Oreokitty - That is an incredible streak of no-sugar days! I haven't even managed to put my fourteen in a row. Yesterday was supposed to be Day 14, but I had a tiny sliver of the chocolate bunny my son bought on clearance (and I mean barely a taste before I realized that I had no desire for it) and a small sip of my husband's Pepsi that evening. Weird. I didn't really want the sugar, but maybe I didn't want to concede the end of my challenge. The 14 days without sugar challenge has been good for me. So - today is my second try for Day 14 success!
Yeah, a little success! I managed 14 days without sugar process foods! Yippee!!!
Oreokitty, good point on foods having sugar in it. It's inevitable just about everything we eat will have some amounts of sugar in it. You can't avoid it completely but good to stay away from the foods where sugar is listed as one of the first ingredients or is high on the list of ingredients. I think that's a really easy and fair way of thinking about it. I mean, if you eat salad dressing there might sugar in it or even a stew. This rang a bell for me.
Ok, I'm doing it again. 14 days of no sugar. Starting today (Tuesday, since that's when I started it last time). I'm adding on to that... no sweets. I'm adding diet sodas to my goal (I read an article the other day that said diet sodas encourages obesity not that I"m not already that but it makes sense to cut it out. no benefits to drinking soda. Might as well continue with gaining health rather than losing it). 14 days of no sweets including regular and diet sodas or any other forms of sweet drinks. I can drink teas, water, coffee, and fruit infused drinks (no sugar). And, I can eat fruit. But, no processed sugars of any kind.
It bears repeating, I am so glad this thread exists
As I have said before, I sort of backed into the no-sugar decision. I have had some sugar recently but it only reinforced what I had learned before. Once it is in my mouth, it won't stop until it is gone, and, the after effects are not worth it.
I like how I feel sugar-free. I realize we are each doing this a different way. Mine started in January 1st when I first started my current food plan, South Beach Diet. Again, I want to stress that it is not a no-sugar food plan. I just so happened to decide to take it one step further. Some people who follow the South Beach plan do have foods with some sugar in them. I chose not to.
I was reading about some other woman's experience on Easter and when she listed what they had at their meal (more pies than meat dishes!) I thought no wonder you had a hard time with all of that. I felt sorry for her. I am not sure what I would do in that instance either. It would take a very strong person to navigate around everything that is so "over the top" like that. I keep wondering why we feel like we have to eat on the holidays like it is our "last supper".
I have to wonder why people would even choose to have that many desserts---I did the quick math and it sounded like one whole pie per person.
My Easter meal was without green bean casserole, sweet potatoe casserole and definitely no pies. I followed my South Beach food plan.
The only "sweet thing" I made was white mashed potatoes. Did you know that there is the same amount of tsps of "sugar" in a medium white potatoe as there is in a can of regular soda?? I did "allow" myself 1 c of white mashed potatoes. This is something that I rarely do any more. And, other than the delicious turkey gravy (also not-SBD) I really wondered why I bothered at all.
I have found the best way to avoid cravings and sweet things in general is to 1) not let them cross the threshold -the old out of sight/out of mind 2) eat enough lean protein and other healthy foods so my blood sugar is level.
I call that my "one-two punch".
PS As I said, I had sugar twice in the past two months. And, yes, one of those times was on Easter. I wanted us to have a basket. I am still a kid at heart. I will confess that I had some Peeps and a chocolate bunny.
Yes, I felt like a raving addict when I was eating it but after I finished it, I added it to my food diary, symbolically "washed my hands" and I haven't had any since!! That was my detour on my road to being sugar free. It made me wonder why I thought I wanted it. So, back to being sugar free and yes loving it.
Thanks for sharing that, Pamatga. It's wonderful to hear that things are so much better for you without the sugar. I am really looking at sugar differently since I started this. Let me emphasize again that I am not truly sugar-free, and have not been sugar-free through any of this. Rather, for my fourteen days, I chose to avoid foods where sugar and/or white flour was one of the first few ingredients, particularly when those things have no nutritional redemption.
It's interesting. Now that I have given myself "permission" to go back to having small amounts of these things if I really want them, I don't seem to want them at all. I went to a function tonight where they had Hershey's kisses littering the tables where we sat and they served cake and ice cream. Even a few weeks ago, I would have had one or two kisses and thought nothing of it. I still don't think that would have been a big deal, but I'm glad I wasn't even tempted. All they had was sugar and more sugar, with a good dose of fat mixed in. I had no desire for it, I didn't feel deprived not eating it, I didn't feel like I had to make excuses to anyone for not eating it. Then - when I got home - I ran 3.1 miles. Life is so good this way. I feel good about my choices, my body is a little tired, but feels healthy, and I know that I am getting closer to my goals. I know I've said it before, but this no sugar experiment has been really good for me.
I've continued to keep processed sweets out of my diet. Usually it's not a problem, but I find there are moments when I would really enjoy something sweet. I find that I'm able to keep the sweets at bay with some fruit. Thankfully the temptation to eat sugary foods is gone but it's definitely had it's tough moments. I do find, though, that I'm substituting the sweets with either larger portions or more snacks.
I've been off sweets for 19 days and soda has been left out for 6 days. I hope my body is for the better without this junk. Since it's been so used to it for years, I don't feel the complete benefits yet. Will keep going this week.
Pamatga, thanks for sharing your story. I agree that once you put sweets in your mouth you get drawn right back into the addiction. What kind of effects do you get when you eat too much sugar? I tend to get sluggish, grouchy, lethargic, sleepy, and desiring more.
Like you, I've found incorporating more protein in my diet also helps keep the sugar cravings more at bay. Usually because I'm more full at that point and not desiring to eat anything else.
I'd like to get to a point where I can control the amount of sugar. Enjoy it on special occasions, but keep it at bay.
My son gave me an orange Cadbury cream egg yesterday, and I was dumb enough to eat it. I had never tried an orange one, and it sounded so good. Anyway, I found myself jonesing for sugar really badly. I was out with my husband last night, and I made him stop at the all-night drugstore to get some candy. Fortunately, it was all really expensive (and I'm quite price-sensitive), so I didn't get anything. So, we stopped at a 24-hour Wal-Mart, but I sobered up a bit when I read the calories for what I wanted to buy. So, finally and fortunately, I settled on some wild-flavored sugar-free gum. I chewed all nine pieces in the pack in short order, but the calories were signficantly less than what it could have been, especially if I found that I couldn't stop with one bag of candy, or if it had turned into a multi-day binge like I've had in the past. **Sigh** Maybe I can't handle my sugar...
All right. I've been thinking about this whole sugar thing for some time now. Tonight, I made some low-sugar / fat-free cream cheese brownies with my 4 YO daughter. She has been begging me to make brownies, and tonight her dad joined in, and I thought this would be a good alternative to the regular stuff. I was creating the recipe as we went along, trying to adjust as much as possible to make them healthier while still palatable for a 4YO. I put in pumpkin for Vitamin A, egg whites for protein, whole wheat flour for a bit of fiber, etc. So, they weren't terrible nutritionwise, and I made a conscious decision to try this new creation by eating one small brownie, but I had a hard time stopping at one brownie - and while they weren't bad, they weren't great. I had to physically leave the house and go for a walk to calm my compulsion to continue to eat them.
So, I have reluctantly decided that I will do another fourteen days without sugar - and possibly more. I am a little sad about it, because sugar has been my good friend for such a long time and I have lost weight while still consuming it occasionally, but I have finally realized that I just cannot handle it now. But while I am sad about losing the sugar, I am also excited about how much my health will benefit from it.
I have offically started my 6th week without any kind of sugar, including fruit. I actually made my sister a cherry cheesecake yesterday for her birthday, and probably for the first time in my life did not want a piece. I told her I could not bake a cake...cake is my achielles heel, but this was a no-bake cheesecake so they house wouldn't smell like it.
LaurieDawn, I am the same way with any sweet treats. When I have made a cake in the past, I would eat a piece...go back for a second. Half an hour later take just half a piece, then go back for the other half...then later while going through the kitchen just take one bite...then eventually finish the piece. This would all be in a matter of an evening. I can't control myself with sweets.
I’m so excited! It’s itty bitty success but success nonetheless. I put on my top this morning and usually this top is incredibly snug in the waist area. To the point where I can barely move it back and forth because it’s glued to my body. But this morning when I put it on I noticed that I could wiggle myself around in it. I haven’t felt this wiggling in a long time. Plus, the pants I put on keep slipping off my waist (not falling off but slipping enough where I feel like it’s droopy). I have to say it’s mostly thanks to getting rid of sugar from my daily life. I don’t get tired at 2pm anymore (unless I’ve had too many carbs in the morning) and I feel less expanded. I love being able to have a little smile on my face. Smiles are far and between for me these days.
I’ve been mostly sugar free since 11Mar08 (a few sodas here and there but no desserts or candy). I’m keeping up with it but not getting upset with myself if I do have a soda here and there. I’ve noticed when I do try something that has sugar in it (like cereal) the sweetness is intense.
Wild Things and Laurie Dawn, I am like you where if I eat something sweet, I can’t stop. I want more. Good for you for wanting to be on the healthier side by minimizing or eliminating the sweets. Moderation and balance… that’s what we can aim for. My goal is to someday be able to eat the sweets and not be tempted or teased by them to eat more.
That said, my biggest concern this week is that I’m traveling for a wedding.
Airports. I always get tempted to eat junk in the airports. It’s so expensive but the food is readily there. I’m planning to bring some fruit and crunchy snacks. Maybe some cereal if I get sweet cravings.
Wedding and other celebrations this coming weekend. I’m worried about being tempted by the sweets. I think I may allow myself 3 bites of the wedding cake on Saturday but that may be too tempting in itself. Hmmm… any suggestions on this one?
I was sugar free for about a week and had enjoyed having more energy and feeling better, no headaches, then a friend served dinner and all she offered were carbs, well I ate enough to get by and totally refused dessert, but woke up the next morning with a terrific headache. I guess it was the sugar rush and then the big drop that got me. I am back low carbing and sugar free. I now know to watch out and refuse foods that will make me ill.
I have had two horrbile sugar temptation days. I have not had any sugar...I resisted, but once a month, the place I work has a board meeting and they bring in donuts for the board members, and of course donuts for the support staff. These aren't just any, store bought donuts. These are from a little mom and pop bakery that makes close to the worlds best donuts. Yesterday I was fine with them. Even ate my lunch in the kitchen at my office sitting at the same table as the donuts. Today, was completely different (of course there were leftovers). I could not leave them alone. I just kept going back to look at them, and trying to talk everyone else in the office into taking them home, or eating them. I finally convinced myself that I would only get five minutes of happiness out of them then would beat my self up over them the rest of the day, and probably the rest of the weekend. It worked long enough to get me through the end of the day.
Luckily, my office only consist of six other people and we rarely have food in the office. Almost everyone brings their own lunch, we keep the refridgerator stocked with water, no pop and the only outside options are Starbucks, which does not tempt me (not a coffee or coffee flavored drink person) or Subway which I don't go anywhere near.
Aunt Chu Chu, good for you for getting back on the low carb/sugar free path. You can do it!
Amanda, I'm so proud of you for passing on the donuts. It's so hard to pass on them when they're right there in front of your or if there are constant reminders that they are in the kitchen. This happens to me a lot at work when cake emerges. Everyone in the office gets excited and start announcing where the cake is and how delicious it is. You passed on them once, you can do it again.
I went to the wedding I was worried about because I wasn't sure if I was actually going to be able to stay free of sweets and sugar. I wasn't. My family had 3 ice cream cakes to celebrate 2 birthdays and a baby shower. Then there was the wedding itself where there was fancy wedding cake and a special dessert table (with the most delectable chocolate covered strawberries). I passed on the ice cream cakes the first two times. But I indulged in the wedding cake, dessert table, and the last ice cream cake. Part of me felt guilty because I'd been doing so good. But, I decided that all of these dessert happenings were for very special reasons.
It kicked the addiction feelings back. When I got home tonight, I was eating everything around me because I was craving the sugar. So, I ended up eating an entire bag of m&ms. Ok... those were not for a special reason. I'm not going to let this get me down.
I'm going to be sure to bring fruit with me to work tomorrow so I can indulge in fruit and not sugar. I'm going to get back on track and remain free from sugar. Afterall, my main goal is to get to a point where I can do such things as eating sugary foods only for special occasions and not as something I "need" everyday.
I can do this... I can do this... I can do this...
It bears repeating, I am so glad this thread exists
