Cranky without sugar
To thine own self be true
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New York
Posts: 756
Cranky without sugar
Hey everyone,
I have a lil bit over 3 months sober now and I am noticing ALOT of sugar cravings. I read somewhere that this happens alot when you stop drinking because your body was used to getting alot of sugar from alcohol.
When I was younger, before I started drinking, I always had a sweet tooth. I notice that subsided when I was drinking heavily. I tended to crave salty foods. I had hardly any sugar cravings. Now they've returned with a vengeance, lol. I don't want to gain any weight and I know eating alot of sugar just isn't healthy in general, but I am extremely cranky if I don't get my cake or ice cream or what have you.
I try fruit, but blah, don't want it! Is there anything to curb this strong craving for sugar?
I have a lil bit over 3 months sober now and I am noticing ALOT of sugar cravings. I read somewhere that this happens alot when you stop drinking because your body was used to getting alot of sugar from alcohol.
When I was younger, before I started drinking, I always had a sweet tooth. I notice that subsided when I was drinking heavily. I tended to crave salty foods. I had hardly any sugar cravings. Now they've returned with a vengeance, lol. I don't want to gain any weight and I know eating alot of sugar just isn't healthy in general, but I am extremely cranky if I don't get my cake or ice cream or what have you.
I try fruit, but blah, don't want it! Is there anything to curb this strong craving for sugar?
Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: TX
Posts: 542
I never really craved sweets before my drinking days. Now in sobriety I've found if I do not stay on a pretty low carb eating plan I crave sweets like crazy. It is kind of like drinking, once I give in I cannot stop. So I've found it best not to give in, in the first place. Easier said than done. After all it's not like I'm drinking just having something sweet.
To thine own self be true
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New York
Posts: 756
Originally Posted by tkdan 
I never really craved sweets before my drinking days. Now in sobriety I've found if I do not stay on a pretty low carb eating plan I crave sweets like crazy. It is kind of like drinking, once I give in I cannot stop. So I've found it best not to give in, in the first place. Easier said than done. After all it's not like I'm drinking just having something sweet.
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,047
We've got a thread going in the Eating Disorder forum about abstaining from obvious sweets, you might want to read and post on there.
My first few years sober I craved sweets all the time and indulged, and yes I put on the weight which I'm trying to lose now. To curb the cravings I have fat free yogurt with sugar-free peanut butter mixed in, sometimes I freeze it and it's a nice treat. There are plenty of sugar-free "desserts" you can treat yourself to if you look for them at your grocery store. Even the dollar store I go to has a huge section of sugar-free candies, cookies, and beverages.
I have to admit though, some of the time it just comes down to willpower and saying "no", no matter what.
My first few years sober I craved sweets all the time and indulged, and yes I put on the weight which I'm trying to lose now. To curb the cravings I have fat free yogurt with sugar-free peanut butter mixed in, sometimes I freeze it and it's a nice treat. There are plenty of sugar-free "desserts" you can treat yourself to if you look for them at your grocery store. Even the dollar store I go to has a huge section of sugar-free candies, cookies, and beverages.
I have to admit though, some of the time it just comes down to willpower and saying "no", no matter what.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,385
I got nothin'
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: My house.
Posts: 4,890
I'm having that problem.
I ate half a bag of Kisses today after I had gone for a walk to beat the cravings. I was fine for a while...I got depressed and I gave in.
There's always tomorrow...
I ate half a bag of Kisses today after I had gone for a walk to beat the cravings. I was fine for a while...I got depressed and I gave in.
There's always tomorrow...
Guest
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Orlando Florida
Posts: 220
Sweets. Sugar Free Popsciles are a Godsend for this. At 15 Calories each and a Rainbow of flavors they help satisfy the sweet tooth and keep the pounds off and the Dentist away at the same time. You literally can eat as many as you want with no ill effects.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: md
Posts: 3,042
oHHH ME TOOO!!! I'm glad I'm not the only one. I did Atkins for 3 months when I was exactly six months clean (my sponsor wanted me to wait until I had 6 months before I worked on my diet) and I lost about 25 pounds. I looked great and felt better, too. But I'm having a tough time finding my equilibrium with it. I wanted to be able to eat a little sugar, but it doesn't ever work for me.
For some reason, I love, love, love, Terrara Pans' Jaw Breakers. You know the kind--hard as rocks and sweet as...well, candy. I'd love to just have one and make it last a few minutes and be done, but no dice. I feel like I have to keep on eating them until they are gone. They come in bags of about 25 around here, and I will eat the whole bag of them. I have no ability to moderate. I don't know what's wrong with me...oh wait, I do, I'm an addict! Oh cr@p. Guess I have to stop buying them all together.
Love,
KJ
For some reason, I love, love, love, Terrara Pans' Jaw Breakers. You know the kind--hard as rocks and sweet as...well, candy. I'd love to just have one and make it last a few minutes and be done, but no dice. I feel like I have to keep on eating them until they are gone. They come in bags of about 25 around here, and I will eat the whole bag of them. I have no ability to moderate. I don't know what's wrong with me...oh wait, I do, I'm an addict! Oh cr@p. Guess I have to stop buying them all together.
Love,
KJ
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Milton, WI
Posts: 105
Sugar is addictive!
Not eating sugar will actually end the cravings rather quickly. Drinking water helps as it flushes the system, lemon or lime helps clean the body of toxins also, and cut down on the carbs.
Protein (eggs, meat) will help balance the sugars in the body and keep you from swinging high to low throughout the day.
Love and light!
~Cheryl
Not eating sugar will actually end the cravings rather quickly. Drinking water helps as it flushes the system, lemon or lime helps clean the body of toxins also, and cut down on the carbs.
Protein (eggs, meat) will help balance the sugars in the body and keep you from swinging high to low throughout the day.
Love and light!
~Cheryl
Guest
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: far away from the ocean
Posts: 376
What about natural honey? It's very sweet and hard to OD on unlike chocolate. I also like Werther's no sugar added hard candies. They are like 15 calories each and sweet and have a bunch of flavors.
To thine own self be true
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New York
Posts: 756
Thanks for the replies everyone 
I'm not big into candy really. I want creamy things, like custard and ice cream. Or carby sweet things, like cake and cookies, ack lol.
O.B., I have some natural honey. I use it in recipes, it's too sweet for my taste straight from the jar.
I did pretty good yesterday though. No sweets at all. I did pick up some Italian Ice from the Pizzeria. If you're not from NY, you might now know what it is. They either make it cream or water based. The water based ice, is less fattening (apparently), but ofcourse I crave the cream based ices. I am going to find some old recipes I used to make when I was on Weight Watchers. They had tons of sugar-free or low sugar desserts that were really delicious.
I'm not big into candy really. I want creamy things, like custard and ice cream. Or carby sweet things, like cake and cookies, ack lol.
O.B., I have some natural honey. I use it in recipes, it's too sweet for my taste straight from the jar.
I did pretty good yesterday though. No sweets at all. I did pick up some Italian Ice from the Pizzeria. If you're not from NY, you might now know what it is. They either make it cream or water based. The water based ice, is less fattening (apparently), but ofcourse I crave the cream based ices. I am going to find some old recipes I used to make when I was on Weight Watchers. They had tons of sugar-free or low sugar desserts that were really delicious.
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,047
Originally Posted by Sweets79
I am going to find some old recipes I used to make when I was on Weight Watchers. They had tons of sugar-free or low sugar desserts that were really delicious.
To thine own self be true
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New York
Posts: 756
Originally Posted by Astro
Weight Watchers offers some delicious desserts if you're OK with low-sugar. They're not sugar free though, so I've been abstaining from those too.
It was really hard getting through yesterday without anything sweet, but I did it. Let's see how today goes lol.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 818
When you drank your body converted the alcohol into carbohydrates (sugar). A craving for sweets is not unusual when you quit drinking as your body is used to the carbs and you're not taking them in anymore. Hence the cravings. It doesn't happen to everyone, but it sure hit me. Ice cream was my new drug of choice. The sugar free suggestions are good, but they won't fool your body. I used to drink orange juice and that calmed the sugar demons. But give all the suggestions a try. Something's bound to work.
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