2-week Sugar Cleanse

iamchristyl
iamchristyl Posts: 26 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello fellow MFP members!

I've decided to challenge myself to a 2-week sugar cleanse and thought others might be interested in joining me! I keep reading that refined and artificial sugars are among the top reasons for weight gain, specifically in your abdominal area. Many dieticians recommend a two-week period of no refined or artificial sugar to see results in that area. My understanding is that sugar (even artificial sweeteners) makes your insulin spike, thus making you store fat more easily.

So I am beginning this Sunday, 04/21/2012 and I am eliminating:
- refined sugar (white sugar)
- sweeteners (sucralose and aspartame)
- "white" bread and pasta

To replace those items, I will be using:
- honey
- agave
- stevia
- natural sugars (fruit)
- whole wheat bread and pasta
- rye bread

I have a feeling that this will be very challenging as I'm sure there is sugar in a TON of the products I am currently purchasing. That's why I've given myself the 2 day lead time to get ready! Hopefully this will be successful and will help me make some long-term changes as well.

Christyl
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Replies

  • Shayztar
    Shayztar Posts: 415 Member
    Good luck with that!! I will cut out artificial sweetners with you! I can't promise I can stay white sugar free tho. :( I can promise to start cutting down tho! I already eat 90% brown breads, so I'm there with you too. :)
  • iamchristyl
    iamchristyl Posts: 26 Member
    I just stocked up at Bulk Barn - whole wheat flour, almonds and I couldn't live without my peanut butter! Organic PB was even on sale!
  • CarmaellaElia
    CarmaellaElia Posts: 3
    I'm in! I already use organic sugar, honey, and eat rye bread. I LOVE almonds. I could live off of almonds and pears - they're so good. I do drink plenty of coffee/tea with sugar, so that'll be a challenge, but worth it I'm sure!
  • djkymba
    djkymba Posts: 174
    I'm in! I'm trying to get rid of sugar in my diet too. Is fruit sugar acceptable? That's the only sweet I'm going to allow myself. And I'm going to be off the artificial sweeteners too.
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
    Interesting challenge! :)

    I need to do this again, snacking is getting a little nuts. I don't eat much bread, and I use Stevia...but I started drinking diet coke again, and I think it can officially be classified as one of my "triggers" because my snacking has been nuts the last couple of weeks.

    I do drink Crystal lite, but I water it down a LOT (like the packet is supposed to make 2 quarts, I make like 3 46 oz bottles with one packet), so it's not really sweet enough to "trigger".

    I am going to do this - & I think I'm going to talk my husband into joining in as well (he is also on MFP).

    We have nothing to lose but cravings & calories! =) Good luck everyone!!
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
    Excess calories are the only cause of weight gain. Balancing the diet eating a reasonable deficit and exercising is the only way to 'cleanse'
  • sarahmeyers09
    sarahmeyers09 Posts: 1
    I will admit I'm a total Splenda addict! I use it everywhere in tea and coffee and my fruit smoothies... Ive always denied the hype that it makes you overweight and harder to lose weight. I've lost 15 lbs since January, maybe this is jut the kick I need to get over this plateau! I' m going to try to start cutting it out when I can.
  • thatgirlamy
    thatgirlamy Posts: 6
    I think I would like to join in! I already use whole wheat bread and usually pasta, and stevia for my coffee (but i'll have to ditch my creamer) which brings me to my question: does the sugar in milk/soymilk count?


    I need to ditch cokes permanently anyway :sad: :grumble:
  • gracey2521
    gracey2521 Posts: 72
    I'm in!
  • gracey2521
    gracey2521 Posts: 72
    Excess calories are the only cause of weight gain. Balancing the diet eating a reasonable deficit and exercising is the only way to 'cleanse'

    Its foolish to waste your time with a ridiculous sugar cleanse.

    You don't have to be rude. If you don't want to do the cleanse, don't do it and leave everyone else to do as they please. A lot of people see drastic improvements in their health and vitality by cutting down on refined sugar.
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
    Excess calories are the only cause of weight gain. Balancing the diet eating a reasonable deficit and exercising is the only way to 'cleanse'

    Its foolish to waste your time with a ridiculous sugar cleanse.

    You don't have to be rude. If you don't want to do the cleanse, don't do it and leave everyone else to do as they please. A lot of people see drastic improvements in their health and vitality by cutting down on refined sugar.

    I'll speak as I please.
  • dellashanks
    dellashanks Posts: 207 Member
    Excess calories are the only cause of weight gain. Balancing the diet eating a reasonable deficit and exercising is the only way to 'cleanse'

    Its foolish to waste your time with a ridiculous sugar cleanse.

    You don't have to be rude. If you don't want to do the cleanse, don't do it and leave everyone else to do as they please. A lot of people see drastic improvements in their health and vitality by cutting down on refined sugar.

    First, I'm with ya! I'll give it a go. I have already cut out most of those things tho. I don't think I can give up my zone bars. I use them for ready snacks all the time. Any idea if they are a no go? Second well said, no need to point at what others wish to do. Also, I took nutrition in college for three terms and I gotta tell ya cutting those things out help. For one thing they stop the cravings and dips in you blood sugar making you consume more. Everybody is different and those with proven insulin resistance should avoid refined foods like the plauge.
  • k2quiere
    k2quiere Posts: 4,151 Member
    Are you cutting out sugar because it's affecting your health or simply for weight loss purposes? The two can be mutually exclusive. I ask this because I am wondering about the strict restriction and yet the addition of Stevia...almost seems counterintuitive from a health standpoint.
  • gracey2521
    gracey2521 Posts: 72
    I, personally, am trying to reduce my sugar and carb in-take because of the prevalence of diabetes in my family. It's hard though, because it's so addicting!
  • tmbright
    tmbright Posts: 10
    I doubt I can make it 2 weeks, but I will try for a 3-day version, just to get me started! I admire your discipline - I already know I won't make it that long! But I have noticed a significant spike in my junk food intake and I need to start eating real food. I just bundled all of my sugary food up and getting ready to get it out of the house. If it is here, I will eat it. Time to go grocery shopping for some real food this afternoon, without junk and sugar.
  • jml_25
    jml_25 Posts: 18 Member
    About a month ago I tried to cut as many of these things out as well! Switched out

    Splenda for Stevia
    pancake syrup for pure maple or agave
    sugar for agave or raw honey with pollen
    water for soda and
    one cup of juice a day

    I also switched fruit snacks, cereal bars, chips/crackers, cereal, chocolate bars, milk, meats, bread and veggies/fruits out for organic or natural counter parts (if couldn't find organic)

    I swear my kids have become way more attentive and just generally more well behaved. (they weren't bad or anythging before just maybe crabby from all the fake stuff? plus you tend to measure stuff out more attentively when it is expensive rather then just hand the box of cereal to them to pour so overall sugar intake has shot way down)

    I hope you have great results too!
  • iamchristyl
    iamchristyl Posts: 26 Member
    Are you cutting out sugar because it's affecting your health or simply for weight loss purposes? The two can be mutually exclusive. I ask this because I am wondering about the strict restriction and yet the addition of Stevia...almost seems counterintuitive from a health standpoint.

    I am actually attempting this based on the reccommendation of a nutritionist (look up: Eat, Shrink and be Merry) as well as my own dietician. So far, so good!
  • iamchristyl
    iamchristyl Posts: 26 Member
    I'm in! I'm trying to get rid of sugar in my diet too. Is fruit sugar acceptable? That's the only sweet I'm going to allow myself. And I'm going to be off the artificial sweeteners too.

    I am absolutely going to continue eating fruit. My dietician mentioned that oranges, bananas and mangoes are very high in sugar, so I always just make sure I use moderation when planning my day. Good luck!
  • iamchristyl
    iamchristyl Posts: 26 Member
    Excess calories are the only cause of weight gain. Balancing the diet eating a reasonable deficit and exercising is the only way to 'cleanse'

    Its foolish to waste your time with a ridiculous sugar cleanse.

    You don't have to be rude. If you don't want to do the cleanse, don't do it and leave everyone else to do as they please. A lot of people see drastic improvements in their health and vitality by cutting down on refined sugar.

    First, I'm with ya! I'll give it a go. I have already cut out most of those things tho. I don't think I can give up my zone bars. I use them for ready snacks all the time. Any idea if they are a no go? Second well said, no need to point at what others wish to do. Also, I took nutrition in college for three terms and I gotta tell ya cutting those things out help. For one thing they stop the cravings and dips in you blood sugar making you consume more. Everybody is different and those with proven insulin resistance should avoid refined foods like the plauge.

    I agree with everyone - why bother posting negativity? Go and find a topic you're interested in and leave us alone! What's wrong with cutting out sugar? Avoiding adult onset diabetes? Watching our intake of a highly refined product that has been proven to cause damage and hike insulin levels? No sense in wasting our energy on it, so moving on... lol

    I used to eat protein bars (Luna) and I found that bananas were just as effective. But, I'm not a dietician, so that's just my humble opinion! Thanks for joining us!
  • temp666777
    temp666777 Posts: 169
    Carbohydrate molecules are all EXACTLY THE SAME !!

    There's no difference at all between eating the carbohydrate molecules in fruit, bread, or anything else.

    If you must eat some fruit, eat only strawberries or raspberries. They are remarkable in that they contain the least possible carbohydrate molecules, but, taste the sweetest because of the biomechanics of your mouth and tongue.

    Again - the only fruit to eat is strawberries and raspberries because they are so low in carbohydrate molecules.

    If you're trying to lose body fat, don't eat any bread, potatoes, pasta.

    The great news is if you can just limit your intake of carbohydrate molecule to about 72 grams per day, for about a month, you will completely lose your taste for carbohydrates - you won't feel the need to eat potatoes, fruit, pasta, rice, bread. After that you will effortlessly lose body fat, eating whatever you want. (You will have no taste for carbohydrate-based foods.)

    Buy a copy of "Life without Bread" by Dr. Lutz - change your life!
  • AlyRoseNYC
    AlyRoseNYC Posts: 1,075 Member
    Excess calories are the only cause of weight gain. Balancing the diet eating a reasonable deficit and exercising is the only way to 'cleanse'

    Its foolish to waste your time with a ridiculous sugar cleanse.

    You don't have to be rude. If you don't want to do the cleanse, don't do it and leave everyone else to do as they please. A lot of people see drastic improvements in their health and vitality by cutting down on refined sugar.

    I'll speak as I please.

    You must have a lot of friends and people who care about you IRL.
  • iamchristyl
    iamchristyl Posts: 26 Member
    Carbohydrate molecules are all EXACTLY THE SAME !!

    There's no difference at all between eating the carbohydrate molecules in fruit, bread, or anything else.

    If you must eat some fruit, eat only strawberries or raspberries. They are remarkable in that they contain the least possible carbohydrate molecules, but, taste the sweetest because of the biomechanics of your mouth and tongue.

    Again - the only fruit to eat is strawberries and raspberries because they are so low in carbohydrate molecules.

    If you're trying to lose body fat, don't eat any bread, potatoes, pasta.

    The great news is if you can just limit your intake of carbohydrate molecule to about 72 grams per day, for about a month, you will completely lose your taste for carbohydrates - you won't feel the need to eat potatoes, fruit, pasta, rice, bread. After that you will effortlessly lose body fat, eating whatever you want. (You will have no taste for carbohydrate-based foods.)

    Buy a copy of "Life without Bread" by Dr. Lutz - change your life!

    That's the idea! And thanks for the additional information and book reccommendation. You seem very successful in your weight loss endeavor!
  • iamchristyl
    iamchristyl Posts: 26 Member
    I doubt I can make it 2 weeks, but I will try for a 3-day version, just to get me started! I admire your discipline - I already know I won't make it that long! But I have noticed a significant spike in my junk food intake and I need to start eating real food. I just bundled all of my sugary food up and getting ready to get it out of the house. If it is here, I will eat it. Time to go grocery shopping for some real food this afternoon, without junk and sugar.

    That's exactly the problem I had - way too much artificial sugar in my yogurt, oatmeal, etc. All of the things that were low in calories and convenient for a life on the go. It look a lot more time to make my lunch today, but so far has been well worth it - yum! Good luck!
  • rsward
    rsward Posts: 45
    bump
  • prettylyzard
    prettylyzard Posts: 98 Member
    Excess calories are the only cause of weight gain. Balancing the diet eating a reasonable deficit and exercising is the only way to 'cleanse'

    Its foolish to waste your time with a ridiculous sugar cleanse.

    Way to be positive and supportive. Some of us have an addiction to sugar, so a cleanse is helpful. And if it cuts out processed foods and puts in more natural things, its better in the long run anyways.
  • srobertson47
    srobertson47 Posts: 5 Member
    That one of my biggest weight loss problem is sugar i been battling the sugar addiction for a long time too sugar is and addiction so i will take the challenge with you today 4-23-12 for two weeks,Lord help!!!!:sad: :sad:
  • ShannanShea
    ShannanShea Posts: 1
    Wow, this sounds like a great idea and actually sounds like my exact problem too! Good luck, I'll do my best to cut back on my sugar intake as well. I swear my sweet tooth holds me back from meeting my goal weight constantly. I hope you see the results you want!! :)
  • gillybumbler
    gillybumbler Posts: 136
    I am in! I have done this before for a month (on the Body Ecology Diet) and lost weight fast! I am gaining it back now that I have stopped.

    The only sweeteners I will use are stevia and Xyla Brand Xylitol. I really want to get back to the diet because I felt so great!
  • dancingdeer
    dancingdeer Posts: 373 Member
    Great job in trying to change.

    But - those sugars you list - agave, honey, etc. are all still sugar. They may be not as refined (well agave is refined) but they still spike your insulin. Try going without ANY sweetener - zero.

    And watch the bread - most have corn syrup in them, or something else.

    My nutritionist basically says to stay away from all sweetener. When you get to the point where you're having to sweeten things that don't need sweetening, you need to take a look at your diet.

    If you'd like to check out my "no sugar" diary - friend me!

    Best of luck. :flowerforyou:
  • emccand
    emccand Posts: 195 Member
    Interesting challenge! :)

    I need to do this again, snacking is getting a little nuts. I don't eat much bread, and I use Stevia...but I started drinking diet coke again, and I think it can officially be classified as one of my "triggers" because my snacking has been nuts the last couple of weeks.

    I do drink Crystal lite, but I water it down a LOT (like the packet is supposed to make 2 quarts, I make like 3 46 oz bottles with one packet), so it's not really sweet enough to "trigger".

    I am going to do this - & I think I'm going to talk my husband into joining in as well (he is also on MFP).

    We have nothing to lose but cravings & calories! =) Good luck everyone!!



    Diet coke makes me snack like crazy too! There was some study saying the aspartame in diet pop makes you crave carbs and sugars, I think its true. I quit pop a little over 2 weeks ago but have already noticed I am less hungry.

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