Everyday Systems

Okay, hi, I'm a newby to the site - I first visited it way back in late January when I googled sugar free diets and this was one of the first links. I tried registering then, but had major problems, can't remember why now. My NY resolution was to give up white/brown/processed sugar in everything I EAT. (couldn't give up alcohol lol, I'm not that much of a masochist). I weighed in at 163 pounds and as I'm only 5 foot 3 inches, I looked, and felt, fat and uncomfortable.
So - 9 months later - I've been stable at 138 pounds for about 3 months. I'm still not touching sugar, no cakes, no chocolate, no sweets, etc, etc, etc etc ad infinitum. People are amazed that I can refuse it all - but to tell you the truth, after the first two weeks, it wasn't a problem. I have (hopefully by now) re-educated my taste buds. If I eat anything naturally sweet now, like beetroot, or carrots, or dried fruit, it tastes VERY sweet to me. I check for sugar in products (reading those labels is a pita I admit), don't eat anything much between meals, (if my stomach is actually rumbling I'll have something like raw veg or fruit) and I've learned to listen to my body when it says it's FULL!! I've dropped a dress size, I'm inside my weight range and I'm so comfortable in my body now I can't believe it was that easy. Processed sugar is the worst thing - I never get those lethargic downs now, where all I wanted to do was curl up and sleep.
I am well aware that I probably sound like the smuggest woman on earth - but to be honest, this eating regime has been the best thing I've ever done - and I never, ever have to think about it anymore - just eat healthy guys. I don't change and eat sugar at weekends because I don't need to. I'm quite happy eating as I am and I don't think I'll ever slip back. There are a million things you can eat out there that don't have processed sugar rubbish in them - go out and find them. Reinhard, your site is great.
Carole.

Carole,

I'm very happy that no-s has inspired you to such success. And thank you for posting about it here.

I would like to point out for others that vanilla no-s doesn't require absolutely giving up all added sugar -- though that clearly can be an effective strategy if, like Carole, you're able to pull it off.

I've found that even by simply restricting sweets to S-days, my taste buds have undergone significant "reeducation." I still enjoy sweets, in fact I enjoy them far more, but I don't need that continuous, excessive flow I got before. Stuff like sugar soda, for example, doesn't really appeal to me anymore (except maybe in a ritual context like going to the movies, which thanks to my two baby daughters, I hardly ever get to do anymore anyway). I don't want to blow my heightened sugar sensitivity on something so crude and overwhelming.

Different as your version may be from vanilla no-s, it clearly works, and you're clearly happy and excited about it, so I'm delighted to have had anything at all to do with inspiring it. Congratulations and best wishes going forward,

Reinhard

Congrats!!!!!!!! Everybody needs a good piece of cake, even if it is once a year!

My main problem was that I WAS a sugar addict - and would quite happily eat large bars of chocolate at one go - or never just one biscuit etc. That's why the first two weeks were very hard for me - but now I've lost that "I need another chocolate biscuit to get me to lunchtime." feeling, I never want to get it back. Not eating processed sugar has meant that I never get those sugar dips, and my body feels much more level all day.
I appreciate that there are many people out there who can just have their sugar/snacks at weekends and go straight back to No-S during the week, but I know that wouldn't work for me.
Anyway, thanks again for the site and inspiration.

Carole.