Diabetes Type 2 Support Group

Type 2 Diabetes is a condition in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not make efficient use of it. Insulin is a hormone needed to convert food into glucose, a sugar that the body uses for energy. Without enough insulin, glucose can accumulate in the blood, and can cause serious health problems such as heart disease and strokes and organ damage...

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/ Diabetes Type 2 Support Group

How to give up Sugar?

deleted_user
deleted_user
I'm a sugar addict. My "diet" is healthy (protein, low carb, blah blah blah) but I can't seem to kick the sugary drinks. I've tried 'modifying' them and have gone off six sodas (22 ounce sodas) a day to sweet tea I buy at the store. I'm cutting the sweet tea with unsweetened tea, which works, but then at weird times I get a craving for sugar that's like a physical need. I just can't seem to let the sugar go. It's been a year and I'm averaging 400+ even with twice a day long lasting insulin shots. I don't want to be a drama queen, but there are days I feel like there's just no hope.

Doc has me on Prozac too, and it helps, but I'm tired of sleeping 20 hours a day and feel like I have NO discipline when it comes to cutting out the sugar. I've tried NOT keeping it in the house, meaning I have to drive 5 miles to the store to BUY sugary stuff. That helps, but I still will drive at 3 am. to get a bottle of sweet tea when the craving strikes. Short of chaining myself to something in the house, or installing a jail cell I can lock myself into like a werewolf before a full moon, I'm stumped.

My diet is good - no junk foods, but probably not as good as it could be. I eat a LOT of lean meat, fish, cheese, nuts, greens, veggies, chicken. But the sugar....aagggghh.....Help!
demutt
demutt
I'm with you on how difficult it is to deal with a sugar addiction. My experience was with sweets more than drinks but I think it is the same difference. What worked best for me was cold turkey - just stop. No more sweets - after a few days I got better (less inclined to chew off a leg). I kept the overall carbs down around 150/day and limited starches. It seems like once it gets out of your system, you don't crave it as badly, at least that was my experience.

I felt like a junkie - raging withdrawal. I guess your analogy about securing yourself in a werewolf proof cell before the full moon may not be so far from the actual deal :)

Good luck.
laurabp
laurabp
I can relate, as I have the same problem, only with salt. I am supposed to limit my sodium and I do muich better than I used to, but when I want something salty, sometimes. I absolutely have to have it! Do you you eat fruit? I build into my meal plan two snacks a day of fairly low carb fruit, like unsweetened applesauce, or canned fruit without the syrup, or fresh oranges, berries, etc. If you could find something healthy that does have some sugar that will substitute for your drinks, maybe that might be the answer, rather than trying to give it up totally.
mzizgayle
mzizgayle
Take one day at a time. Gradually cut back, dont try all at once
sweetnettie
sweetnettie
I agree with Gayle cut back gradually. Cold turkey does not work for everybody. Have you tried diet soda? For me Diet Ginger ale works best it does not raise my sugar. But diet coke, diet pepsi all raise my sugar. Try diet tea, but be prepared diet teas may raise your sugar as well. They do for me. Hang in there it gets better.
Amuseme
Amuseme
I eat lots of sugar when I make smoothies with frozen fruits and water. I also eat apple chips and granola bars with a low content of sat fat and sugar. Drink them in between meals. Artificial sweeteners are doing you any favors since they metabolize worse than sugar does.
Amuseme
Amuseme
And I make soda with fruit juice (real juice) and seltzer- yum
sweetnettie
sweetnettie
Thanks I am going to going to try doing the smoothie thing. Replacing 1 meal a day and see how it goes. I figure it can't hurt. I usually do lemon water or water with lime. The only other thing I drink is diet ginger ale, it doesn't raise my BG.