This topic contains 11,627 replies, has 174 voices, and was last updated by hermajtomomi 6 months, 4 weeks ago.
I presume you are human, Carol? 😉
I find looking at the obese folk at the shops is enough to have a sip of water, do my shopping, and scurry home to decent food.
I don’t think a couple of cakes will kill you. If you do it every day, that’s different.
I have logged up 15000 steps today and found out my pool workout is the equivalent of a small glass of wine! Do one thing I love to justify having another. Win win!!! 🙂 P
I think lent is not about “not enjoying things”. It is more about thinking about what things have become disproportionally important to us. This could be the form of habits, people (apart from family), food or anything (non-essential) we think we can’t live without. We knew that the amount of sugar we consumed (especially post Christmas) was not good for us and were were not happy about it.
The odd glass of wine is really no issue but a bottle every evening would be. 🙂 but then that would be different challenge, wouldn’t it.
Hi Carol, I, too want to start strength building exercise and have not been able to find a Pilates class, that is suitable with my work times, but I think I found a yoga class and all it takes is a phone call…
Don’t beat yourself up over some cakes – pretend it didn’t happen and continue the good work. These things are only a disaster if they depress us and make us give up completely.
Morning all – and especially Dino, though you don’t actually count as a newbie any more! Great to have you on board. Lichtie and Bay – well done! And I don’t remember that giving up wine was part of the challenge. – surely that’s intrinsic sugar? – so you’re ok! Happy – of course you’re meant to be happy during Lent: if we’re doing it for health we should be starting to feel better; if for religious reasons, well, good religion is supposed to be about liberation, freedom, joy and grace! And Carol – I guess you could say those cakes were a deliberate part of the feast/famine, fast/overeat cycle, and you really had to force yourself to eat them…(?) p, thanks as ever for your pithy wisdom!
I’m 1lb up this morning, but that’s ok – all part of normal fluctuation, and my body fat %age is down to 25, so all good. Having said I was past the sugar cravings, I found myself about 3pm yesterday longing for a big chunk of really heavy, sticky fruit cake (custard tarts don’t do it for me!) Proud to say I resisted, ate an apple instead and it passed quite quickly. I agree, it’s the shopping trips, especially with others, when you have to make a quick decision and don’t have time for deferral, which are the real killers!
Keep going, girls (and Dino)..I don’t think the sweet tooth will ever go away completely, but success will be when cravings become rare enough to be safely indulged as an exceptional treat!
FFS, I agree with you and that the sweet tooth will never really go away, but if we are successful with this challenge it will give us the confidence that we can do it again (maybe for 5-6 days a week). It is becoming more and more apparent, that most of it is in the mind because I don’t think any of us has reported any physical withdrawal symptoms. As you mentioned before, maybe I can allow myself one or two sweet days a week and the rest is no sugar.
No offence at all, Happy, at least to me – Lichtie can answer for herself! I don’t want to get into serious religious talk – I’m sure this forum isn’t the place for proselytism – but both are right: yes indeed, in Christian terms Lent s living the memory of Jesus’s time in the wilderness – but also remembering that the first thing he did afterwards was to declare that he’d come to heal, set free, end oppression – so it’s also supposed to be a celebration, and like most of human life, a mix of joy and sorrow, good and bad. (And before anyone reminds me, yes, I’m aware and ashamed that no part of the Church actually lives up to that – but all of us on this site know about human weakness!) For me, ‘setting free’ includes – though doesn’t end with – bad habits: difficult, sometimes miserably hard (and not without lapses!) butt ultimately worthwhile and joyful. (And nb there are worse ones than overeating – even custard tarts!)
Sermon over – no more, I promise! But you did ask….
Dino, just to forewarn you that every time I type your name, my iPad autocorrects to Dinosaur. If at any time I fail to notice and change it,mand it slips through, apologies in advance – it’s neither personal nor intentional!
FFS, I don’t think that there is anything wrong with touching on the subject of religion, since it or its absence is part of what shapes our world view and our lives and this is what we are discussing here on this forum.
I don’t have anything to add without spoiling your succinct and to the point explanation. 🙂
Thanks, L. Confession coming up: just taken a friend to lunch at a farm shop where, last time I visited, I had a wonderful home-cured ham and salad wholemeal baguette. Ordered same again, and when it came the baguette was crusty white. Very tasty, and not obviously sugar-laden, but not my normal style and – oh dear – probably processed. And I ate it, because I’m an English wimp and don’t make fusses! There – I’ve said it. Pick up self and start again.!
But FFS, confession not valid, we agreed to NO SUGAR so no picking up and starting again. Off you go. 😉
White baguette, whilst delicious but not as wholesome as white, is definitely not in that category unless it has jam, honey or any other sweet condiments on it, which a lovely white baguette would of course intice me to.
Maybe next year or sometime in the autumn we can do a “NO PROCESSED FOOD” challenge but in the meantime, I hope this challenge will give me the confidence that I can take on the next level.
So for the time being no fudge and no chocolate… for you and not jellies and jams… for me.
You are not an English wimp, if you had an allergy you would have spoken up. I don’t like making a fuss either unless there is a good reason and then I can stand up for myself.
True, no sugar, so I count myself not just absolved but actually not guilty in the first place (and it definitely had no jam ).. Thanks, both.
AND – you might remember a mention of 12 small Christmas presents from a friend, one of which (salted caramel truffles) un-womaned me so badly that I had to go and buy a replacement packet, because I felt so bad that I’d scoffed the lot without sharing them with DH……and then I promptly ate most of those, too. Well, I WALKED STRAIGHT PAST A LARGE DISPLAY OF THOSE IN THE FARM SHOP, and came out with just a bag of bread flour. Gold star and sticker, please!!
Processed food next year, Lichtie? For now, sugar is quite enough to cope with…how would we do this without each other?
Going ok thanks FFS. Have stopped beating myself up about yesterday’s cake. Would just love to understand this attitude I have though of where I believe ‘I deserve a treat’. Don’t know where it comes from and think I need to know that before I can start working on it. It’s all emotional eating! Oh well, I should just stop complaining and get on with it! 🙂
I guess working that out is a lifetime’s work. Short-term, does it work for you to substitute a less destructive treat? Do you wear lipstick? I’m told that some women have vast collections because every cake temptation while shopping is re-formulated into a new lippy! (Just lay off the more expensive brands – that would be an awful lot of cake!)
Hi Lichtle and Fast
Well done. 😉
I’ve been very busy with friends and family and just had time to read all the posts. You made mention that we had not reported any physical symptoms. I would say that I went through sugar and carb withdrawal.
I reported earlier that during the first 3.5 days of the sugar free Lent, I felt cr*p. I’m sorry I wasn’t more explicit. I experienced what I think of as physical withdrawal symptoms. I felt tired, grumpy, lack of energy or enthusiasm, I had a down day, and I wanted to eat something but didn’t know what it was. Nothing I ate made me feel ok. I ate some nuts to feel better. And then I just drank a lot of water and toughed it out.
I have been through this before when I decided to stop eating sugar and grains in the past. Luckily by the 4th day the detox was complete and the World came good again. 🙄
Cheers, Bay 🙂
Sorry, Bay I remember now, you did indeed report physical withdrawal symptoms.
How are you feeling now and have you given up all grains?
My weight is only marginally down but I am enjoying the change in a way. I have reduced the carbs somewhat, therefore after a meal I am not as full (though just about satiffied) so I eat more often again. I am not sure how much of this is emotional and how much is physical. Today is supposed to be my fast day and I broke the fast with two apples after 16 hours. At three o’clock I had to have a slice of pumpernickel bread with butter and some chick peas. So I think I might eat closer to 800cals today. TBH I don’t mind too much as I want to concentrate on the sugar challenge. It is still early days and maybe I will snap into proper fasts again in a few weeks.
Hi gang
I have done 3 days in a row of semi fasts. Nothing until early afternoon then a normal dinner. I can’t believe how much work I got done each day in the hyper energetic fasted state. Employers should get onto this idea to improve productivity….joking!
Back down to 56.3 this morning. Pancakes with strawberries for the first breakfast since last week. Cheers P
Hi Bay – just got round to picking up your post. I’m really sorry you felt so rough – glad it’s easing now. It will get easier (says she, who’s been out for the day and managed to avoid eating delicious-looking ice cream only by physically walking away!). The only good thing about feeling really cr*p is that – in theory – the memory should stop jus returning to bad habits. Sadly, the theory too often fails! Keep going now it’s getting better.
Lichtie -I think that sounds like a perfectly reasonable fast day for maintenance, which you’re doing,as opposed to weight loss which you don’t need. On the principle that there is only a certain amount of willpower available, you’re choosing your priorities for how to use it. That’s called empowerment!
Purple – well done indeed: you are so virtuous. Afraid your pancakes launched me into a full English breakfast – sausage, bacon, toast, tomato, mushroom – (extra bacon instead of egg and beans because I don’t do cutlery, and fried egg isn’t pretty eaten with fingers!). But I did avoid the pancakes with maple syrup (sugar!!!) and I have been to the gym since and worked it off – and its soup for dinner and we skipped lunch – too full, surprise, surprise! (But see above re ice cream – funny how there could always be a corner for a treat, if we’re not careful!)
Sorry FFS, I hadn’t realised you were in public and trying to avoid that ‘yolk running down your chin and all over your hands’ look! Perfectly understandable.
Yes, to the grass. But also I think just the freedom to roam and express natural behaviour. And not forgetting the kale, chard, beet and swede tops, lettuce, grapes, sweetcorn, blackberries and raspberries (these growing wild in their paddock you understand 🙂 )
Mmmm, happy memories…I used to spend a lot of time in that paddock….partly because the only way I could get a mobile phone signal was standing on top of the hen house and leaning out at a 45degree angle. So I suppose that’s one Benefit of moving…that, and the Internet speed which enables this conversation, and the ability to buy a newspaper without using the car….but still an’ all…
Hi Fast, Lichtle, Purple, Happy
Latest report from the front line of sugar free life. 😉
Relieved of the necessity of giving up alcohol, I have proceeded to drink a glass of red wine each day, except fast day. 🙄
Had a celebratory Japanese Teppenyaki dinner last night and ate rice and drank beer. Woohoo!
This morning I clocked in at 1.7 kg loss in the 11 days since becoming sugar free. Yay! It would appear to be my sweet tooth that has been inhibiting any further loss once I reached goal weight. Who would have thought it!
Fast, as reported, I only felt bad for the first 3.5 days exactly. When I woke on the 4th day, the fog had lifted and life was great. Never returned to those symptoms, so that I believe they are physical.
Publicity for That Sugar Film has begun here in Oz, and it is truly horrible the symptoms he developed after eating the average intake of sugar of the average Australian. There is of course no such thing. However it affected his liver, triglycerides, cholesterol. The report is in the Weekend Australian newspaper as a film review. Maybe Purple, you could post the link to the review. Thank you very much. 😮
Cheers, all. Bay 🙂 🙂
Well done Bay! I was SO worried about you depriving yourself of wine and beer! The Teppenyaki would not have been right without it, would it?
It IS interesting how quickly we can overcome a bad habit with a bit of perseverance. Now, what do you plan after the second week of April? 😉
Big storm here this afternoon…brought the temp plummeting from 39 to 25 in a very short time. I was running around like a mad woman, in swimmers, pulling branches out of the pool, while the thunder roller in. Ooo…I live dangerously. But the exercise is great. 🙂 P
Hopefully this is the link to That Sugar Film
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6uaWekLrilY
If it doesn’t work just google the title.
That storm sounds fun, P – though that’s probably because I’m a safe distance away. Take care.
Went to bed last night completely exhausted – ‘can’t stand up without falling over’ level – and had a really bad couple of hours before that of ‘oh god, we’re 10 days in and there’s 6 weeks of this. ‘ ( inaccurate, because the whole point is that it doesn’t stop after 6 weeks,, but I wasn’t up to thinking that at that moment. )
Woke this morning to a whole new day – and gratitude that I hadn’t given in – but grateful that it’s Sunday and I can allow myself a (little)) leeway. Reminds me that a) the 5:2 principle (1:6 in this case) of not imposing total deprivation is sound, and b) it all feels easier if you look after yourself in other ways – sleep, fluids etc. Ready to go again!! Have a good day, everyone – especially those for whom it’s nearly Monday!
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