Sugar Free Roll Call

[3June2013]

Hello all! I've been AF for a little over two years, quit with the help of this site, learned so much here, and got so much support. It's taken me this long to decide to get a grip on sugar and food intake in general. Just popping in to say it's one battle at a time, but they sure seem to have a lot in common eh? Looking forward to chatting with you all.

[Dutch1988]

3june maybe we can work on this together. I made it 11 days before I caved last time, the funny thing when I caved it was like the guilt and remorse from drinking, couldn't even enjoy it. I guess I'll eat all the sweets in the house today and go from there lol.

[3June2013]

Dutch I find it easiest when it's not in the house at all. I use fruit for my sweet tooth. Frozen fruit and almond milk are my new icecream!

[Starfish1]

Hi gang. I'd like to sign up! I think today is day 5 SF for me.
I decided to try going low carb last weekend. I did this on one of my successful quits a couple years ago and it worked like a charm. I definitely feel that carbs (especially sugar) increase my alcohol cravings and eating real foods (meat, eggs, dairy and non-starchy veggies) makes me feel much better and keeps my blood sugar at a stable level.
So, here goes!

[Dutch1988]

I am on day 2 star and I tell us, I am having intense cravings. I eat a pint of Ben and jerrys ice cream a night, as long as I don't go buy it I am okay. I stopped drinking soda towards the start of my quit, I just need to get a couple weeks out!

[Dutch1988]

Day 3, I changed my reward at the end of the day from 1200 calories of ben and jerrys to a cup of fruit cocktail(100 calories). I am hungry...

[Starfish1]

Hey Dutch, sorry, I forgot to check in yesterday. Sometimes I just forget about this thread..it sort of gets buried to me, somehow.

I am on day 7 today and I have cravings from time to time too. It's weird. Sometimes I crave a little chocolate and sometimes I really feel like I want to suck on a piece of peppermint candy, but other than that, I'm usually ok.

Do you have any L-glutamine, Dutch? I know that's one of the things RJ's book recommends for the AL cravings, but it's supposed to work for sugar cravings too. I have also read that it sometimes helps to eat something high in fat content instead of giving into the craving. Something like nuts or cheese or some good bread with butter. Yummy.

No Sugar is actually the NO SUGAR expert around these parts! I usually just try to white knuckle the sugar cravings, but it's no fun to have to do that with AL and with sugar on the same day, is it?

I see where you are enjoying your coffee. I love it! Do you use cream with yours? I drink mine with a hefty couple of tablespoons of half and half cream. I don't use sugar, but sometimes, if I have a sweet tooth, I sprinkle a little bit cinnamon on top. It's really good. I have even put a dash of unsweetened cocoa powder in with the mix, if I am craving chocolate.

Good luck!

[NoSugar]

If you can give yourself a month without the taste of "sweet", your taste buds will have changed so that something like blueberries becomes a seemingly decadent treat and most normal desserts taste kind of sickeningly sweet. My best example is that I used to love those sweet potatoes with brown sugar, marshmallows, and butter all over them. Now a sweet potato with a little butter seems very sweet and very good. All the best, NS

[Starfish1]

That is so true, NS. The last time I went totally sugar-free, after several weeks of no sugar, I was eating at a restaurant and ordered a salad and I was able to detect a tiny amount of sugar in a salad dressing they put on the salad. Even the waitress didn't know they had put sugar in it.

Dutch, about that fruit cocktail...is it the kind in that sugary syrup?

[Starfish1]

How about eating a handful of nuts mixed with raisins, Dutch? That may be more filling than the fruit cocktail....

[Dutch1988]

I'm sticking with the fruit cocktail, syrup and all. I need some great at the end of the day and at least it's got a bit of fiber so it's not totally like I'm just downing a soda.

[Starfish1]

What ever makes you happy, Dutch, as long as it's not alcohol! Sounds good!

[Eloise]

I'm sticking with the fruit cocktail, syrup and all. I need some great at the end of the day and at least it's got a bit of fiber so it's not totally like I'm just downing a soda.

Agreed, much better than Ben & Jerrys. Go with it, always the lesser evil I would say is fine for now! It takes a while to get the hang of it, but NS is right that eventually the sugar desserts begin to taste almost disgusting.

On another note, NS, I continue to try and figure out these headaches with my doctor and a nutritionist.
I have stopped eating cheese, unless it is part of a recipe and it is just a little. That said, I have noticed the daily heavy headache almost continually present has passed.
Then, just by accident, I changed to an organic instant coffee last week while we were traveling. I haven't had a headache since. Could it be the instant (chemical) coffee?? Maybe, we wait and see.

Keep popping those LGlut tablets Dutch!
Also, don't know if you know about this but I also continue to take the All-in-One vitamin powder. Maybe have a look at it?

[Springstart]

HI, I'd like to join, I've managed to cut out processed foods and don't have sugar in drinks etc. I have natural sugar, dates, fruit etc but have cut out processed sugar such as chocolate bars, cakes, biscuits, mayo, sauces, etc, its ok to have the natural ones isn't it? don't think i'd ever cut it out completely?
My downfalls now are mochas and ice cream, these are the two things I just seem to crave, not everyday but at least a couple of times a month I just have to have them! any tips? I think I could do without the mocha and have just coffee (the cinnamon tip was good thank you), but the not sure about ice cream, does anyone have any ideas of how I could get a similar effect in a better way?

[Dutch1988]

Going on day 5 here without ice cream. Which basically means no sugar, lol. I had a couple of clementines today before a workout, and some pineapple, but nothing like processed sugar. I finally replaced the sugar with natural peanut butter, which may sound crazy but it's working. It does have a bit of added sugar, but the 47 compared to 3 per serving is better.