30 day no sugar challenge

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laura_802
laura_802 Posts: 16
in Food and Nutrition
Hiya everyone

Lately I have been struggling with my weight loss. I've gained a couple of lbs in the last few weeks and I think I now need some help/support from others to get back on track.

I have definitely not been eating that well recently, and in particular have been eating WAY too much sugar (mainly chocolate). I'm feeling tired and my skin is not looking great right now.

I'm not looking for a 'quick fix' but would ultimately like to make some life style changes that will result in me having more energy and feeling a lot better.

As a starting point, I am going to cut out things like chocolate, cakes etc as well as cut down on the natural sugars in fruit.

I've read a lot of articles about how cutting sugar out of your diet can drastically improve energy levels/skin/bloatedness and I want to see the results for myself.

As of tomorrow morning I will be writing a blog and posting photos and updates and I REALLY REALLY would appreciate it if some lovely MFP friends would be willing to support me and maybe even join in.

Anyone out there interested?

xxx
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Replies

  • marissanik
    marissanik Posts: 344 Member
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    10/10 would not recommend.

    There's no reason to cut out fruit sugar. It's super good for you. This would be a "quick fix" that you're trying to avoid. You really don't need to track sugar at all unless you have some kind of medical issue in relation to it.

    But in regards to fruit sugar would definitely eat it. A quick fix lasts 30 days! You need to do this to make a lifetsyle change, but don't deprive yourself. You can still eat chocolate etc as long as you stay within your calorie restrictions. The weight will come off eventually. Patience, dedication, and determination :) Best of luck!
  • laura_802
    laura_802 Posts: 16
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    Hiya thanks for your response.

    I'm not planning to cut out fruit completely, but perhaps just cut down on the fruit I eat and eat more veg/salad instead.

    I'm planning to cut out refined sugar for 30 days initially to see the results and hopefully will be able to continue afterwards (assuming I feel that it has been worthwhile).

    My goal during this time isn't to lose huge amounts of weight, but mainly to (hopefully) improve my energy levels and clear up my skin.

    x
  • christullos
    christullos Posts: 89
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    My wife craves chocolate too at certain times. We buy the mini chocolate bars and when she has to have chocolate she eats one. Only 85 calories for any number of the mini candies. I like the mini almond joy. Don't cut chocolate out of your diet completely or you will probably binge in it. Just work it into your daily allotted calories.

    Personally, I have started making smoothies. Fruit, ice, milk, splenda and greek yogurt. Wonderful, full of protein and complex carbs and sweet enough to subdue my sweet tooth.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    10/10 would not recommend.

    There's no reason to cut out fruit sugar. It's super good for you. This would be a "quick fix" that you're trying to avoid. You really don't need to track sugar at all unless you have some kind of medical issue in relation to it.

    But in regards to fruit sugar would definitely eat it. A quick fix lasts 30 days! You need to do this to make a lifetsyle change, but don't deprive yourself. You can still eat chocolate etc as long as you stay within your calorie restrictions. The weight will come off eventually. Patience, dedication, and determination :) Best of luck!
    This. Don't do anything you can't do for the rest of your life. Otherwise it is a quick fix. Instead of cutting out sugar/chocolate/fruit, why not figure out a manageable way to consume it? For example, some people can't keep sweets in the house. Other people keep pre-portioned treats, like dove chocolates or hershey kisses. Knowing I can have a skinnycow ice cream sandwich any time i have 150 calories left at the end of the day keeps me from wanting to binge and eat the whole freezer full.

    If you've lately gained weight, it is because you're eating at/above your maintenance calories. It has nothing to do with sugar.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
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    You should create a group for this.
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
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    There's no reason to cut out fruit sugar. It's super good for you.

    Actually there's quite a body of evidence out there showing that too much fructose can be problematic. In fruit it tends to be fine, as its hard to get large hits of fructose that way, but even then there are more than a few advocates that recommend keeping the fruit to a minimum. I'm reading quite widely on all sorts of nutritional stuff at the moment, so haven't really kept track of links, but the info/ opinion is out there for anyone inclined to look.

    Fair play, OP, on deciding to cut down on sugar. I think limiting sugar intake is a good thing, and I did it gradually rather than suddenly myself. I am still undecided as to what level I shall re-introduce it into my diet at, but for right now during weight loss, I am content to keep added sugar to a minimum.
  • laura_802
    laura_802 Posts: 16
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    Done!
  • laura_802
    laura_802 Posts: 16
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    Thank you everyone for your interest/input so far.

    Tomorrow morning I will start posting pictures/updates and links to articles I have read on the topic.

    x
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
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    Thank you everyone for your interest/input so far. 

    Tomorrow morning I will start posting pictures/updates and links to articles I have read on the topic. 

    x

    Hopefully in your group. I've done enough research to suggest that a balanced diet and a history of no medical conditions that require me to monitor sugar means I'll fit it into my calorie allotment the same as I did losing weight and go on with my life without worrying over it.
  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
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    I've done it. Actually I cut out all refined sugars and all flour for months and I felt great. You can find supporting evidence out there for anything (including no sugar!) so take everything with a grain of salt. But there are lots of great reasons to cut out refined (read: heavily processed) sugars. When I did it I still ate fruit because I felt that was a healthy choice and I was addicted to the sugar. Not too worried about getting a fruit addiction, plus it's pretty hard to overeat on fruit. Your body just doesn't want any more after a while, whereas with chocolate baked goods et, the sugar spikes are like an addiction cycle, at least for me. I feel slightly sick but then as soon as my blood sugar begins to drop, I want more.

    Anyway- major benefit I found was that after a few weeks it became way way easier not to eat it and I totally lost the addiction to eat sugar and flour and stopped craving so much stuff that was bad for me. Just losing the cravings was totally worth it, but I also did feel a ton better. More energy, etc. I don't know if it's from the lack of sugar, or just because it limits heavily processed foods in your diet. Processed foods are either loaded with chemicals, or have lost some of their nutritious components through the processing. In fact, fresh sugarcane is actually pretty nutritious, but when they process it, it loses all of the good for you enzymes, and also minerals and other stuff that actually helps you digest it.

    Watch out for other names for sugar: brown rice syrup, etc, and remember your body pretty much sees white flour as sugar.

    Check out The Science of Skinny by Dee McCaffrey. Phenomenal read and highly motivating if you are trying to kick the sugar habit.
  • GatorDeb1
    GatorDeb1 Posts: 245 Member
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    Did it for 100 days starting 1/1/14 and stopped binge eating. Dropped 20 lbs or so in 3 months or so. Then got hit by a car and started binging again and because I had "proved" to myself that I could stop binge eating once, did it again without having to go SF.

    One of the best things I've ever done in my life, the experience has proven priceless.

    People misunderstand sugar-free. It's not cut out ALL sugar it's cut out refined and processed sugar and artificial sweeteners. I used to have I kid you not 50 or so packets of Spenda/Nutraweet/etc. a week and now I drink my coffee without ANYTHING added. Another huge benefit.
  • aeb09
    aeb09 Posts: 424 Member
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    Through keto (because of PCOS) I've eliminated nearly all refined sugars and artificial sweeteners and even keep natural sugars down to around 5g a day. I feel infinitely better. It's certainly possible and never made me miserable. :)
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
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    No sugar? lol GOOD LUCK with that
  • JustAnotherGirlSuzanne
    JustAnotherGirlSuzanne Posts: 932 Member
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    I would love to join you, not because sugar is bad or that I think cutting out food is a good idea in general, but because I'm eating so many snacky things recently and it would be good to kick that habit.

    Unfortunately, I know myself too well and I know that at about 3 days into the challenge I will break and devour an entire bag of chocolate chips (the 1 kg kind of bag...) so I'll have to pass.

    Just want to point out that just because someone is cutting something out of their diet doesn't mean they think it's evil and should not be eaten... it's more of a pendulum swing so hopefully in the future they'll land in the middle rather than the other extreme.
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
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    There's no reason to cut out fruit sugar. It's super good for you.

    Actually there's quite a body of evidence out there showing that too much fructose can be problematic. In fruit it tends to be fine, as its hard to get large hits of fructose that way, but even then there are more than a few advocates that recommend keeping the fruit to a minimum. I'm reading quite widely on all sorts of nutritional stuff at the moment, so haven't really kept track of links, but the info/ opinion is out there for anyone inclined to look.

    Fair play, OP, on deciding to cut down on sugar. I think limiting sugar intake is a good thing, and I did it gradually rather than suddenly myself. I am still undecided as to what level I shall re-introduce it into my diet at, but for right now during weight loss, I am content to keep added sugar to a minimum.

    Studies showing they're problematic please? Interested in reading. Keeping in mind the concern is weight loss.
  • LazerMole
    LazerMole Posts: 99 Member
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    After cutting out most carbohydrates, I've found that I don't *crave* sugar anymore. My desire to have a small piece of dark chocolate is entirely a "Hm, that might be nice", rather than a "YOU MUST EAT ALL THE CANDY BARS!" like it used to be.

    And I can actually enjoy dark chocolate now, because I've redeveloped my palate for even small amounts of sugar. I used to hate dark chocolate because it was so bitter - but even the 90% cacao is delicious now, and fulfills those moments where I want a "treat".

    I enjoy no longer being a slave to my sugar addiction. For those who are saying negative stuff - some people's bodies don't react as calmly to sugar as yours does. I basically get high on sugar, and when I crash I'm miserable. So it's best for me, and many others, to stay off that cycle.

    No one is saying sugar is EVIL! But for many, it's the main trigger for overeating - and isn't overeating what we're trying to avoid here?
  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
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    After cutting out most carbohydrates, I've found that I don't *crave* sugar anymore. My desire to have a small piece of dark chocolate is entirely a "Hm, that might be nice", rather than a "YOU MUST EAT ALL THE CANDY BARS!" like it used to be.

    And I can actually enjoy dark chocolate now, because I've redeveloped my palate for even small amounts of sugar. I used to hate dark chocolate because it was so bitter - but even the 90% cacao is delicious now, and fulfills those moments where I want a "treat".

    I enjoy no longer being a slave to my sugar addiction. For those who are saying negative stuff - some people's bodies don't react as calmly to sugar as yours does. I basically get high on sugar, and when I crash I'm miserable. So it's best for me, and many others, to stay off that cycle.

    No one is saying sugar is EVIL! But for many, it's the main trigger for overeating - and isn't overeating what we're trying to avoid here?

    YES! Exactly!!!

    Also forgot to mention another benefit- assuming you cut out artificial sweetener too- you do become able to taste better and appreciate flavors of things that are less sweet! I guess you become sensitized again? Reminded me of when I quit smoking and after a while I could smell things way better and also taste more intensely!

    Agreed on the dark chocolate- so nice to actually be satisfied after you have a square or two rather than starting a vicious cycle of craving more!
  • moldovitsa
    moldovitsa Posts: 15 Member
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    bump
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
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    Studies showing they're problematic please? Interested in reading. Keeping in mind the concern is weight loss.

    As I said, its out there if you look, sorry I can't provide specific links, as I just haven't been keeping track of them, as my MO tends towards voracious curiousity and often disappear down a rabbit hole of sources on the web, lol. I don't make any claims just to note, but was just observing there's a body of material out there for those inclined to look, which I don't find too surprising really given the scrutiny and study of obesity in the US and the body of circumstantial evidence against HCFS (high fructose corn syrup) :)
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    Hiya everyone

    Lately I have been struggling with my weight loss. I've gained a couple of lbs in the last few weeks and I think I now need some help/support from others to get back on track.

    I have definitely not been eating that well recently, and in particular have been eating WAY too much sugar (mainly chocolate). I'm feeling tired and my skin is not looking great right now.

    I'm not looking for a 'quick fix' but would ultimately like to make some life style changes that will result in me having more energy and feeling a lot better.

    As a starting point, I am going to cut out things like chocolate, cakes etc as well as cut down on the natural sugars in fruit.

    I've read a lot of articles about how cutting sugar out of your diet can drastically improve energy levels/skin/bloatedness and I want to see the results for myself.

    As of tomorrow morning I will be writing a blog and posting photos and updates and I REALLY REALLY would appreciate it if some lovely MFP friends would be willing to support me and maybe even join in.

    Anyone out there interested?

    xxx

    If you are an all or nothing person then yes I would recommend this approach.

    It's what I did and it worked for me. I cut back on carbs in general and upped my fat - this kept the cravings down.

    Then after 30 or so days I started to re- introduce stuff. The weird thing is most of the stuff I cut I didn't fancy re-introducing. They simply lost there appeal.

    I would suggest just giving it a try - it w may or may not work for you, but either way it will be a healthy study of one.

    Good luck

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