Sugar addiction - going cold turkey anyone want to join me?!

[vix206]

I am terrible, I have no self control when it comes to sugary and stodgy foods. It is spiralling out of control now and I feel deprived if I don't have something sweet several times a day; cake, chocolate, sweets etc.

I'm not very overweight but I am carrying a few extra pounds, my DS is 21 months old and I am still BFing twice a day but this will stop before he is 2 and I know I can't rely on breastfeeding weight loss for much longer!

I need to put a stop to it, I've asked my husband for help and I've decided to go cold turkey on all the sugary foods I've been eating. I just wondered if anyone else wanted to join me, or has any tips? I've done this before so I expect I'll feel like cr*p for a few days but I know I'll feel better by the middle of next week!

DameFletYouLent, aside from the being pregnant part I could have written everything in your post!!!

Can I join? I have given up as of Friday and still feel very odd. I plan to get the book and see of that helps!
I can hear the biscuits in the cupboard calling my name but I'm going to have a glass of water with ice and lemon

Well I managed to boycott the chocolate digestives which are in my cupboard and instead got peaches in jelly pot. That was yummy and I feel proud of myself (babysteps and all that).

My first day today, managed not to have several a biscuit at mums and tots today and no chocolate since home! Nice weather had definitely helped. It's the evenings I really have to break the habit though...need to maintain willpower once children are in bed!

kat - was your jelly pot sugar-free? Because if not there will have been waaaaaay more sugar in that than in a small pile of choc digestives!

Sugar is definitely addictive, properly addictive. And it's quite frightening how much of it there is in supposedly 'healthy' things like fruit juice, fruit, muesli, even bread. I'd even go so far as to say it's virtually impossible to just 'cut down' on sugar, because the response your body has to it makes you crave it more, so even a small amount makes you need sugary snacks, again and again and again.

Cold turkey is the only way - but that means cutting out a lot more than just ice cream and chocolate.

is a really brilliant vid about sugar and how your body responds to it - it's long (v long!) but well worth a look.

I know what you're saying but having done this a few times I'm going to cut down as it makes enough of a difference for me without too much pain!

tea are you saying we need to cut out all sugar? So no fruit (fresh/dried) at all? There's sugar in milk too, isn't there? That would require the most enormous overhaul of my diet and food shop! What on earth would you eat? Don't things like carrots have sugars in them? Also, at the moment I have to drink tonic water to stop getting awful leg cramps at night, and I refuse to drink the sugar-free versions because I have issues with sweeteners. So since I can't avoid sugar completely, are you saying that cutting out the crappy sugary snacks is going to make jack-all difference?

Dame - I'm not saying it's going to make no difference. Of course not eating cakes and biscuits and icecream will help. Anything that cuts down processed food in our diets is a Good Thing.

But... to your body, sugar is sugar is sugar. It doesn't matter whether it comes from banoffee pie or from freshly-squeezed orange juice, or from bread, it's still sugar, and your body deals with it all in the same way.

I'm not trying to piss on anyone's parade, honest! But it's something to think about.

And as for 'what can I eat?' - those of us on the low-carb threads are managing pretty well (not saying we don't fall off the wagon now and again!) - but keeping your diet low in ALL sugars is surprisingly easy.

Anyway, sorry, didn't mean to butt in. It's just kinda interesting (imo) when you get to thinking about it...

I for one couldn't cope without my fresh fruit :) (or bread!)

I really need to do this too, dame I could've written your post.
I think it's important to look at all the bloodsugar-stabilizing snacks that you can have, rather than all the stuff you can't. I really thing sugarfree is the way to go, healthwise. Shame it's so bloody gorgeous!

vix if I can't have cakes/chocolate/sweets, I too must have fruit!!!

madmomma I know, why does sugar exist at all? It's so unfair!

tea I can't cope with low carbs so will just have to keep my body on as low a sugar level as I possibly can... If I peel the top off hot cross buns are they terrible

I am not bothered tbh. I want to reduce my reliance on biscuits, chocolate, cake etc. If that means I eat fruit (healthy) and have fruit juice (not so healthy but better than cake) I will. My fruit in jelly was certainly better for me than chocolate digestives!

Well, I've not done too badly today. I think my only bad thing was lemon cordial you'll notice I've said nothing about yesterday

I am also not going to worry too much about natural sugars for the moment, though tea makes a good point. I think it'll just make it too hard and I'll end up giving in completely. One step at a time......

Day 1, half hour nap (just crashed) at 7 once children in bed....day no more tiring than normal!! That's really bad if I can't cope one day!

Yes baby steps for me, but I do see exactly what tea is getting at. I just not hardcore enough!

Today I had no naughty foods, my only sugar came from a fresh fruit salad I prepared this morning. Yummy!

I'm not hardcore enough. iPad autocorrect grrr

Well done vix! I've cut down since posting yesterday but will need to wait until I do my next weekly shop before I can cut out more effectively. I need to buy appealing non-sugary, healthy snacks for myself, as I feel starving every couple of hours (shakes fist at expanding belly). Any suggestions beyond fruit? I'm thinking oatcakes and cottage cheese......um....anything else?!

I gave up sugar back in January. I gave up caffeine at the same time, too! It wasn't a good week....!

I have since found several things..

1.Some fruit is way higher in sugar than others. Stick to apples, pears, berries and cherries, and you'll be fine. Keep off bananas and mangoes. Dried fruit is a no no.

1. If you cut out processed food, then you'll be cutting out a lot of sugar.

1. After about 4-6 weeks, you lose your taste for sugar - I had a sip of an Innocent smoothie the other day and almost gagged it was so sweet.

1. Artificial sweeteners can be really bad for you. They are bad for you chemically, but they lull your body into thinking that its got its sweet fix, and then it doesn't happen. Stuff that has low fat and low sugar in them have way more additives in than the full fat stuff.

1. Having been out to supper last night and HAD to have pudding - I can honestly say that once you've had it again - you want more! I have terrible sugar cravings today :(

Blue, have you stuck to no caffeine as well? Thinking I need to cut that too...but sitting here with my americano I'm just not sure I can....

It's so unfair that, having given up sugar for 5 months, one pudding is all it takes to bring back the sugar cravings Well done though blue! That's good advice on the fruit (oops I just ate some raisins).

4-6 weeks feels like a really, really long time! Must get perspective...

Oh blue that's so harsh. You've done so, so well. I really can't imagine doing a single day without sugar. Never had one yet.

I have found even after 4 days I'm able to drink sugarless coffees with no problems so my taste for sugar has already started to go.

I went round my friends house today who has just had a baby and felt I should accept a cupcake. It was strange. I didn't actually enjoy it, it was more a social thing. Like social smoking!! But then they brought out donuts and chocolates and I honestly wasn't at all tempted.

So, feeling quite pleased with today all in all :)

How's everyone else fared?

good going vix!

Sorry not to get back sooner. I'm now on a more even keel sugar-wise, today - and feel better, too.

I'm on an eating plan that tries to regulate your blood sugar levels, so that you don't have these highs and lows in your system, so your body doesn't produce loads of insulin to combat the sugar. Taking all the stress out of your body allows it to lose weight. Simples! I've lost 8cm around my waist.

So.... that involves cutting back - and pref. cutting out all the stuff we eat and drink to give us a boost - namely sugar and caffeine.

I've found it easier to just cut both out, as I've discovered I get a yo-yo effect when I eat sugar especially. (See above post) Trouble is, it is in a LOT of stuff... ketchup, pickles, baked beans - I could go on.

They say it takes 6 weeks to retrain your taste buds, but it looks like Vix has managed it in less! Well done!