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Quitting sugar

summerreading

By summerreading,
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summerreading

summerreading

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Has anyone here quit eating added sugar for good and can share some tips?

 

I've been a total sugar junkie my whole life and I feel like it's time to break up. I watched Fed Up and it was a real eye opener.

I'm worried about insulin resistance too. Been on an SSRI for a few years and it seems that I put on weight so much easier now, especially with sweets.

 

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Jasperstone

Jasperstone

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I'm on a candida diet, so off sugar totally for 8 months!!!! So, I have been using stevia and xylitol instead. It's not a easy thing to do- especially around Christmas, but worth the health benefits in the long run.

 

 

It does get easier though, I have found. I no longer think many sweets as tempting. I'm actually getting to the point that most make me feel sick even thinking about them, lol!!!

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summerreading

summerreading

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I'm on a candida diet, so off sugar totally for 8 months!!!! So, I have been using stevia and xylitol instead. It's not a easy thing to do- especially around Christmas, but worth the health benefits in the long run.

 

 

It does get easier though, I have found. I no longer think many sweets as tempting. I'm actually getting to the point that most make me feel sick even thinking about them, lol!!!

 

8 months is very impressive. I can see not wanting sweets after not having them for so long.

 

 

Thanks! I'll see if the library has it :)

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LibraryLover

LibraryLover

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Eat fat and protein. Start your day with eggs and/or avocado, or the like.

 

I don't care that much about sugar, although for this holiday I had some pie and ice cream. :) It was good, but not that spectacular.  Otoh, the mashed potatoes with butter and sour cream were incredible. I know my weakness for sure.

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HelenNotOfTroy

HelenNotOfTroy

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I have been off sugar for 6 weeks. It was hard at first, but I made the decision that my health is more important than eating a sweet treat. I wasn't really tempted by the desserts at Thanksgiving and have Cool Whip in my fridge that I have no interest in (I may have been the person who put half the container of Cool Whip on one piece of pumpkin pie in the past).

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momee

momee

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"When I go off all dairy I have an easier time with going off sugar...I don't know why! "

 

But then what's left? Lol.  Will start a new thread about a similar but different topic but good for you.  That sounds like a way of eating that will only make you feel better - kinda jealous~~

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kewb

kewb

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Are you going off all sugars or just processed sugar?

For the most part I use honey as my go to sweetener. Sometimes I use real maple syrup or xylitol.

I only use white and brown sugar when baking cookies, which is not something I do that often.

I did have some major sugar cravings when I started down this road. It really is an addiction.

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summerreading

summerreading

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Are you going off all sugars or just processed sugar?

For the most part I use honey as my go to sweetener. Sometimes I use real maple syrup or xylitol.

I only use white and brown sugar when baking cookies, which is not something I do that often.

I did have some major sugar cravings when I started down this road. It really is an addiction.

 

just processed sugar

 

I love the spreadable raw honey we get from the flea market. That is healthy and I will use it as a sub when cooking or baking. I am one of those people if the cookies are in the house, I can't stop eating them. So I don't know how much I would bake even anyway.

 

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Momof3littles

Momof3littles

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We've eaten LC/low sugar for most of the last 10 years.  We do deviate periodically, but I know how to get myself back on track after all of this time.  Ditto the recommendation above for being sure to include plenty of good fats and protein.

 

This time of the year it is more of a challenge to go cold turkey I think. I generally think it is better to cut out sugar completely for a period of time (at least a month) before opening yourself up to any (even occasional) substitute.  I will bake things from sites like alldayidreamaboutfood (just had the Boston cream pie for the holiday).  But I really think it is ideal to reset yourself completely before jumping to LC baking.  I use erythritol and stevia, but not daily by any means.

 

Since it is the holiday season, you may find it helpful to try some LC options so you have something available.  It is a difficult time of the year for many people to go cold turkey, so that's something to consider. 

 

If you are concerned about insulin resistance, another thing to think about is adding in some exercise, including strength training, to help improve your insulin sensitivity.

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wapiti

wapiti

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just processed sugar

 

I love the spreadable raw honey we get from the flea market. That is healthy and I will use it as a sub when cooking or baking. I am one of those people if the cookies are in the house, I can't stop eating them. So I don't know how much I would bake even anyway.

 

 

FWIW, honey (or other carbs, for that matter) may not necessarily be an improvement with regard to insulin.

 

For the insulin angle, I would try balancing carbs with protein and fat at any given meal/snack, so that the carbs aren't eaten by themselves.

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gardenmom5

gardenmom5

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honey, agave, fructose, etc. are STILL SUGAR.  anything ending in '-ose' is sugar.

 

I've read things advertising themselves as "sugar free"  yeah, and how much added fructose is there?

 

I do NOT use artificial sweeteners.  in some ways, they're even worse because of how the brain responds to them.

 

 

when I did my strictest no sugar - I also skipped fruit.  now, I do eat berries.  (never been an apple fan- though my gyn preaches eat an apple a day.  those things are loaded with fructose.)

 

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trulycrabby

trulycrabby

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I went off sugar except for stevia and fruit last year, and stayed off it for eight months. I gave it up because it triggered/aggravated arthritis pain. Fruit does not worsen my joint pain, so I was able to drink lots of smoothies, which helped immensely. I am now allowing one dessert per week, but the joints always complain the next day, so I am thinking about getting strict again.

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Seasider

Seasider

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I was sugar free for several months a while back. I had to go cold turkey (medical reasons) and in hindsight, I think that was best. Instead of trying to satisfy my taste buds with substitutes, I found they were completely reset to better (more satisfyingly!) taste natural sweet and savory flavors. Once I got past the first few weeks, I was completely satisfied with a bit of fruit and did not need or want replacements for the old sweets or baked goodies.

 

I really should do this again - but I know trying to start them before the year end holidays would just send me to failure.

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summerreading

summerreading

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We've eaten LC/low sugar for most of the last 10 years.  We do deviate periodically, but I know how to get myself back on track after all of this time.  Ditto the recommendation above for being sure to include plenty of good fats and protein.

 

This time of the year it is more of a challenge to go cold turkey I think. I generally think it is better to cut out sugar completely for a period of time (at least a month) before opening yourself up to any (even occasional) substitute.  I will bake things from sites like alldayidreamaboutfood (just had the Boston cream pie for the holiday).  But I really think it is ideal to reset yourself completely before jumping to LC baking.  I use erythritol and stevia, but not daily by any means.

 

Since it is the holiday season, you may find it helpful to try some LC options so you have something available.  It is a difficult time of the year for many people to go cold turkey, so that's something to consider. 

 

If you are concerned about insulin resistance, another thing to think about is adding in some exercise, including strength training, to help improve your insulin sensitivity.

 

thanks

Well, I'm Muslim. I have no holidays this time of year. Next food related holiday is in the summer for me.

Exercise is another challenge. My joints flare up with even low impact. So I started walking and going on the treadmill and got plantar fasciitis. Have been healing from that for months now. I think as someone mentioned no sugar will help my joints and I can start out slow.

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TwoEdgedSword

TwoEdgedSword

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Agave is on the no-no list now. It was thought to be a "healthy" sugar, but it is not. Please stay away from aspartame, Splenda and the like. Or at least research it well before even considering doing this to your body. Then don't do it. :-)

I've been off sugar for close to a year. No white sugar or white flour in our house for years. I only sweeten with stevia. No blood sugar issues there.

The first few days are hard because of the sugar blues. You will feel a crash of sorts. But like a junkie getting off drugs, your body and mind will clean up and you WILL feel much better. Better overall health, mental alertness and energy. I don't get the usual crankies about 20 minutes after having sugar. It is so worth it.

 

Honey will have an impact on blood sugar.

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summerreading

summerreading

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Agave is on the no-no list now. It was thought to be a "healthy" sugar, but it is not. Please stay away from aspartame, Splenda and the like. Or at least research it well before even considering doing this to your body. Then don't do it. :-)

I've been off sugar for close to a year. No white sugar or white flour in our house for years. I only sweeten with stevia. No blood sugar issues there.

The first few days are hard because of the sugar blues. You will feel a crash of sorts. But like a junkie getting off drugs, your body and mind will clean up and you WILL feel much better. Better overall health, mental alertness and energy. I don't get the usual crankies about 20 minutes after having sugar. It is so worth it.

 

Honey will have an impact on blood sugar.

 

What brand of stevia do you use? I always found it to have a metallic taste. A friend grows it and uses the fresh leaves. She says this is the only way to get away from that taste.

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Indian summer

Indian summer

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I find eating lots of fat in a low carb setting, with protein makes me not want sweets anymore and I've always had an out of control sweet tooth. I weaned myself off of sugar using a combination of stevia and coconut sugar. Eventually, I became uncomfortable with stevia but now I don't even want the coconut sugar anymore.

 

I followed THM (whole foods version). This is the only thing that's worked after years of trying to get off sugar.

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AMJ

AMJ

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When I go off all dairy I have an easier time with going off sugar...I don't know why!

 

Dairy, soy, and added sugars & sweeteners are my problem foods.  I have had some success in reducing them, though life events had me turning again to too many convenience foods and sabotaging my progress there.  I plan on starting up a 3-week elimination of those foods (plus some others) again right after New Year's because that happens to be a time of year in which I have fewer surprises and derailments.  Once I get through that 3 weeks I will have a lot easier time again in keeping dairy, soy, and sugars/sweeteners out of my diet.

 

For me, and for many I have talked with, switching to artificial sweeteners doesn't fix the sugar problem -- I need to avoid those as well as the added sugars.  I specify "added" because those are the problem foods, not foods with sugars naturally occurring, like fruit.

 

I have also found that while wheat isn't a problem food for me itself it still is a vehicle (in the form of breads and cereals) that provides sugars and simple starches to me.  As a result, I find I need to reduce my consumption of wheat as well, and I need to reduce my consumption of corn to fresh or frozen (corn as a vegetable, and not as a bread or chip ingredient).

 

As for dairy -- there are lots of naturally occurring sugars in it.  If you are trying to reduce or eliminate sugars and have not addressed your dairy consumption you WILL have a harder time.

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AMJ

AMJ

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Three days without processed sugar, and my knees feel so much better! I have about 95% mobility in the knee with ith the meniscus tear, which is huge! Three days ago, mobility was at about 45%.

 

Yes, I have noticed that when I get too much sugar, simple dairy (aged cheeses aren't a problem for me for some reason), or soy all of my "age-acquired" aches and pains return, and I start retaining water again.  I have a friend who has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (sp?), but she discovered that when she stays away from her problem foods (her list is a lot longer than mine) all of her "arthritis" goes away.  With me I know that part of the problem is yeast overgrowth, though that is not the entirety of the problem, and it is not the case with my friend.

 

Basically I think as our bodies continue to mature our dietary needs and tolerances change, but we aren't trained to think along those lines.  We keep wanting to be "young", and do the things we did and eat the way we ate when we were younger.  True youth is a state of mind, and not a lack of physical aging.  We need to keep this in mind and pay attention to what our bodies need NOW in order to feel better and live more contentedly.

 

I will be doing more re-research (reviewing things I researched a few years back) to reaquaint (sp?) myself with my needed changes in diet and how to cook for myself.  Many of my dietary changes my family is quite willing to go along with, too, and DH has stated he has seen some benefit for him, as well.  I am trying to teach my kids more cooking as it is, and teaching them to be more mindful of the balance of what they eat.  I figure if they learn how to make good-fot-them foods they will turn to those whenever they need a quick snack or can't think of what to make to eat, and perhaps they won't fall into the same old way of thinking about food and their bodies as is so common for my generation.

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heartosunshine

heartosunshine

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I really want to quit added sugar but I feel so sick when I do! I don't eat a lot but a tsp with coffee, some honey with oatmeal, etc, I guess it adds up. When I stop sugar completely, I get headaches, nausea, shakiness, and a general sick feeling. How long does this last or should I be tapering off instead of going cold turkey?

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StaceyinLA

StaceyinLA

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The withdrawals last a few days. I found they got progressively worse until the 4th day then noticeably better almost overnight.

 

I use a little coconut sugar in my coffee on mornings when I don't have time to do my bulletproof coffee. Other than that, I do use a few paleo recipes that have a little honey or maple syrup, but they always include fat/proteins to balance it out.

 

I got back to my stricter diet Monday after Disney and Thanksgiving led me astray. ;-p Monday morning I weighed 119.5 and this morning I was 116. The bloaty feeling goes away pretty immediately for me, and I already feel less achy in my joints.

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GloriaMS

GloriaMS

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I quit sugar and carbs for a few months due to health problems.  Since it is known that sugar is adictive, it takes a few days to start to feel the difference and lose the cravings.  Depending on your diet, I would suggest empting your cabinets of anything tempting and buying a lot of nuts, dried fruit, veggies, fruit... and eating protein to compensate the loss of energy. 

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Pink Elephant

Pink Elephant

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This topic is such a pleasant reminder as to my sugar intake and need to curb sugar cravings.

 

I have found that having an apple or other sweet piece of fruit works wonders in curbing my cravings, as does yogurt, but one area where I struggle most is with soda pop. I've tried and tried to give up on my soda habit, but no go, though I have cut back considerably.

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summerreading

summerreading

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This topic is such a pleasant reminder as to my sugar intake and need to curb sugar cravings.

 

I have found that having an apple or other sweet piece of fruit works wonders in curbing my cravings, as does yogurt, but one area where I struggle most is with soda pop. I've tried and tried to give up on my soda habit, but no go, though I have cut back considerably.

 

I hear you! Soda is the worst! I kicked the Coke habit a while ago because I really felt like there is something fishy with their recipe. It's so hard to stop craving that particular soda. But I still crave root beer. At the time, I started doing a lot of research on Coca-Cola because learning more about how harmful their business practices are to the countries they manufacturer in and how they use psychology to hook us made it easier to ditch it. Maybe getting mad at it would help you?

 

Here's what I noticed first week without added sugar:

1. it's really hard to avoid. My calcium supplement has 2g of corn syrup as the first ingredient.

 

2. if I ate some by accident, even if I was full I had to fight the urge to keep eating. It was like my body was looking for the rest of the jolt and wanted to reach that sugar peak.

 

3. I never really realized how sugar fuels anxiety I experience. It was blocking that nice glow feeling you get when you eat something healthy. Everyone feels a little anxious when they are hypoglycemic. And eating something healthy after that should give you a nice boost of good feeling endorphins. But I think sugar blocks that.

This is really important for me b/c I'm on the journey to get off my Rx and deal with anxiety attacks naturally.

 

This next week I want to add GTF chromium as a supplement and ease into working out.

 

I'm loving the replies, great to read your thoughts and successes.

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Pink Elephant

Pink Elephant

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I'm with you on the soda conundrum, Summerreading.

 

I know it's not the best solution, but a little something I've been doing lately Re: soda is rationing. I'll open a small bottle (710 ml) and enjoy a portion of, then maybe the next day I'll pour myself another partial glass, and so I'm usually able to extend a single bottle for 3-4 days, which provides me with a sense of accomplishment and success, because I'm not drinking an entire full bottle at one sitting.

 

I do think the makers of soda pop could greatly reduce the amount of sugar used, yet still have a great product.

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TwoEdgedSword

TwoEdgedSword

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We use the THM stevias, Truvia for baked goods and Skinny Girl. I totally don't miss the other kinds of sugars. If you get Truvia, make sure to read the label. There is a mixed one that has white sugar. Only get the one that has erythritol and stevia leaf.

 

I quickly skimmed about the soda/pop issue above. I drink Zevia. Love it and don't miss pop. Last night had a Zevia root beer. It totally does it for me. Now I wasn't soda addicted before and my friend who loves Mountain Dew said the Zevia didn't do it for her. But another friend who was pop addicted, loves Zevia. It might take some getting used to. They have a creme soda, a coke version (has caffiene, so I don't do), a Mountain Dew, root beer and a Dr. Zevia. We make root beer floats with it once in a while for the kids.

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