The Sweet Poison Quit Plan

[Snacks]

Has anyone done this or doing it currently? It's just a sugar detox.
I have bought the book and have decided to give it a go. My problem with food is that I just don't stop eating. I know what's healthy but just never stick to it. I'm hoping that by excluding sugar my body will self-regulate my hunger better and I'll not crave things as I'm so used to doing.
I'm now on day 2 of being sugar free. Well, almost. After church this morning I took a bite of a biscuit (just out of habit!) and then realised what I'd done! LOL.
Anyway, does anyone want to join me on this journey? If you would like to know more about the theory/ies in the book or are keen to reduce your sugar intake, drop in.

ETA: You can't live without sugar. This program is about reducing excess sugar. So Lactose and Glucose are 'safe' sugars. Fructose is the nasty. And I know that's the one in fruit and veg! But there are fruits with lower fructose and higher fibre and they are 'allowed' (max 2 pieces/day) and any veg is ok because the fibre totally outweighs the nastiness of the fructose.

[sangie]

Amy I'd be interested to know the theories on sugar cravings and how to stop them! Most days I get sugar cravings mid afternoon and I'm not so good at controlling it. I also have PCOS and I'm trying to drop some weight so there's a reason for me to reduce sugar, if only it was easy though!

How do you feel after 2 days suger free? I'm thinking about buying the book, might go and take a quick look at this week!

[mrsmac]

OMG NOOOOOOO!!! Who will I share tasty yummy treats with over a cuppa now??? I have noticed you being very strong recently when i tried to tempt you but please rejoin the dark side!!!!

[CrazyLady]

I've found that if I have slightly more protien in lunch, I don't get an afternoon sugar craving. A dietician once told me that sugar cravings are due to not enough protein and I seriously have noticed a difference if I even have a handful of nuts for morning tea or some of the ground sunflower seeds on my yoghurt in the morning

HTH

[Loula]

OK while i was TTC i cut out all processed food, which most contains sugar and i also only ate food that i made myself so no takeaways, I was then 12kg lighter than i am no

so i brought this book but yet to open it but will gladly follow you with this! IM IN!!!

i just wish i could have a handful of nuts but with DS recent outbreak of hives i will have to wait

but Yay to having a sweet poision quit buddy

[Snacks]

MrsMac, that brie is still allowed! Cheese and bickies! Fat, eggy breakfasts! All ok Just not sweets.
Sangie, I am enjoying the book and I know I'm only on day 2 but so far I really haven't missed anything. The theory is that when you eat proteins and fats your brain produces a hormone that tells you when you are full. That hormone doesn't get produced when you eat fructose. Some of us are particularly sugar-sensitive and eating it mucks up our body's mechanism of knowing when to stop. Once you have withdrawn from sugar, apparently it becomes much harder to overeat. That's why fatty foods are ok if you are off sugar - it's the sugar that makes you eat too much.
There is a whole book about it called Sweet Poison, but I think the Quit Plan version might be a bit of a revised and abbreviated version, with ideas about how to get rid of sugar from your diet. I am not going as hard-core as him. I am the only one in the family kicking the sugar addiction, which makes it a bit more challenging as I will have to stay strong when I open the fridge and cupboards! I also believe in exercise a lot more than he does.

[Snacks]

Woohoo, Lou
Bummer about the nuts. But there are other good things to snack on too I've treated myself to a couple of really nice cheeses (I haven't bought any muesli bars or chocolate for myself this shop so this was my trade-off).

[Loula]

You know there is also a FB page!

[Snacks]

Ah! I might pop on there at some stage.

[mrsmac]

Does that mean you'll bring a triple brie over this week?? Can I have the quince paste to myself then??

Loula- I am not coming to stay again until you are off this LOL

[Aligater]

Im trying this but the cravings are so bad for me

[sangie]

Thanks Amy, sounds interesting! I'll check out the book. I reckon it would be so much easier if I could convince DH to do it with me and then I could get rid of lots of things in our pantry/fridge. Fat chance of that though, he loves his desserts!

Aligater, cravings are bad for me some days too. Just not sure I'm going to be able to cope with no choccie

[Megan]

I heard about this book a few days ago. I am definitely up for it. I wont have a chance to get to a book store until the end of the week.

[jackrose]

Oooo, do it!

I am a complete convert, evangelical about it since reading the book in October. I think this is about the 4th thread i have replied to about giving up sugar!!

I am here for the encouragement though cos i gave up the stuff at the end of October and it has been amazing. Firstly I didn't find it too difficult once i had read the book and been inspired by the information. Sangie, I was like you, the only one in our house to be giving up sugar so have to make my way around all of the temptation. However, I am just not tempted any more. Stuff with sugar such as mayo or relish just tastes too sweet to me now and ruins the taste of everything else. I even bought dh an ice cream maker for christmas as He is a sugar fiend and regularly make him ice cream without having a desire for any for myself, that is how successful it has been to shake the habit and see the light. I just don't want it!

As for other successes, we don't have scales so i can't weigh myself but after being unable to shake 2 babies worth of baby weight and moving from a size 12 pre babies to pushing size 16 i am back to pre baby clothes again! No other changes in diet or lifestyle. As much as i would love to introduce exercise (I'm with snacks, definaetly a bigger believer in exercise than the author of the book) i will do that more when life is a bit more under control. Still, i am wearing a skirt i haven't worn for 8 years!! I lost most of the weight in the first 4 weeks and have been dropping it since. I was offered left over cakes and pasteries this arvo, right in the middle of what should have been the 4pm sugar low - and didn't miss a beat in saying no. It is only in relection now i see how far i have come. I had 3 hours sleep last night and should would have needed that sugar a few months ago.

And the final benefit, i have made it through the past few months without going insane! My dd2 is still not sleeping very well and i am beyond shattered in terms of my physical and emotional state. It has been incredibly heavy going and i really thing the only reason i am hanging in there is that I am not a slave to the sugar roller coaster.

Nuts, fruits and veg are my new best friends

Good luck to you guys on the sugar free journeym i hope this has inspired!!

PS- i am not a diet, willpower sort of person, i just see this as a sensible life change that was worth a shot and in hindsight, necessary. X

[jackrose]

Sorry, dbl post... iPad has a mind of it's own, and is responsible for dodgy typing.

[Loula]

Loula- I am not coming to stay again until you are off this LOL

Is that all i had to do? you should have told me before you came last time? lol

did i tell you that i love you xx

[Yael]

Yep, we are doing it here to. Finally a book (I recommend reading Sweet Poison to get the science behind it all) that has studies to back it up on why it works. The Quit Plan is more the way to go about it. I liked the explanation on how it becomes a chemical addiction, and really emphasises that you have to really not want to eat sugar to give it up, otherwise it is just like any other deprivation diet which will ultimately fail.

I just finished the Quit Plan book, so have to give it DH to read, but we are pretty much sugar free, or very sugar reduced, and now working out what we can buy etc.

Going to go and buy the sweet Poison book (originally got it from the library), so I can re-read it when I am feeling weak!

[Snacks]

Ooh, Jackrose, how wonderful to hear all that! I was wondering if I could withstand the temptation of having sweet foods about for a DH who is very much able to regulate his sugar intake (so why should he be deprived?) and a DD who needs all the calories she can get in any form. Sounds like I am similar sizing to you, pre-kids I was a 12 and now I can wear 14 (but am most comfortable in 16). I don't mind so much about weight as dress size. I want to wear my old work clothes again! I spent a fortune on that lot, LOL!
Aligater & Sangie: I think you can gradually go off it if you want - he does mention it seems to be harder for women than men to go cold turkey. My problem is that I have tried to 'limit' myself before ie 2 pieces of dark chocolate at night when I get the sugar munchies, but then all too easily 2 pieces turn into 4... and then 6. And then I think, 'ah, bugger it' and before I know it I've had a bit more chocolate, a zooper dooper and a few spoonfuls of ice-cream... you get the drift. But perhaps you may be able to do it. Any reduction is good, but it's only once you're off the stuff that your body starts working 'properly' apparently.
Mrsmac: LOL, yes to both. (Although I still have diseased children this week - Natty this time. *Sigh* Maybe she'll have kicked it by the end of the week.)

My problem is definitely my stupid forgetfulness! This morning I poured N a juice and took a sip without thinking. LOL, just silly stuff like that. I suppose that's more like inhaling someone else's smoke than lighting up my own though, isn't it? Otherwise I am really pleased with my progress!
I am on day 3 and I honestly feel really full and satisfied - like I am not being deprived of anything. Last night I got the urge for nibbly sweets like chocolate or a zooper dooper (it's a night time habit) but I got out my box of nuts instead and had a few of those and they did the trick. I am not expecting to lose weight for a little while as I have been eating quite a lot. But the author says this should settle down once I've withdrawn.

If anyone hasn't got the time or $$ to get the book and would like a rundown via PM with basics and suggestions on where to start, just let me know. It's fairly simple though - anything with 'sugar' on the label (including 'fruit juice concentrate' or 'fructose') are out!