StaceyinLA Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 I did this last year, and have gradually gotten to where I am eating crap I know I should not be eating. Tomorrow I am starting sugar free again (and GF since that will happen naturally anyway, and it makes me feel better), and I need inspiration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 I lost 18 lbs in 2 months, and sugar was all I changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted April 7, 2013 Author Share Posted April 7, 2013 That's awesome! Yes, that is what I experienced last year. I was only around 126 to begin with (5'3 1/2), so I didn't feel especially heavy, but I lost down to 107. I kept that down really well, even with occasional "cheats" when traveling, but over the last couple months I have gotten back to around 117 and I'm not happy with that. I want to be back around 110. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 To be free of the cravings and the NEED to eat when you aren't hungry. So freeing. Have you read Wheat Belly? Changes a lot of thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted April 7, 2013 Author Share Posted April 7, 2013 I have it and read most of it a while back. I think I'll start back reading it today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 Read through most of it tonight. Now I remember why I did this a year ago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Hmmmm. I've gained 2 lbs since Easter. Been eating lots of cadbury eggs. Lots and lots. I'm dimly making the connection over here. Sugar=weight gain. Dang it. I love sugar. But I'd love to lose those 2 pounds (plus about 8 more.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Lost 30 lbs and maintained that loss Energy through the roof Clear, younger looking skin Stronger immune system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghee Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 My skin is in much better condition since eliminating sugar, grain, and dairy from my diet. I didn't eliminate grain and dairy until recently, but saw a pretty drastic improvement in my skin just from cutting sugar. Also gone (besides the zits and grainy skin texture): daily headaches, stomach bloating, feeling nauseous when I wake up, never being able to feel fully rested (not that I DO feel fully rested all the time now...but I feel fine when I get a reasonable amount of sleep). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 Well today is day 1. I'm pretty much doing the Wheat Belly recs which eliminates just about everything I like to eat. :( My one sticking point for now is about 1/2 tsp coconut sugar in my one cup of morning coffee. I'm keeping that for now because I cannot drink coffee without something to take the bitterness out, and I can't give up caffeine while giving up everything else. Tell me this isn't gonna ruin it for me. The coffee doesn't taste sweet at all. Coconut sugar is supposed to be better on the Glycemic index, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Stacey I am right there with you. I started this last Monday, and did so well all day. Ate nothing white all day long. Then... at 8 pm guess who was in the kitchen baking peanut butter cookies....ugh. I am so tired of living craving to craving. I am starting fresh today and I know if I can stick it out through Friday, I will be fine. It's the first four days that are SO stinking hard. I think that what's killing me is that since I;ve done this before I thoroughly realize how hard those first four days are going to be, I did this a couple years ago and lost about 15 lbs. It's crept back up. I'm at 150 now (a solid 150, since I am a farm gal lifting heavy things each day, but there's still some flab there that needs to disappear. ) Ideally, 140 is where I need to be. I look best at 135, but staying there means that I must work out 5 days a week and NEVER indulge in the occasional piece of pie or birthday cake. That's not how I want to live. So all that to say.... If you need to PM me for support, go right ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I lost a ton of weight, my hypoglycemia is gone, my cycles are totally regular (as in I never thought a woman my age would get 'healthier' cycles) and I'm healthy all around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 More power to you. I think it's great if you're able to give it up. I'm not sure I ever would be able to, although I'm sure it would be very good for me. Life just isn't as worth living without regular chocolate fixes. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Life just isn't as worth living without regular chocolate fixes. :( This. Chocolate is my only source of sugar, and while it's usually very small, it still can be a hindrance if I let myself have too much. Maybe I need to give myself a chocolate chip limit - two per day? LOL.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I had to cut back on both sugar AND artificial sweeteners (never was fond of sweeteners anyway), and milk and soy, but the pain in my heel has gone away, the many pounds of water retention I couldn't shake just poured off (no more bloating -- yay!), and I've lost more than 20 pounds since the start of the year. I'm also no longer achy all the time and I have more energy. C'mon in, this water's GREAT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I did this last year, and have gradually gotten to where I am eating crap I know I should not be eating. Tomorrow I am starting sugar free again (and GF since that will happen naturally anyway, and it makes me feel better), and I need inspiration. I am doing it and it doesn't feel that hard to me right now. I do feel better, and like you, I am not really overweight, but mostly just fretful about the way my weight seems to edge up so easily these days - and for me, it's all around the stomach. I think you have to give up what you will give up and figure out what you won't give up. I won't give up my glass of wine at night. I will give up anything else. So I just think about that. I can't have this, I can have my glass of wine tonight. I have only cheated once in the past week on a grain free, sugar free, artificial sugar free, dairy free diet. That was for a piece of chocolate - just one. It has helped me to drink really pleasant herbal teas in the evening. It has also helped me to drop my beloved coffee in the morning. I don't plan on maintaining the "no coffee" stance forever, but it is interesting to me how much more in control I feel when I don't start out the day with a big stimulant. Mine was always black - and two or three cups of it. I also think it has helped me to stick with three meals a day, no snacking. It just reduces the number of times a day I make food choices. I read Whole 30 and that convinced me, a long term grazer, to try three meals. I just have to really push to eat enough that I won't be hungry too soon after - which means eating a lot of fat and adding avocado and nuts to my meals. But it has really helped me to stay on plan. Sugar is bad stuff. Don't eat it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 This. Chocolate is my only source of sugar, and while it's usually very small, it still can be a hindrance if I let myself have too much. Maybe I need to give myself a chocolate chip limit - two per day? LOL.... Get high-quality, hogh-cocoa content (60% or greater) chocolate. Allow yourself 1 oz (by weight) per day. My doctor recommended this YEARS ago. It really does help, and if you MUST have chocolate more than once in a day you can break your 1 oz into two pieces and portion them out. Sit and savor when you have it, paying attention to the taste, the feel, the whole experience. It will seem like a whole lot more that way, since you are maxing out the satisfaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Get high-quality, hogh-cocoa content (60% or greater) chocolate. Allow yourself 1 oz (by weight) per day. My doctor recommended this YEARS ago. It really does help, and if you MUST have chocolate more than once in a day you can break your 1 oz into two pieces and portion them out. Sit and savor when you have it, paying attention to the taste, the feel, the whole experience. It will seem like a whole lot more that way, since you are maxing out the satisfaction. Thank you!!! I especially needed a number from someone else, because if left to my own devices I am very good at rationalizing larger amounts :). My dh often buys me fancy, quality dark chocolate bars - I just need to savor them. (Plus, I need to stay out of the giant bag of chocolate chips from Costco...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 More power to you. I think it's great if you're able to give it up. I'm not sure I ever would be able to, although I'm sure it would be very good for me. Life just isn't as worth living without regular chocolate fixes. :( I eat chocolate almost every day. 70%, bittersweet, with afternoon tea or after dinner for dessert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I eat chocolate almost every day. 70%, bittersweet, with afternoon tea or after dinner for dessert. Not the kind of chocolate I'm talking about. :p Maybe someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 My one sticking point for now is about 1/2 tsp coconut sugar in my one cup of morning coffee. I'm keeping that for now because I cannot drink coffee without something to take the bitterness out, and I can't give up caffeine while giving up everything else. I've switched over to xylitol or erythritol to sweeten my coffee in the morning. I did some reading about them and decided that I feel ok about using those sweeteners, though I won't touch aspartame or saccharine. Erythritol occurs naturally in foods, and xyltiol has been shown to have positive effects on mouth bacteria. I wasn't happy with the sucrose (half fructose) and fructose levels in coconut sugar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 It would depend on the taste. I can't stand anything that tastes remotely like artificial sweetener. My goal is to eliminate the sugar in the coffee totally, but for now I think my morning coffee will keep me sane and give me something to look forward to. I cut the coconut sugar back to 1/3 of what I was putting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 That's awesome! Yes, that is what I experienced last year. I was only around 126 to begin with (5'3 1/2), so I didn't feel especially heavy, but I lost down to 107. I kept that down really well, even with occasional "cheats" when traveling, but over the last couple months I have gotten back to around 117 and I'm not happy with that. I want to be back around 110. Gently here from me. Your weight is a healthy weight for your height, even if with small frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 Gently here from me. Your weight is a healthy weight for your height, even if with small frame. Thanks. I know it isn't bad, but I have let fat creep in around my middle and it is not good. Besides, my clothes are getting tight and I refuse to buy bigger ones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberia Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I gave up refined (white and brown) sugar 18 months ago. I don't use artificial sweeteners; they make me sick and I hear they're not good for you anyway. The first week was the hardest, but after that, the cravings went away. I do use coconut palm sugar in moderate amounts (just in order to deliver the chocolate to me). Coconut sugar doesn't affect my blood sugar levels, so my energy is more steady. It is also expensive, and it takes a while to make things from scratch with it, so it cuts off the impulsive eating of sweets. I've lost 25 lbs without really trying. I feel good. I think I was addicted to sugar, so I never want to go back to that. I hope it goes well with you! :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylou Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Can y'all define what you mean when you say "sugar-free"? For example, I know a Reese's peanut butter cup would be a no. But what about, say, a tangerine? And what about all of those things in between those extremes that, surprisingly (to me), contain at least a few grams of sugar, like my fat-free milk, or salsa, or even the sausage dh is preparing for dinner? Is it primarily white sugar and processed foods that you're avoiding? Or is it everything that has even traces of sugar? Get the Sugar Out just got it out of the library. Here she is on video Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 Gotta check that book out. I have to say though (and I know it's hateful), I am preoccupied watching her on video; it looks like she has had a little much in the way of collagen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Gotta check that book out. I have to say though (and I know it's hateful), I am preoccupied watching her on video; it looks like she has had a little much in the way of collagen. Umm, yeah. Scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberia Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Also, two books helped keep me motivated: "The End of Overeating" (It's about how food manufacturers try to get us addicted to their products using salt, fat, and sugar in combinations that we will crave.) "Sugar Nation" (about how bad sugar is for the body) I just ordered "Get the Sugar Out" from our library, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I still use honey and real maple syrup... Honey for my coffee has worked out great :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylou Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Her eyebrows are unnaturally high! But thanks, Marylou, for the clip. That does help a bit in defining what is reasonable when trying to limit sugar. I like the book. I didn't know what she looked like until I searched for the book and found that clip online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I love being free from the bonds of sugar. I can truly believe that it is one of the most addictive substances in the world. It calls to me and beckons me. I find that the longer I stay completely away, the freer I am. I no longer hear the beckoning. My focus is better and I have more energy too. The only sweetener I use is the tiny bit in my coffee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylou Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Well, how did your first day go, OP? It took joint pain to get me to kick the habit. Hope you're feeling better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted April 9, 2013 Author Share Posted April 9, 2013 I did really well my first day. My diet wasn't the best because I needed to grocery shop, but I ate/drank this: 1 cup of coffee with a half tsp or so of coconut sugar and my coconut creamer (unsweetened). Galette from the Dukan diet (I asked about oat bran in another thread cuz I like this and want it in my breakfast rotation - it's so easy to load up with coconut oil) stick of pepper jack wrapped in 2 thin slices of turkey times 2 some carbonated waters and regular water soaked almonds a couple times Yummy chunk of cheese from Whole Foods with a water on my way home nuts after I got home This isn't a lot of food, and that won't be the norm, but I was gone at dinnertime and didn't want to eat anything out, so I just ate nuts/cheese on the way home from WFoods. I'm into day 2 and it's going pretty well so far: Coffee this morning with some soaked almonds The Dukan galette Little slices of another good cheese I bought at WFoods I have out chicken for some baked fajitas for dinner. I bought a lot of fresh veggies last night and stuff for salad, so I will probably do something like that for lunch. I'm sure I'll eat more nuts and maybe another little bit of cheese for a snack, or some nut butter on celery sticks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Well today is day 1. I'm pretty much doing the Wheat Belly recs which eliminates just about everything I like to eat. :( My one sticking point for now is about 1/2 tsp coconut sugar in my one cup of morning coffee. I'm keeping that for now because I cannot drink coffee without something to take the bitterness out, and I can't give up caffeine while giving up everything else. Tell me this isn't gonna ruin it for me. The coffee doesn't taste sweet at all. Coconut sugar is supposed to be better on the Glycemic index, right? I have been using 4-6 drops of these (I can't stand the bitterness of coffee), it isn't as sweet as sugar, but there is no bitterness: http://www.iherb.com...l-oz-60-ml/5276 There are even many flavors to try. Don't get the 4 oz, the 2 oz. lasts forever. And don't put too much, dd19 alerted me to that when I told her did didn't like the sweetener, if you use what they say, it will be bitter. A little goes a long way. This one is also good, and travels much better than above: http://www.iherb.com...-oz-40-ml/12661 I use this coconut milk instead of milk, the mild coconut flavor also mixes well. Also I use organic unsweetened powdered cocoa. So coffee, cocoa, stevia, and coconut milk. http://www.iherb.com/Edward-Sons-Organic-Coconut-Milk-Classic-Unsweetened-13-5-fl-oz-398-ml/32706 here is the cocoa: http://www.iherb.com/Rapunzel-Organic-Cocoa-Powder-7-1-oz-201-g/30368 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 More power to you. I think it's great if you're able to give it up. I'm not sure I ever would be able to, although I'm sure it would be very good for me. Life just isn't as worth living without regular chocolate fixes. :( Ghiradelli 60% cacao chocolate chips!!! Low sugar and YUM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylou Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 So, tomorrow will be a month since you started the thread. How's it going? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.