The past week, I decided to cut out sugar from my diet drastically and keep away from the sweets as much as possible, but only have a small little nibble on it. Cutting sugar out is very important because I am so petrified of getting Diabetes. I have read all the terrible things it does to your body and your health. The list has no end to it. A terrible thing since it runs in my family. I have put my foot down and I will no longer be consuming soft drinks, and drink my coffee and teas with sugar. It has all been cut out from my diet. I started getting more active, and now since the weather has changed drastically, I decided to go out for a walk for an hour or two, then if the weather is bad I go on my treadmill. Anything to get healthy, slim and make sure that I don’t become subject to Diabetes as its a very scary thing to go through with all the insulin shots, the medication, the special diets and everything you must follow, and so much. I know some people get it when they are babies or when they are children.
I made a solid decision to cut it out and to just drink water and as well as coffee, tea, with no sugar at all. Coke and Diet Coke are a no no. I mean who doesn’t love sugar, sweet stuff, and everything? but too much is terrible for you and it can do more harm than anything. I am a huge Nutella fan and a huge chocolate fan, but time to cut those out too. I will only have a small bit to taste to keep my taste buds going, but no more than a teaspoon full or less. I am very serious about my health and well-being. I am eating everything but in moderation. as DR. OZ says take charge of your health today for a longer tomorrow’s… I watch The Doctors TV, Dr. Oz and these important shows so that I can get valuable and great information that will benefit me and my life for the future. Its very important to read up on these things and watch these shows. It sure is a wake up call. I am also going to make a cup half a teaspoon or teaspoon of Cinnamon with Hot boiling water and drink it. Drinking boiling to warm water with cinnamon will help you lose weight too and control your sugar. Anything to cut sugar out. Diabetics can have their blood thicken and it can create clogs in arteries and thats where you can have heart disease and strokes and thats when they must amputate fingers, legs, arms. Very terrible.
Sugar is a thing of the past for me now, but I will have it once in a blue moon. your the one who has to take care of yourself with your health. nobody else is going to get healthy for you. Do it now before its too late.
Talin Orfali Ghazarian 
As someone who has been a diabetic for 15 years I can tell you that sugar is not your number one enemy. The key to attempt preventing diabetes and to managing it is an overall lifestyle change. Carbs are far worse than sugars for diabetics. Then you have to learn about simple carbs and complex carbs. What I’ve learned is that it’s not necessarily what I eat, but how much I eat. I’ve been treated by the best in the world for endocrinology and while I drink almost zero pop/soda I do have occasional candy or snack. Don’t be fooled by so called “sugar free” candy. Look at the carb content and sugar alcohol. Lots of fruits, vegetables and protein make things great but too much pasta makes things bad, really bad, really fast.
That’s the way, I knew you could do it, everything i moderation. Keep it up
You are absolutely right to be taking charge of your health and you will see a healthier tomorrow, and have more energy to enjoy it far more. Good luck with your changes.
I spent 15 years as a vegan, and sugar was no part of my diet. I’m talking NO PART. Read the ingredients of the foods you buy, like ketchup and bread and just about anything else! Sugar is ALWAYS an ingredient in food unless you go organic and stick with whole foods. Sugar was harder for me to quit than cigarettes. Yes, it is that addictive.
But if you stick with it, you will see an immediate improvement in your health. My IBS vanished almost overnight. I no longer follow a vegan diet, as it is very hardcore and difficult to impossible to maintain, but I always recommend not eating sugar.
I don’t have sweets in the house. No chocolate, no candy, none of that stuff, not for years, but I relaxed my vigilance enough to allow eating out and I no longer obsess about the sugars in my food, and guess what? My IBS is back, and worse than ever.
If you decide to quit sugar, go all the way! Buy nothing pumped up with sweeteners, and let me assure you, nearly everything on your grocery shelves contains artificial and natural sweeteners. It’s horrible, how compromised our food sources have become. Sucrose, fructose, high fructose sugar…it’s endless, the many ways they hide it in our food. Why? Because it’s addictive. Our bodies come to crave it and it’s a cheap way to improve the taste of foods.
If you can find a copy, I recommend reading “The Sugar Blues.” It’s an old book, but it explains how sugar screws up your body. I loaned my copy to a friend and have regretted it, because it was never returned.
Admin, above, mentioned that pasta is bad for you. I wonder if the Italians’ health reflects that? What is their incidence of diabetes compared to ours? Always check the facts before believing what anyone tells you. Check mine! I’m no authority, I can only tell you what my results were.
Hi Theo – yes sugar is in so many foods, most people don’t even realise when I talk to them and start to drill down on their diets they will say to me that they eat very little sugar, and then afterwards I help them to see that it can be in some cases in every meal they are eating due to the manufacturers adding it as an ingredient. Sugar Blues by William Dufty is a great book, well recommended Theo for becoming clear on what sugar is doing to your body, you can pick up old copies cheaply on Amazon marketplace.
Good for you. I have a family history of diabetes as well, and it can be a scary thing, if it is not properly managed.
Theo gives some good advice. You do have to be extremely careful and read everything. And, as someone who works in the restaurant business, I can tell you that a lot of the larger chain restaurants won’t be able to provide ingredients to the food they serve, since almost none of it is made in-house. They will mostly contain sugar, or corn syrup, or something similar. The best way to avoid this is to do your own cooking, so you know exactly what you are consuming.
You can do it. It will take some will power, but it can be done!
Hi Talin – I cut sugar as well, almost 7 weeks ago. I have a super sweet tooth, so I’ve been going through a grieving process. But I must admit, I have more energy and have lost a few pounds, so it appears I’m on the right track. I wish you the best, and hope that it will be easier than you might expect!
I love the spirit behind your decision, but you have to be careful to establish something sustainable.
Diabetes is big in my family, and for what it’s worth, here are 3 simple tips that have allowed me to get my vital health numbers in order:
1) Target 100oz of water each day before drinking anything else
2) Religiously cut out the following 5 evils:
– breads (only a couple exceptions, let me know if you’re interested in knowing them)
– pastas
– cereals
– potatoes
– rices
3) Divert your sweet tooth to dark chocolate. I found it easy to start 60% cacao and move up from there. I’m currently at 86%. One or two Ghiradelli squares with a spread of (full fat) peanut butter is a healthy treat.
The conventional dietary wisdom is WAY wrong. Fat is not bad for you. Sugars aren’t bad for you, in moderation and in natural form. The devil is in processed/refined carbs and sugars.
Good luck! It’s hard for sure!
I feel so much better when I don’t eat sweets. Can’t always pull it off but I do know it’s the worst thing to put into your body. I’ve given it up for Lent many times and always feel amazingly better. Nice post.
I’ve tried to cut out sugar, but I have a sweet tooth and I love chocolate, so good luck with that!
Good luck!
Congrats for taking that big step for your health! Sugar is so hard to give up though because it’s so addictive!
Talin, that’s amazing – go for it! It sounds like the good health effects you’ll experience will be great!!! By the way, one of the things my wife does for health is a short 15 minute exercise program called T-Tapp (www.t-tapp.com) by a woman named Teresa Tapp. I haven’t tried it myself yet, but I’ve watched her, and just by standing in place and doing a bunch of exercise along with the video, she gets an incredible workout. So even when it’s not nice weather out, if you don’t feel like doing the treadmill…. (And by the way, I have nothing to do with this company, I just think it’s amazing.) Again, best of luck to you, you’re starting on a great journey of new health!
Reblogged this on Information Should be Found and commented:
Very inspirational! I know I stopped drinking diet soda (I didn’t drink regular) several years ago and I feel so much better…
Good lock!,
It’s a good step and, if you know that is your culprit or one of your biggest, good for you! I’m trying to get back there. I limited my sugar intake and foods that turn into sugar (i.e. starches) late 2009 and doing that, along with, replacing all of my beverages with water and green tea 98% of the time, rarely eating after 730p, and regular exercise, I lost 50lbs in five months. I fell off my wagon last summer though once I started traveling for work again so I have to get back to it. I am working out regularly and I eat vegetables mainly allowing myself two meals with meat weekly. I feel better, cleaner, and my energy is picking up.
I am sending you loads of strength, determination, and, most of all, patience.~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is a good move to delete refined sugar from your diet. However, it is impossible to remove all “sugar” from the diet, nor should we. Carbohydrates are built from sugar molecules. OK to delete the sugary drinks but keep eating fruits and veggies as close to their natural state as possible – they are mostly carbohydrate, which is built from the three basic sugar molecules. March is National Nutrition Month; for more information go to http://www.eatright.org
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
I love your spirit and I love your writing but this is one of the most ignorant posts I’ve ever read!!! I think you are being way too harsh on yourself, and this will backfire. Refined sugar is not our friend, but the sugar in fruit, and other naturally occuring sugars is GOOD for us. The fibre, and the nutrients, help our bodies use it in a better way so that it does not mess our blood sugar up as much as the processed, devoid of nutrients stuff.
Diet coke does not have sugar – ZERO sugar!! but it’s not good for you anyway – artificial sweeteners also have been shown to be dangerous and can even cause weight gain.
Moderation, not obliteration, is the key. If you totally disallow yourself your sweets, you will end up craving them, and binge, and that’s it. A little treat every once in the while is not at all unhealthy.
Diabetes is caused by many factors, not just sugar – but saturated fat, too much weight, too little movement – and it’s GENETIC.
Good luck, and please try and research articles more before you write them 🙂
If you get a nutella craving, you can try this free-of-added-sugar dark chocolate almond spread: 1 tbsp almond butter, 1 tbsp mashed banana, 1 tbsp milk, 1/2-1 tbsp cocoa powder (it’s especially good with Hershey’s special dark!)
My best wishes for your success.
Thanks for sharing your dietary goal. I should do the same. Sweets aren’t around the house, but in the office and around at social functions. I need to turn my head away, drink that H2O. Sugar substitutes are just as bad, again water quenches the thirst and fills me up. We can do this!
This is a great decision. I know how horrible sugar is on your body especially in contibuting to diabetes. Sweet drinks, even fruit drinks, are also a problem I am finding out. I hope you stick with it. I plan to make some changes too. I might also let some other things go, like meat –maybe not completely, but I don’t think I have to have it with every meal. Good luck.
I’m prediabetic in my late 20’s. It is a terrifying idea. Numerous elders I know have diabetes, and the resulting illnesses that come with it are just awful.
Let me know how it goes. I decided that I’m going to ween myself off of it completely. One morning soda, one dinner soda. And then, I’ll cut those. More portion control. If there isn’t a full serving of a fruit or vegetable, I shouldn’t be eating it. Period. Eventually, I hope to cut all meats that aren’t lean.
I want to live a healthier life. I want to like the way I look, and I want to feel good too. Hopefully, this will work out.
i wish i am as strong-willed as you. Keep it up and more power!