I use Yahoo as my homepage and I thought it was very appropriate when I got on my computer and there on the daily articles was this article.

http://shine.yahoo.com/author-blog-posts/5-surprising-signs-youre-sugar-addict-204200194.html#!lyuvJ

The attention line was "do you have a sugar addiction?"  And I thought, why yes, yes I do and for some reason some people don't believe me.  I can feel the doubt in their voice, I can tell they are thinking "isn't that a little over the top?  Honestly, couldn't you just cut down on your sugar consumption?  Do you really have to say no to it all the time?"  The biggest problem I have faced over the years of trying to cut it out sugar is the fear of "offending" someone.  I feel like a lot of people look very skeptically at a sugar addiction.  They wonder how it could possibly hurt to just eat it that one time.  I guess in the end, we do what is best for us and really just have to set aside what everyone else thinks.

I thought overall this article was pretty good, it made me feel validated in my idea that I have an actual addiction.  I will say that as I search the internet for various ideas and supporting data, I tend to get a little overwhelmed and depressed.  Sometimes, the suggestions for how to "kick" the addiction feels like too much.  Avoiding artificial sweeteners is no problem.  I grew up with a dad who thought they were very evil (I have to agree) and so I almost never ate them as a kid and now I can't stand the taste.  It is a little tempting to get past the taste so that I can have that sweet taste in my mouth but in the end it's not much of a temptation at all.  Avoiding carbs - now that is a different story.  That would mean that now I not only can't have sugar but now I can't have breads or white rice or potatoes either.  Really?  That just feels unrealistic for me personally.  I agree that I do find myself wanting those things more when I'm not eating sugar and there are times when it is easy to overdo it with them also but man, I just can't fathom giving up that much all at once.  My daughter has celiac and in support of her, I have given up gluten but we still have breads, mainly at breakfast for things like muffins, pancakes and waffles.  A rice flour mixture is a pretty close second to wheat flour so we make it work.  And rice and potatoes are now a huge part of our diet because of the gluten thing.  I don't know, I just don't think I could do it.  Not now anyway. 

I read something yesterday that said you should give us dairy as well.  Wow, that would be super hard.  With all the info out there, I end up feeling like what I'm doing is not enough and why bother but then I remind myself that at least it is something.  At least it's progress, anyway I think it is.  I probably consume more fat now but the reality is that I know that I have a problem with sugar.  I think my personal body doesn't handle it the same way other bodies do.  I think we each have to listen to our own bodies and try to figure out what is best for us. 

Some people swear by a gluten free diet, it is the best thing they ever did for themselves!  I have been doing it now for almost 2 years and I have lost no weight and don't see any difference in how I feel.  I didn't give up gluten for those reasons so it doesn't matter to me but my point is that for some not eating gluten makes them feel amazing.  For me, that thing is sugar.  I know I feel better without it.  And even if I'm not entirely cutting it out, at least I'm not binging on it anymore.  I have to feel good about some progress even though sometimes it feels like not enough.