Anyone tried cutting out added/refined sugar?

[Mitsu3000gt]

Has anyone tried cutting out all possible added/refined sugars? I was thinking of giving it a try for a month and seeing how I felt afterwards. It may not be perfect but I think I could cut it down a lot since I have sweet tooth. For anyone who has done / is doing this, did you notice a big difference? Did you have cheat days? I feel like it might be a good way to trim up some belly fat in addition to a normal gym schedule and healthy diet.

[jwslam]

I've tried and I usually give up by day 2, often before that LOL

I've heard the biggest hurdle is the 3-7 day mark... I'll let you know if I ever get there.

That said, I've pretty much cut all pop out of my life unless it's included in a meal or something; then the Asian in me can't resist. I don't feel that this has made a significant impact on my body though.

[Dumbass17]

I've done it twice, using the Whole30 Program. (basis of the program is 30 days of no unnatural/added sugars, no legumes, no booze whatsoever, no dairy, no wheat)
The first time I made 29 days but then I really wanted a cocktail so justified it haha.
Second time I made it 21 days.

It's difficult but you feel great and will lose alot of belly fat, so it's rewarding.
After a week, normal food starts to taste really good. Like strawberries and raspberries start to taste amazing. I think will all the added sugar in everything (it's in EVERYTHING) it really desensitizes a person's sweet tooth

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by jwslam
I've tried and I usually give up by day 2, often before that LOL

I've heard the biggest hurdle is the 3-7 day mark... I'll let you know if I ever get there.

That said, I've pretty much cut all pop out of my life unless it's included in a meal or something; then the Asian in me can't resist. I don't feel that this has made a significant impact on my body though.

Haha that might be me too, but I want to at least try. I haven't had pop in over a decade, I cut that out a long time ago and never really drank a lot of it to begin with. I drink water and black coffee 99% of the time. The only flavored beverage I drink is lemon Perrier which has zero sugar and apparently is "flavored naturally". I tried to look up exactly how they flavor it with lemon extract or whatever but couldn't find out.

Might be tough to do in April with Easter and Cadburry Mini Egg season haha.

Originally posted by Dumbass17
I've done it twice, using the Whole30 Program. (basis of the program is 30 days of no unnatural/added sugars, no legumes, no booze whatsoever, no dairy, no wheat)
The first time I made 29 days but then I really wanted a cocktail so justified it haha.
Second time I made it 21 days.

It's difficult but you feel great and will lose alot of belly fat, so it's rewarding.
After a week, normal food starts to taste really good. Like strawberries and raspberries start to taste amazing. I think will all the added sugar in everything (it's in EVERYTHING) it really desensitizes a person's sweet tooth

What's wrong with wheat and legumes? I typically eat organic lentil soups and similar things.

Good to hear it make a noticeable difference for you though. I'm in good shape now and I eat quite healthy for most meals, but I'm also a snacker - which I think is why I can't get rid of that last little bit of belly padding I still have hiding what I hope is the rest of a 6-pack I have pretty good will power, I am confident I can do it, but I just wanted to see if I will really notice it or not.

[bigbadboss101]

Sugar is highly addicting. Cutting out sugar from desserts and drinks is a great thing. Not easy as I too have a sweet tooth. Processed food have lot of added sugar and added other things you don't want as well. When I did cut sugar and bread/wheat I slim down nicely. Keep in mind calorie in vs out is key in losing weight or fat.

Wheat can be controversial. Some say even for people who are not celiac there is a degree of intolerance. I love bread and pasta but they are simple carb and I feel hungry soon after eating. Then you end up eating more.

May be try it for a month or two. Cut added sugar, refined/processed food. I think you will feel more energetic. There was a couple weeks when had almost no added sugar, caffeine, dairy, wheat and that felt great. I don't need to cut all those, but some of the items.

[A790]

The first week is the hardest. After that, it's all downhill

[carson blocks]

I cut out most items with added sugar for about 5-6 months now, and have lost a little over 40lbs. I still have the occasional diet soda with aspartame, and greek yogurt a couple times a week, but generally if something has more than 5g sugar per serving, it's off my list. The first couple weeks were rough, but sugar doesn't even look appealing anymore, where I''d crave those foods like a sugar junky before. Zero cheats as far as snack foods / sweets, even through Christmas as I'm not even tempted anymore. My guilty sugary cheat foods are fruit and raisins (tree candy).

[Thaco]

i did it for a year (Keto diet + beer (not giving up my beer)), i dropped 70 lbs in the first 6 months (started at 240), i felt great, a lot more energy, much more positive, but then my wife got laid off, and its a very expensive diet so we had no choice but to give it up... now that she is back working its been incredibly difficult to get back into, still trying though... dat sugar is like crack.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Cool thanks guys, sounds like a lot of success stories. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, given how sugar works. I lost ~40lbs about 8 years ago now so I have maintained a very healthy weight for quite a while now, but that last little bit of belly fat seems to stick around with whatever I'm doing currently. I figure this might be a good thing to try in addition to the rest of my routine to make a dent in it. If fruit is OK, I am hoping it won't actually be that hard, because it's easy to get a sweet fix from fruit.

[88CRX]

Rapid fat loss (no sugars OR carbs) there was a thread on here a couple years back.… it fucking works but holy hell you’ll hate yourself for the first week haha. Your body will make you hate your life getting off the junk food.

[craigcd]

Nothing helps a stressful day like sugar rush. I also struggle to make it more than a week without giving in.

I would guess this would be a similar urge to other addictions but on a smaller scale. I usually go for 5-6 days then somehow candy makes its way into the house via a kids birthday party or something. Its all downhill from there!

If my ability to stop eating candy is any proof of my ability to overcome addiction its a good thing I dont have any other vices.

[A790]

Originally posted by 88CRX
Rapid fat loss (no sugars OR carbs) there was a thread on here a couple years back.… it fucking works but holy hell you’ll hate yourself for the first week haha. Your body will make you hate your life getting off the junk food.

RFL is a shit "diet" and really is only something you ought to do for a week or two.

YMMV, but I've found it much easier (and more consistent) to stick to IIFYM and caloric restriction. Still doing IF as well.

[MM99lude]

I started eating differently about a year back. The "program" came recommended from a buddy of mine, who had real success with this "diet", who was already in great shape, but couldn't figure out why he was tired all the time.

He pretty much told me to cut out, sugar (including natural), bread and dairy. After a bunch of googling I figured out it was essentially what they call the Slow Carb Diet.

I have done it for the last 8 months - lost 25 pounds. 195lb down to 170lb. I personally love it, because I typically eat a lot of beans, lean proteins and veggies anyway - so it was just a matter of cutting out dairy and sugar. This "program" doesn't limit quantity of food. I eat like an animal.

Saturday's are cheat days - and when I say cheat days, I mean like eat whatever the hell you want. Pizza, burgers, nacho's, ice cream, whatever. Your body/metabolism needs it for a bit of shock and you mind needs it, to prevent you from going insane.

First month was the most difficult for me - but now when I eat sugar I actually feel terrible. It is not an expensive way of eating, but is sure takes a lot prep and forethought.

[bigbadboss101]

Originally posted by A790

RFL is a shit "diet" and really is only something you ought to do for a week or two.

YMMV, but I've found it much easier (and more consistent) to stick to IIFYM and caloric restriction. Still doing IF as well.

Interesting you mentioned IIFYM and Intermittent fasting. Both I found out on Facebook and then googled for more info.
With IF there are some nice health benefit and also can save people time. In the old days they say eat 6+ balance meals but with IF you basically skip either breakfast or dinner. Or if you do eat both they will be meals close together. Many people on FB had nice results doing IF.

IIFYM is interesting too and many people are doing well. Some say if it fits your macro you can eat donuts, pizza, fried chicken too. I don't know if I would go that far.

Keto is very restrictive. One would hit 40g of carb in no time in one day. Lot of people lost a lot of fat. Whether that is healthy is another question.

[J-hop]

The whole IIFYM pop tart donut debate is kind of a red herring.

Basically you set macros c/f/p and calories and then fit your food to meet those targets. You can't just go eat pizza and donuts willy nilly as people sometimes think as you have to modify the rest of your meal plan to accommodate that.

every single marketed "diet" is doing nothing more than playing with macros and calories.

Intermittent fasting is generally for people (like myself) that binge and restricts your eating to a short period so you can't physically exceed your targets very easily.

The single most effective way to lose fat is to figure out your daily targets and meal plan accordingly.

You'll realize as I did that you take in way too many calories (usually in the form of carbs) and probably not a very good macro balance.

Losing fat is actually pretty simple but it definitely is not easy at all. Especially sticking with it...

[Thaco]

Originally posted by A790

RFL is a shit "diet" and really is only something you ought to do for a week or two.

YMMV, but I've found it much easier (and more consistent) to stick to IIFYM and caloric restriction. Still doing IF as well.

funny thing is, calories are a bullshit measurement with no scientific basis.... no 2 "calories" are equal.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by Thaco
funny thing is, calories are a bullshit measurement with no scientific basis.... no 2 "calories" are equal.

Calories do have scientific basis though. There are other processes you need to consider like insulin response and metabolic damage. But at the end of the day if you aren't Michael phelps and eat 10,000 calories a day of any diet under the sun you will get fat. 10,000 calories worth of lettuce will absolutely make you fat (among other things)

[Thaco]

Originally posted by J-hop


Calories do have scientific basis though. There are other processes you need to consider like insulin response and metabolic damage. But at the end of the day if you aren't Michael phelps and eat 10,000 calories a day of any diet under the sun you will get fat. 10,000 calories worth of lettuce will absolutely make you fat (among other things)

so burning 1 calorie of donut and 1 calorie of lettuce is the same?

[J-hop]

Originally posted by Thaco
so burning 1 calorie of donut and 1 calorie of lettuce is the same?

A calorie is a physical measurement by definition. Insulin response and micros aside there is little difference. Calories are a huge component of dieting. If you don't manage them you absolutely won't lose weight. If you went on a diet and lost weight sit down and do a calorie count between what you ate before and what you ate on the diet and they will be quite different. 3500cal is the rough estimate per pound of body fat. And it is actually fairly accurate based on my empirical evidence from dieting down myself. 99% of the fat loss diets have you decrease calories and increase the ratio of your calories that are proteins to reduce muscle wastage.

[J-hop]

Keto is in its own category though. I don't fully understand the theory behind ketones. I attempted it for 2 months but couldn't maintain the same levels of activity (when I was trying to get into powerlifting) so I gave it up.