Tag Archives: sugar

Time To Give Up Sugar? Day 15, 16 & 17.

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get off sugar, no sugar diet, should i give up sugar, is sugar bad for you, the white stuff, is sugar evil,This programme has been an eye-opener. I knew there was a lot of sugar in food, but looking at food labels is incredibly depressing. I even got sent some water for possible review and it had 12.5g of sugar added. Half your daily allowance! Why anyone would take something as healthy as water and add sugar is beyond me.

On Day 15 Laura sends me Meal Inspiration via email:

 

Meal Inspiration 

 

Breakfast | Half a tub of cottage cheese on rye bread with half an avocado & some cherry tomatoes (a nice non-egg, non nut option!)

 

Lunch |  Try a large tuna salad and add half a can of chickpeas, some feta cheese, roast sweet potato and a sprinkling of seeds to bulk it up. The more ingredients, the more tasty!

 

Snack | Chicken shavings (from the deli) and a slice of tomato on an oatcake

 

Dinner | Palma Ham covered chicken with shaved parmesan tucked inside, with some mashed squash and broccoli.

What I have mostly learned from this diet is that it is possible to eat, and eat well, without having any sugar whatsoever. You can still enjoy your food and have good meals and drinks. I will put some recipes together for you.

I have more energy now and I feel better about my health. No crashing sugar highs and lows. I can’t say it is not hard, it is. I still want tea, and chocolate. All those things that I am not allowed. I am over two weeks into the diet and still feeling positive. The acid reflux I used to have is gone.

I made a pie yesterday. It took about four hours but was very healthy with steak and a lot of vegetables. I have been eating well and the food I have been eating is delicious. I am feeling positive for the rest of the programme, and next week will also be allowed fruit and dark chocolate. Can’t wait.

Happy Sugar Habits

 

 

Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Day 13 & 14

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To be honest I found this week harder than last. I already knew I would as for this week and next I am not allowed sugar, including all fruit except for, avocado, tomato, lemon and lime, no white pasta or bread and no couscous. I am finding it very restrictive but the worst thing is that I am only drinking herbal tea and water. Boring and I have never particularly liked herbal tea.

But the real reason I have found this week hard is because a close member of my family has gotten seriously ill. There were a few times when I just didn’t know what the point was. But enough negativity. This programme has been very good for me and I am happy I have done it. I have another two weeks to go and I really miss certain foods but I a thinner and healthier. I have also found out just how much sugar is in things and how bad it is for you. Before I was just living in denial.

I recently moved into a flat and have lots of unpacking to do. In the middle of boxes I have yearned for some tea and biscuits. I know I can eat great food which does not have a lot of sugar but I find snacking hard. Especially as I can’t even eat fruit.

Then something amazing happened. I use an app called Fitness Pal, it adds up the calories of your food and also breaks them down into sugar, protein, etc. My sugar intake before the programme was always in the red. Sometimes by 100g! I haven’t used it since week one of the diet when I was still allowed fruit. I used it and not only was I in the green but the most sugar I have had is 15g. Pretty impressive. I also noticed that a homemade Gin & Tonic has no sugar! That made me happy as everything I was drinking was boring. I needed substance.

I still want a lemonade but today in the supermarket I looked at all of the food labels and I was just shocked at how much sugar they put in everything. Even white bread and fruit juice have a lot of sugar. I also get some different herbal tea to shake things up a bit.

We have a picnic in the park and I only drink water and eat well. I end up cancelling it out by not being able to say no to a chocolate eclair but, somehow, I still feel proud. I wish I had more willpower at that moment but I am still proud of myself. This programme is life changing, I am looking into the sugar content of everything I eat and making healthy decisions, chocolate eclair excluded.

A new week of the programme is about to start and I am optimistic. The ginger tea I got tastes good enough and I will be experimenting with vegetables. Onwards and upwards.

Http://happysugarhabits

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Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Day 12

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get off sugar, no sugar diet, should i give up sugar, is sugar bad for you, the white stuff, is sugar evil,I have been doing well this week. But today I am really missing all of the things I am not allowed to have. I have had a hectic and hard week and not being able to indulge just hasn’t been fun. I am half way through the programme and it is fair to say that I am flagging. I also still have headaches and the sunny weather outside makes me want a lemonade. I went to an event last night but had no cocktails, just white wine.

I am holding on to the reasons I agreed to do the programme in the first place to get me through. Sugar is getting a lot more bad press. I want to be healthier and I have already lost weight. Laura’s daily text messages get me through and so are her emails full of tips and inspiration. The weekend is here and I don’t want to break. I am going to have no sugar, no fruit and no white bread or pasta. It won’t be easy but I will manage.

I have been eating a lot of chicken and bread. There is a lot of great food out there and we end up eating the same things. I hope to try something new this weekend. Let’s see what I can rustle up.

Could you give up sugar?

Http://www.happysugarhabits.com

Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Days 10 & 11

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Still going! Which is quite surprising to me. Yesterday went well. I have been trying to get my taste buds to like tea without sugar. I’m not there yet but Laura is confident that one day I will be.

It hasn’t been completely no fun. I had a roast chicken for dinner and I still had champagne left over from my birthday which I drank in the evening. I still had some grapes left over and I had a few because I have an ability to throw out food. I know it breaks the diet for week two but it was three grapes. Well, that is what I am telling myself anyway.

Although I find the diet hard I am also quite enjoying it. I like to push myself and do hard things. My energy has returned, in fact, I seem to have more than ever. The headaches come and go but with less intensity.

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I have been eating a lot of vegetables which makes me feel healthier and I am sure there is an improvement in my skin and hair. The truth is; in the past years I have read a lot of books and articles about the dangers of sugar. But sugar tastes nice and is addictive and I never thought I would have the strength to get off it. I am shocked at how well I have been doing during the diet. I miss sugar, to be perfectly honest I might love sugar, but when something is bad for you, you need to find the strength to cut back. I am not saying I will never eat sugar again- that would actually be impossible- but I will always be vigilant and watch my sugar intake, even after this diet has finished.

There is great food out there that is actually good for you as the two pictures show. Vegetables do taste nice and can be cooked a variety of ways. Cheese and bread are great. Although I am getting sick of the latter.

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Sugar gets a lot of bad press. Yesterday’s Daily Mail had this blaring headline:

Is sugar an invisible killer? Even ‘safe’ levels of the sweet stuff could lead to an early death, scientists warn

Scary stuff indeed but read this article from NHS Direct before completely freaking out.

Another point to make is that we are in an obesity epidemic and the reason so many people are overweight is because of sugar. A calorie is not a calorie, sugar tends to covert quickly to fat and spikes your insulin levels. No wonder over three million people in the UK now have diabetes. Sugar has also recently been linked to a higher dementia risk.

Our diets are killing us and if we exercised the power of ‘no’ we would be living longer, healthier lives. I am going to be researching sugar and bringing you my findings along with recipes and my progress. Please add your own comments and any recipes below.

I have managed to do well until day 11 but I am not perfect. After a piece of devastating family news yesterday I had a cup of tea, two sugar. That along with the grapes means I could definitely be doing better, something I promise to do for the rest of the week. Wish me luck!

 

Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Day 8 & 9

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get off sugar, no sugar diet, should i give up sugar, is sugar bad for you, the white stuff, is sugar evil,Yesterday was my birthday and before I agreed to do this programme I promised that my birthday would be a day off. Otherwise I was not sure I could agree. While I did ‘break’ the diet to a degree something else happened: healthy sugar habits.

In my phone call to Laura, my mentor me off sugar mentor, she looked over the questionnaire that all people who do the programme fill in. The questionnaire is lots of food questions so Laura can access weaknesses and what your eating habits are. We both realise I am not an emotional eater but that I tend to use drinks with sugar and caffeine in to boost my energy and get me through the day. I asked her about alcohol as, although I do not drink a lot in my personal life, my work life requires me to review alcohol and go to parties were cocktails flow freely. Laura says the programme is not overtly strict and alcohol is allowed, the sugar is generally burnt off, but to be careful with the affect of alcohol on blood sugar levels. Rose and sweet cocktails are out: dry white wine and red wine are in.

So back to my birthday: small gift cake (yes, really! What has happened to me? I could have had any cake and choose one about the size of my fist and give most of it to my other half), only white booze which is not sweet and two cups of tea. While this is diverting from the programme I am proud of myself. My birthday is usually a decadent blow out.

Birthday aside, now the real work begins. Week two and three are far stricter: no fruit except avocado, tomatoes, lime and lemon, no dark chocolate, no white bread, pasta or couscous. No fruit drinks either. Yikes.

It is scary but I have already decided to take this seriously. I am already slimmer and Laura says I am doing well. I feel like I have been through the worst of the detox and there is new opportunity to open up my culinary horizon. I saw a cake on my friends Facebook page and felt I was missing out, and then I just think about my health. I feel I have been abusing my body with large quantities of caffeine and sugar.

Last week I did better than I thought I would and this week I am determined to do even better. I will be posting some recipes and facts about sugar. I already feel better about my health and the future in general. It sounds like a strange thing to say but we live in a very convenient society. To flex your willpower and say no, even to things you really want, makes you feel powerful. You even think about the next obstacle to climb, the next thing to conquer. This is hard, but that makes it more worthwhile.

Time To Give Up Sugar? Day 6 and 7

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get off sugar, no sugar diet, should i give up sugar, is sugar bad for you, the white stuff, is sugar evil,I am at the end of week one and Laura is happy with me. Laura is a reformed sugar addict and Mentor Me Off Sugar is her programme. She also has an excellent website.

My first call was with Laura today and she talked me though what I could and could not eat. I filled in a questionnaire and she has gone through all of my eating habits. My weakness is tea and fizzy drinks. If I skip a meal when eating out it is usually dessert. I do love chocolate, biscuits and sweet treats though.

Week one is the easiest of the four. In week one and four you are allowed fruit and dark chocolate. You are eased into the programme but week two and three are harder: no fruit apart from avocado, tomatoes, lemon and lime. No chocolate and no white bread, pasta or cousous. Sob.

Yesterday was relatively easy despite it being the weekend. I had a cup of tea because of the weakness, fainting and headaches but apart from that, and a square of the Green & Blacks organic dark chocolate I had in my goody bag from the Sure Improve Rooms, I don’t break despite a long walk with lots of temptation. I feel very proud of myself. Even better, a lot of my friends have sent me emails of encouragement and articles about sugar. I feel happy and healthier. I now have a 26 inch waist in just a week. I have also lost weight from my hips and my stomach. I still have a headache but the intensity is less. Both Laura and I agree that I have gone through a strong detox because of the headaches – which were so bad they made the migraines I had as a child feel easy- nausea and weakness. Another reason for the strong detox is the lack of caffeine. I just cannot drink tea without sugar.

Today I feel more energetic. I am slimmer and feel happier. I still miss tea, fizzy drinks and cakes but I am determined to get through to the end of the programme. My body is already changing and I want to give my all. I can feel myself being converted to a healthier lifestyle and I start to think of what else I can do. I am using bread, butter and cheese as a crutch for sugar and Laura says she did this too. The next step is also to get off bread. I love bread but we will see what happens. I have also decided to take up Pilates and yoga. I am almost surprised at this new and improved me. I can’t see a future without sugar yet, but I can see one with moderation. Another benefit is that amount of work I get done: anything to distract me from sugar and how great it tastes.

What do you think? Would you give up sugar?

 

Time To Get Off Sugar? Day 5

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Today I turned down Jaffa cakes, did not buy any fizzy drinks despite the hot weather and only had one cup of tea. The headaches are still there but with a slightly less intensity. I still feel fainty and at one point really think I am going to pass out. I am not sure if this is normal but it must be due to the combination of sugar and caffeine withdrawal. Thankfully I feel like I have more energy today.

I go to the supermarket and want to buy sugary stuff but I don’t. Instead I spend £7.50 on good bread and butter. Which seems excessive! It is a lot of money but there are good things in life that are not sweet. I am learning more and getting ideas. There are wonderful recipes and lots of different foods to try.

I still want tea, coke, chocolate and biscuits but I have come this far. Five days in I already have a slimmer waist and my energy levels are returning. I bought some skinny jeans yesterday and they fit well.

This week is the easy week. I am allowed dark chocolate and fruit. Next week I am not even allowed fruit, couscous or white bread. But I am proud of myself so far. I am even beginning to enjoy herbal tea. Something I have not enjoyed in years.

So day five and all good. I have salad and fish cakes for supper. The salad is colourful and tasty. This morning I had scrambled eggs, salmon and wholemeal toast. Lunch was tortilla. There is a lot of great food out there I can still eat. Since I am such a foodie I am channeling the programme in a positive way, one of better health and new experiences. Onwards.

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Time To Get Off Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Day Four

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This has gotten interesting and a little bit complicated. Yesterday after getting a cup of tea to stop myself fainting I remembered I had an event. And Events equal cocktails and canapés. Thankfully none of the canapés were sweet, but the cocktails, I assume, were. I am not sure if they break the diet or not as I cannot remember them being on the no list, but I am smart enough to know I probably shouldn’t have. I had two but they were small and they did not put sugar in. It is a slip but I am hoping not a big one.

I go to the Sure Improve Rooms with my friend, Mail on Sunday journalist Holly Thomas, and she is amazed that I have managed three days on a no sugar diet. It is not fun at the moment to be honest, I have a constant, awful, headaches, I have no energy and I am craving cake and chocolate. On the way back Holly and I check out our goody bags. “If there is chocolate in here I am going to kill myself.” I tell Holly dramatically. There is, but by some joyous miracle, it is Green & Blacks dark chocolate. On week one I am allowed dark chocolate. I am so happy I actually hug Holly. Before the event I was busy so I grabbed a Sainsburys Meal Deal for lunch. I usually get a coke with this. I look at if longingly but with pride I grab a bottle of water, yes, water! I almost cannot believe myself. Who knew I had this willpower?

Today I went into London and I saw tea shops, constant coca cola signs and people with the cans or bottles on their hand. I have lunch in Pret and they have fizzy juice. I really want a San Pellegrino, chocolate or cake but I don’t break. We are constantly bombarded with images for foods full of sugar and salt that are terrible for us. In the house it is easier but there are the headaches and the weakness to contend with. This is not easy but I have noticed I am already less bloated just four days in and my cravings are being replaced with something stronger and greater: determination.