I'm going cold turkey on sugar. I really have to. I can't wait for inspiration.., can you support me?

[NewStartAgainReallyThisTime]

Starting now.

I'm going to kill myself if I don't stop eating. I'm now 4 stone overweight and it's increasing.

It's going to be so hard (how long for???).

Anyone want to join? No sugar until Christmas (and then to be sensible... )

Hope this works. I've decided it's an addiction and I need to just stop.

So, it's the morning after the night before and I'm slightly regretting saying I'm going to give up sugar. But I need to do this, so here goes...

Morning! Why don't you come over and join us in low carb boot camp? Admittedly it's more than quitting sugar but very effective and a very supportive group. We are a few weeks in but late comers are always welcome!

Thank you! I've been browsing this board (actually find another sugar one , but want to keep myself accountable). I'm trying baby steps as I have such a problem with food and cooking that I don't know where to start.

Fair enough, you've got to do it your way. Cutting back on sugar if you eat quite a lot will be hard for about 3-4 days in my experience. Headaches, lethargy, cravings. But if you can battle through it one day at a time, it's amazing how quickly you'll feel better and you an easily live without sugar. You could now fill my house with cake and chocolate and I would'nt be tempted, as I know how crap I would feel afterwards. I am only 3 weeks in by the way so it definitely possible!

You CAN do this and the good news is that once you are over the initial withdrawal it isn't hard anymore.
You will may get horribly ratty and have headaches/faceache but it will pass.

You will be more successful if you replace the sugar with good fats (olive oil/fat on meat/avocados...)
Don't forget that sugar is in loads of processed foods inc. bread, pasta, even those slices of ready roasted chicken
Might be worth avoiding fruit at the start too. If you are eating lots of veg this won't be a problem. You will find eating lots of veg much easier if you cook with some fat eg, roasted veg or my favourite - fried leeks with double cream
There are lots of good books out to explain why it's sugar that makes us gain weight. I like Gary Taubes.
Good luck!

Thank you!

I'm starting one step at a time - changing things without changing things iyswim

1st cut out sugar (i.e. Sweets/ chocolate/ biscuits/ adding sugar to anything) these are the things I binge on. I'm not yet worrying about hidden sugars.

2nd address my reliance on fizzy drinks

3rd address the overall diet (which should hopefully be more healthy now, so less difficult to address...

4th not sure. This has to be long term and my health need sorting. By now, hopefully I'll feel healthier and will have lost some weight(?). I suppose I'll need to look in to the amount of calories I'm consuming and start looking at overall diet (low carb?).

I'm not ready to cut out bread and pasta yet, but I don't eat much anyway.

Have just had to stop myself looking for a biscuit. The pull is not hunger, but there is a 'pull'.

Hi

I’m currently sugar free but do fall off the wagon from time to time. I do feel so much better when I’m not eating it.

My tips are:

If you’re planning one step at a time, I’d ditch the fizzy drinks first. They contain astronomical amounts and are generally really bad for you. And it’s all empty calories (at least there’s some nutritional quality in a bit of cake)

That said, next step would be ditching all confectionary. Do nt worry about hidden, just stop with choc, sweets, cake, biscuits etc. Ditto snack bars like nature valley etc

Licorice tea is super sweet - an acquired taste, but try it. it helps with cravings

Buy nuts, seeds, get veg sticks to snack on

Prepare to feel miserable for a few days, headaches and hunger. THIS DOES PASS and within a week your appetite will feel more regulated.

For me it’s like quitting smoking. You will feel so much better!

Good luck!

Also, just don’t buy it. If it’s not there, you can’t be tempted.

If you can’t get round this (eg if you have dc that have treats - deliberately buy stuff you don’t like, to put you off)

The fizzy drinks are sugar free (I know sweeteners/ diet drinks are awful as well, but I want to tackle the sugar first as I'm snacking/ bingeing on biscuits and chocolate etc all of the time, but drunk fewer cans).

By hidden sugar - I mean in soup etc. I'm avoiding any snack type of food (as I binge on them as well).

Ultimately I want to eat how I used to - decent real foods that taste nice and make me full and cakes/ biscuits every now and then, but not relying on them.

Ps thank you!

Oh I misread what you meant about hidden - yes I think that's what I'm trying.

I think then that if you’re drinking the zero drinks I’d go double whammy and stop them at same time as confectionary. Otherwise you might find your intake of fizz goes up as you crave the sweetness... they are so shit anyway.

Cold turkey is the best way, ime

That's interesting. Yes, I might need to have a rethink.

I am doing this too, although I am not cutting out all sugar. I am trying to go low on added sugar, as sugar is also in fruit and stuff and there is no way I am skipping fruit. I do stuff like drink my tea and coffee black, which is an acquired taste, I must add. I also scan food labels and you would not believe the products that have added sugar, such as ham. Why on earth do you need to add sugar to ham? It's much better with it.

I have been doing this for a month and I find that I eat less, feel full more quickly and sleep better. I also have more energy and can concentrate better. I got my inspiration from watching a few documentaries about sugar. I must say that I feel a lot better, cutting down on the stuff.

without is I mean. Products are better without sugar, never with.

Yes, I'm not cutting back on fruit (I want to end up with a varied, healthy diet). I want to lose weight, but I also want to be healthy. I've lost weight (many times) before, but it's gone back on when eating normally again. Now I need to address my diet.

I've been into the kitchen 5 times raiding the cupboards but have left empty handed!

I've been working from home, but now don't know how to 'treat' myself. I'd normally either snack or go to a coffee shop for cake and drink (either alone or to meet someone). I don't want to go alone and don't want to meet someone and watch them eat cake! Aargh!

I've just had a sugar free coffee for the first time and have actually decided I prefer it more!

If you want to treat yourself, how about a cup of tea/coffee (without sugar) and a low carbohydrate snack, such as a chunk of cheese or a few nuts (almonds are good)?

I need to reassess the whole meaning of treat , but yes you are right.

It took me a couple of months, but I genuinely enjoy my sugar free coffee now.

On the verge of diabetes last year, I cut out everything for 3/4 months, and got back to a more acceptable level. I now eat sensibly (I hope) but with a treat of some sort most days. Thinking I might need to do another really strict month. Good luck!

It’s so worth it. I sleep better, my skin is waaay more glowy and soft (sugar causes inflammation, breakouts, and destroys collagen) I’m more energetic and I can eat waaay more (seriously , I’m never hungry, I eat til I’m satisfied) and still remain skinny.
Eat fermented foods to heal your gut bacteria after all that sugar, and look up foods to increase insulin sensitivity, and when you get a craving distract yourself with something ..intense cravings only last a few minutes. Oh and baked sweet potato fries really satisfy

The reason that sugar free drinks and foods are not great is because sweet taste stimulates the same part of the brain as other addictive substances. Your brain treats any sweet taste as a reward because sweet tastes are naturally in nature hard to come by so seen as a reward. Honey difficult in natural habitat and fruits only in season for short period of time.
The effect causes a craving and an addiction. It may help you long term to cut out all sweet stuff to remove the addiction. Substitute sweeteners still feed the addiction and your cravings will continue.
It’s only an idea and I think your brilliant for doing this

I also found that the problem with eating or drinking anything with sugar (including honey or other sweeteners) is that you always want more. With less sugar (or preferably even none) you feel sated and can go for hours till you feel hungry again.

Though snacking in between is not a bad idea. I really want to expend my list of snacks, but here is mine so far:

• Plain yoghurt
• Boiled egg
• Piece of fruit (I especially like apples, bananas, kiwi's and mandarins)
• Nuts (Almond, Pecans, Cashews, sometimes peanuts)

Day 2.

I still want sugar, but I'm staying strong. I've been nibbling on fruit and nuts (I know the fruit has sugar, and all sugars are equal, but it's not as addictive getting it through biscuits etc,)

Slightly concerned about the number of calories in nuts! Not sure what to eat for lunch at the moment.