Come and join Sugar Free Club. First rule of Sugar Free Club is...er...we don't eat sugar.

[SomewhatSilly]

And that's the only rule, really.

Come one, come all and join us!

mmmm...they sounds like good suggestions Jimmy!

Well, I have had 2 people in the last 3 days comment that I have lost weight. Completely unprompted I might add. My scales are crap so can't say how much this is true but I have just measured myself and dropped about an inch from my waist in the last few weeks or so.

This has cheered my up immensely. :)

That's great A good motivator too, I'm sure.

I've finally found our tape measure. Think it might help when the scales won't budge.

I'm going to give up suagr for lent. I'm doing 5;2, but found myself really craving sugar and realised what a hold it has over me.

Apart from the obvious, like cakes, chocolate etc what else should I avoid? Bread?

It's in everything. You will have to check all labels. Look for ingredients ending in 'ose' too.

I've been pretty shocked when I have found it on the ingredients list for ready made salads, pre cooked roast chicken and tinned sweetcorn for example.

If you allow yourself fat to compensate for the lack of sugar it is pretty bearable eg strawberries and cream.

I am surprised at how I haven't missed it though. Good luck

I'm also giving up sugar for lent. I can't say I'm looking forward to it much! I tried low carbing but I'm veggie and it is just too darned hard. I reckon going sugar free will be tough but is at least achievable! We eat mostly from scratch so it's things like puddings and sweet snacks i'll miss most. I work Friday mornings at a country market and buy a couple of puddings a week "for the children"! My plan for lent is to buy the ones that I don't like!

I generally find that during lent I replace whatever it is I've given up with something equally as nice tasting and bad for me! This year will be different!

Hi there I am jumping in board and giving up sugar for lent. I am looking forward to starting again. I also do 5:2 and understand the cravings. I was doing so well but the half term tested me and I failed! Well just getting rid of some smarties and away we go.

Day 1 here we go. I am determined to do this. I will report back later

First day done and dusted. I cleaned my teeth straight after tea just to put me off!

Sugar free for lent - is it wrong that I have planned a box of luxurious chocolates?
I am finding sugary things have less and less flavour, standard bars of choc just taste of sugar...my beloved Tiffin from Costa no longer gives me joy....maybe my sugar free phases are finally causing my taste buds to change?

I found sugar as an ingredient in shop-bought mayonnaise yesterday which was my Day One.

Porridge with sultanas and banana for breakfast, pasta for lunch, fajitas for tea, snacking on fruit and cheese (together). The sugar cravings started in the afternoon and were incredibly strong. I chose to start during Lent to give me some additional motivation. Part of me absolutely hates that decision, but it does make the potential SOS easier.

Weight loss isn't my primary goal, but would be a very welcome effect!

I've been looking forward all morning to having a bag of crisps with my lunch... only to discover that sugar is listed in the ingredients. Crisps ffs! Anyway after an internal struggle I have put them aside and am going to the corner shop to find a permitted brand.

Is hard to believe how much sugar is in savoury food. My aim is to stop binging on sweets, chocolates and sweets. Once I have just the slightest whiff of any, I am like a woman possessed, I just can't stop. So far so good on the second day. I did come up to my bed at 9pm to avoid the evening munchies.

My new found religious fever has continued - sugar free lent is going well, 2nd day was harder but having committed to doing this till Easter Sunday, I will make it!

I'm missing something, what's an SOS? I'm attempting this but it's so hard whilst being away with work. However when I get home I will be trawling through this site.

www.iquitsugar.com/recipe/ hope the link works from iPad.

I have made the chocolate mousse with the avocado and it's really good!

Experience has taught me not to substitute sugar with sweeteners, fake sweet foods, fruit, yoghurt, nuts or cheese because I just over eat on those instead. I'm trying to just eat my meals and forget about snacking, that's almost harder than giving up sugar.

"social obligation sugar" - eg when someone has gone out of their way to bring a kind of cake they know you like. You have the SOS because avoiding it is too awkward or rude, but not other sugar that day (as opposed to writing off the whole meal/day/week).

A useful concept, so if you have to slip you don't feel you've given up entirely.

Lent is a handy one to get you out of SOS, even though I'm not in the tiniest wee bit religious.

So true! "I've given up sugar for Lent" is easy.

Especially in the light of the newspaper headlines over the last few days.

Yeah, even my dmum will accept Lent as an excuse. We do have a v posh dinner coming up in a few weeks, it's a set menu so avoiding the sugar course is just not going to happen - I have swapped the traditional sugar fest of St Paddy's day for the posh pudding course....and it will be worth it!

It's been going ok! No sugar at all and no massive cravings yet. I suspect because this is sooo much easier than low carbing; my joy at being able to eat pasta overwhelms the longing for mayonnaise! But I have fallen into the substitutes trap - cheese oatcakes with extra cheese were particularly delicious and bloat causing.

So... A new week, a new resolve. Doing c25k with my friend after school drop off, bolstered by a breakfast of homemade soda bread, quorn ham and melon.

It's easier than I thought - and already a doughnut/biscuit/Wispa looks less attractive.

But ... what I'm really missing is squash. I would normally drink 3-4 pints of high-juice squash a day. It's really hard to want to drink sufficient quantities of herbal tea, water and fresh juice instead.

Had dominos at the weekend which I suspect contained some sugar....and I've eaten too many substitutes even though I have tried not to. Yes new week and new goal - no snacking, really no snacking!

Hi there, I am really letting the side down. I have been so naff. I did intend starting today but when I got to work there were loads of sweets about. My colleague planted a load on my desk and first I got the smell then I got the craving, I had a little taste and then came the binge.

I need to give my teeth a good clean, give myself a kick up the bum and start again as from now.

Tonight I will not snack.

And I don't have my fingers crossed either.

Torture this evening. Ds made Argentinian biscuits with a dulce de leche filling for the dc's packed lunch - unfortunately I had to assist, it was tough....I'm glad I didn't give in, I'd probably have polished off half the batch. Bought Easter eggs for the dcs and they are safely put away in their rooms - they have more willpower than me.
No snacking this evening, having a cup of decaf tea and we'll watch an episode of Salamander before bed.