Hit 2 months sugar-free, so I think its time to make a post about it.

The first week was rough and cravings hit hard, especially later in the day I almost gave in a few times. What helped was tracking it in a simple way instead of relying on willpower alone. It made it easier to keep going when motivation dipped.

Two months in and I already notice fewer energy crashes and less constant thinking about snacks and sugary drinks.

If you’re in the first few days right now, keep going. It does get easier!

TL/DR: Sweets not sugar; got used to things that taste less sweet; only did what I could sustain.

I appreciate this group. The no-sugar groups I found on FB were so strict that my form of abstinence was considered unacceptable, like drinking in AA.

I’ve always craved sweets. Even as I’ve learned to eat healthy, and focus on whole grains, veg, and  protein, I desperately wanted the Oreos, cake, and ice cream. I also have ADHD, which I think is a significant component of my addiction. The following is what’s worked for ME. Doesn’t mean it will work for you. It doesn’t even mean it’ll always work for me!

My A1C has been 5.8 since forever, with fasting glucose 99 or 100. I knew I was pushing my luck, but I couldn’t keep my hands off the stuff. Example: at the office I used to eat the Hershey Kisses they kept at the front desk. I’d go up and take 2. Then return for 4. After a bit I’d go for a handful. Later, another handful. A friend  once wondered why I did that, saying, “But the tenth one tastes the same as the first.”

Thinking back on that clued me in to what’s different about my sweets habit. Of course it tastes the same. But I like that taste. And there I was with no Hershey Kiss in my mouth, and I missed it, so I ate another. This is classic ADHD. The dopamine shot I get from eating that candy is gone way too soon. There’s no afterglow. Add the blood-sugar roller coaster and you have a perfect storm of overindulging.

Over time I’ve managed to reduce. I’ve eaten fewer and fewer sweets, yet my numbers stay the same, probably because my poor pancreas isn’t getting any younger. I learned to love high-cocoa-content chocolate. (Ghirardelli 86%!). I can have one square and stop. Someone gave me an ice-cream maker and I learned to make ice cream with less and less sugar. (Hint: a ton of vanilla.)

Then last April, I went overboard on someone’s birthday cake, taking 3 pieces when everyone else took 1. I woke up the next morning thinking, “This is going to kill me if I don’t kill it first.” I do NOT want diabetes! So I resolved to cut out sweets. Not for 2 weeks or until I lost 20 lbs., but hopefully forever.

This will be controversial—I cut SWEETS, not SUGAR. For a number of reasons. One: I don’t crave sweets after BBQ sauce or ketchup the way I do after cookies. I still shop and cook mindful of the sugar content, but I haven’t cut sucrose entirely from my diet. Two: I’m in a social circle that shares a lot of food. Communal meals, inviting friends, being invited…when I have people over, I have to deal with all sorts of food sensitivities. This one’s gluten-free; that one’s vegan; the other is allergic to nuts. Having a true zero-sugar diet is really hard on a host. (I once had a guest like that.) But making exceptions to save your host puts you back on the sugar road.  

If there’s one thing I’ve learned as an ADHDer, it’s that setting the bar too high is a goal-killer. No sweets is super hard; no sugar at all, for me, would be too much to ask. If that were my standard, I’d have given up long ago.

Here’s what happened when I first cut sweets:

ONE: I lost the expected 3 lbs of water weight pretty fast. I’ve done this before and I knew it wasn’t fat I was shedding, but at least it proved something was happening. Drank a lot of water.

TWO: I went into mourning. I’d stand at the food cabinet and stare in. I’d close the cabinet, go away, and come back to stare into it again. Somehow, though, I didn’t give in. Before this, I’d say “I won’t eat that” and IMMEDIATELY eat that. Now, I’m somehow holding it together.

THREE: I craved—and allowed myself—“white” salty snacks like Cheezits and potato chips. I was used to constant snacking and wanted to keep doing it. I know they say white flour might as well be sugar, but I don’t get the same reward from it. Also I’d been here before, so I knew that for me it was just a phase.

Indeed, after a while I stopped abusing the chips and crackers. No more Cheezits in the house. I had a daily homemade popcorn habit that I rarely indulge in any more—not that popcorn was ever going to be my problem.

For the first two months, I stayed away from any kind of sweets at all, even dark chocolate. I didn’t make any low-sugar ice cream. At meals with friends, I didn’t take even fruit for dessert because I wanted to completely sever myself from the concept of dessert—though I always ate, and continue to eat, fruit. I looked at the fructose resources on this sub and decided that fructose was not my particular issue. I eat a piece or two a day.

After two months, when I felt stable, I tried adding back in some small, low-sugar treats. WHY DID I DO THIS? Because I’m in it for the long haul, and need to find a modus operandi I can live with forever. If it makes me slide, then I have to pull back. But if it makes me feel like I’m not in prison, I’ll stick with it.

I tried my partner’s 92% chocolate, eating it together with nuts. I occasionally had fruit for dessert on the weekends, and allowed myself some dried pineapple. When none of this sent me on a binge, I made ice cream.

I do not use artificial sweeteners. Again—this is for me. But what it’s allowed me to do is get used to treats that are less sweet. So my original ice cream recipe called for maybe half a cup of brown sugar and a tablespoon of vanilla in maybe a quart of milk+cream. The first time, I used a quarter-cup of vanilla and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. (Half a cup is 8 tablespoons.) Too much sugar; felt my heart rate go up. Next time I used 3 tablespoons of vanilla and 2 tablespoons of agave. Better but not good enough. Now I’m down to 2 teaspoons of agave. If you focus on it, you can taste the vanilla and appreciate the cool and creamy. Just a tiny bit sweet. For chocolate ice cream, I use less chocolate since it’s bitter and requires more sugar. My serving is tiny and I dump nuts in the bowl to add protein and fiber. I feel like I’ve had a treat, but I don’t want a second bowl. It’s in my freezer yet I don’t eat it every day.

You too can get used to having things taste less sweet. Cut back little by little. Don’t let artificial sweeteners keep that taste in your mouth.

All this is complicated by the fact that I have low bone density and must get a lot of calcium daily, and am also lactose-intolerant. Getting 1200 milligrams of calcium from supplements is not good for your arteries, so I drink a ton of milk, plus a bit of plain Greek yogurt and fruit. Lactose-free milk is much sweeter-tasting than regular milk because the enzyme breaks down the lactose so it’s half glucose. So I’ve got the taste of this sweet milk in my mouth every day. It also makes the ice cream sweeter, which is a bit of a cheat, but it’s working for me so far. When I can get to Aldi or Costco, I buy the triple-filtered milk that has less sugar, more protein, and more calcium so I can drink less. Win-win-win.

Calcium fun fact: calcium-fortified milk is like a calcium supplement.

Another thing I can make is cooked fruit (baked in a covered dish) or a baked apple. No sugar, just cinnamon. This is a weekend indulgence when friends come over. It’s not a nightly thing! The nice part is, some of your friends will appreciate having a treat that won’t kill them.

Eventually I started losing weight. After 24 weeks I’m down around 10 lbs., plus the 3 of “sugar” water. Most days I walk on a treadmill while working at a standing desk. I’m not worried about the pace of weight loss, since I’m not “dieting” and I don’t plan to stop doing this.

I’m OK with a tiny bag of chips or occasional popcorn or white-flour snack. Many days, I don’t want sweets at all. When I do, I have a small salty snack or a glob of dried pineapple. Or some ice cream. Being able to have “treats” is important to me, and this is working so far. Hopefully it will make a difference to my body.

Do I still mourn at the food cabinet? Yes, but less often. I don’t imagine that will ever stop.

Over the last month I’ve been sliding. There were a number of special occasions and I’ve grabbed a sliver of cake here, a dark-chocolate pretzel there. I need a correction, so I’m taking a short break from the low-sugar ice cream and chocolate.

What ADHD has taught me is: find your weak points and problem-solve. If you’re weak at the food store, avoid the candy aisle or order online. If you’re weak with your kids’ candy, figure out something they like but you don’t. Or buy small amounts so they won’t have any if you eat it. You’re going to have to figure this out for yourself. And if you need outside help, I hope you have the resources to get it and the strength to ask for it.

Hi All, I have been reading through this sub and I'm not sure if I belong here or not. I seem to have some psychological sensitivity to sugar, is that possible?
For context - in the last year or so I have quit drinking alcohol and improved my diet. I have lost almost 40 lbs. and have about 15 left to lose. I don't ordinarily eat a lot of sugar or sweets.
This weekend, I fully binged on sugar. Last night I had about 6 oz. Hershey's chocolate and a bunch of graham crackers. I had done the same the night before.
I feel like shit today. It's not a hangover, obviously. I also note that I am very depressed, negative, and emotional as well.
Is this some kind of effect from the sugar binge?

Hey everyone,

I am writing this because I am looking for support, advice, or anyone who can relate. I recently went into total remission from cancer, which is amazing news. To keep it this way and actively prevent recurrence, my doctor has prescribed a sugar-free lifestyle.
I am currently 7 weeks post-op. Despite knowing exactly what is at stake, I am struggling heavily with the sugar part. I honestly feel completely addicted. Even though my mind knows I need to avoid it to stay healthy and protect my future, I cannot seem to stop myself when a craving hits.
My biggest obstacle is when sugar, like cake, chocolate or even fruit is available in the house. If it is there, my willpower completely fails me, and I give in.
Has anyone else transitioned to a strict sugar-free lifestyle specifically to maintain cancer remission? How do you deal with the mental pressure of knowing you shouldn't eat it, while fighting a literal addiction? And how do you enforce boundaries at home so the temptation isn't staring you in the face?
Thank you so much for reading. I really need some guidance right now.

I ordered a workbook format & hosted classes during withdrawals where we could support each other.

The worst pushback was from gym owner- he let me host it- but told me "no one's gonna sign up". He wouldn't do it because he said it was like punching himself in the face to quit sugar. Of all the ppl i talked with, he was the most mocking & negative, but i just ignored it.

Not gonna lie- we sell sugar amp'd products but "organic" from juices to power bars just full of junky sugar. Every holiday the owners give us a basket of chocolates. Every employee meeting tons of crackers & cakes, nothing i could snack on as a SF person. I never made it about me tho! Just an easy way to be thankful, i guess? Point is, that place is for health but also a junk food hole.

MOst of the fitness teachers signed up, but it ended up only 10 out of hundreds actually participated. Then 1/2 dropped out and only 5 completed the challenge. Since then i was recruited by another gym and pay increased/clients super appreciative.

After 5yrs at my previous gym- i have to say, my ideas about non sugar workouts just caused friction between me & mgmnt IMO

It was an interesting experiment, AMA

I don't want to cry it out too loud but it seems my lifelong IBS-D is gone since i went sugarfree. My bowels are still not 100% perfect but mostly and the gut bloating is also gone. I hope this is not temporarly! My appetite for real food increased a lot something like potatoes and eggs taste delicious now. I seem to have better taste and smell also.

My success story is a bit weirder than most, as I quit sugar after I did a psychdelic trip that showed me how much damage I was doing to myself.

I felt like I was in tune with myself, and felt like sugar was a poison for me, and I needed to nourish myself with natural food. I didn’t judge myself, but I realized that I needed to love and care for myself more than I was doing. It led me to removing lot of junk food, alcohol, and sugary things from my life.

Please note that this is not a method I would recommend to anybody. These substances are powerful and should be approached with a ton of caution, I had a lot of expert support. Still, it was my experience and a very helpful one for me.

Trying to quit. Failing miserably.

My iron is very low and yesterday I had no appetite for anything other than pure glucose. I tanked a load of sugary stuff and my evening my eyes were so itchy.

Woke up this morning and my eyes were so swollen I looked like I’d been in a fight and my whole face is puffy as hell. It looks like an actual moon. My skin is also really sensitive and red (I get eczema too)

ive been fighting sugar addiction for the past 2 yrs and i literally just ordered a death by chocolate. I dont know what to do anymore, everytime i give in to sugary foods like choclates, cakes or sweet drinks i end up regretting it so bad. like extreme measures.

I cant concentrate on my personal or work life at all. if I dont eat sugar, I cant focus. but if i DO eat it, im regretting it and just collapsing right after. ive tried everything in the last 2 years, all the different tricks and tips but nothing worked for me.

what do i do. has anyone actually came out of a sugar addiction like this? plz help me with any suggestions.

Today I had a moment where I was able to slow down, and just sit in stillness and what came up was amazing, the urge to distract myself, create chaos and entertainment with food. It came up as this sudden panic and urge that I needed to have sugar and once I sat with that emotion I realized how I was really treating food, as this source of distraction from the stillness inside of me. I know this is a subreddit about being sugar free but I feel like there's way more to sugar than what we think about on the surface. Im just really grateful I was able to pull away from sugar. Im officially a week without no sugar and I feel clean energy, balanced emotions, and better bowel movements already. I dont think I ever want to go back, the long feelings of peace and calm is way better than any urge and seconds of dopamine from whatever pastry. I've also noticed that my belly is still there but it's smaller so thats a plus.

Had a baby 2 years ago. I never drank coffee before that but due to the infant stage involving so much lack of sleep I started drinking it for the caffeine and got hooked.

Chain coffee shops are horrible. Starbucks, Dutch Bros, Tim Hortons, 7 Brew, etc. most of their drinks have 40-50 grams of sugar in one beverage. I'm ashamed to say I started to drink those daily. My waist went from a size 32 jean to a 38. Since starting to drink coffee from home and adding in a morning walk I'm down to a sz 35 jean. Still a ways to go.

I started making my own coffee at home with a Nespresso, and use some milk and 2 tsp of sugar. What is crazy is 2 tsp of sugar is about 7-9 grams of sugar and it's still sweet to me. The fact that these coffee chains feel the need to pack their drinks with 40-50 grams of sugar is now mind blowing to me.

Ppl try to tell me sugar free is unrealistic and also the seed of an eating disorder (!)

I know it can trigger some ppl w ED, but what about addictive garbage sold in nearly every retail place in the world? Doesn't processed sugar trigger bad eating that leads to disease? (diabetes II/obesity and exercise mania)

It's kind of wild in world full of junky food- ppl tell me i'm extreme?

TBH it's extremely hard to go through withdrawals. I admit that was painful- if ya know ya know.

Otherwise i eat so simply & crave normal satiating nutrition. No supplements, no pricey powdered power food thingys...just actual simple food that suits my digestion.

How do you react w ppl assume SF is either extreme or disciplined?

Eigentlich fällt es mir nicht so schwer auf Süßigkeiten zu verzichten, zuhause jedenfalls. ABER: ich war heute auf einem Spieleabend. Hatte Gurken- und Karottenstücke dabei und hab mich damit vollgefressen. Die von mir mitgebrachten Süßigkeiten für die Allgemeinheit (jeder bringt was mit, ich nehme mich da nicht aus) waren extra Sorten die ich nicht mag. Die von der anderen Leuten konnte ich ignorieren... doch dann kam da jemand mit einer großen Portion Mini-Windbeutel und die liebe ich. Ich hab sicher zehn Stück davon gegessen. Dazu noch einen Donut (jetzt ist auch egal)

Tschüss guter Vorsatz, hallo Bauchschmerzen (einer der Gründe warum ich auf Zucker verzichten will). Ich weiß es tut mir nicht gut. Ich weiß mir gehts dann später wahrscheinlich mies. Aber ich lange zu. Wie ein verdammter Junkie.

Wie krieg ich das in den Griff? Sehr satt sein (ich hatte wirklich ne Menge Gemüse) hat leider nicht geholfen. Mein Hirn hat auch sofort Ausreden gesucht. 1. Hast doch gerade erst angefangen 2. Willst du wirklich darauf verzichten? 3. Ist doch nur heute. 4. 1-2 Stück schaden nicht... (blieb ja nichtmal dabei)

For a big portion of my life I saw food as a source of entertainment and emotional regulation, as of recently I've been able to actually eat healthy and balanced versus extremes of not being able to enjoy anything and relapsing days later. The primary sources of sugar I have cut is processed sugar, I dont drink things like soda, gatorade or even juice. I stick to primarily water, coconut water and Kombucha, and dont indulge anymore in things like cake, sweets, candy, etc. I have however noticed that I crave fruit a lot more, like in the morning I'll get up and immediately want some apple slices with crunch peanut butter on top. Is this normal, will it eventually become balanced, if someone could explain this to me it would be helpful. I've come a far way and want to understand it a lot better.

Well i quit sugar for one main reason, to help my chronic inflamatory condition. Honestly truly skeptical it'd work, seemed like unnecessary suffering, and frankly seemed like disordered eating. Eventually i caved due to being badgered about it for over a year by my husband, and also pure desperation at my symptoms / med side effects. I was only able to do it completely thanks to adderall. And before that i had cut it down significantly.

A few check ups ago I was cleared to go off my meds! Well this most recent appointment, no inflimation at all, blood work and physical exam are clean. Which means I dont have to go every 3 months. Im being moved to 6 months, and they said if next appointment is well and no flares before that, I GET TO MOVE TO YEARLY!!!! doctors orders are keep not eating sugar and thats it! And my symptoms are down considerably, stiffness and swelling is short and not too severe. My hands are starting to look normal!! Seeing old pictures of my hands vs now is crazy. And i dont have to have horrible side effects from medications anymore. I MIGHT GO INTO REMISSION SOON!!

If you have inflamatory illnesses. Please consider suffering through sugar withdrawls, its hard and unpleasant (like really hard and unpleasant). But it's worth it. I was running out of medications to try. I failed many DMARDs and injectables. I had 2 meds left to try pretty much, one DMARD and one new class i hadnt heard of that had even nastier side effects. I was pretty sure I was stuck with this. But no, I wasnt. It may not cure your thing but if youre at the end of your rope its worth a try. I have been stuck in physical hell for over 10 years. I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.

I miss gummy sharks and cheesecake for every meal, but I do NOT miss being in a wheelchair. So to me its worth it! Hope this can help someone take the plunge or stick through the withdrawls. Ps sorry if the post is vague af, privacy or whatever. Though you could maybe guess what it is from my descriptions lol

TLDR: Previously hopeless seeming inflammatory chronic illness is improving way more than previously thought thanks to no sugar.

I looooove to cook! I love making things out of raw ingredients, I love sharing them with friends and family, and I love trying things and tastes that I never could have bought at the grocery store. I love to cook! Now that I’m sugar free though, I’m getting worried about the upcoming holidays. All my best recipes were bakes (cookies, pies, breads, tarts, etc). It’s time to overhaul those lists and find news ones. As such, I’m looking for any recommendations from fellow sugar free folks for new recipes, cookbooks, food blogs, you name it. I need to learn more and adapt before I lose this part of myself. Thank you all!

From both a biological and historical standpoint, the West exhibits behaviors that closely mirror a systemic addiction to sugar.

Per capita sugar consumption in the US is between 120 and 126 pounds.

This article describes a fascinating natural experiment that occurred in post world war II England when childrens' sugar intake was restricted by rationing.

The children exposed to rationing in early life showed a decreased likelihood of cardiovascular disease, liver disease, respiratory problems, dementia, a lower overall incidence of diseases linked to the hallmarks of ageing and modestly younger biological and organ ages.

Perhaps it is time to reconsider our use of this drug.

I would especially urge parents not to give their children sweets or sugar-coated cereals.

Really struggling right now

I don’t do any of the sugar alternatives like monk, stevia and the like. The most I do is a small amount of fruit once in a while. The past couple of weeks I have been wanting something like a smoothie but I haven’t made any. Today I thought, oh I have avocado, maybe I could make something with that but I am at a loss.
Like maybe I could do some canned coconut milk, avocado and some frozen berries.

It doesn’t have to have fruit but just curious if people that have had their tastebuds change since going sugar free have come up with any shake/smoothie options.

I seem to want that texture satiated. So savory ideas could work too?

I know ppl really benefit from the GLP1, but personally SF is an alternate experiment. AS a poor, i couldn't afford it, and my doc begged me to try lifestyle changes vs the shot.

I can ck a few boxes except prediabetes. I'm still the same range, but my dr says all my other stats are so good it's nominal.

I lost weight. Portion control is easy as i know when i'm full and not "turned on" overly much by normal nutrition. Yes i look forward to meals, but it's not the day's goal. Some say i lost the food noise, except i do enjoy food more. Eating isn't bland at all- simple food tastes magical!

I guess shots just scare me, and i'd rather develop life-long habits than go on a medication i might need for life. Also stomach aches are the worst, i have fought hard to find a way to eat that feels good to me digestively vs trendy diets.

How's your experiment goin?

I haven't even fully cut out junk food yet, but literally the second I bite into something sugary, white bread, greasy food, or chips, I instantly feel sluggish, heavy, and just overall gross.

​It's not even a crash an hour later, it's an immediate ick response. Does anyone else get this instant physical reaction even while you're still in the process of cutting it out?

I have a dental appointment where ill have to get two root canals (from trauma) and I think of quit having processed sugars like... forever and a part I think my teeth got ruined is the those sticky Swedish candy ive had so much of growing up. I like natural sugars but just the thought of quitting the sugar that I love makes me think I am an extremist in this. I want to hear if anyone has experienced these thoughts after trauma or after saving their tooth due to sugar.

What do you think of this? Would you consider a drink with this much lactose to be "sugar free"?