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Type 2 Can’t stop eating sweet stuff

Chocolate and high carb foods and drinks tend to also contain a lot of fat, hence the apparent fat blaming.

Speaking as an ex-carboholic, I find it was a matter of toughing out the first couple of weeks to let my addiction subside, while filling my time with hobbies and interests to distract me. Once the cravings had reduced I was shocked at how addictive the sugars had been.

Knowing it is as much of an addiction as smoking (ex-smoker here) helped me put the addiction and cravings into perspective, stop blaming myself, and gave me the reassurance I needed to know that the cravings would pass. Its NOT your fault you have the type of body which causes carb cravings. Its just the way it is.

I had a LOT of support on here, and posted a lot while going through the cravings reduction stage. We are happy to help and listen and support you in this.

It also helped to see how my brother, who made the choice not to low carb, has continued up the medication scale and is in a bad way now, unfortunately.

Within 3 days I was feeling healthier, less tired, not having to wee several times a night etc. Breaking the habit of eating 'treats' was also important, by doing different things when I would have been snacking. I did embroidery.

My treat now is a big bowl of chopped mixed salad, with full fat mayo and tuna.

Incidentally, my cholesterol didnt rise at all by eating full fat foods, I feel fuller so avoid hunger pangs, and my skin and hair quality has improved.
 
HSSS said:
How is fat the real danger to a diabetic - it doesn’t raise bgl. Carbs do.
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To clarify, I'm not suggesting either fat or carbs are the problem. It is the combination of the two, at certain levels, that can be dangerous.
 
Beating-My-Betes said:
To clarify, I'm not suggesting either fat or carbs are the problem. It is the combination of the two, at certain levels, that can be dangerous.
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How so?
This isn’t reflecting the experience of many who post on here and I’d like to understand this view
 
lucylocket61 said:
Speaking as an ex-carboholic
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Not to be dismissive of the rest of your post (I'm glad you are feeling better), but what does "carboholic" mean to you? What were the foods, under that definition, that you were addicted to?
 
Andydragon said:
How so?
This isn’t reflecting the experience of many who post on here and I’d like to understand this view
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It seems that most people are eating predominantly fats, and as far as is possible eliminating carbs. No?
 
Beating-My-Betes said:
To clarify, I'm not suggesting either fat or carbs are the problem. It is the combination of the two, at certain levels, that can be dangerous.
Click to expand...

Carbohydrate in any form turns to blood sugar. The fat content merely delays the inevitable regarding digestion.
 
Beating-My-Betes said:
It seems that most people are eating predominantly fats, and as far as is possible eliminating carbs. No?
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Yes, you are saying combination of fat and carbs are dangerous. People are eliminating a lot of carbs and eating more fat and losing weight, plus dropping their blood sugars. So, what is the risk of fats here that you are indicating?
 
Jaylee said:
Carbohydrate in any form turns to blood sugar. The fat content merely delays the inevitable regarding digestion.
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Doesn't protein also turn to sugar? And yes, carbs do turn to sugar. But when you say that fat "merely delays" the inevitable, the real ramifications of that are sugar being held up in the blood for a much longer time than it would be without the presence of the fat. And while I know that many here seem hyper-cautious of anything above a tiny spike in BS, I'm pretty sure that the most damaging aspect of elevated blood-sugar occurs when that elevation is prolonged, as it is when sugar and fat mix in the bloodstream.
 
Andydragon said:
Yes, you are saying combination of fat and carbs are dangerous. People are eliminating a lot of carbs and eating more fat and losing weight, plus dropping their blood sugars. So, what is the risk of fats here that you are indicating?
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My initial point was to suggest that it is interesting the foods we view as carbs, that are predominantly made of fat. I then tried to make the point that foods that are (let's say for ease) split at a ratio of 50:50 (1:1) carbs:fats are the foods that are responsible for most falling prey to the various complications of metabolic syndrome, and the ones that people really crave when they talk of carb/sugar addiction.

So, I haven't indicated any risk of fats, at least, not in isolation.
 
Beating-My-Betes said:
It seems that most people are eating predominantly fats, and as far as is possible eliminating carbs. No?
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No. Low carb is not predominantly fats. Low carb is 130g or less a day of carbs, some fats like full fat milk, butter etc and protein. I do not eat high fat. I am not sure if maybe you are thinking of some who do keto? Even the keto eaters don't necessarily eat mainly fats.

There are many, many types of low carbing going in the forum.
 
Beating-My-Betes said:
Doesn't protein also turn to sugar? And yes, carbs do turn to sugar. But when you say that fat "merely delays" the inevitable, the real ramifications of that are sugar being held up in the blood for a much longer time than it would be without the presence of the fat. And while I know that many here seem hyper-cautious of anything above a tiny spike in BS, I'm pretty sure that the most damaging aspect of elevated blood-sugar occurs when that elevation is prolonged, as it is when sugar and fat mix in the bloodstream.
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Yes, protein is broken down through "gluconeogenesis," the body also expends more energy regarding this process too. from what I gather..

But we are now entering taking this thread off topic.

Regarding giving something up. One strategy is to tot up as one goes along what would have been spent.
Then focus what has been saved on something more positive..
 
lucylocket61 said:
No. Low carb is not predominantly fats. Low carb is 130g or less a day of carbs, some fats like full fat milk, butter etc and protein. I do not eat high fat. I am not sure if maybe you are thinking of some who do keto? Even the keto eaters don't necessarily eat mainly fats.

There are many, many types of low carbing going in the forum.
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i take your point. My impression of the forum is formed from having mostly seen posts that are ketogenic in nature. I have seen a couple of folk talk about keeping carbs to a maximum of the level you are referring to.
 
"Sweet stuff.."

Our friend & thread starter needs support & ideas regarding some sort of temperance.

Let's not drift this topic.

Thanx.
 
Something else which helped me in the first few days of controlling my carb cravings:

Noticing if I was hungry, in which case I had a snack of protein and salad or something similar. I really like ham wrapped in lettuce.

Noticing if I was thirsty.

Noticing if my mouth was feeling empty as it was used me snacking and grazing.

Noticing when I felt the craving - what time of day, was there a pattern of grazing, that sort of thing.

I also realized that eating three or four times a day, plus snacks, is a recent thing historically, and not necessary. Recognising hunger was helpful.

And distraction, distraction, distraction when craving hit, knowing that they would pass and every hour brought me closer to stopping the craving and habit.

Good luck.
 
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