What finally made you give up sugar?

[u/travelnmusic]

Bonus points if you tried more than once.

[u/OkTransportation7146]

I didn't give up sugar I just improved my relationship with it lol. Realised I don't need to eliminate it entirely or whatever. Occasionally I'd eat a sweet baked pastry or a fun coffee drink but for the most part I eat fruits for the sugar. I also made it particularly difficult to get any sugary goods for safe measure in case I eat in excess (my goal was moderation) Took forever to find my footing on it but I'm g with sugar now

[u/pyrrhonic_victory → u/OkTransportation7146]

Same. I replaced some of my “sneaky sugar” products (cereal, bread, tomato sauce) with low-sugar alternatives and after a couple of weeks I couldn’t handle the taste of my old high-sugar versions. I still eat a donut or two every once in a while, nbd

[u/False_Lingonberry_57 → u/OkTransportation7146]

Thats good advice, fruits have lits of sugar but compared to added sugars it's a healthier alternative. I second youe comment.

[u/aymericmarlange → u/OkTransportation7146]

I can relate. Fruits are the best alternative, and even more : from my experience, I enjoy more the fruits fructose since I reduced dramatically white sugar intakes. You can too replace entirely white sugar with honey, maple syrup or date molasses : they are naturally sweet, delicious and by far better for your health (eat though with moderation).

[u/some1saveusnow → u/OkTransportation7146]

Unfortunately Thai food probably has to go. In addition to how much sugar they use in general, I made Pad Thai at home once and to get the restaurant flavor down, my gf and I were appalled at how much sugar (and salt) had to go into the dish. Like 3-4X the amount the recipe called for. That’s if you want the same flavor

[u/Impossible-Cat5919 → u/OkTransportation7146]

Everyone says occasionally, no one writes the actual time period in between.

[u/OkTransportation7146 → u/Impossible-Cat5919]

Because it's different for everyone. For me what works 2-3x a week may not be applicable to someone who say, are dealing with diabetes or something

[u/mrdoodles]

Fuck that noise. Unless there's a valid 'gun to your head' medical reason for this, don't do it. Cut down, sure. Eliminate entirely? Including fruits etc? May as well Be dead.

[u/Gallowtine → u/mrdoodles]

This is the way, life's too short for all that shit. Enjoy things with moderation. Just make sure you hold yourself accountable for when you fuck up

[u/Jgriffin9 → u/Gallowtine]

I agree with that overall. But I do think we need to understand how addictive sugar is (I mainly mean processed sugars, not fruits) for some people, and how with a lot of addictions moderation doesn’t really work.

[u/taw296472 → u/Jgriffin9]

yeah, how many alcoholics and drug addicts have recovered by only using "in moderation" ?

For me most fruits aren't any different than processed sugars in terms of jump starting cravings.

[u/finnishblood → u/taw296472]

Idk, that honestly depends on why a person turned to drugs in the first place IMHO as a polysubstance user who has a history of substance abuse disorder.

I would consider myself recovered from pretty much all of my substances I was dependent on besides nicotine & caffeine, but I still drink in moderation occasionally. I had abused Ambien for about 15 months before seeking treatment, and I had been using Alcohol in-between Ambien prescriptions. I returned to alcohol a few months later because my primary reasons for using those drugs in excess to begin with hadn't been resolved. Shit got really bad really quickly after that, and my family convinced me to try out inpatient rehab. So, ~6months after my original treatment for Ambien dependence, I was getting more intensive treatment for Alcohol dependence.

My primary reason I had developed my addictions was being in chronic pain basically 24/7. Rehab didn't really address my chronic pain problems, but it helped me with my anxiety as well as a few other mental things related to my addictions. After i got out, I was able to stay sober for a few more months before the unaddressed problems of untreated ADHD & Chronic pain became too overwhelming to cope with sober. Don't remember exactly how long that relapse lasted, but I was basically able to get myself sober again at the beginning of 2022. Besides drinking a few times/days more than I should have in 2023 for various reasons, I have been essentially sober for all of 2024. I now only have alcohol during a short list of very specific occasions, and I have absolutely no cravings after the fact when I do.

I feel it is important to clarify here that it was at the start of 2023 that my ADHD was officially diagnosed, and I began receiving more effective treatment than I had previously been given when unofficially diagnosed. Then at the beginning of 2024 was when I started seeing my new PCP who began to help me finally address my chronic pain problems without assuming they were being caused by Anxiety/Stress...

All this to say... don't make assumptions about all of the people who happen to fit into one subcategory of people within society. One it's illogical, two it's unhelpful scientifically, and three: to assume makes an ass out of u and me.

Edit: and to answer OPs question, I've been doing Keto/Carnivore on and off for the past two years. Without alcohol in my diet, it's been surprisingly easy to alternate my metabolism in and out of ketosis comfortably. As someone who has ADHD, I'm never incredibly strict about what my diet consists of because that would quickly induce situations of anger/fatigue/burnout, and my current financial situation (plus inflation) sorta dictates what foods I am able to acquire that amounts to my daily caloric needs. I use supplements as needed for any possible deficiencies that my diet may have week to week. I'd say that my sugar consumption is "in moderation," but I do make a concerted effort to avoid impulsively seeking out sugary foods. As long as you are consciously aware of your decision when consuming sugary foods, avoiding them more often than not really should not be too difficult of a goal for most people to achieve. It's when you do things unconsciously (habitually) that not doing those things becomes an increasingly difficult task to accomplish (and vice versa).

My advice for anyone wanting to cut back on sugar would, first and foremost, be to learn what foods in your diet exactly are "sugary" and which are not. Each time you eat something, look up the nutritional information of that food/dish/drink. Then once you more or less have a grasp of how often you are eating a lot of sugar, the next step would be to look up what foods are actually considered low/no-sugar (e.g. foods that are "allowed" in a Keto/Paleo/Carnivore diet). After that, if you truly want to dive deeper into nutritional labels on food (or learn about what nutrients your body actually requires day to day in order to keep you healthy...), there are many many resources for you to do so at your finger tips.

[u/Arctonik → u/taw296472]

because alcohol and drugs are the same as sugar

[u/snootyworms → u/Gallowtine]

Do you know the right way to achieve moderation? Is there an attainable goal of grams of sugar to stay under per day, ways to prevent oneself from buying or reaching for sugary foods, etc. that you would recommend?

[u/Joltheim → u/mrdoodles]

Aye, I gave up soda and energy drinks and replaced them with seltzer water. After a couple months your taste buds adjust and you don't need nearly as much sugar for something to seem sweet.

[u/KKamm_ → u/Joltheim]

I feel like you could say this about a lot of things just bc of how it works. If you go a couple months without anything (alcohol or caffeine for example), your tolerance lowers. If you have it frequently, your body gets used to it (extra sugar in this case)

It’s a very valid train of thought that can be used in a very high number of situations/substances!

[u/mia_sara → u/Joltheim]

Yes, this is the way. Replace with something “special” (I like Perrier mineral water) and know that your taste buds will adjust. Habits take a while to form so naturally we need to break them gradually and not in a punitive “all or nothing” manner. It’s ok to slip up, you’re human:)

[u/DisparityByDesign → u/mrdoodles]

It’s a great way to lose weight though. No sugar or carbs means you’re basically never hungry. I’ve been doing it for a few months and I’m getting close to my target weight again.

After that I’ll enjoy sugar again, but in moderation to stay at said weight.

[u/MiyamotoMusashi7]

I still consume fruit, but setting a hard boundary helped me. I wasted too many months in pursuit of "moderation." Moderation leaves too much room to rationalize bad eating habits.

I committed to a strict diet and it's been the easiest thing I've ever done.

(animal-based diet btw)

[u/No-Shopping3059 → u/MiyamotoMusashi7]

Yess moderation is really hard for me!

[u/DoughBoyBlues]

Inflammation in my joints are gone and heart rate is improving! It’s a slam dunk decision moving forward no looking back going on three months of no carbs.

[u/Hexagram_11 → u/DoughBoyBlues]

Inflammation is the big thing for me. Sugar inflames my joints so badly that it’s not worth it.

I mean… I still eat it more than I should, but I pay for it with painful joints for the next 36 hours.

[u/whitephase22]

I was bullied a lot as a fat minority kid in school and it affected me. I tried eating less and I just became skinny-fat into my early 20s. Been on a brutal cut and completely wrote off carbs while I gym from my diet. Its tough but having women shoot glances at me on the street after years of being ignored makes it worth it

[u/cutecrazypuppydog]

Reading the book “ultra-processed people” by Chris van tulleken made me give up all ultra processed food which typically also contains added sugars. Recommend it, it really changed my life. I still eat natural sugars form fruit though.

[u/TheDearlyt]

In my case, it was seeing the long term effects it was having on my body and the way I felt. You can’t always see the damage immediately but after a while, I started to notice that slowly cutting out sugar was one of the best ways to feel better, physically and mentally.

[u/astromomm]

Seeing how excited it made my kids and realizing it was a drug lol

[u/jmwy86]

Watching someone essentially starve themselves to death because they couldn't go home. Couldn't go home because they were a fall risk + dementia. They were a fall risk because they weighed too much. They weighed too much because they didn't manage their diet over the course of 20+ years, only took their prescription medication for their diabetes. (Use of they/there is to mask the person's gender, of course). Saw the writing on the wall for my weight trend. Didn't want that. Have family members with Type II. I'm in my 40s. I don't want back and knee problems that come with the extra weight.

No sugar, no carbs was very, very hard. But it gets somewhat easier. Slow weight loss, but I can feel it. Back pain returned to mostly normal. Just need to get my abs back in shape.

After several months, my A1C went from borderline Type II to merely high normal.

[u/False_Lingonberry_57]

I started analizing it from a scientific stand point. 

We as humans need energy right? And there is some things that provide that energy and others that don't really get us any energy. 

If I'm buying and eating any sugary things what's the reward? A momentary satisfaction because the brain creates some good reactions for that sugar. But my body is not gonna produce any good energy or at least not last losting. I also gonna get very sick after a while of eating all this sugar, our body is not creating anything useful from it. I'm sabotaging myself and wasting my money.

If I'm eating more healthy stuff? My body is gonna create more energy for myself to do my daily stuff, I can be more productive, I can feel more happy, I can stay awake longer and spend more time in the stuff that matters. 

I feel it's a lot about analizing the basics of everything, even if it sounds stupid, but when you deep down analize things and their origin/purpose it helps you convince your brain, like sell the idea to your brain that whatever is doing is not good, you have to be stronger than the advertising. Convince your brain to hate sugar.

I don't believe in cold turkey, I feel like you don't have to quit completely to succed (unless you are in the verge of disease or medical complications then yeah you have to quit right now), but having balance and start slow is the best way to accomplish. You can still have sugar in some moments of the month, like a treat, but just don't force it, start small for sure. 

[u/DishwashingUnit]

Exercise. I started to feel the difference in my jog when I did sugar the day before, so I was less inclined to use it despite still doing so often enough to remind me of how much havoc it must be wreaking. So, with less use, my tastes adapted to enjoy non-sugar more, and I kind of just naturally phased it out. Your tastes adapting to it makes it easier to say no the next time you remember how it feels to jog the next day, which in turn makes your tastes adapt to less sugar.

[u/Sea-Celebration-8050]

I had a candida rash that would not go away no matter what I did underneath my breast’s. I’m very clean and tried everything. Doc told me to cut sugar and it worked.

[u/Check_Ivanas_Coffin]

I started focusing on a very balanced, nutrient dense diet, with fresh ingredients. If you’re getting in all your nutrients every day, you don’t want to waste room on your plates for unhealthy empty calorie foods.

I went from drinking a soda with every meal to checking the sugar content in yogurts.

Best part is, it never even felt restrictive.

[u/Classic-Hearing7963]

I was partying too hard and too frequently and it started to wear away my nasal cavity

[u/[deleted]]

Heroin decently helped with my sugar addiction

[u/ntrop3 → u/[deleted]]

You gotta be careful with sugar, it’s a killer.

[u/Adept-Disaster4045]

When I found out that honey tastes way better in coffee.

[u/Odd-Fun2781]

Family getting diabetes. Family having limbs cut off because of not being able to manage their diabetes. Quit drinking and smoking for similar reasons

[u/General_Dragonfly881]

I’m allergic and I also have a genetic disease that could cause strokes if I eat too much sugar and processed food

[u/iAMTinman_Dealwithit → u/General_Dragonfly881]

It’s interesting to hear about different allergies in people. How did you find it out initially?

[u/General_Dragonfly881 → u/iAMTinman_Dealwithit]

I didn’t find out until my senior year of high school a few years ago. I grew up wondering why other kids liked candy so much, because it burned to me and was almost like eating extremely spicy food, I still ate it though because it still tasted good and other people were estatic about sweet stuff . To me it’s like eating anything sweet but also it leaving a painful burning sensation. Sometimes my eyes water, I get itchy and sometimes hard to breathe even just by being around it. It’s still a work in progress to what I’m allergic to exactly but for now it’s narrowed down too “sweetners and chocolate”. Fruits don’t harm me. But candy, most chocolates, cake, cookies, some milkshakes, some smoothies even does it for me. Vanilla ice cream doesn’t though. I found out by just expressing the feeling I got more around the end of Highschool because the whole time I shoved it off because I thought it was supposed to be like that, “spicy” in a way.

[u/iAMTinman_Dealwithit → u/General_Dragonfly881]

Appreciate you for sharing this. You added substance and perspective for me.

[u/aunttocats]

I gave up sugar for 6 months to lose weight. Honestly, I was going to tackle someone for candy and French fries. It's not worth giving it up completely again. Life is way too short. I had a much better outcome with portion and exercise. I won't torment myself again.

[u/crumblehubble]

I began counting calories. Sodas and sugary food are dense in calories with tiny portions. I started cutting them out to make room for larger meals

[u/CableProfessional578]

That Sugar Film

[u/ddlanyone]

Sugar documentaries were the catalyst, but health and weight loss benefits helped me maintain a natural sugar only diet... for a while.

[u/weird_andgilly]

Diabetes diagnosis at 29

[u/[deleted]]

Learning about how bad added sugar is... for GERD, for Fatty Liver, insulin resistivity, and a bunch of other diseases

[u/Lost-Horse558]

How does one do this? Like what’s a simple-ish way to cut out unhealthy sugars ?

[u/sunsugarrsredtrunks → u/Lost-Horse558]

Stop drinking coke, pepsi etc. That ALONE will make you feel so much better.

[u/[deleted]]

I used to trail run, loved it. After years of running and in general probably not having good posture (desk job, etc.), I herniated a disc and developed sciatica. Reducing sugar in my diet was definitely one thing that overtime helped me greatly. Sugar causes inflammation.

[u/TheLoneComic]

Symptoms of Diabetes 2, which took half a year before I could feel they were starting to mitigate due to progressive lifestyle changes.

[u/Erberos94]

I got hooked on sugar a few months ago, and before that, I was never the type of person to eat sweets in general. I would have a meal, and then I would seek something sweet to eat. My weight was getting worse, my energy levels were getting worse, so I decided I had to do something about it. I tried replacing it by eating fruits, but my cravings were still very high, and I would eventually fail and have something sweet. My last experience with quitting an addiction was with nicotine, and the way I succeded giving up smoking was cold turkey. So I started a keto diet, no sweets, no sweeteners, no carbs. First 3 days were really difficult, I am a week in now, and cravings are almost zero. This is just me though i can not do moderation.

[u/Bussoms]

My aunt's leg. Or lack thereof

[u/Strict-Speed8612]

A desire to get to my target weight (which I haven’t achieved in years), to get a size smaller shirt and pants, and to run faster and longer. I go for natural sugar in fruit. I don’t bring sugary items home so it’s never in the house. If I’m tempted I would have to go get it and I can usually talk myself out of it before getting in the car.

[u/Calm_Consequence731]

Had a hard time controlling my weight without controlling my sugar intake. I switched to keto and my weight dropped or stayed the same

[u/Ezz_fr]

Sugar is everywhere its hard to dodge it tbh but I stopped eating lots of sugary stuff

[u/spilledLemons]

Stopped buying it.

[u/Krukoza]

Started eating only when the sun goes down, forcing my body to pull sugar from my fat during the day. After about two months the hunger pains stfu, my brain started thinking differently. I’m more methodical now, longer patience, less rush, higher quality.

[u/Intelligent-Pea-7782]

Realisation that I have an addiction to a fast dopamine (so is sugar) and wanting to get in a better shape. Honestly when I quit I watched a lot of videos on benefits of quitting. Not only sugar is bad overall it made me form a snacking habit when I am uncontrollably just grabbing some food while I am not even hungry. I still do get some sweet coffee with raw milk everyday (healthy and tasty) , it's strictly 1-2 hours before dinner so that I move dinner a lil bit closer to my bed time ( like 19-20:00 - dinner, 22:00 I am going to sleep not hungry without cheking fridge every 10 mins trying to find what food to snack). Sorry for my English.

[u/Key_Investigator1318]

I am a sugar addict. I am now diebetic. I tell myself every day, no sugar/low carbs. I admit it. It's like a drug to me. I'm reading what everyone posts, hoping to find the magic solution.

[u/ilawkandy]

Didnt like the taste of table sugar after quitting drinking it with coffee

[u/j0bl0w]

Pre Diabetes diagnosis

[u/devopsGuy_1984]

Diabetes

[u/wakeytoodles]

that's possible? 😭

[u/SummitXGirl]

I didn't give it up. I just made adjustments to my intake. I eat it in moderation. There's sugar in pretty much anything, so trying to avoid it altogether is way too stressful for no reason imo.

[u/JaneDo355]

For the next 5 weeks I’ll give up sugar and have a strict diet bc there’s a wedding I’m attending and there will be 300 people! and I’m a bridesmaid. I will walk in the aisle, wearing a strapless dress. My back fat is my biggest insecurity and I’m working towards a strict diet and exercise routine to look my best 🙏🏼

[u/AlenaSurya]

my dietician brought me down to 2 teaspoons to brown sugar a day in my coffee and she wants me to reduce it even more to the point where no coffee is gonna taste good anymore. so im completely removing coffee and sugar

[u/str8red → u/AlenaSurya]

Coffee is such a good habit to avoid getting too much sugar in. Because it starts your day, it's worth getting used to it black or with just cream or milk

[u/throwaway123456372]

Moderation is key! Keep it under 50g per day and it’s all good

[u/MonkeyJunky5 → u/throwaway123456372]

50mg is definitely on the higher end.

I shoot for 25 or less.

Here are recommendations on daily sugar intake from various professional health organizations:

1.  World Health Organization (WHO):
• Recommends that added sugar intake be less than 10% of total daily energy intake.
• They further suggest reducing intake to below 5% of total daily energy intake (around 25 grams or 6 teaspoons) for additional health benefits.
2.  American Heart Association (AHA):
• Recommends no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) of added sugar per day for men.
• Recommends no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories) of added sugar per day for women.
3.  Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA):
• Advises limiting added sugars to less than 10% of total daily calories. For someone on a 2,000-calorie diet, this equates to no more than 200 calories from added sugars (about 50 grams or 12 teaspoons).
4.  National Health Service (NHS) in the UK:
• Recommends that adults should consume no more than 30 grams (about 7.5 teaspoons) of free sugars a day.
• “Free sugars” include added sugars and those found naturally in honey, syrups, and fruit juices.

These organizations emphasize the importance of minimizing added sugar to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and maintain overall health.

[u/Whisper26_14 → u/throwaway123456372]

No offense but for most people eating a normal SAD 50g is def NOT moderation but incredibly restrictive. (Read “impossibility”)

[u/_MuffinBot_]

I gave up basically all added sugar when I did my diet, in order to eat as clean as possible and avoid compromising my fat loss. I was/am only consuming added sugar in 75-85% dark chocolate, in fairly low amounts (topping on a homemade protein bar), and trifling amounts in seasonings like Chinese vinegar. However, I have continued eating foods with natural sugars like honey, maple syrup, fruits, milk. I don't plan to give these up anytime soon. Maybe someday as an experiment, but I haven't hit upon any compelling reason not to consume natural sugars. The GI value for the foods I've been eating, AFAIK, is relatively low. I feel fine. Not eating natural sugars sounds like a hard experience for little to no reward and a lot of stress/fatigue. Just not worth it. I wholeheartedly endorse giving up added sugar though. You really don't need it.

[u/Gurner]

I only recently discovered that sugar raises LDL (bad) cholesterol. I'd given up alcohol and replaced it with cookies and candy etc. Three months later my blood work was in the re danger zone.

[u/Deadliermlg]

What's wrong with sugar?

[u/MiyamotoMusashi7 → u/Deadliermlg]

sugar is one of the worst foods for you, albeit some sugar from fruits is fine. most forms of sugar we eat are unhealthy though.

[u/MyChurro → u/[deleted]]

I'm a flour miller. Does that indirectly make me your dealer? 🤔

[u/Chimiko-]

Added sugar yes. I quit a long time ago. Found out early that I don't like the taste of my milk, coffee, or tea after it became too sweet. Sugar from carbs though, just don't eat too much. I just think of carbs as an energy drink like gatorade, don't need it but a little bit here and there won't hurt.

[u/JohnGalt1133]

Noticing how much weight i lost after trying out zero calorie drinks, also after noticing how much fucking calories are in sugary stuff... It was literally the cause that led me to gain all the weight from 70kg-110kg

[u/Loose_List_464]

Type 1 💀😭

[u/mapleleaffem]

Thanks for asking this question OP. Was hoping for a miracle answer that hit home for me, but alas nothing here hits. I did keto once for a year. The first two weeks were REALLY hard, like depression and withdrawals hard. Lost a pile of weight, felt incredible but bread is just too good. That’s what got me sliding back towards the carbs. Also using so many artificial sweeteners isn’t good.

[u/supplyncommand]

i’ve all but cut out the processed sugar for many years now. naturally i’ve just always preferred savory over sweet so it was easy for me. a sweet treat every now and then is certainly nice but it’s not meant to be consumed everyday. just convince yourself that. your teeth will thank you

[u/KiliMounjaro]

I’m awaiting biopsy results for a suspicious thyroid nodule and that is what finally jolted me out of complacency and arrogance (it can’t happen to me) to finally give up sugar.

[u/soupster___]

Switching to artificial sweeteners (band aid solution)

[u/microbiome22]

LOL type 1 diabetes! Do not recommend.

Haha to be frank I do eat/drink sugary things when I am low.

[u/Which_Professor_7181]

I found out it's bad for me but actual stevia leaves tastes exactly like sugar but stevia in powdered form is just gross

[u/thicktapu]

Will it be still considered giving up sugar, if you only have honey and sugar in bread, but no processed food or white refined sugar? If yes, still struggling super hard with it tho.

[u/ColdPoopStink]

Down 100lbs from my biggest and I haven’t cut it out completely. I will say this, as someone who used to pop pills, party every weekend with a myriad of uppers, and only uses legal stuff today: Sugar is more addicting than anything in terms of time lapsed.

What I mean is other drugs are more addicting overall, but you need to come down before using again. With sugar, you want to use again INSTANTLY. Weed, alcohol, pills, party drugs, nothing made me want to “use” again as fast as sugar.

Really makes you think how far we’ve come in terms of processed food and addiction.

[u/West_Reindeer_5421]

Well, I simply gained weight and got acne after my last sugar binge so I decided not to buy any sugar. I simply replaced it with seasonal fruits. So far so good

I still buy products with “hidden” sugar like sauces, but one teaspoon of ketchup won’t affect me as much as a pack of cookies. Also I discovered sugar free chocolate so sometimes I buy it as a treat

[u/blueberry-89]

Sinusitis

[u/betlamed]

Type 2 diabetes.

I haven't "given it up" completely - that's an impossiblity, and useless, because simple carbs like white flour get turned into glucose in an instant. You should also give up beer and hard liquor, because all of it is ultimately high-glucose.

I use very, very little of it in my home cooking, and I only rarely have a sweet treat. A few times a week right now, because of all the christmas markets opening up, but def reducing it back to once a week again. Thanks for the reminder!

[u/AdvantageExtra6621]

Teeth!! Love my white smile too much

[u/JaceyCha]

Aging, for me. I gave up adding sugar in my morning coffee cup. Happy for what I achieve.

[u/EyeBirb]

This video. I'm struggling tho

[u/Adventurous-Pass1897]

Collecting out of date chocolate, then eating it whenever I feel like taking sugar. Idk if that would work, tho

[u/fraseybaby81]

I stopped having sugar in my tea. It didn’t come with a shopping order once so I had to go without for an evening which made me do a 180 and declare it frivolous!

[u/Fearless_Task_9715]

• developping IBS lol
• seeing my last results of a blood test (i was nearly pre-diabetic)

[u/AchioteMachine]

I did not like the cycle of rush and crash.

[u/Imaginary-Bonus-3575]

I worked out my relationship with sugar in better ways. Cut down on my daily intake of sugar with my beverages and instead replaced it with an occasional dosage of delicacies. Literally high carb desserts now and then, and it keeps me going for the rest of the week. Has had an amazing impact on my body as well. To get rid of sugar completely requires immense mental strength and most of us will lack it. What matters is to find ways to include sugar as tasty treats but periodically.

[u/Petdogdavid1]

I haven't given up yet.

[u/blurred_limes]

I followed keto for over a year before relapsing. Cue the brain fog, being hangry at the end of the day right before dinner, sticky poop, feeling gross after eating a lot (of carbs), worse sleep.. I still pingpong between a normal western diet and now low carb (so about a 100gr of more complex carbs a day) and I still feel like shit every time I indulge on the carbs. Sugar makes me lazy and stupid.

[u/Oblipma]

Gym

[u/BeyondDBeef]

Give up, no, heavilly limit, yeah. Medical and scientific proof that too much sugar kills slowly.

[u/plytime18]

Not really answering the post right because I never gave it up entirely but, some takes on the sugar talk here..

A few years back I went NO carb, as in zero, which means, no sugar, at all. I did that for 2 days…ate a bunc of protein, some fat.

Im not recomending this aproach by the way, just sharing.

On day 2, that morning, as my body was now in hour 36 or so of zero sugar going in….for thefirst time since I was like, what? Born?

I could almost feel my brain itching in my skull - if i ever had any sugar feeding parasites, they, for sure, died that day.

But I had alot of energy and felt very clear headed.

I then re-introduced carbs, very little…and no sugar like sweets at all.

I lost 8 lbs in like 4-5 days (I was 220).

I had clear mental energy, but when I went to the gym, I was incredibly weaker, no physical energy.

Like I said, I dont recommend doing what I did but it was rather miraculous how quick you can drop weight.

I lost all sugar cravings after those first two days of no carbs at all.

When I finally had something with sugar in it — I had a small glass of milk, i was stunned how sweet it was, like drinking sugar water. Yuk.

Since then…

I watch what I eat — sugar is in everything — if you use, say, ketchup, a little bit goes a long way, you need to be mindful. I also found I do better with LOTS of protein, some fat, and even if I do go for some sweets, I do a little and I eat it mindfully..not just one after another after another of whatever it is. A little does go a long way.

I also found drinking lots of water helps. Black coffee is great for killing hunger.

And i recommend intermittent fasting. I do 16/8 - basically skip breakfast - but on weekends, I will eat breakfast.

I also will sometimes do a one day fast. After dinner on sunday night (a big meal) i wont eat again until dinner time on Monday. There is definitely something about the one day fast that I enjoy - I really feel it helps me feel better, more clear, and when I do eat on Monday night, I really enjoy that meal.

[u/petalsky]

extreme fear of diabetes

[u/BariraLP]

I used to be obese for 2 years and stuffed myself with sugar as a comfort thing, once my life started improving i saw others who went to the gym and did not eat it.

That inspired my to lose around 12 kg in half a year and i’m much skinnier now. Even though i eat healthy and exercise alot i tens to eat more healthy foods, i think of my heart and gym progress,

why would i give it all away for some greedy corporations who want me to be a fat pig dependent on their shitty products?

[u/FridayCab]

I feel better with less of it.

[u/Novel-Position-4694]

watching all my elders get ailments

[u/goldilockszone55]

i would give up sugar right now IF it pays my own place… you know, like the avocado toast back in the days

[u/alijaniel]

Candy -> fruit

I don't think giving up sugar entirely is the best idea. I'm not an expert, but as far as I know, a little bit of sugar is completely healthy.

[u/VersionJolly]

For me, it was realizing how bad my skin looked, It’s the first thing people see. I never cared before I was 30, but when I started noticing aging and how much worse my scars were getting it really made me realize I needed to slow it down.

[u/Euphoric_Positive_60]

feeling after eating it

[u/MuhammadIsWeird]

I didn't.

Don't buy too much cookies/sprinkles or anything that is in a huge bulk filled with sugar.

Buy only 1 packet of lollies.

Have it once per day. If you felt like you taken your day well, treat yourself with 2.

Reduce or eliminate sugar in your recipe. I usually drink chai everyday which has sugar, so I put no sugar in it and it's really effective.

If you really really really crave sugar, grab a can of soda every 1 or 2 weeks. It keeps me going after a rough day and I HATE the taste of no-sugar soda.

Also, replace your sugar intake with some healthier option. I find myself eating apples for sweetness when I'm craving... so I ate it once per day.

There are a lot of options, and sometime you just need to take it slow. Replace a food for a week, then try another. Don't do it in one go. Results happens by consistency so stick to a plan you can be consistent with.

[u/bonezzzyyy]

Eating four drumstick icecreams and 500g of Allen's lollies in one hit was starting to become normal, I'm about a month off now.

[u/wowokthatssocool]

I haven't given up yet, and don't call me sugar.

[u/Complete-Self-6256]

I just stopped demonizing it and now we get along swell

[u/treverslyfox]

Diabetes!

[u/[deleted]]

Becoming a label reader.

4g of sugar is a teaspoon.

The recommended daily allowance for sugar is 36g (sources vary).

A 16oz Coke has 52 grams.

A big Mac has 9g.

Fries have a negligible amount of sugar.

Want dessert?

A regular McFlurry has 60g.

Supposing you eat all that:

121d÷4=30 teaspoons of sugar

15 teaspoons if you skip the McFlurry.

Neither are healthy.

[u/Aarunascut]

Imagine coffee without it. Put off that thought!

[u/Sucessful_Test1555 → u/Aarunascut]

I started drinking coffee around 18 yo with 2 teaspoons of sugar. I gradually reduced the sugar a few granules at a time. Eventually no sugar and it was great. Fast forward many years and after i stopped smoking I quit coffee. It just didn’t taste good anymore. Replaced coifed and cigs with sugary snacks and gained weight. Need to stop the sugar habit.and replace it with something or just have more discipline.

[u/UnlikelyAd7121]

diet control