Trying to give up or cut down on Sugar intake

[Bonus]

For the umpteenth time I am trying to cut down on my daily sugar intake.

 

Giving up completely is not necessary because we all need to eat "some" sugar and there's sugar in almost everything, but I have a sweet tooth that could, I'm informed, lead to Diabetes if I don't start being careful.

 

I seem to have two things making cutting down difficult:

 

1) I generally feel like I need a sweet or biscuit, not because I'm hungry but just because I feel like one. So more out of habit than anything.

 

2) I'm not good at limiting myself once a packet of sweets or biscuits are open. It's all or nothing with me. (which is just plain greedy and immature)

 

 

If anyone has succeeded I'd be interested to know what worked for you? Giving up slowly or going in hard and cutting everything until your body detoxed?

 

 

 

 

[Accelerate]

Sugar is apparently just as addictive as cocaine?!?

For me it is better to cut it out totally, as you would not stop craving for it if you keep it in your diet.

[HDW]

Go hard man, all out, no sugar for 2 weeks. Completely cold turkey. Read the labels on anything you eat, including things like tomato sauce. The first couple of days will be tough, because you are currently literally addicted to sugar - studies shows it is more addictive than cocaine, and stimulates the same area in the brain.

 

After about 2 weeks the cravings should be completely gone, and after about a month you won't be able to believe how you could usually pick up a slab and stuff it in your mouth.

 

Think about maybe eating no sweets (chocolates, gummies, etc - not no sugar) from Monday to Saturday, and then spoiling yourself every Sunday. This makes it more into a lifestyle than a diet restriction.

[BuffsVintageBikes]

I still take in way too much sugar but the only time I was able to cut most of it out was the few months I moved over to banting. By reducing my carb intake I lost the craving for sugar... but it took the best part of 3 weeks to get to that point. I also suddenly found myself craving more savoury stuff, like olives etc.

[Patchelicious]

Cut it out cold turkey. It’s the easiest way, even if it doesn’t sound like it.

[Gav1]

I'll be watching this thread with interest. My issues are chips and savories though. Sweets, chocs etc don't bother me.

 

1 and 2 above applies to me too

[Odinson]

For the umpteenth time I am trying to cut down on my daily sugar intake.

 

Giving up completely is not necessary because we all need to eat "some" sugar and there's sugar in almost everything, but I have a sweet tooth that could, I'm informed, lead to Diabetes if I don't start being careful.

 

I seem to have two things making cutting down difficult:

 

1) I generally feel like I need a sweet or biscuit, not because I'm hungry but just because I feel like one. So more out of habit than anything.

 

2) I'm not good at limiting myself once a packet of sweets or biscuits are open. It's all or nothing with me. (which is just plain greedy and immature)

 

 

If anyone has succeeded I'd be interested to know what worked for you? Giving up slowly or going in hard and cutting everything until your body detoxed?

 

Hmm. 

 

First off, sugar does not cause diabetes. Animal protein is one of the primary causes of Type-2 diabetes.

 

You also do not need to add refined sugar to your diet. You can get a sufficient amount of natural sugars through fruit consumption, with the added benefit of an increase in your dietary fiber intake. 

 

It just take discipline.

[tjommies3]

I've done this. I stopped cold turkey and consume only the right sugars, fructose and honey. One can get carried away with these as well but moderation and discipline are key.

 

As for how to maintain it, just say no. My body detoxes daily as I consume lots of water and it's the only fluids I consume.

 

It's a very difficult thing to do but it can be done. All the best, don't try it, just do it.

[Eldron]

What is this detox thing everyone is talking about? There is no such thing.

 

Also sugar doesn't cause diabetes. Obeacity caused by too much sugar can cause diabetes though.

 

The jury is still out on sugar addiction. The body does not become dependant on it but there is some evidence to suggest an emotional response to sugar.

[Bateleur1]

What is this detox thing everyone is talking about? There is no such thing.

 

Also sugar doesn't cause diabetes. Obeacity caused by too much sugar can cause diabetes though.

 

The jury is still out on sugar addiction. The body does not become dependant on it but there is some evidence to suggest an emotional response to sugar.

 

See me cry like a little girl when you take my chocolate away 

[madbradd]

After cutting out sugar, what do you guys consume during training/races? The majority of the nutrition out there is high in sugar (electrolyte drinks, bars, gels, recovery drinks, etc.)

[Odinson]

After cutting out sugar, what do you guys consume during training/races? The majority of the nutrition out there is high in sugar (electrolyte drinks, bars, gels, recovery drinks, etc.)

 

Whole foods. Foods that have a low GI and food which is high in natural sugars. 

[Bateleur1]

I have just reduced my sugar intake quite a bit to what it used to be when I was younger.  Funny enough I used to drink quite a bit of Coke while in SA but since comming to Germany I swopped that out with beer (go figure).  In general I have two/three cups of coffee with one sugar in the morning, 1 Cold drink during lunch (Coke or whatever) and possibly a piece of chocolate/ice cream in the afternoon/evening.  Other than that my sugar intake is pretty low.

[Eldron]

Whole foods. Foods that have a low GI and food which is high in natural sugars. 

 

Wait. What? Is sugar cane not natural???

 

Ok that was a little sarcastic but seriously - what is a natural sugar and how is it different from sugar?

[lechatnoir]

For the umpteenth time I am trying to cut down on my daily sugar intake.

 

Giving up completely is not necessary because we all need to eat "some" sugar and there's sugar in almost everything, but I have a sweet tooth that could, I'm informed, lead to Diabetes if I don't start being careful.

 

 

You don't need to eat any sugar. You don't need to eat any carbs at all actually.

[Odinson]

I have just reduced my sugar intake quite a bit to what it used to be when I was younger.  Funny enough I used to drink quite a bit of Coke while in SA but since comming to Germany I swopped that out with beer (go figure).  In general I have two/three cups of coffee with one sugar in the morning, 1 Cold drink during lunch (Coke or whatever) and possibly a piece of chocolate/ice cream in the afternoon/evening.  Other than that my sugar intake is pretty low.

 

oxymoron

ˌɒksɪˈmɔːrɒn/

noun

 

1. a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g. faith unfaithful kept him falsely true ).