Have you given up sugar? What happened?

[LookMumNoFeet]

I've recently given up sugar. Obviously not completely, I still eat fruit and sugar that's in normal 'healthy' foods. I mean, I've given up chocolate, biscuits, cake, sweets etc..
So if you've given up those too, what happened? Can I expect a massive weight loss , luminous skin and flat stomach?

This is so interesting! Can I ask for those of you who gave up sugar and lost weight - was that combined with exercise or anything else? Or was that just from sugar alone?

I'm planning to start the Fast800 in a couple of weeks which is largely sugar free. Haven't done it before but have to try something.

How crap did you all feel at the beginning? I'm planning to start on the Friday of the Bank Holiday weekend so I can just hibernate at home if I feel really awful.

I’ve only been off it since Monday and I already feel better, my skin is brighter and stevia in coffee now tastes too sweet.

I did it. Skin much clearer, slept better, stable energy levels, lost a bit of weight (wasn’t doing it to lose weight though). Generally just felt better in myself EXCEPT all I could think about was sugar. Literally all day long. And got annoyed at myself when I caved which I don’t think was good for me mentally.

I just think personally it’s far to hard to stick to without becoming obsessed and feeling guilt. I can’t live like that.

I gave up anything with "added sugar" for lent, so I still ate fruit and anything with naturally occurring sugars I just ditched the cakes, sweets, biscuits and chocolate!

I felt AMAZING!

My skin looks the healthiest it ever has, not just on my face but all over my body, everything is "tighter" and I'm much much less bloated and puffy.

I also lost 5kg over the 44 days without changing a single other thing about my diet or exercise.

Yes to the flatter tummy and I've always had a tummy even when I was 18 and a size 8

I will admit I probably ate more carbs to compensate but I can get away with that because I'm a regular runner/cyclist/swimmer.

I thought that by yesterday I'd be diving into the chocolate but do you know what? I just don't fancy it anymore!!

Best thing I've ever done, kicked my habit so I'm going to stick to it and only allow myself "one sugar day" per week where I'll have a treat, but not gorge iyswim.

Also so much more energy!!!! Far less sluggish, DH says I'm like the energiser bunny on speed some days 🤣🤣🤣

Massive headache for two days. I've given it up for up to year a few times, then it sneaks back up on me. But for someone who believes chocolate is a major food group I'm always surprised at how much I don't miss it once it's gone. Definitely slept better, craved food less generally. Giving up dairy had a far bigger impact, weight fell off, felt clear headed, more energetic, skin totally different, sinus's really clear even during hay fever season. Giving up caffeine - nothing, literally no difference at all.

Eight months ago I gave up sugar, bread, cakes, pastry, sweets, and have lost three stone. I eat masses of fruit, salad and vegetables, I do a moderate amount of exercise daily. Feel a lot better for it and am now within my BMI range.

I wish I could do this. I have tried many times but I'm addicted to sugar!

I have pretty much, all the stuff I have at home (pasta sauces, rye bread, pitta breads etc) are all sugar free.

I eat loads of fruit so don't cut out natural sugars.

I will eat it though when I'm out (just had a cous cous salad from M&S for lunch for example) as it's hard to find sugar free out and about.

It definitely has slimmed me down & I feel better too and not guilty about what I eat now.

I did attempt to give it up, was on my knees by day three and had to be revived with Haribos.

I take my hat off to those who have!!

I need to do this again. Did it for about four months a few years ago. Skin was amazing, no more cellulite, lost weight, no cravings, steady energy, stable moods.

Just to clarify I did allow dark chocolate

I have done this for a few months at a time. For me it was added sugar ie cake, chocolate, biscuits.

I do think it’s easier to make one ‘big’ decision not to eat something than lots of micro decisions about whether or not to have a particular treat.

When I stuck to it - lost some weight (not loads but am not overweight). Definitely better skin. And just more in control of what I eat which is a good feeling - no binges, no guilt.

Have lapsed lately after having an injury so at home more and exercising less but definitely need to get back on track so following this thread with interest.

I really need to do this. I've been terrible for sugar since being pregnant with ds and he's now 4. I'd really struggle for breakfast though. I'm a veggie and don't eat eggs so no idea what I'd eat that would actually keep me going. I can't face fruit first thing as too acidic.

It's hardly rocket science that you'll lose weight if you quit sugar. It's a calorie deficit, no more.

I did this a year ago. Inspired by another thread where the OP wasn’t going to eat any food with more than 5g of sugar per 100g (except I didn’t exclude any fruit and veg). So that cut out all obvious foods - cakes, biscuits etc.. I had a headache at first and teeth grinding but felt fine after that. I really got into it and lost weight, felt less tired. I really felt in control of what I ate. If I was peckish I’d eat almonds, walnuts and oatcakes (with butter and cheese). I don’t really eat much fruit either or drink alcohol so that kind of helped too.
My exception was the odd piece of dark chocolate- 85% at first but worked up to 90% (an acquired taste!) which was above the 5g rule but it was an occasional treat. I came a bit unstuck over Christmas and haven’t fully got back into it but it did help change my eating habits and I feel a lot happier with the weight I lost.

My sister gave up sugar 18 months ago and the difference in her health is unreal. She is also doing ww so is trying to lose weight but within a few months of stopping sugar her asthma related breathlessness was completely gone and now she can’t tell you when she last used her salbutamol inhaler.

All of this has allowed her to exercise more which is obviously helping her health but she is convinced it was stopping eating sugar that kickstarted it

What could I use to sweeten porridge instead of syrup if I don't want to use fruit?

Does porridge have to be sweet? If you want other additional flavours, there's salt, cinamon, nutmeg, greek yogurt or nut butter.

Yes it does! I love golden syrup in it normally.

Porridge is hideous unless it's sweetened.

I have cinnamon and raisins in mine (Yes lots of sugar in raisins so only a few!)

I'm not on a no sugar diet but try and cut back!

Do you cook porridge with a tiny bit salt? It helps with the flavour.

Cinnamon is sweet. Bananas help flavour it too I find.
Cashews make it creamy.
And maple syrup isn't as calorific as it seems. It's so sweet you don't need much.
Stewed pears and apples with cinnamon to sweeten is nice too.

Almost every food* is lovely if you're hungry. If plain porridge tastes unpalatable, you probably don't need the calories.

*I excuse that fermented Iceland sharkmeat from the list. You have to be lingering new famine b4 that's palatable.