I need to go "no sugar", but ladies, I need help!

[1bassoon]

Anyone else feeling this challenge?

 

I've been (trying to read) The Mood Cure and The Diet Cure. I really, really think that a HUGE part of my pervasive "blah"-ness is the amount of carbs and sugar I eat. It's just - well - ridiculous.

 

I'd love some accountability, help, encouragement, virtual kicks in the pants.

 

Anyone in?

 

Let me know what you think - we could start a social group, or just email, or ??????

[gardening momma]

I'm in. :)

[OLG]

I "should" do this:D

[wildflower]

I just started using raw-organic agave nectar. don't be scared by the price-tag, it's worth it!

I used it to make challah bread & in my coffee- that's all i've needed sugar for...

What else do you need to do? Replace bread with rice/ grains?

I'd love to help/ join in & share recipes.

RObyn

[Leah]

Anyone else feeling this challenge?

 

I've been (trying to read) The Mood Cure and The Diet Cure. I really, really think that a HUGE part of my pervasive "blah"-ness is the amount of carbs and sugar I eat. It's just - well - ridiculous.

 

I'd love some accountability, help, encouragement, virtual kicks in the pants.

 

Anyone in?

 

Let me know what you think - we could start a social group, or just email, or ??????

 

I have been no-sugar now for a whole 9 days. :)

It does make a wonderful difference. You can do it!

[Sugarfoot]

The only negative thing left in my diet is sugar. I love it, but it needs to go. I need major support...

 

I'm going to read the 2 books that are mentioned, also.:)

[DB in NJ]

I'd LOVE to!!! I really need to do this too!

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Two things stand in my way. I'm not saying that I shouldn't do it or that it isnt' exceedingly worthy. I'm just saying that these are two things I just don't think I could do without.

 

1) I do love to go to Panera or some other bakery for a pastry/scone/muffin/et c and a cup of tea. Just me, all my my lonesome (and my book). I do it about every other Saturday and it is important to me.

 

2) I do like some chocolate now and then. Sometimes I have a square or two of Green and Black's 70% with a cup of rich dark coffee substitute of an evening and sometimes I like a cup of hot chocolate (made with a square of G&B's 70% shaved into a mug of milk and heated).

 

I think I could really reduce/eliminate/replace everything else but those two? I just don't know . . .

 

oh, and we like to go to confession on Saturdays and out for ice cream afterward. We go to a place that has other things, though, so I could have a yogurt or something but that would kind of dampen the whole thing.

 

So, what are your thoughts? I'm willing to pick up the books this week and give them a read but what about chocolate???

[gardening momma]

So, what are your thoughts? I'm willing to pick up the books this week and give them a read but what about chocolate???

I read somewhere about two different situations--one lady would eat "normal" until her weight went 5 lbs. over her ideal weight. Then she'd do low carb until she lost 5 lbs.

 

The other person, a man, I think, would eat low carb during the week and whatever he wanted on the weekend.

 

I would think that if there are these particular things that you have regularly scheduled, you could do that, and cut back on sugar and starch everywhere else.

[Lovedtodeath]

Anyone else feeling this challenge?

 

I've been (trying to read) The Mood Cure and The Diet Cure. I really, really think that a HUGE part of my pervasive "blah"-ness is the amount of carbs and sugar I eat. It's just - well - ridiculous.

 

I'd love some accountability, help, encouragement, virtual kicks in the pants.

 

Anyone in?

 

Let me know what you think - we could start a social group, or just email, or ??????

:grouphug: :grouphug: I have been trying for over a month now. I will start tomorrow... or stick to it for one day. Sigh.

[Ohio12]

I got a lot out of those books as well. I take some of the supplements and eat a lot of protein. It really helps my mood and my waistline.

 

Everyone is different, but I don't like to go cold turkey. I would eliminate sugar from one meal at a time or just switch out a few of the foods. If I want something sweet after lunch, I try to drink a glass of water instead. And If I want something sweet at 3 or 4, I drink a protein shake or cottage cheese with fruit. Finding things you like and changes you can make without going too extreme may be a better option.

[Dawn in OH]

I went "no sugar" about 2 months ago. I also gave up white flour and white potatoes. It turns out, after complaining about how tired and miserable I was all the time, we discovered I am extremely hypoglycemic. Within days I was less tired and groggy and feeling better. Between the dietary change and exercising I lost 10 pounds in about 5 weeks.

 

It really wasn't difficult for me to quit the sugar, probably because I already eat pretty healthy. We don't do processed foods or drink soda. I've been making my own bread, salad dressings and other things for quite some time. My biggest problem was craving a brownie or chocolate chip cookie, but I've found some great recipes that have no sugar, or a small enough amount that when combined with cinnamon (which helps stabilize blood sugar), I can have a small treat without having roller coaster sugar levels and all the nasty side effects.

 

I still keep my Mommy emergency M&M stash. It's low on the glycemic index, which is what I am watching, so it's an acceptable treat, as long as I don't eat a whole bag.

 

I can't begin to tell you how much better I feel. I was one of those people that would need 3-4 hours to "wake up" and I would still feel tired. I almost felt hungover, without drinking, and on a daily basis. I had no idea that it was the food I ate (I LOVE potatoes) that was causing me to feel like that. I felt better within days and I have so much more energy that I'm like a whole new person.

 

I'll admit, coffee without sugar just isn't as good, so I put about a half teaspoon of sugar (down from 2 teaspoons) in my coffee with a dash of cinnamon, but that's about the only refined sugar I am consuming now other than an occasional oatmeal cookie (and my oatmeal cookies have become so healthy that they are practically a granola bar).

[forty-two]

I do it by buying very little no ready-made foods: nothing sweeter than regular Cheerios, nothing with refined flour, and nothing at all with HFCS and the like. If I want something, I have want it enough to bake it myself. When I crave something in the store, I just keep telling myself about all the horrible ingredients it has and that I can make something far superior at home. I'm fortunate in that I do ok with occasional treats made with organic sugar and whole grains (ww flour, oatmeal, oat bran, flax seed), as long as they have a high fat-to-carb ratio, and I have plenty of protein with them (a glass of milk goes great with gooey brownies ;)). Unlike white flour/sugar, I can eat them without getting the whole "I'd sell my soul for a donut" feeling, as the sugar withdrawal starts all over again.

 

My only exception to the no store bought treats rule is 60% cacao chocolate, which doesn't cause mood swings or my sugar addiction to flare up like white flour/sugar does. Also, I can eat it without getting that "can't eat just one" feeling (unlike, say, Hershey's kisses :glare:). So it is my one regular indulgence. It makes the whole thing doable - as long as I can have my chocolate, I can give up anything else :D.

 

Besides, I have strong motivation - I end up with suicidal thoughts when I eat refined carbs, plus mood swings that are like PMS - on steroids - along with headaches and a general blah, disconnected feeling. Not fun at all.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

My only exception to the no store bought treats rule is 60% cacao chocolate, which doesn't cause mood swings or my sugar addiction to flare up like white flour/sugar does. Also, I can eat it without getting that "can't eat just one" feeling (unlike, say, Hershey's kisses :glare:). So it is my one regular indulgence. It makes the whole thing doable - as long as I can have my chocolate, I can give up anything else :D.

 

 

 

True for me as well. I can have a square or two of 70% and am happy and satisfied. But with other kinds of chocolate (milk, junk) I just cannot stop at one!

[Dawn in OH]

I end up with suicidal thoughts when I eat refined carbs, plus mood swings that are like PMS - on steroids - along with headaches and a general blah, disconnected feeling. Not fun at all.

 

That's what I experience! Plus I yell and scream over stupid tiny things, acting like Super Witch, and later I cannot even remember WHY I even flipped out. Not a good mental position for a wife and mom to be in.

[Peela]

You can do it!

I recommend eating more healthy fats, like coconut oil or even plain whipped cream- it really helps cut the carb/sugar cravings and makes you feel nourished, the way we reach for chocolate and biscuits to make us feel nourished even thought they don't really do the trick (so we reach for more).

[KingM]

I admire anyone who can rid of sugar. I can do it for awhile, but then I trip up and I'm on a sugar binge.

 

And why can't chocolate (in all its forms) be as healthy as raw veggies? What a wonderful world that would be.

[Rosie_0801]

Speaking of raw veggies, severely cutting the carbs while I was diabetic was less painful if I was eating a big salad at dinner time each day. Serve up the recommended amount of carbs, then eat as much salad as you like. As your tastebuds acclimatise, swap some of the iceberg lettuce for green leafy things like rocket, baby spinach and whatever else you can grow. I'm growing sunflower lettuce on the kitchen bench at the moment.

 

Rosie

[Annabel Lee]

I'll jump on this bandwagon! I need to cut out sugar and white carbs as well, and I'll impose it on my family in the process. They don't need to eat such garb either. Today was pretty good, the only sugar I had was some brown sugar I sprinkled (Ok, spooned) onto some barley w/ milk (sort of like cereal). Hey, I was eating barley instead of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Baby steps. I painfully ignored all sugar-junk at the last grocery purchase. I, too, will have to allow myself a small square of 60%+ chocolate or I may go nuts.

 

Everybody under this roof has just been moody and disagreeable, so I decided it's time to get the 'ol diet cleaned up. I'd love to be part of this support group!

[2cents]

I just started this last Friday. I waited for the induction headache but it never happened. :) I am allowing myself an Adkins snack once a day and that little bit of chocolate/candy helps me a lot. I also drink a lot of water and try to keep busy to get mind off of snacking. So far it is working and cravings are almost all gone. Today was the first day I felt like I had more energy and it felt really good! :)

[C.C. in Florida]

I have made a half hearted attempt to do this recently. I am fine until PMS hits then look out! I just need to make up my mind to commit 100% and do it - no excuses.

[Wyndie]

One of the things I have found to be the most helpful is by starting my day with a leafy green; such as wilted spinach combined with pan-fried canadian bacon or collards and sausage. I know that's backwards but really it makes such a difference in my cravings if I start my day with green leafy. Having protein regularly during the day helps tremendously as well. I think a small square or two of chocolate per day is warranted for most if it doesn't set off cravings. :)

 

Xylitol, stevia and agave are very good substitutes for cooking. Xylitol tends to cause diarrhea if you eat too much so you need to go slow but it cooks just like sugar so it's a handy sub. I don't like powdered stevia but do use the liquid stevia for drinks (lemonade, tea). My mom says it doesn't work in coffee (i'm not a coffee drinker myself) but loves her coffee with xylitol. The company I work for sells a great sugar substitute called lakanto (used heavily in Japan) and it's very similar to xylitol but it doesn't cause digestive problems. There are many alternatives out there anymore to help. Probiotics will help with cravings too if you cut out the majority of sugar and carbs.

 

I wish everyone success who honestly tries to make the change. It's definately not always easy but with so many doing it, there will be lots of support!

[Marylou]

Have any of you read The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet?

 

In a nutshell: Two of your three meals are non-starchy veggies and protein. One meal per day is your "reward meal". You can have carbs, but in a normal, balanced amount, and that meal must be consumed within one hour. Snacking between meals is a no-no (I don't agree with this).

 

It helps me to eat this way.

[mom4him]

I wanted to chime in and tell you that it can be done. Our family does not eat any white sugar. The only sweet we eat other than fresh fruit is honey. That is eaten on our cashew flour pancakes in the morning and on the rare occation that I bake cookies, I use honey in them.

If you have a true sugar habit, it is very difficult to go in and out with it, at least it is with me. Using honey, I don't have the sugar cravings that I used to have either.

I have to admit that I went pretty sugarless several times but it wasn't until we started the specific carb diet for our son and I made the commitment to him that I was successful in truly doing this.

Many things have changed for me to the better with this. Well worth the beginning struggle.

[1bassoon]

Alrighty then -

 

I've been off the computer due to my big kids being gone - it's just me and the 4 yo and the PUPPY! If only I had a laptop. . .

 

Sometime in the next 24 hours, I'll set up a social group, unless one of ya'll beats me to it -

 

let's roll!

 

First up: healthy breakfasts that involve no sugar! Ideas? I'd love to get 3-4 breakfasts that would work for me, that I could rotate.

[Annabel Lee]

Not to interrupt Heather's question, but something happened today that I need to ask you ladies about. What would you do for dinner in this situation?

 

I forgot to get the meat out to thaw from the freezer last night, so that nixed my main dinner plans for tonight. There was nothing to throw in the crock pot in the morning. Then, my boys had TKD class at 1pm, ran errands, then dd had a Dr. appt. at 3:30, lasting until 5 (ugh). Then I had to drive 30 min. home, pick up dh and the boys, have dd change into her soccer uniform, and drive 30 min. back into town for ds' baseball game at 6 pm. Right after that, we headed over to the soccer fields for dd's game at 7:30. It didn't start until 8 but her coach wants them there early to warm up. It lasted until 9:40. My boys were starving, so I picked up something from a drive-thru for them (sans fries, and only water to drink) during her game. It would have been too late to cook a decent dinner by the time we got home after 10 pm.

 

What would you do in this situation? I really don't want to continue using drive-thrus at all. Thanks for any help or suggestions. :)

[Rosie_0801]

Arcticmom, drive thrus were invented for nights like that. So was french toast, peanut butter sandwiches and cheese on toast. If you add salad, those things become a nearly proper meal :)

 

Rosie

[mom4him]

Not to interrupt Heather's question, but something happened today that I need to ask you ladies about. What would you do for dinner in this situation?

 

I forgot to get the meat out to thaw from the freezer last night, so that nixed my main dinner plans for tonight. There was nothing to throw in the crock pot in the morning. Then, my boys had TKD class at 1pm, ran errands, then dd had a Dr. appt. at 3:30, lasting until 5 (ugh). Then I had to drive 30 min. home, pick up dh and the boys, have dd change into her soccer uniform, and drive 30 min. back into town for ds' baseball game at 6 pm. Right after that, we headed over to the soccer fields for dd's game at 7:30. It didn't start until 8 but her coach wants them there early to warm up. It lasted until 9:40. My boys were starving, so I picked up something from a drive-thru for them (sans fries, and only water to drink) during her game. It would have been too late to cook a decent dinner by the time we got home after 10 pm.

 

What would you do in this situation? I really don't want to continue using drive-thrus at all. Thanks for any help or suggestions. :)

We don't do drive-thrus or restaurants at all for that matter. I belong to a food club and through that I get 5# pack of cheese. I always have that on hand to slice and stick in a baggy. Another thing that I do is try to keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge for quick eating. I don't know if you are trying to go grain free or not also or just sugar free(we are grain free) but a sand. with butter and peanut butter or peanut butter and honey can be a quick fix.

One of the things that I do is have my kids involved. We always carry our own water and they are responsible to get the water ready and help get things to the car.

I also keep cooler bags of different sizes so I can put our food in the one of appropriate size, throw in an ice pack or two and go.

It is a bit of extra work and a little planning ahead but we have been doing this now for several years and it is a way of life for my kids. Stopping at McD. isn't even mentioned as they love to 'picnic' and we get to all year long.:lol:

[Wyndie]

We don't do drive-thrus or restaurants at all for that matter. I belong to a food club and through that I get 5# pack of cheese. I always have that on hand to slice and stick in a baggy. Another thing that I do is try to keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge for quick eating. I don't know if you are trying to go grain free or not also or just sugar free(we are grain free) but a sand. with butter and peanut butter or peanut butter and honey can be a quick fix.

One of the things that I do is have my kids involved. We always carry our own water and they are responsible to get the water ready and help get things to the car.

I also keep cooler bags of different sizes so I can put our food in the one of appropriate size, throw in an ice pack or two and go.

It is a bit of extra work and a little planning ahead but we have been doing this now for several years and it is a way of life for my kids. Stopping at McD. isn't even mentioned as they love to 'picnic' and we get to all year long.:lol:

 

We take our own food and drinks everywhere we go as well; this really helps. Of course eating out if not an option for the kids b/c of the severity of their food allergies, however *I* have the option but would prefer not to just b/c of the nature of fast food.

 

That said, if my children were starving and I had the option of fast food, I would consider giving them a salad or fruit bowl from a drive thru to help them wait until we got home for the meal. While fast food isn't optimal nutrition, emergency situations call for using what's available. As long as it's not a daily habit, an occassional foray to drive-thru eating won't be tragic if you order wisely. :)

[MomOfOneFunOne]

I read an article in Real Simple about eating on the road. it was several years ago.

 

They listed several options for healthier-than-drive-thru.

Stop at the grocery for:

a box of healthy cereal, rasins, nuts, dried fruit. You can buy a bag or mix it in the grocery bag and call it trail mix.

 

Rather than buy pre-made sandwiches, buy the ingredients you like and use the individual pkts in the deli section for condiments. This way you can get whole grain bread and other better-than-drive-thru options plus fresher veggies.

 

I remember something about getting one of those whole chicken-on-a-spit-things and a tray of veggies and dip. Being a veggie myself, I didn't commit that one to memory.

 

there were a bunch of them but I don't really remember. The value I found in the article wasn't so much the specific ideas but that it kind of gave me a new way of thinking about it . . .

 

Hungry and on the run, I'd rather stop in at the grocery and pick up a chunk of cheese from the deli, a box of ww crackers, and a jar of artichoke hearts than fries and a coke . . . kwim? More costly, I guess, but better. If I needed a whole meal on the run . . . I probably would go for a restaurant meal to go or sandwiches.

 

Okay, my people are telling me that that isnt' true: I would rather get stuff from the grocery and made-do a meal than fast food. This is true but I was thinking of a whole meal from a restaurant . . .

 

Anyway, on a night like the one you're describing I'd get stuff from the grocery and make a picnic.

Edited June 12, 2009 by MomOfOneFunOne

[Linda (Australia)]

I'd love to join a support group for this! I've been 'trying' to go no sugar for (hm-hmmm), about 3 or 4 years now! I know I need to go low-carb - I feel so down when I have carbs, and I improve so much when I don't.

 

Will this be a yahoo group, or other message board?

[Wyndie]

Linda there's a social group for no-sugar. On your user control panel, find "social groups" and it will take you there.

[momtolgd]

I really need to do this too....sugar is my weakness. I have had trouble losing the weight since baby #3 was born, and he's 2 1/2 now. I need to get back to doing wii fit and leslie sansone regularly and give up sweets.

[gardenschooler]

I was recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes, so I'm in. It's been a big change for me, to live without sugar, but I'm doing it.

[Annabel Lee]

I read an article in Real Simple about eating on the road. it was several years ago.

 

They listed several options for healthier-than-drive-thru.

Stop at the grocery for:

a box of healthy cereal, rasins, nuts, dried fruit. You can buy a bag or mix it in the grocery bag and call it trail mix.

 

Rather than buy pre-made sandwiches, buy the ingredients you like and use the individual pkts in the deli section for condiments. This way you can get whole grain bread and other better-than-drive-thru options plus fresher veggies.

 

I remember something about getting one of those whole chicken-on-a-spit-things and a tray of veggies and dip. Being a veggie myself, I didn't commit that one to memory.

 

there were a bunch of them but I don't really remember. The value I found in the article wasn't so much the specific ideas but that it kind of gave me a new way of thinking about it . . .

 

Hungry and on the run, I'd rather stop in at the grocery and pick up a chunk of cheese from the deli, a box of ww crackers, and a jar of artichoke hearts than fries and a coke . . . kwim? More costly, I guess, but better. If I needed a whole meal on the run . . . I probably would go for a restaurant meal to go or sandwiches.

 

Okay, my people are telling me that that isnt' true: I would rather get stuff from the grocery and made-do a meal than fast food. This is true but I was thinking of a whole meal from a restaurant . . .

 

Anyway, on a night like the one you're describing I'd get stuff from the grocery and make a picnic.

 

 

Well... we skipped the fries and got water, but I really *do* kwym. I know how bad that stuff is and it made me almost cringe. I needed something to be dinner, not just a snack or hold-over. It was too late for dinner when we got home. Anyhow... since I posted that, I bought a cooler. That was half the problem - I was unable to keep food fresh on the go. Now to tackle the kids' uber-picky eating habits - they would not eat a salad or a fruit bowl from a drive-thru, or from anywhere else. Unless the salad consisted only of "garden spinach" (as my boys call it vs. store-bought) and the fruit bowl only had granny smith green apples, peeled, without any brown oxidization, but also w/o any additives (lemon or otherwise) to keep them from browning. :( I've got alot of bad habits to unravel with them.

 

How are all of you doing so far? I've done OK; I've really cut down on it since I started this. Sometimes I have cravings but other times I feel so much better. The cravings come mostly at bedtime. :confused: That makes it hard to fall asleep.