Quitting Sugar (but keeping carbs)! Support thread.

[Bookaholic73]

I have a SERIOUS addiction to processed sugar, and it’s ruining my health.

As well as being overweight, my teeth, skin, energy levels etc are all really affected.
I can’t go a day without processed sugar, and after 3 days I get headaches and start feeling unwell.

This has been a lifelong habit, but has got considerably worse since the first lockdown in 2020.

So, I’m planning to quit processed sugar and am wondering if anyone else would like to join me?
I’m not cutting out wholewheat carbs, but the processed sugar has to go!

This is my plan:
Months 1-3 cut out any obvious processed sugar. This will be items like chocolate, sweets, cakes, desserts etc. I’ll also be eliminating fruit during this time, as I often binge on fruit when I don’t have access to chocolate/sweets etc.

3 months+ Asses my diet at this point, and if it feels safe to do so, add small amounts of fruit back in. Start looking at food labels and eliminating ones with a higher sugar content.

After that, I’m planning on just seeing where I’m at and making any adjustments if necessary.

Anyone want to join me? No hard and fast rules, make your own, as long as the emphasis is on reducing or quitting processed sugar.

Hi, I'll join you!

I have given up sugar before and after first few days didn't really miss it.

I'm trying to remember why I went back on it. Definitely feel better without it.

I've done that. Stick with it it's really worth it. My sweet tooth has declined massively since stopping sugar.

@nowtygaffer great to have someone else on board with me!
I have given up sugar before, but many many years ago, and felt incredible! I don’t know why I went back to it either.

@Girlintheframe thank you for the encouragement, I can’t wait to feel physically so much better!

I'll join!

I also have to cut the "fake" sugars (I.e., diet drinks). I find that once I start, I can't stop (diet drinks) and that fuels me wanting more sweets.

I also have a sugar addiction. Can’t go a day without it. Always need to have a treat especially in the evening. What makes me cave is because I’m thin naturally, but like you my skin and energy levels are affected. But I genuinely don’t think I can even cut it out it’s sooo bad my addiction is. Wish I had the willpower. :(

@pennefabredux yes, fizzy drinks are one of my (many) downfalls too! Great to have you on board.

@Mamacita191 it is such a difficult addiction isn’t it. Do you want to try many just cutting out 1 sugary thing maybe?

[quote Bookaholic73]@pennefabredux yes, fizzy drinks are one of my (many) downfalls too! Great to have you on board.

@Mamacita191 it is such a difficult addiction isn’t it. Do you want to try many just cutting out 1 sugary thing maybe?[/quote]
Tbh I have since last week. My worst addiction was minstrels. I’d have half a bag to a full bag a night after dinner. I haven’t had minstrels in 5 days now but I do still have something like an ice cream, or a few cookies or some chocolate after dinner. And I do have a little bit in the day too 😫

Ok, so today is day 1.
So far I’ve done ok, but it’s only 3.45pm

I thought I’d miss sugar in my coffee, but I honestly didn’t mind my morning coffee sugarless. Win win!
Breakfast was a omelette with ham and veggies in. Kind of like a frittata I suppose.

I had a tuna mayo sandwich for lunch, which was so good! Not had tuna for so long.

Dinner tonight is sweet & sour chicken.
Now, I KNOW this has loads of sugar in, but I’m trying to remind myself of my first 3 month plans.

It’s going hard and fast that has lead me to fail at quitting previously. By just focusing on the chocolate, sweets etc for the first 3 months, I’m sure my taste buds will change as time goes on.

I am not sure if I’m quitting cordial/squash just yet. I think I’ll keep that for the first 3 months.

Like I said, the first 3 months are just about the obvious foods that I have a clear addiction to.

Can I join you?

I've given it up before and felt amazing, and need to do it again.

Do you have a particular downfall? Mine is biscuits, would prefer a plate of biscuits to a cake or ice cream. Can never just have 1.

And 3-6pm is my weakest point of the day. Aghhh

From past experience, I think the first week is the hardest and then after that it just gets easier and easier.
Also other food starts tasting nicer.
It's definitely worth it. It is such a frustrating thing though. I've given up both smoking and alcohol in the past and they were both much easier to give up for me!

Hi @BigPyjamas yes, please do join me! My biggest downfall is chocolate and wine. I eat chocolate pretty much every day, I am so addicted. And I have a bottle of wine twice a week too. I know the wine is sugar related, because I never want it when I’ve eaten loads of sugar that day.

6pm-bedtime is my ‘danger zone’. As soon as I start cooking dinner, I want chocolate as ‘pudding’. But that chocolate I consume in the evenings is a share bag of maltesers/ minstrels/ M&Ms.

@nowtygaffer I quit smoking 10 years ago and it was a walk in the park compared to quitting sugar! I was also teetotal for 3 years, and that was also a breeze.

From previous attempts at quitting sugar, I know that for me, the withdrawal symptoms last about 3 weeks. After that, I feel better.

I get migraines normally, and ALWAYS get an attack when I quit sugar, which is why I’m trying to do it slowly.

Hi @Bookaholic73 , and thank you.

Do you have a plan for wine, chocolate and danger zone avoidance?

I had a sliced apple and peanut butter instead of a sugary snack this afternoon. I feel full and satisfied. I feel that this is doable.

Tonight after dinner I will have a big glass of low sugar squash or fizzy water and lime (I know not perfect but better than cake) instead of something more sugary. That's the plan anyway. Need to break the cycle..!

For me, I need to keep the sweets and stuff out of the house. Did just splurge on black bean and kimchi on a wrap. The spice/heat made me forget about sugar! But the wrap (even though low carb) makes me feel guilty.

@Bookaholic73 I think your idea of just cutting out certain sugars for 3 months is wise. I have almost 1.5 stone I still want to lose - maybe this approach stepped will help.

Hi, can I join? I've never joined a thread like this but I'd love some moral support. I lost 2 stone after I quit dairy some years ago, I felt so much healthier but I'm sure it was because it ruled out all the unhealthy cakes, biscuits and chocolate I usually eat. Anyway for no good reason during lockdown, i binged on biscuits almost daily, and not surprisingly piled on weight. I need to lose at least a stone pronto, ideal would be 2.5 stone.

I actually started already, I gave up chocolate last week. I slipped off the Path of Righteousness when a tub of mini chocolate brownies appeared in the kitchen yesterday (thanks for that temptation, DH) but I only ate one and it made me feel quite proud of myself. But then I found half a packet of fig biscuits which I polished off in one sitting, and ruined the whole thing.

So I am hitting the reset button. It is day 1 again.

I'm quitting chocolate and biscuits for weeks 1 and 2. I am keeping some fruit and also cake, because September is The Month of Family Birthdays and refusing cake would cause absolute horror within my family. But I'm also quitting sweets, yoghurt, ice cream, all sugary drinks including fruit juice, popcorn, croissants and pastries, and sweetened cereals.

For snack attacks, I'm opting for dry unsweetened muesli, because I actually like it and I need more oats. And no one can seriously binge dry muesli, right? Even me.

Morning all!!
How is everyone getting on?
I've been ok so far...hope everyone is sticking at it without too many problems.

Good morning!
Sorry I’ve not been posting, life has been busy!

This morning I noticed something. I’m finding it so much easier to get up in the morning, and I think it’s due to not having a sugar hangover most mornings. Anyone else feel like that?

Welcome anyone who wants to join!

Another side effect of less sugar I’ve noticed is that I’m not so tired! It’s only been a week and I already have more energy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not bouncing off the walls, but not as I falling asleep at 6pm!

I did cave and have a bar of chocolate a few days ago, but I’ve just carried on regardless.

I’m not counting days or anything, as it always feels like a competition that way. I’m just doing it day by day. Minute by minute some days.

It helps that my husband is trying really hard to lose weight too, and will always say no when I ask him to go and pick up some chocolate.
(I asked him to do this btw, he isn’t controlling what I can/can’t eat).

I’ve very slowly been reducing my sugar for the past month, even though I only posted this thread a few days ago. And so far I’ve lost 10lbs! While the main focus of quitting sugar is my energy levels, weight loss is also a goal, and I’m so pleased with my loss!

How is everyone else getting on?

I'd like to join please. Going to try no obvious sugar (cake, chocolate, biscuits) for the rest of this month. Not had any alcohol for a week so will continue with that. Luckily I have already cut sugar in coffee and I don't like fizzy drinks.

I am also quitting ‘added’ sugar as of today. My downfall has been copious cups of tea with sugar and sweet snacks while wfh. Thank you for starting this thread.

I'm finding it okay so far.
I'm about 5 days in and haven't really been tempted yet.

I really need to knock the alcohol on the head too. I have a bottle a week, and am going to cut that out too. I hate the hangover and sluggish feeling in the mornings!

@nowtygaffer glad to hear it’s going well!

Welcome @DanaCScully and @Gufo, glad to have you on board!

We were at the beach yesterday, and the thought of a Mr Whippy crossed my mind, but I’m so glad I resisted.

Cutting sugar out of my coffee hasn’t been an issue, but I just can’t have tea without 1 sugar. So I’m keeping that in at the moment, and I’ll reevaluate at the end of this month.

Well done guys! I’m failing here.

Q - does sugar contribute to saddlebag fat? I ask because I’m lean, eat healthy-ish other than the sugar obviously, workout 5 times a week cardio and weight training. My body is in good shape except my saddlebags at the side of my bum/thighs and wonder if it’s the sugar :(

@Mamacita191 I really don’t know to be honest. It sounds like you’re really fit, so I doubt the sugar is an issue unless you’re eating lots of it daily.