I'm a SUGAR ADDICT! And I'm ANGRY! Carnivore Diet Frustrations: Sugar addiction 

Main conversation starts at time index 04:41

Mate, I so identified with most of your video. I am a recovering alcoholic and 13 yrs sober. How you describe your struggles is very similar to mine with alcohol. We see it as a two fold illness. I’m allergic to alcohol and that means that as soon as I take that first drink it sets off a compulsion to take the next and the next…… etc. the second part of it is that my mind will t tell me that it’s ok to take that first drink and things will be different this time….. it never will be. (That is the obsession that you described so well). It’s the first drink that does the damage (or carb/sugar for you). Try not to think of never having sugar/carbs ever in your life, instead try saying “ I’m not going to have them today” then the next day say the same ….. the days build up into weeks, months and years. I didn’t think I could go an hour without a drink but here I am 4775 days without one. You’ve got this mate, one day at a time ❤🙏

2 words:START TODAY! I'm a sugar addict, been one my entire life, I'm 64. (Did keto for13 years, maintained weight lioss of 45-50 lbs, now a meat and fish carnivore for the last 4 months, got rid of the last 10 lbs FINALLY, I'm 5'2" and weigh 101 from top weight of 164lbs)and been off sugar the entire time. You're fooling yourself if you're going to "start tomorrow". Tomorrow never comes when you're an addict.

Hi 😊 I found this video because I googled "frustrated on carnivore diet"... I feel like you do, its so frustrating wanting something all the time and having to say no over and over and over because you know you're going to regret it. At work I am surrounded by sugar addicts and vegetarians. My colleagues are understanding to a point because I have been sick and they can see this is helping me get better. But I'm surrounded by chocolates, sweets, biscuits, fruits, flapjacks, bread.. every single day. And I don't even work in the food industry anymore!! I used to be a cake decorator!! Playing with sugar was literally my job for years, making cakes for children covered in sugar decorations!!! Makes me feel sick and guilty now, even though I was completely oblivious to this. Like you said, the shiney beautiful world we have become zombies in, is starting to reveal the decay and sickness underneath and I'm angry too. I'm so angry that when I have a few grapes and some honey peanuts I feel ill for days. Or have a kids size chocolate milkshake and 1 tiny chocolate wafer and I'm ill the next day. What the hell man, whats up with that! And I say no thanks day after day after day... but its so hard. I had some carrots tonight. Its not that bad right, I mean, its not chocolate! But I feel so guilty and scared that its going to make me feel bad tomorrow. I hate living like this, I hate having these temptations around me everyday. Its like being a recovering alcoholic, who works in and lives above a pub. And the grocery store is like a huge liquor store with one tiny fridge with the only few drinks you're allowed. And on the flip side of all this I LOVE that I figured it out. I know whats killing me and what can heal me! I feel great when I eat clean. I enjoy the meat. But its still really hard. Anyway, if anyone reads this rant, remember you are loved and you can do it, one day at a time. For some of us, its just going to be a bit harder, but we can do it. Thanks for the video - subscribed ❤

Thanks Rick for beingso frank and open, on a previous video you mentioned the carnivore diet relieving inflammation. As I have suffered rheumatoid arthritis for 12 years, because of you I investigated it and I started 25 days ago seeking relief from endless pain. It's not about weight loss for me but to go into remission. I have lost 10.5kg since starting and am gradually getting slowly less pain each day. I too am an addict but ate what was fairly healthy eg lots of fruit, cheese and crackers, one main meal a day mostly veg and either chicken or fish. My sugar mostly came from lots of fruit. Only 3 days eating either beef or lamb and only salt and water all my cravings disappeared and my appetite diminished. I now only eat 1 small meal each day which fully satisfies me. Thank you for talking about this previously as you inspired me to begin this journey. I have a lot of weight to lose but I am well on my way. I am looking forward to following your success on the carnivore way of eating. I wish you every success. Greetings from Sydney Australia 🇦🇺 😀

Glad the Modern Milkman is working for you. You are bang on with the addition analogy. When I was full on alcoholic I could go for weeks being good but then the monster would rear its head. I even tried the I will be OK with just one drink. It doesn't work. It has to be full abstinence. The guilt you feel is exactly the same as I felt after drinking. Once you discover the root to the problem it is so much easier to control. Luckily now I can handle people drinking in front of me. Rick you will do it. Look at me I beat alcohol and also lost 10 stone.

Im Shane and Im a lifelong sugar addict 49 and have the sweet tooth from hell and been fighting this for 3 yrs of going good for a few weeks then the cravings kick my ass. Im down for some sort of support group for when the cravings hit.

I made it to the end of your video! Thank you for making it! It spoke to me big time! I have been on Carnivore for 18 months & struggle so much with sugar / carb addiction! it's very frustrating. I've had some success, I'm down 65 lb. Well at this point 55. I've gained 10 back. Reduction in arthritis inflammation and pain. No longer pre-diabetic. I'm off thyroid meds that it was on for 31 years. But Binges are terrible. I always feel physically terrible and guilty as well. Not to mention the shame of sneaking around at night munching on food that I shouldn't be. I am a retired school counselor, with an emphasis on aoda counseling and I too have realized the behaviors that I exhibit are very much like any other addict. I come from an alcoholic family, although everybody is in recovery. It's no mystery why I behave the way I do but it's ironic to not be able to see it or help myself through it. My husband is an ex smoker and he said that there is NO way I can sugar in moderation, any more than he can have an occasional cigarette, any more than my dad can have an occasional drink. They can't do it.. I denied it but I have come to the conclusion he's right. I have to treat this addiction like any other addiction. Can't have ANY! I love the vlog idea. I might do it as well. I did vlog several videos on my carnivore journey but I quit doing it after my first binge. too much shame. This has helped me understand my addicted family members at a whole new level.

Rock on Rick... You are so right. I'm glad someone has finally addressed this. We have been manipulated by "them" from the day we are born. Sugar is in everything...

My eyes were well and truly opened a few years back when I had been dieting and eating "proper" food for a while... I decided to grab some "yum yums" from Greggs (the bakers) ... advertised as 6 for £1, I though "I'll take these home and have one with a cuppa". My goodness - I was almost sick because of the amount of sugar in them. I couldn't stomach a single bite and had to spit it out. I thought to myself "no wonder we have a diabetes epidemic" and then the real horror hit me: a) I used to eat them very regularly and think nothing of it, and b) people still to this day feed them to their children. The sugar and fast food industry has a LOT to answer for. Removing sugar from your diet for a period of time and then trying to eat the "normal" society food (even McDonalds bread buns) is a big wakeup call if you can get through the initial cravings.

I can’t believe I came across this video by chance, and only a few days after you uploaded it.. First, I used to watch Honest Guys (your!) meditation videos all the time.. what are the chances! Second, I also do the carnivore diet and it’s helped me so much.. Third, I am alsoo an addict. Recovering from sadly hard stuff (8 months in).. but now that I’ve nothing left, sugar has been my addiction and it is killing me and also ruining my carnivore diet. I’m glad I found this video because I don’t come across many brits on the carni diet as well as those struggling with the same challenges I have. I’ll have to reset with the diet again this week and go fully abstinent from sugar/carbs like you said. I cannot moderate it no matter how hard I try. It might not be relevant for you entirely, but I do go to NA (12 steps) and while it is for drugs, the principles of it go a bit deeper and we realise it’s to do with anything you use to fill the void… it helps you manage. Also I am pretty sure they probably have recovery for sugar.. they have recovery for almost everything I have found.. that’s what has helped me anyway. Thank you so much for sharing your journey though and I look forward to more videos. All the best :)

Addiction builds physical neural pathways in the brain. The craving will never disappear completely but will quieten down over time. Very important to avoid feeding those pathways or you’re back to square one. Good luck, Rick. You can do it !! From an ex smoker 🙂

I blame growing up in the seventies sugar sugar crammed down our throats!!! I agree with you Rick. Great vlog !!! San Diego fan. 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸

About the coffee, I’m totally with you on that because I absolutely refuse to give up my coffee. I drink mine with a tablespoon of butter and a couple tablespoons of cream right now. I’m gonna try and cut back a little on the cream, but many carnivore dieters find they can include whole milk with their carnivore diet and be OK. I think if you can get rid of your cravings despite the milk, you should do it. We can’t take away all of our pleasures!

Yep I’m right there with you Rick. I spend months dropping down to 90kg then the addiction crawls back with the “treats” and I’m Bach to 120kg. I’m 47, been the same since I was in my early 20s. Refined sugar is evil, like crack for many people.

Ive been there, the cravings can be insane! Its like two steps forward,one step back- no worries. Get back in the saddle and begin again.

I’ve recently come to the same conclusion about myself having sugar addiction and it’s lead to a lot of ups and downs in weight, losing and gaining the same 30lbs. I’ve been watching you for 15 years and always loved your videos, so now having this series of videos from you while figuring this out myself is a huge help. Best of luck Rick!

Start now, not just laying the groundwork, having just one more blowout is an excuse, you will feel terrible afterwards. If you want to feel better long term make huge changes. Avoid social events that make you ill or tempt you and socialise with people that understand and want to help you and are in similar circumstances to you. It's your life, well done for putting this video out, now take the next step, as soon as you can. You can do it but it will be really tough...

Completely agree. I've been an intermittent faster for the last 9 years and am on and off keto eater over the years. Carnivore or keto is an off on diet because sometimes we get bored but best thing for me is to not sweat it but just get back when you can.❤ I had a mindset moment when I realised that carnivorous diet is the best and when I have a weak moment, go to a keto rather than go back to carbs.

Nah... This is a video all about sugar addiction... Thankyou Rick. New subscriber here. Arrived on day 60 of your journey because I'm a carnivore with my own channel and i follow lots of others and you popped up in my feed. I came back here to see where and why you started... Very pleased to meet you.

Rick!...Of course we make it to the end of the video. I can't express how exactly in the same position I personally am compared to you right now. Five or six years ago I was very successful with keto and all those problems went away. In fact, 4 decades of migraines disappeared on top of the inflammation as I now know that fructose is the trigger for my migraines. Yet here I am having eaten rubbish this evening. I know what I need to do, and I am not capable of doing it. I am an addict. The way alcoholics often work through the addiction is to have someone they can check in with every day. If you can talk to someone everyday to express your feelings and get the support, then organise it. Bone broth is a good addition to the diet and was useful when something was needed, and it was not really the time to eat. Sugar free hot sauce is also very good for the sauce cravings and peps up the old metabolism. See I can share ideas yet cannot keep on the obviously required diet myself. So ignore me I must not know what I am talking about. It just makes me feel a little rubbish that we are in the situation where we know what to do and find it impossible to follow the obvious path.

Hay buddy, I had a think regarding question's in the woods. And requests to ideas . Get a aquarium . Grow own mushrooms (possibly done that actually) . Joke of the weeks that you've came across?. Anyway cheers for whatever you muster up next

The big problem with food addiction vs alcohol or drugs is you need to eat food to live. It’s not like you can just go cold turkey. I’m the same but I can differentiate sugars from carbs and can restrict carbs but once I eat one cookie, one sweet, one bit of chocolate I can’t stop.

I would love to hear how you're doing on your journey because it always helps us out here in RU-vid land ❤

When I started carnivore, I ate a banana once a month when I felt low blood sugar or really run down. Now 7 months in, I don't need that crutch anymore. My palette changed such that my cravings are completely manageable and minimal. Sweet things are now way to sweet for me and makes me feel kinda qweezy.

Good luck Rick.. when i make pizza it contains no processed sugar. Sometimes a tiny bit of sugar is added to activate the yeast but it is absolutely not needed. But i suspect the crappy pizza you ordered is full of the drug. Good news is excellent pizza is almost always processed sugar free.. We've talked about this sugar dependency a lot in the past, i 100 percent agree, taking sugar out of your diet will be a great step. Truth is, when we cook at home, sugar is rarely used.. so the lesson is really, as always, avoid processed food. Oh one word of advice, don't replace your sweet desire with fake sugar, that will be a huge downfall, I've said many times to you.. get great quality madjool dates to help with the cravings.. good luck buddy.. ❤

I would love to see daily vlogs on this Rick. Happy to support you in any way I can

This is so true. If you look at the levels of sugar consumption in the USA and the level of illness directly related to it, then that should be flashing emergency lights at everyone. I think it is easier if you only have to cater for yourself though. I dont consume dairy much since I found that was an intolerance for me but the amount of times I have eaten it due to it being in things you dont expect! Im thinking that makes it harder if you wish to remove it completely. I manage Keto for about a month last summer but it is SO hard to keep up when you must cook for a family and your the only Keto person. Will watch your progress videos with interest.

Watched the whole video while folding laundry and shared it to my Facebook page. :)

I smoked for 15 years. Quitting Nicotine was easier than going on carnivore. I am on week 3 and I’m miserable. I’m am still waiting on feeling the benefits

Thank you Rick for this very powerful video, you have opened my eyes about myself we are in this battle together knowing we have a problem is the beginning of success.

We feel you brother - the addiction is real.

Good for you Rick. Yep we’ve been conditioned! One day at a time! Keep a personal food/feelings log, be it pen & paper or on computer. I recently did a food intolerance test and was shocked to find out my primary intolerances were egg and soy. Also a food combo of sugar/fruit intolerance. Of course that eliminates a lot! Being type 2 diabetic I have the sugar thing under control. Soy I am happy to give up - never really liked tofu, tempeh, etc. However soy lecithin is in a lot of food even chocolate! Same with egg - pies are topped with egg wash, it’s in bread, cookies, cakes. It’s a matter of reading labels. I am working with my Naturopath for the month of November to eliminate egg, soy and sugar from my diet. Specifically to ease inflammation. It does get frustrating. What a world, what a world lol!! 😖 I’ll be cheering you on Rick. 👏🙌🎉❤

Its almost frightening how vividly you explained addiction. Made me think

I kicked the addiction by eating 50g of butter when I had the urge to eat sweets,. Eventually I just associated it with making myself sick, like some sort of Clockwork Orange experiment, worked for me though. Then if that urge strikes again a month later or one year later, just do it again as a reminder. The first month is still going to be mostly willpower but for that last bit, making yourself actually sick/full/stuffed with something that can't hurt you, like butter, helps. It also wakes up your gallbladder which probably haven't had to work ever.

Hey Rick! A very helpful advice I saw here on YT: when your body is craving pizza (or sth like that), most of the time your body wants salt (electrolytes) or fat. And sometimes you crave something salty, so your body makes you thirsty and prompts you to drink, because you're dehydrated. Water, a bit salt (electrolytes or sole water) and maybe an egg with butter... should help.

I saw a video recently about the aspewcts of addiction and which steps have to be fullfilled to name it an addiction. Its german, I can translate if needed. But the need to have the stuff is one point you can definetely check.

Find OA meetings virtually or in person they work the same way as AA. It is they only place I can regularly find people who, like you understand on a gut level what sugar or carb addiction is. I have known this about myself since I was in late teens. I also know that abstinence from those foods is they only answer. Not everyone in OA agrees on a type of diet, but everyone understands the addiction (although something very close to True keto -meat with low carb veggies at only 20 grams of carbs-called 'Grey Sheet", was popular when it started 50 years ago. This was always the only kind of diet that worked for me and why I jumped on keto and lost 90 lbs. Now Carnavore but I still struggle with cheese addiction. OA has virtual meetings and I still find one when I feel that deep addiction and the need to be around others who feel it too, but abstain from carbs.

Hi Rick ! Love your video's and gatherings with friends. You've touched on a very common "affliction" that most of us have. I watch a RU-vidr named Rusty78609, he is an older fellow who lives in Texas and publishes interesting videos of Texas and New Mexico countryside, and boondocking trips in the area. Anyway he is always saying that if one wants to lose then one must restrict intake, eat less. Easy to say, but not always easy to do. I personally believe that if we can also ramp up our metabolic rate then we can burn more energy and thereby reduce body mass. So do things that will bump up your metabolic rate when you can. As for the addiction aspect, sugar can certainly be viewed as a highly addictive substance. Sugar cravings are indeed similar to withdrawal symptoms, and have a strong affect on the body. I wish you great success in your efforts to overcome. Let us know how it goes.

Very interesting, I contacted you on FB about being on the keto diet, although I now see it as a lifestyle change over a diet. I'm officially 12mths in now and have lost weight, but I'm now terrified of putting it back on. Bread, pasta, milk are a thing of the past, but seeing I can now eat salted peanuts, this has become my cryptonite. I can't just have a handful, it turns into the full bag. Like you say it's an addiction to certain food groups and ingredients.. off to watch part 2. 👍🏼

It sucks...sugar is in everything here in the USA. I was diagnosed with Diabetes back in Jan, fasting glucose was really high 225! I started a whole foods, low carb diet and weight lifting and am down 100 lbs. Fasting sugars now around 75--off all meds. I've fallen off the wagon a few times eating sugar but mostly pasta and bread which is the same thing. I can feel that dopamine hit for sure but now I can also feel the other effects---tiredness, severe joint pain, bloating--so it's not as appealing. I know if I eat certain foods I'll be paying the price...I just tell myself I can do anything for 24 hours...including no sugar and processed foods and try to carry on.

I was once addicted to Toblerone. Drove to Aberdeen in my bare feet

Rick I am sorry you are suffering. May I recommend the books by Dr Gabor Mate? Such as 'When the body says No'. He specialises in addiction issues, but goes into why the addiction. Its not a diet book, but addresses why we have diseases, inflammation, etc. I hope you find a way to heal. Your videos on the other channel have helped me in my journey. Good luck.

I can relate, I managed to quit drinking and smoking but I can't quit sugar. I think it's time I made a serious attempt at breaking my food addiction. I wish you all the best, I know you can do this.

Pepperoni, sausage, bacon, mozzarella and Italian /pizza seasonings cooked in the microwave until edges are brown is THE MOST AMAZING PIZZA EXPERIENCE. We can eat that unlimited and I absolutely prefer it. It is a much better life and delicious!

Hi Rick, good luck with this, you will do it! Daily vlogs will help you im sure too, good to go back and reflect on the journey too. I stopped smoking/vaping 4 months ago, cold turkey, its hard at the start but just stick with it. Alot of the time it can just be a habit and habits can be broken too. Go easy on yourself too. Good luck.

In the midst of a bag of chips i have often thought, I'm so glad its not alcohol...

Such an interesting video. I really admire your dedication to holding yourself to account, but as a viewer of many years I think you might be a bit too hard on yourself! I’ve never thought of you as overweight; I think you look very well, and there’s a difference between carrying a little more weight than you’d like and being medically overweight. I totally agree with you about sugar. It’s in everything now-bread, processed meat, etc.-and it is very addictive. If I lapse and start eating sweets I find it gets out of control really quickly and I start eating more and more until I binge, so I have to be extremely careful. However, as you know, carbohydrates aren't just sugar--they also include starches and fiber. Could it be that part of what your body is reacting to with your cravings is that you’re missing starches and fiber also, which along with proteins and fats are a huge energy source for your body? I understand you’re doing carnivore because it has solved your medical problems, which is fantastic, but maybe your body is reacting to missing fiber as well? Maybe there’s a way of getting a little more fiber so you don’t have huge cravings without ruining the effect of the carnivore diet. Not sure what the answer is, but looking forward to your journey. Love all your vlogs!

I think this is one of the most important video you have ever made. I am in the exact place you are in the carnivore diet and would really like to see you make daily vlogs. I'm a recovering alcoholic of 2 years now. I recolonize a lot of the same symptoms and thoughts with carbs as I did and do with alcohol. When I quit drinking I couldn't be around anyone who was drinking and even driving down the street and seeing a beer sign in a store window would set me off. My brain would trick me, "only a couple, just this time, I deserve it, I'm stressed". I think you could do me and a lot of other people a great service by doing your vlogs about it.

I'm addicted to sugar. I have eliminated all forms of sugar from my diet. No natural, artificial, or added sugar. No carbs that turn into sugar. It has taken about 8 months.

Don't worry about it, everyone is addicted to carbs. But if you want to get rid of the tummy fat, you have to stay away from dairy, all forms of dairy. So you may consume ONLY water, meat, eggs (if you're not allergic to them). By the way, I noticed in another video you cooked ribeye medium. How do you know when it's medium? What temperature do you cook it at? How do you cook beef to make it edible and easy to chew? Thank you

Dont let your pear shape belly fool you You are a lovely person😇

Yes! Yes! Rick, and like any other addiction you need a 12 step program. Absolutely can I recommend a book? Life‘s healing choices by Rick Warren. It helps!! I have been keto for about 15 years and my health has really improved. The mental aspect so are the best. I just have to tell you the best thing in the world for a Pizza craving is a cauliflower pizza from Costco. A Kirkland cauliflower pizza is delicious no guilt and keto. I know you’re doing carnivore but if you’re going to slip up this pizza is a better slip up! I keep them on hand all the time.

Thanks for the video Rick…..I have been following you since polytunnel building! What you say……it is interesting…..but I wonder if the focus needs to be beyond the food too…..what if the layers of extra energy/weight are actually related to our relationship with ourselves…..our old stories…..passed on by society, our carers etc what if we loved ourselves regardless of what we put in our mouth….the inner critic seems huge when you talk of eating a pizza….what if you could change that voice to the loving parent within you have always wanted on the outside. Be kind to yourself and change your relationship with yourself and maybe the rest will fall away. We are so used to a patriarchal society which shames, blames, accuses us….is it all about willpower really? If we don’t get to the root we just swap one addiction for another. Can we do the food journey without facing the emotional connection? What if we changed that voice in our head to unconditional love and faced all our fears of being all of ourselves and healing old wounds we keep recreating… are our cravings and what we want to put into our bodies especially if they go against what we feel is good for us more related to an emotional story than a physical sensation? Just a different angle….sent with love incase it helps x ps I think you have talked about counselling before and said it did not work for you, but have you tried a person centred counsellor someone who helps you in a beautiful way x laura Lloyd eating psychology coach has been absolutely amazing for me….I totally recommend her

Nice Video. Still need to finish it. But i must say that im addicted to sugar too. i will watch all the vids of your diet. i still try to figure out how to get sugar free (candy). like i cant drink tea without sugar. i tried some days without sugar and candy. i cant. its like a search for drugs when i look for candy. also feels like my body shuts down when i dont eat sugar. :( Maybe im on the edge of diabetic.

'll started a alcohol and sugarfree life after my heart attack a few years ago. i needed the kick in my butt tot start living a healthier life and i'll won eventually. Go for it Rick 💪

Looking forward tobwatching this. Unfortunately I'll have to wait until this evening when home

Hi, great topic! I remember a joke when a man asks his friend if he is practicing sex. "Actually, I don't any more. I did it once and I know the feeling." I think that such technique could help with all our cravings. Sugar (alcohol, smoking)? No thanks, I tried it and I know the feeling! Not for me any more! 🙂

Vlogging is probably a great way to keep yourself accountable. From a psychological perspective, simply talking about our struggles brings clarity to them and self-awareness. Not that your audience should fill the role of psychologist, but vocalizing - not merely thinking about - revelations, struggles, successes, etc., solidifies them in one's every-day consciousness, making them harder to disregard when doing so would be convenient.

Hi Rick totally get where you are,the same thing happened to me yesterday, I have been staying with my daughter for a few days and yesterday they ordered in pizza and garlic bread so my no carbs went out the window. And today I feel like crap with guilt and anger. I watched a very interesting video with Chris Van Tulleken the junk food doctor, really worth a watch. I think daily blogs would be amazing and I'm sure very helpful. Thank you for all the great video's you share😊

Hi Rick , well just one plus for you, pear shape is better than the apple shape from a medical point of view. Don’t blame mum and dad for the addiction. You received sugar in the womb and in breast milk or formula milk and for a very good reason , sugar is ok. I agree with someone else who has commented that a good well balanced diet with regular exercise is the only way. I think your digestive probs may be linked more to stress and anxiety than anything else. It’s very interesting how the body seems to know what’s right for you. My diet is well balanced and in moderation but one day I got a viral infection and suddenly my body craved plain biscuits and Clarnico mints of all things and I could not face an apple or a digestive biscuit ( two favourites ) all the time I had the virus my body demanded different things, when I recovered my eating habits returned to normal. During pregnancy I craved fish as much as I could manage and on another pregnancy it was cheese and salad cream why ?I weighed 7stone ten pounds on my wedding day 60 years ago and now in my eighties I honestly weigh the same. This is due to a proper regulated varied diet moderation in all things, exercise included. All the very best Rick I hope you can work it out so that you are ok xx

Honestly i could not cut them out forever, i really admire that you even can try, i am lucky that no food effects me badley but i do understand the addiction side, i quite smoking many years ago and sugar would probably be harder to quite than smoking

Maybe the next time you start having a craving, record your thought process, get the pizza or whatever, then record yourself first thing in the morning with your thoughts about what you have done and hoow you feel Make it into a video just for yourself, a sort of devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other, this is what i did, this is how it made me feel Play the vid thew next time you have a craving I would have thought a sugar craving could be replaced by synthetic sugars, but only if the craving gets bad enough, like a halfway house, same as a smoker would use patches or vapes. You have friends, see about regular chats with them, part of your trouble could be that you don't have aanyone to bouce from or to distract you because you live alone. I live alone, but i have friends i regularly chat with online

I feel sure that a daily Vlog would help you. And because I am actually starting the same journey today, I will attend and listen and give you feedback if you want it. I am 70 years old. I’ve already done one month of carnivore, but I kept cheating. So interestingly, when your video popped up in my feed, I was waiting for a zoom meeting with Carnivore Coaching with Kelly. I got lots of tips that I could share. But it remains to be seen if I can get through the next 30 days without cheating. Oh, it’s so hard! Truly, it is an addiction.

Well done Rick. Your story is very similar to mine. Came to the same realization some time ago. First step in treating any addiction is to accept that you are indeed addicted. Pretty much most of the things that people die of today, heart disease, strokes, cancer, Alzheimer's etc are largely down to our high carb diets. So you could argue that carb addiction kills more people than any other addiction. It's interesting that if a parent were to give a child, drugs, alcohol or cigarettes., they would be considered bad or evil people. However it's acceptable to reward our kids with sweets or treats and get them addicted to something that you can pretty much guarantee will cause serious health problems and ultimately kill them. Just saying!

Dr. Susan Pierce Thompson is super source for science on sugar and flour addiction.

I'm not sure addiction is the nail on the head... it could be, but your meat only diet is going to leave the body craving 'easy to use' fuel rather than hard work to use proteins. I've done the fasting 5:2 diet, and even one day of no food, that next day a bread sandwhich looks very appealing. For most of us, naughty treats are just naughty, but for you it seems to have digestive issue's similar to IBS. Good luck.

Hi Rick, I’m John and after a few weeks of thinking about any sort of diet, I just did loads of research…and within no time knew 99.9% of diets wouldn’t have worked…I wouldn’t say I’m addicted to sugar but do enjoy a sweetness, …I’m only on day 2 of the Carnivoir..and I know I will include chicken and pork alongside lamb and beef, I also love sea food, …this evening I had a pleasant surprise, I had a steak with some fresh prawns cooked in the steak fat and butter….there was a real beautiful sweet taste, … my main aim is to lose 3 stone, I love food and I love a good glass of red wine…..so I feel your……thoughts, .. best wishes and I will follow your journey

Rick what you are speaking about is serious. I developed an addiction to alcohol. I didn't begin to frequently drink until I was 27 years old. This went on for 15 years. Then for 5 years off and on. I hit a wall. I accepted the fact I had no control over that that

I still occasionally eat pizza as a carnivore but only the top, I leave the bread carrier untouched 😅 tbh way more flavour this way

Have you seen any of Paul Saladino's videos? He is carnivore but he also advocates for fruit. I've been controlling my sugar addition and weight with more animal fat and ripe fruit.

I agree with earlier comment you are maybe being bit hard on yourself I had anxiety but managed to shake it off mostly. Exercise is a great suggestion I do 15mins low impact cardio each morning and it makes a great start to the day, there is not a morning that I look forward to doing it but you have force yourself a bit and I do let myself off if I haven’t slept well so I don’t get too serious with myself, why not try a low impact cardio routine of the many on RU-vid and see if you like some routines, think of it as a kind of fast yoga more than a harsh workout. I am over in old town swindon very happy to come over if you would like someone to chat to, but you look very healthy to me , don’t worry so much , cheers

I stopped eating biscuits, sweets cake , chocolate and sugar in drinks 4 months ago and find I’m fine ( I was addicted to all these but now feel empowered I don’t need them ,there is no health benefits in any of these things )and my skin is much better and my belly has almost gone, I still allow bread and fruit ( in moderation )but no longer crave the other stuff , this way I can keep it going and no longer crave it 👍good quality magnesium is also a major benefit for my wellbeing. Rick your spot on about all shops selling mass junk food / chocolate/ sugar products , standing at the counter your surrounded by it , no wonder so many are addicted.

yup as far as I know, you are spot on about sugar addiction... the dopamine hit. Have you talked to a Doctor about the Carnivore diet and how it helps you? They would definitely have suggestions on addiction I'd expect. Just an idea, but maybe see if it would be OK physiologically to put sugary stuff in your mouth, swill/chew/whatever for a bit then spit out. The taste buds would fire off the sugar signal but no sugar would get to the stomach. I'm not sure if it is relevant but blood-glucose can raise naturally in times of stress, and with Caffeine. Light exercise (a walk for example) can lower both stress and blood-glucose. AFIK we cannot sense when our blood-glucose is high though so yeah... I don't know if relevant for sugar, but lowering stress might help with the addiction - slow, deep belly breathing through the nose is another one off the top of my head - very effective if breathing out for longer than breathing in! I hope you indeed do a daily vlog... even if it is only a minute just to check-in and quickly say how the day was. BTW I made it to the end of the video🤣Did you make it to the end of my comment? 🤔😀

We all have cravings whether we are on a diet or not. The constant fight to balance the unhealthy junk foods with healthy foods is common. A more restrictive diet may make that fight harder. Also the degree of will power may be stronger in some people than others depending on what we're exposed to day to day / social circles. However there doesn't appear to be strong evidence to back up a sugar addiction to the same level we can get hooked on nicotine, alcohol & narcotics along with there more extreme withdrawal symptoms / cravings. You say your body suffers pains after eating high carb & sugary foods like pizza & chocolate when falling off the wagon. That could be the reverse of keto flu when falling out of ketosis. This phenomenon is known as carbohydrate intolerance. Or you might have a food allergy if it happens normally when not on a diet. I know you have a gallbladder stone which complicates things but you say on a carnivore / hi-fat low carb diet you get no issues from it? Where fatty foods are known to trigger gallbladder attacks. It certainly did for me. So maybe that rules out the gallbladder issue. But then you may have developed more stones or even cholecystitis since your last scan was a few years ago. So this comes back to second guessing what you think is the problem rather than knowing for a fact unless you have had tests to identify food allergies? If not then that's the first thing i would look into before jumping to a conclusion & over thinking things.

i too am a sugar addict. it ...sucks! I'm going to keep watching your videos. and, what about a "support group" (FB?) for us? dunno. I've been trying for years, but concentrated effort in the last 5 1/2 months and I keep going back, "picking up", as they say in other groups. It really feels like that, doesn't it? "I keep picking up" thanks!

Be kind to yourself, Rick. We didn't ask to be lied to. Sugar and refined carbs are everywhere and ready to ambush even the best of efforts. And overweight people DO have more willpower than anyone. It takes willpower to push through our day of aches, inconveniences, and fat-shaming. Some days it takes all my willpower to not punch some people in the nose LOL! BTW I have been on a mostly carnivore diet for about as long as you and have had similarly remarkable results.

A warning from personal experience. Be very careful how you navigate the choices you are making and the potential implications on your relationships. This is your addiction and these are your choices, friends will be supportive but you shouldn't expect their habbits and choices to change to suit yours. Yes, asking a friend to make an effort not to offer you some crisps when they themselves open a bag, is acceptable and any real friend will make this effort for you. However, it is wrong to expect or demand that they avoid or do not eat these foods in front of you. If you arent able to have restraint in these situations you must take ownership and remove yourself. Understand that this could lead to losing friendships. You might have to make difficult decisions about which friends you spend time with, which social activities you join in with and which you will avoid. Some tough decisions to make moving forward. Facing addiction isn't pretty. Admitting you have an problem is not the hardest part, as you will often here romanticised. You will experience an initial high as you take back control but you'll very quickly realise that your entire life is centred around this addiction. The high you feel as you take back control will be quickly squashed but you go again, fall down, get back up and go again. Protect not just yourself during these changes in your life but be sure to protect those that you love and care about. Sometimes, sadly that can meen saying, goodbye. On a more positive note. Sobriety can be a truly awakening experience that takes your life forward in ways that you've never considered or lost hope with. Good luck.

Im currently keto for health (and bonus weight loss) but just personally believe fruit and veg has to be good and a restrictive 'diet' can't be a good thing. Im convinced the problem isn't sugar its ultra processed food. Even listening to your cravings, pringles (msg), pizza, chocolate, carbs, its not food if you think about it holistically. I'm hoping to look into it a lot more and seriously this time and hopefully start a new health journey after xmas.

Man talks about addiction whilst addicted to coffee 🙂 I'm joking Rick, everything in life taken to excess is considered addictive these days. My philosophy is if you get a positive from it and it not going to kill you, carry on. I get the whole carnivore thing but I really wouldn't cut out 100% of everything else, you need vits from Veggies and fruit and to keep the digestive tract in tip top condition. In the 80's we were all told it was fats, the reality has been its sugar who is the bad boy in the room. The other issue I found out at our vintage is we become lactose intolerant, the cheese on your pizza and the soft drink did the damage last night. If you are doing 30mins walking a day for 5 days in 7, the weight will fall off you, drinking lots of water will help flush out anything nasty and the blah feelings.

One more thing, when you’re an addict, you are an addict. Food addicts, or sugar addicts, the problem is addiction. And often when one gives up their favorite substance, they pick up a different substance! Be careful with the alcohol that’s my caution. alcohol, cold medication’s, other medication’s… Don’t trade one addiction for the other.

Spot on.

I feel there must be a sugarholic app somewhere that might help. When I stopped smoking I didn't actually give up. That was too scary. I found it easier to put off having the next cigarette. That was over fifteen years ago. Technically I'm still a smoker. I just haven't had a cigarette for a long time.

I can relate , when I start on one of these crusades to whip myself into action its at least one day of fasting coffee slowed ,thet seems ti reset the shop dud 7 days recently as I had fatty liver disease from food! After scan iam about 2 stone over my weight ,a daily vlog would be great good luck

I watch dr Eric berg on here, lots of valuable info on good food & bad food in general but he also has videos about sugar and how bad it is which I find helps to watch if I’m having a craving, I seem to remember him saying to take a tiny bit of sea or Himalayan salt (I put a teeny tiny bit on the tip of my tongue) and drink more liquids to take the edge off any cravings. Its what I do when I’m doing keto and intermittent fasting. There’s a lady as well called dyAnn parham but she’s more geared to helping women but she does videos on what she terms “midlife mindset shift” which are helpful in a kind of brain training motivational way - worth a look just to see what you think. Personally I have found what helps me greatly to satisfy a craving that just won’t go away is to eat carrots sliced or diced or whatever, I steam them for 3 or 4 minutes then I put them in the air fryer and coat them lightly with a little bit of olive oil and cook until they start to go golden, they are delicious and quite sweet, now I know carrots do have a few carbs but they are not as bad as eating processed sweet stuff etc etc. Good luck and please keep us updated x

Love you Rick :-) great vlog , absolutely pure honesty from you. And yes I'm morbidly obeese and 1000% believe what you say right here . I understand this is a serious vlog but you've also made me laugh very much. I've just eaten my stupid amount of chocolate, I am a addict 🙃

Hey Rick, been watching your videos for a while and just wanted to share something related. I think the main problem isn’t just carbs, but highly processed foods in general as well as sugar. Carbs like flour are too easily digested, leading to your insulin levels spiking; so, instead of flour bread, I buy Ezekial bread (which takes the body much longer to digest). Along with this, I’m also cutting out everything that contains added sugar (so many common items that you wouldn’t expect). However, I follow a vegan diet (for animal wellbeing) rather than a carnivore diet and I think there are a couple reasons not to only eat meat. Fiber is very vital for digestion and absorption and meat contains little to none of it. Along with that, fruits and vegetables have lots of vitamins and micronutrients that we need. Part of the carnivore diet you mentioned was bacon - which is very processed and has been linked to an increased risk of a number of health conditions. So, I don’t necessarily think choosing a restrictive diet is the best way to handle health concerns or addiction to sugar. I’m not sure how much you’ve heard about intermittent fasting, but I would personally recommend it (Dr. Jason Fung has a lot of great videos on it). Wish you luck though and thanks for the great content!

GET apple cider vinegar with the mother Take a tablespoon with water after each fall in the pits of food happiness. Do you know company spends millions of dollars to balance sugar and salt tasting food to addict people to food taste. Your pizza sauce is balance of sugar and salt

There is a product called killa vanilla which is supposed to stop sugar craving its a natural vanilla scent that when you smell it, your cravings go. I have not tried it, but worth investigating. I think I need to try it as well.

You might try intermittent fasting as well - 24 or 48 hours is easier than it sounds. The idea is to give your whole digestive system and physiology a factory reset.

Good luck on your quest, Rick 😊

The next get together, live your new life now, rather than put "unpleasantness" down the road, become the new you from today. Get them to help you.

Rick, you are not alone. Most of the Western world is addicted to sugar, in its many forms. I stopped your video at 16 mins to write this but I will continue to watch the remainder when I finish the comment. A lot of the issues we have now were based on flawed research from the early '50s. It was believed that eating meat, eggs, dairy produce led to heart attacks and strokes etc. This led to an explosion of drug interventions mainly statins and PPIs (Proton Pump Inhibitors) to lower cholesterol and acidity. We now know that we need fats in our diet and that cholesterol is found everywhere in your body. 80% is produced by the liver and only 20% is obtained from the foods we eat. Let's face it the brain is - fat, so it has to come from somewhere to maintain our health. We were then told by dieticians to pretty much stop eating meat, eggs and switch to this diet rich in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, or carbs, are sugar molecules that when we have too much in reserve the body stores as fat. Sugar is addictive and is pretty much found in every prepared food you can buy. Ultra-processed foods are full of sugar, salt, and a ton of additives/preservatives. Food manufacturers know sugar is addictive which is why their products are full of it. It is also the reason we have seen an explosion of Diabetes in adults. Too much sugar leads to too much salt intake as well. Meat consumption is such that your brain will tell you when you have had enough, there is a trigger for that to say your belly is full, stop eating. The brain has no such trigger for sugar. It will just let you pile it on in there. When an individual eats sugar, the brain produces huge surges of dopamine. This is similar to the way the brain reacts to the ingestion of substances like heroin and cocaine so you are correct in saying it is an addiction. I had all of that for many years including the drugs to lower cholesterol and the PPI's. A change of diet saw me lose weight and all I did was change a few things really. Stopped eating bread (it is converted into pure sugar in the body), cut out the biscuits, eliminated as much processed food as I could, used raw ingredients in meal making, eggs 4 times a week for breakfast, porridge, more oily fish (I love salmon), anything cooked in or uses oil was changed to extra Virgin olive oil. These were not massive changes but it worked. I have heard it said many times now that if we followed the same diet our grandparents ate most of our health problems would simply disappear. I fully understand why the meat-only diet not only works but cures a lot of the medical problems we have here in the west. I don't use the reward system for the simple reason it would not work for me. The same as I could not have a cigarette now in case I started smoking again, and I gave up more than 35 years ago. If you fall off the wagon why not try making your own Pizza - as I do? It is really simple to make and not full of additives like the bought stuff. If you are using packet food stuffs then it will have sugar and salt in it. It just seems we cannot escape that now. Good luck Rick and just keep plugging away at it and if you slip, just get on it again. Sorry this was so long.

Just to add as i commented before the end when you said after the next camping event (November, Ashen Plains i presume?) your going to cut out all the sugars & carbs to kick it once & for all (not heard that b4). However with Christmas & NYE the next month you might be setting yourself up to fail? but then it could be a real test of your will power rather than putting it off until Jan 2024, which is when you started carnivore in 2022 only to fall off the wagon numerous times bringing you back to where your at now. But you did say that in order to stick with the diet you have to allow yourself to fall off now & then as that's where you went wrong in previous diet attempts. A contradiction in terms if ever i heard one there Rick 😂... its some kind of catch 22. With diets (or endurance tests as i call them) you have to be honest with yourself as to whether you can do something or not. No shame in accepting defeat if you tried. Going back to my previous comment. I just think there are other avenues you should explore too.

It's hard to avoid sugar, it's literally in everything these days. As the EU bans american bread calling itself bread since it's > 7%, closer to 10% sugar.

Exercise and a balanced diet is the only way to lose weight effectively. Everyone knows it, but nobody listens. It's sedentary lifestyles that are the main problem. As a cyclist, I'd obviously say, get yourself a road bike... take it out for 2 hours, three to four times per week. You'll burn 1000 kcal every time you ride. Assuming 2,500 kcal per day, you'll be in a calorie deficit each week. I know the first comment against this comment will be "who has time to exercise", everyone does if we cut out the TV, doom-scrolling on your phone etc; we waste so much of our lives After every ride I feel tired but buzzing, I feel a sense of achievement and happy. And for the rest of the evening my body is still burning extra calories recovering. Grab a bike and that belly will be gone within a year. You can also eat the carbs and treat yourself with a few sugary things. :P Good luck!

love the idea of a vlog, do it

Hi Rick, all my life I have fought my weight problem. I have spoken or written to doctors, dieticians, universities, tv programs etc etc. I have repeatedly said why is there not help for us like there is for smokers, alcoholics and now drug users. How is it they can be sent to clinics which is def to be on the nhs etc etc. Nobody has listened. I have now got diabetes 2 and have been on a weekly injection and lost about 3 stone but because this drug affects your hormones which send signals to your brain, you feel nauseous which is why you Lose weight. Now me and other diabetics can’t be prescribed the injection because wealthy people and celebrities are buying it all privately just to lose weight. So now I’m back to yo-yo dieting and putting on weight and having all the cravings like you. WE ARE ADDICTS but as I am vegetarian and have to have some processed food I can’t do what your doing. The only thing is cows, sheep etc are fed short feed with hormones etc in so that they fatten faster and can be slaughtered sooner to make more money, so be careful. Also do look into the vitamins and minerals in fruit and veg which you should be eating. Can’t you just cut out all processed food and drink? Wishing you well, Irene x

ive been doing carnivore for a while and the weight is coming off (after some moderate success with keto) - But I never crave carbs... if you do...just cook some sausages and bacon in kerrygold butter and laugh at the fact that its practically health food :D

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