Kicking the Sugar Habit- Challenge

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heatherlee33
heatherlee33 Posts: 113 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all! I want to kick this off with a 1 week sugar kicking challenge however I want this to be an ongoing group for all of us that have the tenancy to slip back into old ways.

I know that I have a problem. I know that I have a sugar addition. I will get an idea in my head about cookies, (ice cream, chocolate, brownies, the list goes on and on right?) and suddenly that small idea has turned into a quest, one that I will do anything to complete. I will brave snow and bad road conditions in at night just to fulfill my craving. Oh the shame!

I will go to bed each night thinking, tomorrow... Tomorrow I will be better, eat better, live better. Tomorrow I will do what I know I should do. And each day sugar cravings bury me in their dominance.

So here it is. I am throwing the gauntlet down and invite any of you that want to take on the challenge whether it be for a week, a month, a year, or a lifetime, to join up here and share in the journey.

Group name is Sugar Kickers. Lets start with a 1 WEEK no sugar challenge.

No sugar means, NO Sugar. No soda, no sweets, no creamer in your coffee, nada. The coffee is going to hurt me too guys but I have to get this monkey off my back. I have to start down the road to my ultimate goals. As for artificial sweeteners, that is your choice. I do not eat them but I will not judge anyone that does, totally your choice.

As for when the challenge starts, this minute. Your challenge starts at the very second that your decide it's what you want to do. I don't care what time of day it is or what you have eaten all up until this point, you start now. Ready? Set? GO!
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Replies

  • heatherlee33
    heatherlee33 Posts: 113 Member
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    If anyone has thoughts or suggestions on how to kick the cravings please post. My thoughts are LOTS of water, I don't really know why, maybe I think I can wash the junk out of me?? Also...I may just have to stay off Pinterest. Seriously. Thats silly right but every single time I get on there I'm faced with gooey-oooey lovely deliciousness.
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
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    I'm not participating, but by sugar, do you mean "added sugar?" B/c fruit has sugar naturally, and I'm assuming that you don't want to cut that out.
  • heatherlee33
    heatherlee33 Posts: 113 Member
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    I cannot say added sugar because sugar is just about everything, including naturally like in fruits, grains, etc... But yes in a way. I read a book that said to keep added sugars to 28grams a day. That is actually a little hard to do when you look at labels and see just how much sugar is in so may things.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Good luck to you!! For me quitting sugar would be completely impossible. Eating is all about moderation. And I agree about Pinterest, it has lots of silly stuff on there :)
  • heatherlee33
    heatherlee33 Posts: 113 Member
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    I guess its a personal choice on just how far you want to take it. I won't use sugars that are in things just to be sweet, like the creamer. But what about ketchup, bbq sauce and such?? Well, if I make stuffed bell peppers, I'm going to use a little ketchup. So...
  • Steff46
    Steff46 Posts: 516 Member
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    I'm on Day 10 of cutting out added sugar and by that I mean the sugar I was adding to my coffee. I still need my creamer :\ I'm not much of a sweet eater. I like my daily fruits and the occassional mini chocolate every now and then too. Good luck it's hard to do!
  • heatherlee33
    heatherlee33 Posts: 113 Member
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    Thanks for the well wishes! I know this is something that I need to do to snap things back into line.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    heatherlee33 wrote: »
    Hello all! I want to kick this off with a 1 week sugar kicking challenge however I want this to be an ongoing group for all of us that have the tenancy to slip back into old ways.

    I know that I have a problem. I know that I have a sugar addition. I will get an idea in my head about cookies, (ice cream, chocolate, brownies, the list goes on and on right?) and suddenly that small idea has turned into a quest, one that I will do anything to complete. I will brave snow and bad road conditions in at night just to fulfill my craving. Oh the shame!

    I will go to bed each night thinking, tomorrow... Tomorrow I will be better, eat better, live better. Tomorrow I will do what I know I should do. And each day sugar cravings bury me in their dominance.

    So here it is. I am throwing the gauntlet down and invite any of you that want to take on the challenge whether it be for a week, a month, a year, or a lifetime, to join up here and share in the journey.

    Group name is Sugar Kickers. Lets start with a 1 WEEK no sugar challenge.

    No sugar means, NO Sugar. No soda, no sweets, no creamer in your coffee, nada. The coffee is going to hurt me too guys but I have to get this monkey off my back. I have to start down the road to my ultimate goals. As for artificial sweeteners, that is your choice. I do not eat them but I will not judge anyone that does, totally your choice.

    As for when the challenge starts, this minute. Your challenge starts at the very second that your decide it's what you want to do. I don't care what time of day it is or what you have eaten all up until this point, you start now. Ready? Set? GO!

    Nope. And if you truly do have an "addiction" you need therapy, not mfp.


    No fruit? No veggies? Sounds miserable, and unhealthy, no thank you. (Yes fruit a veggies have sugar in them).
  • starryphoenix
    starryphoenix Posts: 381 Member
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    This should exclude natural sugars because those really can't be avoided. It's the added sugars that you should be worried about.

    My mom is actually allergic to cane and beet sugar.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
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    liahna wrote: »
    It's the added sugars that you should be worried about.

    Oh? Why is that?
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    heatherlee33 wrote: »
    I guess its a personal choice on just how far you want to take it. I won't use sugars that are in things just to be sweet, like the creamer. But what about ketchup, bbq sauce and such?? Well, if I make stuffed bell peppers, I'm going to use a little ketchup. So...

    Those would be considered "added" sugars. So you pretty much are breaking your commitment day 1?
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    edited February 2015
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    What is up with these anti-sugar threads. I have lost 121 pounds eating sugary things. I have reverse my heart issues and my doc said I am in great health for my age. I eat things in moderation, their will always be cakes at weddings, birthday parties, etc.....learn moderation now or you will only binge on it later.
  • whouwannab
    whouwannab Posts: 350 Member
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    I'm in!! For me it's eliminating candy, cookies, ice cream, soda - things of that nature. Starting now! I ate candy corn earlier today, so obviously i have a problem with sugar cravings! ha
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    whouwannab wrote: »
    I'm in!! For me it's eliminating candy, cookies, ice cream, soda - things of that nature. Starting now! I ate candy corn earlier today, so obviously i have a problem with sugar cravings! ha

    No. You have an issue with self control. Sorry to be blunt but the craving doesn't make you eat the food. You choose to eat it.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    It's admirable to want to cut back on overconsumption of anything! But please don't tell yourself you're addicted to sugar. It's a victim mindset that won't serve you well in the long run. You're not a slave to sugar, you've just developed some bad habits because you really, really like it a lot.

    I say that has someone who formerly ate a lot of sugar, gave up eating it for a while, and now can eat it moderately. I used to eat half a box of cookies at a time. Now I can eat 2 and walk away.

    I agree that it often takes giving it up for a time to retrain your brain and taste buds. You can give yourself breathing room and time to form new habits where sugar is concerned once you break the old ones. And that's what you're doing by giving it up for a while. You're breaking a bad behavior you've developed.

    So the best of luck to those of you doing this, but keep in mind that this is about you getting control, and that it doesn't have to be forever. There's another side of this where moderation will one day be possible.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    Sorry pretty kitty but I can't read anything you type. On mobile and the jail cell covers your entire post.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    elphie754 wrote: »
    Sorry pretty kitty but I can't read anything you type. On mobile and the jail cell covers your entire post.

    Here Elphie:
    prettykitty1515 wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    whouwannab wrote: »
    I'm in!! For me it's eliminating candy, cookies, ice cream, soda - things of that nature. Starting now! I ate candy corn earlier today, so obviously i have a problem with sugar cravings! ha

    No. You have an issue with self control. Sorry to be blunt but the craving doesn't make you eat the food. You choose to eat it.

    What's the difference between a craving and self-control? Why is it always when people say they want to give up refined sugar, which is usually in products that are loaded with calories and provide little satiety, they are attacked on MFP? Someone above said the OP needs therapy. Are you kidding me?

    Good for you, OP. Cut back on refined sugar, and it is likely you will be able to eat fewer calories and have a more successful weight loss journey. Not everyone can have the incredible self-control when it comes to sugar that some of the posters have, and think everyone should have.

    And you don't need therapy. You need encouragement.

  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    prettykitty1515 wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    whouwannab wrote: »
    I'm in!! For me it's eliminating candy, cookies, ice cream, soda - things of that nature. Starting now! I ate candy corn earlier today, so obviously i have a problem with sugar cravings! ha

    No. You have an issue with self control. Sorry to be blunt but the craving doesn't make you eat the food. You choose to eat it.

    What's the difference between a craving and self-control? Why is it always when people say they want to give up refined sugar, which is usually in products that are loaded with calories and provide little satiety, they are attacked on MFP? Someone above said the OP needs therapy. Are you kidding me?

    Good for you, OP. Cut back on refined sugar, and it is likely you will be able to eat fewer calories and have a more successful weight loss journey. Not everyone can have the incredible self-control when it comes to sugar that some of the posters have, and think everyone should have.

    And you don't need therapy. You need encouragement.

    There's plenty of difference between craving and self-control.

    Craving is the wanting. Self-control is not giving into the want.

    Craving isn't only for refined sugar. This morning, I was craving my breakfast because I had decided very early what I was going to eat, but I ate it hours later because I don't usually start eating until later in the day. 2 eggs with carrots, celery, scallions and spinach. Self-control came into play because I wasn't really hungry yet, I just liked the idea of tasting that in my mouth and I am trying to learn to eat only when hungry.

    It's not that people think everyone "should" have control when it comes to sugar, but that I firmly believe most people "could" be capable of it if they give themselves the chance and believe in themselves. If they change their ideas and start believing they are in charge of what goes in their mouths and are more powerful than any food, they will succeed in regulating their intake of anything. Including sugar.

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