Okay, here's the deal, I have horrible willpower, it's hard for me to say no to my favorite foods and one of my favorite food is sugar. lol...let me explain:
There is sugar in EVERYTHING I eat: my oatmeal, my tea, cereal, fruit (this a biggie, I LOVE fruit), etc. and I want to go low to no sugar for the month of May, so my question is how do I do it?
I feel like everything has sugar in it and it's damn near impossible to avoid it, so how do I avoid it for the month? Somebody please help me!
I think you should focus on "low" and not "no." You can still eat plenty of stuff that is very low in sugar but if you go for 0 sugar you're basically left with unprocessed meat. The diet I'm following limits me to 15 g of sugar per day - but perhaps more importantly, 5 g of sugar in a meal. That really cuts out or reduces the serving size of a lot of foods. Another diet I read about proscribes foods that have more than 5 g of sugar per serving.
i agree with ERHR to go to LOW and not NO. if you rid yourself of ALL sugars and your body is so used to it already, you may crave it more and go crazy over it.
i think it should be a gradual decrease to low instead of stopping intake all together.
How about going for completely different meals? Instead of oatmeal or cereal for breakfast, try an egg-white omelette loaded with veggies and some cheese.
Lunch ideas are soup or a salad, and dinner can be a lean protein, whole grains, and veggies.
I find it's easier to go off of sugar when you adjust your meals all together as opposed to trying to un-sweeten the sweet things you already eat.
Personally, there's no way I'd go a month without fruit, and I have no interest in sugar substitutes. I do like Munchy's suggestions, and maybe try to work unsweetened versions of your regular foods back in a little to get accostumed to them without the sugar.
As for tea, perhaps my strategy would work for you. If I have regular black tea (eg Liptons, Tetley, Breakfast teas) I need them with milk and sugar. Green and herbal teas, on the other hand, I never have milk or sugar with. Maybe you can switch up that habit too. Oh, there's also a tea called Good Earth that doesn't have sugar, but it's sweet. I think it includes stevia, a sweet herb.
I think you have to keep in mind that when coming off sugar, you may very likely go through detox. You may feel horrible physically. But if you stick with it, your body feels better than ever without it. Your cravings will dissapate or even go completely away.
If you really want to do it...and want to know how...you may have to give up a couple of those "favorites." Or at least modify them completely. Have your oatmeal, but a small portion, and it should be plain. Add cinnamon with a touch of milk, or top with blueberries. Remove the sugery cereal. If you think carb, it has got to be whole grain. And try to always pair the carb with a protein. If you find whole grain and plain carb boring, try just eating protein and a healthy fat. Fat is not the enemy. I love a nice big veggie omelette w/a sprinkle of cheese for breakfast. Go for greek yogurt and snack on a few almonds. Veggies are amazing with a little healthy oil, roasted or stirfried.
Stick with the fruits with a low glycemic index (strawberries, blueberries) and pass on the bananas.
I've recently started following the South Beach Diet, and the first two weeks require NO sugar. I have the most ridiculous sweet tooth, and I didn't think it was possible... I also wasn't thrilled with giving up fruit for two weeks since I love it. I must say though, it was totally worth it! I'm not having any cravings for sweets! Even now that I've added carbs/fruits/some sugar back into my diet, it doesn't trigger me like it once did. The other day a friend offered me a fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookie. I ate it, and it was good... but I didn't want another one. Two months ago, I would have wanted twelve more!
I definitely went through a detox and had headaches/tiredness/crankiness for a few days, but once I got past that, I felt great. Like others have said, low sugar may be better than no sugar, especially if you don't like artificial sweeteners. Personally, I use Splenda, but have been trying to cut back. I've gotten used to my coffee being not quite as sweet, and perhaps eventually I'll get to the point where I like it without any sugar/sweetner.
Best of luck to you. I think you'll find that it's so much easier to eat well when there aren't constant cravings for sweets fighting you at every turn!
Another South Beacher here. serendipityberry is right, when you go off sugar if you're eating as much as you say you are you will have some withdrawal symptoms. If you google sugar detox you will find some good articles which describe the symptoms...and things you can do to keep comfortable.
After we do our two week detox we do eat sugar and some are encouraging you to moderate. There is a difference between natural sugars in fruits and dairy, for example, than refined white (or brown) sugar. If you moderate, I'd encourage you to stay away from the refined.
Fruits, while having natural sugar, are good for us. Beachers find that some fruits trigger cravings for some and don't for others. When we add fruits back in we add them one at a time so we can determine how our bodies react to each. As serendipityberry mentioned berries are best...bananas and pineapple are no nos for us.
Best wishes! I'm really happy (literally) to be off the sugar. I feel so much better and have such good energy.
PS There are other forums here, I'm sure, who advocate getting off the stuff and could help you and answer questions.
don't focus on what you can't have--sugar. Focus on good foods that you can have. Find some good proteins & good fats and let yourself spend the month of May playing with, and enjoying, them.
I know how you feel...I used to have serious sweet tooth, it was so bad, if they had made it into a toothpaste i would decaying away lol
What i did to stop the craving's for sugar was to take my attention from how good it made me feel, to what i would want to feel. What i mean is that i wanted to power back in my hands. I wanted control off what goes into my body.
Its not easy in the beginning, but give it time. You will see that your taste buds do not tingle when you see ice-cream,cake etc...and in return you will be given a better choice of food,drinks and most importantly, a better you.
Don't doubt yourself too much, your more in control than you think
Thanks ladies!!! I love fruit...so I don't think I can stop eating that; I have already started to cut my tea altogether; instead of every day, I only have it once or twice a week (well only one cup in the past week and a half! Small NSV), I had candy today for the first time in like...2 weeks, if I don't buy it, I don't eat it. In short, I am trying to wean myself slowly but gradually.
You guys all had awesome advice and I'm thinking of detoxing myself the next week before I start my bootcamp in May...I just want to eat less sugar, and rid myself of my dependence on it. Thanks again.
Please save me from sugar!!!!
BTW, I love sweetness too!
