Sugar Free Roll Call

[Eloise]

Hey Rahul
Yup this was almost as hard as giving up wine for me too. Not quite as hard, but a close second. As NS says there is more room to make mistakes with this.
Maybe choose 1 thing to cut back on this week? Maybe start with the breads/pizza as they spike your sugar levels like you would not believe. And, go for a 20 minute walk every day this week.
How about that for Monday goals??
I will check here tomorrow to see what you think? And just like with drinking there is no point on dwelling on the past.
Take today for what it is and look forward
Off to sleep!

Hello All,

Not doing well on this regard. Ifact it reminds me of drinking days. Morning I am all strong by evening I lose myself and end up eating junk. Yesterday eat a whole pizza and today similar stiff with red meat topped with chocolate pastries and sodas. Clearly it gives me pleasure at that time. Feeling of high, pleasure qsatisfaction. And while there is NP hangover but there is a feeling of guilt.

I clearly have substituted AL with carbs and sugar. On top of it O am not working out and it makes me more sick.

Strange how we can be prey to these addictions but I must beat this too just like AL.

Thing is just like during drinking days it felt like party when I used to pop open bottle of beer in evenings. I now look forward to food in evenings. I leave early from work or look forward to traveling as I will be able to satisfy the hunger to hand crappy junk food.

I know it's bad but it needs to be controlled. I am already having cholesterol reducing tabs since last 4 months now my tri glecerides are always high 300 plus

Not good at all.

[Eloise]

How goes it today Londoner, Rahul, Beachygirl?
I hope I didn't sound to 'preachy' with all my good advice Rahul?
I am taking it myself, this week (since Sunday) I am taking a week of no bread and see how it goes?
I find that once I start with the processed foods/carbs I just want to keep eating. Same with the pizza. It is impossible for me to eat one slice. I do not understand it when I am in the moment either. One, two and at the 3rd I have to FORCE myself to stop.
Pasta is the same. Bizarre. If I don't start it is fine and I do not feel deprived.
So, my guess is it is the sugar?
Instead I bought bran cereal to eat if I feel the need for carbs, and to have for breakfast instead of toast.
So far so good.
And I have been making dinner for lunch and eating a light dinner. If dinner is heavy we (husband and I ) tend to go into gobble bunny mode in the evening.

Translation: gobble bunny mode means we snack throughout the evening. I snack on fruit, he snacks on junk food.

[Londoner]

Hey Eloise. It's going well, I believe (and this is all hypothetical) that my brain is affected by ups and downs. I need to reduce the intensity and frequency of the ups and downs - basically living a more monk like lifestyle.

I can feel clarity coming back slowly - I'm kicking out all processed junk as well as gluten heavy products. And making sure I focus on what I AM giving giving my body vs what I am taking away. So plenty of veg, starches to fuel workouts, proteins and fats.

I find for myself that 2 bigger meals a day works for me with a fast each morning. Thats what works for me. It takes away my mindset of thinking about food all day and waiting for the next meal, and the satisfaction of eating more in one sitting.

I almost feel like relying on sugar takes away creativity and Drive. Like it's the easy way out, as well as the blood sugar swings affecting mood and mental stamina.

So, AL is on its way out, it's now time to introduce another change. No sugar. Or at least, not relying on it as a mood or energy boost.

I will still enjoy cakes, chocolate and the like - but for the right reasons. And I will damn well make sure the food was worth it i.e. A luxurious triple chocolate brownie from a bakery vs a buy one get one free Mr kiplings cake from the supermarket.

Hope everyone is well and moving onwards and upwards

[Eloise]

Okay, sounds good Londoner! A lot to tackle to be sure.

I started a yoga practice early January and to be honest it is really helping with my anxiety.
I do it in the morning and before bed.
Whatever it takes is what I say.

[BeachGirly]

Hi guys.

I am working towards this as well. I really want to cut out all processed food. That in itself will cut back on sugar, and chemicals. I do not have trouble with sweets really, it is more like El said, it is the white carbs. Once I get past that first week or so, I feel so much better.

Love the “gobble bunny mode”.

Have a great day
BG

[Eloise]

Haha... Me too.
My little dachshund Lulu was who I think of when I use the Gobble Bunny term.. She had diabetes, was always on a diet and endlessly famished! What a love that little hotdog was! Poor dear....

[BeachGirly]

One of my doggies is like that. She has been checked out - and is just hungry. So we are trying to fill her up with pumpkin right now. chubby little thing.

So her and I are trying to go sugar free. :welldone:

Those darn comfort carbs after a late shift at work. I made it all day - then came home at 11 and found some junk. AGh.
But, better then eating it all day...

[Eloise]

How goes it Beachygirl, Rahul.. Londoner?

All is well here, spring has sprong too. I came across a tree with spring buds this morning.

Wanted to also add that between the ns, af & yoga my too often present headaches are getting so much better!

Hope everyone is hanging tight and doing great!

[Eloise]

Okay, well day 300 (10 months) af for me today. I really find this one hell of an accomplishment to be honest.
whoopie.
And 50 days on the SF front, also really great. ((if I must say so meself!))
I think I deserve my private riding lesson today, just me and Mozart... I think I am falling in love.

And I continue to loose a tiny bit of weight each month w/the SF/carb challenge, that seems to be giving me more energy for the struggles life presents. And, yes the peaceful period has past and we are on to more annoying/unstable stuff.
But, I can handle it.
And the thought of drinking isn't an idea that would give me a bit of 'release' but feel like a complete fail. So, I think I am feeling pretty good.

[Eloise]

Hey guys well I am going back to counting from day 1 on the SF front.
Not because I have been terrible but slipping a little bit here and there. I think it is mostly because of all the stress.
Sick dog, housing drama, work (or lack there of) drama... shall I go on?
I won't.

Going to back to day 1 usually helps to get back on track and not rationalise "just a taste of the cookies, don't want to give the kids bad snacks! My husband is available to taste.

looking on the bright side and not at this as a failure.
The big picture is I have been limiting the sugar since October and doing a pretty damn good job of it. Not perfect yet, but I may never be perfect and I am okay with it.... just don't want things to get out of hand as this might lead to rationalizing that drinking 'might be okay too.'

[Eloise]

Moving along folks, gosh I post here a lot. Probably sound pretty boring to most.
I do think dropping the sugar is hard!

[Doggygirl]

Hi Eloise and all others who may be lurking or checking in. Very glad you are here! I've kicked booze. I've kicked Nicotine. But sugar continues to plague me. I really do need to stick with JUST ONE THING which for now will be checking in here daily, whether I manage to stay SF or not. I know all these addictions are connected. It's wired in my brain. It's a challenge, but I've been sugar free before and I know I can do it again.

Nice to meet you! Congratulations on 300+ days AF!!!!!!!

DG

[NoSugar]

Good to see you, DG! You can do it :hug: - and it gets easier as you feel better and better.

[BeachGirly]

I made it to day 10 and then my new boss offered me a cookie... darn it.

SF - Day 1.

But on Day 6 I felt so happy I was going to explode. Getting rid of all that junk in my system.
I will keep up with this lifestyle - feel so good.

[Doggygirl]

Hi NoSugar!! Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Beachgirly - I think sugar is the most widely available and widely promoted addictive substance there is. More socially acceptable and available than alcohol even!!!

Made it though yesterday, and so far so good today. One moment at a time.

DG