Laqbrador66

Hey everybody I got a question. I've been sober since April 1st. It's going pretty good except for one thing. I'm having a lot of sugar and coffee cravings. The sugar puts on weight and the caffeine causes a crash after a few hours sapping my energy. Is there anything that will blunt these cravings?

HTown

The sugar thing comes from your body wanting the sugar it used to get from alcohol. I got a serious Jones for ice cream and I never ate sweets. It will get better. just stay sober, excercise and don’t put pressure on yourself as it is early in your sobriety. switch to decaf for a few cups and wean down.

Laqbrador66

Yea I been eating ice cream like it's going outta style. I'm due to start back working out tomorrow. I'm 52 and use to be very athletic. Now it seems like everytime I start back something else starts to hurt Well at least you can't get a DUI from ice cream.

Helianthus

I get you with the sugar I only liked savory snacks prior to quitting now all I want is sugar, I had to change to banana pancakes and 70% reduced sugar syrup lol. I don't however like the way it makes me feel so the plan for next week is to start cutting it out.

I'm not sure if we are allowed to talk about this stuff but I take l-glutamine (it helps reduce sugar cravings) and have MCT oil in the mornings which gives me energy but because it's from fat not sugar I don't get the blood sugar crashes.

Forward12

Checkout the paleo diet, it will help reset things.

Arpeggioh

The Ice Cream Recovery Plan is very common in early sobriety! It was very comforting to me while I adjusted to reality without vodka. Eventually I cut the sugar, but it was certainly less harmful than drinking, so I gave myself a big break on food restriction for quite awhile. Paleo / Keto / Atkins / Low Carb eating for four months has caused a 30 pound weight loss so far...so it's certainly fixable!

skipper123

My freezer is now almost half ice cream ! I have had intense sugar cravings each time I am sober . This time around I am indulging but with sorbet and skinny cow bars . I use stevia in my coffee and crystal light in my seltzer . So I’m not going crazy with the sugar bit at the same time letting myself eat when I crave . I am 41 days today and have not stepped on a scale . I always got frustrated when I did not lose weight after staying dry for a while . This time around I just want to be sober and will worry about the weight down the road . Good luck to you and as someone pointed out you can’t get yourself into trouble from too much ice cream!

Grymt

When it’s time to kick the craving habit don’t despair. It’s entirely possible. It’s an old problem appearing in all societies and ages and there is an old solution. For myself I consider my alcoholism a blessing in that it has taken me down a path I probably would not have gone on otherwise and I would have missed out on this ancient wisdom called the middle path or Noble Path. I’ll get around to posting on this more later. In short it amounts to an equanimous observation of reality as it is without reacting by suppressing the reality of the moment nor acting out on or expressing the reality at the moment, by moment. The reality is in a constant flux changing from one thing to another continually All that is necessary is to observe the reality. Nothing more. In other words if there is craving then “at the moment there is craving within the mind body phenomenon, let me see how long this lasts” It peaks and peters out and another reality manifests itself. That reality also stays for some time then passes away and perhaps the craving returns. Again no need to act out on it, or feed it or run away from it. It, like all things, will pass. Practicing this way leads to a calm and happy mindset.

SnazzyDresser

I like the way you think there, Grymt!

NYCDoglvr

In very early recovery my sponsor told me to drink a milkshake if I got a craving. The point is do whatever it takes to stay sober one day at a time. You can probably cut back on the coffee (drink half decafe, half full strength).