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Full Article: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/may/03/why-so-hard-to-control-appetite-doctor-struggles-giving-up-sugar

This is a rather long read, but the gist of it is that during the pandemic, a doctor decided to cut sugar from his diet completely...possibly as a way of asserting some control in his life, or of feeling like he was doing something in the midst of having to be at the front lines of something so dismal. Either way, he first takes a board-certified course on nutrition and related topics, thinking that if he knows more about the topic, it'll be easier to confront. This approach fails, and he talks about how he would chow down on sugary treats while listening to lectures for this course, lol. Then he tried calorie counting apps, which not only didn't work, but apparently irritated the people he was eating with cause he would have to put the data in during the meal. Finally, he tried an app that involved sending a picture of everything he ate to a nutritionist, which he's been successful with for over a year.

The article got my attention because I too have been trying to cut sugar from my diet, with different levels of success. Overall, I don't eat near as much sugar as I once did, but like the doctor I haven't been able to cut it out completely. Like him, my problem is that I can't just eat in moderation...I can't just have a small portion and be satisfied. I have to have a huge chunk of cake, or 5 cookies, or something like that. I have to admit, I wish he'd given the name of the app he was using with so much success.

Are sugar cravings something you battle, or even care about having? If you have, what strategies have you tried and how successful have you been at it?

The problem with cutting out sugar in a place like the US is that it's everywhere and in places you wouldn't expect.  Unless you're really keeping in tune with what things don't have it, you're more than likely to accidentally pick out bread that has trace amounts in it, or smoothies that have it mixed in, or crackers or even "sugarless" cereal that still sprinkles just a smidge of it in.

It's ridiculous how much we throw it into foods that don't even need it and you wouldn't even notice its existence, because it comes off less about "flavor enhancing" and more as something that keeps people hooked on it without them even realizing it.

I've tried cutting back as well, but even things like soda are hard for me to completely cut out when someone puts it in front of me.