I’ve often said that there are many many many people who are addicted to sugar, so if you find that after taking this sugar addiction test that you fit the bill, just remember that you’re not alone.
Even though I say that, I still get into the space sometimes of feeling like I’m “not normal”, like “why can’t I eat like everyone else, not overeat, and not gain weight?”.
That kind of thinking really is “off” when you examine it because all we have to do is look around to see multitudes of people who clearly have the same problem of overeating highly sugared, fatted, salted, non-nutritious (yet oh so tasty) foods. I think it’s my baby thinking (yeah, not my inner child, my inner b-a-b-y), my poor me saying “waaaa, I want me some sugar, waaaa”.
Update 2013: Note the date on this article, 2/22/2008. This is an old article that I wrote 5 years ago. At that time I had the thought that I had a sugar addiction and today it’s not true. Fact: 90% of your problems with food and your weight are due to your Mindset. Only 10% are about how you eat and exercise.
Find out more by grabbing my FREE 5-Day E-course to discover the answer to, “Is Your Mindset Fit or F.A.T.?“. Get it while it’s still available!
Well guess what? Not only am I right that you’re not alone in your sugar addiction (well, you already knew that I’m here with ya), but there are also other people blogging about their sugar addiction:
- Catherine Morgan minced no words when she stated in her post that she’s a sugar addict, and she is actually the source for some of the other sugar-free links I’m giving you below. (thanks Catherine!)
- Linda is focusing on the new life that she wants to manifest using the law of attraction, a positive life free of sugar. Just like me she remembers all of those sweet treats from childhood and shares her thoughts that working out meant a license to eat sweets. She’s writing a new script now and erasing the old tapes and I bet she’s releasing self-criticism, too.
- Kerry shares 10 tips to give up sugar and blogs about the fact that you don’t have to be overweight to be a sugar addict (so true) or to suffer from a negative body image.
I love that Kerry is representing for those who are struggling to get healthy and fit by getting off the sugar but who aren’t overweight. I don’t expect that every one of you who read Fearless Fat Loss are overweight because we all know that you can be thin without eating healthy and exercising. For me my goals aren’t only about weight loss but are mainly about staying off the sugar and getting fit, strong and healthy; not only in body but also in mind and soul.
- Lynette put herself in an at-home sugar rehab and shared her experience with it. The more people I see writing about being addicted makes me rejoice because that means that more people could be sparked by reading about sugar addiction and get motivated to get off the white stuff – and get fit.
- And lastly, here’s
a post by Dr. Tom(no longer available) about the white death – that’s sugar, that sweet little white powder that is oh so tasty but is oh so unhealthy, not to mention addictive. Now he didn’t say that he’s a sugar addict, but he did write about the connection between heroin and sugar like I’ve written about before, and I like that.
Hi JoLynn – Thanks for pointing out the seriousness of this addiction. Many years ago, I became so addicted to sugar that I was buying a huge bottle of pepsi and a massive bar of chocolate every day.
I didn’t manage to cut it out until I admitted to myself that I was actually addicted to the stuff. And I really did crave it for a long time.
Hi Catherine!
You’re right, it is serious. I think that more people need to talk about it to bring more awareness to the fact.
That’s good that you realized your addiction to it and were able to get off of it….it can be difficult but eventually (if one stays off the sugar), the cravings do go away.
These are great links, JoLynn! Thanks for sharing.
I battle a huge sugar addiction, so blogging about it, as well as reading others’ journeys towards breaking free from the addiction is very helpful and encouraging.
No, you’re DEFINITELY NOT alone!!!!!! 🙂
Hi Susan,
Thanks for your comments and sharing about your sugar addiction. I think that the more people who share this it will help raise the awareness that sugar truly is a addictive drug, just like any other. The only difference is that this drug is legal….oh, and it also is very helpful in growing the level of obesity in the world since it’s in almost all processed and fast food (yeah, I’m being sarcastic that it’s “helpful”, lol).
Keep at it Susan, I know from experience that once you get off of all of the refined sugar that the cravings will go away. I’ve learned though, that if I keep any refined sugar in my diet, that it keeps those cravings alive – and that’s a real pain to deal with. 😉
That is me – Sugar Addict. I wrote a post “Sugar is my Crack.” It is so hard to get off the stuff – worse than drugs and alcohol. I’ll be back to check out the links and other posts. Thanks!
MB
Food may not be a drug by the classical definition, but it can certainly have drug-like effects. I have never added sugar to food, but I do have somewhat of a sweet tooth.
@MB, hi, and thanks for leaving your comments.
Sugar is crack, I love that! It is crack, or sometimes I refer to it as crank (LOL).
Yeah, it’s really not funny, though, I know all too well how hard it can be to stay off the stuff. What’s worked for me is to abstain from all forms of refined sugar, then the cravings go away.
@Mike, hi, thanks for your comments, too!
You know what, I do call sugar a drug because of the fact that it creates the same reaction in the brain as heroin and morphine (any of the opiates) do. Very interesting, I know…when I learned this it made much more sense why it’s so addictive and so many people have problems with it… I don’t think a lot of people know about that.
I also never used to add sugar to food, I was getting enough of it in all of it’s myriad forms in the processed food I was eating. 😉
Thank you for the link, JoLynn. As a former sugar addict, I’m grateful that you’re helping others who also struggle with the sweet stuff. I know sugar was literally making my crazy. My sugar addiction was so painful and disruptive that it became a choice of sugar, or my very life. That was the impetus that finally enabled me to give up sugar for good….and rediscover the “me” under the sugar addiction.
I have an ebook coming out at firstourselves.com for anyone who is interested in learning how to give up sugar for good. (Send me a holler at firstourselves.com and I’ll alert you to its release.) I would also recommend Connie Bennett’s book Sugar Shock, as well as Kathleen des Maisons’ books on sugar.
While sugar addiction is powerful, it can be overcome. If you’re sugar sensitive, don’t ever see yourself as a victim, or an addict for life. You can heal your life. You can heal your relationship with food. You can live sugar free, and find peace.
Godspeed on your journey,
Karly Pitman
firstourselves.com
Hi Karly, thanks for your comments!
We’re on the same wavelength, I also recommend Sugar Shock! and Kathleen’s books….I am partial to Sugar Blues, though, it’s my #1 recommendation.
I agree with you that you can get off the sugar and heal yourself, absolutely! While I’ve had my own struggles, I know that as long as I eat a diet filled with whole, fresh foods staying away from the processed gunk and fast foods, then the cravings disappear….at least the physical cravings do, I still have emotional cravings for it, which I’m working on. 😉
All the best to you, too Karly!
No you are definitely not alone!!!
I couldn’t live without sugar of some sort – whether it be natural sugar or otherwise.
@Brandi, yeah, there are so many others, sugar is highly addictive.
@Liza, sure, I get my “sweets” in the form of bananas, blueberries, raspberries, apples, strawberries, pineapple, to name a few.
Sugar addiction refers to refined sugar (it has many names – sugar, corn syrup, hfcs, crystalline fructose, brown sugar, the list goes on), which is found in almost all processed and fast food. It makes it hard to stop eating and the cravings for more continue on and on.