giving up sugar - help!

Sugar free Jello, sugar free gum.  Only 2 things I've been able to come up with.

Just my opinion, but I would steer clear of the sugar-free gum.  Most SF gum contain at least one or more of the artificial sweeteners -  sorbitol, mannitol, or xylitol.  All of which are known to cause some major GI distress - cramping, diarrhea, gas, etc.  When I went to see a gastroenterologist because I was having some GI issues, he suggested to quit the gum chewing (at the time I was heavily into chewing SF gum).  Once I stopped, a lot of my stomach issues calmed down.   

That's interesting. 

Very interesting about the gum! I would have tried that suggestion too. Now that I think about it, I remember that trick from Biggest Loser. 

 

FWIW when I was on a Ketogenic diet the sugar free jello got me though many a night I wanted ice cream instead.

I don't know if this helps a great deal but dried fruts, homemade lara bars, and homemade salsa really help me to stay away from cookies, ice cream, etc.  I started to get to the point where I would feel like crap the next morning after eating ice cream and decided to make a change.  I started eating the items mentioned above along with more protein and salads and a lot of my late night cravings subsided since I fed my body better.  Also, if you're tired at night, go to sleep.  Staying up late (for no reason) is a great way to fall into temptation.

My temptation to snack came at night since I didn't bring snacks to work with me.

I JUST made the home made Lara bars about 1/2 an hour ago! I'll have to give the jello a try too. Honestly I'm just so hungry, I can't get over it! I feel like I've been eating all day but my stomach keeps growling. My body knows something is missing! I still have the headache but I was definately not as tired this afternoon as I usually am.  
Thanks for the suggestions everybody!!

You'll adjust.  Just have to tough it out for a few days.

Adding these fruits to cottage cheese is a great late night snack too.

you'll be fine.. i gave up on sugar almost 3 years ago. I cut sugar out of everywhere .. even my cereal resembles cardboard.. no soda drinks, no sugar in coffee or tea.. candy bars ? -out.. i figured there was enough sugar in the fruits i eat that i didnt have to worry about getting more.

Just an update, I feel a lot better today already. This morning I woke up and my headache was finally gone. I don't feel like I have the shakes and I'm not so hungry. Whew, hope that was the worst of it!

I've been sugar free for over 2 years now.  I lost 60 pounds the first year and have maintained it since then.  Gum has helped greatly!  It was very hard, my headache from combined sugar and caffeine loss lasted about 4-5 weeks or so as did my bad attitude.  My energy level skyrocketed shortly after the headaches left.  I decided to give it up for the weight loss and also, as you said, I just didn't feel good.  Don't give up on giving it up.  It has been so worth the lifestyle change. 

I do put one teaspoon in my coffee every morning and afternoon as well as a touch of honey in the occasional tea.  I started eating more fruit as well as grapes in yogurt (stoneyfield farm french vanilla...yummmmm) as a replacement.

Good luck and glad you've joined the sugar free ranks!

If you have a Kroger-type store, check out their "carbmaster" yogurt.  Only 2g carbs.  Tastes awesome and higher protein than regular yogurt.  Does have some artificial sweetners, though.

X2 on the carbmaster yogurt.  You can also try Greek Yogurt as it's much lower in sugar than typical brands.  However, it's also typically pretty expensive.  Kroger does have a generic brand that is only .89 cents but I can get 2 or 3 carbmasters for that.

I gave up sugar over 2 years ago and other than 2 or 3 slips I have not really had much of a problem with it.  Those first few days are typically referred to as "Induction Flu" by low-carb dieters.

When I was in active weight loss I kept carbs to around 30-40 per day.  Now that I have been maintaining for about year I keep it around 80-100. 

Good Luck.

Edited by Batlou 2010-10-13 3:25 PM

Gave up sugar 8 days ago.  I find that fresh pineapple gets me thru my sweets cravings.  I will definitely try frozen grapes.   My overall energy is higher and my 3pm crash is no where near as bad as it used to be.  WOW, I just realized that I have not craved sweets all day...that's a first!!!!!!

On Sunday we attended my wife's grandmothers 101st birthday.  Had to have a piece of my mother-in-laws homemade boston cream cake after lunch.  It was absolutely delicious but I feft like crap the remainder of the day.

Good luck and stick with it.

How did they turn out?

They were REALLY good! Then I realized the all natural dried cherries I bought were sweetened with sugar. GRRRRRR. My grocery shopping options are really slim here so now I'm shopping for dried fruit on line.

So far so good other than the cherry slip up though. I really feel a lot better, no big crash in the afternoon. My kids have stopped asking for candy, now my 2 year old asks for dates. Hillarious!! I still crave something sweet after lunch and supper. I don't know if that will ever go away. The worst part was having to turn away the sweet little girl scouts the other night

Cinnamon is supposed to satisfy sugar cravings.  I really like The Good Earth Sweet & Spicy tea in the evening when I feel like rifling thru the cabinets for something sweet.

Mine haven't (cravings after supper) but I notice they are much more managable if I eat enough calories throughout the day and eat the homemade bars.  Glad they turned out well.  Good luck.

This post could have been labeled 'giving up alcohol'. I gave up sugar, then fell off the wagon (Halloween Candy should be banned). I eat extremely well otherwise, but can't stay off the sugar. Need a better way than cold-turkey (turkey...with marshmallow covered sweat potatoes, and sugary cranberry sauce). Is there a sugarholic anonymous support group?

I hear ya! I'm not usually very good at giving things up cold turkey either but I'm really determined this time. I was in some kind of sick of it mood and just went with it. I was really feeling awful (achey all over, low energy, crash every afternoon). I was way overboard though - maybe you should go on some kind of binge and make yourself sick then give it up again LOL. I'm kidding of course!! Now that I've quit I'm sticking with it because of my children. My daughter parrots everything I say and do (age 2) and my son is already in the habit of having a "special treat" after dinner every night (age 4). So now I've told my son Friday is "treat" day and if he's still hungry after dinner he can have a piece of fruit.

By the way - we saw the biggest marshmellows ever at the grocery store yesterday. As big as tennis ball. On the way home I was dreaming of the smore I could make with those........