"No Sugar" - Week 2 & Beyond.

[neelu]

Are you guys counting fruit on this challenge? And are you really cutting all sugar out or do you have a daily limit? This sounds realy strict or have I got it wrong?

I have recently tried to eat better for my health condition (I have PCOS) and it is advised to eat as little sugar as possible and at most we are allowed 25g. I've been doing well and have lost a lot of weight. I have protein bars or fibre bars as they have more nutrition and have around 6g of sugar on average so I don't think these are a bad option as i can enjoy them with my tea. And 1 piece of 90% dark choc has less than 1g of sugar and its so decadent.

I tend to avoid fruit as its very high in sugar and spikes sugar levels but if i do have them I have berries which have the least amount of sugar and i eat with my meals which have fibre and protein so the sugar levels don't spike as much as thats really bad for my health.. or apples with peanut butter

The main rule on this thread is no sugar, meaning you don't put refined sugar in anything. Some people have implemented this more strictly in that they also avoid sugars from processed foods such as ketchup, ready meals as well. Some avoid honey and maple syrup and that sort of thing- I don't know if anyone is avoiding fruits though.

Do you mean at most you're allowed 25g sugar per day or per week? 25g sugar is A LOT in one day. Like you I also on average have about 1 teaspoon of sugar per day. About half a teaspoon goes into my tea and the other half is from processed or convenience foods such as (savoury) ready meals, ketchup etc and the occasional piece of dark chocolate.

My doctor suspected that I might have PCOS but two blood tests came back negative. She gave me a book called the PCOS diet and I remember thinking that sounds waaay too hard. I read it years ago so only remember a bit but the main thing was to avoid sugar and to lower carb intake. I've drastically reduced my sugar intake as I'm prediabetic now, but really don't do well with lowering my carb intake. It's quite tricky.

[aelmo]

Day 29!

almost there.

maybe part of the reason I’m in such a bad mood this month is because I’m not eating sugar. That’s what my sister says anyway.

I would say 80% of my bad mood comes from life and 20% is from not eating sugar. However maybe eating sugar would make me like 70% happier. Lol

i like the no sugar thing though but maybe my best challeyvan be that I only eat sugar 1 day of the week and I get to pick the day. But I will make it a rule that I am not allowed to accumulate days. So if I didn’t eat sugar one week that doesn’t mean that I can eat sugar 2 days the next week.

I think that kind of challenge will help me regulate my sugar intake more.


*this will start after the banana pudding and pumpkin spice lattes of course ☺️

[A Wandering Soul]

The main rule on this thread is no sugar, meaning you don't put refined sugar in anything. Some people have implemented this more strictly in that they also avoid sugars from processed foods such as ketchup, ready meals as well. Some avoid honey and maple syrup and that sort of thing- I don't know if anyone is avoiding fruits though.

Do you mean at most you're allowed 25g sugar per day or per week? 25g sugar is A LOT in one day. Like you I also on average have about 1 teaspoon of sugar per day. About half a teaspoon goes into my tea and the other half is from processed or convenience foods such as (savoury) ready meals, ketchup etc and the occasional piece of dark chocolate.

My doctor suspected that I might have PCOS but two blood tests came back negative. She gave me a book called the PCOS diet and I remember thinking that sounds waaay too hard. I read it years ago so only remember a bit but the main thing was to avoid sugar and to lower carb intake. I've drastically reduced my sugar intake as I'm prediabetic now, but really don't do well with lowering my carb intake. It's quite tricky.

I'm really impressed at whoever is managing the stricter approach. I am generally avoiding things like ketchup but I sometimes like to have veggie sausages which have a gram or two in there. I didn't realise how certain foods have a lot of natural sugars in there. I realised that chickpeas have about 10g of sugar per serving of 180g which is quite a lot.

I'm following a PCOS dedicated group that say your allowed a maximum of 25g added sugars per day including fruit. But fruit is generally very high in sugar so i only have one portion of berries most days. I don't think 25g a day is that bad.. i was looking at how much sugar there is in a slice of cake or pastry and its usually like 25-45g per slice depending on what you buy. And banannas have 15g on average. So in comparison to that 25g throughout the day doesnt seem so bad in my opinion

I don't technically have the PCOS that shows up on the scan but I have all the symptoms for it. Been a lifelong battle for me. And insulin resistence is a big problem for alot of PCOSers so yeah reducing sugar is the way forward but very difficult when you have a sweet tooth. I've also cut out most dairy, I still have ghee and butter but changed the milk I have and don't have cheese. My body is doing better, I need to do a blood test to prove how much difference it's made.

[Fakhri-bin-Ali]

Day 29!

almost there.

maybe part of the reason I’m in such a bad mood this month is because I’m not eating sugar. That’s what my sister says anyway.

I would say 80% of my bad mood comes from life and 20% is from not eating sugar. However maybe eating sugar would make me like 70% happier. Lol

i like the no sugar thing though but maybe my best challeyvan be that I only eat sugar 1 day of the week and I get to pick the day. But I will make it a rule that I am not allowed to accumulate days. So if I didn’t eat sugar one week that doesn’t mean that I can eat sugar 2 days the next week.

I think that kind of challenge will help me regulate my sugar intake more.


*this will start after the banana pudding and pumpkin spice lattes of course ☺️

I think this no-sugar thing has been the opposite for me. Been feeling good, Alhamdulillaah... I'm not really a smiley, overly cheerful kind of person (unless it comes to children) but it kind of feels like I've been smiling internally throughout this whole month(!). Even this whole petrol shortage madness at the stations these last few days hasn't been able to change that.

Alhamdulillaah.

(On day 30)


Ps. Give it a go and see... Just don't go crazy on the chosen day. I think for a lot of people, that one day would turn into two and three and so on.

[neelu]

I'm concerned that I might have some sort of insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome, even though I'm average sized and not overweight but among Asians, even average sized people have high risk factors for type two diabetes. I am prediabetic. I try to have fenugreek regularly and I think it helps.

I'm really impressed at whoever is managing the stricter approach. I am generally avoiding things like ketchup but I sometimes like to have veggie sausages which have a gram or two in there. I didn't realise how certain foods have a lot of natural sugars in there. I realised that chickpeas have about 10g of sugar per serving of 180g which is quite a lot.

I'm following a PCOS dedicated group that say your allowed a maximum of 25g added sugars per day including fruit. But fruit is generally very high in sugar so i only have one portion of berries most days. I don't think 25g a day is that bad.. i was looking at how much sugar there is in a slice of cake or pastry and its usually like 25-45g per slice depending on what you buy. And banannas have 15g on average. So in comparison to that 25g throughout the day doesnt seem so bad in my opinion

I don't technically have the PCOS that shows up on the scan but I have all the symptoms for it. Been a lifelong battle for me. And insulin resistence is a big problem for alot of PCOSers so yeah reducing sugar is the way forward but very difficult when you have a sweet tooth. I've also cut out most dairy, I still have ghee and butter but changed the milk I have and don't have cheese. My body is doing better, I need to do a blood test to prove how much difference it's made.

I still think 25g a day of added sugars is a lot. If it's 25g a day of total sugars (meaning including natural sugars that are found in fruits and sweet vegetables such as bell peppers etc) then that's okay, but 25g "added sugars" suggests the amount of refined sugar per day (that's "added") on top of naturally occurring sugars found in fruit and veg etc. Are you in the US by any chance? Also mind if I ask why you cut out dairy and what difference it made? I suspect dairy isn't good for me but already have such a restrictive diet, I wouldn't know what to eat if I cut that out as well.

[Fakhri-bin-Ali]

https://c.tenor.com/Y2wi23XcmtYAAAAC...-latte-psl.gif

[Fakhri-bin-Ali]

Day 32 almost over. Alhamdulillaah.

https://travelingandtraveling.files....ownload-2.jpeg

[Fakhri-bin-Ali]

Day 33 pretty much over.
Alhamdulillah.

https://media.istockphoto.com/photos...KrIVcAtmYPwSs=

[Fakhri-bin-Ali]

Day 1
Alhamdulillaah 'alaa kulli Haal.


Went to the Kaspa's yesterday with my nephew & niece.
Unsurprisingly, they had only a little of what we came back with and a lot was left... Ended up eating some to stop it all going in the bin.

:|

I guess I never learn.

Ah well... We go again.

[aelmo]

Day 1
Alhamdulillaah 'alaa kulli Haal.


Went to the Kaspa's yesterday with my nephew & niece.
Unsurprisingly, they had only a little of what we came back with and a lot was left... Ended up eating some to stop it all going in the bin.

:|

I guess I never learn.

Ah well... We go again.

You finished the month so don't beat yourself up over it.

The pumpkin spice latte was so good. I got a venti and finished it in like 5 minutes.

I got my banana pudding today but it was so rich that I gave half of it to my dad.

I wouldn't mind going back on the no sugar thing but I will do it the way I said earlier.

[Fakhri-bin-Ali]

You finished the month so don't beat yourself up over it.

The pumpkin spice latte was so good. I got a venti and finished it in like 5 minutes.

I got my banana pudding today but it was so rich that I gave half of it to my dad.

I wouldn't mind going back on the no sugar thing but I will do it the way I said earlier.

Nah, I'm not going to beat myself up over it at all, tbh. It's been good, Alhamdulillaah. I'll go again, inshaa'Allah. I had a feeling the two monkeys would only need a box between them, if even that, and I expected their mum and dad to have more than they did, seeing as they like the stuff from there normally, but instead... Too much of it was just left there to eventually end up in the bin unless I had it myself.

Last time It was cake from the local cake-shop for them that was left to go to the bin unless I ate it. The thing is, their mum and dad tell me to not get them anything, but you can't really help it when they're so eager... If they were my own kids It'd probably be different. I'd make them finish off every last bit of it or nothing at all next time. (I like to think, anyway.)


-------
Yeah. Do whatever is manageable, insha'Allah, without becoming bad-tempered and grouchy... My thought process behind this really is to just rid the self of any temptation and laziness with grabbing chocolate / junk that's lying about by going those 30-40 days or so.
And Alhamdulillaah, that's what's happened. No desire to eat any of that... I was kind of hoping it would do the same for others but I guess we all have different mindsets and tendancies, which is fine, Alhamdulillaah - just as long as we are careful and keep in control.

[Mintchocchip]

I am doing no/low sugar. I have found that after eating no sugar for a good while just makes food like ice cream, cakes and chocolates taste really sweet and I don't like that kind of taste. Low sugar days for me would be either having a biscuit or two or a bite of chocolate or a couple of spoons of icecream.

I used to give in easily when at someone elses houses or if someone offered me something sweet. Alhumdulillah can now confidently say "No thanks" and stick to that even though they insist I have some.

[neelu]

Nah, I'm not going to beat myself up over it at all, tbh. It's been good, Alhamdulillaah. I'll go again, inshaa'Allah. I had a feeling the two monkeys would only need a box between them, if even that, and I expected their mum and dad to have more than they did, seeing as they like the stuff from there normally, but instead... Too much of it was just left there to eventually end up in the bin unless I had it myself.

Last time It was cake from the local cake-shop for them that was left to go to the bin unless I ate it. The thing is, their mum and dad tell me to not get them anything, but you can't really help it when they're so eager... If they were my own kids It'd probably be different. I'd make them finish off every last bit of it or nothing at all next time. (I like to think, anyway.)


-------
Yeah. Do whatever is manageable, insha'Allah, without becoming bad-tempered and grouchy... My thought process behind this really is to just rid the self of any temptation and laziness with grabbing chocolate / junk that's lying about by going those 30-40 days or so.
And Alhamdulillaah, that's what's happened. No desire to eat any of that... I was kind of hoping it would do the same for others but I guess we all have different mindsets and tendancies, which is fine, Alhamdulillaah - just as long as we are careful and keep in control.

Just an idea seeing as your comment is about taking kids out for dessert: I was watching a TV show (I think it was Dr Phil) in which they were talking about weight loss and how people develop bad eating habits. One person pointed out that when kids do something good, then consider giving them a treat that is not junk food related as giving them sweets and junk can cause them to develop that kind of emotional connection between comfort/happiness and sweets/junk. I used to give my pupils little chocolates (such as miniature heroes etc) as treats for doing well in quizzes and stuff but after that, I did that a lot less and started giving them novelty stationery instead, which they also really liked. I watched that years ago but that particular idea really stuck with me.

I'm not saying they can't have dessert on special occasions or can't be taken to a dessert or cake shop, but from time to time consider alternative treat ideas as well.

[Fakhri-bin-Ali]

Just an idea seeing as your comment is about taking kids out for dessert: I was watching a TV show (I think it was Dr Phil) in which they were talking about weight loss and how people develop bad eating habits. One person pointed out that when kids do something good, then consider giving them a treat that is not junk food related as giving them sweets and junk can cause them to develop that kind of emotional connection between comfort/happiness and sweets/junk. I used to give my pupils little chocolates (such as miniature heroes etc) as treats for doing well in quizzes and stuff but after that, I did that a lot less and started giving them novelty stationery instead, which they also really liked. I watched that years ago but that particular idea really stuck with me.

I'm not saying they can't have dessert on special occasions or can't be taken to a dessert or cake shop, but from time to time consider alternative treat ideas as well.

It's not actually too often, tbh, Sr Neelu (not from me anyway) when it comes to chocolates/desserts. They do get those other kinds of gifts / prizes much more often from me. It's a really important point that sister has made, though, and something we overlook too commonly. We're shaping and moulding their minds with these harmful tendancies potentially for life.

[A Wandering Soul]

I'm concerned that I might have some sort of insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome, even though I'm average sized and not overweight but among Asians, even average sized people have high risk factors for type two diabetes. I am prediabetic. I try to have fenugreek regularly and I think it helps.


I still think 25g a day of added sugars is a lot. If it's 25g a day of total sugars (meaning including natural sugars that are found in fruits and sweet vegetables such as bell peppers etc) then that's okay, but 25g "added sugars" suggests the amount of refined sugar per day (that's "added") on top of naturally occurring sugars found in fruit and veg etc. Are you in the US by any chance? Also mind if I ask why you cut out dairy and what difference it made? I suspect dairy isn't good for me but already have such a restrictive diet, I wouldn't know what to eat if I cut that out as well.

I've added a lot of things to help with insulin resistance, I have cinnamon in my porridge and chia seed breakfast, i drink fennel tea, tumeric and ginger are also good, i add them in with smoothies or milk tea. I was told i was almost pre diabetic, and as you said being south Asian and also having PCOS made me at higher risk for developing diabetes. How do you have fenugreek? I havn't tried that yet

Hmm yeah maybe you're right. I think it depends in where you are in your journey as well. I have 1 portion of fruit a day and usually around 10g from a protein bar and dark chocolate. I really like 90% dark but i realised later that doesnt mean just because it has less sugar in it doesn't mean you can eat loads of it as its very high in fat. No I'm in the UK.. but youre right 25g added sugar is maybe too much.

So I came across two women who have specially designed programms for PCOS and both of them recommend women to go gluten, dairy and sugar free. They said gluten and dairy could be causing inflammation in womens bodies and if you've been eating it your whole life you wouldn't even think you're body is reacting badly. So they suggest cut them out completely for a good few months and then add one thing back in and see how does your body react. Some women struggle with bloating, acne, constipation etc.

Personally I have cut out dairy (milk and cheese), i still have ghee and butter and i generally avoid white carbs, but still have one slice of wholemeal bread a day so am not strictly gluten free. I think it's difficult to say what exactly is going well in my bodyand what isn't as I've made several changes. So i can't say for sure if going dairy free has been good for me. I have lost a lot of weight since following this type of lifestyle so I'm doing something right but can't pinpoint what has been helpful/ unhelpful. I've never really struggled with acne, bloating or any digestive issues either alhamdulillah

I'm not sure where you are from but I think in the UK there are a lot of good alternatives. I noticed just recently one supermarket had a lot of nice cheese alternatives and yoghurt alternatives. I switch between coconut milk, soya milk and pea protein milk. I dont miss dairy much. I've cut out caffeine as well as i think it just stresses my body out but do occasionally miss my desi chai so i have that when i really fancy a treat but i stick with my milk alternatives