The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

[NoSugar]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Allan - Reese's pieces are lush. The scientists have worked a trick on those. Just like the Cadbury's chocolate covered pretzels - the combo of sweet and salty is so moreish.

Love the new (at least to me) word, Londoner! If something is "moreish", it probably is a clue that its intake should be avoided or at least limited - look how moreish alcohol is!

[skullbabyland]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Re- Reese's-- For me, I find it is helpful to try to not fantasize about how great something tastes- and instead try to mentally picture it as total garbage for my body. Even if my taste buds don't feel that way, the re-frame in my mind is starting to take hold, for instance when I see junk food, or cigarettes, they're starting to look like gross franken-subtances full of toxic chemicals... cuz they are

[lifechange]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Hey everybody! Sunday late evening here, got the kids to bed, had a nice chat with my best friend and now I'm going to watch a tiny bit of a senseless series.
It was much easier today to stay away from the sugar-- I am balancing out the nutrition and trying to cut back on the coffee. Tomorrow is a gym day again! I agree with you, Londoner regarding the exercise. It is essential to my well being.

Allan, hope you find a solution to the reese's problem. Skull's advice might work..? I don't know, though. Hey! I have a recipe somewhere that might help you-- it's with dark(er) chocolate and sf peanut butter-- make your own cups! I made them ages ago and they weren't so cute, but they were delicious. And even half healthy..

Nosugar had a great idea of dipping dried (or fresh fruit) into bitter chocolate-- also occasionally ok in my book. I AM on the nuts and dried fruits now, NS. Took a few days, but it is satisfying now.

see you all tomorrow, I hope!

[Londoner]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Morning all.

How's everyone doing?

I have not been sugar free. But I have not been binging. I am happy

In the last week I have probably had a couple of small slices of cheesecake with Sunday lunch and a couple of Jaffa cakes. I am not adding stupid amounts of sugar to my tea or porridge. I am not hunting the house eating anything sweet I could find (meringues, biscuits, dried fruit, sugar) etc.

My word what a difference. Energy levels are better and so too is my mental clarity.

Sugar binges really are a problem. Just like AL.

[myhappyplace]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Here you go Reese addicts...

Healthy Peanut Butter Cups | The Healthy Family and Home

hope that helps. And a bit of a P.S. I really watch my fruit/dried fruit consumption. Fructose is a problem. Do your research and know your triggers.

[myhappyplace]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

techie;1416603 wrote:

And because I miss Techie :h

[skullbabyland]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Wow, my energy levels are all over the place- well actually mostly they're dipping really low. I'm eating really cleanly so I'm hoping this is just sugar withdrawals and that they'll even out soon and I'll feel more balanced and energetic.

[allankay]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Skull,

contrary to what Londoner says about giving up Sugar I am going to agree with you. Every time I try to go SF for a few days my energy levels drop and I feel sleepy all the time. However, the first chocolate bar I eat, immediately fixes this problem.

Do not know how long we need to wait to see the energy levels return to normal or even higher.

AK

[lifechange]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

hey everyone!
Londoner! super to see you-- I think it sounds like you're doing really well. I agree with what Skull said a few days ago about picking one or two things at a time to work on. It seems like one works well for me!

Happyplace, thank you so much for the peanut butter cup recipe-- I couldn't find mine-- this is very similar. You're right about the dried fruit-- everyone needs to find out what works for them, what their triggers are. For me fruit (including dried) seems to be fine, along with carbs such as brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, etc. Are you also following a sugar free plan? The halloween postcard was hillarious-- I'm definitely the bitch this year!

Skull, I was wondering if you're perhaps not eating enough complex carbs? What about adding a few more grains/legumes to your diet? Early on in the day or after your work outs? I know your're following a fairly strict nutrition plan-- is that for losing weight? Just curious from reading your fitness thread-- which I love to read!

I'm heading into day 7 tomorrow, which is very exciting for me. I was up to 12 days awhile ago and was really starting to feel good when I blew it for some milk chocolate. I don't want to be militant and I don't want to feel deprived which is why I'm allowing some fruit and every once in a while a very small piece of dark chocolate. Beginning Sat. my goal is to cut coffee down to one a day. I might really be a bitch then!:H Just want to try for 30 days.

[lifechange]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

hi Allan-- I'm reading this great Vegan athletic book-- which is the direction I'm heading in-- and he says that if we are getting all the vitamins and minerals we need from our food and supplements, our bodies won't crave the sugar/caffeine high. It definitely takes some time if that's what we've been fueling our bodies with-- and I had a terrible headache on Sunday when I tried to cut coffee cold turkey-- drinking a couple cups cured the headache. It makes sense to me which is why I want to be a guinea pig!

Don't the peanut butter cups look delicious? Just a bit of maple syrup could be good for weaning off the real thing..?

[NoSugar]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

There is an adjustment period for any dietary change but you also need to be sure you're eating enough non-sugar (or non-carb, depending on what you're doing) foods to meet your body's needs for energy. If not, you can't help but feel tired and weak. Plus, if you want to lose body fat, you need to be eating in a way that the hormonal signals to burn fat (as well as the necessary enzymes) are there.

[allankay]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Enough is enough, I am committing myself to a month of self control. Strict diet, exercise and careful planning of free time.

Will post my progress and really hope not to embarrass myself by not committing 100%.

Self Control month thread

AK

[myhappyplace]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

lifechange;1572173 wrote:
Are you also following a sugar free plan? The halloween postcard was hillarious-- I'm definitely the bitch this year!

Hey, Lifechange, yes I am. I followed the I quit Sugar 8 week program from Sarah Wilson and it has worked well for me. Google it if you like, or there might be a link earlier in this thread from this time last year

[skullbabyland]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

lifechange;1572173 wrote: hey everyone!
Londoner! super to see you-- I think it sounds like you're doing really well. I agree with what Skull said a few days ago about picking one or two things at a time to work on. It seems like one works well for me!

Happyplace, thank you so much for the peanut butter cup recipe-- I couldn't find mine-- this is very similar. You're right about the dried fruit-- everyone needs to find out what works for them, what their triggers are. For me fruit (including dried) seems to be fine, along with carbs such as brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, etc. Are you also following a sugar free plan? The halloween postcard was hillarious-- I'm definitely the bitch this year!

Skull, I was wondering if you're perhaps not eating enough complex carbs? What about adding a few more grains/legumes to your diet? Early on in the day or after your work outs? I know your're following a fairly strict nutrition plan-- is that for losing weight? Just curious from reading your fitness thread-- which I love to read!

I'm heading into day 7 tomorrow, which is very exciting for me. I was up to 12 days awhile ago and was really starting to feel good when I blew it for some milk chocolate. I don't want to be militant and I don't want to feel deprived which is why I'm allowing some fruit and every once in a while a very small piece of dark chocolate. Beginning Sat. my goal is to cut coffee down to one a day. I might really be a bitch then!:H Just want to try for 30 days.

Thanks, Life- yes, the strict nutrition plan is for losing fat but while hopefully preserving muscle. It's basically a juiciing/paleo hybrid for the most part, but I do throw in sweet potatoes, yams, rice, and very occasionally gluten free bread for complex carbs, particularly when I feel my energy low, like you described. I am starting to be able to determine the difference between sugar withdrawal, which feels like that crazy "low blood sugar crash"- more like a drug withdrawal, actually. Low carb (keto fatigue) feels more like I'm just really tired after a long day, even if the day's only partly over. So, to answer the question, yeah I do carbs most days, mostly in the form of rice. I'm trying to cut those a bit though, so I only do them on workout days, as that should help me shed some fat.

It's all a journey, never a destination Glad you're liking the health thread!

[skullbabyland]

The Sugar Free Challenge - Who is in??

Happy sugar free day to all... remember, Stevia sweetener and dark chocolate (85% cacao or above) in moderation are a great sweetness quencher