I was a heavy smoker for 20 years but last year in September I quit. It was very difficult and Im still addicted to nicotine lozenges which Im working on quitting too. Im proud of not smoking anymore.
My problem is I gained 25 kilos. I crave sugar all.the.time.
Its quite distressing. I used to have a beautiful figure but now I really dislike the way I look. Ive had to buy an entire wardrobe of clothes I don't really like. My confidence is at an all time low.
Friends and family think it's just a matter of willpower and lack of motivation but that is not really true.
I try and try but these cravings are powerful. I feel quite defeated. I don't know what to do.
I went to the dr and i will start weightloss medication soon, that might help in the short term to lose weight but I don't really know how to fix this huge craving of sugar. Once i stop the medication i worry Ill gain all the weight back.
I feel like maybe i should go back to my filthy cigarette habit, at least when I was a smoker I was at a healthy weight and my confidence was good...
Can you relate? Any advice? I feel like a slave to sugar and carbs. If I don't eat it I will literally wake up at night and stuff myself. I don't understand why my body is craving all this junk. Help :(
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7 Replies
Counselling - get to the bottom of your dependence on sugar and carbs.
I replaced smoking with sugar when I quit too. The sugar was coke after a few months I switched to diet coke. I know it takes a while to get used to but it can be done and you end up craving diet coke instead. It's like the pink ring on the bathtub in the Dr Seus book you don't really get rid of it you just keep moving it onto something else 😂
This is genius. Thank you!!!
Thats how most addictions are.
First, congratulations. I used to be a smoker and breaking that habit is very difficult.
I think your brain has replaced one craving with another. It might even be the lozenges causing it. Didn't affect me, but maybe. My DH gained 30 kg because of Asthma steroid meds. Made him ravenously hungry all. the. time. Docs said it wasn't the issue, but it is.
There are quite a few quit sugar programs out there. I remember one said switch to half sugar/half sugar replacement first, then full sugar replacement, then cut that back as well. I use Stevia, which is all natural & you can buy in the supermarket. You have to find the one you like & it is a different taste but once you get used to it you might even prefer it it sugar.
Its probably not the carbs and sugars you crave. Its the having something in your mouth all day to replace a cig being in your mouth all day. Try reaching for more clean foods like ketogenic foods. Remember carbs turn to sugar in the body so you're actually getting double the hit because you are combining them.
Same happened to me.
Heres the thing with weight loss. You can either do it, go through the stress and effort of it, or decide nows not the time (and being and remaining a non smoker is much more important) and so you wont do it. Accept it and live with it.
If you want to be a bit healthier but not stress yourself, pick up a sport. Something you used to like. A casual friendly thing, a few times a week that enhances your life, doesnt add more stress, and enjoy it. Youll probably be able to do it heaps better now without shortness of breath and wanting to stop for a smoke.