The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

[JackieM]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

I totally agree with finding out what works for you. I have been on and off "diets" since I was 13 years old. I have also tried to lose weight by basically killing myself physically with exercise. In the mid/late 90s I went fat free and did lose weight. The downside of that experiment was looking and feeling like shit. Most of my other "diets" involved calorie restriction which left me lethargic, irritable and constantly hungry. None of it was sustainable.
I definitely think cutting out sugar and processed food is a great place to start. [MENTION=20929]Ginger999[/MENTION] is feeling results after only a few days.
Narilly-that cabbage casserole sounds awesome. I will have to Google the recipe. I love cabbage and have recently started making my own sauerkraut.

[NoSugar]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

I was always on a quest to "look better", too, [MENTION=18464]JackieM[/MENTION]. Not being naturally tall and thin with straight hair (the ideal) felt like failure. I went through rolls of that dumb pink tape trying to tame my curls and followed all the [bad] advice in terms of diet and exercise. What a waste all of that was. At least I didn't try to be taller!! I somewhat reluctantly accepted my height as something I couldn't control. And the really crazy thing is, I wasn't drastically overweight anyway. But I wasn't what I believed I should be so I wasn't enough. Fortunately, I accepted my curly hair long ago. I also finally gave up trying to artificially change my body. The diet changes I've made over the last several years (including stopping drinking alcohol!!) have been with health as the goal. Ironically, I've had the stable healthy body weight, energy level, and mood I'd desperately been seeking now that I'm eating the way that is best for me. (And I rarely exercise anymore after having been what I now know was an exercise addict for years. I do want to get back to more of that for positive reasons now -- not to try to make myself "better").

[JackieM]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

[MENTION=18725]NoSugar[/MENTION]-it is truly crazy how we make up what we "should" look like. Funny, I always wanted curly hair and spent my high school years getting perms. My hair was so straight the perms sometimes did not even take. I shudder to think about exposing myself to those harsh chemicals. I also wanted a different body and starved myself to try to get one.
At 48, I finally accept and appreciate my body. I abused the crap out of it for decades and it is still here for me. I am grateful that we have an amazing ability to heal ourselves.

[NoSugar]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

I guess we can’t be Twinks after all, [MENTION=18464]JackieM[/MENTION] – I have way too many years on you :happy2:

I was in grad school during those popular permanent years. New people thought I had gotten a perm because it was so curly. Given my poor self image, I couldn’t believe anyone would think I would’ve done that on purpose! (Actually, my hair became straight and course when I was pregnant and nursing. After that, I appreciated what I had had and was very relieved when it went back to its old ways!).

It is amazing how much physical and mental health we can regain despite all those years of being hurt and hurting ourselves. We were whole all along, but didn’t know it.

It sure would be interesting to do it all again, knowing what we know now, wouldn’t it? At least the future isn’t scary like it used to be :hug:

[IamMary]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Just popped in to say Ive 2 days without sugar done. Avoided the usual endless supply of post Christmas chocolate in work today and would have given myself a medal, if I had one :happy2:
I am more prepared now for the 3 O'clock slump tomorrow.

[Ginger999]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

I feel your pain ladies. I've lost and gained the same 20 lbs since the 6th grade. My mom hated my short, chubby look and had the Dr put me on diet pills! Yep... amphetamines! It was the mid 60s. I lost 20lbs that I didn't need to lose and was the thinnest girl in my class. Not sure my body ever quite got over that. Jeez... the things we did!

[Mr Vervill]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

This is going to be harder than I thought. Sugar is freaking everywhere! Not just laying around the house in the form of chocolates and cookies, but in all the food. Went to make a stew, and there is sugar in the broth, WTF? Really? Gotta read those labels!

[JackieM]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

[MENTION=22411]IamMary[/MENTION]-good job on avoiding the chocolate. It is hard to bypass when it is sitting right in front of you. Hopefully, like alcohol, you become indifferent to it.
[MENTION=17632]Mr Vervill[/MENTION]- it is amazing how much sugar is added to seemingly innocent foods. I remember looking at a packet of taco seasoning and having a wtf moment. The SAD is full of hidden threats.
[MENTION=20929]Ginger999[/MENTION]-I cannot believe your Mother did that. It is hard enough at that age to accept yourself. Have you seen Postcards From the Edge? There is a scene where Shirley Maclaine asks Meryl Streep what was so bad about her childhood. Meryl Streep proceeds to remind her that, among other things, she was given sleeping pills as a child. It was a funny scene in the movie but not so funny to think about it as a real life Mother/Daughter dynamic.
[MENTION=18725]NoSugar[/MENTION]-I would love to get a do-over. But, I am happy and at peace now knowing that I am o.k.

[IamMary]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

This is going to be harder than I thought. Sugar is freaking everywhere! Not just laying around the house in the form of chocolates and cookies, but in all the food. Went to make a stew, and there is sugar in the broth, WTF? Really? Gotta read those labels!

Agree there Mr V, although I dont think its quite as bad here yet. But the amounts of sweets (candy) in every garage, convenience shop, supermarket, seems to have doubled in the last year, you have to hunt for your pint of milk! Really gets up my nose..

[Ginger999]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

[MENTION=18464]JackieM[/MENTION], I watched that years ago. It hit close to home. I tried to talk to my mom about the pills on occasion. She would own nothing just said they worked! She's gone now and I'm happy to say that mom's last few months we became very close. In fact, she lived with us the last two weeks of her life. I'm glad we had that.

[NoSugar]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Hope the challenge is going well and you’re feeling good :smile:. Even more than with alcohol, progress is more important than perfection. We are going to ingest some sugar, either in its natural state or a bit added (like in those sauces where it doesn’t need to be!). But, we can get to the point where it’s consumed by choice instead of compulsion.

[Mr Vervill]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

When I quit AL, I didn't go around the house looking for it, like I do sugar, wow.

[Ginger999]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

I forgot my golden rule, don't buy food with labels! So easy to do when i get my mind right. Off to the store!

[NoSugar]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Yeah, it saves a lot of time in some ways to buy no-label food but thankfully, as more and more people are waking up to the problems with sugar, more no-sugar products are being made. They usually have very few ingredients (and of course cost more). When I eat regular ketchup now, it tastes weirdly sweet.

[JackieM]

Re: The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Funny how alcohol is broadcast as a positive selling point on many products (vodka sauce, beer mustards, bourbon bbq sauce). Obviously, the amount of alcohol (if any) in the products is miniscule but companies really like to push it.
I was browsing the natural foods section recently at a local grocery store. I noticed that many of the drinks had "made with real cane sugar" printed on the label. I guess they are trying to get you to buy their product vs. one made with corn syrup. [MENTION=20929]Ginger999[/MENTION]- the no label rule makes things easy for you. I do buy some bottled condiments, sauces and dressings but I stick with brands I have researched. Along with addded sugar and general crap, I try to avoid vegetable oils.