Give up sugar?

katie10101
katie10101 Posts: 15 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Yup....that's what I did. That in conjunction with MFP, I'm eating healthy and have NO CRAVINGS!!!! My best friend in the USA told me about a book called Fat Chance written by a Doctor (no affiliation to me!!!) and in it, I finally understood what sugar does to the body, how it works and how modern countries of the world are afflicted with obesity because of it. Did you know that McD's has sugar in their buns because it's so addicting? Meanwhile, hubby and I decided to give it up. Not easily done, either. I'm a cake, cookie, chocolate, ice cream nut. It took two months to get over it, not without a little crying!!!

Secondly, we decided no more processed food. I was forever buying/cooking ready meals because they're so easy, yet full of preservatives and yup....sugar. I gave up both and feel like I might have found a winning solution. I've only lost eleven pounds, but I am truly amazed how less I think about food, and how I have absolutely no cravings! Has anyone else tried this with great results?

Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,207 Member
    Yes, for some people refined carbs and sugar are trigger foods that they seem to have a hard time controlling, but sugar consumption is not the only reason people are obese. Glad you found something that works for you.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
    I'm pretty careful about processed foods but I LOVE candy. I'm fine with my weight and I'm careful to eat only a few pieces a day, so there's no damage from the calories, but at the last bio-screen for my company Wellness program, my fasting blood glucose level was 102. It's supposed to be under 100. I have no other risk factors for diabetes, but I want to see if I can get it under 100 so I'm going to swear off candy for the 2 weeks before the test. I am not looking forward to it.

    Have you read "Salt, Sugar, Fat"? That's another book about how food is engineered to make you want more.
  • jayjay12345654321
    jayjay12345654321 Posts: 653 Member
    I was fortunate enough, or strange enough, to be born with a total disgust for sugar. I can't stand it. I'm fine with naturally sweet fruits, but cane sugar doesn't appeal to me whatsoever, with milk chocolate being the most horrific thing I've ever put in my mouth. But now salt, on the other hand. Oh, my love affair with salt may kill me some day. It's agonizing to have to turn away from high-sodium foods because they're just so yummy to me! I cut out processed foods as well.

    Glad you're feeling good on your new diet plan.
  • TheMaryAnn
    TheMaryAnn Posts: 6
    Great job! I'm finding too that if I eat clean then I don't have cravings... (that takes initally 1-2 weeks though, the first time I cut sugar out).

    But once I eat it again and I just want moooore sweet stuff.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    Sugar can be a trigger for some, but it's not addicting. And as mentioned the actual cause for obesity isn't sugar, but over consumption of calories.
    There are LOTS of fit and lean people who eat sugar on a daily basis along with processed and junk food. They just don't eat a lot of it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    Nope, I didn't do that to have success. Instead, I kept eating all the foods I enjoyed (fast foods, 'processed' foods, candy, cookies etc), but started paying attention to portion sizes and reduced the amount of calories I was consuming. That's led to almost 60lbs lost and I'm now maintaining beautifully. I haven't set myself up for failure by boxing myself in with pointless rules and restrictions. I'm eating in a way that's sustainable for me, for the next 40+ years. I'm healthy, happy and life is good :drinker:

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