Anyone else cutting down on refined sugar?

[Blackpanthers]

Seeing if anyone else is doing the same. I've one huge withdrawal headache tonight. I try to eat natural foods and not sugar alternatives and I'm feeling it tonight. I couldn't even have a g and t. Ha!

Anyway the headache has made me all the more determined because sugar isn't good for my mood either.

If anyone has any suggested natural alternatives, I'd love to hear them
My go to is unsweetened chai tea or brushing my teeth.

Anyone else doing the same?

Hi, glad to hear you're doing ok. I'm plodding along, but doing fine. Had my first slip in three weeks yesterday, had a mini magnum at work, but I might've had three before!

Cake decorating sounds a challenge!

I'm in Japan, just off for breakfast.

I'm plodding too. Not finding it particularly hard, just a bit dull really.😔

Hi, I've been doing this too since the new year and have lost 7lbs so far which I'm pleased with. Got my period yesterday which always makes me ravenous and crave sugar and carbs so floundered somewhat. Mentally I'm able to write it off as a blip and today is a new day but at the same time I worry about this happening every month and me starting to slip back into bad habits...

Sugar is evil. I gave it up two years ago and have lost two stone without trying - my appetite just reduced. My one bit of advice is don't fall off the wagon ever as going through cold turkey is painful. I am completely honest with friends, colleagues and family and just tell them that I have given up sugar for life and after a while they left me alone. Now all that I ever get asked is "how do you keep so slim" and I tell people the truth - no sugar equals moderate appetite.

I totally agree with the sugar addition. Once I have some I want more, I crave it but if I don't have it I am fine.

Since I ve stopped having so much sugar and cut down to 2/3 treats a week I seem to like chocolate less and don't even seem to enjoy it like I used to. I had a slab of hotel chocolate chocolate the other day and thought I d absolutely love it but was disappointed. I think it is about training your mind.

Eattothebeat how strict no sugars we talking? Do you eat fruit

Moominfan yes I eat berries pretty much every day. I also have dry white wine. I no longer eat chocolate, sweets, cakes or biscuits or any dessert (except berries and cream). I used to binge on chocolate all the time before I gave up sugar for good and if there was any in the house I couldn't leave it alone until it was all gone.

Well I'm three weeks in now, and have lost 3lbs. I tended to average 1lb a week when I did this before. My work skirt is feeling looser and I look a little less chipmunky in my face! I'm feeling positive.

Hope everyone else is ok. It's gone very quiet on here.

Good achievement last week... I got through my period without bingeing on carbs and sugar!

I’m coming up to week three now, the main thing I’ve noticed is that I have stopped nodding off on the sofa after eating. My energy levels in the morning are still very sluggish though.

And my sugar habit is absolutely emotional, I’ve had no physical withdrawal, no urge to eat it at weekends, but am getting twinges for it whenever I have an annoying or frustrating day at work.

Same Ketchup. I'm only ever craving chocolate and biscuits when i'm bored! And when i'm used to having it, out of habit. Speaking of which, i've got a craving now.

I’ve mixed in My Fitness Pal and from a slow start week4/5 has seen me drop 12lbs.

I’ve cut back on wheat, potatoes/pasta and dairy too. I definitely don’t have cravings any more!

I'm down another lb, which is great, but I had a blip today. Had a slice of cake this morning for a friend's birthday, then crisps at lunchtime. But back on it tomorrow!

Anyone still doing this?

Hi, I am. Had an exception weekend and will be back on it tomorrow. How are you getting on?

I had a bit off an off week, with a few blips, but I'm still doing ok generally. I need to,pick it up a bit, I was writing everything down, which I seem to need to do, but I've stopped.

If you write down everything you eat, doesn't it take over your life a little bit? You could end up focusing a lot on food. Maybe that's what you want but it would be too much for me.

Having said that, I ask at a bit of a loss because I really don't know how to moderate myself around sugar. I'm so all or nothing. I've done really well being 100% no added sugar since the 1st of January. Then this weekend was a designated cheat weekend because of socialising a lot and I've had 3 cupcakes when one would do. I don't think extreme approaches are sustainable really but God knows what I can do. Frustrating.

Can I join?

I'm having a huge downer on myself because of my sugar addiction and it's not just chocolate and the obvious stuff that kicks it off, it's anything carby and once i've given in the urge to have more is enormous.

I get very extreme mood swings as well when I've had sugar. Does anyone else find that, too?

I had some sugar in cordial the other day and felt really horrible almost instantly! I am trying to remain sugar free during the week at the moment and having a few treats at the weekend but sticking to low carb. AF visited last week and it was hard to see weight creep back up and nothing come off 😩

No I don’t find writing it down makes me focus too much on food, I tend to do it at the end of the day. It just means bad days are there in black and white, otherwise they often get forgotten! Then if the weight loss slows I can look back and see what I’ve been doing (same for a really good week). I also keep a graph in the back of the diary that shows weight loss- it gives me a buzz to see it going down, and I record inch losses too. It just works for me, keeps me from fading off into eating crap again.

Hello Biketart, welcome. It’s been quite quiet on here lately.