I recall the claim on LessWrong that you can train yourself to hate chocolate by getting a pound of M&Ms, putting each one in your mouth and chewing it up, then spitting it out rather than swallowing it. After a while, all you’ll feel is the crappy taste and not the feeling of having eaten it.
Dunno how that would go for sugar in general.
I did a low-carb diet for a while (I have given it up and am revelling in sugar and starch) and anything sugary was like OH MY GOD CRACK on my cheat day.
I’ve tried this with chocolate chip cookies and it worked, but only for that specific brand of cookies. I think it’s because my mind remembered that box very clearly, so a lot of the disgust became associated with it and now the actual cookies. If someone wants to try it, try to avoid this mistake. Also, spitting it out is not enough. You have to actively feel disgust as you are looking, smelling, touching, and tasting the cookie. “Oh my god, looks like squishy it is. Looks like shit. Argh, that nauseating fake-sugary smell is so disgusting. Do I want a bite? Oh god, no, how revolting. I’m about to puke.” I’d go through that for each cookie in the box (about 2 dozen), then crumble it in my fingers, and throw it in the trashcan.
I recall the claim on LessWrong that you can train yourself to hate chocolate by getting a pound of M&Ms, putting each one in your mouth and chewing it up, then spitting it out rather than swallowing it. After a while, all you’ll feel is the crappy taste and not the feeling of having eaten it.
Dunno how that would go for sugar in general.
I did a low-carb diet for a while (I have given it up and am revelling in sugar and starch) and anything sugary was like OH MY GOD CRACK on my cheat day.
I’ve tried this with chocolate chip cookies and it worked, but only for that specific brand of cookies. I think it’s because my mind remembered that box very clearly, so a lot of the disgust became associated with it and now the actual cookies. If someone wants to try it, try to avoid this mistake.
Also, spitting it out is not enough. You have to actively feel disgust as you are looking, smelling, touching, and tasting the cookie. “Oh my god, looks like squishy it is. Looks like shit. Argh, that nauseating fake-sugary smell is so disgusting. Do I want a bite? Oh god, no, how revolting. I’m about to puke.” I’d go through that for each cookie in the box (about 2 dozen), then crumble it in my fingers, and throw it in the trashcan.