I quit sugar #2 (first step is to start eating more fat…yes!)
I posted on Monday to say I’m quitting sugar. Well, it’s been three days. And I’m going great. Although you have to be so careful…I ordered a chai tea at a shoot on Tuesday and it came with honey already in it. So far, no withdrawals… because I’ve been upping my fat intake. I shall explain…
A heap of you have asked 234923874 very good questions about the whole sugar caper. I’m going to answer as many as I can over the next few posts. I’m also chatting to David Gillespie, author of Sweet Poison, tomorrow, and will get him to answer some, too. You’ll have to wait until next week for his take.
So, why am I eating more fat?
There are two factors. I’ll cover the first here today. The next, tomorrow.
I don’t believe in restrictive eating. Humans don’t respond emotionally, psychologically or biologically to denial. When we fast, our bodies are programmed to think we’re in famine or in an emergency and thus hormones and urges kick in to ensure our survival. So…
a) we become obsessed with seeking out food (understandable really), and
b) our systems store ANY calories ingested for safe keeping (again, makes sense).
So cutting something out – as in, dieting - is ineffective. Actually, counter-effective. It mostly makes you PUT ON weight. Unless, that is, we replace what we’re taking out.
I’m finding the sugar withdrawal fine because every time I get a sugar craving – mid-mornings and late afternoons and after dinner – I eat something fatty and protein-y. It’s a new “treat” to replace the old, in the interim (while “treat” mentality still rules me). And so I don’t feel in denial mode. I’m not talking fried, trans fats. I’m talking cheese and eggs and meat and nuts. I’ve been…
* grilling some haloumi for afternoon tea (I stick it in a sandwich press). Why not?
* eating a coconut smoothie mid morning. Coconuts are great for stablising sugar cravings.
* grilling walnuts and sprinkling on half an avocado
* buying the most divine activated nuts from Origin of Energy… seriously the happiest things I’ve ingested in a long time
* ordering an extra calamari dish after dinner when I’m still hungry at a restaurant, instead of eating dessert (I ate out with a mate who’s on a candida diet right now…this helped).
I’ve loved it. I don’t feel guilty and I’ve had no cravings or hunger.
Also – this is important – I’m not talking huge quantities of fat and protein. I don’t need huge quantities, my body doesn’t want it. Which leads me to the second reason why I’m eating more fat (ooooh, it gets interesting). But I’ll cover this in I quit sugar #3, tomorrow.
What else am I doing?
* drinking licorice tea …it’s very sweet tasting but contains no sugar
* sprinkling cinnamon on things, like my yoghurt. I’m also adding cinnamon nibs to my tea. It’s great for reducing inflammation, too (thyroidy types!).
* drinking milk…for the protein/fat reasons above. But also because milk contains lactose, which is a type of sugar…but one that our body recognises as such, and so they’re not invisible calories. This will be explained tomorrow!
* satisfying my chocolate cravings by eating sugar-free raw chocolate. I’ll share what brands to look out for shortly.
* “crowding out” any need for sugar by eating SO MANY veggies that I can’t really fit too much more in. Crowding out is my overall best advice for eating well. Rather than cutting out, crowd out.
Until my next post, I can tell you this with all my love and care:
the reason you might have put on weight has VERY little to do with a lack of willpower!
It’s about chemicals and very ancient biological survival instincts that take over when we poison our systems with something we are not biologically designed to eat. Namely, sugar. We can’t correct our eating, our weight or our addictions by fighting harder. We. Just. Cut. Out. Sugar.
If you have more questions….post them here….I promise to answer as many as I can over the next few weeks.
i love these posts sarah! I havent eaten any sugar for a week and my skin is completely clear (which is highly unusual for this time of the month).
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I love this topic too!
Although I must say I haven’t quit the sugar just yet, you may very well urge me to do so.
I’ve read about the ‘fight or flight’ theory in The Gabriel Method. Very interesting read.
When it comes to dieting, our bodies go into starvation mode and so they then store fat as they think we are in a famine. ‘Crowding out’ is a great theory that comes into play here. We need to in fact eat more, but just more of the right kind of foods.
In the past, I have had success with replacing my usual sugary snacks with protein ones like cheese or a tin of tuna. The protein fills you up and lasts longer than a quick sugar hit.
I can’t wait for your next post!
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Cinnamon in yoghurt?! Wow! I’ve never thought of this and can’t wait to try it in the morning!
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I make cinnamon tea to curb sugar cravings. Simply boil crushed cinnamon sticks for 10 minutes, steep (over night is good) and drink hot or cold. You can add peppercorns or cloves to spice it up and make it more anti-microbial. I do chai this way too, in a slow cooker so it’s always available when a craving hits.
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February 3rd, 2011 at 5:09 pm
I like this! Thanks Kelly
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February 4th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
I grew up drinking homemade cinnamon tea – it’s big in middle eastern cultures. But it’s important to boil the cinnamon BARK and not the cinnamon quills – it makes a big difference in the taste and I find the quills make me feel nausea. ? Weird, can’t explain it, but just does.
You can also reused the bark but leaving out to dry and then chucking into casserole dishes. Cinnamon has some many positive benefits. I always feel satisfied, calmer and soothed after a cup of hot cinnamon tea!
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February 7th, 2011 at 5:37 pm
Sarah if you don’t have time to make that amazing tea, Anthia who I am sure you have met at OOE or you have been to her store Ovvio makes an amazing chai tea, and her ‘minty tea’ which is so beautiful (it has licorice root I’m it) is my cure for sugar cravings!
Hi Sarah,
My sister has just been diagnosed as fructose intolerant (she’s also a coeliac).
Are you cutting out fructose? Or glucose? Or both?
Is there a link between fructose intolerance & weight gain or other health problems?
My sister’s dietitian said that 40% of us are fructose intolerant at some level. Is this a part of wht you and/or David are talking about.
All very interesting. And I love your crowding out idea. And haloumi. Soo yum. I have been replacing chocolate with some nice havarti in the afternoons. Think it’s working so far…
~Stretchy P. xxx
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February 3rd, 2011 at 2:25 pm
i have the EXACT same problem: coeliac and fructose malapsorption – meaning i need to steer clear of FODMAP foods (nightmare. total nightmare). it rules out things like onion, green beans, coconut…
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February 3rd, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Stretchy P, I go into the Fructose business tomorrow!
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February 3rd, 2011 at 7:09 pm
Can’t wait for tomorrow’s!!!! I am Hashimotos AND Fructose impaired!!!!!!!!!
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Right on point with this whole sugar caper Sarah – its timely – I’ve been toying with giving up sugar for a long time. My big question and area of most confusion is around FRUIT – can you eat it? How much? And what types? What types of sugar does fruit contain and which forms of sugar do you need to stay away from? Fruit is probably the only type of sugar I eat these days but I have a hunch I’m eating too much. If you and David could go into some detail about this – that would be great.
Cheers – look forward to the next post.
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Hey Sarah!! Awesome article! I am soooo glad the “fat is bad” message is being undone, I really am. It cant be a coincidence that my grandparents were brought up on the farm, with full-fat and full-cream and lard, but their generation didn’t have an obesity problem. Unlike our fat-free, diet-friendly, chemical-sweetener generation. Something went very wrong somewhere, and I am glad it is starting to be corrected.
I would love to know WHICH fats are best though. Especially for thyroid/ stomach problems like candida which seem to all be so easily connected.
I feel weird consciously choosing the chicken with the skin, or the meat with the fat. The “fat is bad” message drilled into me for so many years seems to still be alive in my head, despite evidence to the contrary. But somehow full fat tastes so much better and fills me for longer.
Oh, and macadamias may be the best mid-afternoon snack in the world!
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February 3rd, 2011 at 9:17 pm
Mia, there’s a website I can refer you to, which has been pretty much my Candida bible since I discovered I had it – http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com . The diet there can be seen as rather restrictive, but I’ve found it to be the only reliable Candida diet recommendations I’ve come across.
Saturated fats from meat, butter, lard & coconut oil are the best fats for combating Candida, as they have anti+fungal qualities, plus several nutrients the body needs. Olive oil is also recommended, but not to be used when cooking. Butter & coconut oil can withstand high temperatures, so these are the ones recommended to cook with.
I understand completely what you mean about it being weird leaving the skin on the chicken, etc. I had bacon the other night, which I would usually strip completely of its fat. Instead, I just ate it all up!
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Oh – and what about things like Stevia, agave syrup and rice malt syrup? I’ve read mixed reviews on all three…
Thanks so much…Sandy
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February 3rd, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Hey Sandy, as I have been on the sugar free journey for a month thanks to ‘sweet poison’ I can tell you that agave and rice malt aren’t on the ‘ok’ list. I’m not in a great position to explain it, but can recommend you check out the book, well worth the investment!
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February 3rd, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Hi Sarah,
Like others who read this blog, I have been on the Sugar free journey for 3 days now!!
I found the first two days OK but am struggling a bit today.
Can you share your thoughts and reflections now that you have been sugar-free for a month?
I find success stories very inspiring!
Thank you
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February 3rd, 2011 at 5:11 pm
Sarah;, I will cover this off, but yes Agave is a shocker. It’s 90% fructose, which is the main culprit here.
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Thanks for sharing all this info, Sarah. I’m interested to know about your fruit intake while you’re cutting out sugar…will you be avoiding fruit all together or just having it occasionally? What about all the vitamins and nutrients in fruit?
By the way, did you have to use that picture in the post – it’s making me crave cinnamon sugar donuts, argh!!!
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February 3rd, 2011 at 3:29 pm
Me too! There isn’t enough fat in the world to NOT make me want those donuts.
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Thanks Sarah, great info. I really love the idea of ordering a calamari entree or such for dessert! And the coconut smoothie yum – going to have one right now.
One question: are you cutting out things like fruit that have naturally occurring sugars e.g. fructose? For me it is more about cutting out the processed and artificial sugars (purely my choice). It’s about natural, unprocessed, unrefined foods in moderation. I also don’t eat any white processed products.
Look forward to the next post. Good luck with all the Q’s! You’ve started something here!
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February 3rd, 2011 at 5:12 pm
Jodi, I answer that tomorrow….
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I find this so fascinating! Thank you Sarah for bringing us the info & your tips! I have been sugar free (except 1-2 pieces of fruit a day) for 5 days now. When I’m desperate for something I also reach for nuts, or PB sandwich, fruit or fresh mint tea (steep fresh whole sprigs of mint in boiled water) have been helpful. I have lost 1kg already!
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February 3rd, 2011 at 3:40 pm
Sorry, that should say 2kg
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I think this philosophy is great!! I agree that denying ourselves is dangerous and ends up backfiring. I am a chocoholic, and whilst not ideal fir the waistline if I don’t have chocolate I will eat anything and everything trying to satisfy it. And eventually end up sourcing some choc anyway. So I figure best just grab myself a little bit and be gone with it. But I will look at so e if the alternatives you’ve suggested here. Great discussion.
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Thanks Sarah! Great inspiration. Have cut out sugar in my tea and coffee, and starting to cut it out from my other meals (namely breakfast). Was also wondering how I’ve been eating haloumi and still loosing weight.
Another question…
What’s the best non-sugar alcohol option?
Hanging out for these posts all week. Hurrah!
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Wonderful tips Sarah, thank you!
I especially like the “crowding out” technique… and the assertion that weight loss isn’t just about “willpower”. I think overweight people tend to beat themselves up, which makes things worse because they turn to food for comfort… David (in his Sweet Poison books) does a really great job of explaining the chemical reactions that lead to the feeling of fullness, and pointing out that willpower plays a smaller part than we think.
It’s my third day too and not craving sugar… maybe my sugar switch is already starting to wane!
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I cut out sugar a few months ago. It was hard to do but after maybe… 6 weeks I didn’t even have any cravings.
I am blessed (and somtimes cursed) with a great deal of determination so I knew I could do it.
I’m still working on the finer details eg I still have half a banana in my morning smoothie but it’s amazing just how much I dont even think about it now.
Today I bought a copy of Kris Carr’s ‘Crazy Sexy Diet’ It is just amazing with some really wonderful information in there too.
I’m loving this topic and am learning so much, thanks everyone.
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jessica Nathan, Sarah Rose. Sarah Rose said: Love it! RT @_sarahwilson_ Step 2 of my "I quit sugar" program – eat fat…yes! http://bit.ly/gPewWu [...]
I’ve been following the Clean and Lean Diet for the past five days, which basically follows the same principles you outline above: no sugar (not even including fruit for the first 14 days), but still eating lots, including an increase in fats from nuts and avocado.
Like Zoom, I’ve lost 2kg in that time, and I feel pretty light, energetic and fantastic. I’ve also had a decrease in my caffeine cravings.
One word of warning, though: I went to my regular hot yoga class on Tuesday (day 4) and had to keep lying down. I felt awful – really, really faint. I spoke to my teacher about it afterwards, and she suggested I eat a banana on the days I exercise, to keep my potassium up. It’s not advised in Clean and Lean – and I’m guessing not according to David – but I’d rather keep fruit in and stay upright when I exercise, if you know what I mean.
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I did the sweet poison thing last year and felt great then came Christmas, it’s taken 3 weeks to feel mentally well again,.. The mental clarity gained from not eating sugar is awesome!! Looking forward to tomorrows info…thanks sarah
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I had a dream last night that free ice cream was being given away and I totally binged on it because I couldn’t resist… I was so relieved when I woke up and realised it was a dream! I don’t even want ice cream, though I am very aware of the lack of sugar, looking forward to the chocolate you recommend!
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oo, i’m so glad you’re doing this! two weeks ago i decided to give it a go.. i’m a sugaraholic and i’m sick of it. yesterday, though, i caved and ate half a bag of m&ms.. hoping that tomorrow will be better. i think having a support group such as this will help!
looking forward to continuing this journey with you!
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February 7th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
HI Ingrid
Good luck with giving up sugar….I agree this type of forum is awesome…you can’t beleive how many things have sugar in it!!! I have found a great recipe for muffins using an alternative to sugar..looking forward to cooking them
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I’m quitting as of today! I’m still doing two pieces of fruit a day and seeing how I go with that. I’m excited to see the changes this makes in me.
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I’ve quit sugar too…. well as much as practically possible. Being an social endurance sports person I had got in to the habit of eating sugary foods during training to boost my glyogen supply. This habit found itself in the rest of my life and when I took a look at my diet I was eating sugar (in some way, honey in chai tea, sweet chillie sauce on my spag. bol etc) all the time. I had been aware for a while that sugar was probably not that good for me and so I read David’s book Sweet Poison and that was it I have changed my diet.
I am not sure if I’ve had withdrawals – guess there’s been some irratability but that’s also been a bit about everytime I pick something up to eat I have to think about what’s in it (re-educate myself & change the pattern). Yes I’ve been eating fruit (1 piece a day) and drink soy milk in my chai tea (but pick one that’s got the least amount of sugar), but as for chocolate, jelly snakes, cakes, muffins – they’re gone. Have been having a couple of glasses of wine on the w/end (I’m no saint!)
I am feeling better generally. Digestive system functioning better, skin brighter, a little weight loss (1.5kg 5 weeks – would like to lose 3 more but not the key reason for cutting out sugar).
I’d certainly recommend giving it a go. It’s not a diet, it’s just a healthier way of eating. I’m not saying that sugar will never pass my mouth, but it will be an odd occassion not everyday (x3).
Good luck
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[...] interview with David Gillespie is here, the reasons why sugar makes us fat here, how I quit sugar here and some breakfast ideas [...]
If you don’t want to crave sugar, you need to eat saturated fats.
If you want to understand fats, you need to read this article:
http://www.westonaprice.org/know-your-fats/526-skinny-on-fats.html
Pretty well everything you have been told by the mainstream media, including many so-called health sites is WRONG. The above article explains what the research really says.
And what does it say? Saturated animal fats, butter, coconut oil are not only good for you, they are essential for proper brain function, mental and physical health. Saturated fats are nutrient rich and have anti-viral, anti-microbial and anti-bacterial actions. They also stabilise your blood sugar.
Butter, for instance has anti-microbial actions – it fights against pathogenic microorganisms in the intestinal tract. Butter also contains arachidonic acid which is important for brain function and prostaglandin production. It is full of important trace minerals including manganese, chromium, zinc, copper and selenium (a powerful antioxidant). Butter provides more selenium per gram than wheat germ or herring. Butter is also an excellent source of iodine – essential for healthy thyroid function. When butter comes from cows eating green grass, it contains high levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a compound that gives excellent protection against cancer and also helps the body build muscle rather than store fat. I could go on.
The important phospholipids that form the membranes in all of our cells are made of mostly (half or more) saturated fatty acids. This is especially true for parts of our brains where more than 80 percent of the phospholipids carry half of their fatty acids as saturated fatty acids.
Vegetable oils, in contrast, are full of free radicals and other toxic breakdown products from their high temperature industrial processing. Vegetables oils and margarines weaken blood vessels and prematurely age your body. Margarines lower your IQ. Not surprising since they contain, amongst other horrors, hexane and other solvents, bleach and soy protein isolates which contribute to thyroid dysfunction. They are nutrient poor. Hydrogenated fats are to be avoided at all costs.
The summary of what’s good and what’s bad is below. This page also links to many articles regarding fats and cholesterol based on the scientific and medical research, not advertising, marketing or uninformed speculation and opinion.
http://www.westonaprice.org/know-your-fats
Saturated fats do not give you high cholesterol. Cholesterol is not the bad guy. It is the body’s repair function. Attacking cholesterol is like attacking the fireman that comes to put out the fire.
Basically, the whole hypothesis that saturated fat causes high cholesterol is based on a few flawed studies where the fats that were used were described as saturated fats, but were in fact hydrogenated oils. What most people ‘know’ about fats are ‘facts’ they have gleaned from the advertising and marketing of the highly subsidised vegetable oil industry. Unfortunately the falsehoods have been repeated so often that most people accept them as truths.
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Hello Sarah.. I have been reading your blog with much interest over the past few weeks.. I have had autoimmune issues in my body for about 15 years now… Over this time, my body has been inflamed constantly in some shape or form…. For so long now I have wanted to change what I am eating to see if this makes a difference & I finally feel the penny has dropped! I must must change the way I eat to feel better! Your articles have really inspired me…. I do overall have a relatively good diet, lots of fresh produce, very little processed food.. But I still eat wheat/gluten/sugar, which I feel could be major contributing factors to my health….. I would love to hear from you & would really appreciate some advice… It’s hard to I imagine a world without carbs/sugar, but I absolutely need to make changes.. I would also love to know what yogurt you recommend?? Also maybe considering the eat fit diet plan detox to get me started? Would love to hear your comments.. I also loved your Louise Hay article, I have her book, she is AMAZING ! Makes you look at life differently…. Many thanks Sarah.. Kind regards, Carly Spouse.
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[...] * protein and fat-rich foods are also key (I’ve gone on about this here). [...]
Very informative”
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Hi Sarah,
I noticed your suggestion regarding drinking milk to help and thought i’d leave a response. I had a blood test for something completely different, which was more to do with being run down without having do that much over stressful, and am experiencing high TSH and lower T3/ T4 (I can’t remember – I’m new to this!
Although its borderline hypothyroidal, I’ve been looking into the possibility of it and have found this link regarding calcium intake and TSH thyroid meds: http://thyroid.about.com/cs/vitaminsupplement/a/calcium.htm
Although I have also read that calcium inhibits intake of iodine, the important component you find in fish/ kale.
Thanks for the site though, it’s encouraging that if I do have the condition then I’ll have an eyewitness account of living with the condition.
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