Have you ever tried cutting added sugars from your diet completely?
November 21, 2024 6:36 AM Subscribe
Or at least on certain days? Curious what happened, both to your mood and physically.
My context: I'm vaguely considering cutting added sugars from my diet, probably just on work days (5 days/week) to see if it will help me lose some weight in my face and improve my mood.
However, I know that I tend to have an "all or nothing" attitude in general and don't want to end up frustrated, grumpy and most importantly lose my running a mile every work day progress (3 months so far) if I fail at the sugar thing. I know this attitude is a problem, but it exists and shaking it is harder than knowing about it.
I won't be using fake sugars like stevia or aspartame, but i don't drink tea or coffee so I don't think that will be a huge deal.
My context: I'm vaguely considering cutting added sugars from my diet, probably just on work days (5 days/week) to see if it will help me lose some weight in my face and improve my mood.
However, I know that I tend to have an "all or nothing" attitude in general and don't want to end up frustrated, grumpy and most importantly lose my running a mile every work day progress (3 months so far) if I fail at the sugar thing. I know this attitude is a problem, but it exists and shaking it is harder than knowing about it.
I won't be using fake sugars like stevia or aspartame, but i don't drink tea or coffee so I don't think that will be a huge deal.
I realised how very linked to my physiological state my sugar cravings were. I was craving sugar when my brain was tired and presumably needed an increase in blood sugar to function. I discovered that putting my head down with my eyes closed and turning off the noise was often overdue and if I did it, I stopped craving the sugar. Putting my head down also works better than sugar does, as it doesn't lead to a delayed crash.
I realised how very disappointing it is to try to have traditional social times without any sugar. If there is no birthday cake there is really no point having a birthday party. It was the cake that made the event the event it was. Christmas without Christmas cake and chocolate is not Christmas, it's just another turkey-was-on-special-this-week. Gathering with friends wasn't as fun without the cookies afterwards. It became just a music practice, not a social bonding time.
I suspect that some of the disappointment and failure to connect with others at social times could be mitigated by substituting some other food that feels like a treat, but I find it hard to come up with alternatives that are not themselves sweet - a fruit platter with cherries and grapes and clementines can result in me taking on more sugar than I would have if I had had the two plain-covered-with-dark-chocolate biscuits I would ordinarily have had.
I discovered that my chocolate cravings were more linked to the chocolate than the sugar and I could without too much adjustment switch to unsweetened or barely sweetened chocolate quite happily.
I discovered that a lot of fruit has been bred to have such a high sugar content that it doesn't count as healthy. Grapes have, since my childhood, been bred to be so large (reducing the ratio of sweet pulp to skin) and to have such a high sugar content that they are, like watermelon, something you should not offer a diabetic, as you might as well offer then candy.
I discovered how very little sugar can still count as a treat for social times. Last Tuesday (my once a week social time where I allow myself sugar) I was cutting myself 1/8th of each mini Halloween candy bar, and I did not in the least feel like I was missing my treat. Probably the extra effort of carefully cutting a 1/8 pie segment out of a peanut butter cup less than an inch in diameter made it acquire a higher value to my mind than it would have if I had considered eating the thing whole. It was less than a full bite to begin with, and of such cheap quality it would have been rather nasty - but the tiny morsel I got of it was almost too small to taste before it was gone and I felt that I had gotten something special.
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:58 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]
I realised how very disappointing it is to try to have traditional social times without any sugar. If there is no birthday cake there is really no point having a birthday party. It was the cake that made the event the event it was. Christmas without Christmas cake and chocolate is not Christmas, it's just another turkey-was-on-special-this-week. Gathering with friends wasn't as fun without the cookies afterwards. It became just a music practice, not a social bonding time.
I suspect that some of the disappointment and failure to connect with others at social times could be mitigated by substituting some other food that feels like a treat, but I find it hard to come up with alternatives that are not themselves sweet - a fruit platter with cherries and grapes and clementines can result in me taking on more sugar than I would have if I had had the two plain-covered-with-dark-chocolate biscuits I would ordinarily have had.
I discovered that my chocolate cravings were more linked to the chocolate than the sugar and I could without too much adjustment switch to unsweetened or barely sweetened chocolate quite happily.
I discovered that a lot of fruit has been bred to have such a high sugar content that it doesn't count as healthy. Grapes have, since my childhood, been bred to be so large (reducing the ratio of sweet pulp to skin) and to have such a high sugar content that they are, like watermelon, something you should not offer a diabetic, as you might as well offer then candy.
I discovered how very little sugar can still count as a treat for social times. Last Tuesday (my once a week social time where I allow myself sugar) I was cutting myself 1/8th of each mini Halloween candy bar, and I did not in the least feel like I was missing my treat. Probably the extra effort of carefully cutting a 1/8 pie segment out of a peanut butter cup less than an inch in diameter made it acquire a higher value to my mind than it would have if I had considered eating the thing whole. It was less than a full bite to begin with, and of such cheap quality it would have been rather nasty - but the tiny morsel I got of it was almost too small to taste before it was gone and I felt that I had gotten something special.
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:58 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]
Many years ago I just stopped eating sugar. I'm someone who, especially when I was young, ate a lot of sugar. A lot! And about 15 years ago I just stopped. Honestly, for me there were no immediate detectable benefits -- other than the fact that once I stopped eating sugar I no longer craved it, because the more sugar I ate, the more sugar I wanted to eat. As with so many addictive things, stopping breaks the craving. While there weren't a lot of other tangible benefits, I knew there were many long-term benefits healthwise, so I've kept it up, though not in a super strict absolutist way. When I go out to eat, am with friends, etc. I'll have dessert or whatever. But I don't bring it into the house and it's no longer a part of my daily life, and I don't miss it. I also don't eat processed foods, which I think can sneakily keep the addiction going.
posted by gigondas at 7:22 AM on November 21 [5 favorites]
posted by gigondas at 7:22 AM on November 21 [5 favorites]
I have been slowly reducing the amount of sugar in my diet over the last year. TBH it's been an ongoing process - for years I've stayed away from added sugars in things like yogurt, spaghetti sauce, etc. But I love a good baked good, even if it's a manufactured baked good, and for the past year or so I've been very consciously bringing fewer of those into our house. It's not been a complete all or nothing b/c I have teenagers and they would revolt but a gradual reorienting of the ship for all of us. For me the trick was to figure out what would be a treat that I would find satisfying instead of the less healthier option, and what my different triggers and cravings are. Is it the sugar, is it the volume, etc. I don't worry to much about real fruit (but I don't go overboard) - frozen mango has a lot of sugar but its way better for me than oreos, etc. That's one option if I need something with some 'volume', and it's even more delicious with a few cashews and some kefir poured over it. If I need something just ....sweet like candy, dates have a lot of sugar but I can't imagine binging on them, 1, 2 max is plenty. When I first started I add them more frequently, now I might go weeks without having a date. Greek yogurt with berries and maybe a few very dark chocolate chips, apple slices with cinnamon. Lastly when I feel like I just really want a brownie, I've found a couple recipes that I really like that are very low in sugar and do a good job of fulfilling the mouthfeel of a baked good. One is a black bean brownie recipe, the other is an almond flour cookie. Is someone going to mistake it for a brownie, no, but I really like it and I don't feel deprived. Oh, and alcohol drinks are a very rare indulgence.
As far as how I feel, I have way fewer blood sugar slumps than in the past and have felt really good, and I'm much more aware when I don't feel good or feel like I used to feel. I don't feel like I miss out on things at social gatherings, but I am really aware now of how we substitute sugar and other treats for other things we need emotionally, etc. There was an ....issue.... with the halloween candy and I felt soooo awful, worse than I have in the past, so I can tell my sensitivity to it has really changed, which makes it easier to avoid it. My goal is to develop habits that adjust my preferences so that I don't feel denied, it's just how I live. B/c I know for myself that if I feel restricted or denied I'll rebel against that. Physically I've lost about 15 pounds over the last year and my bloodwork changed a lot, but I believe thats been a combo of changing food choices + my eating schedule.
posted by snowymorninblues at 7:34 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]
As far as how I feel, I have way fewer blood sugar slumps than in the past and have felt really good, and I'm much more aware when I don't feel good or feel like I used to feel. I don't feel like I miss out on things at social gatherings, but I am really aware now of how we substitute sugar and other treats for other things we need emotionally, etc. There was an ....issue.... with the halloween candy and I felt soooo awful, worse than I have in the past, so I can tell my sensitivity to it has really changed, which makes it easier to avoid it. My goal is to develop habits that adjust my preferences so that I don't feel denied, it's just how I live. B/c I know for myself that if I feel restricted or denied I'll rebel against that. Physically I've lost about 15 pounds over the last year and my bloodwork changed a lot, but I believe thats been a combo of changing food choices + my eating schedule.
posted by snowymorninblues at 7:34 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]
I did this for a month fairly strictly, like I remember making my own mayo because all the store bought stuff has sugar in it. I think maybe I fell of the wagon a bit around 3 weeks in during my partner's birthday.
I didn't really notice any health or mood effects but it certainly forced me to eat healthy food because pretty much all convienence food has sugar. And it largely kept me from grazing on subpar pastries etc at the office. It was an interesting experiment.
posted by ambulanceambiance at 7:37 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]
I didn't really notice any health or mood effects but it certainly forced me to eat healthy food because pretty much all convienence food has sugar. And it largely kept me from grazing on subpar pastries etc at the office. It was an interesting experiment.
posted by ambulanceambiance at 7:37 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I quit all added sugars, including agave, honey, artificials, etc. I read labels. I do eat foods with sugar in them, like fruit, etc. There's a great subreddit with lots of support in case you want more interaction with like-minded people.
Benefits: no more nightmares ever ( I linked nightmares to eating a sweet treat after dinner a few years ago). Fantastic skin. No more cravings. No more mood swings (sugar highs and lows). No mid afternoon energy crash.
It's not hard at all. If you're not a purist you can still eat things like ketchup and bread, but once you become a label checker, you'll see that every goddamn thing has sugar in it. I too am a all or nothing person and I actually enjoy finding the hidden sugars in anything processed. There are sooooo many ways they try to hide it. That's a list, and it isn't even all-inclusive. They keep coming up with new words for sugar, so you have to keep educating yourself. Once you stop eating it, you can taste it in anything you eat. Like...I cannot even eat a banana now, it's disgustingly sweet.
posted by the webmistress at 7:54 AM on November 21 [4 favorites]
Benefits: no more nightmares ever ( I linked nightmares to eating a sweet treat after dinner a few years ago). Fantastic skin. No more cravings. No more mood swings (sugar highs and lows). No mid afternoon energy crash.
It's not hard at all. If you're not a purist you can still eat things like ketchup and bread, but once you become a label checker, you'll see that every goddamn thing has sugar in it. I too am a all or nothing person and I actually enjoy finding the hidden sugars in anything processed. There are sooooo many ways they try to hide it. That's a list, and it isn't even all-inclusive. They keep coming up with new words for sugar, so you have to keep educating yourself. Once you stop eating it, you can taste it in anything you eat. Like...I cannot even eat a banana now, it's disgustingly sweet.
posted by the webmistress at 7:54 AM on November 21 [4 favorites]
Best answer: I've greatly reduced added sugar (I keep it to dessert, and not every day) and definitely noticed a difference in my energy - I rarely crash, whereas before I could barely stay awake after dessert. If you want to shake the all or nothing mindset you can start by keeping added sugar to 24g, the American Heart Association recommendation. I don't notice much of a difference between eating no sugar and eating a few grams.
posted by beyond_pink at 8:03 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]
posted by beyond_pink at 8:03 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]
A friend of mine has this approach that works for him: he doesn’t eat sugary prepared foods, but if a friend offers him a homemade treat, like something they baked or made, he will have it. So that means he’d have a pastry of someone made it but not one at a cafe or from a store package. I like this approach, as it makes it special and makes it an easier rule to follow.
posted by bluedaisy at 8:11 AM on November 21 [8 favorites]
posted by bluedaisy at 8:11 AM on November 21 [8 favorites]
Best answer: Yes. I did so as part of a temporary medical diagnosis. I felt great doing it and would recommend it to anyone. I did not limit naturally occurring sugars, and I did do things like add a drizzle of honey over full fat yogurt topped with nuts, seeds, and berries. It materially increased my intake of whole foods , and I strongly believe that that assisted with resolving some micronutrient deficiencies.
There is absolutely a brutal withdrawal period at the start if you eat a lot of processed sugar. Push through, and you won’t regret it.
posted by moosetracks at 8:13 AM on November 21 [4 favorites]
There is absolutely a brutal withdrawal period at the start if you eat a lot of processed sugar. Push through, and you won’t regret it.
posted by moosetracks at 8:13 AM on November 21 [4 favorites]
If you are looking for a less “all-or-nothing” strategy, some things I’ve used with success are:
-eat something with protein first and then if I still want sugar I can have it
-eat X (some large amount; I’ve done things like a pound of frozen vegetables or a pound of roasted Brussels sprouts) of vegetables per day. My goal overall is to eat a less carb-heavy diet because I get carb crash easily and the veggies tend to quietly displace carbs a bit without inducing grouchiness about it.
posted by needs more cowbell at 8:22 AM on November 21 [3 favorites]
-eat something with protein first and then if I still want sugar I can have it
-eat X (some large amount; I’ve done things like a pound of frozen vegetables or a pound of roasted Brussels sprouts) of vegetables per day. My goal overall is to eat a less carb-heavy diet because I get carb crash easily and the veggies tend to quietly displace carbs a bit without inducing grouchiness about it.
posted by needs more cowbell at 8:22 AM on November 21 [3 favorites]
I removed added sugar from my diet two years ago. Interestingly, I have since discovered that I've lost my taste for the stuff. It just tastes wrong in my mouth for some reason. You may discover that cutting sugar out completely is easier than trying to moderate your intake.
posted by SPrintF at 8:27 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]
posted by SPrintF at 8:27 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]
I also did this. You can taper down (I went HARD on dried fruits/dates at first but eventually cut those out). I also quit eating processed food. My rule was that if the ingredients list was something I could make at home if I were inclined to, it was okay. Because we still have to live in this world feed this body and they make it very hard. Now I am more lax but also more mindful. I notice that if I want something sweet, I can just eat it and move on with my life, it is not a daily craving or uncontrollable. Sometimes it IS emotional/hormonal, and I feel fine about that, because it feels more clearly defined.
Edited to add that I personally feel like restricting it to certain days would make me binge without thinking how my body feels, personally I had to go pretty strict for a few months after tapering down, and then I allowed myself to be more lax. Honestly I’m probably at a point where I should tighten up again, but it’s easier from here than from there.
posted by jeweled accumulation at 8:35 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]
Edited to add that I personally feel like restricting it to certain days would make me binge without thinking how my body feels, personally I had to go pretty strict for a few months after tapering down, and then I allowed myself to be more lax. Honestly I’m probably at a point where I should tighten up again, but it’s easier from here than from there.
posted by jeweled accumulation at 8:35 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I was essentially sugar-free for 20 years. I had maple syrup on some weekends. I had some servings of home-baked things for holidays, knowing the family bakers would not be around forever. If I went out, my treat was cream or half and half in my coffee.
Once you stop it, you don't crave it, and if you have some, it doesn't taste good. Even low-glycemic fruit may seem too sweet.
Unfortunately, I went back to it around 2005. I am working on resuming my old habits. I will have a minimum of things at holiday time and then use Lent as an opportunity to get back on track. Obviously that won't do for everyone.
I highly recommend the no-sugar lifestyle! If you need, work out some rules, standards, guidelines -- whatever concept works best for you. Just don't make it punitive!
posted by jgirl at 8:35 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]
Once you stop it, you don't crave it, and if you have some, it doesn't taste good. Even low-glycemic fruit may seem too sweet.
Unfortunately, I went back to it around 2005. I am working on resuming my old habits. I will have a minimum of things at holiday time and then use Lent as an opportunity to get back on track. Obviously that won't do for everyone.
I highly recommend the no-sugar lifestyle! If you need, work out some rules, standards, guidelines -- whatever concept works best for you. Just don't make it punitive!
posted by jgirl at 8:35 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]
I'm a long-term sugar-avoider. I'm not sure if this is useful to you but I will describe what it feels like for me.
I'm not strict with myself about sugar because I don't need to be. I never crave it. I eat very small bites of sweets reasonably frequently, something like once or twice a week? Just because someone offered me a bite. By the time I finish eating the bite it's like, yeah that was nice but enough already, I'm all sweetened out.
There have been times when I have eaten a lot of added sugar for a few days (diwali, christmas, etc). I should note here that for me "a lot" is eating three oreos in one sitting or a whole laddoo, and then eating a full slice of apple pie for dinner, and then eating banana bread for breakfast next day. And boom! That level of sugar consumption does lead to craving more sugar in the next few days.
But due to my ADHD, once the package of oreos or that cake or that pie is finished, out of sight is out of mind. I literally forget that what I want is, in fact, a sweet. It's not like buying or making sweets is part of my routine, so there is nothing around. There follow a couple of weeks when I'm just walking around repeatedly opening the fridge and pantry doors getting grumpier and grumpier, and it never even occurs to me that the thing I am craving is sugar. I get mad at my hormones for being weird and impossible to satisfy. Soon enough my gut microbiome readjusts to normal and we're good for a few months again.
Now if I could only lay off the salty crunchy junk and get to a place where my gut microbiome naturally adjusts to never craving them, that would be g.r.e.a.t. But microbiomes are tenacious and strong and they are influencing me in ways I cannot possibly control with mere willpower. It doesn't make sense to feel ashamed about it. We are who we are, we are also the microbiome we contain.
posted by MiraK at 9:53 AM on November 21 [4 favorites]
I'm not strict with myself about sugar because I don't need to be. I never crave it. I eat very small bites of sweets reasonably frequently, something like once or twice a week? Just because someone offered me a bite. By the time I finish eating the bite it's like, yeah that was nice but enough already, I'm all sweetened out.
There have been times when I have eaten a lot of added sugar for a few days (diwali, christmas, etc). I should note here that for me "a lot" is eating three oreos in one sitting or a whole laddoo, and then eating a full slice of apple pie for dinner, and then eating banana bread for breakfast next day. And boom! That level of sugar consumption does lead to craving more sugar in the next few days.
But due to my ADHD, once the package of oreos or that cake or that pie is finished, out of sight is out of mind. I literally forget that what I want is, in fact, a sweet. It's not like buying or making sweets is part of my routine, so there is nothing around. There follow a couple of weeks when I'm just walking around repeatedly opening the fridge and pantry doors getting grumpier and grumpier, and it never even occurs to me that the thing I am craving is sugar. I get mad at my hormones for being weird and impossible to satisfy. Soon enough my gut microbiome readjusts to normal and we're good for a few months again.
Now if I could only lay off the salty crunchy junk and get to a place where my gut microbiome naturally adjusts to never craving them, that would be g.r.e.a.t. But microbiomes are tenacious and strong and they are influencing me in ways I cannot possibly control with mere willpower. It doesn't make sense to feel ashamed about it. We are who we are, we are also the microbiome we contain.
posted by MiraK at 9:53 AM on November 21 [4 favorites]
I cut out sugar about two months ago, and I'm stoked that I did. The first week or so felt a bit hard, but after that, I have had no cravings at all. My "rules" are that I do use honey or stevia when I want to, I eat things with natural sugars like fruit, and I don't fuss with the hidden sugars that exist in store-bought things like bread or salad dressing. I have eaten a friend's homemade treats at a dinner party, but I found it not at all difficult to go back to no sugar the next day.
I have lost weight. I have [some other medical] reasons for why I'm making these changes but overall I feel great.
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:46 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]
I have lost weight. I have [some other medical] reasons for why I'm making these changes but overall I feel great.
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:46 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]
This is going to be different for everyone, and I’d guess it’s also different depending on your activity level/stress/age.
I gave up added sugar for three weeks in my early 30s. For the entirety of those three weeks I felt angry all the time. At the end of it I’d gained weight. I did notice I was focusing better and the cravings went away fairly fast, but I can’t stress enough how constantly pissed off I was. I think the weight gain was because I was trying to find new snacks and nothing felt satisfying so I’d eat way way more.
If I tried this now I might have completely different results! But it did not go well for me.
posted by lepus at 11:30 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]
I gave up added sugar for three weeks in my early 30s. For the entirety of those three weeks I felt angry all the time. At the end of it I’d gained weight. I did notice I was focusing better and the cravings went away fairly fast, but I can’t stress enough how constantly pissed off I was. I think the weight gain was because I was trying to find new snacks and nothing felt satisfying so I’d eat way way more.
If I tried this now I might have completely different results! But it did not go well for me.
posted by lepus at 11:30 AM on November 21 [2 favorites]
Ooo yeah I forgot the best thing! I no longer have to get up in the middle of the night to pee. That is apparently some pre-diabetic thing...having to get up to pee midway through your sleep cycle. I always got up at least once to pee when I was eating sugar (sometimes more depending on how much sugar I ate that day), regardless of how much water/liquids I had to drink or not drink before bed. So that is probably the biggest (and most welcomed!) change for me.
posted by the webmistress at 12:13 PM on November 21 [4 favorites]
posted by the webmistress at 12:13 PM on November 21 [4 favorites]
I've gone on a couple of one- to three-week sugar fasts: no processed sugar, no added sugar, and I tapered for a few days beforehand with lots of high-fiber berries because my habit was really around chocolate and ice cream. So I used the fruit to bridge the break in habit, then I eliminated the fruit.
Like for moosetracks, it was brutal at first. Maybe four days? Headaches, irritability, antsy, inability to focus - or maybe just realizing how many times I interrupt what I'm doing to grab a few chocolate chips to nibble on. Once I was through that first push, it was fairly easy. The cravings were gone and my taste buds found much more satisfaction and richness in non-sugared foods than they would when I was eating sugar.
The social aspects of quitting were difficult. Especially in my family of origin where gatherings only center around meals and the ingredients are very processed. So I had to plan my fasts strategically to avoid self-sabotage. Definitely after the holidays, and not around a set of birthdays.
Physically I was very healthy already, so it didn't do much weight-wise. My skin perked up, but I wasn't acne-prone to start, it was just a little firmer, glowy. I think my energy level was a better, but not a lot. More noticeable for me was just the balance that came with not being leashed to a habit. That was nice. Not having a little squirrel chewing at the edge of my brain every few minutes asking if there's something I'm supposed to be doing... like eating sugar.
Going on another sugar fast has been a goal for 2024 and I haven't succeeded yet. The other times I fasted I wasn't a parent. These days, I have other people to feed who have high-calorie needs so it's been beyond impossible for me to buy ice cream and cookies every week and make whipped cream for fruit, and then...abstain? I got very good at not bringing sugar products into the house, and when I'm on my own I can revert to that behavior, but I haven't been able to break the habit once things are in the house.
posted by cocoagirl at 1:03 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]
Like for moosetracks, it was brutal at first. Maybe four days? Headaches, irritability, antsy, inability to focus - or maybe just realizing how many times I interrupt what I'm doing to grab a few chocolate chips to nibble on. Once I was through that first push, it was fairly easy. The cravings were gone and my taste buds found much more satisfaction and richness in non-sugared foods than they would when I was eating sugar.
The social aspects of quitting were difficult. Especially in my family of origin where gatherings only center around meals and the ingredients are very processed. So I had to plan my fasts strategically to avoid self-sabotage. Definitely after the holidays, and not around a set of birthdays.
Physically I was very healthy already, so it didn't do much weight-wise. My skin perked up, but I wasn't acne-prone to start, it was just a little firmer, glowy. I think my energy level was a better, but not a lot. More noticeable for me was just the balance that came with not being leashed to a habit. That was nice. Not having a little squirrel chewing at the edge of my brain every few minutes asking if there's something I'm supposed to be doing... like eating sugar.
Going on another sugar fast has been a goal for 2024 and I haven't succeeded yet. The other times I fasted I wasn't a parent. These days, I have other people to feed who have high-calorie needs so it's been beyond impossible for me to buy ice cream and cookies every week and make whipped cream for fruit, and then...abstain? I got very good at not bringing sugar products into the house, and when I'm on my own I can revert to that behavior, but I haven't been able to break the habit once things are in the house.
posted by cocoagirl at 1:03 PM on November 21 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks everyone, really appreciate all of your perspectives! I decided to experiment with it a bit and made myself some rules for as long as I still feel like I'm getting something out of them:
- Natural sugars in fruit, etc always ok
- Added sugars including major amounts like cake and minor amounts like bread or mayo only allowed on days I'm not working (allows me to avoid feeling like I'm missing out during social events)
Thursday and Friday went well, today I've had minor sugar (bread) but nothing serious. This comment from cocoagirl explains EXACTLY why I want to try this:
More noticeable for me was just the balance that came with not being leashed to a habit. That was nice. Not having a little squirrel chewing at the edge of my brain every few minutes asking if there's something I'm supposed to be doing... like eating sugar.
I stopped eating processed food for a few months probably 10 years ago and the shifts in mindset and awareness have stuck with me, even during times when I choose to eat processed foods (vs processed foods being the only option I really understood). Interested in finding the alternatives to added sugars too.
posted by Eyelash at 2:19 PM on November 23
- Natural sugars in fruit, etc always ok
- Added sugars including major amounts like cake and minor amounts like bread or mayo only allowed on days I'm not working (allows me to avoid feeling like I'm missing out during social events)
Thursday and Friday went well, today I've had minor sugar (bread) but nothing serious. This comment from cocoagirl explains EXACTLY why I want to try this:
More noticeable for me was just the balance that came with not being leashed to a habit. That was nice. Not having a little squirrel chewing at the edge of my brain every few minutes asking if there's something I'm supposed to be doing... like eating sugar.
I stopped eating processed food for a few months probably 10 years ago and the shifts in mindset and awareness have stuck with me, even during times when I choose to eat processed foods (vs processed foods being the only option I really understood). Interested in finding the alternatives to added sugars too.
posted by Eyelash at 2:19 PM on November 23
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posted by shadygrove at 6:46 AM on November 21 [1 favorite]