Tomorrow I quit sugar

[OuchBollocks]

I am OuchBollocks and I am a sugar addict. Not for me one square a day or a frozen curly wurly to take the edge off, no. I have it, I eat it, I want it more.

Last year I quit sugar for New Year, and stayed off minus one or two teeny slips until I got pregnant with DS, then being off alcohol and caffeine combined with the summer heat made the lure of a cold Fanta too hard to resist. Then I broke my leg and was bed bound and in pain and people brought chocolate to the hospital, and the meals all came with dessert, and then I had DS and more chocolate, then Easter and more chocolate, and although I've managed to drop a dress size so far with the 5:2 diet I need to jack in the white stuff. I am going to Ibiza in September '18 and I want to feel confident.

God help me,it's going to be hard. The rules are:
No sweet drinks, including artificial sweeteners
No chocolate, sweets, icecream, cake, sorbets, pastries, jam, marmalade etc etc
No crisps
Read labels of sauces carefully to check sugar levels.

I will update this thread for my own personal records. I am going to kiss sugar goodbye with the slice of cheesecake that is waiting for me after dinner. Goodbye sugar, it's been fun :(

Hello randomer, yup, cutting out or right back on sugar is indeed the gist! I'm not hard-core though, so still having starchy carbs, fruit and occasional alcohol. For me it's no fruit juices, smoothies, honey/syrups, dried fruit. Not eating anything that has more than 5g of sugar per 100g, or is in the top 3 ingredients on a packet. Avoiding sweeteners and all sweet drinks completely.

JERF - Just Eat Real Food. So for me it's a breakfast of Weetabix or Porridge, lunch is salad or omelette (or a sandwich with brown bread), dinner is whatever. If I want something sweet then it's fruit, and if I'm hungry then full-fat Greek yoghurt and fruit/seeds/low-sugar granola or a handful of nuts.

I'm almost two weeks in and it's bloody hard!!

Just picked up some Nairn's cheese oatcakes. Not had them before. Checked the packet of course, sugar is only 0.6g/100 so thought they'd be perfect to have for lunch or snacks on the go...they come in wee packets containing six biscuits. Just read that each biscuit contains 2.2g fat...so over 13g fat for an individual pack, and that's before I've topped it with cheese or hummus I think if I want to lose weight then I'll have to start looking at the fat content of things too (esp if I'm eating lots of cheese, yoghurt and nuts). Damnit.

So I weighed myself this morning and am so cross with how out of control my weight is. Heaviest I've been for ages and I need or lose at least 6 stone, probably more like 7-8. Plan is WW online but cut right back on sugar and use most of my points on real food.

Also need to cut right back and eventually out on artificial sweeteners. I'm a proper Diet Coke addict and have Splenda in my tea. I'm not going cold turkey but am gradually cutting back.

Mostly I'm making myself not think 'oh I've got enough points for choc/desert etc, I can use loads of points for that' but instead making sure I use points on healthy, filling, real food with very little points on sugary junk. Planning to allow myself some sugar but not much and also for now to allow fruit but not unlimited amounts!!

Today so far has been ok. Avacado and poached eggs on seeded toast for breakfast. Total 0% fat yogurt, raspberries and unsalted nuts for lunch. An apple, cup of tea with skimmed milk and 2 sweeteners for a snack along with 2 Nairns mixed berries oat biscuits which are much lower in sugar than most biscuits.

Dinner will be baked potato with a homemade bolognese sauce using extra lean mince, loads of veg and passata. Luckily have never used bought sauces which I know have loads of sugar in!

Will have some kind of dessert, maybe the mini Oppo ice creams which are made without refined sugar although not kidding myself they're healthy!!

Have had 1 can of Diet Coke today which is a massive improvement on normal!! Will probably have 1 more today but definitely trying to limit it to 2 a day, then cut back to 1 and then out, eventually.

Thanks for the information. The whole concept of syns or points has messed with my head. I have been holding a one woman rebellion and stuffing my face for about a year.

Day 5 here! I'm doing a slightly lighter-touch version of no sugar than people like goingrogue - I've given up added-sugar stuff i.e. chocolate, sweets, biscuits and cake, but still eating fruit and savoury stuff that might have sugar e.g. ketchup.

First couple of days were v tricky and I had big carb cravings and ate loads of bread (digestive system still bearing the consequences!). But it's really settled down now and feeling a lot easier. I caught a whiff of the kids' chocolate fingers earlier and felt tempted just to have one... but it wouldn't end up just one I know and I resisted.

My tips:

• stick it out after the first couple of days as it gets way easier
• drink loads of water (still or sparkling), keeps cravings at bay and just generally makes you feel healthier
• obvious, but have healthy snacks to hand. boiled eggs in the fridge, carrots and humous, oatcakes (plain), ryvita... anything to snack on that's not sugary
• find ways to deal with trigger points e.g. mine was dessert time after dinner. e.g. brush teeth, have a non-food treat ready like a tv programme or book ready, go to bed early...
• any exercise at all helps, force it even if you don't feel like it

Hi everyone. I am fascinated to hear more about Singapore as it's on my list of places to go one day. Is the diet quite Western in general? What kind of thing do most people eat? And is it true that chewing gum is illegal?!

Chugging away here. High protein brekkies, soup lunches, whatever for dinner. I've stopped having sweetened yoghurts as they sent my blood sugar haywire. Natural Petit Filous is a bit milder than plain yoghurt and still satisfying.

They're good tips bibblebobblebubble! I've not been as strict as I'd like. In fact, have properly fallen off the wagon today ! Three biscuits with my tea mid-morning, then three chocolate covered ones this eve. I've had a shitty day and as I'm not drinking, they actually did cheer me up.

So, as my dh is now on holiday for the next week, and we're hosting two gatherings this weekend AND it's our anniversary next week, I've decided to slacken off a bit a lot. Going to look at the last two weeks as a trial run. It's been a massive eye opener, and I'm going to stick to some aspects of It, but think it'll be so much easier when the kids are back at school and hopefully our cupboards will be clear (er) of lovely sweet treats.

Will keep an eye on thread, but may not post until beginning of Sept.

Good luck kicking the white stuff everyone

Is the diet quite Western in general? What kind of thing do most people eat? And is it true that chewing gum is illegal?!

Singapore is basically a "manufactured country" comprising 3 main ethnic groups - Chinese, Malay and Indian, so the food represents all of those cuisines plus some hybrids. There is also a huge choice of international food. Re. chewing gum, it's not illegal to chew it or possess it, but it is illegal to buy, sell or import it.

Going rogue totally understand why this isn't the week to be focusing on it and your point about getting trapped between high fat and high sugar. See you back when the hols are over! Enjoy your week.

early30s I am limiting to one coffee and one Diet Coke a day. Otherwise I'm up at the machine every 30 mins at work.

Sorry to hear about your mum GoingRogue 60 is so young

I've been up since 4am, if I make it through today without eating my body weight in Haribo, I'll be impressed!

So far I've just drank tea, off to the zoo later, hope it will tire DD out so she sleeps better tonight

Just arrived at the hotel in Singapore! 23 hours after I left my house. The journey down to Heathrow was crazy, so I didn't have time to eat, apart from the grapes I took, and I just ate a pasta bake I'd made on the plane. I was good on the plane too - successfully sat next to the box of Cadburys all night without caving! I'm meant to be meeting a friend who is out here on business, but I don't think that I can stay awake! He goes home tomorrow though.

The food here I would describe as oriental, lots of noodle type dishes, but there is a western influence too, so lots of Macdonalds too.

I plan to have a look at my food again while I'm here. For the first five months I lost a pound a week just cutting out sugar and processed food, very easily and no problem. But by the end of May, when I was on my way to two stone, it levelled off. I probably lost another couple of inches. Then I got a bit fed up of six weeks of no loss and fell off the waggon a bit while my husband came on a couple of trips with me and we had a few celebrations at home. When I started again (about two weeks ago?) I lost 2lbs but then this week I've put on 1.5 and I'm not sure why. Perhaps as I've lost weight I now need to cut portions a bit or carbs a bit - on weight watchers your points go down as you get lighter, perhaps I need to do my own tweak to my system? I'm still at a total of 1.5 stones loss, and I don't intend to let go, I just thought I'd be a lot further on by now.

Very proud of myself, was starving after visiting my parents as I'd had a really light breakfast. Went to the supermarket and nearly bought various things that were DEFINITELY not on plan!

Told myself it's not worth it and put it all back, came home and had a cup of tea, a slice of Parma ham, some Gouda and pumpkin seeds.

I'm full and happy!! So glad I didn't give in.

It's all gine to shit. :( I've forgotten how to eat normally. Forgotten what I like that's healthy and isn't cheese!

what oh no, sorry you're feeling like that. It can feel a bit like once you take out what you can't eat, there isn't much left. What I find helps is to write a list of all the foods I like within each food group.

So I like most fruit and vegetables other than squashes, and for protein, in addition to cheese I like fish and shellfish, chicken, beef, eggs, humous, tofu, pulses, yoghurt. For carbs I like most grains (rice, barley, quinoa), potatoes etc. I also eat wheat with no problems.

I try to base all meals around lean protein which makes you feel full and apparently helps burn fat. I find if I eat a carb heavy lunch with token protein (like chicken noodle soup which is mainly noodles and veg with a few bits of chicken floating in it) then I do get a lot hungrier mid afternoon.

Sorry trying to catch up on this thread. I just have no willpower. Feel totally uninspired with food and overwhelmed. I might be better when kids go back. I like fruit and veg but am lazy with it. I don't know why. My braces can make it hard to eat some things but that's an excuse really. Think I'm due on. Always makes me starving and feel low. Went for a run Friday night with a friend and it was too far for me. I really struggled and kept apologising to be. Could barely walk yesterday! Hopefully having my jaw operation in January so really need to get myself healthy to help me recover quickly. I also seem to be spendingan absolute fortune on food. Just ridiculous. Sorry to moan.

Oh and I'm just gorging on cheese!

Whatshouldmyusernamebe Just popping on to say I'm with you right now! Due on, overwhelmed, feeling blue etc. I'm just gonna pick up on something you said though; you went for a run! That's fantastic given all the above I wish I could summons up the motivation to exercise; I do none.

I'm having a break but reflecting and trying to think of my positives:

1. I no longer have sugar or sweetener in my tea (reduced it gradually then went cold turkey and now I'm just used to it).
2. I now read labels more carefully, which will benefit my whole family (I do all the food shopping and cooking).
3. When eating at home, I've switched to brown rice and brown pasta. I have a small amount of brown bread when I fancy it.

I know what you you mean about the cost. Especially fresh fruit. Maybe try buying the packs of frozen berries, and I also recommend buying some packs of individual portions of steam veg (you just grab them out of the freezer and bung them in the microwave).

Lastly, don't be too hard on yourself. Take baby steps. I'll be joining you for much better eating once the kids are back at school too.

pandapop17 thanks for the flowers. I still miss my Mum massively. I was only 31 when she died. My eldest was 2 and I don't think he remembers her properly. She never got to meet my youngest. Still, lots of people sadly don't get to have their Mum as long as I did so could be worse.

Overcome that's awful for your father in law. Why would people be so thoughtless as to use the past tense!!

Goingrogue and Whatshouldmyusernamebe I'm sorry to hear you're struggling and leaving us for a bit. You were doing well. I hope you come back. I know what you mean about spending more on fruit, I do too, but I spend a lot less on chocolate and biscuits so it balances out. I think I mentioned previously, I'm going to go blackberrying and hopefully freeze loads. I also agree with the above posters who said cook in bulk and freeze so you have easy, healthy food available when you can't think what to have. I always have chilli, bolognaise, curry and ratatouille frozen in individual portions that I've cooked in big pots - I only do them every month or so. I hope I don't sound like I'm preaching, it's just things that help me. I'm having a struggle too, but don't want to let go and lose all that I've done so far.

I've slept a lot while here, so been ok food wise! I missed breakfast (woke up at 2pm!) and have had a green salad with 2 small rolls for lunch and a bowl of stir fried brown rice with diced veg, seeds and nuts tonight with a plate of melon, strawberries and kiwi for afters.

What an amazing country to visit! Ive never been anywhere in that part of the world!

Back on the horse... wagons roll-yeeee haa

Bit of a nuts weekend .Dds party Saturday afternoon ( wine and cake), dinner with childfree party friends Sat night at the amusingly named Ho Lee Fook, and then another typhoon on Sunday so I was trapped in the house with 2 feral kids and the rest of the cake. Nuff said.

Today, not the best but could have been worse

B: cheese and Ham panini, soy latte
L: tuna poke bowl, latte
S: 3 plums
D: tomato, Mozzerella and avocado salad with a massive side of GOT ( SO GOOD!!!)

Also started back at my writing group today which I have really missed. Took a break due to time but actually realised I do have time, I just choose to waste it dicking about on fb. Can't remember if it was on this thread or another where someone said 'don't outsource your boredom'. So true.

This weekend hasn't been great, both food and mood wise.

Trip to the zoo was a waste of time due to DD being in an awful mood. I've spent most of this weekend telling her 'no' or to 'stop it'. It's been a testing weekend and I think she's definitely displaying the terrible twos behaviour I was warned about. I just feel shit as all I seem to have done is tell her off.

Food wise, I've tried to stay away from sugar, but had some dark chocolate yesterday and I've been eating more nuts than usual so my weight has probably gone up rather than down.

Hope you've all had better weekends than me and have been enjoying the good weather be it with or without sugar!

littlepig I sympathise. I know people tell you to pick your battles but some days there's just too much going on that you can't ignore so you feel like you're always on at them.

Ok day, despite best efforts of the universe- school bus broke down and my Minerva is MIA

B: banana and cup of tea
S: 2 hard boiled eggs ( post gym)
L: grilled chicken tacos
S: 2 plums, bubble tea ( no sugar)
D: left over lasagna , half glass of wine which I realised I really didn't want.

What is bubble tea!

What is bubble tea!

Today
Breakfast - shreddies milk and a banana
Lunch - salad with egg and prawn
Dinner - salmon with asparagus saute new potatoes and creamy mustard sauce.

Also a small chocolate brownie. 2 cups of tea and water.