Cutting down on processed sugar

[freshstart2022]

I've had enough of spending my evenings eating a very unhealthy amount of sugar. From the moment my children are in bed I snack. It's horrendous and getting worse. I've tried the whole cutting down but I have come to the conclusion that I just need to stop. From tomorrow I will not eat processed sugar on a regular basis.

I'm not going low carb. I am cutting out sweets, chocolate, cakes (as well as things such as crisps). I'm sure there's the argument that it isn't low sugar as I'll still be eating certain things. I really hope that I lose weight doing this, but my main goal is to be healthy, have better skin, to have so much more energy, to feel better about myself and to sleep well.

If anyone wants to join in please do. I'm not making any strict rules that I won't stick to. I'm still going to have a glass of wine at the weekend, I'm not going to count calories and I'll still have a slice of birthday cake on those special occasions. I am not going to regularly eat the things mentioned above.

Here goes.....

Not having sugar on a regular basis isn't really "stopping" though is it?

I feel you though. Some things like chocolate, I need to stop completely.

I highly recommend reading Why We Eat (too much).

www.wob.com/en-gb/books/dr-andrew-jenkinson/why-we-eat-too-much/9780241400531?gclid=CjwKCAiAlrSPBhBaEiwAuLSDUGCG8BClBUmrC6WrYyHrZerNrW9kQXg_skUih9JFXCUwVmpqlvbrQBoCGj4QAvD_BwE

or listening to it on audio book.

Its basically no/low sugar and avoid eating refined carbs (not no carbs) and ultra processed stuff but it explains the science behind it really well.

Its very anti calorie counting etc. It basically says swap sugar for good fats and eat as much as you can/like.

I've been following if for a few weeks now and feel absolutely amazing. Its like a fog has lifted and I feel better, my skin is amazing and I'm losing weight without feeling like I'm being deprived at all.

What I have found most fascinating is once you replace sweet stuff with something high fat the sugar cravings stop really really quickly, and then you stop getting the snacking urge altogether pretty quickly, even though you are allowed to eat if you want to the thoughts just doesn't seem as... pervasive ? As they did before.

Thank you @pastabest. Will take a look at that book. I plan to avoid calorie counting or anything along those lines and hope that this will be enough to lose weight and feel so much better! It sounds as if you're doing really well! Your results are what I'm searching for!

My sugar addiction is ridiculous and I'm trying to do the same as you. I was having migraines at least once a week, sometimes more and I've gained weight. Having scoffed chocolate, sweets and biscuits daily for most of my adult life I've decided I need to stop the snacking. I was doing really well, but mainly by not buying and having sugary snacks in the house. I fell off the wagon the other day as I bought a packet of biscuits and scoffed the lot in one day. So I'm with you and will try and kick my sugar addiction this time round.

I’m cutting down on sugar too. I don’t really need to lose weight (I’m smack in the middle of a heathy BMI for my titchy little height) but I absolutely love biscuits and chocolate. I cut down for a holiday last year and felt so much better but unfortunately went mad over Xmas. Put 4lb on, very bloated (sugar attracts water), headaches, thrush - all the usual things that bother me when I have too much sugar.
It’s very hard at first but does bet easier. I have swapped my “tablespoon in the Nutella jar” addiction for “teaspoon in the peanut butter” which although not ideal is at least better than all that sugar!

Top tip - make sure you have a very protein based breakfast. It really helps reduce sugar craving later on in the day. Cereal and milk is one of the worst things you can have in the morning when trying to kick sugar.

Couple of other posters are right. Things that helped me was:

• having a big breakfast (2 sunnyside up eggs, just enough butter not to stick, on brown bread). I lost weight just because it reduced all snacking until lunch!!!!

• when I had a super addiction to Nutella (from PPD ), I had to go cold turkey. I still eat chocolate but Nutella can't come into my house......

• try snacks like plain yogurt with healthy toppings or fruit that you really like or just some brown bread with thin spread of something like peanut butter with a lick of jam. It's ok if it's just a tiny tiny bit together with better things for you. Also you can get (difficult but it's out there) jam without any sugar or sweetener

@grey12 I’m the same with Nutella. It’s like crack for me. Not only do I love it but it also seems to make me want other super sweet things too. Today I made some date and coconut energy balls to have in the fridge for snack moments. They have coco powder in so are really yummy. Instead of a biscuit with my tea (also addicted to tea!) I had one of those.

Definitely sounds like I'm not the only one! I usually eat quite a bit of protein during the day but I have really wanted carbs today. Feeling tired today as well so may be coming down with something. On a 'good' day I usually go most of the day withour many sugary foods. Usually something like a Gold Bar after lunch. I didn't have that today.

My bad time for all the sugar is after my children are in bed but as today's day 1 I'm guessing it won't be too bad!! I have to think up some non sugary snacks to help!

Day 2 and I've been wanting to snack on chocolate today! I had bacon and eggs for breakfast for the protein to keep me going, and between that and being busy at work I didn't eat until lunchtime! I could easily have eaten something sugary this afternoon and this evening but haven't. I had a headache start up late afternoon but thankfully that's gone now. I have a feeling that it will return over the next few days and not be good!!

I am amazed at how quick the cravings returned and how much time my brain has spent thinking about them! It shows me that cutting right back is the correct thing to do.

My skin is looking bad today. I think it's a build up of all the rubbish I've eaten over the past few weeks when things haven't been great. My sleep is also not great and I wake often during the night and struggle to get back to sleep. These are things that I'm hoping will change with not eating half as much sugar.

I started something similar to you a week ago! It is doubly hard in my house because the kids love a sugary treat occasionally.

I've stocked up on things I like to nibble on - everything from tomatoes, mushrooms, and olives to plain almonds and gherkins. I think most of my snacking in the evenings is driven by boredom and wanting that buzz from a sugar binge.

Anyway I can't say I feel better yet. I feel starving as I've massively reduced my calorie intake from carbs,and also from fat (under advice from a hospital clinic). So I'm not eating much at all. Today I caved and had some bread for lunch with my salad mountain, felt so much better.

I had better lose weight or I'll be really annoyed!

If you are interested, I'm doing this without intending to.

I started a short course of chemo in December and from the first, I could no longer face refined sugary foods. They taste vile. My body craves fruit & veg, and proteins - meat, fish cheese. I have an entire xmas of chocolates at the back of a cupboard.

Being on chemo, the health team have been adamant that I shouldn't lose weight, which is quite hard to do, given that I had a serious hobnob habit, so I'm eating pate, salmon, every kind of fruit. When I have carbs, it's all wholemeal. For some reason white pasta tastes equally nasty. Lots of brown rice and full fat hummus. I seem to eat constantly, three big meals and then three fairly substantial snacks in between.

I've lost 3lb despite actively trying not to, but I feel good, I have plenty of energy, my nails are strong, I haven't suffered any of the side effects I was warned about (so far. fingers crossed). I'm working full time.

So, while I'm doing this for a different reason, I can vouch for the fact it makes me feel good.

I've got another 24 days to go. I'm interested to see if the sugar cravings will come back.

@MintJulia I wish you all the best and a full recovery!! you probably know this but just in case, there are some iced caps that people use during treatment to reduce hair loss. Also, (years ago!) my mum was part of a trial using a pressure point on the wrist and she didn't have any sickness from her treatment.

Also it's great to take advantage of something to have a better healthy diet :) when I was pregnant with DD1 I wanted to eat salad all the time 🤷🏻‍♀️ I don't like salad normally!