I'm a sugar addict. Join me getting clean

[FrenchFriesSurprise]

I have a terrible sugar habit.

Today I've eaten a packet of shortbread biscuits, a lemon cheesecake portion and a scone with jam. I have two young kids and I'm bored. I was a 'two squares of dark chocolate after dinner' kind of person before having babies, but motherhood has driven me to the Dairy Milk. In abundance. I'll get diabetes if I don't sort myself out.

I ate the biscuits in secret. I mainly eat my sugar in secret.

From Monday I'm going to cut out all high-sugar foods for 4 weeks. That's all cake, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, sweetened drinks, sweet sauces such as ketchup, stir-fry sauces etc, dried fruit. I think I'll keep berries and apples, but will avoid most fruit.

If you would like to join me, sign up here! It doesn't have to be a sugar addiction you'd like to kick - if you have any habits you're struggling with, or changes you'd like to make, feel free to join the thread and we'll work on them together 💪

OP are you avoiding bread etc too? I’ve tried this a few times but it’s just so hard when there is sugar in absolutely everything more or less. Just cooking because so hard when you can’t even use pasta or potatoes.

I failed too, someone brought treats into the staff kitchen and I’d had handfuls by 10am… tomorrow I will be better

I also failed. Started with my husband making me a cup of tea with sugar in, and me drinking it before I'd even realised. I've since had one more cup of tea with sugar in and a fruit ice lolly which had added sugar in.

In a way though, it was actually a win? I would usually have the above, plus a packet of biscuits, bar of chocolate or a bag of sweets, plus at least one arctic coffee caramel latte per day. I haven't had any of those today, so while I didn't manage to go cold turkey, I did manage to hold myself back from the worst things in my diet.

I have made a cake today though, as I bake things for the family that my baby can also have. Rhubarb cake with wholemeal flour, sweetened with banana instead of sugar.

On the secret eating thing. I've always had a sweet tooth and over indulged in sweets, especially chocolate, but never really hid it. My parents-in-law moved in with us last summer, to help out after I had my 3rd child last summer. They now stay two nights a week, but when he was first born they were here for a month.

I found myself first buying and hiding chocolate in my room and once I was recovered enough to take my son for walks, I would buy stuff and eat it on the walk home, because I didn't want my parents-in-law to know. They eat very healthily, so I think I was ashamed. The problem is that I feel like it's becoming a big problem that I need to fix.

Hello @Headachequeen I'm not avoiding carbs at the moment. My diet probably is too carby, and I might look at that in the long term. It's more the very sugary ultra processed foods like cake, biscuits, chocolate that I have a serious problem with and I think I need to start with cutting these out completely before making other changes. I worry if I change too much at once it will make things too difficult for myself. Besides, I don't find myself craving potatoes the same way I crave chocolate - like I'm not making excuses to nip out to the corner shop for a bag of Jersey Royals 😂

I reckon I have about 60-80g of sugar a day from sugary snacks alone 😳

@Walkingwalkingwalking yes office treats is a tricky one... there is that awful social pressure to join in with these things (like when people nag you to have another drink!)

Good luck for tomorrow @Wemdubz

@cloudengel that doesn't sound like a bad day at all, very good progress! I love rhubarb. How old is your baby? I definitely think pregnancy and BF hormones have helped send me sugar wild.

Ohhh baby has a tummy bug. Up all night. This is going to be a LONG day.

Good luck to everyone starting today 💪

I thought the glucose goddess’s dress up your carbs idea was more practical than trying to completely cut them out - I’d switch to spelt pasta and wholegrain rice/grains but all of that is quite hard to do when you’re cooking for a family.

I cracked and ate the bday cupcake but it was my daughter’s 16th. I’m proud though as only thing I had in 2 days. I start again today.

I’m starting today. Caught up on the thread to motivate me - well done all of you!

I’m going to buy sparkling water, apples and dark chocolate for this week, to get me through any cravings, because I know going cold turkey on all treats doesn’t work for me. I end up cracking and eating everything I can get my hands on!

@BlueberryFlapjacki find super sweet fruit like mango help me with cravings

Good luck everyone. Get some nuts and fruit in, and cling on for dear life.

Yesterday wasn't bad at all, almost cold turkey except I accidentally used the sugary peanut butter instead of the healthy one (my DH likes the sugary one otherwise I wouldn't have it in the house 🙄) and then I ate an oatcake with choc chips in it without thinking. Today will hopefully be complete cold turkey!

I used to be where you are all at, but that was over ten years ago and it can be done!

I was 60, overweight, ate too much crap (ice cream was my downfall!), drank more than was healthy and didn’t exercise. When my HbA1c nudged into prediabetic territory I got scared. I knew what diabetes had done to relatives and I did not want this for myself. I was also diagnosed with osteopenia. I definitely didn’t want this to progress to full-blown osteoporosis as my mother had the classic Dowager’s hump’ and she was basically crippled in her final years.

Once you turn 60, mortality starts to become real……. Much better to establish healthy habits way sooner. You all seem much younger than me - you can do this! It is possible to get to a point where healthy, mostly savoury food actually tastes nicer than chocolate, ice cream and doughnuts! Exercise and walking has become an integral part of my daily life. I enjoy working out so much and my daily walks nearly always lift my spirits.

Can I join please? I have a horrible sugar addiction and would like to stop all together. Today is my Day 2 without any sugar and I have a pounding headache since last evening. I hope It goes away soon. I do have One protein shake a day for ny protein intake. It doesn't have any added sugar in it but It has fructose in it so I am assuming It should be fine. I am also avoiding sweeteners, syrups and honey. I am a vegetarian and I need a protein shake to consume enough protein throughout the day.
Can we also share what we ate while avoiding sugar to keep us motivated?
I had :
Breakfast: Protein shake, banana, apple
Lunch : 2 boiled eggs, Kidney beans curry and rice
Dinner : Cottage cheese with cucumber and cherry tomatoes and small veggie wrap.

I did ok yesterday also trying to reduce bread/carbs more gradually. I did still eat fruit with breakfast and allowed myself a pure orange juice. But replaced snacking with rice cakes. Hopefully today is good. Last time I caved after about 3 days!

Fructose is sugar…!!
Bananas are very reach in sugar

Orange juice, pure or not is mostly sugar - and almost all the fiber has been removed - don’t drink calories…

Rice cakes are okay but there are better - and more filling/satiating snack options - see the list in one of my previous posts.

I’m also trying to reduce the amount of sugar I use. Got some lemonade to go with the Pimms, and realised how much sugar it has in it. Same for coke. I don’t eat lots of teaspoons of sugar so why do I drink it?

A can of coke can have nine teaspoons of sugar in it (and I try to avoid the full-of-rubbish sugar free varieties also).

Another trick I read is to have protein with every snack, so if you eat an apple, have a small amount of cheese with it (learnt that from Fearn Britain on This Morning many moons ago). It definitely works.

Calm down ! Yes we know Fructose is sugar But we are talking about SUGAR here.
Banana is a fruit and has absolutely no added sugar in it and actually has health benefits.
The point here is people are doing what they can to stay motivated. You don't have to write anything if its not something positive.
Just read and move on.

You're correct about this. I had a series of acupuncture sessions last year (for menopause symptoms caused by BC treatment) and he spotted a yeast problem just by looking at me. I hadn't drunk alcohol or eaten chocolate for a year (and I don't eat starchy carbs), the culprit was apples 😳

I know most on this thread are not doing this because they are diabetic or pre-diabetic but some may find it useful to read the advice on diabetics UK. They say to eat fruit and veg to reduce your risk and even highlight some fruits associated with a lower risk.

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-diabetes/type-2-diabetes/preventing/ten-tips-for-healthy-eating

Really fruit is the perfect way to get your sweet hit in a healthy way while avoiding processed sugar and high GI carbs.

Yes I agree. Fruits are not culprit here. Its too much cakes, cookies and all that sweet processed stuff that had tons of sugar added to it.

I'm also a huge mango fan, I had a punnet today with my lunch (sad salad an some sushi). I also like to add tinned peaches to my porridge in the morning but make sure you get ones in juice not syrup.

I can’t think fruit has ever lead me into a broader sugar binge either - not sure why that is…

Frozen fruit (defrosted) is good for porridge. I particularly like the blueberries.