Has anyone cut down on sweets and feel better?

WalkingGirl1985
WalkingGirl1985 Posts: 2,046 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Sometimes from my experience and also a friends experience that cutting back on the cakes/pastries and so on can increase or energy for better performance and feeling good all around. My friend says she has, but I have yet to do this, so I'm a bit unsure. I'm going to try this, and see how I feel. Anyone else done this and feeling better? just looking for different imput from past experiences.

Replies

  • lelstar
    lelstar Posts: 374 Member
    Yes, absolutely. I think I've kind of ranted about sugar since I got on here so ill just leave it at yes unless you ask for more :-)
  • embstine
    embstine Posts: 5 Member
    Depends on genes, age and sex. At 46 I've lost some skin elasticity and I don't see the definition I did when I was at my current weight...
  • Flygirl214
    Flygirl214 Posts: 33 Member
    Absolutely 100% YES! After removing them from your diet for about 2 weeks, the cravings for them begin to go away! It is much easier to control cravings once you eliminate it from your diet. It also makes weight loss easier!
  • wongleweed
    wongleweed Posts: 35 Member
    Yes! I used to eat at least 2 chocs a day and drink 2 litres coke. I have so much more energy now I stopped, and headaches have gone too. Husband says I am not so moody now - used to get very moody if I couldn't have a coke!
  • PunkyRachel
    PunkyRachel Posts: 1,959 Member
    yes! I feel tons better. When I do eat/drink sweets Its far less than it used to be. Like I would eat 8 cookies with a tall glass of milk. Or a gallon of sweet teas a days time. Not no more, I drink water and juice mostly with the occasional sweet tea or soda or cookie/cake.
  • AirCircleI
    AirCircleI Posts: 334 Member
    Agree with everyone else, it has made a huge difference to my energy levels. I feel focused and awake all day, and then get a good night's sleep, and pop out of bed in the morning. I also cut out caffeine, so no more sugar/caffeine highs and lows.

    But when I do have sweets, which is occasionally, I notice the difference, afterwards I get tired and I always crave more. Because at my work there is a constant stream of cakes, I keep a post-it on my computer saying "no sweets!" to help me avoid temptation, and I keep plenty of fruit around and have fruit things when I want something sweet. Last night I blended up some frozen banana, almond milk and cinnamon for some "ice cream".
  • skinnylove00
    skinnylove00 Posts: 662 Member
    YES! i find that sugary sweet things have sort of a drug-like affect on me...when i eat it, it tastes good, sending dopamine (feel good horomones) throughout my brain and my body thinks im rewarding myself and...wouldnt you know...i got back to craving sugar more and more to chase that MMM GOOD feeling!

    i would like to add to this that artificial sugars have the same effect. i limit my actual sugars and think that artificial sugars (sucralose, aspartame, sorbitol, etc) would be a good replacement in place of real sugars...BUT NO!!!!! i used to chew a pack of gum a day to ward off cravings but found that i craved food (especially fatty foods like peanut butter and nuts and cereals) SO much more.

    now that i cut gum cold turkey, and limiting my artificial sugars almost entirely (trying to wean myself off some sucralose protein powder until i can get my hands on natural kind!) i have noticed a DRAMATIC decrease in cravings overall. *shrugs* its been working for me! :drinker:
  • BlondeQtTexas
    BlondeQtTexas Posts: 97 Member
    I've cut out wheat, dairy, beef, corn and sugar since Feb. I feel amazing and have lost 32 lbs (before joining MFP) to boot!

    I don't miss that food at all.
  • biancamcewan
    biancamcewan Posts: 5
    Yes! It causes me to feel really tired and sluggish after eating anything sugary OR fatty. As soon as I cut them out i feel more engertic at work and at the gym. I used to train for squash as a teenager, and found when i had hot chips or anything sugary before my coaching sessions, i couldnt react as fast on the squash court, and i felt like i was half as fit as i actually was. So defo cut it out if you can :smile:
  • Gracella1
    Gracella1 Posts: 7 Member
    Well I don't have as many migraines and hot flashes since I've cut back on sweets. However, mentally, i'm a wreck. I miss sweets a lot. I have a real sweet tooth. The worst thing is artificial sweetners also trigger hot flashes so I'm unable to satisfy my sweet tooth. I have given myself one day to have sweets (Sunday ). For some reason, yogurt doesn't set off the internal fireworks as badly. And you would think that fruit would be OK. Not so, sugar is sugar, no matter where it comes from. I don't get the migraines but I certainly get the hot flashes. Any advice? I'm suffering.
  • kokaneesailor
    kokaneesailor Posts: 337 Member
    Yes and yes. It will work, just do it gradually. Best of luck with your journey! :smile:
  • guamSUPERgirl90
    guamSUPERgirl90 Posts: 255
    the first few days i felt like i was in "withdrawal". after a week or two i felt awesome! now when i eat sweets i have to gulp warm water after because it gives me this disgusting feeling.
  • temp666777
    temp666777 Posts: 169
    It's amazing that it only takes

    ABOUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS

    for your pancreas to heal, and then the cravings go away. Enjoy!

    Get real scientific information on the topic -- read the great book "Why we get fat" by Gary Taubes.
  • pollywollywoo
    pollywollywoo Posts: 23
    Yes!! I used to feel tired in the afternoon - but not anymore.

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  • mariaschlimper
    mariaschlimper Posts: 15
    Try it!! It's been over two years that I ate pastries or cake. From time to time I still need a chocolate bar, but usually I substitute it by a banana. I know that bananas have a lot of calories, but I think that fresh fruit is much healthier than artificial sugars.. I started eating bananas with really dark chocolate (Lindt, 99%) at first, because I missed chocolate and now I don't miss anything. It's really worth it! I definately feel better!! :)
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    It's hard for me to tell how much is due to cutting back on sweets, and how much is more exercise, especially since I've noticed in the past that exercising more makes me desire sweets less. But I definitely am finding that cutting back on carbs has resulted in having less appetite for carbs.
  • Jordant107
    Jordant107 Posts: 218 Member
    It makes a big difference for sure!! But trying to get off them was my biggest issue- i would manage 3 or 4 days without anything, and then all of a sudden my cravings would return much worse than they'd ever been in the past!! Until you can get past the first couple of months without them it can be hard, but you feel awesome for it if you stick it out!! I still can't really trust myself enough to have too much, but i do occasionally give myself a treat or two:)
  • missprincessjenny
    missprincessjenny Posts: 104 Member
    I have drastically reduced my sugars period. No sweets, and only really berries (sometimes dried apricots) my sugars are always well below the levels. Except for the odd day.
    I find if I eat sugar I get extremely tired and get a killer headache.
    So yes I feel much better without it.

    Not to mention how carbs affect me...
  • jshashaty
    jshashaty Posts: 33 Member
    Absolutely! It's been 2 weeks since I cut out caffeine, sugar and sweets in my diet and I feel good. I also was told by my sister that I look better and my skin looks brighter. It was tough for about 3 days because I went through withdrawals from caffeine and sugar, but it passed. If I want something sweet, I have flavored green tea (Mango is great) and it has serotonin in it and cuts down the cravings. I drink it plain and even add ice to it and it tastes even better.
  • hookandy
    hookandy Posts: 278 Member
    I feel better, more energy,more focus. However I am not sure which of the following is the reason for my improvement

    I have lost 34lb
    I have cut down coffee Now 1 or 2 cups a week rather than 5-8 per day
    I have cut down refined sugars
    I have increased my exercise
    I have increased my water

    Do you know what? I am not going to change any of the above to see what is the root cause!!
  • REET420
    REET420 Posts: 160 Member
    I cut back on all sugars and greasy food I try to limit to once a week. I feel much better
  • lelstar
    lelstar Posts: 374 Member
    I feel better, more energy,more focus. However I am not sure which of the following is the reason for my improvement

    I have lost 34lb
    I have cut down coffee Now 1 or 2 cups a week rather than 5-8 per day
    I have cut down refined sugars
    I have increased my exercise
    I have increased my water

    Do you know what? I am not going to change any of the above to see what is the root cause!!

    Good on you!!
  • snix1024
    snix1024 Posts: 81
    Yes, I feel much better! Stopping Diet Coke made it easier for me to get rid of the sweets. For me, the two went hand in hand. :)
  • jgic2009
    jgic2009 Posts: 531 Member
    I gave up sweets and soda for Lent and was amazed at how good I felt. The cravings went away after a week or two.

    I did reintroduce sweets to my diet, but I don't think I will ever drink soda again!
  • dmaster555
    dmaster555 Posts: 73
    Yes. The sweets cause a huge insulin response and kill your energy. After a while, you'll notice a big change
  • Michelerainville
    Michelerainville Posts: 16
    Definitely ! Substitute with juicing carrots and beets ( beet root ) high in natural sugars, excellent energy boost and satisfies sweet craving ... also limit ( or better eliminate ) all simple carbs - bread, rice, pasta as they metabolize into sugars and spike insulin levels ... hard to do but worth the effort.

    Good Luck and DO IT !
  • jacque930
    jacque930 Posts: 122 Member
    It's amazing that it only takes

    ABOUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS

    for your pancreas to heal, and then the cravings go away. Enjoy!

    Get real scientific information on the topic -- read the great book "Why we get fat" by Gary Taubes.

    -- I have heard of this book, I have looked it up but I have not read it yet. I think all the recommendations I have seen about this book is telling me something.

    Yes, I have less sweets now. When I do eat sweets, I can tell because of the sugar crash that occurs later on. I try to also stay away from soda. I was drinking Coke Zero about one a day. I have let that go and have noticed not only less of an energy crash but also less of that bloating feeling associated with the carbination.

    Focus on eating fresh fruit to help curve that initial want of sugar. The natural sugar helps with the craving initially and then a couple weeks later you will be fine.

    Good Luck!

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