Low/No Sugar

[Schweetheart]

So it seems a few people are keen to try this. I am for sure. But I know very little about how to achieve it.

DD1 (3yo) has got obsessed with chocolate over the festive period and DD2 (5mths) will be weaning soon so I'm keen to get in a healthier place for them - as well as for my own good too. I could do with losing 20lbs plus my skin is dire, as are my moods and energy levels. I'm breastfeeding DD2 so find I get very hungry very quickly and am all too quick to reach for chocolate/cake/sweets/biscuits.

Not sure I could be a purist and go as far as cutting out potatoes or rice etc but I need to do something.

I could really do with a list of low/no sugar foods and meal ideas on which to base meal plans and to have a decent list of healthy-ish snacks to keep me going in between meals.

Anyone care to join/help?

hear well done for resisting. Loads in my staffroom too, and cake! Luckily I've barely had time to go in there and when I do, I just ignore them. Tell yourself you don't want them, it fools your brain better than telling yourself you mustn't eat them.

Hellllp meeeee!

I'm stuck at home with a really bad tummy ache, I'm supposed to be doing my dad's tax return (which I'm obvs procrastinating with), I've lost my Apple TV remote so can't watch Netflix, and my sky remote won't connect to the box so can't watch anything and all I can think about is eating yummy, buttery, chocolate chip pancakes with maple syrup! I have all the ingredients and I know it'll be amazing because I am the QUEEN of pancakes! It's all I can think of and I can't distract myself with anything other than mumsnet, (if I go on my phone I just look at food porn ).

Normally when it's this bad and DS is at school, I'd go to the gym or for a quick stroll to distract myself but I'm stuck on the sofa!

Motivation needed!

Oh dear cake. Sounds like a crises! Did you resist temptation?

I somehow managed to so far! There's still time to make pancakes though! May have to go to bed to sleep it off!

Davina (my new goddess!) has a recipe for pancakes using spelt flour though?

She also says that using honey and maple (syrup?) are ok as sugar substitutes. As long as it's the proper stuff and not 'maple flavoured'

There's also a digestive biscuit recipe that I'm dying to try out but can't afford to be buying spelt flour and maple syrup at the mo

On a brighter note, we are doing so well!!

I actually can't believe I haven't had any chocolate/cakes/biscuits or other sweet stuff for 5 days

Or could you make pancakes and just add lemon juice? I've been toying this for a while....

Thing is, I can make them healthy using Kumut flour for eg but it won't taste as good! I want them with plain white flour, butter, fat milk, chocolate chips and maple syrup!

5 days is brill! Congrats! Xx

Sorry this isn't going to help but I'd go for it......but omit the choc chips!

I will never deprive myself of full fat milk or proper butter, and a tiny bit of white flour will be fiiiiiiiiiiine!

Or maybe a cup of tea

If it helps I bought 4 lion bars earlier for dh and dcs and I'm dying to ram them all in my mouth!!

And thank you, I'm sure I feel so much less bloated! X

Fcuk, you're right, I'm going to do it! I'm in bed now so maybe after aqua aerobics tomorrow

Oooh how are you holding out with that? Lion bars rock!

Are you on Instagram? There's soooo much inspiration for healthy treats!

Are you planning a weekly treat or cheat day or anything?

Hello again, still going ok here, I'm having to make dh eat the bananas before they go spotty! Not that I'm anti banana, they're my favourite food, but they taste really sweet and I'm really losing the desire for sweet things. I was planning a treat, still got a lot of posh hot chocolate from Xmas so I might have the odd one of those - if I have it at bedtime I'm hoping it won't set off a desire to eat more stuff afterwards.

I'm still eating lots of eggs, cheese, nuts, oranges, grapes, wholemeal pitta, brown rice etc. Shopping day today, and going with a list to stick to the plan.

I think I could manage a pancake if I rolled it up with a cheese slice to make it more savoury/protein, rather than a sweet thing. I had some lovely ones in Spain with cheese mushrooms and spinach, I was impressed as there's not always a great veggie choice but these were lovely.

Well done for resisting the pancakes, cake They do sound yummy!

I got the You magazine but I'm a bit about honey and maple syrup instead of sugar since it's just the same thing in a different form. You can't say you're giving up sugar and then eat those, IMO, but you could say you had cut down. The Sarah Wilson plan uses brown rice syrup at times but seems a bit more extreme than Davina's. Anyway, the book came out today and I've got it on my Kindle but haven't looked at it at all yet.

Day four for me, fasted on Monday, clean eating the last two days, hard boiled eggs for breakfast and lunch will have to be tinned soup because I've left my real lunch at home in the fridge!

Already I can tell my blood sugar is really stable as my appetite is very steady. I'm not eating between meals at all.

Amiga- I think I have to have it sweet! I'm not into savoury pancakes!

Postman- well done and that's great your blood sugar is very stable!

I'm just wondering what everyone's views on low fat are? Personally, I always go for the full fat version of anything as I believe lower/reduced fat products have more sugar/chemicals in them, and also full fat keeps me fuller longer and more satisfied!

Postman - same here - I'm not starving between meals and am not suffering the usual afternoon post - sugar slump. I'm also feeling a lot more "even" IYSWIM - no mood swings / unexplained teariness.

Can this really all be down to sugar?! If so its evil stuff (yet delicious).

Cake - completely agree - dairy keeps you full up and full fat is always better than reduced IMO as it'll contain all sorts of crap.

Someone once told me that margarine / low fat spread is only one molecule away from being plastic. Urk.

Sugar really is evil! It has a massive effect on our hormones.

I had the pancake. Now I feel like napping :-(

I'm feeling the same, more stable, and more energy, I've got loads done at home this morning without lots of "breaks"

However, its harder at home. Easy access to the kitchen, less to do this afternoon, and I can feel the mindset of "if I've done all these jobs surely I deserve a treat ". And that way madness lies

Off to do some yoga to pass an hour before I do the ironing.

Amiga are there treats you can have that aren't food related?

For me it might be a new magazine, or watching a few episodes of something on telly.

It's so hard when we're brought up with cake, sweets etc being a reward / treat. I blame the parents

I also don't think you can substitute with honey and syrup and have the benefits of stopping sugar as they both have exactly the same effect on your n body as any other type of sugar. My anti-sugar bible is 'Fat Chance' by Robert Lustig. It explains all the science behind it and he had years of working in medicine with obese children so is actually qualified to know what he is talking about.

Generally I can't show treats as I know I'll just go off the rails once I start, however I have planned in a huge bit of cake as [huge thread downer alert] my mum is currently in a Hospice and is going to die in the next few days. I figure I'm allowed cake in the circumstances.

Actually it links into the emotion discussion. The main reason I am stopping sugar now as I know it had a huge effect on my emotions and I'll be much more able to deal with my mums death if I'm not rollercoasting between sugar highs and lows. It really is evil stuff.... Just so so tasty!

Let me eat, did you enjoy the pancake? I am on Instagram, what do you search for? Low sugar? I'm planning on cutting it out completely for a month and then maybe having something sweet maybe once or week or maybe less...just see how it goes. Hopefully i will have 'reset' my body and tastebuds and appreciate that a slice of cake is something to enjoy and eat slowly, not trowel it in then move onto the next piece.

Postman im also feeling the same with not feeling so ravenous in the afternoon. I feel like I'm cruising rather than on a roller coaster if you know what I mean?

Hearmyroar, so so sorry about your mum I lost my mum when I was younger, it's truly awful, you deserve to eat anything you wish

"Postman im also feeling the same with not feeling so ravenous in the afternoon. I feel like I'm cruising rather than on a roller coaster if you know what I mean?"

Exactly the words I was looking for.

Roar, I'm so very sorry to hear about your mum.

roar sending you strength at this difficult time. My sis has breast cancer, hopefully treatable, which is horrible enough but doesn't compare with what you are going through.

Thanks everyone and I wish your sister luck with her treatment post

I have a bottle of champagne we were given at Christmas. I haven't drunk any alcohol for about 4 years but am going to have a big bit of cake and a glass of champagne to toast my mum when she passes away. I know she would appreciate that :)

I'm currently trying to resist the urge to spend £99 on a nutribullet. Dh is sceptical...I do so love a gadget though!

thinking of you roar xx

I do have a nutribullet and though I don't use it daily, I do use it, mostly for protein shakes. I haven't got the hang of green shakes yet.

Unfortunately having a wobble too with dm and sudden illness. last night my stress-eating was an apple and a banana. ie completely different to my usual panic food. Need to be cautious tonight as dh is out and its harder in the house alone when you're stressed isn't it. Going to try and stick to it all and keep busy.

Hearmyroar that's a lovely idea!

I have seen a cheaper version in the sale at Asda I think, it's called something like nutri...genie and was about £30.

Amiga, dh and I had a falling out yesterday and my stress buster was two clementine, and doing a next online shop

Ended up having takeaway pizza and chips for tea so think I am going to do a fast day today

looks like lots of people are doing really well with no sugar.

I am taking things a bit slower, I tried cold turkey (for 1 day) but ended up eating more sugar than I usually would. instead I have given up fizzy drinks, I used to have coke almost every day with my lunch at work, I have not found it difficult, I have taken lunch into work a few times so I did not go to the canteen and have been drinking extra water so I am not too thirsty.
being really busy at work has helped no time to think about it too much .
Next step chocolate, I don't eat it every day just sometimes in the afternoon at work so I will make sure I have nuts or an alternative snack available.

Sending good wishes for those of you who are going through difficult times at the moment

I am super impressed by all the comfort fruit eating.

It is harder when you are on your own isn't it Amiga. I'm sorry to hear about your DM. I hope she improves quickly.

I've looked at the cheaper versions fcuk but they all have less power so I'm a bit wary of going with them. I broke my last blender by blitzing frozen fruit in it so want something pretty hardy. I've reserved one from Argos to collect tomorrow. I figure that at least I'm comfort spending on something I do actually want. Also I am telling myself about all the green veg smoothies I will be having so feeling positively virtuous

if I used my nutribullet as much as my Nespresso I'd be super healthy!

Now don't laugh but as the house is empty, my "keeping busy" involves singing on the karoake machine, doing some colouring (see link to prove I'm not 8 years old) and maybe watching a James Bond/Daniel Craig film

www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Garden-Inky-Treasure-Colouring/dp/1780671067/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420822156&sr=8-2&keywords=colouring+books+for+adults
(rather therapeutic)