How can I stop sweet cravings?

[Drummer]

Consider everything you eat or drink that is sweet tasting - even sweeteners. If you have two reduce it to one, try no sweetener from time to time. Over time, and quite a short time, your tastes will alter and anything mass produced will be sickly sweet to your re-educated taste buds. I have frozen berries on hand all the time, also nuts, and I make up a sugar free jelly a couple of times a week. Combined with double cream the jelly and berries make a very satisfying dessert with very little impact on glucose levels. Eating something as carb laden as a biscuit would get my meter exclaiming in alarm at my BG level, so I just say 'Thank you Dr Atkins' and pick up my spoon.

 

[Lilian]

I went on an all day seminar for alcoholics. I am not a drinker by the way I was there for another reason. One of the speakers was talking about what makes some people become alcoholics yet someone else who drinks a lot does not. He showed how alcohol was metabolised and how very similar it was to how the body treats sugar and how and why the cravings are very similar. The advice to alcoholics is to give up completely and never give in to a craving, which although never goes completely, will get a lot less often and a lot less intense. I presume therefore that might be wise advice for people who crave sugar.

 

[Wirrallass]

I went on an all day seminar for alcoholics. I am not a drinker by the way I was there for another reason. One of the speakers was talking about what makes some people become alcoholics yet someone else who drinks a lot does not. He showed how alcohol was metabolised and how very similar it was to how the body treats sugar and how and why the cravings are very similar. The advice to alcoholics is to give up completely and never give in to a craving, which although never goes completely, will get a lot less often and a lot less intense. I presume therefore that might be wise advice for people who crave sugar.

@Lilian. Thanks for that info Lilian. The same principle was applied when I quit smoking 11yrs ago (& a hell of a ride that was too after smoking for 40 odd years!) Thank goodness for support groups, they all do a great job in helping others So, with yours & other members tips, I've drawn the conclusion that I've answered my own question & think I should take a leaf out of my own book take care

 

[Wirrallass]

Consider everything you eat or drink that is sweet tasting - even sweeteners. If you have two reduce it to one, try no sweetener from time to time. Over time, and quite a short time, your tastes will alter and anything mass produced will be sickly sweet to your re-educated taste buds. I have frozen berries on hand all the time, also nuts, and I make up a sugar free jelly a couple of times a week. Combined with double cream the jelly and berries make a very satisfying dessert with very little impact on glucose levels. Eating something as carb laden as a biscuit would get my meter exclaiming in alarm at my BG level, so I just say 'Thank you Dr Atkins' and pick up my spoon.

@Drummer, that's sound advice, thank you, take care

 

[Wirrallass]

I've managed it by allowing myself maybe 1 sweet or 1 plain biscuit after the main meal. A single toffee eclair sweetie is about 5/6 carbs and psychologically it makes me feel less deprived. I also would have less carb in the meal to compensate. I'd never have a biscuit over 12 carbs. Works for me and I always test for impact.
It's no good if you can't limit yourself to one or two in the course of a day though 😱

@Amigo.......and that's the problem, for now. I try to avoid tea but I do like a cuppa of decaf or lady grey tea....and a biscuit or two.....or three... to dunk! To be honest, I have cut that down to one...or two! I'm getting there especially with the support I'm getting here. Take care

 

[Radders]

I went on an all day seminar for alcoholics. I am not a drinker by the way I was there for another reason. One of the speakers was talking about what makes some people become alcoholics yet someone else who drinks a lot does not. He showed how alcohol was metabolised and how very similar it was to how the body treats sugar and how and why the cravings are very similar. The advice to alcoholics is to give up completely and never give in to a craving, which although never goes completely, will get a lot less often and a lot less intense. I presume therefore that might be wise advice for people who crave sugar.

That's very interesting and I guess is what they base things like the sugar free farm programme on. Not possible though for people who have hypos and so need to eat sweet stuff on those occasions. I think there's something in this but unlike alcohol it's probably a counsel of perfection to avoid sweetness altogether and maintain a balanced diet.