I FINALLY kicked the sugar habit---ask me anything!

[NewWaveChick1981]

:D I gave up sugar, white flour, potatoes (never ate many potatoes anyway), corn, and white rice a month and a half ago. I broke the craving cycle! Now when I want something sweet, I reach for fruit. :) Haven't had a candy bar in that time, but I can handle it if I have one now. :)

:bounce:

[leftofthedial]

1. how'd you do it?

cold turkey?

[NewWaveChick1981]

2. Yes. That's the only way I can do things like that.

I also gave up artificial sweeteners and soft drinks a year ago, which was also cold turkey. I focused on eating fruit (but not overdoing it) if I wanted something sweet. I just made sure it was a fruit that didn't have excess natural sugar (like raisins). Apples, strawberries, grapes, oranges, and pears worked wonders. :)

[atomic-fly]

3. does cold turkey go well with unsweetened ice tea?

[NewWaveChick1981]

4. Actually, they make a tasty combo!

:)

[atomic-fly]

7. perfect summer meal...

I love unsweetened iced tea...not the fake stuff.

[ALago1]

5. I need to quit or cut down on sugar

How was the withdrawl if there was any? Did you crave it or was it surprisingly pretty simple? Let me know and congrats!

[NewWaveChick1981]

6. The withdrawal was only bad the first day.

I had a bad headache from the lack of sugar. However, that calmed down by day 2 and hasn't been a problem since. Eating fruit also made it bearable. Just don't go wild with fruit, though---eating too much will have the same effect as eating "bad" sugars. :)

[smirkymonkey]

8. Have you lost weight? How do you feel physically & mentally?

Is there an advantage to cutting it out entirely?

[NewWaveChick1981]

9. Actually, I have. :)

I have lost 12 lbs. in 6 weeks cutting out sugar. That only puts me at needing to lose 8 more lbs. before I weigh what I should weigh! :D When I decided to get off the unnecessary sugar, it was at a moment when I said to myself, "You idiot---you don't need diabetes!" (I have---or should I say HAD---a huge sweet tooth!) With sugar addiction, I had problems with wanting to eat all the time, and now, I eat when I'm hungry as opposed to eating when the sugar high wore off. :) I feel MUCH better both physically and mentally! My clothes fit better too.

I don't think I can cut it out entirely. People who've done low-carb diets (like Atkins) will tell you it drives you nuts. I just think being smart about it will be the best thing overall. :D

[Neoma]

10. You gave up potatoes?

YOU GAVE UP RICE?!

AHHHH!!!

[NewWaveChick1981]

11. Yep, and yep!

I actually eat sweet potatoes now instead of white potatoes. The glycemic effect of a baked potato is worse than a sugary bowl of cereal. :yoiks: I really didn't eat white potatoes that often, so it didn't hurt me too much. (Can you tell I educated myself pretty well about sugars??? :rofl: )

I do love rice, though, so it'll be brown and/or wild rice for me from now on! :D

[Neoma]

12. What about meat?

Do you eat any of that?

[NewWaveChick1981]

15. Yeah, I'm an omnivore.

I don't eat a gigantic amount of meat, but when I do, it's lean chicken, beef, fish, or turkey. I couldn't cut out meat----I tried being a vegetarian a while back, and it didn't work. I did, however, cut down on the amount of meat I was eating, and I've replaced it with beans and other protein sources, like nuts. :) Overall, I have a MUCH healthier diet than I did a few years ago!

[Neoma]

17. I don't eat beef at all.

And i try not to eat fish. My meat is mostly chicken.

[NewWaveChick1981]

21. That's very healthy.

I minimize my beef intake, but I haven't eliminated it. I eat fish only occasionally.

[Neoma]

22. Ditto on the fish.

[chaska]

13. MUTANT!!!

EVERYBODY RUN!!!

[jobycom]

16. We can't! Too much sugar!

[NewWaveChick1981]

19. LOL!

:rofl:

[chaska]

23. Alas, 'tis too true.

[NewWaveChick1981]

18. Ah ain't no mutant...

:P I never said I wouldn't eat sugar again! :) It's just not a craving for me now. My whole family are sugar junkies, and I've probably consumed more refined sugar in my life than anyone on this board...but the buck stops here!

[jobycom]

14. Good job! Hope you break the three month mark!

That's the killer. You figure "Hey, I made it. I'm cured. Just one soda for old time's sake!" Sigh. Twenty-five pounds later, you wonder what happened. :cry: But I'm working on it, and I'm sure you will do better than me!!!

[NewWaveChick1981]

20. Me too!

I broke the habit of artificial sweeteners and soft drinks, and it's been a year. I'm hoping I have the same success with sugar. :hi:

You'll do great too! :hug: You can PM me when you need someone to talk you down from eating that brownie.... :D

[KT2000]

24. That is great !

Doing battle with that myself. Did a good job for a few weeks and I could not believe the weight loss! and the end of the up and down energy cycles.

Heard a doctor who addressed the conference of governors. He said that food manufacturers put certain enzymes or amino acids in junk food that make people hungry - thereby assuring the customers will always come back. That made it easier to give up that crap.

[NewWaveChick1981]

26. Thanks, and congrats to you too!

:applause: :woohoo:

I've found that I'm not really that hungry since I started all of this. The doctor you heard was, I'm sure, right. :yoiks: That was one of the reasons I gave up artificial sweeteners last year---too much negative information about them.

[1monster]

25. Try eating walnuts, and a square of 70% cocoa chocolate...

The richer the dark chocolate, the less likely to go on a chocolate binge. And the dark chocolate has riboflavinids (or something like that) that are great antioxidents... Walnuts are a great source of fiber and other nutrients.

[NewWaveChick1981]

27. That's a great tip...

...Thanks! :hi: Next time I'm in the mood for chocolate, I'll definitely try it. (Do you know how long it's been since I've NOT been in the mood for chocolate??? :) ) I love walnuts too, so I'll give it a try! :D

[billyskank]

28. That's one of my biggest demons

man I got a sugar monkey on my back so big... x(

:hi:

[NewWaveChick1981]

29. Me too...but that monkey's gone, at least for now...

:hi: I know just how it is. :hug:

[WindRavenX]

30. congrats-- it feels GREAT doesn't it?

I've lost 10 pounds and counting since I ditched HFCs and other refined shit ! :bounce:

[NewWaveChick1981]

32. That's great! Congratulations!

:party: :toast: It does feel great! You keep up the good work, and I'll do the same! :applause:

[Guava Jelly]

31. Ok ?? Did The change in Diet Help promote Naughty dreams

About other Du members??

[NewWaveChick1981]

33. Hmmm...you know, that might be the culprit...

:P It was such a good naughty dream that I don't know if I'll ever eat sugar again now! ;) :D

[blueinchicago]

34. Just asking,

I love unsweetened iced tea. I sometimes use Stevia in my coffee or tea. It's an herb that tastes sweet, but isn't a sugar so it has no calories.

Do you think its important to cut out the taste of sweetness alltogether, or would stevia lead me back down the road to HFCS and refined sugar?

[NewWaveChick1981]

35. No, I still want sweetness!

I have a huge sweet tooth, and as long as the sweetener doesn't cause unnecessary spikes in my blood sugar (i.e. has a low glycemic index), I'd say go for it. I gave up artificial sweeteners, which makes it tough, but stevia would be fine from what I've read. Fructose in small quantities would also be acceptable since it's fruit sugar and not glucose or sucrose.