The sugar and booze-free thread (well, most of the time....! )

[CoffeeCrisis]

We're trying to cut out sugar and alcohol - come and join us!

I've packed a salad with rocket, walnuts, feta cheese and cherry tomatoes and I absolutely don't want one of the office bourbon biscuits...

[JellyBean3000]

Hi,

I'm tentatively lurking if that's ok? I am always thinking about giving up sugar, but in the past the longest I've managed is 2 weeks, and it was hellish. That time though I changed my whole diet, whereas David Gillespie recommends simply cutting out refined sugar and keeping everything else the same initially, so I think that's probably a better approach for me.

I've also recently stopped drinking (almost 6 weeks ago) so that will undoubtedly help too as wine would often sabotage sugar-free attempts in the past.

I'm meeting friends for afternoon tea on Saturday, which will quite clearly involve sugar, but I'm going to hang around here and maybe think about implementing some changes as I currently eat A LOT of sugary snacks at the expense of proper meals.

[PosiePootlePerkins]

Found you! Thanks coffee for starting the thread.
** Have had a good start to cutting down on sugar, only started on Monday though! I am making small changes so that hopefully it becomes one big long term change. I have cut out alcohol, biscuits, cakes, only one piece of seeded bread per day. I am still eating fruit. If I am hungry I am eating a sensible no added sugar snack. I have been a yoyo dieter all my adult life and cannot be doing with diets anymore! I just want to be healthier and hopefully lose some weight along the way.

[msrisotto]

Hello, I'll pop my head in as I'm getting back on the wagon as it were. I found it easy to stop drinking sugar so to speak but I'll find any excuse for dessert...

[Needmorewine]

Hello ! Can I join please? Low carbing and not missing the bread, pasta potatoes etc so much but really missing my cake & biccies. swapping white wine for red & g&t I remember hearing somewhere white wine pretty bad in terms of sugar ?! I'd like to
Lose about 10 pounds (short arse so would make a big difference on me)

[PosiePootlePerkins]

Hi to all of you! I am really feeling positive about this as it feels realistic and manageable. I cannot stick to diets anymore and they are not a long term solution for me. Jelly I am with you not doing it all at once, and well done for cutting out the alcohol. I am making sure I feel full with sensible food at meal times so I can resist the junk a bit more easily.... i hope so anyway.
Any ideas for sensible snacks which are filling and not full of sugar would be much appreciated.

[Needmorewine]

posie I've found by upping my protein and veg intake at meals and cutting out the carby stuff (which I always used for main bulk of meals as always told was more filling ?!) I've been keeping full for much longer & not wanting to snack as much. If I do fancy a nibble I have slices of cold meat with a bit of full fat cream cheese rolled in, hummus & veg, cubes of cheese, very dark (90%) chocolate. Every time I eat i also drink a big glass of water with it.

[PosiePootlePerkins]

Thanks needs that is helpful. I have a lot of work to do reducing my appetite, had a disastrous summer with all inclusive holidays and basically ate and drank everything in sight! Not feeling comfortable now and its time for change.

[Needmorewine]

Exactly the same happened here over the summer posie...new term new start and all that

[Truckingalong]

If I cut out sugar, I won't eat!!! It forms my staple diet. Have been trying to change for about 25 years! I like a long run up though .........

[Badgoushk]

Hello, I'd like to join too please! I've been zero refined sugar since January and am loving it x

[DeliveredByKiki]

Ha excellent timing - I'm embarking on a sober and sugarless September!

[VagueButExcitlng]

I'm in. Alcohol isn't a problem for me because I haven't had a drink for two years after it started making me really ill.

Sugar is a real weakness though. I gave it up for Lent and lost 8 lb. After the first week I found it really easy. I find I'm less hungry because I don't have highs and lows. Compared to any other time I've tried to lose weight I don't get grumpy or crave junk food.

I've been ill this summer and slipped back into eating comfort food so I'm back on it this week.

My downfall is biscuits when I'm bored at work. I don't even like them that much. I just eat them because they are there. I've been having cashew nuts instead but I just found out that they are quite high in sugar so I'm looking for an alternative.

I'm still eating fruit and also some carbs (no bread but having porridge for breakfast)

Also lots of avocado, chicken, fish, eggs etc. Last night I had halloumi and salad. It was delicious!

[Needmorewine]

1.5lb down this morning stomach already feels flatter and despite bad nights with DC definitely have more energy come the afternoon although that could be due to the fact schools started so I don't have to deal with them all day Been for a run & still not hungry...

Planning Courgetti with spinach, pesto & Parmesan for lunch (morrisons do the ready made packs now if anyone likes so easy!!!)

What's on the menu for everyone else today ?

[CoffeeCrisis]

ooh look at all you lovely lot!! I'm taking it nice and easy, firstly cutting out cakes and biscuits and obvious things, but still having granola and yogurt for breakfast otherwise (from past experience) I'll have a horrible headache all day. Cold turkey is not for wimps!

I gave up booze for the summer and though I'm not set on never drinking it again, I like being less tired and grumpy of a morning. As the kids are getting older and staying up later (dd1 is 15) we were starting the wine later and later, staying up in order to have another glass, and then we wouldn't have had enough sleep at all.

Needmorewine this link might help iquitsugar.com/faqs/can-i-drink-wine/ - from the I Quit Sugar website, about alcohol and sugar. I love I Quit Sugar, I have two of the cookbooks, though sometimes it does get a little bit bonkers (cauliflower tacos, anyone?!)

I have leftover sweet potato and coconut curry for lunch, and I am NOT LOOKING at the office biscuits. I don't even like biscuits, so I don't know why I eat them. They taste like dust.

[Needmorewine]

coffee thank you for the link & for starting this thread ! May try and get my hands on one of those books. Sweet potato & coconut curry sounds delicious !!!

[msrisotto]

I'm not changing my diet other than eliminating added sugar so my menu for the rest of the day involves take away of some description! I've been watering down my morning OJ for months and I prefer it diluted so I started watering down pineapple juice today too. I only started adding a bit of water and it was fine, so that's a good move for me I think.

Has anyone noticed what a nightmare queuing up at Spar is?? The area is absolutely FULL of bakery offers! Whimper! That was a tough challenge today but I got through it! On the way, I was even thinking that you should take it easy (read: treat yourself) when you are having a tough time otherwise (work for me) - which is basically building up to allowing myself sugar. I won't but it helps to notice where the cheating mindset comes in and then gets taken advantage of by shops tempting you!

[CoffeeCrisis]

Ah yes, 'I deserve it, things are hard'... that's what got me buying chocolate in a petrol station every morning after the nightmare-school-run-with-teen-angst...

[PosiePootlePerkins]

risotto I was just coming on here to post how I am feeling a bit tired and fed up and would really like something sugary to cheer me up! I definitely need to work on this, I do use food as a reward or treat even though I know deep down it only makes things worse. Tricky.

[msrisotto]

I think it's really hard to break the association between sugar and reward. It's just so easy. What else could we use I wonder? I don't want to break the bank trying to find a substitute...

[SpaceKablooie]

Hi everyone - I've pretty much given up refined sugar for ages now. I fell off the wagon recently because of DS's birthday and found it a slippery slope. I'm back to normal now though. I usually have 1x treat / week.

[PosiePootlePerkins]

I don't know, food is just always there. In your face wherever you go! And preparing sensible food takes time and planning, whereas junk is instant. I do really want to do this though, guess we'll have to come up with something.....

[PosiePootlePerkins]

Hi space what is your secret ha ha! Good for you keeping it up for so long.

[JellyBean3000]

OK, so I'm not quite ready to quit sugar just yet - I think it might cause a relapse on my quitting alcohol and I'd rather keep that one going for now. However, since stopping drinking, my daily Pepsi Max habit has increased quite alarmingly and so I'm going to tackle that particular addiction next. I've half-heartedly attempted it in the past, but never lasted very long. I know it's not quite the same as quitting sugar, but I'm seeing it as a positive health step, and hopefully sugar can be the next step for me.

Hope you lot don't mind me hanging around as I suspect by tomorrow my resolve will be wavering...!

[GeorgeHerbert]

Hi everyone,
I haven't drunk for a few years but my sugar 'habit' is out of control and now I'm over 50 the pounds are creeping on. Biscuits and chocolate are my downfall, once I start I can't stop! I need to be able to 'report in' somewhere, so thanks for the thread.
better day today, I've kept at 2 biscuits and I've had a healthy breakfast and dinner. drawing a veil over lunch though....

[PosiePootlePerkins]

Morning everyone. I have just realised I managed a whole working week without eating any biscuits or cake! Our staffroom always has something yummy to tempt me, even if its just the biscuit tin, but somehow I stayed strong! Might try porridge with berries for breakfast today as I am getting a bit fed up of poached eggs!
Hope you all cope OK over the weekend, I find it harder when I am at home....