But I Like the Way Sugar Makes Me Feel.......
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But I Like the Way Sugar Makes Me Feel.......
I've been doing the NoS diet somewhat for two months. I'm a recovering binge eater, so I had to be careful with rigid rules. I gradually slid into the "program" by starting with just eating three meals a day. I couldn't bring myself to limiting sugar just yet. I got to a point where I felt I could began cutting out the sugar, but felt the need for accountability, so I joined NoS this week. I did fine for two days, and then today just had an incredible urge for sugar as a pick-me-up. I have recognized over the years (around 30) that I use sugar for a chemical reaction--I just plain like how it makes me feel. I guess my question is how long do most of you feel it takes before you quit missing the effect sugar gives?
Re: But I Like the Way Sugar Makes Me Feel.......
Hi TerJan,
I am not sure this is the same thing as what I have experienced. For my part it was difficult to give up eating chocolate whenever I felt down. I mean, I used it like a morphin pump except I pumped whenever I felt any uncomfortable feeling (anger, sadness, humiliation etc).
So when I really started noS it felt like I had to endure "bad" feelings with no recourse at all. It was very difficult to adjust to a life without a readily available immediate mood enhancer. It felt like I would have to resort to actual medicine to avoid depression.
However I finally realized that upsetting my body's chemical balance that way (by eating sugar) was actually creating or increasing the mood swings...
Anyway after 6 months I think I have lost the habit of turning to sugar and chocolate. Actually I have become rather difficult picky, the vending machine sweets taste bad now. If I really want a weekend treat I want only the best. I despise the "empty calories", i.e. junk food that does not give my body anything (fibers/protein/vitamines) besides the sugar rush. So if I have some, it must be really really good, the best available.
So, keep easing into noS and enjoy feeling more and more in control of your body and emotions. Even when you follow the rules strictly, you can still have treats - on weekends.
Rose
I am not sure this is the same thing as what I have experienced. For my part it was difficult to give up eating chocolate whenever I felt down. I mean, I used it like a morphin pump except I pumped whenever I felt any uncomfortable feeling (anger, sadness, humiliation etc).
So when I really started noS it felt like I had to endure "bad" feelings with no recourse at all. It was very difficult to adjust to a life without a readily available immediate mood enhancer. It felt like I would have to resort to actual medicine to avoid depression.
However I finally realized that upsetting my body's chemical balance that way (by eating sugar) was actually creating or increasing the mood swings...
Anyway after 6 months I think I have lost the habit of turning to sugar and chocolate. Actually I have become rather difficult picky, the vending machine sweets taste bad now. If I really want a weekend treat I want only the best. I despise the "empty calories", i.e. junk food that does not give my body anything (fibers/protein/vitamines) besides the sugar rush. So if I have some, it must be really really good, the best available.
So, keep easing into noS and enjoy feeling more and more in control of your body and emotions. Even when you follow the rules strictly, you can still have treats - on weekends.
Rose
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ClickBeetle
- Posts: 410
- Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2005 7:28 pm
- Location: North Carolina, USA
It took me only about a week to re-adjust my sweet tooth. By which I mean, after 5 no-sugar days, I ate a granola bar on the weekend and it tasted *incredibly* sweet to me.
I still get cravings for sugar, and sometimes I give in to them. When I do give in, it's a matter of 2 or 3 cookies, not a whole sleeve-full from the box.
I feel I have successfully re-adjusted to a lower level of sugar in general. Specifically, I seem to taste the sugar more in things than I used to; most commercial goodies seem overly sugary and cloying to me, so I'm happier eating treats like biscotti that are not quite so sweet.
So, bottom line: I feel that re-calibrating your sweet tooth (sense of sweetness) takes very little time, like a week or so; but cravings for sugar -- the way it makes you feel -- are a longer-term effort.
Getting enough sleep and a reasonable amount of exercise are essential to beating a sugar addiction, because these things produce the feel-good chemicals you need.
I still get cravings for sugar, and sometimes I give in to them. When I do give in, it's a matter of 2 or 3 cookies, not a whole sleeve-full from the box.
I feel I have successfully re-adjusted to a lower level of sugar in general. Specifically, I seem to taste the sugar more in things than I used to; most commercial goodies seem overly sugary and cloying to me, so I'm happier eating treats like biscotti that are not quite so sweet.
So, bottom line: I feel that re-calibrating your sweet tooth (sense of sweetness) takes very little time, like a week or so; but cravings for sugar -- the way it makes you feel -- are a longer-term effort.
Getting enough sleep and a reasonable amount of exercise are essential to beating a sugar addiction, because these things produce the feel-good chemicals you need.
Chance favors the prepared. - Louis Pasteur
Sounds like a serious addiction!
I have, over the years, recognized that I fall into "the sugar trap" when I don't pay attention - gradually upping the "dose" until I'm eating little else. Yes, it gives me a short-term high, but there's a BIG long-term cost. Once I recognized the pattern, I used to break it with "sugar fasts," where I'd eat normally except NO refined carbs at all for a while (only whole-grains). It usually took 3-4 days for the cravings to subside, and then I'd be fine until consumption gradually crept up again.
I totally love No-S b/c it keeps me from hitting that addiction level. Even a junky weekend will self-correct through the next N-day sequence.
If you are eating/craving sugar at this level, you might want to take a hard look at what's going on with you. For me, addressing some emotional "root causes" helped me deal with the sugar-addiction symptoms.
It does get better. And you will feel SO much healthier and better once you break this habit!
I have, over the years, recognized that I fall into "the sugar trap" when I don't pay attention - gradually upping the "dose" until I'm eating little else. Yes, it gives me a short-term high, but there's a BIG long-term cost. Once I recognized the pattern, I used to break it with "sugar fasts," where I'd eat normally except NO refined carbs at all for a while (only whole-grains). It usually took 3-4 days for the cravings to subside, and then I'd be fine until consumption gradually crept up again.
I totally love No-S b/c it keeps me from hitting that addiction level. Even a junky weekend will self-correct through the next N-day sequence.
If you are eating/craving sugar at this level, you might want to take a hard look at what's going on with you. For me, addressing some emotional "root causes" helped me deal with the sugar-addiction symptoms.
It does get better. And you will feel SO much healthier and better once you break this habit!
Thanks so much for the replies. I know this is a long road to recovery. I still love the fact that it's no diet I fail on when I mess up and eat sugar. I'm trying to look at it as "training" my body how to eat. Somehow that is easier to adjust to. I can understand allowing more and more sugar into the body adjusts a "need" for more. It's interesting, I was at a family reunion today talking to a cousin trying to recover from alcoholism and I'm trying to coach him when inside I'm thinking "Man, I can totally relate to the need for instant gratification by reaching for that 'sugar fix' when things get tough". Another thing I am noticing is "mindful awareness". I am so use to grabbing sugar without even thinking about what I'm doing when I feel stress or whatever. I love the fact that concentrating on eating three meals a day does limit me on how much I'm eating, so if I do start to eat sugar I know I can stop and wait until another meal to "correct" my habits.
Me too! Especially on S-days. I enjoy sugar so much more now that I eat less of it. Just like I enjoy alcoholic beverages more now that I no longer drink to excess.But I Like the Way Sugar Makes Me Feel.......
Because even just in terms of pleasure, moderation beats the spicy trash of excess hands down. Despite the seductive whispering of our gluttony, there is no real tradeoff between moderation and pleasure. Moderation is a pure win -- you get pleasure as a bonus.
Also, as KCCC points out, gluttony does start to shut up when you don't indulge it. So be strict for a few weeks and you probably won't even be tempted to see it otherwise.
Reinhard