No Sugar Challenge!

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haliesuzy
haliesuzy Posts: 15 Member
in Motivation and Support
This week, some friends from Facebook are joining me here on myfitnesspal for a No Sugar Challenge. The challenge will run from tonight at midnight through next Friday midnight. Anyone is welcome to join our challenge, so feel free to make positive contributions to the discussion. Participants will appreciate hearing healthy ways to avoid sucrose, such as sugar-free recipes and overall healthy eating tips. The main goal of this week, however, is to avoid sugar, so we'll be helping each other through those first rough days of cutting soda and junk from the diet and replacing them with water and healthy meals.

To join the challenge, please reply to this thread. We look forward to hearing about you and where you are with your goals for healthy eating.

Halie Hovenga
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Replies

  • sblair77
    sblair77 Posts: 355 Member
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    I can't do it this week due to family being in town but next week I am going to give this a go!
  • TLC1975
    TLC1975 Posts: 146 Member
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    If it doesn't include fruit, I'm in!
  • Paulette56
    Paulette56 Posts: 66 Member
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    The first three days are the hardest. If you can make it over the withdrawal (sugar is like a drug) you can get control over those awful cravings. If you stick to it, you will eventually find that everything tastes sweeter because you become so much more sensative to it. One day while making a salad, I dropped some on the counter and picked it up and ate it. I could not believe that lettuce actually has flavor all by its self! Who would have thought???

    Best wishes on your quest. I've been sugar-free since January 2011 and feel so much better. Less aches and pains even.
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
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    I'd love to join this challenge! I think reducing sugar will also help lower my cholesterol. At least I hope it will!:smile:
  • AnneMK5
    AnneMK5 Posts: 110
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    I'm not joining but just wishing you all great success and encouragement to remain sugar free even after next Friday.

    I vowed to myself back at the end of December (2010) to become sugar free due to finally realizing the I am a total and complete sugar addict. I have been happily successful. I will admit that over the last month or so I had a half of an organic candy bar and a little bit of soy ice cream. Those were a definite treat.

    The first couple weeks were a challenge. You will go through withdrawals. You may experience headache, the shakes and moodiness. Those things will go away over time.
    Read the nutrition label of every process food your thinking of eating. Any thing ending in "ose" is a form of sugar. Watch out for the sugar substitutes like aspartame.

    I'd be happy to tell more about my journey or answer any question if anyone wants to know.

    Again, Good luck to you all.
  • wdwghettogirl
    wdwghettogirl Posts: 559 Member
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    Are you talking no processed sugar (i.e. cookies, cakes, candy, etc.)? or no sugar whatsoever? Fruits are very high in sugar and veggies have some as well. Almost everything has some sugar in it. I'm with TLC1975, if it doesn't include natural sugars, I'm in too. :)
  • bgoeke4
    bgoeke4 Posts: 1
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    Totally down! :)
  • haliesuzy
    haliesuzy Posts: 15 Member
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    Totally down! :)

    Bridget, So cool to see that you're joining us! And I'm amazed to see all the interest from people on MyFitnessPal (so cool!)

    Halie
  • haliesuzy
    haliesuzy Posts: 15 Member
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    Are you talking no processed sugar (i.e. cookies, cakes, candy, etc.)? or no sugar whatsoever? Fruits are very high in sugar and veggies have some as well. Almost everything has some sugar in it. I'm with TLC1975, if it doesn't include natural sugars, I'm in too. :)

    To reply to both of you, first, I apologize for not clarifying here in this thread the details of the challenge. I didn't expect so much interest, but I'm thrilled to see people getting motivated to join this challenge.

    Okay, Fruits are allowed! We're going sucrose free. So processed foods like cereals, candies, cookies, etc. with sucrose are OUT. But fruits are IN!

    Halie
  • monalisahofmann
    monalisahofmann Posts: 1
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    I'm in:) This is a great way to help and motivate a friend in need as well as friends who don't want to admit that they are in need to reevaluate themselves.:flowerforyou:
  • haliesuzy
    haliesuzy Posts: 15 Member
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    On Truvia / Stevia in Coffee

    A while ago, I joined myfitnesspal to lose some weight, and I started watching where my calories come from. I was amazed by how many calories milk has, which was a problem because I was drinking 2-3 lattes a day (3+ cups of 2% milk). Obviously, I had to cut down some milk calories, so I started drinking smaller (stronger) lattes. I've become pretty creative at the types of coffees I make and how little milk I need, but with less milk comes MORE SUGAR. Obviously, I was trading milk calories for sugar calories. This was a problem for my fitness goals (trying to convert body fat to muscle), so I bought some (all natural and wonderful) stevia in Truvia form to give it a try.

    Let me just say, Truvia is terrible in coffee! So I'm at a loss. I have to now drink my coffee stronger and stronger (no sugar and less milk). Yes, I can switch/drink tea with Truvia, and it is good, but I miss the lattes (which remind me of the social pleasures in Spain & Europe from living there for three years). I wonder if anyone has any ideas / solutions?

    Halie
  • haliesuzy
    haliesuzy Posts: 15 Member
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    Anne,

    Thanks for your input. A friend of mine inspired me to do this challenge, and her health needs require that she abstain from sugar substitutes as well. She is okay with fructose. Most of us will have different requirements, and some are joining just to give a particular friend support, so most are abstaining only from sucrose (just to make it simple). That being said, your contributions sounds like just what would help my friend. I don't see her on here yet, but I hope she has the opportunity to learn from you!

    Halie
  • haliesuzy
    haliesuzy Posts: 15 Member
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    Sorry, just learning this board. This comment was to AnneMK5.
    Halie
  • mikey1976
    mikey1976 Posts: 1,005 Member
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    this is amazing topic if you look at food lables close enough you will see sugars in alot of thing you wouldn't exspect it in like ketchup. i no longer use it. i totaly agree sugar is hard to quiet because you can't walk into a store with out seeing candy. i'm in on this journey of no sugar
  • haliesuzy
    haliesuzy Posts: 15 Member
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    this is amazing topic if you look at food lables close enough you will see sugars in alot of thing you wouldn't exspect it in like ketchup. i no longer use it. i totaly agree sugar is hard to quiet because you can't walk into a store with out seeing candy. i'm in on this journey of no sugar

    Mikey,

    Your thoughts on added sugar in products go me searching the net for a good source of information. I found a very long .pdf put out by the govt. with product numbers and the amount of added sugar, but I found it too complex for most of us. Thankfully, I just found another document that's informative but meant for the average consumer, and I believe it will be helpful for those of us making a genuine effort to reduce the "added" sugar in our foods, which we're trying hard to avoid starting at midnight tonight.

    Check it out here: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/healthieryou/html/chapter8.html (scroll down about half way).

    The entire "book" looks very informative for those seeking comprehensive advice on healthy eating: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/healthieryou/contents.htm

    An excellent article from the Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/added-sugar/my00845

    If anyone finds other good sources of information, please feel free to share.

    Halie
  • NubyGloom
    NubyGloom Posts: 49
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    So healthy sugars are a go? or no honey ..extra! Iam down been thinking about doing this kind of challenge for a cuple weeks, but knew I had no susport on it.. right know Iam on a no cheese challenge! but would love to add the no sugar! sounds like fun!
  • mags911
    mags911 Posts: 8 Member
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    Aww first I cut my carbs by eliminating processed starches and now you are going to get me to give up my fun pops and flavored yogurt too! Maybe baby steps is the way for me but I am supportive 100%. You can do it!
  • haliesuzy
    haliesuzy Posts: 15 Member
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    So healthy sugars are a go? or no honey ..extra! Iam down been thinking about doing this kind of challenge for a cuple weeks, but knew I had no susport on it.. right know Iam on a no cheese challenge! but would love to add the no sugar! sounds like fun!

    Nubygloom,

    We're all accountable to ourselves, and each of us has different requirements. And the more I learn, the more I realize that it's the "added sugars" that are bad. For this challenge, fruits are allowed, and honey is allowed. Some may allow themselves artificial sweeteners (no problem with stevia, for example), while others will choose to forego all sweeteners. I think the most important thing we'll get out of this exercise is the knowledge of where all the added sugars are coming from. Hopefully, we'll learn how to make smarter choices at the grocery store and how to prepare healthy meals to replace the junk we're conditioned to eat. For some of us, this is a health requirement at the advice of a doctor, while for others, this is an effort to eat healthier or get in shape. No matter what your reason, we welcome you to join along this week.

    Halie
  • Ariyasnow1
    Ariyasnow1 Posts: 117
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    Good luck everyone! You are truly doing yourself a huge favor by cutting out process sugars (and sweeteners if you can do it) from your diet. I've been off of processed sugar for months now and the results are amazing for weight lost and overall health.
    It is also true about how more sensitive your taste buds get. Fruits are super sweet to me now and I love them. If I want desert I usually will grab a banana or an apple. Blueberries also never tasted so good!
    Sugar however is indeed in a large majority of processed/packaged foods, and also breads! So be prepared to go primal/natural with your eating habits/selections if you want to hit this challenge full on.
  • NubyGloom
    NubyGloom Posts: 49
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    ok sweet! thanks. that all makes perfect sence! so glad to finally start this challenge! I already had to cut out one thing. the peanut butter my roommates have i usually bought real peanut butter but latley just using there and found they have sugar in it wow! lol they sneak that stuff in every thing lol! and Thanks so much for posting this challenge up! ^^ i greatly greatly enjoy this challenge!:happy:

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