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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Sugar free February

144 replies

twostonetolose · 29/01/2017 22:15

Hello.

I have seen that there is a thread about sugar free January and I was wondering if anyone fancied joining me for a sugar free February?

I am really good all day and then at five o'clock something happens and I turn into the Cookie Monster and am forced to eat as much as I can as quickly as I can...this evening alone I have eaten one cupcake, two scones and a slice of cake...seriously what is wrong with me!?!?

I am not sure whether it should be carbs or just sugary treats etc...I think carbs may be a step too far.
So my plan is to give this a whirl...please join me for some moral support.

OP posts:
user1473256244 · 03/02/2017 20:05

Hi all, I'm doing sugar free Feb - cutting out all refined and added sugar but eating complex carbs - potatoes etc.

Bread has a lot of sugar added, which most people are unaware, so wanted to point this out. Nairn Oatcakes are a great alternative to bread. Filling and actually tasty (in my opinion).

I'm trying to eat fruit to manage cravings.

Make everything from scratch, as every jar of stuff has sugar added.
On the whole try to eat things without labels and if the food has a label check it!

Crisps have sugar as an ingredient so these are not a good thing to fall back on snack-wise.

I find cinnamon sprinkled on porridge makes it taste more like a treat, as you associate cinnamon with sweet treats.

AFingerofFudge · 03/02/2017 20:10

Evening all! Mostly going ok today although this morning I felt a bit off and really craved sugar which is weird because it's normally an evening thing.
Haven't been totally cutting it out though as I have been eating bread which someone has said has sugar in. But I haven't had any chocolate or anything else obviously sugary.

Would a vodka and Diet Coke be alright this evening do you think? I have been to bootcamp tonight!

twostonetolose · 03/02/2017 20:12

Hi user have you managed to cut out bread? Did you go cold turkey or a gradual reduction?

I have been good with avoiding obviously sugary things but I have had a homemade lasagne tonight...not sure what my ultimate plan is re carbs.

OP posts:
twostonetolose · 03/02/2017 20:24

I think there are something's that life is too restricted without and vodka and coke is one of them fudge...I'm sure the purists will say no though!!

OP posts:
BlueSofaPinkLamp · 03/02/2017 20:31

I have cut out all the obvious things; cake, biscuits etc, but as this is a long term thing for me, I'm not being too strict on things like salad dressing etc, obviously I choose the lowest sugar option, but at the same time, if I get a gram or 2 of sugar from something, when otherwise my diet is sugar free, it's going to do me no harm. I'm more likely to stick to it in the long term too.

I make my own bread in my bread machine and put a very small amount of sugar in it, but I don't eat a huge amount of bread so it's not a problem in my eyes. I avoid sweeteners and don't try to replace sugar with anything, I'm aiming for a more savoury diet overall. I've stopped having anything after meals and just stick to fruit with nuts or full fat yoghurt as either a breakfast or snack. (I also don't tend to have more than a couple of pieces of low sugar fruit, ie. berries etc)

Breakfast today was a few strawberries with full fat yoghurt when I got up, followed by a pepper, tomato and onion omelette at a cafe mid morning.

Lunch was a homemade tuna pasta bake with loads of salad and homemade coleslaw

I've snacked quite a bit this afternoon, oops! I had some plain crisps, salad veggies, a small slice of tortilla (onion, potato and eggs) and some cheese

Dinner was then a mushroom, red onion, thyme and goats cheese frittata with buttered kale

SerialReJoiner · 03/02/2017 20:38

I eat carbs with no guilt, but not processed stuff. Bread I limit, because at one point in my life I could easily eat 4-8 pieces of white toast slathered in butter and covered in cinnamon sugar. Gulp!! Blush The best bread is homemade (only ingredients are water, flour, salt and yeast) but while wheat pita bread is almost as simple. Most of what I eat is based around the Dr McDougall diet www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/free-mcdougall-program/

The science is very compelling. I was eating this way, more or less, before I got pregnant and lost loads of weight very easily. No calorie counting, no feeling hungry. I slipped up during pregnancy but am back at it again. I like eating simply.

And yes, mustard! I once did a blind taste test with 2 types, and could definitely tell the difference.

SerialReJoiner · 03/02/2017 20:39

I use fruit as a crutch during the sugar weaning week(s). I eventually taper off of eating so much of it. Frozen fruit is a nice treat.

user1485196412 · 03/02/2017 20:48

Hi Twostone, hope you've had a good day. Haven't read all the new thread as have massive head cold and feeling rough. Will read the new posts tomorrow. I haven't given up bread or carbs - at the moment I decided to cut all obvious added sugar that I really don't need. So I'm not having biscuits, jam, processed breakfast cereals etc. Basically trying to eat as unprocessed as possible but still eating carbs. I try to limit my carbs to 30g for meals and 15g for snacks (got this from a book about PCOS) but hoping to read more into it low carb eating over the next few weeks. Just bought the blood sugar diet book too but as yet haven't had a chance to open it....

twostonetolose · 04/02/2017 06:23

Ok so mostly refined sugar...good that is what I am doing too. Thanks for the link rejoiner I will have a look.

Ok day 4....25 days to go!!!!! We are going to feel healthier and happier even if the sugar withdrawal is awful now!!!

OP posts:
Stilllivinginazoo · 04/02/2017 07:01

I had heart scan yesterday. Proud I didn't hit chocolate when they rang and gave me cancelled app. I wasn't allowed eat or drink til after the test with app at11 and a wait for drugs to kick in I left hospital at 1245
Manage not inhale a marsor3
Lunch 2ham salad wraps and a banana
Dinner broccoli and leek risotto and frozen blueberries

....then I succumb to a rolo from packet dd2 was eating

I blame not eating so long earlier in the day making me feel very tired and I weakened to a sweet pick me up.noally I'd have eaten at least 2bars plus sweeties,so fir me its not major,but still a f#*& up.will do better today!!
I forget who had tests on bowel but good luck with the results and whoever ask about anxiety,sugar DEF makes ut much,much worse!!

twostonetolose · 04/02/2017 07:07

Hi zoo.

It was me on the bowel and anxiety front. Thank you for the well wishes, I am now awaiting a colonoscopy but I feel much calmer having seen the surgeons...I think it is going to be ok.

I am so interested about the anxiety, hopefully this will help them as I definitely get anxious and that is normally when I then eat a packet of biscuits.

Was everything ok with your heart scan? When do you get the results? Health things are much harder once you have children etc to consider!!!!

OP posts:
Stilllivinginazoo · 04/02/2017 07:14

Up to two weeks wait for results.I could happily eat a large galaxy right now,washed down with some crusha but I won't,I know it will just make me more tired later in the long run,and way more wound up and irritable.I have some plain liberte in the fridge and a few frozen blueberries left so that's my breakfast today with a sprinkle if sunflower seeds.my dd2 is veggie and a sugar junkie,so i am introducing my plan by stealth on her.as I eating different things she hasn't even noticed yet as she's too busy enjoying something other than cereal for breakfast!!

987flowers · 04/02/2017 07:30

Just cut and pasting my post from the January thread as I'd like to join you!

It's hard isn't it if you want to give up all sugar- I've been reading ingredients in my cupboard! I've cut out cakes/biscuits/chocolate but I still want to eat a cheese and salad sandwich with mayo and if I've not made the bread or mayo myself that will contain sugar!
Think I'll have to go down the removing junk sugar route, I cook most things myself but don't have time to make bread every day. I can make my own mayo but I don't want to waste the jar I have in the fridge!

This probably explains why I've had no side effects from cutting back on sugar!

987flowers · 04/02/2017 07:31

I hadn't see this one Smile

Badgerlady · 04/02/2017 10:23

Morning all.

I agree that I now look at labels and think 'why does mayo/mustard/ham/etc etc contain sugar'? (as an aside did you know that some of those ready to roll pastry packs contain alcohol? Why?!)

In the clean lean book mentioned up thread it suggests not eating food where sugar is one of the top three listed ingredients.

I decided no sweet things or artificially sweetened things and have fewer and brown (as my DN calls them) carbs. I'm not going to get too hung up on a spoonfull of mustard tho. In reality this has meant a lot less processed food which can only be good. The thing I've missed most is in fact sugary drinks and hot chocolate.

user1473256244 · 04/02/2017 13:29

I don't eat much bread anyway OP, so not too hard to just stop.
Breakfast at 7am today was porridge with cinnamon and a few dried cranberries. Then I went to work for a couple of hours (I'm a personal trainer) and the. had a brunch kind of thing of natural yoghurt, banana, walnuts and chia seeds sprinkled on the top.
Go for brown pasta and rice rather than white food you can. It has more flavour and will keep you fuller for longer, reducing blood sugar spike.

pasanda · 04/02/2017 14:56

I am finding it difficult to limit the bread too. I have bought a brown baked loaf from the bakers section though, rather than a processed white loaf like I would normally get. I don't think I will be able to cut it all out, mayo, mustard etc as I want this to be a long term thing and for me, that is not feasible.

I was proud of myself last night as I went to a school show with my BF and our 3 daughters. They all had hairbos, mini eggs AND jelly babies. I did not have ONE!! Grin

After I suggested telling each other what we have been having...well yesterday I ate:
B - scrambled eggs on toast
L - egg mayo and watercress (M&S) sandwich
Sn- oatcakes & hummus and grapes
D - bolognaise over a jacket spud

Today so far:
B - pancake with blueberries, sultanas and lemon juice (it was really crying out for some sugar on the top that one!!)
L - tuna and cheese melt over baguette
D - is going to be homemade shepherds pie.

On day 6 today and have lost 3lb out of the 10 I want to lose so chuffed with that!

AFingerofFudge · 04/02/2017 17:06

I tell you something though, I am fecking miserable not having sugar. The in-laws are round at the minute and everyone apart from me is having tea and chocolate biscuits after a long walk. Yep I'm having the tea, but looking longingly at the chocolate biscuits. Sob.

Badgerlady · 04/02/2017 17:26

Sympathies fudge. (I think MN need to update the emojis to include a sugar free oatcake or two. At the moment I can only offer you Brew)

You said upthread your reason for giving up was to loose weight. At the risk of sounding a bit Paul McKenna would it help to think about how you'll feel when you do?

AFingerofFudge · 04/02/2017 17:54

No you're right badger I do spend a lot of time talking to myself (Blush) about how much better I feel when I wake up in the morning and don't immediately feel gutted at how badly I've eaten the day before!

GVmama · 04/02/2017 18:05

Joining you a bit late for a sugar free Feb. I've just finished Dry January, which I found really hard and have hit the sugary snacks as a booze replacement. It needs to stop!!

So, I've drawn myself a little star chart and I'm starting today Grin

Fish cakes and salad for dinner. Without ketchup. I can do this!

Best of luck everyone xx

Badgerlady · 04/02/2017 18:36

I love the idea of a star chart! Do you have stickers? A reward at the end?

twostonetolose · 04/02/2017 18:37

Oh fudge I think I would crack under that kind of pressure!!!

I have definitely had more bread than usual today so need to get that under control. Looking forward to a stir fry for tea. Usually Saturdays are a bit of a downfall on a diet as I think I can have a treat day and then crack and give up but now I know that I am not going to give up!!! Hoping if I can get through Feb then this might just become a way of eating for life!!!

Welcome GVmama and others that have joined.

OP posts:
Mysillydog · 04/02/2017 21:10

Hi, please can I join.
I'm trying to cut down sugar for February, not to loose weight but just to see if I can do it. I haven't done particularly well, I had an almond croissant yesterday because there weren't any plain ones. Today I've been at home and it's been easier, I haven't had any sugar but I snacked on Bombay Mix. I still have loads of sweet stuff in the house from Christmas, I think this is going to be very hard.

AFingerofFudge · 04/02/2017 22:02

mysillydog Hi, I'm new here too but posted quite a bit today as finding it really hard. We have loads of Christmas stuff left still, but for the sake of the others in the household I want to be able to not eat sugar even while it's in the house rather than clear the whole house out of sugary things.
And I'd also like to carry on longer than February although at the moment it's kind of one hour at a time 😬