Anyone successfully cut out sugar for good?

[Thedropout456]

It's hard as it's in absolutely everything. Around 4 years ago I successfully managed it for around a month, very little sugar in any case, no refined sugar.
However I'm definitely addicted to it. I find the day boring if I don't have a nice cake, chocolate bar or biscuits.
I'm ok in terms of drinks, it's just the cakes and so on as I say.
At work we've got an abundance of free sugary stuff which doesn't help, can help yourself to fresh cakes, chocolate bars, ice cream and so on (luckily it's my last day there on Monday!)
Yesterday I was there and ruined it by having 2 cupcakes so then ended up buying a bag of haribo on the way home.
In moderation it's ok but I know ATM it won't be doing me any good. I'm a healthy weight, BMI 21, though my belly has got a bit of fat and is a bit wobbly.
My skin is fairly clear apart from a cluster of spots I get on my chin very frequently, so I have just started taking the pill again to see if it helps.
But I really need to beat this addiction, I wondered if anyone else had the same problem and has managed to beat it. I just want to cut it out for good

There's little compelling evidence sugar is addictive outside of animal studies which mainly use rats.

Cutting out sugar (and refined carbs and UPF) has quite literally changed my life. I look and feel so much better, no more cravings, and I enjoy food (i mostly eat fresh vegetables and lean protein) so much more.

This book helped me - it includes useful information about why we are addicted to sugar, plus lots of nice recipes. I highly recommend it:

https://archive.org/details/bloodsugarsoluti0000hyma_e7w4

This doctor has a lot of interesting talks about sugar YouTube

Nope.

I'm currently down to near-zero as part of a low-carb diet. I find that after a couple of days the mad-intense cravings disappear. But there is still a lower-level yearning, which explains why I have fallen off the wagon in the past despite feeling lots better without sugar.
My guess is that the very intense cravings (which sometimes almost seem completely ungovernable, like a drug addiction) are a result of the distortions sugar creates in our balance of hormones relating to digestion, blood-sugar etc. And the lower-level cravings are a combination of dopamine and habituation.

It is probably helpful to cut out carb-rich foods at the same time as cutting out sugar, because these too contribute to the cravings.

@Vegetus Of course sugar is addictive. That’s because everything can be addictive-it’s possible to form an unhealthy relationship with literally anything. Maybe you’re saying that you can’t be physically dependent on sugar? Well, that’s wrong too. You would literally die if your brain didn’t get glucose every 90 minutes and, thank goodness, our bodies have mechanisms to deal with that. The thing is, the phenomenon of “addiction” is psychologically and physiologically very complex and depends very much on the individual. Table sugar may not itself be habit forming, beyond a basic metabolic need, but individuals can be sensitive to different experiences and may seek to repeat them. If the OP feels like her relationship with sugar is problematic and wants to reduce her intake then there’s nothing wrong with that.

Yep, I have PCOS and insulin resistance and I had a bad sugar and carb addiction in my teens. Went on a totally unprocessed diet for 3 months about 10 years ago - hardest thing of my life but I felt so unhealthy and needed to do it. Since then I reset my body so I don't really crave sugar/unhealthy carbs at all anymore. I'm not strict and eat what I want but I just changed my habits and know what makes me feel good if that makes sense - no more eating packets of biscuits/tubes of Pringles.

I've cut out added sugar (other than as a special occasion having cake kind of thing) - I don't avoid naturally occurring sugar. The good thing about cutting out added sugar is that you taste naturally occurring sugar much better - even vegetables taste quite sweet once your palate has adjusted.

She had 2 cupcakes and a bag of haribo and is a BMI of 21. Hardly an all consuming addiction is it?

@Vegetus
I’m a nurse working in substance abuse. I’ve worked with alcoholics who haven’t drunk in 20 years and still consider themselves alcoholics. Intake of a substance does not define whether or not someone considers themselves addicted, that’s psychological and unique to the individual-and, tbh, if she really didn’t want to eat them and still felt compelled to do so, that’s a bit worrying.

I managed to get it very low thanks to going low carb for a few years. I still wanted some sweetness so cooked/baked with xylitol which I know some find controversial. I've since reintroduced sugar into my diet with no ill effects but have found my desire for sweet things vastly reduced. I find many things too sweet now and things I used to crave I don't enjoy. So it is possible to retrain your taste buds, it just takes a bit of time.

Thanks for your help, I think it will be about resetting my body as people have said. I need to get a diet plan sorted.

Would you mind sharing more detail about what you eat instead? I struggle with ideas!

Yup 8ish years now- no processed food,no sugar in any form (dextrins,glucose/fructose syrups, no high carb food over 55GI index et ) no high fructose fruit either i eat berries etc

Looking at any uber sweet food is stomach turning- donuts,chocolate,sweets,ice creams ,cakes etc no cravings.

only thing i do occasionally miss is freshly baked bread :) no going there because of sugar,carbs,yeast and im celiac lol

This is a really interesting book, also the Tim Spector research, about ultra-processed food and the gut. Might be worth a read - gave me a lot to think about, in particular how hard I find it to resist crisps and biscuits.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultra-Processed-People-Stuff-That-Isnt/dp/1529900050/ref=monarch_sidesheet

Yes- I started low carb 10 years ago. Before that I was a chocoholic and had intermittent bulimia ( a few times a month probably)- but BMI of 22.

I cut out most carbs apart from veg, berries and dairy. The cravings stopped after a week or so, every time I reintroduced sugar I would go mad and binge again, also felt terrible.

I don't really think about sweet stuff now. I can now have dark chocolate (85%) without binging- but I don't crave it. My BMI is 20-21 so not much of a change but I've been going through menopause and still stable.

You can def cut out refined sugar. I have for medical reasons
I use maple syrup, honey or date sugar for baking . I don’t eat bought cake/biscuits or upf.
its not easy at all but you can get bread with no sugar (all supermarket bread is full
of crap anyway).
im not saying I’ll stick with it forever but until my medical issue resolves I’ll be doing this. If I manage to get sorted I’ll be less strict but will still avoid obvious sugary food. Apart from my issue I feel very well in general if that makes sense - have loads of energy etc.

The book I mentioned includes lots of recipes! You'll also find a lot of ideas on YouTube and other online resources.

To start with, you could simply substitute the carbs you normally eat with more vegetables, or a limited amount of sweet potatoes or lentils. One great result of a plant focused diet is that your palate changes and learns to appreciate the taste of vegetables. Sugar, carbs and unhealthy fats literally assault your taste buds, which makes vegetables seem boring, even though they are anything but!

So I just eat lots of salads and vegetables, plus lean protein. I try to eat at least 3 vegetables or salad ingredients at each meal and I add things like eggs, olives, nuts, avo ado, pomegranate seeds, garlic, ginger and herbs, as well as a bit of chili to make it more interesting. Dressing is usually lemon juice (and/or balsamic vinegar) and EVOO. Lean protein is mostly marinated chicken breasts, or fish/prawns with lemon and herbs, or an omelette with mushrooms or spinach.

Many of us are also used to eating in a rush, often while we are focused on stuff we are reading or watching on screens. Sitting down and savouring our food makes eating so much more enjoyable, and you're less likely to overeat because you are paying attention and notice when you are full.

No, because why would you want to cut it out completely, forever?

I eat a 80% ketogenic diet. Meats, fish, salad, vegetables, eggs, cheese in moderation.

20% of the time I definitely enjoy DH’s carbonara, great sourdough pizza, a genuinely amazing cake and other stuff that is worth it and makes you feel satisfied.

I absolutely don’t bother making cakes with agave syrup and minced dates. Your body processes it the same. I have a bit of the good stuff, and move on

however, I can do that because I’ve definitely reframed my thinking around food through intermittent fasting and education. I view stuff like mc vities biscuits, mini rolls and Cadbury’s chocolate- all of the readily available stuff on the staff room counter, as ultra-processed shite. Because it is. Literally not worth the cals or blood sugar spike.

I cut out sugar after my third child.
I lost the mum tummy and my mood stabilised. I felt a million times better for it.

it has mens tasting no to all offers of cakes, biscuits, ice cream, birthday cakes over the years but for me having none is the only way to not crave more.

“it has mens tasting no”

it has meant saying no