Has anyone successfully given up sugar?

[FannyDeFuzz]

I'm about a stone heavier than I would like to be, and I often feel sluggish and headachey. I'm pretty sure it's down to my love of sugar - am otherwise healthy, five a day etc. But I just can't give up the sugary things.

Did you manage? How long did it take and what did you use to stop the cravings?

Doing low carb high fat will make it much easier, because you will feel satiated and much much less hungry

jdoe8. I totally agree that fruit is good for you. I only gave up added sugar. It worked for me.

I was diagnosed as borderline diabetic (type 2) and was so scared of the thought of going onto medication that I took the advice of my practice nurse and cut sugar out. I find that if I eat something sweet now, it kicks off a massive binge and I find it really hard to get back on track so it shows what an addictive substance it is and what it does to your body. I've lost over 3 stone and feel so much better for it. What I found hardest to manage at first was the hidden sugars in foods - bread, sauces, ready meals etc so I'm now very strict and cook most things from scratch. And eating out can be hard, I had pasta recently with tomato sauce and I could literally tonnes of sugar in it. It's well worth the effort, it isn't easy but I don't miss that awful feeling of lethargy that sugar gives you. It's also worth keeping an eye on your carb intake as your body will turn starchy carbs into sugar if you're not burning them off.

I gave up sugar on 1st Jan just to see if I could do it for a month. It's been really hard, not so much for the cravings, but because so many foods contain sugar! Stuff you don't expect like sauces, bread, stock, crisps, and masses of other foods I used to blithely pop in my mouth. And you have to decide how far you're going to go with it too. So do you give up fruit and anything that contains fructose as well? I haven't given up fruit, but I've cut back a lot. And actually, I've slipped up a couple of times, but generally I've been successful and now that I'm in the swing of it I'm not struggling to stick to it at all.

Have I lost weight? Yes, about 4lbs.

Will I go back to eating sugar on 1st Feb? Maybe small amounts, but tbh I think I've broken my addiction and it feels pretty good. Plus, I like that my trousers aren't tight any more!

I wouldn't give up fruit because it is natural sugar and fruit is good for you, I have cut down on my caffeine intake and am gradually cutting out the crap in my diet, it's hard but I am determined not just for weight loss reasons but because I also suffer from debilitating migraines, which are very sporadic and I wake with a headache every morning like a hangover but not one because I haven't drank. So i am have started a brutally honest food and drink diary to see what might be triggering them. I agree with cooking from scratch so you can control how much sugar you are using.

This is not a specific, no sugar diet as such but the Louise Parker Lean for Life plan is amazing.

l have been a sugar addict my whole life despite having slim parents who rarely had sweet things in the house, l have always craved sugar and anything sweet.

I got away with it for many years weight wise, as l was very active ( and young) and also liked healthy main meals and not junk food,( rather have chicken salad than pizza)
but always has desserts, cakes, biscuits and chocolate, with an uncontrollable taste for sweets.

As l have got older l collected 2 stone on the way, despite cutting my sugar intake to a quarter of the amount.

So l tried the Luoise Parker method, all fresh ingredients, very tasty, easy quick meals, nothing processed, requires some cooking and efficient shopping....but not only have l lost 10LB in a fortnight, for the first time in my life l have no cravings! none, it is unbelievable for me as this sugar craving dominated my day.

I felt extremely tired for the first two days, so start on a weekend, but had no other effects, my stiff joints have noticeably improved and my mood is much calmer.... l intend to continue without any deviations for 8 weeks which should get the 2 stone off, but this is now how l want to eat (and feel) forever so will stay close to eating this way.

It has really worked for me in stopping the sugar cravings and l genuinely don't feel hungry or deprived. Just get the book and give it a try.

I've cut down on refined sugars massively, like with my tea and coffee I only have one teaspoon of sugar (unless it's Assam then I still need two teaspoons) and trying to limit my natural sugar intake, by eating more vegetables (I do love a fruit smoothie though)

I have, because I had no choice due to it giving me headaches, but I was very, very tired for months until my energy levels crept back up to where they were when I was eating lots of sugar.

I don't feel better, more energetic, for having kicked the habit, I only feel better because of the effects it's had (no more headaches, fat loss, increased strength etc.).

It's great that some people do feel better for it, and often quite quickly, but to anyone considering it I would say: that may not be the case for you. In fact you may feel a lot worse for a while. For myself, I would say it was well worth that and I'd go through it again, but that's a personal choice. If you feel worse and that worries you, and certainly if you're only getting worse and not making any improvement at all, do see your GP.

It kind of makes me sad that so much processed sweet stuff tastes horrible to me now, because it did genuinely bring me pleasure in the past, but that's far outweighed by how much easier it makes it not to get hooked again.

I gave up on 3rd January after reading David Gillespie sweet poison and Dr Robert Lustig Fat Chance.

I was going to mention the thread in weight loss, but mrsrisotto got there first!

I am still eating carbs, but only wholemeal, sourdough etc without added sugar and low sugar versions. I still have pasta and rice, but keeping an eye on how often.

Just had my lunch of peanut butter (whole nut no added sugar) on Sourdough or rye toast.

What I would say as well is that I hardly snack anymore. I used to eat almost constantly, 'healthy snacks' like low fat yoghurts. But now I am full until my next meal. I still eat fruit, but limit to two pieces a day.

Sort of for the last 2 weeks. Did a 5 day bikini diet and no sugar allowed on that. Am now just eating healthily and decided to not eat it as far as I can. I don't ever have sugar in my tea or drink sugary drinks. Don't have a big sweet tooth so fairly easy for me until dry January is over, I take that wine classed as sugar?

Aye. Only have it ocassionally

I have 2 pieces of fruit a day but after a meal so no blood sugar spike between meals and I NEVER eat anything between meals. I don't eat anything that is market as 'low fat'(they compensate with sugar often')I've been on plain Greek yoghurt, brown rice and brown pasta for months now and wholemeal bread for decades. They really help you feel full and release energy slowly so you don't get those sugar cravings.
SNACKING INDUSTRY IS THE ENEMY. Nobody NEEDS to snack unless you have a medical condition and have been told to do so.

Splenda is the only sweetener that doesnt remind me of wartime saccharin ;really works combine with cracker type biscuits

Well I've really cut down today and it's been fine but then I have allowed fruit so that's given me my sweet fix I suppose. Have also had carbs which I know have sugar in. Really difficult to know where to stop and still have food to eat!

I've not missed the biscuits today and chocolate I normally have for an evening snack so that must be good. (Oh I even turned down a glass of wine earlier!)

I'm coming to the end of my 3rd week without sugar. Felt awful to start with - very tired, irritable and headachy. I'd love to say that I feel great now, but I feel exactly how I used to when eating sugar.

I can recommend Epsom Salt baths in the evening; passes the time, makes you sleepy and is supposed to draw out toxins I think.

There is also a very good group if you're on facebook - I Quit Sugar. They do an 8 week plan which you pay for, but their free daily articles are really informative. Such as dry white wine and red are v low in fructose, so ok in small quantities!! (I haven't tried this out as been doing Dry Jan too)

I'm going to carry on as I can't bear to think what I've been doing to my insides, and hopefully I'll start to feel fantastic soon!

Hell no! Tried and given up so often and failed VERY early days on each attempt (unless maybe you have willpower of steel and no one to mislead you!).

but because so many foods contain sugar! Stuff you don't expect like sauces, bread, stock, crisps, and masses of other foods I used to blithely pop in my mouth.

This is the issue. I cook totally from scratch 99% of the time. Partly as I am genuinely gluten free and have been for 25 years. But I read the labels of everything I buy- I won't buy certain / most fresh soups as they have sugar in (some added, but they do have to list natural sugars in veg too, so that's confusing.)

I make my own stock from a chicken carcass because cubes contain sugar, I never buy crisps or sweets. I do eat 1 slice a day of gluten free bread but the sort I have is very low in sugar.

It IS possible to do it. The most basic step is to cut it out of tea etc. You're up to your 'allowance' of 5 teaspoons a day just with that !

You need to re-educate the way you approach food, stop buying ready made stuff except once in a blue moon, stop snacking unless it's nuts or something like that, stop buying sweets (no one needs them) etc.

It's not that hard- just change the way you shop!

I also think it's not necessary to obsess over it. I am very low sugar on 5-6 days a week (maybe 1 teaspoon in total of 'added' sugar' a day, sometimes none) but at a weekend I'll have a small portion of a desert. By small, I mean something like 1-2 tablespoons, not a huge bowlful.
I think fruit is ok but I struggle to eat a banana and rarely buy grapes as they are very high in sugar.

Blueberries, apples and avocados are my go-to every day.

Fruit also contains fibre and essential vitamins so I think 2/3 pieces a day is ok, just try to eat with a meal to avoid too many blood sugar spikes and falls. I would never juice either because you lose all that fibre in the skins and get too much sugar in a few gulps.

Fuffapster
What were your health reasons please.
I too get the sugar cravings after a meal.
Always have.

Dowser

I PMed you.