Sunday, December 27, 2009

Coming Out of the Sugar Coma

I'm slowly recovering from the sugar induced haze of the holidays. Holy Christmas Cookies Batman!

I'm happy to say there wasn't any drama this year since my Mommy Dearest decided to stay in Florida. My brother and his husband, my father and stepmonster, and my sister and sister's girlfriend all met up with various family members out of state so B and I didn't have to rush around from place to place which made for a very mellow holiday.

It was pretty low-key with all of B's family together at his brother's house in NH. My niece and nephews are teenagers now so there wasn't that magic of watching Christmas through a child's eye but we had a joyous stressless holiday. We ate way too much food (my sister-in-law makes the best cheese danish that I indulge in once a year), we opened lots of presents and envelopes full of green (B's parents are way too generous), we lost money on the scratch ticket swap like we do every year (I keep saying I'm not going to do it anymore), I learned all sorts of Wii tricks from the nephews (I work up a sweat playing my Wii and my nephews barely flick their wrists around) and we all ate way too many delicious sugary holiday treats. It was a blast and I'm glad it's over.

I have to confess that I had to make the dessert I was bringing to Christmas dinner twice because I stupidly made it a day early and then proceeded to eat half the tray. This toffee cracker stuff is similar to the recipe I used but I warn you, it is like crack and I don't want you to lose yourself in its sugary, buttery, chocolaty goodness. I couldn't stop myself from eating it. MMMmmmm.... A small piece here and a small piece there and next thing you know half the container was gone. How did that happen? I made my version of it with health bar pieces and another batch with vanilla chocolate instead of the semi-sweet chocolate morsels and it was amazing but seriously addictive. I should never make it again because I just can't be trusted around it, just like chocolate covered pretzels. It must be something with the salt and chocolate that flicks the switches in my head to auto-pilot and I lose the ability to stop myself from eating more and more.

Like an alcoholic can't just have "one" drink, I can't just have "one" of almost anything with sugar. I'll have a tiny sliver of cake and then have another tiny sliver and another instead of just having a normal slice from the start. Those 100 calorie packs of sweets don't help me because I'll end up eating the whole box. I know I have issues and I'm working on them.

I know I should be able to enjoy anything in moderation but what if I can't control it? Do I need to avoid it forever or will I eventually learn how to control myself with certain trigger foods? I'm glad all the crack is gone and I got back to my green monster for breakfast today. Fruit is a much better and healthier sugar high for me. It doesn't spike my blood sugar the way white cane sugar does.

Luckily I've been going to the gym faithfully and burning lots of calories on the elliptical and dreadmill so the damage on the scale from all the sugar has been minimal. I didn't lose any weight over the holidays but I didn't gain any either and that is something I don't think has ever happened before. Usually the holidays are an all out food fest and a free pass to gain the usual 5-10 pounds because it's the holidays, right? No, this year is different. 2010 is going to be different. I am different.

Julie over at Smoke Yourself Thin recently wrote a post about whether or not sugar can be as addictive as heroin or cigarettes and for me, I think it is. When I have it I always want more. I can't seem to get enough no matter how much I have and I can't refuse it when it's offered to me. I feel the physical effects of the sugar in my body and a haze come over my mind after a big sugar binge.

I'm detoxing now.

What do you think? Can you be addicted to certain foods? If so, what are you addicted to?

18 comments:

  1. Yes, I believe that you can be addicted to sugar and I believe you can also be addicted to fat, The addiction actually is the body's chemical reaction when we eat certain foods. I am dealing with that myself. Chocolate covered cherries and milk chocolate in the form of Hershey bars or candy kisses are what can send me running for the HIGH hills. Thanks for your post!

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  2. I think we actually differ more on the definition of "addiction". I really don't use it casually, and yes, brain and body chemistry changes with food, as it does with thoughts, emotions, etc. I just don't call that addiction. But then again, I would expect cocaine would be addictive, but apparently it's not, so maybe my definition is wrong.

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  3. I've actually seen that toffee "stuff" as a recipe called "crack". I started to make it this year, but decided the title of the recipe was a warning. :)

    Julie's post was truly thought-provoking. I'm still struggling with this notion of addiction as applied to food. There's definitely a physical "reaction" to sugar-y foods, but I still don't quite see it as addiction. It's possible I'm splitting hairs, though. (Wonder how many calories that burns?)

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  4. HA!

    "I'm glad all the crack is gone. . . " Best line ever!

    Totally I think you can be clinically addicted to foods. For you it is sugar, for me it is cheese. I have a hard time resisting. Eventually I just never brought any into the house. Now I have dreams about binging out on a whole extra cheese pizza. Ugh!

    ;/

    Julia
    jewliagoulia.blogspot.com

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  5. There are for sure addictions to food. I find there are some foods that just cause problems for me sometimes. Then there are those that I just can't be around, like mini PB cups. I cannot control myself around them.

    Other foods I just have to remove from my life periodically (like cashews) until I can get back under control again. It's all a learning process.

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  6. OMG, I would have been right there with you on the toffee, that stuff is sooo good. I know that when I eat sugar, I begin to obsess about it more.

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  7. I believe you can be addicted to all foods but those sugary, buttery ones seem to take us down pretty quickly. My horror this holiday season was eggnog fudge. I am still detoxing.

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  8. Well bless your heart...I just read back a couple of posts and see where you sent a letter to Santa on my behalf. He must of got your letter, because I got the extension!! Thank you so much for caring...that really touches my heart. And yes, there is something I'm seriously addicted to...pork, lol. Pork roast, pork chops, pork anything. I'm a total swine lover. :)

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  10. Yes, I can be addicted to food. That is why I try to abide by the rule: If I can't stop at 1, I won't put it in my mouth. I wait till I'm strong enough to stop at 1.

    I'm so addicted to chocolate and anything sweet!

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  11. Hi. Glad you had a mellow holiday!

    Foods containing high levels of fat and sugar have been proven to trigger reactions in parts of the brain similar to when drugs are taken. So some foods really are physically addictive. But also some food is psychologically addictive, whatever its composition. We form emotional connections to certain foods in association with memories of a loving parent or happy situation.

    I don't think I'm addicted to any particular food. Just ALL FOOD.

    Bearfriend xx

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  12. Right, now I'm off to spend the next 1/2 hour deciphering that anonymous comment ....

    purlieus ... nostrum .. pinguid? My vocabulary is expanding by the moment (yes I am d*mn well looking them all up). Love it!

    Bearfriend xx

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  13. sugar makes me bingey.
    I avoid it except for holidays.
    This is the first time to your blog.
    I don't know how I missed it...you've been around long enough for goodness sake.
    Hope your detoxing well and that you have a great New Year!

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  14. You have to express more your opinion to attract more readers, because just a video or plain text without any personal approach is not that valuable. But it is just form my point of view

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  15. Do you have copy writer for so good articles? If so please give me contacts, because this really rocks! :)

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  16. You have really great taste on catch article titles, even when you are not interested in this topic you push to read it

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  17. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  18. I am not going to be original this time, so all I am going to say that your blog rocks, sad that I don't have suck a writing skills

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No Sugar Coating Allowed