Giving up sugar in 2018

[Fabianthefabulous]

Tomorrow I am giving up sugar.

The plan is not to eat anything with sugar or sweeteners as an ingredient but I will be focusing on sweet tasting things, so will concentrate my efforts on foods with more than 5g sugar per 100g and not beat myself up if I eat a few savoury things with small amounts of sugar (eg crackers).

I am expecting my coke zero addiction to be one of the hardest things to stop but I want to loose the taste for sweet things not just replace sugar with sweeteners so it has to go!

Anyone want to join me?

I know there was a long running 'giving up sugar' thread from earlier in the year but I thought it would be good to have a new thread for those of us just starting (or restarting).

Would love some buddies or any advice or encouragement from anyone who has managed to give up sugar already.

Would love to join you.

Gave up yesterday (too many chocolates left on the 1st).

This is my second attempt. I stopped all sugar two years ago, with amazing results in terms of cholesterol reduction. Unfortunately Easter derailed me three months in.

This time I am determined it will be forever. I have a serious Cholesterol linked condition, cannot take Statins and need to sort my health out.

everyones That's what I am hoping will happen. It's my first day today and I am absolutely determined to stick it out for 28 days and then reassess how I feel. I'm cutting out alcohol and all foods with any sort of added sugar in the ingredients.

I think for me snacking is actually the bigger problem - and maybe it is for some others on this thread? When I quit sugar last Jan I actually found it surprisingly easy, however I found I was eating high fat and salt snacks instead (my big thing became chunky peanut butter). I see a couple of you have substituted your sugar snacking for salty crackers - just be aware of this and bear in mind that if you just swap one unhealthy food for another you may not see any improvement in weight or how you feel/look.

This year I'm a bit less hung up on banning sugar, but what I am focusing on is three healthy meals a day and trying not to snack.

Thanks Everyone, that's hopeful then. I've done this before but then just fell back into old habits.

Snacking wise, I've increased my water consumption and keep my water bottle next to me at all times, which I think has helped. Also grapes in the evening rather than a slab of chocolate (or a slice of all the lefyover NYE puddings still in the fridge).

Nuts and fruit on my desk at work to avoid the mint Aero in my drawer

Get rid of the mint Aero in your drawer! It will call to you in your darkest hour...

I'm in! Day 3 of no sugar here and enjoying having no snacks on my desk for a change. It is difficult not to think about it all though!

Snacking is my downfall too. I'm going to just have 3 meals.
I'm ashamed to admit that I have often had chocolate, biscuits, cakes etc... instead of meals in the past, so 3 healthy meals will be a massive improvement for me.

I'm ok, not tempted by the Aero. I've also got a half eaten bag of peanut M&Ms in my handbag which I've been carrying around for weeks . I need to be able to have it around me and choose whether to eat or not, rather than see it, eat it. My DH isn't going sugar free, now rare my kids so it'll still be in the house.

For lunch today picked up a salad in Pret, but whereas I'd normally also pick up a can of fizz and a brownie or something, I've comeaway with just the salad [polishes halo].

So far it's all come fairly easily - maybe my problem wasn't as bad as I thought... That's a slippery slope though, so will push on

I'm loitering with intent - not quite ready to take the plunge but I'm part way through reading Bright Line Eating and know that I eat an unhealthy amount of sugar.

Lots of savoury white/beige foods are full of sugar and/or create spikes in blood sugar.

Returned to work today - office. The place is full of sugary snacks daily, it’s the etiquette to bring stuff in for all kinds of reasons, which isn’t good when so many employees have weight and/or dental problems!

I avoided and just ate my no added sugar meusli and sandwich at lunch - some fruit or vegetables would’ve been good, will try to have some this eve!

Hello! I'm on the other sugar free thread, but thought I'd drop in here too. I quit sugar last Jan (just processed food and refined sugar) and by August had lost almost two stones and two dress sizes. I fell off the wagon in Sept (mum got quite ill and I didn't have regular/planned meals, so snacked) and have put one (stone and dress size!) back on. But I'm climbing back on today. I quite enjoyed it last year, and didn't find it too hard.

Ive been pretty good today, and done a huge shop, so the house is full of healthy fruit and veg. I've a new food diary ready (I wrote EVERY single thing I ate in it last year and logged inch and weight losses).

Office sugar culture is such a common problem- same in ours. I’m a grazer so must make sure I have things like unsalted nuts at work to snack on. Point taken about salty crackers but I’ve now finished the festive selection! Had a pudding yesterday as eating out for a birthday but will allow the occasional sugary thing in such circumstances.

I am trying this too, I have a really sweet tooth and eat far too much refined sugar so this is going to be tough but worthwhile. Knowing how lactose (the sugar in milk) is processed I am not cutting milk out, if anything I am going to increase it, it's going to be sucrose I will be focusing on minimising.

Obvious sugar break is going fine but I'm big time missing a nice cold glass of wine!

If this was an AA meeting my introduction would be Hello I'm Rejoiner and I'm a sugar addict. At the end of this year I have a milestone birthday and I am giving myself a year of challenges and rewards.

For January the challenge is to remove added sugar, sweetener and processed foods from my diet. So if I may I'd like to join you all.

I need to loose at least 5 /stone too

I have just watched ‘That sugar film’ on Amazon prime, it was mentioned up the thread. It’s very good and it’s made me feel yuck. I definitely need to sort out my intake of sugar.

I am struggling a bit with this time of day. Fine most of the day then 9pm- the snack cupboard starts calling to me.

I know I need to bin the contents of the snack cupboard (sorry DS) but I need some kind of replacement behaviour too. Preferably something I can look forward to after a stressful day.

Hello, i didnt find this thread earlier as wasnt looking in weight loss threads as im not loosing weight per say im getting free from my sugar addiction! And weight loss will happen because of that, But searched and this came up, I read sweet posion by David Gillespie its such a good read anyways im doing it forever will not beat myself up if i slip up odd time and next christmas an my birthday 29th dec will be hard but im on day 4 and getting on with it! Im getting my taste buds back already , im enjoying what i have now , been getting headaches and started period today and always want sugar around this time but havent been tempted , looking forwards to few months time when it will be more normal, would be intrested in finding out how long people have gone without

It's day 3 for me and I am feeling dreadful. Have had 2 really early nights (not such a bad thing) as have had the most awful headache and have been feeling achey all over. I actually feel quite unwell. How is everyone else doing?
I am, however, still feeling resolute and have just ordered Sweet Poison - thanks chicken - to hopefully spur me on further.
Lowdoor I know what you mean. I have been having a peppermint tea...not exactly rock n roll, but is actually quite soothing. I also think that tonight, instead of the usual Friday night chocolate, wine and probably a cocktail or 2, I'm going to give myself a facial and paint my nails .

Ive found peppermint tea really helps with cravings (if they are cravings, I think it's just habit perhaps for me). I have grapes with natural Greek yoghurt at night, that seems to work as a treat for me too. Day 3 for me and I'm doing ok.

I'd suggest measuring yourself at the start (waist, bust, hips, arms and thighs) as I lost inches quickly last time and it helped keep me positive (didn't lose weight for a good 3 weeks).

Chicken I did 8 months of it last year. I loved it and lost 2 stones and dress sizes. I fell off the wagon slightly when my mum got really ill, I lost my routine and I comfort ate, then I went blatantly off the rails in December, knowing I intended to start again in Jan, so I've put a stone on, but am still well ahead of where I started last year!

I've just put 'The Sugar Film' on my watch list, also 'Overfed and Undernourished'. The sugar one looks like a sugar version of 'Supersize Me', which was about fat/the fast food industry. Since reading the book (Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser), I've never eaten fast food again, so here's hoping the sugar one is equally impactful!

I'm interested in why many of you are avoiding sweeteners too? I'm not sure I could do without my 1 canderel in tea and coffee. I guess a chemical that tastes sweet isn't exactly a great dietary addition, so are you trying to wean yourselves off the sweet taste altogether?

hi, just joining the thread. im trying to reduce sugar not eliminate just yet. im planning to cut out processed food but still have natural sources, fruit, maple syrup, honey in small amounts. did it before years ago and saw a huge difference.

Not a bad day for me today. I managed not to have cake when out and sidestepped the biscuits.

Baby steps.

I'd love to be able to do this so will be following closely.

You’re an expert then honeyroar!