Anyone else quitting sugar?

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mgmalek
mgmalek Posts: 31 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi guys,
Ive eaten no added sugar for three days now; no ice cream, chocolate, lollies, sugary drinks etc. I know this is a great way to lose weight because I've done it before. Is anyone else quitting sugar or wanting to do so? It would be great to keep each other motivated :)
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Replies

  • maxk72
    maxk72 Posts: 31 Member
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    I try to limit it as much as possible as I have a real sugar addiction. I did lchf last year which is amazing for reducing sugar now I'm upping my carbs slightly well to under 100g but still watching my sugar intake xx
  • mgmalek
    mgmalek Posts: 31 Member
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    I'm really all or nothing. When I was off sugar previously, I found that I didn't crave it at all after a while. I don't ever crave savoury food unless I am actually hungry so giving up sugar is really good for weight loss I find :)
  • bowlerae
    bowlerae Posts: 555 Member
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    I do LCHF so sugar is an absolute no no for me. I use liquid Stevia a lot, some people can't stand the taste but to me it's the best tasting sweetening. I'll also occasionally use Erythritol and Swerve in baking or sauce recipes depending on if a recipe calls for it.
  • Woodmouse1
    Woodmouse1 Posts: 15 Member
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    Yes it really helps with craving and weight loss if you can avoid sugar. It is also very good for your health I find it easy to avoid in drinks and foods but difficult to give sweet fruits such as bananas, mangoes and dates.
  • bowlerae
    bowlerae Posts: 555 Member
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    Battir2006 wrote: »
    Yes it really helps with craving and weight loss if you can avoid sugar. It is also very good for your health I find it easy to avoid in drinks and foods but difficult to give sweet fruits such as bananas, mangoes and dates.

    Exactly why with very low carb, ketogenic diets we do not eat much fruit. Pretty much blueberries, raspberries and blackberries and that's about it. Others if your remaining macros allow for such fruit. But fruits with high levels of sugar like bananas, pineapple and even strawberries are pretty much completely a no.
  • PuzzlePea
    PuzzlePea Posts: 7 Member
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    If you follow clean eating, you give up all processed sugars and sweeteners and ONLY get sugar from eating fruits. Just another avenue to consider. Personally I'm also an all or nothing kind of lady, so I gave it all up for 6 months and then moderated so that I only eat 6 tsp or less throughout a day. It was difficult in the beginning because of the cravings, but once they ended it wasn't hard to keep it up. Still maintaining!
  • 3rdof7sisters
    3rdof7sisters Posts: 486 Member
    edited January 2017
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    bowlerae wrote: »
    3rdof7sisters wrote: »
    This comes up often on MFP. Our bodies and brains need sugar and it is impossible to give up sugar. A great way to lose weight is by eating less calories than you burn. No need to cut out any food if you have the self control to moderate intake.
    All things in moderation for me. I figure it will be a sustainable way of eating long term.

    Your body needs glucose which is a form of sugar. What you are saying is sort of misleading. You CAN give up sugar including added sugar and fruits but your brain still needs to receive a little glucose. However, you can receive this glucose from the carbohydrates (they all breakdown to glucose minus fiber) and from other foods such as protein sources through the process of gluconeogenesis. So yes, you can give up dietary sugar.

    Sugar is sugar, and naturally occurring sugar, is in many, many foods. Your body & brain needs it. This is not misleading.
    You can give up foods that are overly processed. Are you giving it up for the rest of your life? What happens when you reach your goal? And try going sugar free and eating at a restaurant. Very unlikely.

    Sustainability is key for long term success. A very small percent of people who lose weight end up keeping it off for over 5 years. Where do you want to be long term?

    Moderation in all foods for long term sustainability is what I am aiming for.
  • bowlerae
    bowlerae Posts: 555 Member
    edited January 2017
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    3rdof7sisters wrote: »
    bowlerae wrote: »
    3rdof7sisters wrote: »
    This comes up often on MFP. Our bodies and brains need sugar and it is impossible to give up sugar. A great way to lose weight is by eating less calories than you burn. No need to cut out any food if you have the self control to moderate intake.
    All things in moderation for me. I figure it will be a sustainable way of eating long term.

    Your body needs glucose which is a form of sugar. What you are saying is sort of misleading. You CAN give up sugar including added sugar and fruits but your brain still needs to receive a little glucose. However, you can receive this glucose from the carbohydrates (they all breakdown to glucose minus fiber) and from other foods such as protein sources through the process of gluconeogenesis. So yes, you can give up dietary sugar.

    Sugar is sugar, and naturally occurring sugar, is in many, many foods. Your body & brain needs it. This is not misleading.
    You can give up foods that are overly processed. Are you giving it up for the rest of your life? What happens when you reach your goal? And try going sugar free and eating at a restaurant. Very unlikely.

    Sustainability is key for long term success. A very small percent of people who lose weight end up keeping it off for over 5 years. Where do you want to be long term?

    Moderation in all foods for long term sustainability is what I am aiming for.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8uSv6OgHJE

    Start the video at 24:10. You do not need to consume dietary sugar, or any carbs for that matter, to sustain brain function. (I would not recommend not consuming ANY carbs because you still need nutrient diversity, there are many zero-carbers out there that are healthy with the right supplements). Your brain and other organs will operate just fine on ketones and gluconeogenis occurring naturally in the body, in fact ketones are a more efficient fuel source and is what our ancestors survived on for millions of years. Yes, it can be a permanent, lifelong way of eating. The key is for someone to find a WOE that they can stick to long term whether that is low-carb, keto, paleo, vegan or any number of other WOEs. If you can't stick to it then whatever issues you are facing before "trying it out" will likely come back once you stop eating that way. If you eliminate sugar for several months you will see an improvement in many health markers but if you can't sustain that and go back to the way you are eating then that's not good. Your idea of "everything in moderation" is great if it allows you to stick to eating that way and don't over indulge. Everyone is difference, some people need to completely eliminate foods that are addictive to them (yes there is a such thing as sugar/carb addiction).
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Isn't all the stuff about keto off topic? OP just asked about quitting added sugar.

    OP, I am not currently quitting it, but I've cut way down (didn't eat that much anyway, less than the "less than 10%, ideally less than 5%" from the WHO most days), as I was eating too much of it over Christmas and taking a break from it is the easiest way for me to get it back into proportion in my diet.

    I am sure I'll add it back in in moderation, as I don't have much of a problem doing that most of the time, but I have found taking occasional breaks are helpful.

    On the other hand, although I eat more fruit in the summer (I like lots of local summer fruits) I am making more of an effort to include fruit, as well as vegetables which I always like to eat a lot of, in my diet this January, and finding if anything it makes me less interested in other kinds of sweets or "junk food."

    One thing I do is continue to have an "extra" that ends dinner even if not having added sugar -- good cheese works for that, or nuts, or fruit.
  • bowlerae
    bowlerae Posts: 555 Member
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    @lemurcat12 not my first response but then when people say you absolutely need to consume carbs and you can't sustain a sugar-free diet for long then I have to check them.
  • LiftingRiot
    LiftingRiot Posts: 6,952 Member
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    Ive been on a keto diet for a week and half now. Soooo nooooo sugar and I have the biggest sweet tooth in the world. I have been dreaming about candy
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
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    hkurek8ovqfb.gif

    Nope.
  • bowlerae
    bowlerae Posts: 555 Member
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    LiftingRiot wrote: »
    Ive been on a keto diet for a week and half now. Soooo nooooo sugar and I have the biggest sweet tooth in the world. I have been dreaming about candy

    I make my own "candy" and other treats I just use Stevia or Erythritol. You don't have to feel like you're missing out.

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