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?

I know I'm a bit late to the party but can I join?

Desperate to try and kick the cake addiction that's caused me to gain 2 dress sizes :( NONE of my clothes fit.
Problem is I have 3 5 and under and am still bfing ds2. I hardly have any time to make healthy food and end up eating rubbish as I'm tired and hungry. That and the snacks in the evening!

You guys all sound like you're doing brilliantly - it's inspired me!

My weakness is a coffee with sugar so I think I'm going to try and have tea instead as often as I can. I must be having a fair few sugars just from coffee every day also going to try and eat properly and buy healthier snacks to have in the evenings. :)

Sorry to hear about your mum hear

Sorry that should be 3 aged 5 and under :)

Gosh, I'm not surprised your on the cake with 3 little ones yoruba. Welcome to the thread.

I found it helpful to make a plan for emergency snacking. So have lots of nuts or crispbread or carrot sticks (of feeling virtuous) at all times so you can reach for these rather then chocolate.

With meals, planning really helps and my slow cooker is ace as you can stick something in when you have a spare moment during maps or something so it will be ready for dinner.

That should of said during naps... Not sure what you would do during maps :)

Hi Yoruba!

Wow hats off to you with 3 young children! I have two ds's, ones 5 and ones 2 in March, who is still breastfed during the night.

It's only at this point that I have felt that I'm in a good enough place to cut out the sugar. And for some reason it's not being too bad. Maybe the Xmas gorging has took it's toll.

Is there any specific food that draw you in?
Another poster and I have found that the plain popcorn you pop in the microwave or pan is a great substitute for picking on a night. You can flavour with cinnamon, vanilla etc.

I'm having my second fast day today and had to bundle the kids up and get out the house because the fridge was calling me!

Got a prawn curry planned for tonight, am counting down the hours minutes

Doing well without sugar even though my parents are here. I used a jar of sweet and sour sauce last night so there's sugar in that, but it's the first I've had all week (and have not had a single biscuit/cake/sweet/chocolate etc).

However, I'm really flagging when I run...8k this morning felt like much harder work than normal.

Welcome Yoruba and good luck!

I have decided my nutribullet is awesome! It zooms up frozen stuff and nuts without any bother at all. Even dh is converted by the yummy smoothies and the fact it really is amazingly easy to clean. I am just politely ignoring all the cod science guff that seems to come with it

I'm definitely feeling much better and through the sugar crash now. I noticed yesterday that I didn't snack in the morning at all. I was really hungry but not shaky and crashing, which was great.

that's really good roar. Enjoy your new toy If you invent anything nice and green let me know and I'll try it.

I had a deliberate "cheat " this morning - porridge with posh Italian hot chocolate powder in ( it's ready mixed with sugar) . It was lovely! So surprised that this kind of thing qualifies as a satisfying treat now.

Hmm...might ask for a nutribullet for my birthday, but there's no room in the kitchen cupboards and I can't bear too much on the worktop (even the toaster and tea/coffee stuff live in cupboards!)

We have a tiny kitchen so I am also very careful with sideboard space. We only had the kettle out before and I'm working on getting that in a cupboard. However, the bullet is nice and compact so it's currently out but tucked in a corner. It's much smaller then my last standard blender.

This morning we had spinach, pear, apricots, banana and almonds. It was yum. Even dd loved it :o

Not so good news is that some friends come round and bought biscuits. Had 2 and felt a bit rubbish after.

I'll try that mix next shopping trip. I tried kale once and it was all grainy.

We've got visitors today so I had a compromise pudding - they had apple strudel and custard, I had some custard with a banana.
And a glass of leftover Lambrini! Sweetest things I've had in over a week.

amiga things taste much sweeter when you're out of the habit!

How long are you all planning on doing this for, or is it a lifestyle thing? Last year I did 5 weeks of no sugar then had sugar 2 days a week only for 3 weeks until I went on holiday and ate it everyday So far this time it has only been one week.

I'm going for lifestyle thing. I'm nearly 50, could be peri menopausal and have a spare Tyre I didn't have 2 years ago. I've always overdone sugar, and now I'm veggie, carbs in general so the whole culture change is necessary.

I might get weighed tomorrow. in theory its not about weight, but as I've been weight - obsessed for 30 years I'm not going to change, and I've a pile of nice clothes that don't fit right now

I'm going for lifestyle thing. I'm nearly 50, could be peri menopausal and have a spare Tyre I didn't have 2 years ago. I've always overdone sugar, and now I'm veggie, carbs in general so the whole culture change is necessary.

I might get weighed tomorrow. in theory its not about weight, but as I've been weight - obsessed for 30 years I'm not going to change, and I've a pile of nice clothes that don't fit right now

Ooops! and holidays do for me every time too.

Sorry I haven't caught up... Mainly real life shame getting in the way.

I've been HORRENDOUS.

I'm going to blame that DS was only at school 3 days last week, but from tomorrow I'll be back to proper mon-fir routine.

I'm even taking up a swimming challenge.

My story is going to be in reveal magazine on Tuesday and I'm really nervous so been comfort eating ALOT thinking about it :-(

Hearmyroar, that sounds amazing!
I just can't justify one at the moment, keep up updated with what you make and photos

Postman, I'm doing no sugar for a month then let myself have the odd treat.

Amiga, I weighed myself last Tuesday, not sure whether to do it again this Tuesday. Dh thinks I should wait until a month or so.

Letmeeat, what kind of story? A weight loss one?!
Draw a line under the weekend and start strong for Monday

I'm so annoyed with myself, I was uber healthy before I became pregnant then it all went to complete shit! I mean today hasn't been horrendous calorie wise... Protein pancake for brekkie (egg, Greek yogurt, kumut flour, banana, sprinkle of maple syrup) then I had had GBK and chips at lunch/dinner followed by a while tub of B&J. I'm just so out of routine! Grrr!

Tomorrow is a completely fresh start, must aim to get to the gym every day mon-fri and eat healthy clean low sugar meals!

Fcuk, it's about having bone cancer when I was younger, the bone cancer research trust asked if I'd share my story to raise awareness for it as not many people have heard of it and I agreed! The swimming challenge I'm doing is also to raise awareness for it as well :-)

Wow cake thank the Lord you came through that.

Weigh in day for me, and I've been dairy and sugar free for a week, run three times and been under calorie goal every day (though mine is set at 1600) and I've lost 1.9kg, which is just over 4lbs. Still 2kg to go to get back in my maintenance zone though.

how far is your challenge cake ? Are you swimming miles a week? (Tony Livesey on Radio 5 just said he swims a mile daily! )

No weight loss since Xmas but lets celebrate feeling healthier. And lots of yoga. Had a major wobble at teatime, so very hungry. Ate all the cheese while trying to avoid sugar, then caved in with a hot chocolate. Could be worse, in the past it would've been biscuits etc.

Thankfully! Eeek it's out tomorrow, I think I'm mainly dreading seeing the photos... My son is ridiculously photogenic, whereas it generally look like I've been beaten by the ugly stick!

Well done on your weight loss postman that's amazing!

The organisers of the challenge are aiming to run/swim/cross train 3000 miles, you can get involved by donating your miles to them! Its a great way to get more people involved, raise more awareness and gather more donations! I'm going to aim for 2 miles per week! Not much but I'm 6 months pregnant and have issues with my leg so I don't want to over exert myself :-)

Huge well done for battling through all that at such a young age letmeeat, I'm definitely going to buy reveal tomorrow! and good luck for the swimming challenge!

Postman, that's a fantastic loss! Not far off your maintenance weight at all.

The only but of exercise I have done is switching the TV onto the fitness channel when dh takes ds1 to school in the morning. That way it's something I make sure I do before he gets back, do it in my pjs and ds2 laughs his head off!

Amiga, you hit the nail on the head about feeling healthier! And a hot chocolate is nothing in the long term

I'm due to weigh myself tomorrow but not sure whether to do it or not, I'll be chuffed if I have lost some but if I haven't I might get a bit upset with myself.

Thank you! Let me know what you think... I'm in two minds about whether I even want to see it :-( I know I'll have to get a copy as my son will be delighted to be in a magazine (he thinks he's a famous model because he's also in the BCRT's calendar haha!) but I'm nervous about seeing it in writing, the article doesn't go into the gory bits in details but makes me think about them :-(

Are you aiming to lose weight with the low sugar diet? Aside from being pregnant so I know I wouldn't lose any anyway, I think this would be counter productive for me! I DONT. STOP. EATING. I'm aiming to have everything as healthy as possible... Scrambled eggs, plenty of fruits, salads, veggies, lean meats, toast with marmite, nakd bars ect, but I'm endlessly snacking! I've eaten a whole bag of pistachios and 4 healthy bars today haha!

Does everyone who is aiming to lose weight have much to lose?

I want to be healthier and to lose weight. Mine has crept up over the last four months due to a chest infection and gynae issues affecting my ability to exercise, while still eating junk! Another 2kg lost and a better diet will keep me where I should be. The half marathon I did in October seems like a distant memory now and although I'm keen to sign up for another, my energy levels this week have been shocking and it's hard to believe I can combine low sugar and long distant running.

I'm going to get up go get weighed at boots and then read the mag with a cup of tea!

Your son sounds fabulous!

I would like to lose some weight but it's not the main goal. I was a sugar FREAK! I could wake up and eat half a trifle and pick at the rest during the day

I was 9st 6 last week so not huge but I'm a slender build so I don't feel comfortable where I am now, my ideal weight is between 8 and 8st 6 but im hoping to do it very gradually.

Postman I'm so impressed by your half marathon! Is it hard to train for it? You sound very sporty.
I went jogging once so put an album on that I liked all the songs on so I wouldn't have to stop and change tracks........I didn't make it past one song!