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

The argument, and I would say it is has so far worked for me, is that you don't eat as randomly. I haven't comfort eaten at all. I've had toast and stopped after one piece. Because the sugar is what causes cravings and messes with your appetite suppressors so you keep eating.

I don't find wholemeal or rye toast addictive. White bread has sugar in it. I'm not completely ruling our all sugar. And as Lustig suggests we should be eating a diet of mostly meat, dairy and vegetables.

But fructose is not healthy in the amounts consumed by most people.

for those interested.

Thanks @msrisotto.

I don't think there's anything bad about giving up sugar? This is a thread for people who are trying it. If you don't want to, that's OK.

I do and I am feeling the benefit. I've read a lot about it, including some studies and science papers. That's what I'm basing my decisions on.

Yes - I'm mainly doing it for the long term health reasons now, rather than the short/term weight loss.
I had a dreadful year last year of every diet possible and horrific gym memberships & fitbits etc. But nothing made a difference to me (prob because I couldn't sustain anything as it was so unpleasant!)

So now I'm being really kind to my self and looking after my long term health.

huckleberry you would really enjoy The Case against Sugar by Gary Taubes https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1846276373/ref=mpssa111?ie=UTF8&qid=1484349535&sr=8-1&pi=ACSX2366SY340QL65&keywords=the+case+against+sugar+gary+taubes&dpPl=1&dpID=41AP6TDG6ML&ref=plSrch
Totally riveting read - and I've not even felt like sugar since I started reading it.

I totally agree about not replacing sugar with all those artificial sweeteners - seems totally pointless to me, once you've done the hard work of cutting out sugar.

I'm also being amazed daily at how sweet and delicious food is tasting now. Especially carrots and peppers at the moment are really sweet for me.

I had to stop eating sweetcorn as it is (and i've never said this about anything, including chocolate) too sweet

Surely everyone knows that if you just replace sugar with something else you won't lose weight? I know there are fewer calories in a small bar of chocolate than in cheese on toast or whatever, but the point is that I wasn't just eating one small bar. It's easier for me to give it up completely for however long and then see if I can get back into just having a small treat at the weekend. There's absolutely no downside to giving up sugar.

I'm also doing it for health reasons as well as losing weight. I've also given up caffeine and between the two of them I'm feeling so much better. My head isn't fuzzy, I'm not exhausted most of the time and I'm not getting the sugar/caffeine cravings.

I've lost 10lbs in 3 weeks and am over the moon with that.

Hello all. Do you mind if I join you? I've been thinking about this for a while. I really am a sugar monster, I eat relatively healthy meals but then let myself down with chocolate and biscuits. So while I've been away on a work trip my copy of The Case Agsinst Sugar has arrived and my husband has cleared all the chocolate away!

I'm not planning on cutting pasta and rice or bread and fruit, but not going mad on them, but I want to cut refined sugar and processed food.

Can you give me suggestions for breakfasts and snacks please.

honeyroar: fridge porridge (see my post above), or eggs : poached, scrambled or boiled, smashed avocado on toast. Or plain yoghurt w fruit.

I'm trying not to snack but if I'm desperate some carrot sticks, sugar snaps, or edamames with soy, fruit or nuts I crack myself (have some pecans left over from Xmas).

On the subject of nuts, I read somewhere recently that although nuts are calorific, our bodies can't take on all the nut calories: anyone else heard this?!

Thanks, yes eggs - forgot about them, I really ought to get more into them, we've got our own hens and I rarely eat them!

Yes I've heard that mentioned about nuts before.

I've read that we don't really digest nuts, they just go through us. Dunno where or how true that is.

My cravings are kicking in now. Day 11. Dh made gingerbread (bastard) and I am seriously craving sugar. Also feel exhausted but not sure if that is related to the no sugar or not.

Do you think it'd be ok to have a square of 85% dark chocolate?

I think we must get something from nuts, they made my cravings for protein die down! And they put weight on.

I'm new to this, but I'd say one square of dark choc in 11 days wouldn't physically do much, surely? But mentally would it? Are you an all or nothing type? For example if I give up smoking it has to be 100%, if I had one i would start again as in my head id have failed.. First look at the big picture, you've done so well. I hope I can say that in 11 days time. And go slap your rotten OH for baking! Ok you've got to be able to deal with that in the end, but the first few weeks are the hard bit, you need support not sabotage!

He was very apologetic, he said he didn't think! I had a square. Yum.

I've been eating nuts, as replacement snacks when I might have eaten biscuits.

I don;t know about nuts. I heard of a study where they increased peoples calorific load with nuts but it didn't make people put weight on.

I have plain porridge for breakfast. I phased out jam/honey/other sweeteners bit by bit surprisingly easily. Or boiled eggs.

There are some good links that have been posted so far on this thread. I got started with low carbing after reading Gary Taubes "Why we get fat and what to do about it" last January. I was totally shocked to be honest but eventually realised that cutting all refined carbs might be the answer for me; I was so overweight, struggling to function as I was now in my 50's.

However, I procrastinated for some weeks because I loved my sugary carbs, loved breads, loved pasta and loved all things potato (not bothered about rice though). I gave myself one month to try "very low carb healthy fat", getting info and recipes initially from www.dietdoctor.com. By the end of the month (last March) I was hooked and today, nearly a year later am still going strong.

56% initial body fat percentage, now 30%.

17.09lb initially, now 11.11lb.

No snoring
No aching joints
No heartburn
No breathlessness
No struggles to dress (put socks on, tie laces, etc).

Best of all, no more being hungry and derived, sounds odd doesn't it, but actually for me carbs were bad news and fed my addiction. I dont miss the awful effects of them.

OP, do your research, read the book I mentioned, check out the many videos, articles, recipes on that website. Look at the SCIENCE. The answer is out there. Good luck.

I lost 1lb last week! Hoping to lose 5- 7 more at a rate of 1 a week so i'm happy with some progress. I went to a friends for dinner last night and she'd made a chocolate mousse from scratch so I was obliged to have some, but I only had a bit so that was nice. I had some, but didn't feel bad about it. Which is probably a first for me! I'd usually have had 2 .

Well done! I didn't lose anything this week, other than the fact that the scales swithered between 11s 9.5 and 11s 10 the week before and this week they were a solid 11s 9.5 so I'm claiming a 1/4lb. My jeans are noticeably looser today, though and I'll soon need a belt for them.

I'm starting to work my way through some of the Hairy Dieters online recipes.

Anyone else a runner? I'm just getting back in after an injury, but this week running has been really hard. I feel really weak, and slow (and miserable!). Dunno if it is linked to sugar.

I'm not a runner but I do yoga and I felt exhausted after giving up sugar. However, it was also straight after the Christmas break so I can't say it wasn't just tiredness because of all the time off.

Going out for lunch at work. Someone's birthday so everyone one is going out. To a smokehouse American place. Lots of BBQ sauce etc. I'm finding it so hard to choose what may or may not have sugar in it. Except a salad with dry chicken- yum!

In the end I've gone for steak and Philly cheese wrap with salad. Asked for no sauces, hopefully it will be ok. I feel really run down, tired, a bit more hungry than I have been. I feel like I'm coming down with something.

Ah I was interested to read about the running huckleberry I did a big country hike yesterday and felt awful afterwards - I totally needed some sugar. Was so drained even a delicious beetroot risotto with double cream and chili flakes didn't revive me

Had to crack and had a bowl of cereal which I know has added sugar (jordans oat crunch) so not quite a cake - but still deliberately ate sugar!!!
Had headache this morning which I'm sure is after effect

I don't run- combination of dodgy knee and just don't like it! However, I was thinking about starting cycling again if I can find my bike from under all of the cobwebs in the garden shed. We're right on one of the cycle routes that criss-crosses Scotland and I used to go out for at least an hour several times a week. I'm fairly certain it will be torture but I should be able to fit it in 2-3 times a week just now.

hello ladies can I join you please?
very inspiring stories
I am on day 1 of the viridian 7 day sugar detox, basically a supplement and meal plan to follow. Feeling full but craving badly really want the jar of Nutella that is DDS.

I am vegetarian nearly vegan, main diet mainly very good but come the witching hour - family bars of dairy milk, mini eggs anything. will even steal from kids rooms awful.

it is a real addiction crave it, satisfied by it and crave more. I see it as a treat or reward so have to change this mindset.

I have put on two stone in 18m due to illhealth hence bone idle and eating dairy milk non stop.

Doing shred too, good luck everyone xx

Best of luck user! I found the first month hardest because I was trying to break a very longstanding habit of having something after work and after dinner. After breaking that pattern, it is a million times easier. So be aware, you're in the hardest bit but it won't always be! If you brush your teeth straight after dinner, might that help curb the treats in the evening?

I've been drinking funky teas (liquorice and cinnamon tastes sweet!) For that after dinner craving, maybe this could help you user ? Obviously it's not the same as eating a box of maltesers, but I'm starting to not crave anything after dinner now. I'm on Day 10.

I'll second the tea suggestion. I'm working my way through a giant tea collection of all sorts of flavours. I have a peppermint tea in the morning to replace my coffee with tons of sugar and then a different flavour late afternoon when I used to have another sugar laden coffee plus one multiple biscuits.