Anyone else experience "mourning" sweets?

#1

Hi folks. 3 weeks ago I started strong, 100% in, doing my research, watching macros. I’m still doing all of the above, but now experiencing a strange grief or mourning sensation. So bizarre! I’m committed to keto, but it’s like some part of me is just now catching up and noticing – “What? No more cookies? No more ice cream? We can’t live like this!” I was a carb addict extraordinaire–sweets in every meal–and I went cold turkey. I’m assuming this will pass – I hope. Anyone else experienced this strange sensation? Ugh. By the way, this forum is a blessing. Thanks.

(Allie) #2

It will get easier as the addiction wears off :slight_smile: There are keto versions of these things, but I strongly urge you to beat the cravings before trying them as they can do more harm than good for some people.

(Liz ) #3

I definitely felt bereft, which was disorienting! Hugs and hang in there. One thing I found myself doing was being nostalgic about childhood sweets without eating any, just finally acknowledging where sugar had played a big emotional & addicted role in my life. I could finally admit out loud without shame how much sugar had been a part of my life, I had to process the feelings along with the internal physical healing.

#4

I was raised in kids homes from a baby, and we were always forced to eat what was on our plate, or you’d get it force fed to you. You were taught to be grateful for food, and never to waste it. The reward was desert.

For years I gorged myself on the things I was denied. Being force fed did not equal getting desert!

I don’t crave, or think about anything sweet anymore, and I also think I was harming myself as a form of revenge on them. Onward and upward, I’m not their victim anymore.

#5

Wow, thank you all for your replies. Amazing how we can deny the truth about what we do every single day. I had no idea I was so emotionally attached to sweets. I do believe that’s what I’m now being forced to face. Thank you, thank you. Hanging in there. Many thanks.

(Bacon, Not Stirred) #6

Not only do I agree with this, but I also would say that once the addiction wears off it’s much easier. Then you look at yourself and can actually see your weight loss, or hit your first goal, and it’s not even a thought anymore.

KCKO! You can do it!

(Sophie) #7

I’m 5mos in and I’m going to echo the above, that it really does get easier! Then one day you might even find yourself repulsed at the thought or sight of something sweet.

Perfect example: friend of mine recently had a birthday and we took her to lunch and she was given a complimentary brownie with a scoop of ice cream as dessert…she also asked that everyone be given a spoon so we all could have a bite. I took the spoon and just set it aside, but as I watched them all dig in, I swear to God, my teeth actually hurt, like that sensation you get in the back of your jaws around the ears when something is too sweet or too sour?! It was totally unexpected and kind of took me aback, and it was at that point I knew I was fat adapted and no going back to sweet stuff.

(David Driver) #8

Somebody dropped a box of doughnuts on a conference table the other day and it made me nauseous. I had to pop out of the room for a few minutes while they were devoured.

#9

Not anymore, but I beleive these craving are underlying deficiencies of certain nutrients. I am willing to say most people who are new to keto tend to be too restrictive with their diet. I believe once the body have adequate mineral it craves less.

I used to eat grapes and drink kombucha, but I knew it wasn’t sustainable to do that often. Whenever I feel like wanting sweet, I just reminds myself that it’s really the bacteria in that gut that’s calling to me, the type that crave sugar. I am not a doctor or scientist, but I am very sure your gut microbes is playing a big part.

So once I cut out grape, kombucha and milk it reduces the stomach size. I began eating one avocado a day and increases my salt intake by a 50% or more, after reading the book “The Salt Fix”, this made a huge difference. I salt my food very liberally now. Some say fermented vegetables help curb sugar craving as well.

It help to buy a cook book or get recipes. There are lowcarb dessert and lowcarb pizza you can make as well.

(Allie) #10

Candida causes sugar cravings as without sugar it dies. I avoided sugar for many years before keto for this very reason.

#11

I miss craft beer. A lot.

(Siobhan) #12

It gets easier believe me. I am a year in, and I cast disgusted glances at doughnuts and cake and cookies with ease. Ill very occasionally make some - delicious - keto desserts (ice cream, cheesecake brownies, etc) but the important thing is I dont crave them.
Bread is still hard… but I have a sub that is good but doesnt cause cravings too.
Beer (probably the combo of sugar and alcohol) actually made me sick after 2 of them, so I don’t consider beer worth the risk at this point. I’ll stick with martinis tyvm

#13

Hmmm… I had a very different experience. I just allowed myself all the keto treats ever invented at the beginning, like homemade ice cream, almond flour muffins, etc. For me, this stopped any feeling of loss in its tracks. As I did this, the craving for carbs disappeared pretty fast, so now those treats are just that, an occasional treat.

I did go through a similar kind of mourning when I learned I had celiac, though, and could never, ever eat wheat again, even in tiny amounts. Now that was hard. So I guess I’m lucky in that it made keto seem like a piece of cake, pardon my horrible pun…errr, analogy.

#14

So glad keto sweets are okay in the beginning…I think I would be going through a lot more

#15

[quote=“Shortstuff, post:10, topic:17414, full:true”]
Candida causes sugar cravings as without sugar it dies. I avoided sugar for many years before keto for this very reason.[/quote]

Whenever you crave for sugar, just remind yourself it’s the candidas calling you, and find something else to eat that isn’t sugar.

#16

WOW, it’s amazing several of you (and probably many on keto) feel repulsed by sweets! That will be a very welcome miracle for me.

Such great advice. Eventually I might allow myself some keto-friendly treats but I don’t really want to go there now. I was shackled to sweets 24/7 my whole life. I wasn’t even overweight, which allowed me to believe I didn’t have a problem. The sooner I break free from sugar, the better!

This is all so informative. Keep the stories coming! Thank you!

(Allie) #17

Exactly that so as soon as I realised it was the sugar causing my problems, it was easy to stop. No actual cravings that I remember, though I was never really a sweet lover. When avoiding something makes you feel so much better, it’s no contest really.

(Allie) #18

You can do it and if you struggle, we are here to help you :heart:

(Sophie) #19

I’ll admit my biggest weakness was chocolate, and I mean chocolate Anyfuckingthing! In the beginning, I did try several chocolate fat bomb recipes and what helped me the most was pouring the mix into a smaller “bullet” type ice cube tray. The serving size was larger than a standard ice cube tray and I’d take one and just let it dissolve in my mouth, rinse and repeat for 5-6-7 times and that seemed to satisfy my cravings perfectly. If you crave sugar throw some fat at it, it works beautifully!

https://www.ketogenicforums.com/t/butter-bullets/14476

(Doug) #20

Hi Maryann. :slightly_smiling_face: I miss it badly. 4 months in here, have lost some weight, next Tuesday I find out if my A1C has improved. There is no question that I have to do this - very low or zero carb eating - and most days I do pretty well.

I miss the bacon, egg and cheese biscuits in the morning, the Chinese buffet place at lunch (included ice cream; I’d have a plateful, no wonder those afternoons were sluggish), the pizzas, sausage parmesan hoagies… I miss purely indulging, glorying in the excess; it was a part of me for 45+ years. It has not gotten any easier for me, but I resist the ‘old way’ most of the time.