A sugar free month - anyone else fancy giving it a go?

[HearMyRoar]

I Have been thinking about giving up sugar for a long time now but haven't really felt ready. I have decided that now is the time and so am aiming for a sugar free month from the 6 january.

I figured starting with a month seemed less scary then giving it up forever and reasonably achievable... I hope :o

Still working out my rules but currently they are:

No sugar
No sugar substitutes
No processed food with any sort of sugar or sugar substitute in

So pretty simple so far. I am not giving up the carbs so still eating rice, bread, etc (I am nowhere near ready for boot camp). Also planning on still eating lots of fruit though probably not juice. All this is open to negotiations and suggestions.

Anyone fancy joining me? Go on....please... Anyone...

Good to read all your experiences. Pantomime no 2 today - I went with good intentions and even packed a half time snack. I said not for me thank you when Ice creams were suggested and back came an ice cream which I then ate.

On the plus side it did taste different, almost too sweet and I haven't thought oh well lets have a chocolate bar in that case as it is all ruined now so not the end of the world but just annoyed with myself (and a bit with fil who was after all trying to be nice....)

I went sugar free for two years for health reasons, I started by going onto a yeast free/anti candida diet. I had a lot of other restrictions, reacting to various foods. It ended up being a blood cancer causing my thrush, as I've got better I've added foods back, but only just onto full sugar but have lost a lot of weight and don't like some things anymore. Seems to be the newest fad, it's very hard to stick to, I only managed because I was poorly and it made symptoms worse.

For something sweetish I ate American pancakes (made with yoghurt. Co-op recipe) with creme fraiche and stewed desert apples. Quite calorific but no sugar.

Hi all - I'm still here. Struggling, but not as much as I'd thought. Like HearMyRoar I'm all-or-nothing.

But being nothing at the moment (no sugar and no wheat) - today alone I saved myself from Apple Pie, custard, marshmallows (the white ones from 2 big bags - using pink ones for fairy cakes for DC's birthday...), a good lick of the bowl, 2 crumpets, at least 2 choccie bars, and a heck of a lot more.

3lbs lost this week (I used to eat ALOT of sugary snacks). Feel REALLY good. Just need the momentum to keep it up. 2 stone to loose in total. Stepped up exercise too.

Crikey hanloumac - can't believe your blood cancer causing thrush. Quite worrying. Hope you are OK now.

I do believe sugar is addictive as nicotine, alcohol, other stuff. And we can't get away from it! No just need to try and wean DH & DC's off it a bit without them noticing ...

Keep it up everyone !!!

Well done gingangoolie :-)

I slipped only once yesterday with a glass of champagne (not sugary, I guess, but I am trying not to drink alcohol either).

Impressive gingang! I'm doing ok with the no sugar, apart from one biscuit yesterday, my only slip ups have been when I've eaten something savoury and realised subsequently it contained sugar. The stuff is everywhere!

I was originally planning to give up wheat too for the last two weeks of January, but I'm on hols this week so have put that back to next week.

Hi all! I think I have now pretty much made it through the worst of the withdrawals and am starting to feel pretty good. Also I am snacking less which is good.

Still having the occasional craving but trying to just plow on through.

I'm not being so strict on hidden sugars (eg. In pasta sauce), but haven't had any cakes, biscuits, alcohol etc, except for one slice of chocolate log which my son made.... Was tempted with alcohol yesterday. Not sure whether fruit juice is good or bad - I always thought it was good but recently it seems it's a hidden sugar.

Invicta - me neither on hidden sugar - life has to be lived. But I saw a programme the other day that even freshly squeezed fruit juice has as much sugar as cola etc. Frightening. I've managed to cut it out, including fruit. I've stepped-up the veggies, and making my own veg juice in the morning. If you go for it, perhaps dilute ?

good going Hear - I've got bad cravings this eve, but will draw on you to plough on through too ...

I'm in, have a few stone to lose and keep joining slimming clubs and failing miserably. I have realised that 90% of the time, I don't even enjoy chocolate(even though I eat it until I feel sick). I don't eat much bread anyway, I am planning to drink red wine in moderation, limited fruit, and cut out sugar, cakes, sweets and biscuits., Cheese, nuts, ryvita, greek yog for snacks and three proper meals

Fruit juice is bad news - and a fairly easy one to cut out I think.

Day 15 for me and I have successfully lasted two weeks without sugar! Well, apart from the stuff that crept uninvited into stuff it really shouldn't be in, and a couple of times I forgot what I was doing and had a mouthful - usually of something the kids were having.

Still planning on doing the rest of the month - anyone else?

Well done womnaleplus and good luck devilinside. I am still here too. Made guacamole today to have on toast for lunch. Yum. Nice to discover some sugar free things that were not so good on low fat diets I have been on.

Yes - still in for the month W & N. We CAN do it!

Heinz baked beans are 5% sugar. Why??????

Yum, homemade guacamole is great with scrambled eggs for breakfast.

Sounds delicious. I am also guilty of accidental bites of dd's food only to realise it is a jam sandwich or something.

Worked in a different office to my usual today and I really don't like workinbng there. Ended up sitting there with huge sugar cravings all day. Was so hard!

Tell me about it - we're on holiday at the moment and everyone had rather delicious looking icecreams today!

Just checking in. Am doing well and even losing the taste for sugar - just bit into a brioche and had to bin it as too sweet. Feel slightly better - more energy, less podgy, but skin still bad. (not getting any sleep thanks to the DC...).
Can you help me please:
Need more ideas for quick snacks.
Also, have cut out cake, biscuits, chocolate and bread (pretty much, there's been the odd slip, but one biscuit rather than one packet of biscuits!). What should I add to this list? Already avoid fruit juice. Was thinking crisps (not sugar, but make me fat) and baked beans.

oh yes, and alcohol is for weekends only. Maybe in Feb I'll limit that to Sat nights only...

Why do you avoid bread gladbags? Have I missed something?

I slipped with a croissant and jam this morning by mistake. Otherwise, doing well and feeling good.

Hot chocolate has sugar. Cocoa is okay.

Bread contains sugar to help the yeast. There is a discussion on it either higher up on this thread, or on another recent thread about sugar. Home made bread is better.

Some people are cutting out obvious sugared products ( including me) such as sakes biscuits etc. Some people are doing it more indepth and cutting out hidden sugar-contains products. Eg. Beans,

Forgot to say, I had a hot chocolate at a friends, but apart from that, am doing well.

Baked beans have a shocking amount of sugar in.

I've just eaten a large bowl of live Greek yoghurt, cream and chopped up strawberries, which really felt like dessert. Very indulgent.

As of Monday, I am also going to be dropping wheat. I've been really pleased with my efforts so far in terms of weight loss (will be doing another weigh in on Sunday but lost 3lbs after the first week), but losing less on the old belly than I'd like.

Really impressed with everyone's sticking power. For me, I think the fact that it's so simple has really helped me stay with it. Rather than a whole long list if dos and don'ts, the simple, "Does it have sugar in it? Yes? Then no thank you" has made it easier for me to make healthy choices.

Vogel's bread has no added sugar and is super yum. Even dh says he doesnt like other bread now as it taste of nothing.

I eat a lot of nuts and dairy. Had brie on pumpkin seed ryvita last night instead of usual Friday night chocolate and it was lovely. Felt creamy and indulgent enough. Also found kettle chips lightly salted only have potato, salt and sunflower oil in so had some of them as a Friday treat.

I agree won, it is at least nice and simple in terms of rules. I also find that much easier.

Went to the dentist and didn't even need a clean, sure not eating any sugar for 2 weeks has to have helped there. Also my skin is really starting to look much better. Yay!