Quitting sugar accountability thread

[quittingsugaryay]

I'm quitting sugar for 30 days. I did it before and lost lots of weight, cleared my skin and felt more energetic.
So here are my rules:
*No added sugar (check every label)
*No honey
*I'm allowed to eat fruits but the ones with low glucemic index
*No pasta and no bread.

I'll be using this thread as accountability thread. Everybody is welcome to join.
Thank you x

Review of Day 1 - No processed sugar. Ate food including veg/fruits and drank lots of water. Fixed plate for each meal, so did not overeat. Did not eat from food container/pot/pan/ (will usually finish entirety of what I am consuming). Conscious of how I felt when I ate (hungry or stress eating). No 'snacks' in between meals (possibility of overindulging). Two family and one work related trigger that would normally have me reaching for anything. Focused on why I was triggered.

Positive first day.

Review of Day 2 -* *No processed sugar.
Ate food including lentils, eggs, veg, nuts, fruit, salad and drank lots of water also took vitamin tablets.
Conscious of how I felt when I ate - not really hungry throughout the day, little more energy than usual (ironic as I am cutting out sugar).
No 'snacks' in between meals.

Starting weight: 10 stone 4lbs
Weight this morning: 9 stone 13lbs.
Have walked approximately 20k steps over the last two days.

Was away for the night so loosened up a bit and had a dessert during our fancy meal out (100% no regret, it was amazing) but still finding I’m craving sugar less than I was before. Weight is coming down a surprising amount as well, I am generally making healthier choices as it feels like it makes the sugar sacrifice more worth it but not enough I’d expect to see this much weight loss. Maybe the sugar has really been bloating me and it’s largely water.

sw: 60.3kg
cw: 58.7kg

need to find my tape measure and see if it’s made any difference to the only bit I care about getting thinner, my belly!

Believe sugar does bloat.

A little of what I found when I was looking into sugar:

What Too Much Sugar Can Do To Your Digestive System (oceanfamilygastro.com)
'Bloating: Although absorbing water is the main job of the large intestine, sugar can draw water into the large intestine or at least prevent it from being absorbed properly. This can lead to bloating or a feeling of heaviness in the gut.'

Does Sugar Cause Bloating? The Secret Science Behind Bloating | GUTXY
https://www.gutxy.com/blog/does-sugar-cause-bloating/
'However, if you’ve ever wondered whether sugar causes bloating – you were onto something. Scientists have reported that dietary sugars play a pivotal role in causing gut inflammation, bloating, and gas...'

The impact of sugar consumption on stress driven, emotional and addictive behaviors - ScienceDirect
The 'Highlights' are very interesting on this research paper. More so on the addictive behaviours.

Impact of sugar on the body, brain, and behavior (imrpress.com)
The abstract about 'compulsive overeating' is interesting.

I’m having cravings but managing fairly well apart from after meals or when I’m going through a stress moment. I think my dangerous thing at the minute is to eat too much of the “good for you” stuff eg I had to force myself to put the hummus and carrots back in the fridge lest I eat the whole big tub. The grazing habit is still strong and I need to cut it out.

im struggling with not seeing instant (or any) results. It’s been a week since I last ate processed sugar and I really expected to feel less bloated by now.

Today i’ve had porridge with berries, banana and no added sugar peanut butter; salmon, pesto, cabbage and giant cous cous; an apple; and will have a snack later. Reading that back it sounds like LOADS so maybe there is the problem!

I am starving though but feel like i’m eating loads. I’ve never struggled with weight before but since dc4 was born 18m ago, I can’t shift weight at all.

All carbs convert to sugar so you're having sugar as part of your diet. Even that healthy raw carrot converts to sugar.

The previous poster said processed sugar, there's loads of Vitamin A and antioxidants in carrots and they are pretty low glycemic index why, she can eat a carrot. Carbs convert to glucose this is not refined sugar

Ah, if the carrot post is for me I haven’t cut out sugar. I’ve given up chocolate, cake, sweets and biscuits for Lent. 😇. Still eating some fruit and plenty of veg.

Review of Day 3 - No processed sugar.
Ate food including two homemade egg muffins with spring onions and tomatoes using muffin cases (see picture below of what I mean). Lots of steamed veg (broccoli, carrots, cabbage), fruits (apple, avocado) and nuts (handful of raw walnuts). I use the small portion packs, as I know I will have no control over a whole 250g bag from Tesco. I stay away from salted nuts in general, though I do have dry roasted on occasion: probably three times a year (co-operative brand is the best - no maltodextrin, lots of seasoning, air roasted and no oil).

Mild headaches throughout the day, more thirsty than usual. One big trigger that would usually have me crumbling half a packet of lemon ginger biscuits over vanilla ice cream, before I removed my coat when I got home, did not happen. More conscious of that switch that makes me itchy to fill the stress gap.

Carrots are actually good for you.

However, there is approximately 5g of carbohydrates, in its natural form, in carrots.

Low/medium glycemic index (depending on where you look).

Low
https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/carrots-effect-on-blood-sugar

Medium
https://www.gisymbol.com/low-gi-explained/ (Glycemic Index Foundation).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2584181/
https://www.livestrong.com/article/418408-the-glycemic-index-of-carrots/

The fibre in carrots (a carbohydrate that is not broken down into sugar/digested) helps slow down the absorption of the simple sugars: fructose, glucose and sucrose. It also has xylose (which is used in artificial sweeteners like xylitol) and starch (polymeric carbohydrate). So quite a bit of 'sugar'.

But it has great antioxidants, so we should not be too stingy with carrots - steamed or boiled is better for absorption.

I would say everything in moderation and lots of variety.

Review of Day 4 - No processed sugar.
Lots of water, kept busy, approximately 8k steps.
Starting weight: 10 stone 4lbs
Weight this morning: 9 stone 12lbs.
Felt better, only one headache during the day.
Believe losing water weight at the moment.

Review of Day 5 - No processed sugar/ reduced intake of salt.
Simple pot of homemade Tteokbokki with lots of veggies (made by my DD) with an apple for pudding at lunch and banana with supper.
I realised I was having a pudding with every meal (or justified having it after every meal) which for me was always something sugary and usually processed.
No headaches, a few triggers that still gave me that feeling of wanting to reach for something.
A good day.

I'd like to join in. I did okay last summer avoiding sugar, but Halloween with the DGC was my downfall. I couldn't bear to say no thanks to their sweeties and see their sad wee faces. Then a stressful couple of months and I've never lasted more than a couple of days without chocolate biscuits. Mostly because they're so cheap and I pass several corner shops every day.

I can't have artificial sweeteners as they upset my digestion. I want to retrain my taste buds completely.

How is everyone getting on? I’m on day 10 and feeling ok! Still haven’t had the weight drop off like I was hoping (!) but I haven’t had any processed sugar yet. Feeling pleased with myself for not giving in.

@OldFatLadyTriesAgain welcome! I was the same, stress/ lack of time meant I used to eat biscuits etc multiple times a day and was out of control. Hoping this helps to reset.

I was weak and in a terrible mood so had a donut a couple of nights ago. Regretted it even while I was eating it but kept going, felt like I was punishing myself. Should have binned it.

yesterday and today are better, I’m definitely thinking about wanting sweets/biscuits less. Partner bought a pack of the good biscuits as we have guests later and I’m not thinking about how much I really want one like normal.

I’m still trying… I had a very bad start thanks to St Valentine day. I only need to have the equivalent of a spoon of sugar to go in a crazy sugar binge. The Valentines chocolate started it all, so I have had a crazy few days with sugar over eating and having a lot of sugary carbs.

This week has been much better, no sugar at all since Monday, I feel soooo much better and despite the 3 day long sugar binge I seem to have lost almost 2 pounds since Monday. May it last…

Review of Day 6 (Friday, 23.02.24)

• No processed sugar/ reduced intake of salt.

Homemade meals throughout the day, including lots of veg and fruit, with lots of water.

Friday, on the way home from work, can be a trigger point. It’s the time where everything culminates into a sugar frenzy, emotionally driven with the key premise being – I am exhausted, stressed, ‘I got through the week. Now what can I have?’

My choices for the evening could be several items from this very, very, conservative list: Nik Naks, packet of large skittles, gingerbread men, crunch creams, ice cream, GU caramel cheesecake, jam tarts (lemon is my favourite), rose and lemon Turkish delight, Lorenz paprika crisps, shortbread biscuits, Tyrell’s sweet chilli or lightly salted crisps, Toffee flavoured Oaties, lemon frosting (yes, I buy a separate tub of frosting to eat with my biscuits), Trek bars (lemon), cake (better if it’s reduced), cheese to go with the hot cross buns with jam. Simply anything that will easily put me into a sugar coma. My go to, when I was feeling particularly stressed, would be a box of sticky toffee cakes (yes, the whole box). Not to mention, I would ask DH to get something on the way home from work.

Hypocritically, I will limit the intake of sugar and salt for the family, but I would keep a majority of what I bought at work for those ‘stressful’ moments.

Nonetheless, no pit stop this time. I made large spring rolls with olives, leftover rice noodles, egg, avocado, pickles with beansprout and vegetable stir fry. It was a lot more filling than I thought it would be, and very satisfying (got the sweet, savoury and crunchy covered). Used my home made pasta sauce as a dip. Cooked a separate meal for my family as they didn’t go for the spring rolls.

No headaches, no real triggers, but did have a banana before bed.
Simply taking each day at a time.

Starting weight: 10 stone 4lbs
Weight this morning: 9 stone 11lbs.

Review of Day 7 (Saturday, 24.02.24)

• No processed sugar/ reduced intake of salt.

Kept busy avoided all things 'sugary' (I usually keep a packet of Love Hearts in my hoodie pocket as I clean on a Saturday ). Cooked large amounts to last for a few days.

Felt hungry from around 8pm, which is the time I usually start settling in for the evening. Had some sugar free yoghurt with banana. Did not hit the spot like a packet of large skittles and salty sweet popcorn, but it’s what is needed at this time.

Review of Day 8 (Sunday, 25.02.24)

• No processed sugar/ reduced intake of salt.

Up early, sorted a few things at home. Lots of work related triggers, but no reaching for anything processed. Cooked day before, so meals throughout the day.

Starting weight: 10 stone 4lbs
Weight this morning: 9 stone 10 lbs.

I have managed to not eat any crisps or chocolate so far, and have managed to avoid the supermarket aisles of temptation. Tomorrow is a family day out and I’m away for the weekend but am hoping to continue not to lead myself astray!

Review of Day 9 (Monday, 26.02.24)

• No processed sugar/ reduced intake of salt.

Lots of challenges at work: high level of stress and long hours, but did not reach for the processed sugar. A win.

Review of Day 10 (Tuesday, 27.02.24)

• No processed sugar/ reduced intake of salt.

Not as hard as it was in the beginning. Far more conscious of the food I am eating. Work pressure levels are notching up but always thinking, ‘hunger or stress?’ (my mantra each day) when the pressure hits. A lot more veg/fruit than ever before: never skimping on the amount and heavy on the water.

Starting weight: 10 stone 4lbs
Weight this morning: 9 stone 9 lbs.

Understand this may be a lot of water.

I quit sugar in January and I’m still sugar free.
I feel great and don’t crave it or want it anymore.
I was addicted to sugar and feel
liberated. I don’t restrict anything else and honestly feel this is it for me for life.
You can do it ladies!!

@Cozytoesandtoast00 that is great to hear. Can I be nosey and ask you to share an example day’s meals? I am still going on the no cakes, biscuits etc type of sugar but still eating fruit and probably too many carbs. I’m not craving sugar but have realised how much it is linked to occasions - eg we had a stay and play at pre school yesterday and a cake sale. All the children were encouraged to choose a cake for each person in their family etc.