Weaning Off The Sweet Stuff

[Nouveaunew]

This thread is for anyone else who has quit alcohol completely … I don’t mean to be exclusive but just like on the Freedom thread, talk of moderation is just too tempting/triggering (I.e. utterly catastrophic in consequence).

I’m 23 days alcohol-free. Since giving up alcohol, I have been eating a LOT more jellies, pastries, cakes and chocolate. I now think I’m starting to feel ready to give it up as I don’t want to substitute one dependency for another…& I don’t want to gain any more weight.

So … I’m thinking that I’ll allow myself to finish whatever sweet things are in the house and after that, cut them out. I’m thinking of next Monday (30th May) as the starting date.

Would anyone like to join me? We could support each other and give ideas for sugar-free treats. I’m not going to cut out all sugar (I’d be lost without AF G&Ts right now … not to mention jam on my toast … and ketchup!). But I want to completely cut out jellies, pastries, cakes, chocolate and biscuits.

Interested in trying?

Imagine if we quit alcohol AND sweet things! 😇😇😇😇

Hello 😀 I had a biscotti brownie for lunch yesterday. So a complete lunch fail. However it did fuel me when I looked out of the cafe window and spotted someone removing the front wheel from my bike. Got there in time to challenge him and get the wheel back too : poweredbyhrt: Anyway. No crisps no chocolate no biscuits. Win.
Menopause complicates everything @CoalTit . Hope you're OK.

@Blackberryblossom
im delighted you caught the gangster in the act! It doesn’t sound like your day was too bad. I had a chocolate bar and some ice-cream yesterday which was kind of taking the mick … 1 treat per day until I run out is more sensible

@CoalTit
i hear you. I’ve been in early peri for 8 or so years. Dying for it all to finally end

Congratulations on thwarting the wheel theif, @Blackberryblossom !

@Nouveaunew ice cream and a chocolate bar does sound nice though! Make sure you enjoy your treats as you work through them. The worst thing is not enjoying a treat. I had a slice of toast and marmite in late afternoon today, really needed something and that just hit the spot. And thank you both - I was lucky that he was a bit drunk and wasn't abusive. It could have been much worse. Still cross now but will do my best to make sure it doesn't happen again.
I'd forgotten how many calories are in sweet stuff... all of a sudden I'm not running out so often. Weight is moving in the right direction too.

That’s great about the weight @Blackberryblossom

i couldn’t agree more with this:

Make sure you enjoy your treats as you work through them. The worst thing is not enjoying a treat

I make a point of really enjoying treats . I think I enjoy them more now that I’m being more mindful instead of just firing through a big pack of jellies straight after work as I had been doing.

How are you all? I hope you’re feeling good & enjoying Friday night xx

I’ll admit today was not a great day for me food-wise! I had two bars of chocolate and a scone with butter and jam.

the good news is I’m nearing the bottom of my stash … which is really for the best. I just have two bars of chocolate and ice-cream left. They’ll be gone this weekend and then I’ll start on Monday with a healthier regime.

i am not sure exactly how I’ll go from a daily treat (or two) to not … I’m thinking of eating those chocolate protein balls I made, having berries & yoghurt, Banana with cacoa … & build up some others. I’ll need slightly healthier treats to keep me off the less healthy treats…I know it won’t be easy but I’ve a feeling once I get into the habit it’ll be ok. I’m going to continue to allow myself my non-alcoholic G&Ts and scones with butter and jam but major reduction on chocolate and crisps coming up!

hello! Happy Friday. I had a proper lunch today, and have managed another day with no crisps, chocolate or biscuits. Though it was a bit white-knuckle ish in the gap between normal tea time and the time the takeout came. I had a piece of whole grain toast and marmite. Not sweet but it did take the edge off my hunger. But then we had a huge takeout. Bike ride for me tomorrow morning 😀

@Nouveaunew I think your homemade treats sound like a good idea, and delicious too. I bought a bag of nuts from Lidl and I have dates too, though I generally can’t be trusted to stop at 1 or 2 with those. I am also not a mindful eater. I tend to grab something sugary when what I need is either actual food, or to sit down with a cup of tea for a few minutes. I think sugar is marketed as cunningly as alcohol, the way that something that is inessential and harmful is presented to us as normal, a treat, something we deserve and that if we can’t stop at one or two it’s our own fault, not theirs. So a day at a time here. When I slip up I’ll learn from it. This thread is helping so much, thank you.

Good for you @Blackberryblossom youre doing great! You deserved your takeaway & there’s nothing wrong with a takeaway x

yeah I feel similar about sugar & alcohol & am addicted to both i think … funnily enough the alcohol is easier to quit though … I guess there are very few places that it’s not ok to consume sugar….temptation is everywhere

i’m looking forward to cutting back on it and slimming down .

enjoy the cycle tomorrow. I’m going to go on a long walk

Hi all. I had ten days AF then a weekend
of drinking. It was a very drinky social occasion. So day 6 AF now and eating all the sugar in the world. I actually felt better for not drinking on the 11th morning AF last time, so I'm hoping after another few days I'll be feeling the benefit and able to look at making some improvements to my diet.

@Mwnci123
good on you for getting back on the wagon(do I have that right? I’m never sure!).

I don’t think I would’ve got through the first 30 days without all the sugar. It seemed excessive but I guess my drinking wasn’t exactly within the recommended limits ! So something had to bridge that gap!). Best of luck. It’s going to take time and patience & self-compassion … but we’ll get there!

Thank you. Yes, back on the wagon. Having a weekend of social drinking kind of made me reflect on the fact that drinking at home is more of a problem for me anyway.
Encouraged that you're finding it easier to reduce sugar now than in the start.

Hello @Mwnci123 and welcome back on the wagon. Don’t worry about sugar in the early days AF, stopping the alcohol is hard enough in its own.
Are you enjoying your last few chocolate bars and ice cream @Nouveaunew ? I did type “treats” but changed it because there will still be treats, just different ones.
I had a small piece of delicious birthday cake at a bbq today. So this week I’ve had one brownie (which I counted as lunch that day), one small piece of birthday cake and two portions of rhubarb crumble last weekend. No crisps, no biscuits, no chocolate. I am a little bit proud. I don’t think I could even start to remember how many of those I ate the week before that.
I cycled into town today for a local event, and kept my bike with me! And a walk after the bbq. So feeling quite positive and very grateful to @Nouveaunew for starting this thread.

Ah that’s great @Blackberryblossom I’m really glad the thread is helping. Good idea to count the brownie as lunch - definitely reduces the guilt!

i feel a bit guilty that I haven’t been more disciplined & a better participant on this thread!. I had a lot of treats today as I ended up visiting some friends a couple of hours away - there was birthday cake and a muffin & a large takeaway … I’m feeling a little out of control again if I’m completely honest. I’m constantly thinking about food … the way I was with booze.

I supposed it's still pretty early days with giving up the booze Nouveaunew, so
maybe the other stuff will get easier as you adjust more to not drinking. Are you feeling better for not drinking, would you say?

I don't drink, just through choice - but I do have a tendency towards addiction in other ways
So if you can channel it into something else, it's (hard) helpful!
Currently I'm obsessed with peloton classes which is probably the least harmful one I've had

If you want lower calorie stuff that hits the spot
Mini milks
Mini meringue, bit of squirt cream, sugar free jelly
Berries - strawberries are in season so get eating!
Chocolate protein puddings (Aldi/Lidl/sainsburys in yoghurt section) are nice

@Mwnci123
Thanks for your kind words. I’ve always struggled with moderation and I find abstinence easier.

I feel much better for not drinking. My PMS was still bad but not as bad as usual this month, which is the biggest thing & it was really really badly affecting my life. My stomach (IBS) is still a bit dodgy but not half as bad! Also, I was getting excruciating headaches when I was actually drinking (the body screaming : ENOUGH) and they’re all but gone too! So yeah, I feel a lot better … stick with it.

I am weaning off the sweet stuff and I know it’s going to take time but at the very least I’m trying …

how are you getting on @Mwnci123 ?

Thanks @MsOllie Great tips there!

ha! If only I could get obsessed with Peloton classes! That’s great!

Good idea though to channel the addictive thinking elsewhere 🤔

NouveauNew great that you're feeling the benefits. Interesting to me what you say about PMS- I get really bad PMS so will be interested to see how that goes now I'm on the wagon.
I feel ok emotionally but am ill anyway this week, so feel physically crappy regardless. A little bit proud of myself for not drinking at all when I've been stuck at home feeling crap, as I've been tempted. Feel pretty positive overall about sobriety. Had a long chat with a friend who gave up almost a year ago- she is really pleased she did it and feeling better all round. She did say she has never really stopped eating more sugary crap though! She recommended having lots of nice alternative cold drinks, like tonic water with juniper berries and sofa with fresh lime. She is in great shape anyway because she is so active, so maybe increasing exercise is the way to go.

I do still intend to improve my diet though!

That’s great you’ve a sober friend to talk to@Mwnci123 exercise can only be a good thing for sure

my addiction to the sugary crap is very longstanding and in some ways I think alcohol just took its place for a while. So now I need to slowly tackle it …

Ooh @msollie I was wondering yesterday how come I never get obsessed with anything healthy, like exercise. It’s always such an effort, I suppose that’s the whole point Anyway, your post gives me hope.

You have this, @Nouveaunew . It sounds like you’re super aware of the sugar that you’re eating, and I bet it’s still much less than you had been eating. Hang in there.

I hope you feel better soon @Mwnci123 . Well done on resisting the drink. I had a full hysterectomy about 3 years back and do not miss the pms at all. Or the heavy irregular periods.

I reach my first week with no crisps/biscuits/chocolate tomorrow. There’s still been sugar but nowhere near as much. I’m feeling quite positive and am so glad that I found this thread. I’m going to see if there’s any sugar “quit lit”, there must be!

Seven days without crisps, chocolate or biscuits. That’s such a success for me. I listened to the Allen Carr sugar book today - it’s very interesting and really made me think. He’s very hard-core. I’m not ready to stop eating bread, pasta etc though, but am cutting down.
How is everyone? @Nouveaunew I saw your post on the AF Rollercoaster thread, hope you’re ok

Thanks @Blackberryblossom i really am delighted to hear you’ve gone 7 days without that junk. Well done to you. It is great! Allen Carr has an alcohol, cigarettes, smoking and sugar book … Janey, his poop must smell of roses!

yeah I mentioned I’m struggling in the other thread. . Thanks for asking x

I feel like a total fraud considering I started this thread with genuinely terrific intentions. When will I ever know myself? My friend gave me a box of chocolates and I ate almost the entire box in one day (today!) in the end. There were three left (out of at least 24) and I threw them in the bin as I don’t like them but I knew I’d eat them even though I don’t like them. This is a problem!. I also ate 3/4 tub of Ben & Jerry’s and a lot of crisps (as well as meals). I’m being quite honest here and I’m embarrassed but I need to let it out somewhere … I feel horrible. So, I have now got no treats in the house and am realising for the umpteenth time in my life that abstinence seems to be the only way for me. No more purchasing of junk.

If I’m honest, I think this is much harder for me than quitting alcohol ever was. I also quit cigarettes years ago and this is harder than that was.

I’m going to try to give it up in the same way I gave up booze…day by day. I’m feeling the saddest I have felt since I started the whole sober journey. I’m sure it’ll pass.

good night all x

Morning, @Nouveaunew . I hope you're feeling less terrible. It is hard, and it will take time, and people will be forever giving you sugary things with good intentions.
I tell myself I can feel just bad enough to make a change, and after that it's a terrible waste of energy to keep hating myself and telling myself how crap I am.
I had a few days of no sweet things at all last week, because the home-made jam is running out. I was quite down in the dumps.

Thanks @CoalTit another day xx