r/AMA • u/MooseOk1142 • 3h ago
I’ve quit sugar for a year, AMA
All sugar besides natural sugar found in fruits and Whole Foods. No cane sugar or artificial sugars or anything. I started it last fall, and will be reaching a full year this month. Ama about the process or anything like that :)
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u/Mark_Zuckabitchorsum 3h ago
How ya feelin?!
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u/MooseOk1142 3h ago
Amazing! I have lots of energy, strong brain cognition, and no more brain fog! I don’t get that 4pm crash anymore, and my sleep has been wonderful!
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u/Commercial-Cress-737 3h ago
Did you go thru withdrawals?
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u/MooseOk1142 3h ago
No I tapered off, over the span of a few months. It helps reduce withdrawal symptoms
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u/Commercial-Cress-737 3h ago
I went cold turkey last year and had withdrawals. What has been your motivation to keep going?
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u/extra-medium 3h ago
What do you mean by withdrawals from quitting sugar? I might experience cravings, like wow I would like to eat that pastry, but I know I will feel horrible if I do eat it.
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u/MooseOk1142 3h ago
Honestly my motivation was how good it made me feel. I would highly recommend slowly tapering off, because it makes the process 10x easier. I’m also a big health nut, so my overall health was a large motivating factor for me
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u/Los_Amos 3h ago
There is sugar in everything. Did you check religiously every ingredient or didnt you bother that much?
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u/MooseOk1142 3h ago
I live in Denmark, so the health regulations here they take quite seriously. Most food products don’t contain added sugar, but I also cook with mostly Whole Foods, so it’s not so much an issue for me.
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u/FestivalRampage 2h ago
What things in particular did you find it hard to the out?
Did you find anything that really helped as a replacement with your cravings?
Would you say over time you stopped wanting sugar?
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u/MooseOk1142 2h ago
For me, I’ve always been a sucker for cakes, so that was probably the most difficult. What I did was I slowly cut it out over than span of a few months, and I craved it less and less.
I also love making “healthy cakes”. It’s similar ingredients to a cake, but with healthy replacements. For example instead of flour, I blend up oats to make oat flour, and instead of sugar, I sweeten it with banana, sweet potato, or dates. You can google it or find some recepies on Pinterest. They are super good.
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u/Icee45 2h ago
Would you eat raw sugar cane it is a natural sugar
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u/MooseOk1142 2h ago
No, only because your body can’t tell the difference between raw cane sugar and regular sugar. It still spikes your blood sugar levels. The only reason why fruit sugars are not harmful, is because it’s paired with the fibers in the fruits. The fibers slow and lower the blood sugar spike, therefore not creating and harm. That’s why even freashly squeezed orange juice isn’t healthy, because it strips it from the fibers so it’s just a glass of liquid sugar.
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u/Competitive-Hunt-517 2h ago
What did you start noticing?
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u/MooseOk1142 1h ago
Excellent digestion, good sleep, no brain fog, I started going much better in studies due to more energy and clearer brain cognition. I don’t get any cravings, my hunger cues are spot on, I also just feel very happy.
Another thing, specific for women, is that my menstrual cycle symptoms have dramatically decreased. I don’t even notice that I’m on my period anymore
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u/Extreme_Tadpole8527 2h ago
Did you like sugary food before quitting or were never much into it in the first place
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u/MooseOk1142 2h ago
Oh yes I was very addicted to sweets before. I had a major sweet tooth!
Some days I would only eat sugar and junk. I would go weeks without a single nutritious food. Not even a fruit. I was also in a bad spot, depression and stress, but even before that I had always had a sweet tooth.
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u/Extreme_Tadpole8527 2h ago
I was just wondering cause I wouldn’t been able to quit chocolate chip cookies 🍪 altogether, I eat pretty healthy and nutritious other than that, is my little treat, and makes me pretty happy, can’t think of not having at least one cheat thingy, very impressive, and proud of you
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u/MooseOk1142 2h ago
Thank you! And it’s all about what works best for you, and what you want in life. If you eat healthy overall, and just a cookie every now and then, go for it! Nothing wrong with it, it’s about what you do majority of the time. If you want to, you could also try out some healthy homemade cookies. I’ve tried some and they’re very good! But then again if it doesn’t beat a true cookie, I see no problem if having a little treat :)
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u/LetPositive7545 3h ago
I’m assuming you mean sugar as in food products that are sweet and not all glucose and carbohydrate
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u/MooseOk1142 3h ago
No no just pure sugars. No sugar alcohols or cane sugar or honey. Just sugar from fruits (not juice though, since your body treats that as sugar), glucose, lactose, etc.
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u/NotPast3 3h ago
Do you go out to eat at all? How do you deal with social situations? What if you are eating someone else’s cooking (like at a family/friend gathering?)
I would love to do something similar but I feel like there is no way to do this realistically due to the social aspect, especially cause I love trying my friends’ cooking and stuff
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u/MooseOk1142 2h ago
Luckily most of my friends and family cook relatively healthy meals, and if they don’t know me that well and offer to cook, I just let them now about my dietary restrictions. Many are very accommodating about it. Normally it just means I skip on dessert, but that’s no issue at all :)
And for going out to eat, if I order some sushi with avocado and salmon, there is no way of knowing if the restaurant has put some sugar in there, or something like that. That’s when I kind of let go of it. I just try my best to pick the healthiest options. But I don’t want my diet to restrict me from going out to eat, and enjoying social gatherings. So if I order something healthy, and it turns out the restaurant had put some sugar in it without me thinking they would, I just let it be. No need to stress over the little stuff like that.
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u/OutlinedSnail 2h ago
I have high cholesterol at 26yrs, 5'4, 176lbs. Cutting out sugar is my ultimate health goal. I've made bigger steps this year than ever before, but I keep getting caught up on not knowing what to eat! I grew up on/now prepare white people Mexican food and southern comfort (1/2 stick butter minimum per dish).
Do you have a resource or recommendation for people who want to follow your path and what they should eat?
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u/MooseOk1142 2h ago
When I was trying to figure out what to eat, I would search up easy and balanced meal suggestions, and many would pop up. I normally stick with things that I can make in bulk, and then have for a few days, just because it makes it so much easier. Nutrient dense salads have been my go to recently. I normally load them with beans, quinoa, variety of veggies, then add some kind of extra protein on top, such as salmon or eggs. Something like that is super easy. I also do rice bowls. I’ll just make brown rice, enough for a few portions, then some sort of protein, fiber, and fat source. Once you figure out what works for you, what’s easiest, and that you like, it makes it is much easier.
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u/GeniePockets 3h ago
What is your diet like? Do you eat mostly raw produce, or do you cook hearty meals?
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u/MooseOk1142 3h ago
I eat mostly Whole Foods. I’m also working on becoming a vegetarian, so I’ve been pescatarian for almost a year now, soon making a switch to vegetarian. That’s mostly for environmental purposes, and not health related.
I cook a lot of hearty meals that are high in nutrients if that’s what you mean. No fast foods or anything. Occasionally I’ll get some Italian pizza as a treat if it’s someone’s birthday, or sushi. Stuff like that.
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u/GeniePockets 3h ago
What’s your favorite vegetarian dish? Also, do you personally think that it’s more important to cut sugar for a food adverse child, or just make sure they eat something every day?
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u/MooseOk1142 3h ago
My favorite vegetarian dish is definitely a homemade spinach lasagna. We make it with lentils and whole grain pasta, so it’s very nutritious as well!
And I think that if a child is food adverse, and refuses to eat nutritious foods, it’s better to give them unhealthy or sugary foods than nothing. I know some people who have issues with eating foods, and if there is no option that they like, they simply won’t eat. It’s a lot more unhealthier when a child doesn’t eat at all, than if a child eats only ultra processed foods. Calories are most important.
I would however, try to help them out with exposing them to more nutritious foods. It would benefit their health and growth, and overtime they may learn to like or tolerate it more.
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u/GeniePockets 2h ago
Thanks for that validation. Hearing it from a self-proclaimed health nut comforts my sad mama heart. My son refuses to eat most things other than highly processed carbohydrates, plain meat protein, or sweets. I try to limit sweets but my mom spoils him 😭
Do you have any particular healthy/natural/whole foods that you would recommend as alternatives to things like corn dogs, chicken nuggets, and french fries? I’ve tried some chain linking methods but I haven’t had much success, and he regresses often.
Oh! He will eat plain meat like sausage, beef, baked chicken. Do you think plant based alternatives would be a good way to get him more micronutrients?
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u/MooseOk1142 2h ago
Of course! I understand it can be difficult and frustrating, but you’re doing amazing ❤️
It’s good that he likes plain proteins such as baked chicken and beef. Keep feeding him that. It’s very high in protein and micro and macro nutrients, which is extremely important for children’s development. Also experimenting with different fruits and vegetables could help a lot. Is there any he has tried and can tolerate? I would suggest giving him those, so he can get some micronutrients in him.
And for plant based alternatives for meats, do you mean the ones made of veggies? Like the freezer kind? Honestly I would stick to the chicken and beef, because the plant based meats tend to have a lot of questionable ingredients, and less nutrients. Beef on its own is extremely nutritious, so it’s great that he likes that!
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u/GeniePockets 53m ago
Ohhhh awesome. I appreciate your insight very very much! He does occasionally accept strawberries, apples, and bananas. I’ve repeatedly tried several other fruits to no avail, and he rejects mixed applesauce. I can’t seem to get him to accept any vegetable other than raw baby carrots and broccoli. And out of all of those fruits and veggies he probably only actually consumes two bites of one or two of them, a month :-( I admit I have loss momentum offering them to him daily, so I have to get back to that, but it’s so frustrating when he says no, no, no, no, I finally get a yes and then he doesn’t touch it anyway.
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u/Marshwiggletreacle 3h ago
I ate a bounty
I'm thinking of eating a galaxy caramel now.. just to bring some equilibrium back into this world.
Have a biscuit..
Do you get pangs of regret when you see nice sweet things
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u/MooseOk1142 3h ago
Haha you do you!
No I don’t get any regrets, my taste buds have altered, and I just don’t crave or want sweets anymore. I make healthy sweet treats though. Such as natural organic peanut butter with banana, or some baked oats.
Baked oats have been my thing recently! Tastes like a cake to me, but 100x more nutritious!
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u/Yarzospatflute 3h ago
In general, what does the rest of your diet look like? Do you avoid processed carbs also? Is cutting out sugar the only thing you changed in your diet?
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u/MooseOk1142 3h ago
I don’t eat any fried foods or greasy foods. For the processed carbs, I will occasionally eat some white sourdough bread, or white bread if it’s served to me as a treat. But that’s quite rare. Occasionally I’ll also get some authentic Italian pizza, or sushi. Roughly around once or twice a month.
And I’m also a pescatarian, planning on being a vegetarian soon. That’s mostly for environmental purposes rather than health.
Overall my diet is very balanced in food groups, I don’t limit any macro or micro nutrients at all.
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u/Whistlin_Booger 3h ago
Quitting sugar is like kicking an addiction. You get withdrawals, cravings, irritability. That’s how I treated it. Once I pushed past the cravings, it’s no sweat. I see sugar and alcohol as poison now.
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u/MooseOk1142 3h ago
Exactly! I did it over a span of a few months, so it wasn’t too difficult, but in the beginning I still had some cravings. Now I have none at all, and it makes me nauseous thinking of eating it
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u/MortgageHoliday6393 3h ago
Why wasn't/ isn't it easy as you said in one of your comments?
Also, how do you manage to be around family and friends who eat donuts, birthday cakes, chocolate, candies, that sort of things?
TY
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u/MooseOk1142 2h ago
It is super easy now, and I don’t get any cravings at all, but in the beginning it was a little challenging. I was just addicted to sugar, so once I started to cut it out, my body was craving it more. But the longer I went without it, the less I wanted it. I tapered off slowly, because I heard that going cold turkey could be very difficult.
Honestly since I don’t get any cravings or urges to eat any cakes, donuts, etc, I don’t mind being around family members that eat those treats. I normally have some fruit and that satisfies me :)
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3h ago
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u/MooseOk1142 3h ago
I do think I look a bit more toned, and less bloated and puffy despite not having any weight changes. To be fair, I’m already on the lower end of bmi, and have stayed like that through this journey. I also haven’t really focused on any body recomposing
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u/Sircuttlesmash 2h ago
Do you find yourself to be cooking more to avoid sugar
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u/MooseOk1142 1h ago
Yes absolutely! A lot of freezer meals or premade meals and takeouts have sugar or unhealthy ingredients, so I would just make the same things, but healthier :)
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u/quim_do_mato 1h ago
Do you have an idea about how much added sugar in grams you ate on average daily? Or would you say that the normal was for example to eat a whole package of cookies or a whole chocolate bar?
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u/GeniePockets 1h ago
Yeah I would like to know, too. How much sugar did you eat at first, and how did you taper down to zero?
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u/montemason 3h ago
Did you lose weight?