I'm giving up sugar for Lent - anyone in?

[tinselandlights]

Since Christmas my sugar consumption has been out of control.

I've decided to give up sugar and wheat for Lent, and give the money I would spend on it to the Trussell Trust to keep me on track.

Anyone else in?

Ok, I'll try some of those, thanks! What is Weedy?

Also, I'm trying to lose actual weight on the scales ro reduce my BMI, but if I'm building muscle I worry about getting heavier.

Ooh, I think I've turned a sugar free corner today. I made a cold cure recipe from my mum, which I usually have to have lots of honey in to make it palatable (it's lemon, ginger, coriander seed, cloves, cinnamon bark all boiled up), and not only did I actually enjoy it without any honey, it tasted sweet to me?!?

And I made the kids Eton mess for pudding, and did my own without meringue and didn't put any sugar in the whipped cream, and it tastes amazing!

So nice. I've managed to put on half a kilo though eating more cheese and stuff but I feel like it's progress nonetheless.

Hi is it too late to join? I'm not doing it for lent though... Just decided to do it randomly to help with my weight loss goals!
I'm giving up pretty much everything with sugar in, apart from natural sugars like fruit & lactose in milk.. I'm only having 1portion of fruit /day.

Today was day two of no sugar and I felt pretty awful! Headache all day and really lethargic. Definitely had to work through the 3pm sugar craving.
How long did withdrawal symptoms last for you guys?

@CescaNicole you're very welcome to join!

Hope you feel a bit better soon cescanicole. Hopefully it will feel a bit easier when the sugar cravings die down.

I've weighed today - 2.6kg down which is 5-6 lbs I think. Feels like a great start for half a month.

(that's since start of lent)

I slipped up earlier in the week and ate a custard donut . I plead PMS! Back on track now.

I fell off yesterday with the first day of my period 😬 ending up spooning Nutella... I don't know how to overcome chocolate cravings on my period!

@tinselandlights I find Greek yoghurt with a handful of raisins and some cocoa powder mixed through quite satisfying on the choc front.

Cinnamon is great for reducing sugar! It also has so many health benefits, so well done!
I can honestly say I've had no sugar since last saturday (when I ate a jam doughnut without thinking) I replaced the dark choc with blueberries and dont even miss the choc- but even though I've ditched four bars of dark chocolate a week the scales are not budging!

Ive been following another thread (Why am I obese) and sleep seems to be a major factor. I fell asleep on the sofa last night around ten, woke up about midnight and went up to bed, woke up at five , then went back to sleep and woke up at 8am. If its down to getting a good night's sleep I might be doomed!

@BewareTheBeardedDragon that sounds absolutely lovely!!

Doing this has made me realise my two triggers: hormones and emotional eating. I'm having a hard day with DD3 today and am really craving chocolate to get me through.

Sleep is definitely a really key factor @SugarfreeBlitz, when DD was a baby I craved sugar massively when I was overtired.

I had another slip today and scoffed a Bakewell tart 😬 I'm obsessed with sugar when I'm stressed!

The thing I have realised helps is a food diary. Except I haven't been keeping one for a few days! Now my period has finished I am not craving chocolate as I was. It is like a mist descends! Anyone else?

Yes @tinselandlights, me. I'm back on track now, but the few days preceding my period, and the first couple of days of it, were a write off, I wanted sugar like it was a drug. Which it is, kind of.

I've had my covid jab today and feeling a bit wobbly now so I decided to say fuck it and made this supposedly healthy choc cake.

https://www.delscookingtwist.com/healthy-flourless-chocolate-cake/

I have used 70% valrona choc which prob has some sugar in it, and clearly the dates are just sugar pretending to be healthy. I'm looking forward to pudding...

Back on the wagon tomorrow

Hi everyone we are now 3 weeks in, 3 weeks to go so half way!

How is everyone doing? I’ve managed to keep to it but fantasising over iced Belgian buns the last few days. So I’ll keep that in mind and I think that will be my first post-lent treat!

I have to say though that I’m feeling brilliant, any cravings have gone and I definitely feel and look less bloated. Few lbs down on the scales too even though that wasn’t really the intention but is a nice side effect!

It's been tough, and I only gave up chocolate. How you lot are doing it I don't know. Have even resorted to baking blueberry muffins so I had a sweet snack..

Hi all!
It's been ok I have more energy and my skin is definitely clearer. I've lost 9lbs since I started just over 3 weeks ago so I'm happy.
Hope everyone else is ok?

I'm still in! Avoided sugar except Sunday puddings, which have been reasonably healthy like fruit crumble made with oats. I'm mostly ok and have definitely broken the habit of biscuit with coffee, or chocolate with a film.

I lost 3lbs first week, then 1lb second week, weighing on Friday. Hoping for a little more loss this Friday but for me it's about trying to feel better.

I've given up caffeine too today, as I have chronic disease symptoms which I am hoping to improve.

DH has given up chocolate only which helps.

Tripping that loss is inspiring, well done

9lbs! well done

I'm back on the no sugar wagon for the remainder of lent, after quite a big lapse. Its difficult this year with everything still feeling grim , but I do feel better when I manage to avoid it.

Argh I've had a fuck of a week and I've given in to sugar 😳😳😳😳😳

How has everyone done? We're here - we've made it, I have a large Easter egg that the Easter bunny delivered alongside the kids ones!!

I have to admit that I have had several fails along the way but I've still done better than I've ever managed before.

Congratulations to you all! I have to say I struggled during the last couple of weeks 😬 but God loves a trier and i think if we weren't in lockdown I would have done a bit better!!