Going Sugar Free

[OrangeAppled]

Or nearly so...

My biggest obstacle was my family, but in a strange twist of fate, mere minutes after deciding I would seek advice to deal with this obstacle, my mom tells me she is going to be cooking from this no sugar book she has had for years, not baking nearly as much, as well as not buying foods with added sugars, etc. Apparently, my sister (who has a plethora of illnesses) was firmly told by her doctor to do this, and she is finally taking it seriously because they told her she is pre-diabetic.

So my personal goal...

After reading / watching various things, I have decided I would like to reduce added sugar in my daily diet, including natural sweeteners like honey. This goal does not include avoiding sugar occuring naturally in whole fruit or dairy.

In the recent past, I have pretty easily reduced my added sugar intake to less than 25 grams/day which is often recommended as the maximum. I would like to aim for that to start and then get down to close to 0 gram/day, besides a glass of wine here and there or the occasional sweet treat. I am good at avoiding the obvious culprits once I become determined, but it is "hidden sugars" I would like to tackle.

The biggest issues I face are
- Family and their lack of support, criticism and outright sabotage
- Planning meals ahead to avoid caving to bad choices (ie eating out) and an insanely hectic schedule (I'm gone 10-12 hours a day, often 6-7 days/week, and I often am restricted to whatever fits in an insulated lunch bag with no way to heat anything).

Another thing to note is I am not remotely overweight and this is not about weight loss, but a lifestyle change.

Have you done this or tried it?
Any tips?
Anyone with a similar goal interested in teaming up for mutual support here?

 

[Tellenbach]

I believe this is the basis of the ketogenic diet. Many cancer patients believe that if you starve the cancer of sugar, that'll help slow down their growth and eventually kill the cancer. If you're looking for recipe ideas, that would be a good starting point. Good luck.

 

[kyuuei]

I sort of naturally did this in my life.. while I don't avoid sugar in and of itself, I do try to eat healthy, and many recipes of mine involve no-sugar things.. I'd take a list of foods you like with sugar in them, and your habits of eating them, and build from there.

No sense in seeing a perfect peach pie no sugar recipe if you hate peaches.. ya know?

But, to take some examples... Let's say you know you get some midnight munchies for sugary stuff. Particularly after a long work week.

We can work with that. How about some sugar-free baking, frozen and ready to go.. a cupcake will thaw in about an hour's time from the freezer.

Or, how about you do better eating a dessert every day?

We can work with that. A fine Banana Pudding - The Secret Ingredient Recipe! Banana pudding made in advance in multiple batches, split up into small tupperwares, can be grabbed out of the fridge each night. Next week, make a new thing.

Maybe you don't like much prep work and are on a tight budget...

Some cheap store-bought unsweetened applesauce, cinnamon, a hint of vanilla bean, and you've got yourself some instant yummy fruit with no prep work at all. A straight up piece of mango with fruit seasoning on it will make a lovely, rich dessert in and of itself. And don't forget dates--they're calorie-packed, super sweet naturally, and lovely plain or mixed into things.


The point is... no matter what you want to do with your diet, as long as you aren't avoiding sweet foods, you'll be okay. You just need to learn your habits, adapt to them, and don't beat yourself up when you 'fail'.. the more restrictive a diet is, some of a few things can happen: the more stressed someone can be, the more expensive it can be, and/or the more zealous someone can be.

Every habit should start small. I say this because studies prove that if this is what you want long term, you'll need to do it small and slow and consistently. Don't quit all sugar tomorrow and expect to be there 10 years from now. Science is against you on that.... but let's say you notice most of your sugar comes from a nightly dessert, or a mid-work craving, or temptation from the grocery store aisle, who knows... These are things you can start with, and learn from, and expound upon. Does a sugar-free hummingbird cupcake help you get over a midnight craving? Does sugar free pudding make you feel better about eating dessert, or leave a half-assed void of where dessert once was? Does fruit feel like a sweet to you or an obligation? Why? Did it start off great but taper off because variety is expensive and you can't afford a box of dates every week?? Does your lack of esteem in cooking keep you from trying new things?? These are the sort of questions that you can brainstorm with..

If I were going to start this.. I'd start with:
- What's my biggest source of refined sugar? (a dessert each night for me)
- When do I crave this? (usually at breakfast time or before dinner)
- Change this thing once a week for a 2 weeks (I'll eat a sugar-free dessert with some health benefits)... and then twice a week for 2 weeks.. and build up a goal of eating this way 4x a week... as in, greater than half the week.
- Things I won't do during these build-ups.. is violate them one way or the other. I won't eat the sugar-free way the rest of the days of the week out of excitement... because I won't know if it works long term or not that way.. so I eat how I used to the rest of the days... If I notice myself eating double-desserts on 'off' days, then obviously my change isn't working. Re-adjust.. if it feels fine 3x a week but that 4x a week makes it feel odd, adjust. If I am doing well then I'm doing well.. keep a steady pace.. 4x a week sugar-free, 3x a week sugar-okay.
- Use a check mark recording system to see how consistent I am with my mini goals. (A paper with check marks and room to write notes.. set an alarm to fill it out before bedtime.)
- Re-evaluate this and see how consistent I truly was on paper, and what happened when I wasn't. (Turns out, eating a piece of fruit is incredibly boring to me, and it has to LOOK like dessert.. so a sugar-free paleo peach pie? Much better for me than just eating a peach. Also, turns out, I don't need a lot of other added sugars later on in the day when I have whipped cream available to eat with my dessert.. not exactly 100% sugar free if made this way, but a good step in the right direction and keeps me on track, so I'll keep it until my taste buds adjust. It's a small compromise to get rid of all the other added sugars involved in desserts and breakfast foods. And, turns out I like chia seed jelly more than regular jelly! Sweet! I can make that transition quite easily. Also, turns out I had 3 birthdays in a row that week to go to, so while I was a bit off that week it was an anomaly and not really true to the data... though something to consider in the future is how to deal with events like that.)

..Just to create an example. Adjust this the following month with your results, and once you feel accomplished in a mini goal see if you can keep this up for 3 consistent months. No extra goals, no extra changes, just keep it up... Once you can, and it feels effortless? Try the mini-goal experiment again... keep the habit you created, but make a new one.. maybe that's you transition to daily sugar-free desserts, maybe you decide you need to learn to cook with sugar-free stuff, just .. make a new goal, adjust, finalize, and go for another 3-6 months.. Then in nearly a year's time you've created and stuck with 2 new major goals. And just keep going... Maybe you replace store-bought jelly with homemade chia-seed-fruit jelly, simple, easy peasy, keep it up for 3 months. Maybe you start buying sugar-free condiments like ketchup and such. You'd be surprised at some lifestyle adjustments made from something as easy as no-sugar-added ketchup buying... (Do you have to carry a small bottle of it in your purse? Or car? Do you end up making your own because it's too expensive and your homemade one tasted better? Did you realize you cut out favorite foods doing this, and maybe cutting the ketchup 50/50 for a while helped adjust your taste buds?)

You'll find a million blogs with sugar-free recipes.. some great, some okay, some awful. So that part's pretty easy..... but finding what works for you is very individual, and I'd start with a single habit and do that until it feels very second nature to you.

You'll naturally get an extra boost of support with mother's cooking and adjusting to a pre-diabetic lifestyle... so you'll already be doing yourself a great service passively through that.. but just start small, and be active in your habits and honest with your thoughts and cravings, and see them as learning opportunities vs things to work against. You'll be a lot happier and less stressed that way.

I see so many people beat themselves up because they ate a piece of birthday cake after eating well all week. That sort of mentality destroys healthy lifestyles. Slow and steady definitely wins this race, and if you're committed to no-added-sugar, it can get very restrictive very quickly..... if it feels too easy, that's good, it should. It should be easy to do a baby step. It's doing many baby steps all at once that makes walking feel natural.

 

[ChocolateMoose123]

Or nearly so...

My biggest obstacle was my family, but in a strange twist of fate, mere minutes after deciding I would seek advice to deal with this obstacle, my mom tells me she is going to be cooking from this no sugar book she has had for years, not baking nearly as much, as well as not buying foods with added sugars, etc. Apparently, my sister (who has a plethora of illnesses) was firmly told by her doctor to do this, and she is finally taking it seriously because they told her she is pre-diabetic.

So my personal goal...

After reading / watching various things, I have decided I would like to reduce added sugar in my daily diet, including natural sweeteners like honey. This goal does not include avoiding sugar occuring naturally in whole fruit or dairy.

In the recent past, I have pretty easily reduced my added sugar intake to less than 25 grams/day which is often recommended as the maximum. I would like to aim for that to start and then get down to close to 0 gram/day, besides a glass of wine here and there or the occasional sweet treat. I am good at avoiding the obvious culprits once I become determined, but it is "hidden sugars" I would like to tackle.

The biggest issues I face are
- Family and their lack of support, criticism and outright sabotage
- Planning meals ahead to avoid caving to bad choices (ie eating out) and an insanely hectic schedule (I'm gone 10-12 hours a day, often 6-7 days/week, and I often am restricted to whatever fits in an insulated lunch bag with no way to heat anything).

Another thing to note is I am not remotely overweight and this is not about weight loss, but a lifestyle change.

Have you done this or tried it?
Any tips?
Anyone with a similar goal interested in teaming up for mutual support here?

I had to do this because I was pre-diabetic and opted out of meds. It works. The first two weeks are very, very difficult. I was sluggish, tired But after that, it feels very good and even keel.

Non-fat plain Greek yogurt or steel cut oatmeal to start the day. Cinnamon. This is where I would add a half serving of agave nectar for sweetness (8 g sugar)

Lots of fiber through veggies and lean protein for dinner.

I make my own tomato sauce. So I can control sodium and have no sugar added.

Basically, you'll be making things more from scratch because you can control sugar. It's a bit more time consuming but tastes better.

I would have a really hard time with zero added sugar. I mean, that would make me a bit miserable and I enjoy a cocktail from time to time.

----

As for lunchbox items. Salads with tuna and olives, peppers, fresh veg and for dressing some olive oil and vinegar.

On the run, I always look online at the menus!

But in an emergency...

Panera has their nutrition facts listed. If you remove dressings and sauces, that is half the battle as most added sugars are in those. If I am unsure, I look at the sugars as "added". Regardless of where they come from.

Chickfila grilled chicken breast sandwiches aren't bad. I usually eat without the bun to cut carbs/sugar.

I have a lunchbag that has a cooler inside. So I can have items that need to kept cool. I suggest moving up in size if possible.

 

[S16M4]

Been off sugar for a few years now. Feels good man.

Any tips? It's just discipline, really. Like meditation; it takes practice.

Today was my cheat day. Had a milkshake and a few burgers. 'Twas delicious. Worked it off. World didn't end.

 

[gromit]

I echo others on here that it's best to have the foods you are trying to eat more convenient than the foods you are not trying to eat.

Some ways I try to eat less added sugar:
No juice, jam, jellies, sweetened cereal, or storebought treats (or very occasionally)
Fruit with breakfast. Sliced bananas or peaches with plain yogurt.spices apples with oatmeal. Etc.
for wanting a "treat"...
If you are into tea, then this celestial seasonings Bengal spice tea with a little milk is a nice little sweet treat (even with no sweetener added, I don't get how but I don't question).
If you are into chocolate, I highly recommend ghirardelli 60% cacao baking chips, you can have a little handful (and the quality and darkness of the chocolate makes the flavor very satisfying) or melt and dip some fruit a dessert.

AlsoA... I might like salty snack foods as much as sugar, so I just keep some salted nuts handy and/or crackers and cheese or even have a salted tomato for if I'm craving salty.

 

[SearchingforPeace]

When I dropped all sugars a few years ago (for a couple months), it was only a very short time before I noticed the sugars in everything. Even bread tasted like candy when I next had a slice. It only took 2 weeks to reset my taste buds....

I stopped not because I didn't like it, but it was hard to do having a family fun of young children.

My goal now is minimize breads and juices, which isn't as good, but better than it was.....

 

[PeaceBaby]

Good posts here. I agree with [MENTION=5223]MDP2525[/MENTION], the first week or two in particular is very hard. Your body basically needs to reset to burning the extra fuel from fat, not from the constant intake of carbohydrate. After that though, it is much easier.

Basically at this point I eat almost no grains. For me though it started with a dx of celiac disease 15 years ago and like most people, I turned to some of the GF products to fill the void of not having wheat products in my diet. That need though was borne from the habit of our standard North American diet, with breads etc. Now at this point in time I simply eat proteins, vegetables and fruits. I have one cheat day on the weekend where I will have sweets of some kind or gluten free bread with jam. And yes, sweets taste SO sweet when you haven't had them every day!

If you have a hard time letting go of juices or don't like the taste of plain water, squeeze in some lemon juice to help you adapt there too.

If you search on the term "paleo diet" for recipes, you will find a lot of choices. You can make a healthy protein-bar type of snack, enough for the coming week, and have them on hand for a quick boost of fuel. And, I make these salad jars ahead of time and take those with me for lunches etc on the go. Once you get in the habit, like anything, it gets easier but I look for ways to introduce variety so I don't get too bored and feel like making them is a tortuous chore. Here's a link to the salad jar "how to" with recipes: 30 Mason Jar Recipes: Delicious "Salad in a Jar" Recipes

 

[gromit]

Oooh a yummy food I love is this smoothie. Just throw everything into the blender:

Milk
Banana
Peanut butter
Cocoa powder

You can also add in some dried/instant oats for extra oomph. It is soooooo good and the PB makes it pretty filling

 

[gromit]

Sometimes larabars go on sale 10/$10 at the grocery store and I'll stock up on those too for when I need quick energy like for backpacking or after a long workday. The ingredients are so simple, I love it! It's like peanuts, dates, salt, or something.

Expensive for an everyday thing, but if you think, a candy bar is usually like $1 too, and this is actual food vs just junk.

I'm sure there are DIY recipes for them online too.

 

[ChocolateMoose123]

I don't drink juices that much. I opt for fresh fruit instead. But I do enjoy OJ in the morning on the weekends. I cut the juice with half coconut water to lessen sugars.

 

[OrangeAppled]

I don't drink sweet drinks except occasional small frappuccinos, which are supposed to be occasional as in 1x/month but when I do too much sugar it becomes 2x/week. If you think that is no biggie, the amount of sugar in those is INSANE.

Given I eat pretty healthy and was down to 25 grams or less of sugar/day until recently, I have realized my lapses sometimes come from not eating enough or often enough. I go for sugar when I have waited too long too eat and really need a small meal. One reason I have never had a weight problem is I am not a big eater, so I do portion control out of habit. But then I have to eat often...

I often find eating a nuisance, unless I have time to really enjoy the process at a more leisurely pace. So if I put off eating or don't prepare enough, then I may crash and go for some instant pick-me-up, and a sweet dessert coffee is most appealing. Otherwise, I actually don't like sweetened coffee (I usually like plain coffee with a splash of half'n'half or espresso with milk). I generally am a healthy snacker if I keep it on-hand, so it comes down to planning again.

I am not big on sweets at night as I eat dinner after I workout (after 8pm), and then I'd rather have wine/beer (which I will sip the rest of the evening) and can easily forgo dessert. I also really like fruit and a bit of cookie butter (5g/tbsp, way less sugar than Nutella, which otherwise I like).

I really would like to work towards NO added sugar for extended periods, just to see if I can. That is why I'm focusing on hidden sugars too. Definitely am being more aware of salad dressings, as suggested. Hummus seems a good alternative for that, as well as squeezing a lemon or lime on the salad or making my own dressing when I can (I usually just do olive oil and a vinegar). Having my family on board will help too. I would buy bread without any added sugar (only ingredients - whole wheat flour, water, yeast, salt), and they would eat it and "replace it" with wheat breads with added sugar .

Anyway, thanks for replies. Have to go....will be back soon.

 

[Norrsken]

I've done it with success. Try cooking things from scratch and, whenever possible, buy organic produce and grass-fed animal products. I use xylitol to sweeten my coffees and teas.

 

[Betty Blue]

Coffe made well (by a good barista) does not need sugar, the milk gets to a sweet point at a certain temp so getting good coffee will take away that urge somewhat... and also gives you better coffee, most of the huge chains have crap for coffee... which is amazing considering they make a killing out of it.

I stopped eating refined sugars altogether for a while and the first couple of days for a sugar addict is insanely difficult.. ofc depends on how regularly you had it before. I used to crave it terribly in the evenings... so those were really tough when i stopped. I have recently been having sorbet as an alternative to ice cream but it does have sugar in it so I am eating sugar again... and it's nearly every night so I may have to walk on nails again.

Agave is a good alternative if you do want to sweeten a dish. Personally I don't really sweeten anything anyway so don't keep any around.

 

[OrangeAppled]

I wouldn't call myself a sugar addict.... Getting under 25 grams/day is not hard. I did it the past few days easily. The 100% no added sugar is harder because of added sugar in prepared foods, so yes, more planning will be needed.

I am very happy for this news, which I had heard about, but now it is confirmed (although it will take a good 2 years for it to be implemented):
Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label

"On May 20, 2016, the FDA announced the new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods to reflect new scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease.

'Added sugars,' in grams and as percent Daily Value, will be included on the label. "

 

[Lexicon]

Stevia is an excellent natural sugar-substitute for coffee. 1/2 - 1 packet per 8oz cup is usually more than enough. No weird aftertaste.

If you buy protein/nutrition bars, always look for the kind that have a low glycemic index. Clif Mojo bars are pretty good, as are Luna Protein bars. Both are relatively new products from Clif.

At the end of the day, energy bars aren't the best option by far, though, but they do tend to be a better choice than most candy bars or other junk you might grab when you're not home/super busy.

I'll probably come back to this thread with more suggestions, later.

If you're into Belgian waffles, I recently posted a decent recipe [in the What Did You Bake/Cook Today? Thread] for whole wheat ones, that have only 2 tbsp sugar added (which you could always try adjusting, if desired). Would probably be good served with fresh fruit on top, if that's what you're into (I prefer sugar-free maple syrup, though). They're a nice treat for breakfast, every once in awhile, & a bit healthier than the standard sort.

 

[OrangeAppled]

^ Thanks.... to clarify, I don't like any sugar in my regular coffee. I like it with just a splash of half-n-half. Dessert coffees are simply the kind of sweets I am more likely to cave to in the afternoon when I failed to have food on-hand or am driving home late when tired. Sweetened but otherwise "regular" coffee is not good to me. I don't even like the way it tastes.

I will check out the waffle recipe though.... My family is into pancakes, but I prefer waffles. We don't do big breakfasts much, but nice to have alternatives on hand. Better nutrition bar options are good, as it has been too easy to grab stuff like granola bars (usually have lots of added sugar) when on the go.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

I went for about a year without any sugar or bread. I basically lived on vegetables, fruit, quinoa, cheese and nuts, and probably something I'm forgetting, but it was limited enough that I became anemic (which wasn't a big deal, I just had to start taking iron tablets). I very occasionally lapsed on the bread, if I happened to be dining out with people- but I was firm about no sugar. Then I broke that fast with a frosted brownie*. Everything they say about binging on sugar after abstaining for a long time is true. I had horrible cramps and a really terrible headache that lasted all night, analgesics wouldn't put a dent in it, in addition to the inexplicable urge to eat another one. So if you'd like to have the occasional treat (without serious repercussions), you might want to reconsider abstaining altogether. Or at least experiment with it.

I stopped because I was hoping for some kind of change in energy level, mood, and/or I was just curious about how it might feel different. After a year, I still didn't feel any different. So I started eating it again. In moderation. The only issue I have with sugar is that it always makes me want more (and the more I have, the stronger I want even more). Which is a significant problem, but it's worth it to me in order to have the occasional treat without serious unwanted consequences.



*And by "a frosted brownie", I mean two and a half frosted brownies.

 

[highlander]

Or nearly so...

My biggest obstacle was my family, but in a strange twist of fate, mere minutes after deciding I would seek advice to deal with this obstacle, my mom tells me she is going to be cooking from this no sugar book she has had for years, not baking nearly as much, as well as not buying foods with added sugars, etc. Apparently, my sister (who has a plethora of illnesses) was firmly told by her doctor to do this, and she is finally taking it seriously because they told her she is pre-diabetic.

So my personal goal...

After reading / watching various things, I have decided I would like to reduce added sugar in my daily diet, including natural sweeteners like honey. This goal does not include avoiding sugar occuring naturally in whole fruit or dairy.

In the recent past, I have pretty easily reduced my added sugar intake to less than 25 grams/day which is often recommended as the maximum. I would like to aim for that to start and then get down to close to 0 gram/day, besides a glass of wine here and there or the occasional sweet treat. I am good at avoiding the obvious culprits once I become determined, but it is "hidden sugars" I would like to tackle.

The biggest issues I face are
- Family and their lack of support, criticism and outright sabotage
- Planning meals ahead to avoid caving to bad choices (ie eating out) and an insanely hectic schedule (I'm gone 10-12 hours a day, often 6-7 days/week, and I often am restricted to whatever fits in an insulated lunch bag with no way to heat anything).

Another thing to note is I am not remotely overweight and this is not about weight loss, but a lifestyle change.

Have you done this or tried it?
Any tips?
Anyone with a similar goal interested in teaming up for mutual support here?

I was doing good the last week until I ate those tater tots for lunch today.

 

[OrangeAppled]

I went for about a year without any sugar or bread. I basically lived on vegetables, fruit, quinoa, cheese and nuts, and probably something I'm forgetting, but it was limited enough that I became anemic (which wasn't a big deal, I just had to start taking iron tablets). I very occasionally lapsed on the bread, if I happened to be dining out with people- but I was firm about no sugar. Then I broke that fast with a frosted brownie*. Everything they say about binging on sugar after abstaining for a long time is true. I had horrible cramps and a really terrible headache that lasted all night, analgesics wouldn't put a dent in it, in addition to the inexplicable urge to eat another one. So if you'd like to have the occasional treat (without serious repercussions), you might want to reconsider abstaining altogether. Or at least experiment with it.

I stopped because I was hoping for some kind of change in energy level, mood, and/or I was just curious about how it might feel different. After a year, I still didn't feel any different. So I started eating it again. In moderation. The only issue I have with sugar is that it always makes me want more (and the more I have, the stronger I want even more). Which is a significant problem, but it's worth it to me in order to have the occasional treat without serious unwanted consequences.



*And by "a frosted brownie", I mean two and a half frosted brownies.

I have no intention of giving up bread or limiting my diet otherwise (I do dairy, meat, wheat, etc, in addition to plenty of fruits & veggies). I don't seem to have any gluten sensitivity and don't eat a ton (maybe 1 slice/day). I'm just seeking foods without added sugars or dessert options that don't have astronomical amounts of sugar.

I have noticed my skin being clearer, having more energy & not getting bloated as easily when I limit my sugar intake. The better skin could also be my Korean skin care & working out a lot more the past year, plus being in my 30s now

I don't think occasional intake for me will be once a year, but I will keep in mind the possible effects of occasional sugar indulgences once I have mostly weaned off of it.

Right now my goal is just to keep consistently under 25 grams, but yesterday I broke down & got a dessert blended coffee while shopping because no strapless bras fit me and I started my period in the dressing room . I also did the thing of waiting way too long to eat & not having enough planned ahead of time (I brought some food).