After trying a few different things, I decided it was time to bring out the big guns so I started calorie counting. Sugar had to go due to its calorie density and how much I would keep craving it afterwards.
My sweet cravings didn't go away. I started with fruit but that wouldn't quite hit the spot, at least not always.
Enter zero calorie sweeteners.
I'd add a bit of them to less sugary fruits (berries, etc) at first. I started adding it to a few other things when I wanted something sweet. It worked great.
It's true that when it wasn't available I would get something with actual sugar, but that would be maybe 5-10% of the time, so I had cut 90-95% of the calories I used to consume from sugar. That's a win.
In time I started weaning it all off. Not completely but I reduced it to a minimum. I still have a zero ginger beer every now and then, and still add a bit of fake sugar to one thing or another. I also consume chewing gums and mints with sugar alcohols.
They have been instrumental in my weight loss journey and now I'm at about 14% body fat. I still want to lose a little to see if it will improve my climbing performance but I'm quite satisfied. I have reintroduced small amounts of sugary foods to my diet, at this point with no abnormal cravings.
Yes, carrots, oranges, beetroots, milk, even berries can be very sweet after you wean off the excess sugar and fake sugars. They can be enough most days. Other days I'll use whatever sweet thing I have at hand, in moderation, in order to beat the craving.
So my take on fake sugar is, if you use it for weight loss, use it conscientiously and in a way that will help you get off sugar first, but also with a plan to slowly get off them as well. They can be an excellent tool if used well.