later.

I hope this info helps. Good luck.