Anyone wants to join me in quitting sugar for 30 days to start with?

[Bananamuffins123]

I have been out of control since we got back from holidays 6 weeks ago. For some reason can't get get inti the mindset of eating healthily for more then 5 days to the point i binge even on dark chocolate. The only way for me is to do 30 days of no sugar , not even dark chocolate and hopefully my mind will rest again. Anyway wants to join me from tomorrow?

Do you mean 16:8? If so, I recommend Gin Steven's 28 Fast Start (or something like that).
I'm on day 11 of no sugar and noticed how sweet the mushrooms and tomatoes on my full English were this morning. (It was a hotel breakfast, so possible that sugar was actually added by the chef).

I'm on day 11 of no sugar and noticed how sweet the mushrooms and tomatoes on my full English were this morning

This is the key thing that happens when one quits sugar and UPF. It gives our taste buds a chance to recover, and all of a sudden we can taste the more subtle flavours of fruits and vegetables.

Today I had an omelette and salad for lunch. It was truly delicious.
Last night I had salmon with braised cabbage and pan-fried sprouting broccoli. So simple, but tasted amazing.
Right now I'm making some peach compote which will be lovely with some Greek yoghurt.

Not a teaspoon of added sugar. No need, and I don't miss it. And no refined carbs either - there's enough carbs in the vegetables.

I do eat a small quantity of - mostly unrefined - carbs most days, e.g. quinoa or lentils, and an occasional Middle Eastern Flatbread.

And every now and again I have a chocolate brioche, a custard tart or an ice cream..... or a glass of prosecco... 😄

Cracking headache, big cravings, keeping going though!

Also lots of cravings today. Ate salted nuts, a plum and an apple and drank fresh mint tea but not achieved the same kind of satisfaction and pleasure when sugar kicks in. It ain't easy!

I'm Day 2 and it's made me realise just how often I reach for the biscuit barrell. Cooking tea was the hardest as it's when I'm prepping that I'm dipping in to the treat cupboard.

Also now that I've eaten tea, I'm desperate for a pudding!

Really hoping I see the benefit of the changes I'm making.

Stay strong, I’m on something like Day 11 and feeling great. It’s as though someone has taken all of the cotton wool out of my head that I didn’t even know was there. And I lost 3lb in the first week.

Can I join please? Life is difficult at the moment and sugar has become my crutch. I did 11 years refined-sugar-free in the past but had difficult pregnancies with hyperemesis and biscuits and ice lollies were the only things that would stay down. I'm currently heading towards a size 16 (I'm 5 foot so look ridiculous)- I'm hoping weaning off sugar will help me lose a bit of weight.

Had a slice of cake that my friend made tonight. Feel a bit hyper now. It was lovely cake and she's a great baker but it tasted very sugary now I'm getting less used to it. Think next time I'll ask for half a slice, or try to save sugar for when I'm being active.

Finding it hard. Have managed 10 days of total sugar free and had 5 days of wobbles. I suspect starting during the summer hols when my kid is asking for lollies and ice cream has not helped. Determined to do better this week.

To all those who are struggling:

• Are you ADDING...... or are you just taking away?
• You need to find delicious, savoury substitutes for all the sugary crap non-foods!!

I have posted a few ideas and strategies upthread. There are so many delicious dishes out there that contain neither added sugar nor over-refined starch.

I'm discovering new recipes all the time. I often modify recipes that I find in newspapers, for instance using cauliflower or lentils or quinoa instead of rice or pasta.

Just now I'm salivating over a book I found in a charity shop: Eat Clean, by Ching-He-Huang - and I can't wait to try out some of her recipes.

I've reached the point where I genuinely no longer miss sugar. What's more, I am enjoying my food so much more. So, to end my sermon....... persevere, discover new flavours, be adventurous with your food!

Can I join too please? I started 1st September after putting a LOT of weight on our recent family holiday (who knew two weeks of drinking lager and eating croissants and pastries would have such an effect?!).

I'm due to have surgery on my foot soon, so really need to be back to my fighting weight, but these days (in my fifties) I find it is soo easy to put on, but damn hard to shift ... hence giving up alcohol too. I will still be eating bread, pasta, rice, fruit etc as too difficult not to with family meals. But no added sugar for me.

Thanks for the inspirational post @PaminaMozart - just what I need to hear.

Thanks so much to all those further down the line sharing tips and success stories - it's really helping me to keep going! Day 4, headache has shifted, feel a bit less wobbly so far today... definitely latching onto the tips about adding interesting savoury foods

Here is my go-to salad:

The basics:
Onion
Thinly sliced red cabbage
Carrots
Lettuce (preferably Romaine) or salad leaves
Tomatoes +/- cucumber
To bulk it up:
Leftover veg from last night dinner
(I usually make extra)
Protein:
Boiled eggs
Tuna, salmon etc
Chicken breast
Lentils, beans or chickpeas
Feta or cottage cheese
To give it Oomph...:
Olives
Nuts or seeds
Herbs: parsley, mint, dill, basil
Dressing: (make a jar full at a time)
Lemon juice + white wine vinegar
EVOO
Salt + pepper (+/- red pepper flakes)
Liven it up with:

• Dijon mustard
• horseradish
• a little mayo + chili sauce
• peanut butter or tahini
• Ginger + soy sauce

And/or add some fruit

• apple or pear
• peach, melon/cantaloupe or mango
• grapes or strawberries

You're so right. Add foods, savour the deliciousness and up the flavours. Going to look at this book. The treat is... giving yourself delicious, fresh, whole food that makes you feel better, look better, sleep better and will keep you healthier long term.

I find that I can't be bothered with making up all the protein balls, stuffed dates and chia seed puddings etc that are often suggested as 'sweet' replacements on keto and low carb but @PaminaMozart your peach compote sounds nice, do you have a recommended recipe?

Instead of making replacements, I usually have a few berries with double cream as a little 'treat' or if it's been payday I buy the best mozzarella ball and nicest cherry tomatoes I can find, put a bit of olive oil and pesto on them, and have that if I'm still nibbly after dinner. I'm not really hungry because the protein and good fat I've eaten during the day has filled me, but it's habit and I know it'll take a while to crack the 'no snacking' thing as I get into the groove. Or sometimes I'll have a pepperoni or some peanuts, but only a few as I only like the salted ones. I don't usually count calories when I do this diet but I will be keeping an eye on them this time around.

I've only managed to stick to it for 3 days so far, but I'm down by 1 pound already, bloating is reducing and I'm getting a few spots on my chin. That always happens to me whenever I cut sugars, so I figure it's a result of my body detoxing. It really is a drug for me. Day 1 and 2 I was desperately craving sugar but day 3 was much easier.

your peach compote sounds nice, do you have a recommended recipe?

😹LOL...
Chop up some peaches. No need to peel - it's all good.
Put in a pan with just enough water to prevent it from sticking or burning.
Heat up on moderate heat, lower to a moderate simmer.
Keep an eye on it (add a splash of water if necessary), and cook until done to your liking.
That's it 😻

Day 12 achieved!

I've not added anything, not even fruit. I've just cut out all of the chocolate and biscuits I was binging on. Very happy with the results on the scales so far!

Here is a short and very succinct video from Dr Becky about the benefits of polyphenols - a form antioxidants - that naturally occur in low carb fruit and vegetables, including berries, non-starchy vegetables, and nuts/seeds.

There is a handy chart at the end of the video. (Ignore the short infomercial at the beginning...)

NB:
Epidemiological studies and associated meta-analyses strongly suggest that long term consumption of diets rich in plant polyphenols offer protection against development of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative diseases

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2835915/

Had one Chinese biscuit thing that a Chinese colleague bought in, cos I wanted to try it. I'm happy with that choice, it was interesting. Prior to this challenge I probably would have eaten three of them! The rest of the day, no sugary items. (Though I'm starting to notice how sweet a lot of savoury items are, my egg sandwich at lunch had quite a bit of added sugar).

Same here, dark chocolate digestives are my thing and I'm missing them so much.

I started late as we were on holiday until 1 September.

The first couple of days were so hard! I ate so much on Monday to distract myself from wanting sugary-things, but today, my appetite seems to have regulated a bit - and I've only just started feeling peckish.

What I find so annoying is that I can be so disciplined in some circumstances -e.g. when we were doing IVF. But, day-to-day, although I'm really worried about the health implications of eating too much sugar, it just doesn't seem like such a strong motivator.

I'm hoping this thread will help to keep me accountable! Thank you ladies.

Struggling with the afternoon slump and v much craving something sweet. It helps being distracted but today I WFH and need to do rather boring admin tasks. I am not sure it has got easier yet, I seem to think about food a lot since denying myself sugar.

Thanks @PaminaMozart much more simple than I'd assumed 😂 I've never attempted compote before.

I've done ok so far today. Resisted chocolates that were in the staff room and ate my salad and cheese and stayed away from the temptations. It was hard though! Everyone was munching biscuits and sweets. Still having sugar in my morning brew, but I've decided that's ok and I'm allowed! I'll eventually reduce that down gradually.

I know it's not usually recommended on diets, I often see only weekly weigh ins being recommended, but I weigh myself every day or 2 to make sure I'm keeping on track. Otherwise I let myself think 'oh one biscuit will be ok' then realise I've gained. Another 1lb off this morning but I think that's to do with period fluctuations rather than proper fat loss.

Well done @Peae! How much have you lost over the 12 days if you don't mind me asking?

@orangetulipsinbloom can you snack on protein to distract yourself from sweet stuff?