I Quit Sugar - anyone up for this?

[Cappster]

I tried quitting sugar during January and it was really good - I lost a few pounds, ate really well, felt very good (after initial detox )

I need to do it again but it would be really good to have a bit of support

Any takers?

[peachypips]

Although white bread and pasta aren't good for you particularly, if we are just cutting fructose it isn't a source of that particular sugar.

I'm going to sort out my fructose problem before looking at the rest of my diet. I like the idea of sugar free 5:2 long term...

I have put on two pounds.

[FresherThanYou]

Pasta also acts in the body like sugar. Very high on the GI scale

Not such a huge insulin spike if you eat it cold though. & even less if you re-heat cold pasta. They tested it on the recent programme 'the truth about sugar'

[Abraid2]

I love Nakd bars, Dowser, especially the Cocoa one, but they often 'get me going' on a sugar-seeking mission, probably because they have dried fruit in them, which I suppose is very sweet.

As it turned out I got through sugar-free. Phew.



Alia I have had the same lack of withdrawal symptoms. Breaking a habit is very hard psychologically, but I haven't been feeling shaky or really starving, which I had expected to feel.

[msrisotto]

Had to grab a sandwich for lunch today. M&S ham and mayo. Had sugar in the ingredients list. Ffs! Why?

[Abraid2]

Bloody stuff gets everywhere! Mind you, it would only have been a teeny amount, surely, and because you were having it with protein and more complex carbohydrate, it wouldn't have had that blood sugar spiking impact. Though that may not be your bete noire as it is mine!

[Dowser]

I think you get the shakes and starving after the sugar rush and you come down.....don't you?

Had fish and chips tonight. No batter and only a very few chips and a g and t.

[Abraid2]

Very impressive, Dowser! No batter!

[Bellenddingdong]

I had fish and chips too but with batter and scraps!! No sauce though and I am so pleased that I kept away from the hot chocolate machine at work. At home I have kept out of the biscuit tin, sweet tin and snack box. I am very pleased with myself. I reckon if I can get through the weekend without a binge, half the battle will be won!

[Milllli]

Are fats and protein digested as sugar MrsRosotto?

[Milllli]

I shall have to look it up as I am curious now. I think I have misunderstood what it is you are trying to do . Sorry.

[Dowser]

I'm gluten free Abraid so am used to not having batter.

Off the top of my head I think the body uses food as fuel by a process called glycolysis ( turns it to a useable sugar) and turns fats into fuel by ketosis ( works on ketone bodies in the blood )

I don't fully understand it to be honest so any doctor or nutritionalst please feel free to shoot me down in flames.

I know the body switches to ketosis during our nightly fast which is why we have break- fast in the morning. So hopefully it works on stored fat. It switches to glycolysis as soon as we have a carb meal.

So, here's my bit . If we consume more calories than we can use during the day via glycolysis they got stored as fat. Then ketosis kicks in but again if it I doesn't all get used it remains as stored fat.

Does that sound right.

It could be why we ate advised not to eat a big blow out meal just before bed time ???

[Milllli]

Dowser that's interesting. Thanks. When I have browsed the low carb threads I am often surprised because they say it takes days/week to get into ketosis whereas I go into it overnight. I had my urine tested once first thing in the morning before food and was told I was in ketosis. Your explanation makes perfect sense on the matter.

[msrisotto]

Yeah it's all a bit complicated for my knowledge! But that link I posted up thread has some really digestible (hah) info.

[Dowser]

Thanks Millli . It have th brain cells a bit of a workout.

Do you have. Fast metabolism. Mine isn't.

In a cafe. Daren't look at cakes.

[Milllli]

No, my metabolism is not fast unfortunately. Years of dieting affected it. You?

[Dowser]

Same here, plus throw getting old into the mix!

Probably need to consume no more than 1200 cals to lose weight.

[Doilooklikeatourist]

Too much science going on for me
I'm doing the MFP app , and sticking to 1200 calories , it counts your sugar intake too
6 days no added sugar
Go me !
Feeling very well , scales tomorrow ( scared face )

[peachypips]

I'm on day six too- no sugar at all in six days. However, this process has highlighted to me that I have a real problem with emotional eating and binge eating. This week I have replaced sugar with bread, nuts, chips, anything I can get my hands on!

I eat to make myself feel better, and I can't stop. I think I need to address the reasons behind my overeating, and find another way to make myself feel well other than food

[SoftKittyWarmKitty]

Interesting thread. I've vaguely considered giving up sugar in the past as I genuinely think I'm addicted to it. I crave sweet, shitty foods. I love cake, biscuits and chocolate. I can't imagine a life without them, yet I desperately want to eat much healthier and definitely consume less sugar for health reasons (and encourage 8yo DS to do the same).

So how is cutting down/giving up sugar done? Sugar is in the most 'healthy' of foods, like baked beans, soup, cereal bars and cereals. I had a bowl of Bran Flakes earlier - one of the cereals I'd consider to be healthy - and having just checked the box, sugar is way up there near the front of the ingredients list.

As somone coming at this as a beginner, where do I start?

[Milllli]

SoftKitty foods like baked beans, tinned or carton soup, cereal bars and cereals, ready meals in fact anything that needs to be advertised are not what would be considered healthy foods. Bran flakes are processed and if someone suffers from IBS or Crohns then they would be extremely damaging to the gut/bowel. The foods that are natural are the best foods for us. Fruit, salad, veg, meat, chicken, fish, nuts, water. Most other things are processed in one way or another and contain added vits, sugar, salt, fillers, sweeteners.

[SkodaLabia]

Can I join for a bit of support? Am thoroughly miserable about my eating habits, I'm nearly 15 stone and look awful. I'm addicted to sugary food and binge on them.

[SoftKittyWarmKitty]

Thanks Millli. Just looked up some info about sugar. Apparently if you look on the ingredients list under the 'per 100g' column, if 'Carbohydrates, of which sugar' is 25g or over then something is high sugar. If it's 5g or under, it's low sugar. Above 5g but below 25g is classed as medium sugar. DS is going through our cupboards working out what each item is . It's quite an eye opener. Sugar is in so much of our foods, how is it possible to ever cut it out completely?!

[msrisotto]

As for breakfast, I find plain porridge or eggs works for me.
A really big and difficult to cut out, form of sugar is in drinks. I unthinkingly had some fanta the other day which is obviously full of sugar! Cordials are full of sugar too. I suppose you could go with the sugar free ones, although I am trying not to substitute sugar with sweeteners because they have the same effect on your body. I sometimes make Flavoured water which is good, particularly in summer.

I'd love to hear other people's breakfasts/drinks etc

[Doilooklikeatourist]

I have lost 3lb !
< picks self off floor >
I need a bit of a breakfast rethink as I have toast butter and cheese , which is a bit high in fat I think
I had an apple as well this morning

I weaned myself off squash , and now drink tap water , I just added less and less squash and soon water tastes ok ( though I am in Wales and the tap,water is nice )

I'm going to try berries and plain yoghurt for breakfast .

Makes shopping list

[Dowser]

Well done mrs tourist.

Okay, so I overindulged in wagamamas katsui beef curry with rice but I only had my eggs for brekkie and home made soup for lunch.

I've cut out all chocolate, all mints....addicted to mints and all gluten free cakes.

It's hard going to a cafe and only having a drink but we are doing it.

Yes I'm eating nuts . Must cut those back/ out!

Mrs kitty..your healthy foods are those that are as near as possible to the original plant, veg, fruit or animal as possible.

So...oats ..yes processed cereals ..no
Salads with fresh veg...yes....salads with coleslaw, potato salad no
Fresh meat and chicken and fish that you add your spices or seasonings too...not shop bought shepherds pie.


Drinks are tricky. I don't drink squashes or fizzy.

I have fruit tea. Twinings have a great range. Try brewing a tea Couple of tea bags.make a pint. Pop in a litre bottle and keep in fridge.

When thirsty pour a glass a couple of ice cubes and a twist of lemon or mint.

If you try it let me know. I don't have a problem with water or fruit tea but i think this would be really nice on a warm day. You could take this to work.

We both have stainless steel drinking bottles which we just keep filling up as and when.