I'm addicted to sugar. If I stop eating it will the weight fall off?

[RedNailsAndRedDress]

As in the title really!

I have an extremely sweet tooth and am now a good three stone oversight

My main meals are always completely healthy. it's just sugar in the crap afterwards that is my downfall. If I cut it out then will the weight fall off?

[PickAChew]

There's a good chance it will. I cut out the sugary shite and found out that I didn't have to do much more to get down to my daily calorie goal on my fitness pal. Lost 1 stone 5, but I'm taking a break for Christmas, now. I've really killed my sweet tooth - had a mini mince pie, earlier and it felt too much.

[RedNailsAndRedDress]

Interesting! How did you do it? Did you follow a specific plan or just wake up one day and decide enough was enough?

[EnidB]

Giving up sugar is not an easy thing, but it is the easiest way I've found to lose weight. It is a mind-set - and one that takes effort, but not as much as a "diet"
Davina McC has a low sugar recipe book that is worth a read. I find the first week hard, then the cravings die off, you step on the scales and the weight loss is enough to motivate (me)
Good luck!

[GoodMorningSunshine]

Following with interest.

[GoodMorningSunshine]

-I'venowillpowerforanything-

[Uiscebeatha85]

I need help too, my sugar addiction is off the chart since pregnancy and having my DD 5 months ago

[EnidB]

RedNails Nothing with obvious sugar - biscuits / cakes. Cook from scratch, so no added sugar in sauces. While you're at it try to cut down refined carbohydrates - white bread - have wholegrain instead. Brown rice is surprisingly good.....as you can tell I've had more than one go at this. It always works, just hard to kick start, and easy to get lured back into the "just one" at Christmas - Halloween was my last downfall

[Want2bSupermum]

I so need this... so how on earth do you do no sugar! I eat a tonne of bread and milk. Both are very high in sugar.

[EnidB]

Want2b swap white for wholemeal to start with, then wean yourself off that. Milk? No idea.....I eat ALOT of eggs, with other things for breakfast (when I really love toast) so I have them with mushrooms or bacon? Please don't make me say how much I love marmalade - also a no no!

[PickAChew]

I didn't do no sugar, just no superfluous sugar.

And yes, wholegrain and/or seedy bread is so much more satisfying than white. A sandwich is fine for me, but there needs to be less, more nutritionally dense bread and loads of filling. I've not been any more sparing than usual with oil or butter and I've enjoyed cheese when I've fancied it (something that weightwatchers heavily penalises you for, though by calorie counting it turned out not to be problematic, at all). I also still use full fat mayo. Delicious!

[RedNailsAndRedDress]

What's superfluous sugar?!

[JollyHockeyGit]

I gave up chocolate for Lent last year. I included the Sundays (so 46 days in total) so it was a complete chocolate-free time, which worked for me! I was really strict with it and soon the cravings went away. I thought I'd be stuffing my face come Easter Sunday but I just didn't fancy chocolate any more and it was about a week later I ate some. I definitely don't want chocolate as much as I used to, so for me cold turkey is the way ahead but only for a limited amount of time (until the habit's broken) then everything in moderation 😃

[WutheringFrights]

I hit 12 stone 4 three weeks ago which is 2.5 stone higher than I would like to be.
I wrote down everything I had eaten that day - it was utterly revolting!
Like you, my actual meals are pretty well balanced but I snack on anything I can get my hands on (and I work in a farm shop surrounded by cake!)
I made the decision to eat only breakfast, lunch and dinner and allow a snack of an apple each day. I also write down everything I eat and drink each day in a 'food diary'.
This has totally kept me on track as I can't lie to myself.
I set myself a target of 2lb a week and have lost 10lbs in three weeks

[SixtiesChildOfWildBlueSkies]

I did this - have lost 3 stone so far since around April. Will be happy with one stone more off.

I don't weigh or calorie count my food.

Also I don't weigh myself every day/week....maybe once every 6-8 weeks. For me it's less focus on the whole weight loss and more on the 'feel good factor' , that works.

Stopped eating anything with obvious sugar in it such as cakes, biscuits, chocolate etc. Don't keep ANY sweet food in the house.

Any sugar urges - I drank a glass of water.

Potatoes/rice/flour based items such as pies/bread - maybe once or twice a week at the most - and just small amounts.

I eat lots of veggies, meat, full fat cheese.

Do a fast 1-2 mile walk 3 times a week - with a long uphill section that i dreaded to start with, but can now run up it with ease.

Have dropped 3 clothes sizes. Am a lot fitter

Allow myself one sweet treat a week IF I want it - but now most things are too sweet for me, so rarely bother.

I never crave food and barely ever feel hungry now - whereas before I was forever nibbling/munching away.

Sample menu :
Breakfast - Home made meusli - oats/sunflower seeds/pumpkin seeds/ flaked almonds/sultanas/grated apple/ soya milk.
Lunch - toasted pitta with peanut butter/cherry tomatoes/cucumber
dinner - Chicken/cheesy mash carrots and turnip/ small baked potato.

[KindDogsTail]

You might be interested by Michael Mosely's, Blood Sugar Diet or another diet which is more gradual and very well thought out in regard to how to combat sugar cravings, The Appetite Solution.

[PickAChew]

Cake, chocolate. cheesecake, cookies etc - all superfluous sugar!

[RedNailsAndRedDress]

Haha but in that case, when is sugar not superfluous?! Do you mean like fruit and so on?

I have to say you are al inspiring me very much here.

[Fruitboxjury]

Yes it will.

Basic principles:

1. Include 40% lean protein in every meal to fill you up (chicken, turkey, eggs, seafood, fish, lentils ... you can even buy ready cooked ones), avoid too much red meat
   
   
2. Cut out white carbs. Replace white bread with eg rye, white potato with sweet potato, pasta with basmati (it's white but it's better) or whole grain rice. Have 40% (mostly) green vegetables every meal, even for breakfast - in a smoothie for example.
   
   
3. Minimise dairy, it has loads of sugars in it.
   
   
4. CLOSELY monitor your portion sizes, weigh and use my fitness pal if you need to.
   
   
5. Cut out alcohol, loads of sugars and also just makes you crave more junk the next day, even after a glass.
   
   
6. Quit the snacks, don't be greedy.
   
   
7. Meal plan - look up clean eating recipes (try to use ones that don't have any sugar substitutes e.g. Maple syrup / xylitol... they're all still sugar at end of day) and ALWAYS make extra so that you have a good portion for lunch the next day as a proper meal to help stave off craving for snacks.
   
   Add fresh air or exercise where you can, EVERY BIT HELPS.
   
   Good luck!

[Fruitboxjury]

And yes to above - cut down on fruit, aim for 5 portions of veg a day instead.

[msrisotto]

I decided to stop eating things with sugar added to them about 18 months ago. I was really strict at first but now make exceptions for special occasions.
1.It's hard to break the habit

1. But once you do it becomes your new norm and you start saying things like "oh I don't really eat sweet things"
   
2. Drinks get really dull
   
3. You lose weight nice and slowly without doing anything else. I still have a take away at the weekend.
   
4. Think about timing..Is 2 weeks before Xmas really the most realistic time to start this? You're setting yourself up to fail aren't you?
   
5. Don't give up other stuff too like bread, pasta etc. It's too hard, you'll be miserable and quit.
   
6. Post pone the tempting sugary things to that special occasion. That way you're not denying yourself, you're just going to have it later.

[RedNailsAndRedDress]

You are absolutely right about timing. This is very much an idea for the new year!!

[abeandhalo]

Every now & then when I feel it's getting too much I get rid of refined sugar - still have fruit & v occasionally honey - but I can only manage about 2-3 weeks before I fall of the wagon!

The thing I notice more than weight loss is how my energy levels are totally stable all day. I have no dips at all, it's quite amazing!

[TobleroneBoo]

Place marking, what an informative thread!

[RedNailsAndRedDress]

I'm wondering if low sugar would tie in with a SW or WW way of eating?

[KindDogsTail]

Protein with plenty of vegetables, some oils, nuts, etc and eating a small amount frequently helps against cravings.

A sugar craving can mean hunger, but quick fix sugar is not a real fix for hunger for anything longer than about 20 mins) so try to eat something else instead when that happens - something like a small handful of nuts and a small tangerine.