Sugar

[Lazyi]

It’s embarrassing and ridiculous, but I am addicted to sugar. Had a massive binge yesterday, ate 100g of sweets, massive slice of cake, a pack of cookies and a scone with jam and cream. Now getting night sweats and massive energy slumps. I’ve been addicted to alcohol in the past, and the feeling of cravings is similar. The buck stops here. Please help support me and join me if you wish. This is day one on my sugar free journey.

@Lazyi I would be mindful eating dates to be honest if you are trying to give up sugar. 100g dates have more sugar than 100g dairy milk chocolate. In my experience you will find it much easier if you cut out sweet food. You will come to crave your ‘allowed’ sources of sugar exactly how you crave sweets and chocolate, and they are just as calorific and the sugar does exactly the same in your body.

I had an awful day yesterday. I was absolutely tired to my bones when I got in from work. I stopped at Lidl to get milk and I bought a bag of mini eggs which I ate before I got home, and then that fully fired up the sugar monster and I just could not stop eating. I ate so much crap!

today, much better. I made myself drink 2 pints of water before work and a decent drink at lunchtime, then two when I got home. My food has been good, not tracked calories or anything but just ate my meals and nothing else and had Quite a lot of fruit and veg. It didn’t satisfy me though.

I must admit I am looking forward to having a glass of wine tomorrow night and this weekend I really need to catch up on some sleep, get a long run in, and plan all my food and workouts for next week.

@FatGirlTriesAgain23 … you can do it!!
day 4 here. Done and in bed.
talk to you all tomorrow

I have the low sugar stuff but tend to avoid it. Take a supplement instead?

Can you talk to me more about moderator and moderator genes please

@thenewaveragebear1983 … I know what you mean about dates, but that’s 100g of dates in a whole pudding, so I have about 1/10th of that at a time. I don’t think I am able to eat a whole pudding made of natural ingredients in the same easy I would eat a while chocolate bar, or a whole pack of cookies. I will keep an eye on it though… I have been known to eat icing sugar out of the tub, so if I find myself hoovering up the dates, I will amend my approach. Gosh, this is so tragic… being addicted to sugar is not very rock and roll is it??!!

This is the issue companies like slimming world have got wrong for many years. I remember well back in the 90’s the message was avocado is bad but our own chocolate bars are good. Avocado I enjoy and can eat half of one mixed with prawns and salad. Choc bars I could eat many and still go back for more there was no off switch.

dates are ok as they have fibre that counteracts the sugar so prevents the sugar spikes and are full of antioxidants and other beneficial things. It is also as @Lazyi said virtually impossible to eat too many dates whereas we all know how easy it is to blow through a family bar of chocolate so the body controls it naturally.

‘ With dates’ should be at the end of previous post

I know it seems drastic but I honestly can’t do it by just stopping sugar, I have to reduce all carbs and especially simple carbs like white pasta etc otherwise that will give me sugar cravings. Don’t quote me but I think your body pretty much responds to simple carbs and sugar in the same way.
i can only do it by massively reducing carbs too then I feel free of it and the cravings aren’t there

although I’m not a great example as pretty much existing on nuts, dark chocolate. Cheese and air fryer courgette at the moment 😆

Sounds like you have all the major food groups there 😂

Just that it’s not in my make up to moderate. I don’t know if it is an actual thing 😂 my family are not moderators, it’s probably as much nurture as nature. We all seem to either be all or nothing, with binge eating tendencies, but also the capacity to be incredibly strict if required or if the mood is right. For example, my dad did 5 full years sugar free; I managed nearly 6 months of strict paleo. But again, that’s not moderation is it?

I do sort of agree with you, however it is completely possible to eat far, far too much of anything, even if it has fibre in it. Dates are still probably not the best choice for someone giving up sugar as they are so high in sugar. There are other fruits that are better as they have less glucose, less fructose, more fibre and more water per 100g and similar amounts of beneficial antioxidants etc,

for me as a sugar addict, I will eat sugary foods way past feeling full and feeling sick. I will eat protein and fat way past feeling sick and feeling full, because we frequently override our body’s natural ‘no’ because we addicted. Dates are a real trigger food for me as they are so sweet. Just saying that as other people reading this thread to quit May find that they cannot moderate consumption of dates (or other dried or very sweet fruits) and feel that they are doing something wrong if they struggle. If you can eat them, and want to, then that’s great but lots of people trying sugar free and low carb diets will avoid them 100%.

Have got through the day without sugar but have got to dinner time and had a glass of wine. (I barely drink normally.) It's like my brain won't let me get through the day without some kind of crutch. I have such a messed up relationship with food, I feel like I'm seriously punishing myself if I don't pig out... 😩

Day 5 done.
I felt euphoric today, really with it.
I know that I’m on a bit of a high from succeeding, and that some times will come when I just want to eat sugar, so I hura need to try to remember how much better I feel without it.

how are y’all getting on?

@cravingtoblerone …you had one glass of wine! That’s great… much better than a pack of cookies or a whole big bar of chocolate. Well done! When I was drinking, I could never have just one glass of wine, so hats off to you!

@thenewaveragebear1983 … good advice. We are all different with different triggers. I will keep the date consumption under watch. Luckily I don’t really like them on their own!

Day 6!
hardest day yet, energy slump mid afternoon,… had a kids oatbar made with apple purée which was ok

Please listen to the Michael Moseley 'Just one thing" podcast on Sugar. It's on BBC sounds. I found it very helpful.

@EducatingArti , yes, I have done, thank you! It’s interesting.

So, I have done a week. How are the resting of you getting on?

@NewDiag
@Nimbostratus100
@cravingtoblerone
@AutumnScream
@FatGirlTriesAgain23
@hadenoughforever
@MotherOfCatBoy

Let me know how you are all getting on?
In the past, I have had massive weekend energy slumps, and I was hoping that this would be cured by going sugar free... it was better, but not cured.
I was starving last night, and really craving sugar, but instead had some drinks of water and some wholesead bread with marge.. not the most healthy but at least it isn't just empty calories like the chocolate or sweets i would normally be chowing down.

@Lazyi I fell off the wagon yesterday. Had a Nakd bar (not choc but dates etc so still very high in sugar) and a couple of biscuits.

However, back on the wagon today. God this is SO hard. My problem is trying to override that part of my brain that feels like it's a punishment if I don't have a sweet treat....

@cravingtoblerone - is it worth 'allowing' naakd bars for now? Again, they are at least 'real food' and you cant easily eat 10 of them in the same way you can a whole pack of cookies?

Otherwise, can you do a re-set and recommit? Can you tell I'm super keen to have a few more people on my journey with me.

Be good to yourself.

Hello, can I join you? I've been listening to a sugar hypnosis video for a few days and I think it's been helping. I'm not a big eater of pasta, rice and bread, for me the carb issue is very much things that taste sweet. I've been stress eating for a few years and I really need to turn the tide.

Hi @HamFrancisco ! What video have you used?

what do you think your triggers and and what can you do to minimise them?

It's this one:

My trigger is stress primarily. I feel I deserve stuff like biscuits when I'm busy or struggling to be motivated at work.