Sugar-when it's hard to say no

[stellabeam]

Does anyone want to share their "Yes I said no to cake/chocolate" stories?

Don't laugh some people find this difficult!

I recently stuffed a muffin down my sock so as not to offend someone.





Stella de Interestingly Strange

[StellaBlue]

Originally Posted by stellabeam

Does anyone want to share their "Yes I said no to cake/chocolate" stories?

Don't laugh some people find this difficult!

I recently stuffed a muffin down my sock so as not to offend someone.





Stella de Interestingly Strange

lol did you really stuff a muffin down your sock!? (sorry, I know you said don't laugh!)

Sugar is my weakness, especially chocolate. I usually just say yes when it is offered. I am glad that I am blessed with a high metabolism for now, but it is something I should work on anyways because I know it is unhealthy. I am good at not buying any, but bad when it is around me in social situations.

When I was eating a raw diet, though, I seemed not to crave it anymore.

[stellabeam]

Originally Posted by StellaBlue

I am good at not buying any, but bad when it is around me in social situations.

When I was eating a raw diet, though, I seemed not to crave it anymore.

Yes I am good at not buying any. i cannot kid myself that i will just have one piece of cake at a party though. It just sets up a chain of debauchery.

I have wanted to go raw for years. Inspiring that you lost your cravings...

Stella

[Kaspian]

I am getting better and better at a simple "No, thanks," or "I'll pass, thanks," when offered cake, cookies, etc at social events.

[Elixir]

I actually don't watch for sugar in my diet at all. I only look at the calories and fat. Sugar is just a carb and it can't make you fat. Have you heard of the sugar-fat-seesaw? People who take in sugar are less likely to take in a lot of fat. You could also use Stevia or other artificial sweeteners to sweeten up your foods....although I'm sure you already know this.

[stellabeam]

Originally Posted by Elixir

I actually don't watch for sugar in my diet at all. I only look at the calories and fat. Sugar is just a carb and it can't make you fat. Have you heard of the sugar-fat-seesaw? People who take in sugar are less likely to take in a lot of fat. You could also use Stevia or other artificial sweeteners to sweeten up your foods....although I'm sure you already know this.

Thanks Elixer. I am not so concerned about my weight. It is for health. Sugar is very bad for our health and very addictive. (Artificial sweetners have been linked with cancer).
I have a particular weakness for suger. On top of the addiction, I also find saying "no thanks" difficult in certain social situations, because I might offend or disappoint people.

Stella

[Kaspian]

Originally Posted by stellabeam

I also find saying "no thanks" difficult in certain social situations, because I might offend or disappoint people.

What's more important to you—Your health and well-being, or the possibility that someone might have a brief moment of disappointment?

(You are not responsible for someone else's reaction anyway; it's their choice whether or not to feel offended for you taking care of yourself.)

[Elixir]

Yeah..if you say "no thanks" politely, and someone gets offended, then that's their problem..and why would it matter if you "offended" a person like that? Think like this for all your other problems with other people, and I gurantee you it will work as long as you don't do something wrong like stabbing someone with a pitchfork..

Just kidding LOL, but yeah.

Hmm yeah, sugar has no nutritional value...and it's not exactly good for you..but I think sugar in moderation is okay. My sister is a pharmacist and she says it's alright if you use splenda in moderation..like..1-2 packets a day. She didn't offer the explanation behind it though, I"ll ask her later if I can remember. But use stevia if you decide to use any artifiial sweetener, it's supposed to the best.

You could also get sugar free candy

[stellabeam]

Originally Posted by Kaspian

What's more important to you—Your health and well-being, or the possibility that someone might have a brief moment of disappointment?

(You are not responsible for someone else's reaction anyway; it's their choice whether or not to feel offended for you taking care of yourself.)

This I know is very sensible, and obvious, but the casual "no thanks" does not roll easily off my tongue.

2 of my close friends are quite confronted by my refusal of sugar and think I am being extremist. It is just ignorance on their part, but they go out of their way to make it difficult, even though i have tried to tell them how important it is.

I just think if I am strong enough for long enough they will leave me alone. And DON'T anyone tell me to change my friends because I love them dearly and they are very supportive on all other matters. Just have their own addictions which they don't want to know about right now. And they will teach me to be true to myself and to say "no thanks" and whatever else I might need to say to them to get them off my back. So I guess they provide the perfect practise arena.

Last time I visited I brought food for everyone for the whole weekend, so I knew I would have good food to eat.

Stella de bella

[sleon]

Originally Posted by stellabeam

This I know is very sensible, and obvious, but the casual "no thanks" does not roll easily off my tongue.

2 of my close friends are quite confronted by my refusal of sugar and think I am being extremist. It is just ignorance on their part, but they go out of their way to make it difficult, even though i have tried to tell them how important it is.

If those were my friends, I'd confront them in a non-threatening way the next time it happens, in a very neutral tone of voice: "Why are you trying to get me to eat something that has no health benefits for me, and which I've told you I'm not eating? Why is it important or necessary to you that I eat sugar?"

It's a natural human tendency to attempt to defend our own bad habits by dragging others into them with us; the rationale is "Really, what I'm doing isn't so bad. Here, have some!" It's a psychological relief when companions validate our bad habits by joining in. Heck, the attempt to drag people away from the commitment to not eating sugar has even happened here in this thread, which is pretty fascinating.

[sleon]

Originally Posted by stellabeam

Does anyone want to share their "Yes I said no to cake/chocolate" stories?

Stuffing a muffin is pretty funny

Often, I just say "No, thanks" in a polite tone when I'm offered cake/candy/cookies/whatever. Sometimes people seem surprised, but...whatever.

Then there are times that I am feeling more up for confrontation, and I say, "No thanks, I don't eat sugar." A look of shock, eyebrows raised high, usually comes over the person's face. "Oh!" they say, and that's about all. No one knows how to respond. Sometimes there is spluttering: "Yeah, it's really bad for you, I try to limit my intake, and blah blah blah..."

Some people ask questions about how I manage to not eat sugar, or what exactly I mean. Sometimes there is the misconception that I mean I don't even eat fruit! Then I gently explain that what I mean is that I don't eat -sugar-, processed stuff that has no nutritive value.

I guess I'm used to people thinking I'm a bit weird, though. So the social confrontations don't really bother me; whatever it is people say, the excuses they use when confronted with my truth, that's really all about THEIR baggage, not mine.

[stellabeam]

Originally Posted by sleon

If those were my friends, I'd confront them in a non-threatening way the next time it happens, in a very neutral tone of voice: "Why are you trying to get me to eat something that has no health benefits for me, and which I've told you I'm not eating? Why is it important or necessary to you that I eat sugar?"

That is a really good idea and I will try it next it next time. Thanks!!

Stella de Brave

[NightSpirit]

I tried to go without sugar a long time ago, and I know what you mean. I shared it openly with my friends because they were my friends and it became a major topic of discussion and debate.

I am inspired to attempt this again by what you are doing and because I also agree that sugar is addictive to me. Maybe it's not only the physical effects that concern me but also the 'comfort food' or emotional eating aspect of sugar that I need to avoid.

But this time, I don't think I will share this with any of those close to me. I can't see any real reason to do that. I understand your disappointment at your friend's attitudes because I faced the same thing. It seems what I was doing for myself may have come off to them as disapproving to what they wanted to eat or may have triggered some internal guilt of their own. But if you are firm in your decision, do you really need anyone's help or approval?

There are people I know that actually don't care for sweets and that is what
they say if they are offered something they don't want. My boyfriend sticks out his tongue and says "yuck" if I offer him cheesecake or anything else gooey or creamy but I don't think I will go that far.

What's wrong with, "No thanks, I don't like sweets." That's what I say if I am offered shellfish; I truly just do not want any. If it's a big change for you to refuse sweets, you could say, "No thanks, I'm cutting back on sugar for my health." and maybe they wouldn't pry or continue to offer sweets.

If a person doesn't drink, usually they don't have to go into the ills of alcohol or their problems with it. They just say "No thank you" or maybe "I don't drink." I have never had a problem refusing a cigarette and don't feel any shame or need to explain why or a compulsion to accept what I don't want.
I know sugar is seen as just a food and more acceptable but it's one of many...dairy, pork, eggs, peanut butter, shellfish, etc....that not all people like or eat.

If you don't want any, for whatever reason, why hide that? I just can't imagine feeling like I had to hide shrimp in my sock so why hide a muffin?

[stellabeam]

Originally Posted by NightSpirit

I just can't imagine feeling like I had to hide shrimp in my sock so why hide a muffin?

Ha ha that is so funny. Thanks for your perspective and wisdom NightSpirit

[Alison Jenkins]

I used to be addicted to sugar - it was like heroin to me. I had it hidden every where around the house in the places you would least expect it. When I went into recovery from binge eating disorder I quit the sugar and the most amazing thing happened. I stopped wearing glasses after 12yrs as my eye sight had returned to normal. You can read all about it No sugar, no glasses

Alison

[Ceros]

It's been about a week since I gave up processed sugar, and the cravings went away!

Wooo! I diid iiiit!

[Alison Jenkins]

That's brilliant. Keep up the good work
Alison

[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.

[Bleicke]

Try the following:

Make a rule for yourself that can not be unset by yourself except exactly one month after you set it.

So for example, I set the rule to not eat ANYTHING with refined sugar in it on the 21st of May (1 month after my birthday, 21st is always my 30-day-trial-habit-day). I then didn't have a choice - it was basically an order. On the next 21st, I'd have the chance to undo it. But not until then! It just wasn't my choice to make at that time.

You can even write it down like an order. I got this idea from everydaysystems.com. He uses it for a lot more and has an entire chain of command built from general down to the foot soldier. Pretty amazing, but I only use it for my 30-day-trials.

Be your own benevolent dictator!