30 days sugar free

[sleon]

Originally Posted by Esuna

Lots of people have advised me to wean myself slowly, or to not deny myself a soda once in a while.

I agree with Stella, people who are saying this are either completely clueless and/or they are suffering their own addictions that they don't want to face. Don't listen to them. Listen to what you already know; sugar is particularly bad for -your- body.

I finished my 30 days of no sugar yesterday or a couple days ago or something. Doesn't really matter, I'm not going back on it, no way no how. Sugar is an evil, toxic thing to my body.

Esuna, you may find over the next few days as you get free of sugar that you have headaches and fatigue as well as cravings. Just continue to drink plenty of water, and you'll get through it within a week or so.

By the way, I lost 14 pounds this past month after going off sugar.

[stellabeam]

Originally Posted by sleon

By the way, I lost 14 pounds this past month after going off sugar.

Gosh I wish that would happen to me!!

Too busy to think about sugar. always have my eski of goodies for when i am hungry and everything is ok

Love and light to all you would be sugar giver uperers who are reading this thinking "maybe giving up would be good for me too!!"

Just do it for 30 days and you will know how much better off you are without it

Congratulations sleon, on your 30 day conquest!!!

Stella de bella

[stellabeam]

Weekend. Social lunch. Just ate cake. Then chocolate then more cake. Feel so so sick.
Don't even know why I did it. .

Went to a stupid lecture on Diabetes. Talked to stupid dietition. She had no concept of sugar addiction. Basically said it did not exsist. Trivialised it.

I am not getting that it is only 30 days. I feel like it has to be forever or I will wreck my body.

Feel like I am going blind. My eyes are so much worse than they were a year ago. Feel like I am heading towards diabetes and it freaks me out. After sugar binges I get feet infections and dietition telling me diabetics lose their feet.

Sugar is everywhere. Can't be strong all the time. I feel so disappointed in myself and that it is so hard.

Only got to day 12. I guess I start again. Don't want to get into a cycle of failing 30 day challenges. Especially publically.

I am not going to post on here again until I have reached day 30.


Stella

[Kaspian]

Can you see it as a learning experience instead of a failure?

If you begin to associate eating sugar with feeling sick, it will be easier to avoid. In fact, you might even stop considering it to be food.

I knew for a couple years that I needed to stop eating chocolate, since it makes my joints ache. But I continued to eat it for a long time because I anticipated the pleasure of it's taste more more than the discomfort I'd feel for 3-4 days afterward. That eventually changed, though, and once my primary association with chocolate was pain, it no longer tempted me.

[hkalchemy]

I have a couple of 'sugar days' a week. The rest of the time I don't eat sugar (except fruit). Can't give up refined sugar completely!

I'm also working on giving up dairy. What's your opinion on this one? I've been reading it's very bad for you.

[sleon]

Dairy foods have nutritional value in the form of protein, calcium, etc. If they are nonfat dairy foods, then they have protein and calcium without saturated fats coming along.

Refined sugar has absolutely no nutritional value other than calories. And for most people living in America, empty calories are not a benefit.

[MariaG]

I just want to give my support for the sugar fasters on this thread! I have to admit to being a sugar fiend myself, despite once hearing from a food scientist friend "If sugar were sent to the FDA for approval to use in food today, it would never make it."

I'm not ready to join you in your challenge right now, because I just finished my own 30 day semi-fast to raise money for charity. However, I think this fall will be a good time to seriously cut out sweets.

[Esuna]

I fell off the wagon. Big time. I forgot I even joined this forum. I'm still catching up on Steve's blogs.

Anyway - I'm setting myself a new line to start from. July 1st, I will start a 30-day no-sugar trial. If I do it suddenly, I won't stick with it. And this way, we can get all the crap out of my cabinets and get the boyfriend on board.

[neon]

It will be very hard for you to resist sugar if you'll be eating the opposite energy of foods.
I find macrobiotic teaching the best for dealing with daily eating (with all the cravings).
You don't need to suffer at all, if you know how food energies work together.
Your body is just finding balance (as anything else in this universe).
If you eat salty things, meat, egg, baked products.. you will crave for sugar and you'll have much harder way to overcome this craving.

It's also best to learn how to prepare healthy sweet products, with natural sweeteners (barley, rice malt/sirup, fruits, amasake, mirin, sweet vegetables).
Because if you don't know how to cover your sweet taste with a healthy natural food, you will have a hard time.

Limit the salt intake, to easier life without white sugar.. these two go together. And exchange your NaCl salt for good quality sea salt.

What Is Macrobiotics? - The Kushi Institute of Europe

Sugar - Pure White and Deadly - The Problem of Sugar

[The Cloud]

I once went carbohydrate-free for about two months (excepting fruits and vegetables). It's the easiest thing in the world until you let stress get in the way. From my experience, will-power alone is next to useless for changing your diet, because as soon as you have a stressful situation come up you will have to redirect your will resources to something else and then you'll relapse. The only thing I find that works long-term is to stop considering sugars to be food. However, if you pull it off, you'll feel a lot better than you do on a carb-intensive diet.

[Esuna]

Thanks, Neon and Cloud

I do like the idea of still enjoying sweet things - just not with processed sugar in them. When I say no sugar, I mean I'm cutting out white flour, noodles, pasta, white bread, white rice...

Neon - good points about baked things and too much salt, etc. I'm going to work on focusing on as many raw foods as possible. I'll probably have to have some brown rice, at least.

[Cantando]

Originally Posted by stellabeam

Weekend. Social lunch. Just ate cake. Then chocolate then more cake. Feel so so sick.
Don't even know why I did it. .

Went to a stupid lecture on Diabetes. Talked to stupid dietition. She had no concept of sugar addiction. Basically said it did not exsist. Trivialised it.

I am not getting that it is only 30 days. I feel like it has to be forever or I will wreck my body.

Feel like I am going blind. My eyes are so much worse than they were a year ago. Feel like I am heading towards diabetes and it freaks me out. After sugar binges I get feet infections and dietition telling me diabetics lose their feet.

Sugar is everywhere. Can't be strong all the time. I feel so disappointed in myself and that it is so hard.

Only got to day 12. I guess I start again. Don't want to get into a cycle of failing 30 day challenges. Especially publically.

I am not going to post on here again until I have reached day 30.


Stella

Wise move.
I'm starting a 30 day challenge tomorrow. I'm going to eat nothing except wood shavings and brick dust. Wish me luck everybody.

[stellabeam]

Originally Posted by stellabeam

Only got to day 12. I guess I start again. Don't want to get into a cycle of failing 30 day challenges. Especially publically.

I am not going to post on here again until I have reached day 30.

HEH!! Victory!! Hurray for me I DID IT!! 30 days without sugar!! Did not expect it to be so hard...

What Helped
What really helped was looking forward to telling you all that I had done it.

What also helped was putting a gold star each sugar free day on my steering wheel of the car. In the middle of the steering wheel was an aligator dymo sticker with "30 days sugar free" wriiten proudly on it.

I also researched the numerable diseases and harm that sugar does to our bodies. That really put me off. Just read a little every day.

What was Hard
I was Ok as along as I did not eat with anyone else. Had a lot of social engagements that seemed to involve scrumptious deserts. I found this very challenging. I used "Look away Walk away" which I read from someone on this forum. I am sorry I cannot remember who you are, but thanks so much for sharing that.

One extra hard time when I could not say no, i pretended to eat it and stuffed it into a serviette and then a paper cup. I know it is not ideal, but the best I could do at the time.

I was definately out of my comfort zone. Feel like I have flexed some mind and emotional muscles which will help me push the bar in other areas of my life.

So now I am onto another 30 days sugar free.

Who is with me??

Stella

[Angela]

Congratulations, Stella!!!!! It's a big accomplishment -- like kicking heroin!

[sleon]

Hey Stella! I haven't been here in a while, so the forums are telling me to make a post: "Take just a few minutes to give and receive love with your fellow human beings. You'll be glad you did."

So I thought I'd let you know that I am still with you, still sugar-free, after 12 weeks...almost 3 full months now. Congratulations on your successful 30 days!

I've found yet another interesting benefit to quitting sugar--my dreams have returned. I guess I'm sleeping so well now, and just eating so healthfully in general, that my mind has cleared up immensely and I'm now back to having vivid, odd dreams. For many years I have not experienced dreaming at all, which is to say I'm sure that I did dream, but I was not remembering dreams in any way.

I think I may be ready to try lucid dreaming, since my dreams are back. I've wanted to do lucid dreaming for a very long time.

Oh, also, I have lost 26 pounds total now.

[stellabeam]

Originally Posted by sleon

I thought I'd let you know that I am still with you, still sugar-free, after 12 weeks...almost 3 full months now. Congratulations on your successful 30 days!

I've found yet another interesting benefit to quitting sugar--my dreams have returned. I guess I'm sleeping so well now, and just eating so healthfully in general, that my mind has cleared up immensely and I'm now back to having vivid, odd dreams. For many years I have not experienced dreaming at all, which is to say I'm sure that I did dream, but I was not remembering dreams in any way.

I think I may be ready to try lucid dreaming, since my dreams are back. I've wanted to do lucid dreaming for a very long time.

Oh, also, I have lost 26 pounds total now.

Heh sleon,

Wow congratulations on losing 26 pounds!! And thanks for checking in. I am on my 2nd 30 days sugar free. I have not lost any weight but I feel heaps better and the longer it is without it the less appealing it becomes.

I used to have amazing dreams all the time and they have become extremely rare, now. I would love to get them back. I hope that happens to me!

Thanks for the inspiration

[Monique7nuns]

Originally Posted by stellabeam

Hello Team,

I feel as though I am over the worst of the sugar withdrawals and the only thing to report is a new found bread and butter addiction.

See my new thread "30 days without bread and butter".

Stella da lerve

FYI: grains (carbs) are converted to sugar during digestion and fruit is loaded with sugar. This was/is a bogus trial... but hey, it sounds like you got off the harder core bleached sugar cane and pre-fabricated sweeter junk. Way to go!

[stellabeam]

Originally Posted by c

FYI: grains (carbs) are converted to sugar during digestion and fruit is loaded with sugar. This was/is a bogus trial...

There is a huge difference in the way the body handles sugar in natural fruit, to the way it handles white processed sugar.

It makes me angry that you call my effort a "bogus" trial. I meant 30 days without processed sugar. I did not say anything about natural sugars in fruit or about giving up carbs.

Perhaps it is easy for someone else to go 30 days without processed sugar. For me it was a huge challenge. I set out to do it and I succeeded.

Never did I say I was abstaining from natural sugars found in fruit or abstaining from carbs. I never will say that because the body loves fruit, and needs carbs.

I shared my journey with others so I could inspire and be inspired.

Don't judge me.

[Monique7nuns]

Originally Posted by stellabeam

There is a huge difference in the way the body handles sugar in natural fruit, to the way it handles white processed sugar.

It makes me angry that you call my effort a "bogus" trial. I meant 30 days without processed sugar. I did not say anything about natural sugars in fruit or about giving up carbs.

Perhaps it is easy for someone else to go 30 days without processed sugar. For me it was a huge challenge. I set out to do it and I succeeded.

Never did I say I was abstaining from natural sugars found in fruit or abstaining from carbs. I never will say that because the body loves fruit, and needs carbs.

I shared my journey with others so I could inspire and be inspired.

Don't judge me.

Hey.. I'm not judging you. I'm just pointing out something very basic about sugar that you seem to have gleamed over in this trial. To me (I am entitled to have an opinion, no?) going without sugar doesn't include eating fruit OR sweet veggies like carrots or sweet potatoes. Listen, sugar is sugar and it all has the same detrimental effects on the body no matter what form it comes in. The information is out there, it's just a matter of doing research.

and Please.. if you're going to quote me, don't take what I say out of context by zeroing in on half of what I say and totally disregarding the rest.. I mean that's just such a fox news thing to do.

[sleon]

Originally Posted by Monique7nuns

Listen, sugar is sugar and it all has the same detrimental effects on the body no matter what form it comes in. The information is out there, it's just a matter of doing research.

Originally Posted by Monique7nuns

"what you resist persists" is true for me with sweets too. For the time being I've decided to quit resisting because resistance is futile. Today I had a bunch of mini chocolate donuts made of a bunch of really horrible man made ingredients and I liked it. Oh.. and I washed it down with some bastardized-homogenized milk product too. Yeah.. good stuff.

Sounds to me like there is some personal rationalization going on here: Describing Stella's trial as "bogus" because "sugar is all detrimental" is a front. The front allows you to eat as many chocolate donuts as you want, rather than choosing something healthier (like an apple), because "it's all the same." Often, the only way to continue in a behavior we hate is to attempt to tear down the desired behaviors in other people. Here, Stella's trial is a direct psychological challenge to your own stated sugar addiction, so you reacted with denigration.

[Monique7nuns]

Ahh c'mon!

The point is that this trial is "un-informed" due to lack of knowledge about sugar. By leaving one very important key factor IE) there is sugar in fruit. The first post and the title says "30 days sugar free"

Originally Posted by stellabeam

Anyone want to do a 30 days sugar free challenge with me?

I have to start tomorrow but please join me!!

I do not eat red meat or dairy products. I have a life long battle with sugar addiction which is seriously detrimental to my health. In the past it has been very useful to do the 30 day sugar free challenge. It has kept me off it for many months. Have been back on sugar for about a month and need to get off it. Obsesssing all the time about my next sugar fix and feel discusting,

The quest for health, energy, emotional stability, clear vision and a happy spleen begins 0500 12th May 2008!

But not really sugar free because she is eating fruits as noted right up front. This fact is not acknowledged anywhere.

Originally Posted by prasunsen

Will you consume fruits? I also feel attached to sugar and have done few smaller trials (7 days) so far. But I eat fruits during that

Originally Posted by stellabeam

Yes I am having fruit and greens. Lots of bananas especially in the beginning and oranges. And yes I have discovered the power of green drinks, thanks to Steve and this wonderful website.

My point is that because she has not done her homework or research on sugar and because she is omitting this very pertinent information.. which totally misleads... the message is "it's ok to do a sugar free 30 days and still eat fruit" BUT it is in fact not a sugar free trail at all. How is that going to help others?

It is uninformed and it seems that you too are unwilling to do the research. For example, bananas are super high in sugar! I mean really, try telling a diabetic that it's ok to eat a banana and still be "sugar-free". I don't think so.

And another thing, you too have gleamed over the fact that in my original message I did congratulate her and acknowledge the accomplishment.

Originally Posted by Monique7nuns

FYI: grains (carbs) are converted to sugar during digestion and fruit is loaded with sugar. This was/is a bogus trial... but hey, it sounds like you got off the harder core bleached sugar cane and pre-fabricated sweeter junk. Way to go!

Originally Posted by sleon

Sounds to me like there is some personal rationalization going on here: Describing Stella's trial as "bogus" because "sugar is all detrimental" is a front. The front allows you to eat as many chocolate donuts as you want, rather than choosing something healthier (like an apple), because "it's all the same." Often, the only way to continue in a behavior we hate is to attempt to tear down the desired behaviors in other people. Here, Stella's trial is a direct psychological challenge to your own stated sugar addiction, so you reacted with denigration.

You're rationalizing that it's ok to leave out important information and mislead people. AND please, I never claimed to have the sugar habit kicked myself. I am, however, I feel much more informed about the issue compared to many of you here because I have been there.. I've done it. I know all too well how addictive sugar is - in fact it is more addictive than cocaine. And btw, my digestive system can not assimilate an apple nor am I able to jump on the raw food mania bandwagon going on at this site, but that's a completely different issue.

Regarding psychological challenges.. I'm certainly not going to deny that I have emotional eating issues with it. When you bring up this line of defensive you must have issues with it yourself.. a lot of people do. I do feel very compelled to point out that you have completely misunderstood what I said by accusing me of trying to "tear this or that down". Again I feel the need to repeat myself:

Originally Posted by Monique7nuns

FYI: grains (carbs) are converted to sugar during digestion and fruit is loaded with sugar. This was/is a bogus trial... but hey, it sounds like you got off the harder core bleached sugar cane and pre-fabricated sweeter junk. Way to go!

Listen.. just go do the research for yourself. Here are a few links:
Sugar, Fruit, Sugar Substitutes & Artificial Sweeteners
146 Reasons Why Sugar Is Ruining Your Health
Mercola.com is also an excellent resource, however, you have to register there in order to access the information.

I do think it's great as I've repeated three times now HOWEVER I just can't stand it when people are so uninformed. I know it's my problem cause people are going to be the way they are no matter how much I try to rationalize or educate or help.. I'll leave this topic be now. I've said my peace.

Here's to good health and happiness for us all!

[Bleicke]

If you're talking about the chemical class of sugars, you may be right. But sugar is also the white stuff you put in your coffee (or maybe don't).

I'm (refined-)sugar-free since May 22nd. Except for the monthly off-day, where I binged until I couldn't down any more of that delicious muffin-nougat-cocoa-shake (blend 1l of cocoa milk with 1 huge brown chocolate muffin and with 100g nougat chocolate).

I think fruit is ok, since there is also fiber in the fruit and vitamins. You actually feel satisfied after an apple. Not after chocolate.

To everyone trying to go sugar free: go on! It's not as bad. After a week I barely wanted to eat sugar any more, and when I have my binge days I have to force myself to eat anything sweet because it's so disgusting now.

And you really lose weight fat. Today I was told again that I lost weight. That's like the 4th time in two weeks :-)

I find it easier to go 100% with the no sugar diet. Like Steve said in his 95% raw vs. 100% article, it's really not a big step down from 95% to 90% to 70% to 10%. If I take the occasional piece off, I fall down all the way. That's why I don't do it - except on the monthly cheat days.

All or nothing, baby!

[stellabeam]

I am abstaining from refined sugar because I feel better.

Since I have abstained from processed sugar I have noticed the following -

More energy
Don't want to sleep in the afternoons any more
Have deep restful sleeps
No more bouts of irrational anger or irritability
See better
Better memory
Feel free that I am not responding to an addiction that has had a serious hold over me for most of my life

I am therefore, very happy with the result of my trial and I am indebted the people who have supported me through this forum.

Thankyou

[Calculusaurus]

Stella, I've been off all processed sugar for about a week now. Going 30 days as well.

(Technically, I'm actually going super low carb, which eliminates all processed sugar, including processed grains like bread and pasta)

-More energy and better sleep is only the half of it.

Let's hang in there because this way of living kicks ass

[stellabeam]

Originally Posted by Monique7nuns

...The point is that this trial is "un-informed" due to lack of knowledge about sugar. By leaving one very important key factor IE) there is sugar in fruit. The first post and the title says "30 days sugar free"

But not really sugar free because she is eating fruits as noted right up front. This fact is not acknowledged anywhere.

My point is that because she has not done her homework or research on sugar and because she is omitting this very pertinent information.. which totally misleads... the message is "it's ok to do a sugar free 30 days and still eat fruit" BUT it is in fact not a sugar free trail at all. How is that going to help others? ...

My experience of using the term "sugar free", is most people assume I mean processed sugar. That is why I did not spell it out.

Friends and aquaintances know I am on a sugar free diet. When they see me eating fruit, not one person has said "But it's got sugar in it".

It is a personal journey, that I was sharing, as a member of the community. I think saying I am uninformed, and calling my trial a "bogus" is harsh. Congratulating me after you have said those things does not really cut it as far as congratulating is concerned.

I have done a heap of research on sugar and am fully aware that fruit contains a lot of natural sugars. I am informed about the effect of processed sugar on health and I know enough that if someone stops having it for 30 days, they are doing themselves a big favour.

If I have inspired anyone to try 30 days or even 1 day without processed sugar, I am happy and proud and feel that I have absolutely helped someone!

Stella

[chrisafrica]

please laugh off idiots who think this forum is their chance to seem intelligent but actually they just end up sounding insecure and arrogant! good on you Stella, keep up the good work!

[Lauxa]

Well I am feeling inspired stella! I think I'll try going sugar free for August. I have done sugar free and very low carb several times in the past and did find it helpful. I got a bit discouraged last time because I was hanging out with some people who were quitting smoking and I said I was quitting sugar and they kind of made fun of me. This forum rocks

Monique, I have read all the info about how fruit and carrots are so bad for you, but I had to rethink this when Steve did his 30-day raw trial. From his trial summary:

I monitored my blood sugar using a blood sugar testing device, the same kind diabetics may use. It showed no discernible spikes in blood sugar throughout the trial whatsoever — absolutely none. In fact, my blood sugar remained incredibly steady throughout the trial. My highest blood sugar reading of the trial was 94, which is still medium-low. All that sweet fruit in my diet simply did not have any adverse effect on my blood sugar.

Eating this way gave my blood sugar more consistency than ever. I couldn’t spike my blood sugar on this diet if I tried. Even eating 19 bananas in one day made no difference.

From all that other information out there, this is not what I would have expected. Since I trust Steve, I have to conclude that maybe other factors are affecting the experiments that show blood sugar spikes from eating fruit. At the very least, I would want to take my own measurements on my own blood sugar before dismissing fruit as "bad" and "the same as any other sugar out there".

[stellabeam]

Originally Posted by Calculusaurus

Stella, I've been off all processed sugar for about a week now. Going 30 days as well.

(Technically, I'm actually going super low carb, which eliminates all processed sugar, including processed grains like bread and pasta)

-More energy and better sleep is only the half of it.

Let's hang in there because this way of living kicks ass

Good for you Calculsaurus! It feels do good to take control of the addiction instead of the other way around!!

Lauxa you rock. Excellent quote (see above post).

Stella

[flowerz]

a very inspiring thread

[hacker]

Count me in.
I have been sugar free since Aug 1. I have noticed immediate effects:
less anxiety
more energy
lost a pound( I also started exercise from Aug 1 , this might be the reason :-) )

But I am still taking small amount of sugar in the tea/coffee, but no sweets/candies/ice creams, etc.

I am hoping to make it a permanent habit.