To ask if cutting out sugar really makes a difference?

[Tobythecat]

I eat way too much sugar and lack energy/feel tired a lot, mood swings and sugar crashes. Bloods are always normal so i think my diet is the issue.

If i cut out all sugar, will i honestly notice much of a difference in my overall health? What, if any benefits did you notice after cutting out sugar and how long until you noticed the effects?

How did you manage it Chicken? How long did it take to adjust your tastebuds/deal with the withdrawal etc? I'm planning on doing the same on 3rd January and I've read/reading a few "sugar is poison" books suggested in a different thread and it all makes sense. I'm terrified though!

I am interested in people's experiences of this

I’m the biggest sugar addict ever and I didn’t get any withdrawal symptoms or issues- but lots of people do. Paul Mckenna’s book on quitting sugar is very simple but contains a lot of information on why sugar is so bad for you.

Yes I’ve done it-I found going cold turkey for a month helps to sort of re-set the system. No sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no flour. You can have whole fruit if you count it into your carb allowance but not dried or juiced Low carb high fat is what I do. Cos the fat is the “treat” part and psychologically it’s more doable. I go for 70g carbs a day but you could start on 100g. So for about 2 weeks I will be v tired and craving sugar and feel depressed. But then you just aren’t hungry any more!

Also I’ve been reading about triggers so certain things trigger an urge for sugar. Eg being tired, bored or stressed for me so I’ve had to make changes eg get an earlier night, remove DD’s inappropriate snacks from the house, not eat her leftovers (macaroni cheese 😭)

The western diet contains way more sugar than it used to. Sugar used to be a treat, but now it’s in everything and it’s as addictive as cocaine.

I love sweet things but as of today I’m giving up sugar for a month. The only sugar I’ll eat is the amount that’s in brown bread and what’s in fruit and veg.

I want to see if it works. I’m hoping it will improve my pcos and I have gained over a stone in a year and want to shed it again.

I’m buying loads of fruit and veg and nuts to help fight cravings, and I will be only eating whole grain bread, rice and pasta.

I’m going to try to keep my carb intake the same.

I will let you know how I get on!

Yes, masses. I sleep better, feel better, less digestive issues, regular menstrual cycle, more balanced moods/hormones, less hungry, very rarely overreat, it's changed my life.

I have been following the Blood sugar diet for the last 18 weeks, as I was in the obese category and borderline T2 diabetic. I am now 2 stones lighter, much slimmer, and healthier. I was even able to manage on holiday in Greece, because the Mediterranean diet is ideal. Even from the third week into the diet I could appreciate the difference in alertness first thing on waking, and my energy levels didn’t flag through the day.

For me, it is working as I even lost a pound over Christmas week. I don’t want the foods I shouldn’t have, even when people are eating them in front of me. DH has mostly eaten the same as me and has also lost weight, and can fit into some trousers that were too tight at the waist. I can go for 4 hours between meals without craving something.

I'm reading with interest, as I started a thread recently called "I get a physical high from eating shit food" - and ultimately, it seemed that heavily moderating my sugar intake was a good start.

I'm a 4 stone overweight binge eater and a secret eater, so for the few weeks leading up to Christmas I did not touch my usual go-to secret foods - cake, chocolate, sweets etc. I also cut down on artificial sweeteners, purely to wean myself off that sweet taste.

When I felt the urge to eat, I went for fat and protein - plenty of meat, and I developed a taste for cheese. I eat veggies and fruit but have to keep it moderate as my IBS is sensitive to fibre.

I didn't weigh myself beforehand and I didn't really cut down on carbs (I ate less bread, but mainly due to the sugar content). I chose foods with less than 5g sugar per 100g.

In 4 weeks I noticed that my clothes seemed a little looser - I could zip my boots all the way to the top for example, rather than having to leave the top inch undone. I also saw someone I hadn't seen in a few months, and she exclaimed that I had lost loads of weight. I looked cynical and thought she was talking bollocks, but she insisted. My DH remarked slightly doubtfully that I "felt" smaller (i.e when he hugged me).

And the clincher, my physio - he pulls my pants down to expose the top of my arse for ultrasound (as they do, charming), and as he's staring into my bum crack he states simply "You have lost weight."

So I've no idea how much weight it was, I suspect just inches, but in a matter of a few weeks I looked noticabely smaller by eating a shit load of cheese but very limited sugar.

Christmas has obviously caused a small setback, but I'm back on it tomorrow.

*noticeably. My autocorrect is correcting to my own typo.

Limiting sugar totally makes a difference! Removing all sweetners is more important. I don’t add sugar to tea but if I did I’d rather add sugar than any of the alternatives. The sweetners are worse. ( Read Dr. Mercola )

Bare in mind that sugar is sugar so whether it is from an apple or a cake the quantity is the same within the body. I keep my in take to no more than 25g per day and often it is much much less and will just be naturally occuring in the foods I eat.

My next door neighbour had diabetes for many years, he had been on medication for it but it was only getting worse. He followed the 8 week blood sugar diet after the nurse recommended it and within a few months was borderline diabetic. Last time I spoke he is no longer diabetic.

It’s great to see the blood sugar diet worked for you! My neighbour followed it who had diabetes for years and it was getting worse and is no longer diabetic.

Just goes to show!

I cut sugar out one day randomly, figured I was eating too much! About three days later I fainted at work. Got up, about 40 mins later fainted again. Venders are taken over by the gym downstairs so only sugar free drinks in there so I ended up eating a fuck load of biscuits and finally felt okay.

Wean yourself!!!!

@TheDarkPassenger I think that's a worrying response to removing sugar from your diet - sugar is not unique - the body uses starch/other carbs in much the same way - had you cut out all carbs? because that does take a bit of adjustment but if that was your reaction to just sugar, I would speak to a doctor.

@leaveby10

I did.. my gran and uncle are diabetic. The doctor didn’t really give a shit tbh, took some blood, felt my glands and bye bye

@TheDarkPassenger - some doctors are shit - would it be worth getting a second opinion?

• cut out

Sorry I lost my whole post.

My suggestion was to start by cutting out refined sugar (so no cakes, biscuits, choc, crisps, no alcohol, no sauces in jars, no ready meals, no take outs, no shop bought sandwiches etc) and portion controlling carb. Get used to that, see how you feel and then see if you want to adopt a more serious Keto diet.

@leaveby10

Sorry missed that last comment!

My doctor tends to scoop everything under the ‘she’s got bipolar so it’s obviosuly anxiety causing any kind of health issue she comes in with’ I’m pretty sure I could walk in with a melanoma covering my entire face and they would say it’s stress.

If I ever have anything seriously wrong it has to get to me being blue lighted to hospital before they take me seriously. It makes my anxiety actually worse!!