Today I am giving up sugar

[indiepins]

Been up since 3am with DS and my God I'm struggling. It's horrific, like a drug withdrawal! Or what I think one would feel like

It's like a craving I can't stop thinking about and have to really fight to stop it

I'm doing this because I'm gone from a size 10 to a 16 in a year and I just feel so unhappy with my appearance now the thing is I'm a small mela eater and have small portions! It's the sugar that's done this to me. By eating cakes, sweets, etc

*meal eater

Be strong - I’ve gone cold turkey on sugar a few times. Sugar is so addictive. The more I have, the more I want it.

When I first give it up, it’s all I can think about, but once I’ve gone a week or so without touching it, it no longer interests me and ’real’ food tastes so much better.

@Goatinthegarden thanks so much. It's bloody hard. It feels like I'm an addict going through withdrawal like symptoms

Good luck. I am two weeks in, 4lb down and the cravings dud get easier after a few determined days.

*did

Following

The trick (which I always forget) is to not touch the stuff once it’s out of your system.

I’m very much back into sugar at the moment and it’s actually a bit miserable, I’m currently a healthy weight and do an extreme amount of exercise, so I allow myself to eat what I like….but the amount of time I spend thinking about sugar, and craving it, is unreal. If there’s cake in the staffroom and I decide not to have any, I just can’t stop thinking about it until I’ve had it….then I’m still not actually satisfied.

I think you’ve inspired me to quit this morning.

Not gone well might as well be honest. I caved

Just so hard when sugar is the only thing to keep me awake

Good luck! I've been sugar free for over 20 years now, but clearly remember the horrendous withdrawal symptoms. Fortunately, they only lasted a couple of days. You'll be so much healthier for it. Well done!

It is really hard but possible. Have a read of the Sweet Poison Quit Plan or the No S Diet (that one is free on line).

My latest attempt was inspired by Matthew Perry’s book. If he can quit prescription drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, (again!) I can quit sugar (also again). He talks about how he knows that no amount would be enough which is partly how he stays sober this time round. I have found the same with chocolate.

I have also found Alan Carr’s Easy way to quit smoking helpful in the past for quitting sugar (not his weight loss book which is a bit odd, I just translated nicotine for sugar in the original book).

Following - going to quit tomorrow!!

After eating far too much sugar over the past couple of days I’m really wanting to give this a go. As others have said, no amount of sugar actually seems ‘enough’ (which I’ve put to the test in the form of Quality Street!) and so I’m hoping if I can resist that first taste, the cravings will eventually lessen. I’ve had scrambled eggs on toast and a banana so far today and apart from refined sugar, I won’t be limiting anything else (at least to start with - I’m ultimately wanting to increase fibre and reduce processed food but my main issue is sugar). My aim is to cut it out altogether but I’ve learnt from past failings not to pin too much on that otherwise I’m likely to give up if I have even a small amount. So drastically cutting down is the initial goal, at least over the rest of the holidays.

Hoping others might want to join in once the Christmas treats have all gone…

Did anyone have an success? I want to start today. I'm so hooked on the stuff and need to get it out of my system and change my habits. I'm sick of the energy crashes and the frequency with which my brain thinks "what can I eat?" and thinks about sugary stuff in a bid to stuff a moment of boredom or restlessness. It has to help me with better skin, mood, energy, bloat, inflammation etc. And in an ideal world I'll start drinking more water. Anyone want to start again or tell me what helped them succeed?

I've put this list of reasons and tips to give it up on my desk and on my fridge to try and motivate myself:

Tempted? Thinking about a sweet treat? STOP! Drink water, take a walk! Move or Stay away from any areas that will give you access to the sugar temptation!!!

sugar has an unhealthy impact on skin, body, moods, and weight
· consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with increased blood pressure, inflammatory markers, total cholesterol, visceral belly fat.
· Look for an alternative reward to sugar: a hot bath; a delicious dinner, distraction is your friend, go away from where you are tempted to give in… leave the house, go for a walk etc until the moment passes.

· Don't swap one addictive behaviour for another. So don’t replace the sugar with wine or shopping for example. You are just looking for a quick fix.
· Recognise WHY you want the sugar? Boredom? Inability to sit still? Need to be doing something? What is it you are looking for, a dopamine hit? It's not gonna last - sugar is not the answer. Its a fleeting very very fleeting pleasure.
· Swap out the sugar for berries. Strawberries/ blueberries (from fresh or frozen sources). are low-glycaemic, meaning they produce very little sugar in your blood and body. Don't drink juices, eat fruit whole. Get the fibre. Get the taste and use the effort of chewing not slugging tonnes of oranges and sweet fruits in a matter of slurps.
· Don’t give in to the craving with the ‘just one’ approach. If you have one or even two you will see that the next day, your body is craving sugar again, so you give in. The next day it happens again. And then again.
· Don't have it in the house.
· The trick is to not touch the stuff once it’s out of your system.
· Eat anything you like as long as it doesn’t taste sweet. Eat it when ever you like and eat as much as you like, just stop when you feel full.
· To begin, try to limit your added sugar intake to 100 to 200 calories per day (a tablespoon of honey has about 60 calories and a tablespoon of sugar about 50).
· Lean protein (chicken, cuts of beef, ground beef, salmon, halibut, shrimp)
· Dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard, arugula)
· Veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, eggplant, carrots)
· Whole fruits (grapefruit, oranges, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
· Whole grains (quinoa, barley, amaranth, brown rice, couscous)
· Legumes (black beans, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans)
· Healthy fats (avocados, walnuts, almonds, cashews, chia seeds, flaxseeds, olive oil)
· Dairy products (milk, feta cheese, parmesan, unsweetened yogurt, cottage cheese)
· Eggs

Type "nutella palm oil visual" and search Google images and see what nutella actually looks like broken down. Then apply it to every other sugary thing you're craving. Ask yourself what does it look like when broken down into raw ingredients, what are you exactly putting into your body and would your body be thankful to you for it?

Your brain might make you feel like it's thankful to you, but our brains like to fuck us over and sabotage our lives (relationships, health, etc). Your brain doesn't always tell you to do the right thing.

Trust your logic, not the craving. Logic is stable, reliable like gravity and will lead you to decent decisions , craving is fleeting, based on emotions and will lead to regret.

(Disclaimer - I am not fully immune to sugar cravings but doing much better now than before. Whenever they overpower me I try to eat fatty things, like peanut butter, cream cheese, real butter on toast with a sprinkle of cinnamon or salt etc.)

Hope this helps xx

I know this thread is old but can I know how did you quit sugar and how did you resist eating it for 20 years? Thank you.