How to successfully dump sugar once & for all?

[BlackSoggyOnion]

Having managed to overcome my disgusting Starbucks mocha habit, I've realised I have another addiction lurking underneath - the dreaded sugar. I want to dump 2.5 stone. I've been a natural size 8 all my life & since hitting the menopause I've ballooned to a fecking size 16!!! I want my figure back. I have back fat ffs, I look 7 months pregnant. So what are your best tips for a sustainable change? I have horrendous headaches & sugar 'hunger' when I've previously tried.

No idea but hoping others will be along with a magic cure as I'm in same boat as you.

Bump

I've done it before, it's hard at the beginning - I had an awful headache that wouldn't shift for days and then cravings which lasted a couple of weeks but then I just stopped wanting it. Unfortunately I've started eating it again, which means I have to give up again, arse!

Sorry - re tips, I didn't give up fruit, so had fruit when I got cravings and tried to reduce this as I went on. Lots of berries. It's really hard though!

You have to quit and yes it's tough. If you read up on it then the problem is it's everywhere and in everything. I switched to a Mediterranean style way of eating and from there am now low carbohydrate. If you keep eating sugar then the constant up and down of your blood sugar means you keep craving it.

If you increase fats and reduce carbohydrate then your blood sugar stabilises. You then crave it less. Also I found once I started eating only proper food and not lots of processed rubbish that my tastes changed so proper food tastes better.

I also found cutting out sugar improved my skin and mental health. I've also lost 40 pounds.

Honestly just try again, you may not feel great for a few days but power on through as its worth it.

I also found cutting out sugar improved my skin and mental health.

I’m seriously hoping that this is true for everyone! I’m starting my all-new healthy lifestyle from tomorrow and cutting sugar is the main issue for me. Wish me luck!

I did it for 7 months once and now I'm low carbing so have been off for 3 weeks.

The hardest part for me was the habit. Dessert. Random hob nob. Chocolate. Sugary treats as rewards. There's a lot to undo. So be aware that you need to change your habits and assumptions and this, frankly, is hard. And takes probably 3 months.

It helped me to have cheat days in mind so I could turn down whatever sugary thing was on offer but I could say to myself that I could have it on my birthday or something. By the time it got to that date, I wasn't that bothered. Personally, I don't think it's realistic to say "I'm never going to eat sugar again". But eliminating the habit and making your own rules to moderate it can work.

Look on you tube at talks by Robert Lustwig. Educate yourself on the harm it can do. That gets you serious about it. Alzheimer's runs in my family and it could genuinely be triggered by sugar. There's some motivation to keep me going.

Best of luck!

I used a book called Stop Counting Calories and Start Losing Weight. It has a structured programme and a website to support. Hardest thing for me is being organised about lunches - Pret salads are a life saver if you're out. Good luck!

Lidl bags of mixed nuts! Yes there is a fat content, but I find they fill the sweet snack gap, and after a week or so I'm just not hungry, so not thinking about food.

But, you have to stay vigilant and not let yourself get hungry when the only thing available is a quick sugary fix.

Low carb high fat is the only way to do it. I'm 72, and went LCHF 3 years ago, mainly because I had awful acid reflux and heartburn. My body doesn't seem to tolerate carbs any more.
Once you are over the worst week (you might get "carb flu"), you will stop craving sugar (which is what all carbs become in your blood), and provided you up your healthy fat intake, you won't feel hungry either.
I lost almost 2 stone over the course of a year (much needed!), and although I still have digestive problems (IBS), I'm sure I'm much healthier as a result.
The first week is the worst though, persevere and you will see lots of benefits.

A huge sugar addict here. I never managed to quit sugar despite trying for years. I tried going keto two months ago and success! I have been sugar free for 2 months now and never felt better. It's so weird being able to taste food properly again. Normal savory food tastes sweet. It's frightening the effect all that sugar has had on me for so long.

I felt frickin' awful for a week, and I mean awful. Be prepared. Think Renton in Trainspotting.... No. Not that bad, but I felt like I had the flu.

Good luck. It's the best thing I ever did.

I have done it before. Lasted 3 years. I had to dump caffeine at the same time to make it stick. Back on it all now though.

I can’t give sugar up! But I am slim and have been through the menopause and I have just reduced the amount I eat as I’ve gotten older in order to maintain my weight.

I don’t want to give anything up that I like so I just have a little of it rather than a lot.

I have changed to drinking Coke Zero though so I suppose that’s a nod in the right direction!

I have cut right down on salt (not the same I know, but bear with me) and it has made me study the traffic light signals on food very carefully. The only conclusion I have come to, is that to be absolutely sure about what you are consuming, you have to make it yourself from scratch, which I now do most of the time. So perhaps that would work with sugar as well?

Of course, that wouldn't work if you started baking loads of Cakes and biscuits, but there is so much hidden sugar where you wouldn't expect it.

I did it slowly and gradually over 6 months, I reduced the white/granulated sugar first, cut out cake and biscuits, changed white bread for wholemeal.
The next step was to cut down on complex carbs - potatoes, flour, grains. Then fruit.
I've lost a stone so far, and If I eat a raw carrot it tastes sweet. I also found out that carbs were causing my palpitations.