SUGAR-FREE tribe. January thread

[babygrant]

T, hope you don't mind I started the January thread

How is everyone doing?

[babygrant]

Forgot to sub :

[crunchyconmomma]

okay, fell so far off the wagon that i can't even see it right now, but now that the stinkin' holidays are behind us, i can try, try, try again.

so i'm glad i found the january link....

and i am very "proud" of all you cyber friends who stuck it out! you lend great inspiration!

[litlwons]

Happy New Year!!!!
I have had a tough holiday as far as sugar goes.... but here I am here in 2007 and wanting to be clean of it again! I had a hang over this morning from pizza I had last night....ugh I felt horrible. My body is becoming more and more sensitive to sugar and refined grains. I feel grateful for this though because it is becoming so obvious to me the foods that I am able to eat and feel good. I want to feel good! Also before the holdays began for me ( about December 16th) I was feeling soooo "awake" and I know this is due to the sugar hiatus.

I have been looking at the Traditional Foods threads a lot lately, it seems to make so much sence to me. Anyone else trying to to eat in a NT/TF style? How is it for you?

Happy New Year !

Kathleen

[litlwons]

I forgot to sub.....

[HRC121799]

I'm doing pretty good, but honestly only because I went to the local candy maker yesterday, and discovered their sugar free section. OMG, I only spent $4, but that was enough,lol. But now I know what they have...so, anyways, having that has kept me on the "no sugar (ahem, no *real* sugar) wagon. Maybe I'm hanging off the back of the wagon,lol.

I start school on Wednesday. Going to college (never been). Only one class at the school, two are online. Should be fun. Have a lot of healthy snacks/meals planned so I don't cave to everything easy. Because for me, that could mean caving on the sugar free, and that would be baaaaaad!

Happy New Year everyone!!!!!!! I resolve to add exercise (yoga) to my daily routine. I fell off that wagon a few months back. I need it badly. Keeps me stretchy,lol. And to stay sugar free!

[raksmama]

I really have wanted to join for sometime but just kept eating small amounts here and there over the holidays so I can't really say i am 100% sugar free yet! Can I join tomorrow?

[ju-cee]

Hi, I'd like to join U

I have read the last 2 threads...I too have the addiction and whenever
I eat sugar or alot of carbs the cravings go OUT OF CONTROL!!
I can TOTALLY RELATE to all your stories...it sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My family has diabetes and alcoholism hx and i had insulin dependent
gestational diabetes w/my 2nd dd.

I was sugar, dairy and yeast free along w/careful carb counting for 4 mos. I have lost at least one pantsize but fell off the wagon the week before xmas...eating cookie dough, it was SO GOOD!! then I got :Puke and could only tolerate saltines etc for 5 days so I have resolved to get back on the wagon now w/the new year.
I can definetly tell the difference in myself, it's NOT good.
I too, listened to the moderation voice in me and from well-meaners, bad idea...It was my big fear that I would keep it going for a while then fall off....but I'm trying HARD not to let that discourage me...I'm focusing on the feeling of wearing clothes that havent fit for >5 years!! and possibly getting a whole NEW wardrobe soon!!
need to start exercising.....been consumed w/diet management sometimes it gets overwhelming... having to constantly think about each meal.... :

Question #1, when you say sugar free..do you mean obvious sugars, candy, dessert, ice cream, soda etc or are you talking any HFCS, organic cane juice etc. How closely are you all reading labels....b/c it's hard [as I know you know] it's in EVERYTHING!!! I was doing very well but still using soy milk in my coffee..has that organic cane juice...I'm not supposed to have that either..allergic according to my ND, which is how all this started.
that and a >60# weight gain...now in the morbidly obese catagory..:

?? #2 What's w/all the frosted and toasted biz on your sig lines? curious!

Glad to have found you the support will be GREAT!!
Nice to know I'm not alone or: nut

[ShannonCC]

I'm doing ok Many little infractions over the past week but dh saved me this weekend. We ordered out for New Year's Eve and I said we should go out and buy ice cream. He said no. I said come on, it's New Year's Eve and he said "You made it through Christmas" so I shouldn't give up now Is he awesome or what? I was just tired from a day of walking in the city with kids so I guess a sugar fest was looking good.

ju-cee, different people do this different ways. I think HFCS is pretty bad and most people who avoid sugar avoid that too (even many people who don't avoid sugar do avoid HFCS!). What I'm doing is reading labels and seeing how high sugar is on the list. I'm avoiding "sweets" like cookies, candy, chocolate chip muffins, etc but I'm not stressing too much about other stuff where sugar is a minor ingredient. Like last night I bought a package of Indian food at the supermarket and there was sugar in the ingredient list but it's way down there after chicken and garbanzo beans and most of the spices so I went ahead and got it.

Though lately I'm wondering if I should be more strict, at least for awhile. Or maybe the hard week I've had is just because of the holidays.

But ironically, the stricter you are, the easier it is on you. If you remove all sugar from your diet, the cravings will be gone a lot sooner. If you keep sugar in your diet in a significant amount (even if you've cut back) it will take a lot longer to get over them (if you do!). So I guess it depends on how much sugar is in that soy milk.

[PrairieBohemian]

Originally Posted by litlwons

I have been looking at the Traditional Foods threads a lot lately, it seems to make so much sence to me. Anyone else trying to to eat in a NT/TF style? How is it for you?

Hi Kathleen,

I'm a NTer and have never felt better!

I have had more slips than I would have liked over the holidays but not major binges. I am going through some pretty serious stuff in my family life right now and and really having a hard time holding on. I just want ANYTHING to help me escape this pain.

Anyway, I'm just checking in to say I am going to be away for a while. I need to distance myself from MDC and start addressing the chaos in my life.

Hugs to you all. Hope to be back soon!

[babygrant]

to you T. Take care of yourself and your family and everyone will be waiting with open arms when you get back.

[Anna06]

from all of us animus

[kimya]

Hello! Can I join in?!

Today is my first day back on the sugar free wagon! 5 years ago I quit sugar. I was strict about reading labels and only having things sweetened with fruit juice or brown rice. I lost 35 pounds, my skin and hair were so healthy and I felt great! No cravings after awhile, but it all ended with a piece of lemon meringue pie (3 years ago)!

I lasted 2 years then, and haven't been able to do it again. Even though I swore I would when I was pregnant, and then again when I started nursing. :

I (and my whole family) am a recovering alcoholic. I just celebrated 8 years sobriety. I definately feel a similarity between sugar/wheat/yeast and alcohol.

No one (except for other sugar addicts) take this seriously, so I am glad to have found this thread! I need support this time! Last time my (ex)boyfriend and I quit together so it was easier. Now my DH is European and a fan of the treat with tea every day schedule. And bread for breakfast!

Thanks for being here!

[ibex67]

subbing 'cause I know this would be good for me but not sure if i'n ready to do it...

[amyable]

Needing to do this too! I've given up many things before (for nursing allergic children reasons) but never sugar. It was always my crutch! Well, it's done its damage...I'm going to try to take the next month to quit cold turkey the obvious sugars and wean off of simple carbs.

[henhao]

I am delighted to find you all. I wish we all lived in the same place and coul dhold our own sugar-free potlucks!

I made it thorugh 3 parties without eating sugar. --sigh--. It is SO hard. I did eat some refined grains though, and I should not be doing that. But that is better than all-out sugary stuff.

During the holidays, we visited in inlaws. It was exhausting to have all that sugar around me. They make about 10 different kinds of cookies. UGH! Finally, I broke down and chose ONE cookie to eat. I ate it and you know what? It didn't taste that good. I wish I had done that earlier, so I didn't have to suffer the whole time.

When I eat sugar, I get very painful rashes that itch like crazy. As I get older, I get more sensitive to the sugar.

Bit by bit, I am getting to a point where I can leave cake and cookies...my main problem is getting stuck at work and being hungry. I pack a LOT of food but it is not enough so I will just have to pack more. I guess the healthy food I mostly eat does not stick to my ribs.

Well, I am getting it figured out.

I am pleased that my baby rarely gets more than a runny nose because we are essentially on a whole foods diet.

Thank you for starting this thread!!

[HRC121799]

Originally Posted by ju-cee

Question #1, when you say sugar free..do you mean obvious sugars, candy, dessert, ice cream, soda etc or are you talking any HFCS, organic cane juice etc. How closely are you all reading labels...

?? #2 What's w/all the frosted and toasted biz on your sig lines?

First, welcome! And when I say sugar free, I mean no added sugar, and also no HFCS, I'd rather have sugar than HFCS honestly,lol. I don't use organic cane juice or honey. I *have* eaten candy with sugar alcohols in it (malitol, xylitol, etc.) because I needed that or I might have gone nuts and gotten Krispy Kreme or something,lol. I read all labels closely. I do use 100% fruit juice. Ice cream, no more (but if I were to eat it, I'd get the most expensive, yummiest kind, because if you're gonna do it once in a blue moon, it's gotta be perfect and worth it!), no soda, no store bought desserts if they have sugar. I am allowing the sugar alcohols for now, because they don't damage teeth, and that's the major reason I started sugar free, was recently having $15,000 in dental work done, my teeth can't handle sugar, no matter how much I brush/care for them (aside from the fact that sugar makes me feel like crap).

I do read bread labels (found an excellent tasting one with no sugar or honey, Montana Wheat brand) and cracker labels (though we only buy crackers every few months). If something does have sugar, I look for it to be at least the 4th ingredient or further.

Oh, and the frosting thing, it's just like the "I've been booed" thing around Halloween, someone just PM's you saying "you've been frosted" and voila, you're supposed to put it in your sig. I think the word is out I'm trying to be sugar free, no frosting has been sent here,lol.

Kimya, Henhao, Amy, welcome! And to the ones subbing but not sure,lol, welcome as well. This thread has been wonderful for me.

Animus, {{{{hugs}}}} thinking of you!

Doing well sugar free today, sugar free purely-o's w/ a banana & 100% cranberry grape juice for breakfast, grilled cheese w/vegetable soup for lunch with 100% sparkling orange mango juice (and okay, a sugar free rasberry chocolate jelly stick thing,lol). For dinner, I'm thinking fettuccine alfredo for me & the kids while dh is at work, but that may turn into chicken sandwiches if I don't feel like boiling water. And an apple of course.

[Pariah]

This is a great thread! I am subbing. I've been working hard to really limit my sugar intake, but I would love to be sugar-free.

[EyesOfTheWorld]

Oh, I'm so glad I found this thread!! I'm going sugar free again after a loooong break. I was sugar free for about 6 months, felt so good, lost so much weight - got pregnant again (a time when I should be eating healthier!!!) and gave in to the cravings for sweets, and it's been a downward spiral ever since.

I *really* got bad over the holidays, and I recognized how much it was controlling my moods (I blew up at dh and was snappy with the kids, as soon as I ate a piece of candy I was fine, repeat daily), how unhealthy I felt and looked... I just need to get off it. My dh is 100% behind me, but won't give up his coffee loaded with sugar. I'm getting my oldest daughter off it too (dd2 hasn't been exposed yet of course), I can see an awful trend in the same direction with her.

I started yesterday, and I've done alright. I avoided eating any candy at a a friends house today who had it laying out *everywhere*, including my beloved red & green M&Ms. My dd was very upset when I asked her not to have any - anyone have any tips for getting a little one sugar free? She's only had very limited exposure in the past, but the holidays we all kind of let loose.

ju-cee - I'm cutting out HFCS, sugar, cane juice, and trying to limit fructose (because I know if it's not fresh fruit it gets cravings going for me). I use plain rice milk for smoothies in the morning, it works great in coffee too. Good luck!!!

kimya - I hear you on people not taking you seriously! It got so frustrating last time, I think this time I'm just not even going to listen. I get it for every aspect of my parenting and alot of other aspects of my life, why is it that with eating it's such a big deal? I wanted to tell you congrats on the 8 years!!! And I noticed your name and wanted to say I love what you do.

I'm looking forward to doing this again and having this support!

[purplegirl]

I've made a committment to going sugar free. I haven't added the crap to anything in years but being careful not to eat it in already processed foods has been difficult. I am a candy freak and it's been a whole two days since consuming any! This will be very hard for me (giving up sugar) but I am going to do it!