Anyone ever give up sugar?

ginandtonicsky

My diet is atrociously heavy on sugar, I'd say chocolate is a daily staple going back as far as I can remember, then there's the sugary lattes, sweets, those crappy cereal bars etc so i've decided to try to clean up and quit the lovely white stuff.

Finding it diabolically hard though. It's day three and my mood is all over the place, can't concentrate and on the verge of throwing myself out in front of a car with the cravings! Anyone ever successfully done this before? I feel like im on a comedown from crack or something lol

Gorgeousgeorge

ginandtonicsky wrote: »

My diet is atrociously heavy on sugar, I'd say chocolate is a daily staple going back as far as I can remember, then there's the sugary lattes, sweets, those crappy cereal bars etc so i've decided to try to clean up and quit the lovely white stuff.

Finding it diabolically hard though. It's day three and my mood is all over the place, can't concentrate and on the verge of throwing myself out in front of a car with the cravings! Anyone ever successfully done this before? I feel like im on a comedown from crack or something lol

Did it for about 6 months, first 3 weeks were a nightmare. Got a burning headache at 3 bells everyday

Temptamperu

Its easier to give up heroin.

Shermanator

Used to take one spoon in coffee and one desert spoon on serial. Gave it up over a year ago. Still drink some soft drinks etc but it took ages to get to the point where I enjyed coffee again. Worth doing. lost a stone quick enough

corner of hells

It's relatively easy to give up sugar , what you need do is increase your intake at first , so for example if you take two spoonfuls in your tea , take four.
Do this for about a month.

Let us know in a month how you get on and ill tell you the next stage.

Your welcome.

ginandtonicsky

Temptamperu wrote: »

Its easier to give up heroin.

certainly feels like it! I've got a bumper bag of malteasers in the fridge from a package i was sent at work and i genuinely dont think i;ll be able to not eat them without outside intervention..

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Gave it up in coffee, tea, and soft drinks but I'll be damned if I'm giving up my biscuits, chocolate or jam.

Fr_Dougal

uck51js9zml2yt

Gave it up in tea and coffee 30 years ago. Can't use it now

Chancer3001

Sugar lobby is surprisingly powerful.

It's very hard to find concrete well researched scientific articles on the dangers and damage of sugar.

Even finding a realistic rda is tricky. They're all crazy high.

I think it'll be looked back on in 50-100 years as a huge scandal of our time

mulbot

Sub your craving with fruit, I would've had a very sweet tooth when I was younger, this was something an old neighbour told me about and now I can't stand sugar or anything with a high sugar content. Obviously there might be some foods with hidden sugars but I found I won't want to eat them again. I found if I had enough fruits at the right times I never had the urge for sugar(in forms of chocolates, sweets, desserts etc).

messy tessy

ginandtonicsky wrote: »

I've got a bumper bag of malteasers in the fridge from a package i was sent at work and i genuinely dont think i;ll be able to not eat them without outside intervention..

I shall take those malteasers off your hands. You are welcome.

HappyAsLarE

I don’t eat anything with added sugar. Haven’t for a year or so.

Used to have an awful sweet tooth - two sugars in tea, chocolate bar at break time, cake at night.

I started to LOVE the bitter taste of things after a few weeks of giving up. I am now at a point where a few square of chocolate would actually make me get sick, such is my low tolerance to it.

According to MyFitnessPal, my average daily intake is 30g. They say I am allowed 90g.

AllForIt

ginandtonicsky wrote: »

My diet is atrociously heavy on sugar, I'd say chocolate is a daily staple going back as far as I can remember, then there's the sugary lattes, sweets, those crappy cereal bars etc so i've decided to try to clean up and quit the lovely white stuff.

Finding it diabolically hard though. It's day three and my mood is all over the place, can't concentrate and on the verge of throwing myself out in front of a car with the cravings! Anyone ever successfully done this before? I feel like im on a comedown from crack or something lol

Some ppl on the Fitness/Nutrition forums with completely disagree with me but I believe sugar is highly addictive. I have gone through stages in my life where I literally can't stop myself walking down to the supermarket and buying a minimum 3 junk food items to scoff one after the other, when my brain is telling me oh don't do this again today.

It's only when you completely go cold turkey on it and you get over the withdrawal stages that you realise how addicted you are to it. So ya OP, highly recommend you following through with you idea. Sugar in high quantities is really bad for you. I suggest eating some fruits for the first few days - it's still sugar but give that up too after the first week. I just find it helps.

ginandtonicsky

I like the fruit idea but am thinking i'll probably go overboard with that - i tend to love the particularly sugary fruits like mangoes, berries, bananas etc. I'm an insufferable addict!

trying to think now of the last time i went more than a day without sugared up junk food and really can't remember. i'm atrocious with the stuff. not sure how i'll get through these early days without committing some sort of homicide or burglary or something...my moods are so unstable! WANT THE MALTEASERS!!!

Nettle Soup

No but would you believe that I put my Kelloggs Fcuking Country Store through a sieve these days before I eat them. Yes, I sieve my muesli. I have to. You see, I have always loved Country Store but the bastards filled it with fcuking sugar sometime back and it gets disgustingly sweet about half way down the box. So I sieve the bloody muesli twice or three times, taking out loads of sugar, before I put it in the bowl.

FFS Kelloggs, why would you put so much sugar in the fcuking Country Store? Put more fcuking raisins in it if you want to sweeten it up...I love raisins!
If I want excess sugar, I will buy fcuking Coco Pops!

AllForIt

ginandtonicsky wrote: »

I like the fruit idea but am thinking i'll probably go overboard with that - i tend to love the particularly sugary fruits like mangoes, berries, bananas etc. I'm an insufferable addict!

trying to think now of the last time i went more than a day without sugared up junk food and really can't remember. i'm atrocious with the stuff. not sure how i'll get through these early days without committing some sort of homicide or burglary or something...my moods are so unstable! WANT THE MALTEASERS!!!

The fruit worked for me because I wouldn't normally eat any. Very rare I'll buy fruit. If you are currently eating a lot of fruit then it probably won't help you much as it helped me. Once I got over the first week I actually got sick of the fruit so just naturally stopped eating it.

I have to disagree with Sugarman, I don't think sugar has any nutritional benefits so it's not important in a balanced diet. Maybe I should change my username to antisugarman.

Dial Hard

sugarman wrote:

Why give it up completely if you like it?

I think it's a bit beyond "liking it" for the OP.

I drink a cappucino every morning on weekdays and have two cups of tea on weekend mornings. Have a level of teaspoon of sugar in each and feel absolutely no guilt about it whatsoever.

However, that's pretty much the extent of added sugar in my diet. I don't eat biscuits, cakes chocolate or sweets at all. I cook from scratch pretty much seven nights a week. For ages when I saw any "Sugar is EVIL" messaging I was a bit "Ah come on" because I (very naively) thought that everyone had the same relationship with sugar I did.

Telling the OP they don't need to give up sugar is like telling me I don't need to. And I don't need to because I don't have a problem with it. They clearly do.

ginandtonicsky

Dial Hard wrote: »

I think it's a bit beyond "liking it" for the OP.

I'm a total addict and can't get through the day without constant hits of it, so the "two squares of chocolate a day and I'll be right as rain" rule isn't going to work for me. Hence the quitting (and actively wishing for death). Has to be done.

The only reason I don't have any extra weight on me is because I exercise a lot and don't really eat much generally. I get the "how do you eat so much crap and stay tiny" comments pretty regularly. any doctor will tell you my diet is pretty shameful though so it's time to nip it in the bud and learn to eat like a functional adult before I give myself diabetes!

AllForIt

ginandtonicsky wrote: »

The only reason I don't have any extra weight on me is because I exercise a lot and don't really eat much generally. I get the "how do you eat so much crap and stay tiny" comments pretty regularly. any doctor will tell you my diet is pretty shameful though so it's time to nip it in the bud and learn to eat like a functional adult before I give myself diabetes!

And that will all change when you get older no matter how much exercise you do.

Ulysses Gaze

Boscoirl

2weeks ago Gave up fizzy drinks and sugar in my tea, was always 1spoon, but found I was creeping towards 2.

Enjoying tea more now without the sugar, but it took over a week to get to that point,

Fell off the wagon with the fizzy drinks on Monday evening, but back on it now.


There is probably still a lot of sugar in my diet, but those two would have been the biggest culprit, so starting there, will cut something else out/back in a few months

AllForIt

Boscoirl wrote: »

Enjoying tea more now without the sugar, but it took over a week to get to that point,

That's actually quite fast. Normally to change habits one can expect it to take 28 days, I think this has been proven in psychology.

Atoms for Peace

Temptamperu wrote: »

Its easier to give up heroin.

That's why I spread heroin on my wheatabix rather than sugar.

jk23

Atoms for Peace wrote: »

That's why I spread heroin on my wheatabix rather than sugar.

Tried it before, I got awful headaches, also I was very tired. Notable drop in my mood also :O I couldn’t get past the magic three week mark.

Surreptitious

I gave it up nearly completely before. I couldn't account for hidden sugars though and analysed every thing I ate till it was like an obsession. Lost no weight either but my teeth looked good. I think it's impossible to avoid sugar completely.

Graces7

Surreptitious wrote: »

I gave it up nearly completely before. I couldn't account for hidden sugars though and analysed every thing I ate till it was like an obsession. Lost no weight either but my teeth looked good. I think it's impossible to avoid sugar completely.

Yep the Food Gestapo got you good

Moderation is good

Greyfox

I've tried giving it up a few times as I absolutely love tea with a little treat and going a day without a treat is so so hard. once I get that choc hit I'm a gonner, it's way more addictive than cocaine

Graces7

Greyfox wrote: »

I've tried giving it up a few times as I absolutely love tea with a little treat and going a day without a treat is so so hard. once I get that choc hit I'm a gonner, it's way more addictive than cocaine

Habitual rather than addictive. Not like getting off vaium etc or cocaine

prinzeugen

Sugar is not the problem. Its the people that cant stop eating it.

I probably drink as much full fat, full sugar cola & crap food as a stereotypical yank, but still am underweight.

I have good teeth and am Ok health wise.

Sorry, but sugar/fast food etc is not the evil here.

If you are overweight, stop eating. That is why you are overweight.

There. I have the balls to say what Hugh didn't on that BBC programme earlier.

Probably scared of "fat shaming" or some pc term.

ginandtonicsky

prinzeugen wrote: »

Sugar is not the problem. Its the people that cant stop eating it.

I probably drink as much full fat, full sugar cola & crap food as a stereotypical yank, but still am underweight.

I have good teeth and am Ok health wise.

Sorry, but sugar/fast food etc is not the evil here.

If you are overweight, stop eating. That is why you are overweight.

There. I have the balls to say what Hugh didn't on that BBC programme earlier.

Probably scared of "fat shaming" or some pc term.

Did you read the OP at all or just feel like a rant about fat people?

Outlaw Pete

ginandtonicsky wrote: »

Finding it diabolically hard though. It's day three and my mood is all over the place, can't concentrate and on the verge of throwing myself out in front of a car with the cravings! Anyone ever successfully done this before? I feel like im on a comedown from crack or something lol

Yes, but they're no longer with us I'm afraid

_Dara_

Madilynn Freezing Sunbonnet wrote: »

Gave it up in coffee, tea, and soft drinks but I'll be damned if I'm giving up my biscuits, chocolate or jam.

Damn straight! Life really is too short.

I put three quarters of a teaspoon in tea though but could not feel less guilty about it.

PARlance

AllForIt wrote: »

That's actually quite fast. Normally to change habits one can expect it to take 28 days, I think this has been proven in psychology.

Don't think they included Irish tea drinkers in their studies.

28 days of tea crammed into one week, easy.

prinzeugen

ginandtonicsky wrote: »

Did you read the OP at all or just feel like a rant about fat people?

I did read the OP and have also been watching the series on the BBC.

This is why Hugh is blaming sugars. Because if he told the truth he would be accused, like me, of having a rant at overweight persons.

We have been eating sugar for 100's of years but only in the last 30-40 years has it been a problem.

TV and computers. Lifestyles in general. Not sugar.

PARlance

prinzeugen wrote: »

I did read the OP and have also been watching the series on the BBC.

This is why Hugh is blaming sugars. Because if he told the truth he would be accused, like me, of having a rant at overweight persons.

We have been eating sugar for 100's of years but only in the last 30-40 years has it been a problem.

TV and computers. Lifestyles in general. Not sugar.

Lifestyles in general, yes.
Sugar and more sugar, yes also.

Carry

prinzeugen wrote: »

I did read the OP and have also been watching the series on the BBC.

This is why Hugh is blaming sugars. Because if he told the truth he would be accused, like me, of having a rant at overweight persons.

We have been eating sugar for 100's of years but only in the last 30-40 years has it been a problem.

TV and computers. Lifestyles in general. Not sugar.

Nonsense. Humans didn't eat sugar for hundreds of years, not in such quantities and not so widespread. Sugar in previous centuries has always been a treat, usually for the rather well-off part of the population.

People did their own cooking and didn't buy ready-made meals which are industrially enriched with sugar as a preservative and flavour enhancer. And they certainly didn't drink sugary drinks. Only in recent decades it became common to drink that crap.

The modern lifestyle doesn't help, I agree with that.

What I found helpful when I tried to give up sugar completely for some time (though all carbohydrates are sugar) were these sugar-free boiled sweets you get at the chemist's. When the craving was too strong I just had one of these thingies to satisfy the sweet tooth. Was kind of methadon for sugar addicts. Worked. You loose the craving after a while.

erica74

I gave up sugar about 4 years ago as I was very overweight. I've lost 30kg since then. I have some problems with my health and they are always made worse by consumption of sugar.
My advice (not that anyone asked for it) is to limit your sugar intake, up your water intake and do less sitting.
The first 2 to 3 weeks of cutting out sugar is hell, you get unreal cravings and most people are surrounded by sugar either at home or in work, but once you get through the first few weeks, it gets so much easier.

Graces7

erica74 wrote: »

I gave up sugar about 4 years ago as I was very overweight. I've lost 30kg since then. I have some problems with my health and they are always made worse by consumption of sugar.
My advice (not that anyone asked for it) is to limit your sugar intake, up your water intake and do less sitting.
The first 2 to 3 weeks of cutting out sugar is hell, you get unreal cravings and most people are surrounded by sugar either at home or in work, but once you get through the first few weeks, it gets so much easier.

Often cravings are a sign of what you need.

FTA69

Carry wrote: »

Nonsense. Humans didn't eat sugar for hundreds of years, not in such quantities and not so widespread. Sugar in previous centuries has always been a treat, usually for the rather well-off part of the population.

People did their own cooking and didn't buy ready-made meals which are industrially enriched with sugar as a preservative and flavour enhancer. And they certainly didn't drink sugary drinks. Only in recent decades it became common to drink that crap.

The modern lifestyle doesn't help, I agree with that.

What I found helpful when I tried to give up sugar completely for some time (though all carbohydrates are sugar) were these sugar-free boiled sweets you get at the chemist's. When the craving was too strong I just had one of these thingies to satisfy the sweet tooth. Was kind of methadon for sugar addicts. Worked. You loose the craving after a while.

Absolutely. Diet is 90% of the reason why people are overweight and the way we eat has changed enormously over the past few decades.

Fann Linn

I don't bother with sugar in tea, coffee etc and just use a teaspoon of honey on the porridge or muesli.

Would honey be heavy on the calories?

Jim Bob Scratcher

FTA69 wrote: »

Absolutely. Diet is 90% of the reason why people are overweight and the way we eat has changed enormously over the past few decades.

Exactly, I hate all this nonsense that you have to exercise to lose weight which is complete horse****, ofc there is no harm in exercising for other health benefits, but if you want to lose weight it's simple, less food in = weight loss

dude_abided

I tried reducing sugar content so started checking labels etc. Surprised by just how much sugar is in everything. Very insidious.

The J Stands for Jay

When I was a kid, I decided to give up sugar for Lent. Not just sugar on stuff, but I stopped eating anything with sugar (or any of the codenames they use for sugar) listed in the ingredients. It was amazing how many things have sugar on them. Tinned peas, all breakfast cereals except shredded wheat.

I cant remember if I had withdrawal, but I do remember having a bowl of Weetabix on Easter Sunday and almost throwing up because it was so sweet out of the box. Anyone putting sugar on breakfast cereals is crazy.

silverharp

if you go on a low carb diet your sugar cravings should go away fairly quickly

suicide_circus

Tried it and quickly stopped. Too much hassle. We all die in the end anyway.

EdEd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vBGOrI6yBk

Could never give up sugar.

Graces7

FTA69 wrote: »

Absolutely. Diet is 90% of the reason why people are overweight and the way we eat has changed enormously over the past few decades.

It is not just diet that has changed.

Lack of activity also. Living a far more sedentary life than we did a few decades ago, especially children..

Sitting at tv or computers when we were out playing hectic games; driving everywhere when we were walking or running to catch buses and trains. Doing eg housework without machines.

kunst nugget

Graces7 wrote: »

Often cravings are a sign of what you need.

Aye, like those nicotine, caffeine and heroin cravings I do get all the time.

Wibbs

Yeah I gave it up a few years back. In fairness my intake of sugar was basically down to a spoonful in tea, though years ago I drank too much CocaCola and was "addicted" to dark chocolate. Generally wouldn't be a big carb man anyway, tend more to savoury than sweet, though will have the occasional pig out on a chocolate muffin, or a plate of spuds. TBH I didn't notice any change after giving up. The first weeks were hard with no sugar in my tea, but now I can't abide the taste of sugar in tea. I notice if I do have a muffin I'm fairly sleepy for about an hour after it.

B0jangles

Carry wrote: »

What I found helpful when I tried to give up sugar completely for some time (though all carbohydrates are sugar) were these sugar-free boiled sweets you get at the chemist's. When the craving was too strong I just had one of these thingies to satisfy the sweet tooth. Was kind of methadon for sugar addicts. Worked. You loose the craving after a while.

Be careful with those - you know how the packaging usually says something about 'may cause digestive upset', in really small writing?

How to put this delicately...

You know how Wonderwoman has an invisible aeroplane?
Well, if you eat too many of those sugarfree sweets you'll get a ride in Wonderwoman's invisible hovercraft.