Ask Lemmy

Do you usually eat everything in the house in one sitting? Do it the normal way - eat what you want based on your personal diabetes goals.

Personally, I find American candy way too sweet. As in one full-sized bar of any chocolate candy is disgustingly sweet, and makes me feel unwell if I get anywhere close to finishing a bar

I am American btw, and I grew up eating this stuff for a few weeks after Halloween, but then my tastebuds developed and my answer to that question is to “just eat a couple of pieces a day”

If you want an actual answer, I’d consider trying to remove willpower from the equation and donate or throw away a majority of the candy you have. If you still want to keep candy, then putting it in inconvenient places might make it easier to eat less. Think like keeping it on the opposite side of your residence where you would usually lounge/mindlessly snack and only eating it in a designated area.

You can also try to buy one of those kSafes to prevent yourself from eating it all too. The idea isn’t to depend on your current willpower to decide for you, but rather the rational thought of your past self to allot yourself a certain amount.

It’s like a cheat day, if you designate a day where you can pig out, it’s easier to maintain a well-balanced diet outside of the chest day

1. Don't have the junk in the house
2. Don't have so much I can eat myself sick when 1 failed
3. Don't have it in sight or even within reach when 2 failed

When everything else fails, eat myself sick and get sick over the remainder. However, 1 is the main goal here.

Usually abdominal pain, severe indigestion and/or diarrhea. Being barely able to eat and actually digest enough normal food to survive along with near constant stabbing pains to the gut have really helped me stave off any concern of over eating and obesity.... It's terrible. Don't recommend. And junk food makes it worse. Which just sucks more cuz that shit is delicious.

Personally I’ve found that “how do I stop myself from doing a Kirby impression on this junk food?” is the wrong question.

Consider asking instead, “what am I trying to get by devouring it all?” Followed by, “is there a more helpful way to meet that need?”

Me, I like to eat for sensory enjoyment/stimulation. So I use the other senses instead, with things like music or a melting wax tart or a reusable bubble wrap toy.

I'm not a kid who goes out trick or treating and thus don't have a candy stash to tempt me.

Give the candy away to other people. Especially children who don't live in your house. Problem solved

I have a milk allergy, so I only buy milk chocolate products so I literally can’t eat the leftovers. They get pawned off on my coworkers instead.

Appreciate the taste! Like really, analyze it and see what you can detect and if it changes. Sugar paste coated with sugar probably won't do well with this, but chocolate does. It's why a small box of chocolate can cost like 20€, it's for the experience.

Eating super refined sugar like candy causes a chain raccoon of events in your body to occur:

1. Your blood sugar spikes. Even in non-diabetic people, eating a sugary treat can cause a spike above 150mg/dL (healthy levels are usually below 100 when fasting and below 130 after eating)
2. Your body ramps up insulin production to help use the sugar.
3. Because your levels have (probably) spiked so high, your body produces a lot of insulin, but your digestion isn't sending any more sugar - you already finished digesting it and got the whole load at once.
4. Your body burns through all the excess sugar in your system and your blood sugar levels fall... precipitously because there's still a lot of insulin floating around.
5. Your blood sugar levels fall low enough that your system decides it must be time to eat.
6. You get the munchies. And since your blood sugar is now lower than your body wants it to be, you crave something extra carby. ...Like more candy.

Repeat this process long enough and your pancreas (which makes insulin) burns out. Congratulations! You now (like me) have Type 2 Diabetes! 🎉✨💫

So... To not eat all your candy at once, do a few things to keep your blood sugar from spiking, triggering cravings for more.

1. Eat fibrous veggies. And eat them at the start of a meal. Getting the fiber into your digestion first slows down processing the rest, keeping your blood sugars from spiking.
2. Eat carby treats as dessert to a meal, not on an empty stomach. Same reason as above.
3. If you've really gotta indulge, try to drink a Tbsp of vinegar (diluted in a glass of water, so you don't melt your teeth) just beforehand. The acetic acid in vinegar interferes with digesting carbs. It's not as good as broccoli, but it helps. (Citric acid does not work like this.)

In addition to the other tips here (Especially keeping treats out of sight), keeping your sugar levels from spiking and crashing helps a lot to curb carb craving.

I hide half of it and forget where.

I have a diabetic friend and would slowly eat the candy over the course of days/weeks to give her a chance to take it all.

Leave it somewhere you don't spend time. If you want some just take one not the entire bowl. Go back to where you normally hang out to consume it. Do not go back for more.

Very basic self-control. Do you seriously have a problem with eating your "candy stash" in one sitting? You need to speak with a doctor if this is the case.