Why Do I Binge on Sweets

Is it harming you? Are you overweight? If not, it's not terrible. Why do you binge on sweets? Because they taste reeeeaaally good.

..because they are yummy....... -_-
I have the same problem, no one else in the house does, so I just don't buy them. I may buy ice cream every now and then but it's gone in 2-3 days.

Why is all that stuff in your house to begin with? Step one: don't have it in your house.

You're definitely addicted to sugar (I am too, so I know how it goes). We do something called Sweet Saturday in our house for us sugar addicts (that would be me and my two girls). We eat NO added sugar during the week, no sweets (fruit is ok, of course), cakes, cookies, ice-cream, sodas, lemonade, or sugar substitutes, etc. NONE (except the 1 teaspoon in my morning coffee - I just CANNOT drink that stuff black). Then on Saturday, we eat something *really* decadent and as much as we want.

Here's what happened. The first week, we ate boatloads of sugar on Saturday, I mean we really went to town! The second Saturday, we ate less. And less and less each Saturday. To the point where if we ate what we'd eaten that first Saturday, we'd be so grossed out and probably vomit. Our bodies have gotten used to having no added sugar. Now, during the week, it doesn't even occur to us to go for a sugary snack because we know that on Saturday, we can have whatever we want.

It's really worked for us. We've all lost weight and feel energetic. I can't tell you how good you'll feel once you stop eating THAT much sugar.

But first, Simply. Do. Not. Have. It. In. Your. House.

Because they make your blood sugar go like a yo-yo. You eat sugar, your blook sugar shoots up. Then it drops like a stone, making you crave more sugar.

The way out is to cut back on sugar AND simple carbs. Basically, follow a diet recommended for a diabetic.

I went to a seminar on sensory issues last night. One thing I learned is that eating sweets is calming and eating sour things increases energy. We can use that information to help those with sensory processing disorder to help regulate their energy.

Later: I've found that if I don't eat sweets for a couple of weeks I don't crave them.

I would definitely look into what Angela S. said, because I have heard of this before. It's definitely bad to do this to your system. Eat in moderation, you can have a piece of candy, just to satisfy that craving. If I am craving something sweet or salty, I realized that if I have just a taste, that craving goes away. Try it! I hope you figure out a good, healthy balance. Blessings!!

You may binge on sweets starting in the evening simply because you are tired.

I am a sweetsaholic too. I recently read that rinsing your mouth with a baking soda/water rinse will take away a sweets craving. Not sure if it works! I have started drinking hot water with a squeeze of lemon at night and it is acrually good. I think that for me, I just need something to chew on or drink and this keeps my hands and mouth busy without adding a bunch of sugar.

In any case, try to find something to distract yourself. I would not completely limit yourself. Why not allow yourself 1 fun size butterfinger per day, or buy a good bar of chocolate and eat 1-2 squares each night and call it "done"? Then when you are craving more, find something else to do. I will walk on the treadmill, do some light stretches, crochet to keep my hands busy.I find that walking up the stairs even is a great distraction...if I walk up to my bathroom, away from the kitchen, and look in the mirror for a moment, I remember my weight loss goals. Brush your teeth or put on one of those tooth whitening strips (so you cannot eat for 30 min). Distract yourself and you will often find the craving goes away, I think boredom + proximity to the kitchen often lead to eating binges.

Edited to add: LOVE LOVE LOVE the idea of Sweets Saturday. I love baking and would be really sad to not bake or eat goodies ever again, but our family really does consume sooo much sugar. I think that is a plan I will put into place, it seems so do-able! Great idea, Kristin!

Why do you binge on sweets? Because I've ate all the chips, dip, crackers, cheese and dill pickles!

Actually, if you brush your teeth right after you eat supper, you are less likly to eat again. Or when you want a sweet, go for a cup up apple or carrots, you have in the fridge, ready.

Because they are there. I agree with Fuzzy-know that if it's there you are going to eat it and limit what you buy.

I know that when I buy potato chips-I am going to eat them-yum so I don't buy them too often.

Maybe when you are in the mood for a candy bar-go brush your teeth instead. That might hold you awhile or tell yourself instead of candy-you'll have an apple instead and that might just change your mind right there. I mean how many apples do you really want to eat-lol?

I think you have to stop buying the junk food and then allow your body to detox for a few days.. the first few days will be very tough because as you detox your cravings more intense. in which, I might also suggest attenting OA meetings.. they are free and held all over and at all hours. IF you go to their website, you can find a meeting near you or even via the phone for which they now have.. Thing about OA is that IF you follow the program and begin to understand why you binge and what triggers it... you can then begin to do something about it.. just trying to diet it away won't do... I strongly believe you need a practical program in place and a support system to help you out.. if you go to their website, they list questions and by answering them, you can then determine if you are a compulsive eater or not. However, based on your post, it sounds like you are..
I crave carbohydrates so intensely sometimes that IF I allow them in my home, I will chow down big time... For me.. IF I want to abstain, I have to clean out the cupboards, fridge and pantry of any trigger foods.. which for me is dry pasta.... and from there.. I could definitely LOVE a big bag of Lays Potato Chips.. but that is just it. I know this about me. therefore, its' best that I don't even have it in the house.. that way, IF and when I do get cravings, I am made to just grin and bare it.. you can get through the cravings, but again. do it with a support group.. try OA..

Good luck

Oh my, you fix it by NOT BUYING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!
Seriously. You can't eat it if it's not there.
Ice cream and donuts are my sweet weaknesses, so I don't keep them around the house. But I will go out and treat myself to an ice cream cone, or a donut and coffee on the weekend.
My daughter is a sugar junkie too so I live like this for her sake as well as mine.
I don't know how you can "fix" your cravings but I think you need to change your shopping habits, like, now, and maybe see a nutritionist. You're on a road to diabetes and God only knows what else.

I notice I binge late in autumn when the days get shorter.

It's an addiction. It triggers the pleasure sensors in your brain. It may also be attributed to parasites in your intestines.

What works for me is a cold turkey quit and a great colon cleansing program as well as cutting down and out the extra, hidden and unhidden sugars.

Is it hard yes but not impossible but I do feel so much better when I'm not on sugar overload.

I use Robin Anthony's Detox Trio. Tastes horrible but works great.

Stop buying it and you will stop eating it. Just stop or try any and all of the recommendations suggested and see what works for you and then work what works.

Don't buy it.

That is a lot of extra calories you are putting into your system. Think about how unhealthy it is and how you are damaging your body when you start thinking about it.

Moderation is key, a bite sized candy bar every now and then is no biggie but 2-4 candy bars a day is way too much.

Before you indulge, drink a glass of water. I know quitting cold turkey won't work so stop eating the large candy bars and only allow yourself a small bite sized treat.

I don't know you age but If this is sudden onset, you need to see a Dr. to get a complete blood count and hormone check.

I am not a sweets lover but I LOVE my glass of Merlot.

I have a sweet tooth too, but that's a lot of sweets. I think it depends on your personality whether you go cold turkey or try to eat sweets in moderation. I am a moderation type. My cravings usually hit after lunch or in the afternoon. I eat a little treat either after lunch or as a mid-afternoon snack and then try not to eat any sweets or desserts after dinner unless it's a special occasion. That usually keeps my cravings satisfied. I agree with Fuzzy though--maybe you need to just stop buying that stuff. Unless it's right after Halloween we never have full or king size candy bars in the house. Do you exercise? I also balance my sweets consumption with my work out schedule. Longer, harder workout might mean an extra little treat. Moderation for me: yesterday after lunch I raided my boys' Halloween candy and had one miniature candy bar and one of those little packages of Milk Duds (4 per pkg). I violated my usual rule and had a mini, mini Salted Nut Roll after dinner. It was one of the new bite-sized ones, even smaller than a mini. If cookies are the treat du jour I try to limit it to two small or one medium sized cookie. I splurge sometimes, but this policy of moderation mostly works for me. Good luck. Oh, what about substitutes? Sometimes when I get a sweet craving I have a low calorie cup of hot chocolate or Russian tea. It still has some sweet flavoring and calories, but not as much as cookies or candy. Sometimes I even find that eating fruit helps (heresy I know!).

I am a candy lover too. I totally understand.

What did I do?

I changed my tactics. My candy day is Friday night. We do Family Night on friday night, so I allow myself candy when we are watching our movie. On any other night, I stick to popcorn. No candy allowed.

When Friday rolls around, the candy I have is dark chocolate. It satisfies the craving with a lot less because it's so rich and has less sugar than milk chocolate. Occasionally, I have a Reese's peanut butter cup, which I buy individually wrapped, and allow myself only one. I usually enjoy my sweets with popcorn because I love the sweet and salty combo, and I've found that it helps me to eat less of the candy. :-)

I'd say start your downsizing small. Instead of buying King Size, buy the regular size bars. And then, the next week, move down to buying the Fun Size little bars. Then limit yourself to 3 days a week. And then 2 and then just one.

It's perfectly okay to allow yourself a treat, but moderation is the key. And of course, be sure you're taking care of your teeth. Sugar is so hard on your tooth enamel.

♥

You have me beat. I just stopped buying these delicious things.

1) Do not have them in the house. I know you can go out and buy them but it makes it harder.
2) Are you getting enough sleep? Being tired can make you crave sweets.
3) Are you grieving something? I have read that people who crave salty foods are angry and people who crave sweets are grieving and it could be grief over your life not turning out the way you wanted. You might want counseling or to check out Emotional Freedom Technique.
4) Are you prediabetic and your blood sugars are running a little high? I am a Type 1 and if my blood sugars are high my body craves sweets. A doctor told me its because the sugar isn't getting into my cells so my body is crying out for more.
5) You body might be very acidic. When all you eat is acidic foods (and this includes diet pop, simple starches) your body become acidic because the blood will push the acidity into your skin because the blood has to stay at a certain ph level or you die. This acidity makes the body crave more acid foods. If this is true, you need to eat more alkaline foods like fresh fruits & veggies & meat.

Oh my gosh I would weight 200 pounds if I was doing that. If I eat anything after 7 or 8 pm forget it.

I would wonder about candida if I were you, and be reading about that.

If you do a sugar detox you will start to realize how sickly sweet some of that stuff tastes.

You don't mention your age but this is definitely something to get a handle on. I'd also get a physical and check my blood sugar and hormones.

Good luck.

Why??
Because they are sooooo good and sooooooo satisfying!!

Replace your treat sweets with something healthy that is sweet..an apple...a banana and some yogurt. I will often drink some warm herbal tea with honey to curb my cravings...especially when aunt flo is visiting. Get in this habit of replacing a treat with a "treat".

Keep your hands and mind busy also to distract you. Read a book, watch a show, call a friend etc. Make sure you are getting exercise each day. This helps me to not want to sabotage my efforts earlier in the day. Reward yourself with an occasional sweet treat also for your hard work. But set a limit and stick to it :)

Good luck and best wishes!

I do think habit and proximity.

For me, my Achilles heel is potato chips, esp. the barbeque kettle chips. Like, if you try to grab one out of my bowl, fear for your life!

I got into the habit of having a bowl (or two) of those in the evenings while watching tv, and regretted it. So, I changed my behavior in two areas: stopped buying chips most of the time; when I do, it's now a single-serving small bag and when it's gone, it's gone. (which limits the propensity of getting back into that habit) and also changing the habit itself with finding other things to do during that time. Instead of sitting and eating, I might do some stretches, exercises, play bananagrams on a low table while watching tv, write out the next day's plans, anything but eating. If I do want to eat, I make myself just eat in the kitchen most of the time. A handful of almonds or a couple of crackers and cheese, and then back to the tv upstairs with no food.

This works most nights-- changing the habit and keeping those 'can't stop myself' foods out of the house. Good luck!

Try more protein and complex carbs.
Don't forget to drink plenty of water.
Have some nuts around to snack on (I love the 100 cal packs but it's a really small amount of nuts to get to 100 calories).
I crave less sweets if I have a dinner of salad and chicken breasts (unbreaded).
What carbs you do eat, make them complex carbs - whole wheat bread (or whote wheat crackers, etc).
It slows the sugar rush and helps you feel satisfied for longer and since the sugar high is not as bad as it otherwise would be your low after your insulin has processed the sugar will not be as low (which is when those craving for more sweet stuff kicks in).
Try finding ways to use steel cut oatmeal - it's a great complex carb that's so good for you.

Keeping candy out of the house won't help, because you can go out and buy more, even in the dead of night if you are driven badly enough by the compulsion. Fad diets are a joke so I'm not even going to go there.

I'd suggest checking out Overeaters Anonymous. Now, I know what you're going to say -- it's 'only' sugar that you have the problem with, all other foods are fine -- but if it is taking up this much of your mental energy you may be addicted. Please try to check out an OA meeting in your area. You'll find support from individuals who share your problem as well as a solution.

PS - If you have an issue with 12 step programs, get over it. If you don't, so much the better. Good luck!