Hi everyone, I haven't been here in awhile. Awhile back I was suffering with ED-NOS but am now pretty much recovered. I do still struggle at times but I'm MUCH better than what I used to be. I was near 90 lbs at 5'1" at my lowest point. I'm now 103-104 at 5'1" and my weight seems to have stabalized now. I feel much better and also look much better now. But I now have a new problem. I've learned to be an intuitive eater and I don't deprive myself when I want something, no matter what it is. I think I am addicted to sugar now though. I'm always eating sweets. For example just a little bit ago I had a scoop of ice cream with some M&M's on it and that still didn't cut so then I had a bunch of tootsie rolls. It's like my sweet tooth is never satisfied. I've tried the whole fruit thing instead of candy or ice cream and that doesn't work. I eat plenty of protein with my meals and also complex carbs (whole grain breads and crackers). I just love sugar!! It doesn't seem to affect my weight really. I'm obvisously not the least bit chubby. But I guess I'm a little scared it may start to over time. I don't know what to do because I know if I start depriving myself I'll want it even more and probably even start binging on it, but it's unhealthy to eat as much of it as I do. I'm doing so well with my recovery and I feel if I deprive myself at all it'll set me back and may even restart my ED which is the last thing I want. So what do I do? I didn't post this on the "diet and nutrition" board because they would only bash me about it telling me how terrible I eat and how terrible sugar is. They don't understand ED's because most of them has never had one. But I know you guys do. I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place here. How do I cut back on sugar without feeling like I'm depriving myself? HELP!!

I have the same problem. I am addicted to sugar and chocolate. I crave other foods, but not like sugar and chocolate...I actually get physical symtoms of the cravings. I am also trying to recover from bulimia. It is hard because I try and stay away from sugar (alteast chocolate..I will let myself have blow pops, or sweet tarts, ect and not feel guilty about it) so I will not trigger a binge. But I find that if I totally prohibit myself from having chocolate and candy then the cravings get so out of control that I binge/purge.
I have heard people claim that their sugar cravings went away after a month of not eating any sugar/chocolate. That has never worked for me. I think as we are recovered longer from out bulimia we might not have such cravings and urges for food. It takes a long time though. I try and buy maybe 2 bags of m&m's and a couple blow pops. Don't buy big bags of candy.

In my IOP program, we have to have dessert with dinner every night and have to have a snack later as well. I have heard some people say that having the dessert and snack has helped them a lot with having sugar cravings because they aren't depriving themselves and then setting themselves up for a binge. Also, having a sweet dessert with a meal also helps because your blood sugar stays up. If you were to just have the sweet stuff without a meal, your blood sugar would spike and crash and then you would just want more. That's what they tell us anyways. I can totally understand your fear, though. The dessert is easy for me now because I have it at IOP.. I don't keep it in my house where I might potentially binge on it. So I would say that even if it costs more, maybe on your way home from work, you could grab a single serving of a dessert, like a candy bar or ice cream bar, to have later or even have a dessert with lunch instead of dinner. That way you don't have the box in your house and can't binge on it, but you're not depriving yourself either. If you are still craving sugary stuff after that, maybe your body is trying to tell you that you need more. Maybe add more fruit or caloric beverages to your meal plan to sort of work in more sugar.