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.

poking my head round the door, and am being inspired by all the successes .

I need to lose about 5 stone I think (stood on the scales last night and was shocked to see I've put on half a stone since New Year, but then stopped and thought about my major Galaxy habit, and the fact that yesterday I ate nothing but chocolate and crisps until dinner ).

So today is the start of Operation Lose the Sweet Tooth - no chocolate, biscuits or cake, and three meals a day as an initial starting point I think, then once that is habit, start tweaking the contents of meals.

I saw a comment on another thread that the poster "put nothing in her mouth that wasn't beneficial to her" and despite the childish "fnarr", that resonated a lot - food is fuel, food is medicine, I have one body, why am I actively choosing to make myself ill? I'll pick up on some of the books PPs have mentioned and make myself a motivational reading list as well.

Here goes, wish me luck .

Welcome MyVisionsComeFromSoup.

The thing that works for me involves prepping stuff in tupperware so I don't have to think too much about it. I am having to absolutely be firm with myself about not having anything with added sugar, I wish I could do moderation but I just can't, hopefully further down the line I will.

I used to be slim but following a spinal cord injury I have had reduced mobility and lots of pain which has changed my eating (self medicating with chocolate!).

January has been a success for me I think, I have lost a stone over the course of the month, I am still obese but only a few pounds away from being overweight.

Welcome MyVision.

Odd boots, that's a fab loss. Wow!

Ive lost a steady 1lb a week, which was the same ad I did last year when I did this. I'm happy with that. I've eaten well and lots of fruit/healthy snacks. And 1lb a week is a lot over a year... I've another half a stone until I'm back to where I was last year. But my waist is already on the way back, I didn't measure, but think I've lost a good inch.

How's everyone else? There were quite a few at the start. Hope they're still around and doing ok.

Odd boots I forgot to ask, how's your mum doing?

Can I join? I saw this thread a few weeks ago and made a decent attempt at going a week without snacking. Evenings are my peak snacking on crisps/chocolate/sweets/popcorn time but I've also been doing way too much biscuit eating with a cup of tea during the day. At home and at playgroups (who are absolute buggers for putting temptation out there!). Anyway I did well for a week but have lapsed this week when DH has been away. I often see that I need a reward in the evenings after getting my kids to bed.

Anyway, I want to reduce my sugar intake for health, weight, vanity, improved performance (currently training for a triathlon) reasons. But my god it is sooooooooooo hard!!! So here I am!

Hello and welcome!

It sounds like you've had a really good week. I've found the odd slip up once a week or so doesn't matter as long as you pick it back up the next day. I've found that grapes or berries in Greek yoghurt (full fat) really starves off cravings in the evening. I have them nearly every night when I'm home! Sounds a bit boring probably, but it's really nice.

Hello im 36 days in with no sugar well frocuse and im finding it so much easier now im not longer craving sweet, i tried my husbands diet coke and asked bar lady if she had made me normal coke because it tasted so sugary, my taste buds r were i wanted them to be, im not even thinking about food as much anymore , i would say to anyone to do this it does get easier and your whole outlook changes , wish id done this years ago!

Im also eating loads more different foods and i feel like my taste buds were dulled by the sugar , like i was in a sugar fog

Hi, may I join? I signed up for the Cancer Research Sugar-free February challenge. This thread is inspiring. I decided to still eat fruit, and drink milk. also had a glass of wine. Even if I only avoid sweets, chocolate and cake I'll be happy.

Hadn't thought about measuring myself as suggested up-thread. Any weight loss or inch-loss would be great!

I eat up to 2 pieces of fruit a day and also drink milk as the sugar in milk is lactose so not fructose. I also have wine 😊 dry wine is fine and sprits , i eat quite a lot!

Well I've fallen off the wagon big time tonight, just eaten a whole bag of crunchie rocks to myself. In my defence I've had a crappy weekend with poorly children and am sleep deprived. So I don't feel too bad about that. Back on to no added sugar tomorrow.

I've tried to do this so many times and failed. In fact the last time I tried, I couldn't see - I went cold turkey and ended up having a weird migraine. I could hear my children, but couldn't see them and it was terrifying. Is there an optimum way to give up sugar? And if there a good way to give up sugar as a vegetarian?

I need to do something - I feel fat, ugly, old and miserable.

Ive gone cold turkey, but in the book sweet posion by David Gallipie, he does mention gradual process too, our bodies do get used to the unsweetened taste, could you just cut it out gradually, so now instead of 1 sugar in tea have half for few weeks and maybe instead of sugar on porriage have either half spoon or banana and try that?

Im not sure about the vegetarian issue, as i am not.

Withasponge did you give up carbs as well? Most people that I've met who had strong symptoms had given up all carbs and I wonder if it was too harsh? I've still eaten carbs and have loads of fruit. I haven't had any symptoms either this year or last, despite being a chocoholic before starting.

I'm veggie too. I don't think it makes any difference.

People last year on the sugar free thread seemed to go for Cinamon on porridge to replace sugar. Might be worth a try?

Have a look at the I Quit Sugar page on Facebook, if you're on it. I found their hints and tips/questions and answers section really useful.

I did have very had headaches for few days i just kept drinking lots of water when they came on

No - I didn't give up carbs. Just sugar. But then I ate a lot of sugar. I felt like Mark Renton

I'm poking my head back round the door...
I was doing so well (had got past the horrific headaches), but then we've had people to stay for the last 3 weekends and I've fallen off the sugar wagon. I also think part of the problem is that I tried to do the low carb boot camp and found it just too extreme.

withasponge I feel fat, ugly, old and miserable too!

Hello Houndsoflove, welcome back.

I've been fine for the past five weeks but have just had a massive blowout today! I didn't even enjoy it. I was just so cold when I came in from doing the horses and walking the dogs. Oh well, what's done is done, back on it again!

Hello everyone. Is anyone around? How are you all doing? I'm still here, doing ok.

I've been sugar free for quite a while now and it's changed my life. I am lighter and less bloated especially in my face. I feel more energised and much happier too. I enjoy clothes again and am able to wear 100% of my wardrobe not just 20%.

One bit of advice I'd like to share (which I learnt the hard way) is that if you're offered chocolate or biscuits or cake then instead of accepting it, just remember how horrendous it feels when you have to give up sugar again (the pounding headache, the sweats and shakes) and this will hopefully make you reject it. The last time I fell off the wagon a few months ago I felt so ill the next day or two and the headache behind my eye was so intense it felt like someone was stabbing me in the eye. It's so much easier to just stay on the wagon in the first place.

I am doing okay so far, I am pleased to say I have made the drop from obese to overweight, obviously I have a long way to go but I don't mind if it takes a while if it is going in the right direction. Giving up sugar has been the easiest way for me to make a positive change to my eating I think.

I am going to have a bit of a challenge on Sunday as we are going to a new eating place that is opening soon as guests of one of the staff, it is before it is officially opened to let the staff have some 'test customers'. The food is free but the catch is that you draw you meal out of a hat at random so I can't control what it is I will get. That might be interesting!

Ooh, one thing I have found I love is Tesco Chocolate Tea, it is basically tea with vanilla and cocoa flavouring but it has no calories - you can have it black or with milk.

I'm so inspired and hopeful because of this thread that I'm going to join you going sugar free. Obviously I'm well behind you lot (just on the headache phase now) but I'm really looking forward to all of the good changes. Thanks for leading the way!

Smallmole it's worth persevering definitely - you will soon be reaping the rewards of more energy, less bloating and reduced appetite.