Eliminating Sugar From Your Diet

[indie]

It just horrifies me too see what most of my friends eat and drink...soda (always artificially sweetened!!!! It'll cause food cravings, blindess and 90 other symptoms, but hey 0 CALORIES)

so much refined sugar in everything.

 

[Barbizon]

I highly recommend STEVIA as a sugar substitute. It's not bad for you like artificial sweetners. It's a plant that is naturally sweet and is calorie free! Also, it will not spike up your blood sugar! It can be purchaced at any health food store and some grocery stores.

 

[jennie]

I was wondering if it was bad if you consume too many natural sugars from fruit? I'm quite worried because I go through loads of fruit, aswel as a lot of sugary food (although I've never had a fizzy drink).

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Well, fructose isn't totally "free," but the benefits of fruit (esp "super fruit" like berries) is so great that I wouldn't cut back for concern about the sugar

 

[jennie]

ok thanks!

 

[Batabid]

Splenda and all those other artificial sweeteners are so crap. Splenda isnt even made from sugar, thats such bogus! Its horrible for your body and it can actually cause weight gain along with a plethora of other health problems! >< bleh bleh bleh. I prefer "zweet" or erythritol. its a natural sweetener and doesnt cause problems. its also safe for diabetics as it doesnt mess with blood sugar or kidneys or your fetus! Sorry to go on such a rant but i used splenda until I read up a bit. I recommend everybody does, its outrageous! someone mentioned stevia but I cant find that at any healthfood shops!

 

[cosmogrl5]

^ I must admit that I am way too addicted to Splenda. I tried Stevia once, but I thought it had a horrific after taste. This was about 5 or 6 yrs ago though. Maybe that have improved it since then...

 

[Dohertysgirl]

I you want to 'get off' sugar, there is no point in replacing it with fake or light sugar. The problem is the addiction of the sweet taste, no?

 

[cosmogrl5]

^ You're totally right. I think I might be an evil person without at least some sweetness in my life though! Actually, I stay away from real sugar, but replacing it with the fake stuff is probably just as bad if not worse. Time to get serious about changing my ways...

 

[fashionista-ta]

It's my understanding that Splenda is chlorinated sugar. Honestly, if you had asked me to think of the worst possible thing you could add to sugar, chlorine would have been on the tip of my tongue Not sure if I mentioned already that my sister is deathly allergic to it, breaks out in these horrible hives. Between getting the migraines from MSG and hives from Splenda, I can just imagine the interrogation she must do before she eats anything

 

[Suburban Snob]

Splenda is pretty close to the chemical composition of household bleach.

Of course, that doesn't make me stop using it. I only use it to sweeten my coffee and the one 12 oz diet soda I drink a day is sweetened with it.

I've never heard that it makes people gain weight - are there any studies to back this up?!

 

[inhirnamy137]

Sugar is my drug, when I feel depress I eat something sweet but when Iam not depress I have to have something sweet,even if I drink tea or lemonade etc.. it has to be sweet. My teeth are taking a beaten and I feel sickly..too much sugar is terrible for the body, I don't like fake sweeter...so I must go cold turkey, but it seems so hard.

 

[Dohertysgirl]

You can do it put your *** into it!

 

[misssakura]

I didn't have any sugar on my rice bubbles this morning. Woot woot.

 

[shoexgal]

i have sugar every single day, its sick. Oh and I also work at the cheesecake factory.

 

[Suburban Snob]

^^^
It's hard to NOT have some sort of sugar in your diet everday. You'd be surprised where they 'hide' High Fructose Corn Syrup!

 

[chip45]

Yeah, but maybe try to have some 'good' sugars such as the natural sugars found in fruits etc. if you feel like having something sweet.

I also don't know why people put sugar on their cereal I went to school with people who'd put sugar on whatever cereal they were having, even if it was already high in sugar. Habit or something?

 

[Jade///]

I used to have a terrible relationship with sugar... until I decided to do something about it.

I have not completely cut it out of my diet because I desperately didn't want to be anal about it and it is in EVERYTHING it seems and I didn't want that hassel. So I cut out the foods I ate specifically BECAUSE they had sugar in them (chocolate bars, cupcakes, muffins...you name it).

I made a rule for myself that I would find alternatives (fruit, yogurt with honey, the odd bit of sugarfree ice cream, a pickle haha...etc) and I would become satisfied with them and I would eat sugar on holidays, birthdays and dates (basically any special occasion)

So far its been a couple weeks. I had a slice of pie last week and it was so good but then the next day I was back on track. Let me tell you it feels soooo wonderful!! I am truly greatful I have made this change to my lifestyle and I hope I keep it up for a long long time.

As I said before, the key for me was not cutting out sugarper se, it was cutting out the foods I ate because of it. This change has changed my entire diet for the better. I am not a no-carb thinker but this has helped me to eat in moderation and find alternatives. Once I got over a few days I was motivated to stick to it. My brother brough over cupcakes yesterday and I was happy to know I could say no.

Sugary foods have always been a huge part of my life and I always tried to eat in moderation and failed miserably.

Effects
Good : Higher energy levels (by a huge amount!), eating more vegetables and fruits, skin is much better and I feel MUCH happier. Not to mention I also find my cravings have basically dissapeared.
Bad : Saying goodbye to my lovers (or really, see you later because I will eat them....just rarely)

 

[Dohertysgirl]

^ I think that's the only reasonable way to go as well.

 

[fairy]

lucky for me, I have conquered sugar!
Yes it is possible.
Swap a sweet for a fruit and keep a food diary so you can improve.
I keep a food diary. It's not much of a hassle.
=]

may i ask you (or someone else who keeps a food diary) how do you do it? what info does your diary contain? i really wanna do it but i dont know how to start...

im really a chocolate addict. i cant stand a day without chocolate. im actually buying chocolate spread and eating it! when i dont have chocolate, i get all moody! i dont gain weight but i really wanna stop - cos of health issues. i like fruit but i dont feel like it can replace the choco!