Giving up sugar for January, maybe longer

[GrumpyOldBag]

I have decided to try giving up sugar.

Anyone else tried this?

I am going to continue eating fresh fruit, but not dried or juice.

No processed foods containing sugar.

And obviously no fizzy drinks - but don't drink those anyway.

Anyone tried doing this? Can I have honey on my porridge?

I think dry wine & vodka OK?

Anyone got any advice to share? Thanks

I'm doing this. I started a thread but it died ;)

Day 5 for me. I've lost 4lbs already! I read Sweet Poison by David Gillespie. Really recommend. Not cutting out carbs, some bread, pasta and rice are fine. No white bread though, no processed food.

I actually don't feel too bad. But apparently week 3-4 can be the worst, whatever plan you are following.

Gillespie talks of giving up fructose, same as the I Quit Sugar programme. Glucose and lactose are OK. Something to do with what your body does with them compared to fructose.

Honey and agave are fructose laden. Fruit is ok, 1-2 pieces a day max, as it has fibre too, which helps break down the fructose. Fruit juice and dried fruit are out be a use of lack of fibre.

So no honey, maple syrup, agave. Nada. He does say dextrose or glucose syrup cane be used. His book has recipes for sauces, ice cream and cakes using dextrose.

I was talking diets with DH last night he of normal weight, lucky bugger and I remembered that back in my 20s when I met him I ate really well. It wouldn't have occurred to me to buy crisps or biscuits or sweets etc- maybe once in a blue moon but not every day! I never drank tea or coffee because I don't even like them.

That's the diet I want to get back to and I'm telling myself there's no reason why I can't.

Lots of good stories on here.

So it's a no to honey & agave then.

Great idea about making own muesli with grated apple - I will try that when I have finished current batch of Dorset cereals. Already have it with soya milk (unsweetened organic - some varieties are sweetened with fruit juice.).

How's everyone getting on with the No - sugar today?
I was going to post that I feel great. I had splitting headache on day 1 (Thursday) but over the weekend I felt really good. I usually feel a mix of being drained and shattered and assumed it was just my lifestyle. But I've felt clear headed, energised and not overwhelmed like I usually do.

But I just had toast and marmite for lunch, back to feeling my usual drained & shattered. I'm sure there must have been a bit of hidden sugar in there.

I've also cleared sweets and biscuits out of my cupboards. They look really bare and boring now so hope I've not gone too far!

I make cakes (only special occasion ones ) with molasses which is actually quite healthy because of it's magnesium content.

We 're all different in our reactions to sugar IMO and E ; dh is pre diabetic type 2 , he's obese but can't STOP eating sugary stuff (he sort of tries ) I think he's addicted.

I can eat 2 pieces of dairy free chocolate a day without putting on weight or becoming addicted it's fascinating. Wheat is terrible for pushing up the blood sugar levels as is alcohol.

. We are all different and have different

Ooops typo sorry

I'm still getting on really well. I'd normally be sitting with a giant mug of coffee with 4 teaspoons of sugar in it and not one but two biscuits. Instead I'm trying out all sorts of different herbal teas and am having some blueberry one that DH got from M&S for me and no biscuit (have some olives at hand if I do need a snack later). I think I really just need a hot drink twice a day- it doesn't need to be coffee now I'm past the caffeine addiction.

[I]Been doing some reading on this and some plans say you need to give up bread & carbs as well.[/I]

no need to give up carbs that's getting a bit Atkins. Beans, lentils, quinoa, etc, pulses are the way forward. I mix them up with veggies, olives & tomatoes for my lunches, flavour with herbs & spices. Once you get used to soaking the beans it's okay and not too much of a faff.

virgospirit IME if you just give up wheat (i know that's easier typed than done!) then you can have rye bread (Waitrose do a lovely pure rye loaf) or spelt , they are both ancient grains that have a bit of gluten but are much easier to digest than wheat (see Wheat Belly by William Davis). I still maintain my weight loss eating those.

Hi all, I've still not had any sweet or biscuit since Thursday which is really good, as up until then I'd be having minimum one sugar binge per day, and quite often two!

I had porridge oats with Greek yogurt and blueberries (delicious) for breakfast. Dark Rye bread with cheese for lunch. One nakd cocoa bar as a snack. Now having ready meal lasagne. So not too bad day, but stomach doesn't seem any slimmer, but at the same time I don't want to do anything too extreme in case I crash and burn.

Hope you guys are getting on ok!

Oh hello all
I've given up sugar as well, for the whole year (optimistic...). I managed 7 months in 2015.

My query is, can I still have my morning glass of half orange juice and half water?

I listened to Paul McKenna on the radio this morning, he's flogging his new book - Take control of sugar NOW! I did order it so the publicity totally worked on me! Anyone read it? To be fair, I don't think it's been out long.

I reckon orange juice is pretty loaded with sugar. I have fruit juice in the morning but water it down probably to about 1/4. You get used to it!

Fruit juice is full of sugar and not good. You don't get the same fibre as eating it whole. And it is concentrated sugar, like dried fruit.

Oh thanks for Paul McKenna book tip, I'll have a look at that. Yes plus I'll look at the Gillespie book recommended up thread

fruit juice isn't good.

Yesterday I caught myself grabbing a cornflake from the dc's bowl. need to stop that, used to snack like that all the time.

Otherwise have been good. Just had a bowl of porridge made with soy milk with seeds and blueberries. Was like eating mushy cardboard. Need a better breakfast solution!

That's a shame- I love porridge. I'm having it with semi skimmed milk and blueberries and raspberries. I'm a bit fussy, though, and need to make it with lots of lumps.

Can you try eggs instead? I'm sometimes having scrambled eggs at lunch and find they are really filling me up as well with a bit of toast (and salad).

Tonight will mark three weeks with no junk sugar for me. I've never made it this long. Hopefully I'll see a bit more weight off when I weigh myself on Saturday morning.

Oh my god! You made it over Christmas Noofly??! If you can do that, you can surely do anything!

I'm down to one third orange juice and two thirds water.

Apart from that, I only have water the rest of the day so surely i'm allowed one thing!

msrisotto Of course! I am doing cold turkey, no sugar so even a little bit is out!

I am having porridge with cinnamon and banana. I put the cinnamon in when cooking. It tastes sweeter. Are you dairy intolerant? Just wondered because full fat milk can add a bit of sweetness.

Ha, ha, msrisotto this Christmas was a bit of a cheat for me. I was taken to hospital on the 22nd, had an emergency gallbladder operation on the 23rd and got home on Christmas Eve. I really wasn't eating much of anything over Christmas! I just decided to take advantage of the situation and give up junk sugar and caffeine long term.

Ooh, cinnamon in porridge is a great idea!

I'll give the cinnamon a go!

I'm interested in trying this. But not forking out for the online plan. Is there a site that explains the basics?