AIBU to think giving up sugar is really hard? If you’ve done it, what do you eat?

[Hallomother]

I really want to do this as I get bad migraines and think sugar is a trigger. I never used to eat much aside from natural sugar but during lockdown went a bit mad and now feel so
Lethargic and sluggish.. but I seem to crave it!!

What kind of thing do you eat if you don’t eat sugar? I want to put a bit of a plan together

I’d like to cut down on refined sugar rather than give it up. No migraines here and I genuinely enjoy it, not just crave it, but I’m worried that if I go on the way I am (lots of chocolate every day is the main problem) the choice will be taken out of my hands in the form of diabetes.

Anyone here had any success in cutting down rather than eliminating it entirely?

Yes but fruit does at least have fibre and vitamins etc so it’s hardly the same as eating a bag of Haribo!

@Comtesse

Yes but fruit does at least have fibre and vitamins etc so it’s hardly the same as eating a bag of Haribo!

Not as much as veg does.

Okay well I’ve managed day two thus far. And it’s not been too tricky actually. I haven’t eliminated entirely but I have drastically cut down.

Things will go a bit wobbly for the next three days as we have guests and are doing afternoon tea etc but I’m going to see if I can still reduce what I have compared to what I would normally. I shall report back

I feel hugely better for it regardless. Heaps more energy and weight has fallen off me

For me all or nothing works. I can’t self-regulate, if there are biscuits, or a share bag of Maltesers etc in the house I will eat the whole pack in one sitting.

However if I know I’m not allowed ANY then it’s easier to put it out of my head.

Not sure science agrees with you - fruit sugar has exactly the same effect on your body as any other sugar. Especially if you aren’t eating it on an empty stomach.

But fruit comes with additional benefits that chocolate doesn’t, and it doesn’t come with the additional disadvantages of an UPF.

Full fat Greek yoghurt, just a small amount as it's really filling, with about 6 raspberries and 6 cashew nuts. Good amount of protein and keeps you full for longer.

@phishy

For me all or nothing works. I can’t self-regulate, if there are biscuits, or a share bag of Maltesers etc in the house I will eat the whole pack in one sitting.

However if I know I’m not allowed ANY then it’s easier to put it out of my head.

I’m exactly the same. If it’s in the house, I cannot think about anything else. It’s easier for me mentally, to go cold turkey, even if it does make me feel horrific for the first week.

Another bootcamper here. I haven't eaten sugar for months. If I feel really like I want something I have plain full fat Greek yogurt and strawberries
Or a spoonful of peanut butter

As I said earlier, modern fruit, especially tropical fruit, is now cultivated to be very sweet as that is what makes people to buy them.

The sugar in fruit is fructose and once consumed, it turns into glucose which will make your blood sugar to sky rocket and in turn your body to pump a tonne of insulin. If you are overweight/obese or otherwise insulin resistant, this is detrimental on your health. The benefit of fibre and vitamins that come from a fruit is neglible compared to the damage the fructose will do.
You can have vitamins and fibre from many other sources than just fruits.

To OP and PP, maybe cut fruit and other sources of sugar for a couple of weeks and see if it makes a difference. Don’t focus on the thought that these can’t be consumed for ever.

I don't eat any fruit other than berries occasionally but I eat at least four portions of green veg a day. I buy loads of nutella\choc chip cookies etc for the kids and it doesn't ever cross my mind to eat one.

@phishy Same here. I’ve learnt to accept that I can’t self regulate. For me it definitely helps to have good boundaries with what was is on my allowed list to eat and more importantly what is good for my health. A willy nilly “no food is forbidden” approach doesn’t work for me.

The food industry also makes self regulation very difficult. In fact they spend millions in order to make us crave and over eat.

I dont have migraines or anything but i would really love to cut out refined sugar and be overall more healthy. I have tried a few times and i always seem to cave on Day 3 or 4 😔
I am an emotional/binge eater!

Keep us posted OP!

Why do people think refined sugar is the issue? It’s all the sugar. The rice, the potatoes, pasta, bread, honey, fruit - all does exactly the same thing once the sugar hits your system.

@NavigatingAdolescence

Why do people think refined sugar is the issue? It’s all the sugar. The rice, the potatoes, pasta, bread, honey, fruit - all does exactly the same thing once the sugar hits your system.

I’d guess because food containing other sugars have some nutritional value. If there’s a lot of sugar in your diet it makes sense to start any reduction with things like sugary drinks and snacking on biscuits. It’s also easy to enjoy things like berries and bananas in moderation, unlike chocolate.

I’m concerned about the level of sugar in my diet, but I wouldn’t be if I could cut out chocolate and similar snacks.

I’ve done it before and it’s fine once you get past the initial few days. It’s brutal at the start though!

I need to go back to it but like you have relied on sugar hugely in the pandemic.

@NavigatingAdolescence

Why do people think refined sugar is the issue? It’s all the sugar. The rice, the potatoes, pasta, bread, honey, fruit - all does exactly the same thing once the sugar hits your system.

You're right that all refined carbs are bad for you but sugar is 50% made up by fructose, which affects your body in a different and more damaging way than the glucose found in most carbs.

NavigatingAdolescence
Why do people think refined sugar is the issue? It’s all the sugar. The rice, the potatoes, pasta, bread, honey, fruit - all does exactly the same thing once the sugar hits your system

That statement is so simplistic and really not one any dietitian or would agree with.

@LizzieSiddal

NavigatingAdolescence Why do people think refined sugar is the issue? It’s all the sugar. The rice, the potatoes, pasta, bread, honey, fruit - all does exactly the same thing once the sugar hits your system

That statement is so simplistic and really not one any dietitian or would agree with.

Hmmmm. I work in the NHS where the dietitians will sign off on low fat mayo and packet soup over fresh.

You're right that all refined carbs are bad for you but sugar is 50% made up by fructose, which affects your body in a different and more damaging way than the glucose found in most carbs.

What different way? It is the fastest form of sugar to hit the blood stream and get the insulin hit, but all sugar is stored as glycogen.

I’m so tired I have nothing left in the tank to prep food when I finally finish running round at about 9.30 :( I don’t see how it’s possible to break free of it

I'm loving all the info in this thread. Iv just finished day 3 of low carb/no sugar and instantly always feel better. Wake up easier/less groggy. Less brain fog. More energy.

@LizzieSiddal

NavigatingAdolescence Why do people think refined sugar is the issue? It’s all the sugar. The rice, the potatoes, pasta, bread, honey, fruit - all does exactly the same thing once the sugar hits your system

That statement is so simplistic and really not one any dietitian or would agree with.

It's what dd is learning in biology GCSE atm! I think it's a fact that carbs are metabolised into sugars?

But GCSE biology will be simplistic. Yes all cards contain sugars but any dietician will tell you that some sugars are better than others. Many of the world’s population have a carb as their main source of food, it doesn’t make them fat! There’s much more to it than “All carbs/sugars are bad”. Every vegetable has sugars in them, we aren’t going to put vegetables in the same “bad food” category as a Mars bar are we?

Many carbs are very good for you as part of a balanced diet.