30 days... No sugar!

[stephie_corin]

For anyone who would like to join us, we are doing 30 days of cutting out refined sugar!

I plan on taking a moderate approach. If sugar is listed on the ingredient list but way down after a bunch of other healthy ingredients I will still eat it (yogurt and muesli for example) but chocolate, cake, ice cream etc is all on the no go list!

I'm also going to avoid all artificial sweeteners (I do this anyway but it's a good reminder) and sweeteners like agave and maple. Stevia is the only allowable sweetener for me and it tastes terrible so I'm sure I won't be having too much!

I almost tripped up this morning making breakfast. I added cocoa to my oats and was about to add maple syrup... Oops! So I added two packets of stevia instead and it tasted awful! Must stock up on dried apricots for tomorrow!

My goals are to clean up my diet and also reintroduce some exercise (oh exercise, how I've missed you!!).

I think we should check in often over these next 30 days to see how we are all getting on

X

 

[Aimee4311]

I'm here with you!
Snack ideas:
Fruit
Veggies with hummus
Yogurt
Cheese (I love cheese!)
Nuts

What else?

 

[stephie_corin]

Awesome Aimee! What is the exercise thing you and DH are doing?

Snack ideas:

- hummus/salsa with oat cakes or other healthy savoury biscuits;
- slices of tofu and tomato (and fresh basil if you have it) with olive oil;
- for those who eat seafood, tuna or salmon.

I've also got these great sugar craving busters from a book I'm reading:
- have snacks high in protein and fat like nuts, seeds and avocado
- sip herbal tea and you can sweeten with stevia
- lemonaid made with fresh lemons, stevia and mint
- green smoothies (let me know if any one wants any recipes... It's basically a smoothie with spinach or other greens). Polaris and Bananaz, it's a great way to get greens into toddlers and you can't taste the spinach, promise!
- rice cake with almond butter or baked sweet potato
- almond milk with cocoa and stevia
- floss, brush and gargle with mouth wash
- have a change of scenery until the crisis passes... Go for a walk, take a bath or have hot s*x (it actually says this!)

I've done well today! I have had a couple of fresh squeezed juices and loads of herbal tea. Dinner is always tough for me as the sweet craving hits so hard after my meal.

My little sister is into fitness and health in a big way and she said to me: sugar is like a drug... You'll feel withdrawal symptoms the first few days and then you'll get over it and feel great!

X

 

[bananaz]

Stalking!

 

[stephie_corin]

Breakfast was awesome... Oats and flax porridge with raisins, cinnamon and a big scoop of peanut butter! No sugar!!

I did have a real moment of weakness last night while DH tucked into some chocolate. I ended up eating some cereal and feeling really sorry for myself!! Lol.

 

[bananaz]

So I failed today :\ I had peanut butter and jelly on a whole wheat bagel without realizing that both the peanut butter and the jelly had sugar added. Heck, the bagel probably even had sugar lol. This is harder than expected!

 

[bananaz]

Breakfast was awesome... Oats and flax porridge with raisins, cinnamon and a big scoop of peanut butter! No sugar!!

I did have a real moment of weakness last night while DH tucked into some chocolate. I ended up eating some cereal and feeling really sorry for myself!! Lol.

Ooh that breakfast sounds yummy. I'll have to have some oatmeal tomorrow.

 

[Aimee4311]

Didn't this start as just no chocolate for 30 days??

I don't generally eat a whole lot of sugary things. Chocolate was my main thing.

Today I had:
Sandwich on whole wheat-ham, Colby jack, spinach, and tomato (this is my standard sandwich and I usually have it for breakfast most days!)

Leftover spaghetti with a salad (I don't use any dressing)

Chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans

Snacks were:
Almonds
Mozzarella cheese
A peach

 

[donna413]

So funny, I just wrote on my goals list to cutt out sugar and now here I am reading your post. No turning back now!!! My 30 day will start today!!!

 

[stephie_corin]

So I failed today :\ I had peanut butter and jelly on a whole wheat bagel without realizing that both the peanut butter and the jelly had sugar added. Heck, the bagel probably even had sugar lol. This is harder than expected!

Bananaz I totally would have eaten that without jelly and considered it a win! My peanut butter has sugar too! It's literally in everything!

Welcome Donna! X

 

[stephie_corin]

Aimee you did great! I find it funny you have a sandwich for breakfast! That's strictly lunch food where I'm from (Australia). I'm the same as you, chocolate is my one real sweet treat weakness but I thought we should challenge ourselves!

So after breakfast I had:

Lunch 1: Amy's organic tofu and spinach wrap and an apple and walnut muesli bar

Lunch 2: (I'm a pig!) couscous with tofu and tomato with some vegan butter and nutritional yeast

Dinner: gnocchi with a tomato and lentil sauce

Snacks: handful of raisins
Peanut butter on a spoon
Ella's organic red fruit pouch (ok, we are BLW and I totally buy this for myself!!! I got them before I was even pregnant, I thought they were mini smoothies!)

I really need to do a grocery shop and get some more fresh fruit for snacks!!

 

[threebirds]

Good luck girls
I think this is a great idea.
And Id love to join you. As Ive already been bad today, I'll start tomorrow. My starting weight is 13 stone. I really want to clean up my diet. Am also waiting for a juicer I ordered to arrive. Snack ideas include:
bananas
french toast
advocado sliced on rice cakes
nuts
homemade popcorn

For breakfast today I had fruit salad, nuts & seeds.

I will find it hard to keep off the chocolate tho!

X

 

[stephie_corin]

Hi threebirds! I think cutting refined sugar is so important for our health and can lead to weightloss, improved mental clarity and just generally feeling better! I'm really glad you are joining us! When my diet is at its cleanest is when I always feel my best. I forgot about popcorn - it's such a great snack!!

Your breakfast sounds great!! xxx

 

[stephie_corin]

Breakfast was oat+flax seed porridge with raisins, cinnamon and peanut butter (I love this combination!)

Lunch was leftover pasta

Dinner was a frozen organic Amy’s meal (sad I know, but relatively healthy, no sugar and DH is working late).

Snacks:
- Banana
- Tofu microwaved and topped with tomato pasta sauce from a jar
- Bowl of cereal
- Yellow pepper with hummus

I did have a small fail. I bought some throat lozenges that have manuka honey in them. I thought it was better than artificial sweeteners though!
I
’m really battling sweet cravings after dinner. It’s definitely my weak time!!

 

[Twinks]

Girls I'm joining you too if you don't mind ;-)

Breakfast: weetabix and milk with mango for pud
Lunch: salad with egg, chicken and avocado
Tea: was on the run so an egg mayo sandwich with some fruit after

Been at work today so not had as much as usual- tomorrow will be the challenge as I'm at home with lo which is lethal for my sugar cravings lol! Had a hen do at the weekend and ate soo much I have to join u all for a 30 day detox! Chocolate is my soft spot and I think I'll find it really hard but shall try hard too :0)

 

[polaris]

OK I'm back from my weekend away so I will start tomorrow. I'm not going to be really strict on things that have sugar as an ingredient because it really is in everything. But cakes, biscuits, chocolate, ice-cream, etc. are all out.

It's so true that sugar is an addiction. I have given up sweet stuff a few times before and honestly after the first couple of weeks I found I didn't even miss it. But when you are eating it all the time you crave it. I do think it's a challenge with breastfeeding because I get SOO hungry and just want the instant energy. Loving all the non-sugar snack ideas - keep them coming!

 

[Aimee4311]

Today has been good so far-
Breakfast- breakfast sandwich (egg, sausage, cheese on whole wheat) with OJ

Lunch- cheeseburger and fries (not healthy, I know!!)

Dinner will be an egg salad sandwich (I just realized I eat a lot more sandwiches than normal people, but I love them!!)

Snacks have been: a plum, butternut squash

 

[stephie_corin]

Hi Twinks and Polaris! Great to see you here too!

I'm actually finding things a bit easier today ... The first few days were rough and I ate a lot of dried fruit but today I was eating a date and but bar and I actually found it too sweet!?

My good hasn't been great today, very carby!

Breakfast: porridge (same as usual!)

And I haven't really had any meals after that but I've snacked on:

- banana
- bowl of cereal (quinoa and rice) with almond milk
- avocado on oat cakes
- roasted sweet potato
- date and nut bar
- oat cakes with peanut butter
- muesli bar

And for dinner I'm making rice bowls with chilli beans.

I still really need to improve my veggie and fruit intake! Its hard when on baby duty as I always find myself grabbing something easy (hence the chocolate addiction!) - I agree Polaris, when breastfeeding all you want are quick, easy calories!!

Amy, you do eat a lot of sandwiches!! Haha! What bread do you eat? X

 

[Twinks]

I've managed to stay away from the sweet stuff today but seem to eat far too many carbs which bloat me! Today I've had:

Breakfast: weetabix and milk (weetabix will come up a lot for my breakfast posts as I love it lol)
Lunch: tomato and cheese sandwich
Snack: yogurt
Dinner: way too much of macaroni cheese dish I baked with cauliflower cheese, broccoli, tomatoes and spring onion. Was ridiculously yummy and I had about three servings oops :0(

But no junk-yay!

 

[Aimee4311]

Yay Twinks! That Mac n cheese dish sounds delicious!

Today I had-
Breakfast- egg salad sandwich with a salad.

Lunch- chicken, Mac n cheese and baked apples

Dinner- three cheese tortellini with butternut squash for dessert. Yum!