quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:

quote:

Originally posted by tankeryanker:
Don't know if it was factual, but I read an article about sugar that said it was several times more addicting than cocaine.

Yeah, no fucking way.

Uh, yeah. More addicting than cocaine? Ridiculous. 7X? Clown shoes. Who would make such a claim?

People who need an excuse to eat / drink more sugar than is remotely reasonable and suffer the logical affects of such 'addictions'. LMFAO.

There are elements to overeating that could be called addiction. We're all hardwired to enjoy food, and there is something to it. If there wasn't, obesity would not be the problem it is.

So, lets not throw all that aside.

It's just not comparable to cocaine, or other hard drugs.

I believe there’s no other other way to call it. Sugar addiction is evident in the overwhelming increase of diabetes and obesity, only reaching such numbers since widespread sugar consumption in the last few hundred years.

There are studies that pit sugar against hard drugs. Their results are argued, however there’s enough concern for both sides to be able to argue.

“The Case Against Sugar” is a good book that goes into the history, not a quack fad book.

I was unquestionably addicted to sugar and carbs since I was a teenager. 80+ pounds overweight at 33. I really didn’t understand it all until I realized the power of sugar. I have to completely abstain from sugar, no different than a heroin addict counting the days he’s been clean.

A case of Coke lasts us, literally, years. My wife never was addicted to sugary drinks and I lost the habit, w/o conscious effort, twenty years ago or more.

I quit smoking going on nine years ago. It was my third effort. After two failed attempts--the last having been twenty years before that, I had long wondered if I could, but never once thought "I can't." Thinking "I can't" is setting yourself up for failure.

Or giving yourself an excuse not to try.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
I believe there’s no other other way to call it. Sugar addiction is evident in the overwhelming increase of diabetes and obesity, only reaching such numbers since widespread sugar consumption in the last few hundred years.

I think the biggest spike took place in the last several decades, despite the fact that sugar has been widely available for a long time before that. I think what may have changed is the addition of a LOT more sugar to foods, even those not traditionally thought of as "sweets".

Cakes and cookies have been around a long time and most people knew not to eat them all day long. The low fat, low salt trend resulted in food that generally wasn't as appealing to most consumers, so sugar was added to dang near everything to enhance the flavor.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
I believe there’s no other other way to call it. Sugar addiction is evident in the overwhelming increase of diabetes and obesity, only reaching such numbers since widespread sugar consumption in the last few hundred years.

There are studies that pit sugar against hard drugs. Their results are argued, however there’s enough concern for both sides to be able to argue.

“The Case Against Sugar” is a good book that goes into the history, not a quack fad book.

I was unquestionably addicted to sugar and carbs since I was a teenager. 80+ pounds overweight at 33. I really didn’t understand it all until I realized the power of sugar. I have to completely abstain from sugar, no different than a heroin addict counting the days he’s been clean.

It's one thing to claim that sugar can be addictive. What I said previously is certainly true, our brains are already wired to reward us for eating.

However, claiming that sugar is as addictive as cocaine or heroine, needs actual proof. Not just "there have been studies." Let's stear clear of hyperbole. I've got a whole thread on fitness and weight loss, in it you can see that eating right is a challenge.

It's simply not the same as, or worse than cocaine or heroine.

Can people struggle with it? Yes. Is it challenging? Yes. Can you kill yourself with it, pretty much.

But continuing to compare sugar, or obesity struggles generally, to opiate addiction trivializes those addictions. It also is a distraction from the severity of obesity.

Sugar, obesity, overeating, these things are their own problems, you don't need the absurd claim that they are like heroine.

So, as to what many other are saying...
I used to drink a 12 pack of Pepsi a day.
I quit. Now I’ll only have Pepsi with whiskey or a Smokey peat scotch.

The way I quit... I was making great money in my early 20’s. Business Partner and I hit a wall and business died. I went from making 150k a year to making 20k ish a year (late 90’s).

No money quickly changes your shopping habits.

That said, I am a big fan of sparkling water with essence. No sugar or anything aside of water and natural essence of fruit. Waterloo is the best I have found yet.

If I really need a soda, I stick to San Pelligrino sodas. They use real sugar and fruit juice. Pretty good as far as fixing the soda craving.

quote:

If I really need a soda, I stick to San Pelligrino sodas. They use real sugar and fruit juice. Pretty good as far as fixing the soda craving.

I do 1/2 Pelligrino soda, 1/2 seltzer.

Cutting out soda and other overly sweet things has the added benefit of being able to taste food. That was one of the first things I noticed after ditching soda and energy drinks.

My second 'sobriety' date of sorts is April 14, 2018, the last time I had a Coke Zero or diet soda of any kind.
It is amazing what they did to my stomach, in terms of acid production, etc.
Today, I drink flavored fizzy water (watch out for ones with additives that are on par with those in diet sodas).
I occasionally partake in a ginger ale.

The only fizzy drink I now partake, a couple times a year, is Martenelis applmy personal definition for a “clean” food... it is only apple juice and the carbonation.

Quit a bad Diet Coke habit a while back, drinking a case a week easy all day long and into the evening.

You have to just stop, get it out of the house, IMO there is no ramp down scenario that works with breaking habits.

After you have quit drinking any soda for a few weeks or a month, go have one, it will be like filling your mouth with a large spoon of sugar, because we drink it all the time we become dependent and used to it, once you quit it becomes quite apparent how bad it is...

I switched to unsweet iced tea and water and a cup of iced coffee for my caffeine hit.

True story. In 1988 I went to ROTC Advanced Camp in Ft. Bragg NC. We were restricted to barracks for the first 2 weeks or more. There was NO Mt. Dew to be had. Anywhere. I got the shakes and had horrible headaches. I drank 2-4 per day for years. After I got through a week or more of that self-induced hell, I had an afternoon off and got a Mt. Dew. I took one sip and thought "this tastes terrible", and I've never had any since.

I have a diet Dew every morning. I hate coffee.

I actually like the taste of the Monster zero white can better than Dew. I wish they would make it in a single serving can.

I weaned myself from soda with adding flavors (the little squirt thingies in the juice aisle) to my water. If I have 3 sodas a year it's a lot now.