I Quit Sugar is on A Current Affair tonight
Just a little note to share that A Current Affair recently interviewed a few women who lost weight from doing my I Quit Sugar 8-week Program. It screens tonight (Channel 9. 6.30pm) and features me rabbiting on about cave men genes and mince pies and…the rest. I’m a bit nervous as to just how much I rabbit on… But what’s done is done.
Anyway, I thought I’d share some of the testimonies from the women I contacted to take part in the segment who had lost weight from my program (although I should stress that weight loss ain’t the main aim of quitting sugar…it’s to get well).
Rebecca contacted me to say, “I quit sugar in October 2011 and have lost 48kg, dropping from a size 24 to a size 14.”
Maria also shared her story: “In April of this year I weighed a staggering 120kgs, and to date have lost half my body weight. I gave up sugar and all processed foods.”
Vanessa said, “I’m 32 years old. I quit sugar in May this year and so far have lost 29kg and counting! I feel like a different person. These are the health issues that have improved: depression, hypothyroidism, severe gut and bowel issues, muscle and bone pains….the list goes on….”
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Heidi says, “Both my parents (over 60+) both quit sugar and have never felt better. They work a very manual intense company and I reckon most young people would struggle keeping up. Dad was even able to go from pre-diabetes to nothing and all he does is eat fat, protein and no sugar.”
Alex said, “I’ve cut out sugar and I’ve lost 43kg.”
Ivy shares: “I quit sugar 17 months ago. I have lost 23 kilos. Quitting sugar was hugely important for my health as I was already insulin-resistant and had Type 2 Diabetes lined up – luckily I managed to change.”
People really do struggle to comprehend that simply cutting out sugar for a few weeks can lead to simple, natural weight loss. I’m not a fan of diets and I know restrictive eating doesn’t work. But quitting sugar just ain’t a diet…it’s just a way to eat as our grandparents used to.
Basically, it cuts out processed, crappy food.
I often get asked this when these kind of shows run stories about quitting sugar. So I’m going to pre-empt:
Why does sugar make us fat?
* It turns into fat as soon as it enters our body. Fructose (the “bad” part of sugar) isn’t metabolised in our cells like other molecules. Our bodies didn’t evolve to deal with fructose (it didn’t really exist in cave man days apart from a few tart berries and a little honey), so our systems just can’t deal with it. Thus, fructose transfers directly to our livers. Our livers get confused (because they can’t metabolise fructose), freak out immediately store it as fat – in and around our liver (fatty liver) or as triglycerides (hello, cholesterol issues).
* It disrupts our hunger cycle: fructose mucks with our hormonal systems – totally disrupts the processes that tell us we’re hungry, or need energy.
* It causes us to binge: We don’t have a corresponding enzyme in our brains that tells us when we’ve eaten fructose. We have one for fat. And one for glucose. They scream “I’m full” when we’ve eaten enough cheese. But we just don’t have one for fructose. What’s this mean? Fructose enters our system “undetected” and we can eat it and eat it and not get full. Which is why you can drink 750ml of juice, but not yoghurt. And it’s why we can eat a whole block of chocolate without thinking.
* Plus, it’s addictive: And more addictive, say some studies, than cocaine and heroine. This was handy when we were cave men…it meant we were programmed to binge on it and seek it out obsessively because it was a source of instant fat…which was a good thing back then…but not now!
Hope that clears things up for you. If you’re new to this site and all my I Quit Sugar “rabbiting”, feel free to subscribe to my weekly newsletter (it arrives in your inbox on Fridays and is a neat rundown of my wellness posts from the week) here!
All your “rabbiting ” about fructose has changed my life for the better more than any other single decision I have made, apart from giving up smoking. So rabbit on, I say!
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November 13th, 2012 at 9:49 pm
That is such great feedback. I’m really glad. x
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Thanks Sarah. I am halfway through Week 4 of IQS and the Anti-Candida Diet. I am still having a little bit of fruit as my naturopath recommended it to help my digestive tract but NOTHING compared to what I used to have! A few berries for breakfast and a small apple at lunch – I used to have 5-6 pieces of fruit a day (with at least 2 bananas!!). Feeling great. Sleeping well. Am now tailoring my meals a bit as I have definitely been eating too much fat. Am upping the vegie count and downing the grains. My boyfriend had a KitKat last night – I looked at it and felt nothing… NOTHING!! From the girl who used to be able to eat a whole block of Dairy Milk in a sitting. What a feeling that was!! I don’t see myself going back to sugar…
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Kudos Georgia! When I was reading this, I thought to myself “Oh man I should really do this too, but I just can’t!” Starting to think I should change my attitude..?
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November 13th, 2012 at 6:44 pm
Just give it a whirl Monica! I luckily have not fallen off the horse this far, but did last time I tried (resulting in a MASSIVE binge!). Am determined to keep going! AM living abroad and travelling lots – with our next big trip at Christmas! Just need to stay focused!! Am not worried about the scales anymore. Did Weight Watchers for a long time, lost a lot of weight and gained a lot of illness!! Now feeling healthier than ever. If the weight loss comes, it comes. Otherwise, I’d rather be healthy than skinny.
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November 13th, 2012 at 9:16 pm
Get the book Monica. It’s great. And there is no falling off the horse bit. Sometimes you slide off the horse and wander round in the poo for a while. Then you remember how much you could see from the horse and all other sorts of plusses, and you heave yourself back on. Go for it. And you do not have to end up completely evangelical about it (well, don;t let me stop you. I’ve arrived somewhere more – judicious. Lisa
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November 13th, 2012 at 9:17 pm
By the way I am a skinny chick. I like it because I feel like the SPACE SHUTTLE away from Sugar.
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November 13th, 2012 at 9:50 pm
I like the wander around in the poo bit Lisa!
February 1st, 2013 at 2:29 am
Lisa – I love your reply – and getting off sugar is not easy but when you hear folks say tha tthey feel like the space shuttle -well then!
The ‘more vegies fewer grains’ has worked wonders for me too. I think I’m going to call myself a ‘lazy paleo’. I like quite a few of the things they talk about, I just can’t do all of it.
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November 13th, 2012 at 10:47 pm
Three cheers for lazy Paleos! Ive come to the same conclusion. I believe that keeping stress levels low is even more important for your health than diet, so any diet that is too restrictive may end up doing more harm than good.
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I watched ACA tonight, great work Sarah! Much better than the rubbish fad diets they usually feature on that show. I have also quit sugar and it was not for weight loss, it was for better health…and I feel fantastic! Yes, I fall off he horse occasionally, but as Lisa said, you remember how good you felt without it and it’s easy to get back on track.
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I watched ACA. It’s interesting how one of the testimonials said she lost a whopping amount of weight. In her previous life, this person is not only a pathological liar, but also an individual that lied to many people to obtain money, loans that she would never pay – certainly a woman deserving her own A Current Affair story, the type of story that details the shadiness of sociopaths. Particularly those who con others to obtain money.
Lost more than 40 kilos in four months? The pathological liar personality will always lie.
You really need to screen testimonials before you organise for them to be promoted on a show.
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November 13th, 2012 at 11:54 pm
That’s a big call… “concerned”… Hope you’ve got facts backing up those comments, otherwise they would be particularly offensive. I am also amused to read you can determine not only the personality type but the ‘previous lives’ of the lady testifying to her weight loss based on a 2 second TV bite… I myself saw some pretty convincing photos and would love to hear Maria’s story and learn from her success – full props to her!
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November 14th, 2012 at 1:30 am
Funny how I haven’t mentioned the person’s name…
But you have.
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November 14th, 2012 at 1:37 am
There are others who have ‘facts’ about her as well. People she has screwed over financially and such.
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November 14th, 2012 at 9:07 am
I missed the program as I am abroad at the moment, but just objectively: 40 kilos is not an unrealistic weight loss in four months following a dramatic change in lifestyle. Not that it would have been easy, it’s definitely impressive! but I don’t think it would be unhealthy.
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Sarah have you ever thought about having one of your IQS success stories do a guest post? I’d love to hear more from people like Heidi, and put a face to a name and such.
I have zero interest in weight loss but the people who change their lives in positive ways seem really cool. Just an idea – your thyroid guest posts back in the day were rad.
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Hey Sarah
Are you still planning to release your IQS book in hardcover before Christmas?
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So, I’m a bit confused. I thought glucose was bad for you – ie cane sugar, but fractose was ok. I don’t eat glucose, but do eat fractose – dried fruit, fruit, a bit of honey very occasionally. I went to a kinesiologist a while back who said my body is fine with fractose, but not with glucose.
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November 14th, 2012 at 4:52 pm
Elissa, you really need to study up on this. You will be surprised! Sarah has lots of good factual scientifically credible info on this blog and links to lots more. Good luck!
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November 14th, 2012 at 6:06 pm
How could glucose be bad for you when your own body produces it every day as a necessary fuel source for your brain? This confuses me.
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November 15th, 2012 at 5:44 am
I think there’s a big difference between a bar of chocolate and a bowl of quinoa. My understanding (from doing science as part of my studies at the moment) is that exactly was you say glucose is what the body runs on in terms of energy as well as for the brain, but putting lots in quickly ie high GI food isn’t good. So I eat quinoa and things like that rather than chocolate. I just might have to stop or eat much less of the fractose! I use dried fruit and fruit as a sweetner for my baking. Anyway, who knows eh! That is just where I am at at the moment.
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November 14th, 2012 at 6:12 pm
I think large volumes of glucose are bad, because they enter your body quickly, and your body has to produce insulin to get it in to your bloodstream. This is why I asked (on Facebook I think) about low GI things like Agave nectar. When the entry to your bloodstream is slower, there’s less strain to produce insulin, but that’s not the only issue at play here with sugar.
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November 16th, 2012 at 12:23 pm
to Elissa- how do you not eat glucose ? you say you don’t eat it.
We need glucose to function-its our brains primary source of energy, regardless of this, I’m curious how you can avoid it?
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November 18th, 2012 at 2:05 pm
@ Geraldine, It’s easy to not eat glucose if Elissa avoids fruit, honey and certain vegies. the body can convert dietary fat and protein into glucose if needed (gluconeogenesis). Many people prefer to operate on ‘fat metabolism’, the brain doesn’t have to have glucose from food to do this.
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November 20th, 2012 at 12:15 pm
Hi Jess
thanks for your reply-I do understand how avoiding some hi GI carb foods would lessen ones glucose loads such as the ones you listed-but to ‘not eat glucose’ would mean avoiding all carbohydrates. That was my query, how anyone could avoid eating a whole macronutrient- perhaps short term for whatever reason but this person saying they don’t eat glucose? Doesn’t make sense to me, my understanding is the body breaks down all carbs into fuel and that fuel is glucose.
November 22nd, 2012 at 8:31 am
dried fruit is the worst, just as bad as chocolate because you are removing all of the water out of the fruit, but keeping all the sugar so you eat more fruit than you normally would. Glucose is fine, but it’s the fructose half of sugar that goes straight to the things and interfers with the appetite. No more than two pieces of FRESH fruit per day for an adult (and one for a child), but having said that, I can’t eat a whole mango or banana anymore, I have to cut them in half because I find them so sweet and filling now.
Don’t worry about the “carbs issue” for now. Just aim to cut out food that is more than 3 – 5% sugar (you will be surprised about what is), and you will find that your skin will glow, and you won’t even miss it. Hard to believe, but if I can give up sugar then so can you.
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Hi Sarah, I think it’s great having these success stories to inspire. I was actually gradually moving towards lower sugar before I discovered your book and had already made a few big changes and embarked on my own plan. I did a three weekish stint without fruit and the dark chocolate habits prompted by your book and recipes and can successfully go for a few days without now – I just don’t really get cravings anymore. I slip up occasionally due to events & lifestyle but it’s totally my decision and I know I can get back on track and probably healthy for the long term sustainability of it all. I’m just so much more in control, healthy and cured and that is nice thing to say. I’m really trying to share the low sugar love over here in the UK.
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Hi Sarah, Can you tell me what you think of coconut nectar which as 10% fructose? I’ve read it’s better than agave which has over 90%. I have a suspicion it’s just old wine in new bottles and is the same toxic glue that agave is. Can anyone tell me how it’s produced and if it is as healthy as honey?
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Thanks Sarah for such a great story – thanks for keeping us all motivated and informed as to the effects of sugar. i have noticed a significant difference not just on my waist line but my moods and my outlook of the world. thanks for the inspiration!
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Hi Sarah, I just watched your clip and have followed your plan for the last eight weeks and feel brilliant. I see that you are supposed to loose tons of weight but I remember reading somewhere in your ebook that you didn’t loose that much, I haven’t lost heaps, not the 48kg mentioned on the show! as you carried on with it over the year did more come off?
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Have been sugar free for 4 months now.
Twice have given in and had an icecream, and felt ok afterwards, but, in a moment of complete forgetfullness I recently ate a small piece of shop-bought, disgustingly sugary cake and oh, my, the crashing headache.
Lesson learned.
But what to do about the occassional craving for ice-cream?
Aside from that, no problems, never felt better.
Sandie
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November 19th, 2012 at 10:52 am
Hi Sandie! Just read your comment and wanted to say you don’t have to live without icecream! I totally understand as I am a real icecream addict expecially in Summer! But you can make icecream as a treat with dextrose instead of sugar (dextrose = glucose) , infact David Gillespie has written a book called “The Sweet Poison Quit Plan’ which has a whole bunch of recipes in the back. I don’t have the recipe with me at the mo but will get back to you with a recipe for chocolate sugar-free and ultra delicious icecream! Watch this space. – Jem x
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November 19th, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Okay, chocolate icecream recipe:
Ingreds:
2 cups thickened cream
1 cup milk
1 cup dextrose
1/4 cup cocoa
vanilla essence
Method:
Warm cream and milk in saucepan. Whisk together other ingredients then add to dairy mixture. Churn in icecream maker, then freeze.
Enjoy!
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Hi Sarah,
I have been sugar free thanks to you since April this year, shortly after I found out I had Hashimotos.
While reading all your followers’ success stories is wonderful, it is also a bit bitter sweet as I have not been able to lose any of the 30kgs I have gained from Hashimotos. I don’t eat sugar, dairy, gluten or grains and exercise usually 5 times a week but still haven’t been able to shift the weight. Although I am feeling better (have good and bad days) and know I shouldn’t be superficial about weight, it is really hard to get past.
Do you have any suggestions or things you feel worked best for you?
Cheers!
Annabel
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Hi Sarah
could you clarify this for me please- when you mention all the ill effects of sugar, are you strictly referring to fructose and fructose only, whether its isolated or intact in wholefoods ?
When you say “It turns into fat as soon as it enters our body.” I’d be really interested in reading the scientific evidence for this if you can provide.
thanks G
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I have been sugar free for 12 months and, despite weighing more than I should, have NOT LOST A SINGLE KILO!! (Admittedly, I have fallen off the wagon once or twice in that time. By and large, I don’t eat sugary foods in anything near the quantity I once did and neither do I wish to. I don’t have the “enough cheese” gene and I do drink alcohol (mostly reduced alcohol wine).
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Have given up sugar and all processed food am eating veggies, protein etc and good fats like avocado, coconut oi I excersise, do the right thing am health but STILL NOT LOOSING WEIGHT HELP!!! . Could it be portion sizing? how much should a portion be and is oats off the menu. Also having protein (pea protein) as snack as I do weights. Could you please point me in the direction of a good eating plan? Thanks
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I can eat conut – it gives me hives. What is the best alternative for use in your receipes
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