Sugar Addiction - Mental Health - Type 2

[Iolite85]

Reaching out for some support/guidance as I am at a desperate point again.

I'm back addicted to sugar, this is playing havoc with my glucose levels and rollercoaster of emotions. It all started back after a couple of nights out with friends of heavy drinking, following which being ill, having issues with my hormones due to contraception problems, not exercising and eating all the wrong foods, wanting to inhale my body weight in chocolate, first it was a month, then it was two months and now it's starting to be a third.

I did well last year to lose almost 70lbs and getting my BG levels to almost normal by eating low carb and exercising 3-5 times a week. I even went for a 30 mile bike ride on Christmas Day in storm Barbara!

I've tried a number of times to get back in the saddle before I undo all my hard work and I am failing. I am back comfort/secret eating excessive amounts, commitments I made to myself to lose more weight and complete the swim 22 challenge in a challenging time window are slipping away from me.

I've a lot on at present adding a lot of stress but I know if I wasn't addicted to the sugar/my head in a better space I'd be able to manage these more effectively. I know there is no quick fix for these things and it is all in the head for me but has anyone come across any books, or other resources that have really helped you sort your head out and get a grip once and for all? I can't afford these lapses quite literally, as I have no money!

 

[plutoniumcard]

Hi

Most of us go through periods where we fall of the "low-carb wagon".

It is rarely a simple matter of one thing - my experience is stress is a great factor. So focus on what you can do to reduce the stressors in your life.

1. Share - you have already started with this one.
2. Don't set unacheivable targets, and if possible break them down into smaller goals.
3. Try some relaxation techniques.
4. Positive thinking.....wow, look at what you have already achieved! You can and will get back on track, but small steps first.

I have not wasted money on joining a gym, rather bought a good pair of walking boots and am lucky to have a dog that forces me to get out there. Even if you don't have a dog of your own, there are plenty that can benefit from you volunteering to walk them!

Always remember it is good to talk ,and you nailed it...for some sugar is an addiction. Like any addiction with the right tools and help...you can beat it.

Cheers

Tony

 

[Resurgam]

L glutamine is a supplement used to help counter addiction to carbs - sugar and beer in particular. It might help.
Buying what you should eat to stock the fridge or freezer can sometimes help avoid what you should not be eating - simple things like a large bowl of sugar free jelly can be a lifesaver.

 

[Art Of Flowers]

I used to eat a lot of chocolate biscuits before being diagnosed T2. I had to take done hard nosed decisions to give all these away at work to others who might like them. You need to be fairly ruthless in cutting out anything which is bad for you.

You don't need to exercise a lot to lose weight. This can be done just eating LCHF. I have also done a bit of intermittent fasting and found this surprisingly easy and it leaves you feeling more energetic and comfortable with yourself.

 

[Iolite85]

Thank you very much all for the advice. Some really useful tips!

Think I have L-Glutamine in my preworkout, I'll see if I can get it as a standalone supplement. If it is that good, anything to get me off this binge.

Since posting this morning; I am already feeling a lot better and more positive about it.

Thanks again!
Leanne x

 

[dipsydo]

Glad you are feeling more positive

You have done really well to have lost 70lbs so hold in onto that . I think most people fall off the wagon so do not beat yourself about that -- you have proved you can do it . I have kept one of my old large coats when I feel down I put it on and because it swamps me I realise how far I have got and know I do not want to go back to that shape .. the clothes are so much better for smaller people. If you can find something similar reminds you how far you have come .. before and after picture then that might help when you feel temptation.

 

[Serena51]

I'm not being flippant, I feel your pain, but 'If you don't buy it then you can't eat it.' Like you I fall off the wagon and it is always for sugary foods when I never had a sweet tooth before my diabetes . Go easy on yourself and take it a day at a time. You have done so well so far and shown that you can do it.

 

[Maggie/Magpie]

Hi,
well done for such a big achievement in weight loss. Don't beet yourself up for coming off the wagon as it were diet wise we all do it from time to time were human after all.

To refocus try some mindfulness techniques when you feel the impulse to reach out and eat that chocolate bar or cake. Find a small object, look at it closely and study it for five minutes, see how it feels, if it has a smell describe it, study its texture, if its soft or hard, if its hot or cold etc. This can stop you thinking about those temptations and allow you to walk away. Go and do something else and refocus your mind.

Good luck
Maggie

 

[Sarah69]

I'm not being flippant, I feel your pain, but 'If you don't buy it then you can't eat it.' Like you I fall off the wagon and it is always for sugary foods when I never had a sweet tooth before my diabetes . Go easy on yourself and take it a day at a time. You have done so well so far and shown that you can do it.

Ive been told that time and time again, it doesnt work!! I am addicted to choclate. If I dont buy it I think about it all the time so I end up having to go to the shop to buy it!

 

[mentat]

Ive been told that time and time again, it doesnt work!! I am addicted to choclate. If I dont buy it I think about it all the time so I end up having to go to the shop to buy it!

Chocolate is a mood booster, so this isn't surprising. Get the extra-dark stuff, it doesn't contain much sugar (best to compare nutrition panels though).

 

[Indy51]

Without trying to be too harsh - the only way to deal with an addiction is by choosing to do something about it, usually making a pledge to oneself to remove permission to indulge - no matter what the circumstances. Not saying it's easy, but it's really the only way to deal with an addiction. As long as you keep giving yourself permission to indulge - I've had a hard day, I'm stressed, I'm unhappy, I'm this, that or the other thing usually followed by "it's too hard" or "I deserve" or whichever excuse you make to yourself - you've got Buckley's chance of overcoming the addiction. The other skill you need to learn is to stop beating up yourself if you do relapse - it solves nothing, reinforces a sense of helplessness and makes you even more likely to stay off the wagon for an extended period rather than learning something about why you relapsed and climbing back on.