Xandra Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 So I see lots of stories (including my own) about people who waken the sugar dragon by having just one taste of a sugary substance, even all the way down to fruit and sweet nuts. I have read and experienced the carnage that ensues. My question is whether there is ANYONE out there who is able to have just one truffle, just one cookie, just one slice of apple pie, etc. WITHOUT awakening an urge to have more. I am a recovered alcoholic. No such thing, right? Well I'm here to tell you that alcohol has no power over me, I can take it or leave it, usually leave it, and I'm able to have a glass or two socially without wanting more. I can even drink alone. I will open a bottle of wine and still have it going two months later (close to vinegar). I can go days, weeks, months, and even years without a drink and without wishing I had a drink, even when others are drinking around me. So as far as I'm concerned, that's pretty recovered. That's the place I want to get to with sugar. I want to be able to have a sweet without breaking the dam, without craving every sweet in my house for the next week, without having to endure carb flu for the 50th time as I withdraw from the overdose. Is it possible? Any living examples here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaleena Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Definitely not me but if you are comparing a sugar addiction to alcohol think about how bad the sugar addiction is for us all, especially since generally speaking, most of us have had our sugar addiction since we were old enough to ask for it. It's an incredibly difficult habit to break. I was proud of myself for going 30 days without it but I craved it almost every day! Yikes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
befabdaily Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Nope. Nope nope nope. Sugar = the devil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachael2288 Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 I can successfully have one small piece of dark chocolate or one little dish of banana "ice cream" without going crazy. It took me 5 or so months to get to this point but I still WANT more. I just know that I won't. It has become a decision and I like to think of it as my own little "WholeLife rule" where I get one small bit and that is the absolute limit. I guess it just works for me, hopefully ya'll can get there too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJB Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 I think I will get there. I have gotten some sweets over the last ~5 weeks, intending to make them last for awhile. That failed 3 times and I ate the whole pile at once. I did not, however, drive back to the store to get more, or go on a fruit binge, or have terrible cravings after I ate it. This is progress. I think I am learning I need to just buy the amount that is acceptable to eat, right at that moment. No more. I will probably never be a person who can keep a half-gallon of ice cream or a bag/box of chocolate in the house without thinking about it constantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Like Rachel, it's taken me a long time but I can now eat a dessert and if the sugar dragon tries to make a come back, I stare it down. I don't have them often. I do it for very special occasions or special desserts. I would not just have any cookie or candy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avalanche Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Personally, sugar isn't a big deal for me. I mean, I like it, just like anyone else, but generally, I can take it or leave it. One cookie, peice of chocolate, scoop of ice cream, etc, that's enough for me. My husband has a ton of candy all over the house and I'm rarely tempted, and if I am, I really can just have a little and then go on my way. (This is all pre W30 btw, I'm currently on day 7, so obvs not having any of it) Now chips......whooooo boy, I can't just eat one of those. Or even one serving. One big bag, that miiiight do. So that's one I have to stay away from all the time, or it devolves quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpketz Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 @Xandra. As a Friend of Bill myself, I haven't had a drink in nearly 8 years but more than compensated by overconsuming sugar in pretty chronic and massive ways, until W30. Now I finally feel like I'm gaining the upper hand in terms of "manageability". So for whatever reason, probably part nature, part nurture, if left unsupervised, I'm a walking talking sugar black hole. The rest of my diet has always been *pretty much* on the healthy side—no fast food, lots of organics, but waaaay too much sugar as a % of my total cals, and by "sugar" I mean everything from bagels to Sour Patch Kids. So now I'm W30 +30 but really more like W60. I've done all the reintro and decided i'm happiest staying on the reservation most of the time. Yesterday I attended a family birthday party and actually turned down a piece of cake—and it wasn't a white knuckle thing, like Must.Not.Eat.Cake.Avert.Eyes. More like, "I could but...naaah". I left satisfied, not feeling deprived, not needing to loosen the belt for the drive home. This was a major test because family events are historically places where I eat too much. And today, I just got back from a 45 mile bike ride and only used water, coconut water and a Larabar as fuel. Something is definitely going on here. Normal would have been 4-5 Clif Bars, 2 bottles of Accelerade, etc. for a similar distance. So the good news...I'm nothing special and I've definitely heard these results mirrored all over the forum...so take heart. I wish I had your ability to drink in moderation, but while i think it's all part of the same biochemical process, I'm not ready to go there. Not yet and probably not ever. The next test is going to the movies and not having to eat a large popcorn with butter and a 1 lb. box of Hot Tamales, a goal which actually seems within reach. Go figure. W30 has definitely changed my relationship with sugar from total infatuation to being just barely on speaking terms. Hang in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1121 Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 I have been experimenting with that a bit in the last few weeks. And I find as long as I eat enough, sugar is no problem. I can have a piece of chocolate and leave it at that. But if the stuff is in the house, and I allow myself to get seriously hungry, then there is no way in the world that I could control myself to NOT eat all of what's there. (Actually, not true. The chocolate bar has to be opened already. If it's still closed and not meant for eating now it's like it's not there. I won't touch it. I pig out only if there is already opened stuff that I was meant to have a piece a day.) Anyway, this does not lead to huge cravings after. I eat enough good stuff and I'm fine. (Good stuff means protein, fat, veggies including enough good carbs, this is important for me as I'm so active. It really is when my glycogen tanks are low that I'm uncontrollable.) Yeah, I do think about chocolate occasionally, but I really love real food just as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katelyn Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 @Avalanche - I'm the same as you! I can usually take or leave the sugary sweets, but chips (and bread), holy cow. I'd love to eat a bag of chips every day! Haha. I'm still nervous about eating sugar (I'm on day 22) because I know my body craves it, especially in the form of starches. I don't want to be so excited about the freedom of the 30 days being over that I just go crazy! But yeah, chips...no no no. It's better that I just stay away from the salty crunchy processed foods! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 It's very interesting to see how different people can struggle with different categories of food. I love salty snacks but can take or leave them without a thought. How nice it would be to get to the same level of indifference about cookies and ice cream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 It's very interesting to see how different people can struggle with different categories of food. I love salty snacks but can take or leave them without a thought. How nice it would be to get to the same level of indifference about cookies and ice cream. So true...I can totally trust myself around sugar but I doubt I will ever be able to eat just one piece of really good bread...or warm tortilla chips. Seems we all have our demons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee Lee Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 ugh, bread is so awesome, Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 ugh, bread is so awesome, Susan Renee give me a loaf of warm homemade bread with some Kerrygold butter and it will be gone before you know it. It really is the only thing I miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLC1968 Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 I have been experimenting with that a bit in the last few weeks. And I find as long as I eat enough, sugar is no problem. I can have a piece of chocolate and leave it at that. But if the stuff is in the house, and I allow myself to get seriously hungry, then there is no way in the world that I could control myself to NOT eat all of what's there. This is my situation as well. I can eat sugar (or starch...my bigger issue!) if I'm eating it as part of (or immediately after) a good healthy meal. I can eat it in moderation and I don't get cravings from it. If I'm hungry and I grab bread or something sugary? All bets are off. Not only will I eat that until I'm too full to function, but I'll be setting myself up for wicked cravings for the next couple of days as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flynn Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I can! For years I was a binge eater though, total whole box of cereal sleeve of cookies pan of brownie I'm sick kind of sugar eater. Very bad. I was a "one taste and it's all over" kind of eater. I seriously thought I had some medical issue that caused me to crave sugar and binge eat like this. I was so weird I could even binge on raisins. After 15 or so years of this BS I finally, FINALLY found a solution. First, I had to eat regular filling meals and eat enough carbs to fuel my exercises. Yes, I had to eat carbs. Second and more importantly I had to stop pretending I didn't want sweets. I had to stop the deprivation and the rules and the fear and all of that. With acceptance came the ability to moderate. I NEVER thought that would work for me because for so long I could never taste sugar without going into a binge, but I was so sick of feeling out of control and always bloated, plus I was fat despite all my rules and diets. With practice and time it worked. 30 days of a whole 30 is awesome, I've done 4 and they all felt amazing as a reset and to really help me to enjoy filling real food. Personally, I can't do these kinds of permanent whole 30's that others seem to like. 30 days gives me a definite beginning and end to the rules, then after that I use Melissa's fuck off scale. It's amazing. And helpful. And genius. And with it I finally lost all the weight I'd been trying to lose forever. The fuck off scale gave me a reason to allow myself things I liked. I had to be honest with myself...I didn't want to live without chocolate and bread. Thanks to whole 30 my taste buds have changed to prefer less sweet sweets, I also eat tons of fruit. On my own bike, I enjoy 85% dark chocolate as a healthy fat and I can actually eat a cookie or a brownie and then move on with my life. But usually I honestly don't want cookies and I'm happy with a big smoothie or an almond butter banana sandwich as a treat. And now I'm finally the size I want to be and I'm not afraid of food Win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 30 days gives me a definite beginning and end to the rules, then after that I use Melissa's fuck off scale. It's amazing. And helpful. And genius. And with it I finally lost all the weight I'd been trying to lose forever. The fuck off scale gave me a reason to allow myself things I liked. I had to be honest with myself...I didn't want to live without chocolate and bread. Thanks to whole 30 my taste buds have changed to prefer less sweet sweets, I also eat tons of fruit. On my own bike, I enjoy 85% dark chocolate as a healthy fat and I can actually eat a cookie or a brownie and then move on with my life. But usually I honestly don't want cookies and I'm happy with a big smoothie or an almond butter banana sandwich as a treat. And now I'm finally the size I want to be and I'm not afraid of food Win! Wow. Good story. Educate me, please. Where can I find out more about Melissa's scale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee Lee Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Wow. Good story. Educate me, please. Where can I find out more about Melissa's scale? Lol. Here you go! http://whole9life.com/2010/12/the-healthy-f-off-scale-version-2-0/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mzboop Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Sugar is the least of my worries. I can have 1/2 tsp of raw honey in a cup of coffee and that's it! I've never craved desserts of any kind. Besides my morning coffee, I don't crave the sweet. I do however crave worse foods like chips with my guacamole and an occasional sandwich. I am actually feeling slightly confident that I can keep most of it at bay except my honey and a weekend vodka/club soda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsStick Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Sugar...is evil. I've been post W30 for a bit, and when I do eat sugar (usually chocolate) I get diarrhea. For almost a week. It doesn't help that I kept eating M&Ms...but still. This seems to be helping me off the sugar thing...which is good. Larabars are my friend because, somehow, they don't scratch the chocolate/sugar itch like an open bag of M&Ms on the couch next to me. A good quality dark chocolate, however, I savor. No more than 2 squares per day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nutshell Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I managed to have a very small piece of cake yesterday for a birthday without going overboard. But last Friday I had a donut included in my once a week 'yolo meal' and the rest of the day my cravings were HORRIBLE, just...horrible. And I indulged and went completely off track with all sorts of non compliant foods. It took me a good three or four days to feel normal after that too. I know now that if I have some sugar, I'm going to want more and experience cravings. Then it all comes down to my state of mind. Last night it was easy to stare the dragon down and say no to more, but last week for whatever reason I wasn't strong enough...If I'm going to have sugar, I'll probably only induldge now on a 'strong day!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bi0nicw0man Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Ooooh, thank you for that F-off scale. I've been looking for a good way to identify what I'm ok with reintroducing so I have some guidelines for myself (and my boyfriend knows what to cook/offer) and I think this is the answer! So totally going to make my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kew Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 I would call myself a sugar-in-all-forms fiend, but I can also be indifferent, like during the first two weeks of this Whole30. Partially it's the nature of the temptation. Turning down a piece of Publix sheet cake? No problem. Turning down something homemade by my mom? Forget it, I'm a dead duck. But the thing is, ONE choice to have something with sugar or starch (potatoes, rice, bread, whatever) is not necessarily a problem for me. It's the chain reaction that knocks me sideways: first some chocolate, then a piece of bread, then a cookie, then a croissant....and within a matter of days, I'm back to full force carb pounding. So I think it's not necessarily the first thing that's a problem for me. It's the second one. Second glass of wine, second day in a row, second sugary/carby "treat" in a day, etc. If I stop after one, I can still feel virtuous. If I have the second of whatever it is, then it's not over until the fat lady (me) sings.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapstitching Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Thankfully, sugar is not my bugaboo. I'll be picking up a jar of local raw honey for the touch of sweetness I want here and there. That's not saying I don't eat sugar ever; I love me chocolate/caramel stuff. I can avoid it more successfully than rice/potatoes and hummus/beans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angekfire Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 I have always had issues moderating desserts and sugary snacks. For me, I have found it easier to simply not have any than to try to moderate it, and I have gone without desserts or problems for probably about 6 years. That being said, I can have a bit of honey or maple syrup in a dish to add a bit of sweetness and it doesn't give me cravings for other things. Fruit doesn't make me want other sweet things either. I learned a long time ago that some things I can moderate, and some things I cannot, and the things I cannot, I am better off leaving out entirely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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