Now I want to quit sugar and caffeine, too.

[Ren]

Has it followed for a lot of people that once you quit smoking, you realize you were telling yourself little lies about other things you might be addicted to? I'm almost 60 days quit but now I'm seeing other areas of my life that need improvement. The recommended daily intake of sugar is roughly 25 g per day. I don't have any idea what that even looks like. I pretty much eat whatever I want, but today I'm counting grams of sugar and I can already tell I'm in for one hell of a sugar hangover. 

 

Also, the other day I forgot to have a coffee (we were out) and by the evening I had a splitting headache and had spent most of the day crying over everything...when I finally went out to get coffee and sat down with it, my head cleared and my mood lifted and I felt normal again. 

 

I don't want to be addicted to anything. 

 

I don't want to be going through withdrawals if there's ever an apocalypse and suddenly lose all access to these substances!! We'd want to have clear minds, be alert and rational, and physically fit!!! I guess I also want to be all of those things even now, living in THIS world. 

[JB 883]

If there is some apocalypse, we would have a lot bigger problems than whether or not we could gt our caffeine  and sugar fix. Alex Jones aside...

 

Maybe cut back but completely depriving yourself of those two things also will be hell.

What made smoking an easier habit to quit is that it is really vile, expensive, and it is nearly a crime to light up anymore.

 

If you do this, do so slowly. Some people get on this health kick after quitting tobacco. They decide to go to the gym, walk to work, eat healthy, finishing their degree, stay away from anything bad. The problem is they do all this at once. And it works for a little while.

 

But then the motivation wears off and they go back to everything bad. Drinking, smoking, drugs, bad food, being a slouch...

They soon find out that depriving yourself of fun things and exercise just are not natural, otherwise everyone would do it.

 

For me, yes I am hooked on sugar something horrid. I ain't about to give that up. No desire to quit that one.

[WeegieWoman]

I've cut coffee for lent a few times and always found it realllllly easy. Crisps (chips i think the americans call em) this year was far harder. Cutting sugar seems like the fad of the moment. My pal cut it for lent and felt no better. People also claim to be sex addicts, do you think you should cut sex too? 

 

I consume coffee and sugar and lots of other things but do not think i am addicted to them. But if you fancy it give it a go, but you are relatively early days. As i am. Im just focussing on being off the fags and being healthy. 

[Doreensfree]

I havn,t got a sweet tooth thankfully...I'm a savoury gal...

I wouldn't call my self a addict, regarding food...OK...maybe a sausage...but I can even go a length of time without...

Your in the very days of your quit...be kind to yourself...

[WeegieWoman]

How long can you go without sausage doreen lol 

[Boo]

5 hours ago, Ren said:

Has it followed for a lot of people that once you quit smoking, you realize you were telling yourself little lies about other things you might be addicted to?

 

I haven't touched the booze since New Year's Day.  It wasn't that I was addicted, I just never could drink in moderation.  Since I didn't enjoy getting drunk anymore and my relationship with alcohol changed after I quit smoking; I decided it was easier just to give it up altogether.

 

If you decide that any substance is no longer serving a useful purpose in your life, it only makes sense to me that you would eliminate it.

 

Good luck and good health.

[Doreensfree]

43 minutes ago, WeegieWoman said:

How long can you go without sausage doreen lol 

 

Eerrr...let me see...I have been known to go a week....whaha....

[notsmokinjo]

I get what your saying Ren.... its like there is a shift in your perspective on everything once you realise that you can and have quit... that said don't go gung ho on adding more to your plate just yet... Focus on the smoking, if you are really keen to give up the caffine (cola, tea, chocolate & coffee) and the sugar maybe slowly cut it down. I am a massive coffee addict, and about 3 months into my quit I had to cold turkey it for 14 hours for some medical tests.... I kid you not, here I was all comfy in my quit and that night was the closest I have ever come to throwing in this quit.... I'll probably consider the coffee issue in about 12 months time, I want to make sure this nicodemon has its arse nailed to a wall before I have to face some other demon too.

[johnny5]

I cut down dramatically on caffeine ever since I quit.  I rarely drink soda anymore and I drink a lot less coffee than I used to.

 

I still like beer but quitting smoking has made me re-examine my feelings towards alcohol and I drink less than I used to.

 

Quitting smoking is a huge lifestyle change and it can sometimes have a domino effect in making you want to make many other positive changes in your life.  I think that is one of the unexpected benefits to quitting (for some people, at least). 

[PeaceTrain]

I don't have anything left to cut.  No alcohol since 24 years of age and no caffeine since age 28. I'm in the reintroduction phase of the Whole30 elimination diet plan and had no trouble with staying off sugar (or any artificial sweeteners whatsoever) since the first week of April. Cigarettes were my last and hardest to break addiction and as most of you would agree, it's no easy feat. I understand what you're saying, Ren. Many of us, including myself have stepped up other kinds of health enhancing practices, such as exercise, since quitting.  I agree that once you can get off cigarettes, you start to think about other things you can do to enhance your health and you have the belief in yourself that you can actually do it.  

[Whispers]

I'm soda free since august 25th, i quit alcohol for 1 year after i quit smoking . The detox from quitting drinking shocked me, i had night sweats for a few nights right away. I don't drink much anymore(wine with dinner a beer) since i quit. maybe 10 times in 2 1/2 years after drinking 3-5 times a week. Coffee? That might be next but after i quit soda i was getting tired earlier by an hr ish each night

[Ren]

Cool. Cool cool cool. I do have a tendency to go all out with lifestyle changes for various lengths of time, eventually ending up acquiring my bad habits again. I haven't set health or fitness goals for myself in years because I was basically tired of working so hard only to self-sabotage in the end.  

 

I don't want to compromise my quit for the sake of giving up something less harmful, so gradual is my new favorite word. 

 

Honestly I've ignored how much sugar is in the food and drinks I consume my whole life! I've obsessed over calories and fat content but never sugar for some reason. So I'm realizing now how high my daily consumption of added sugar was... so I think I can easily cut back. 

 

And coffee...well...I'm tempted by all these stories I hear of clear skin and renewed energy levels after quitting caffeine, so I know I'll try it at some point. Just not today...or anytime soon lol.

[Octain]

I have a gradually cut back on coffee over the last several years but not intentionally. It’s just kind of happened. I was a caffeineaholic really bad till about 10 years ago.

I have thought about quitting completely but honestly, it’s one of life’s simple pleasures.  I love dark black strong coffee. 

I don’t drink a lot, maybe 3 cups before noon. My day usually starts around 4:15 AM.

 

As for sugar, oh dear God. I love anything sweet , cookies, cakes and donuts being my favorite. However I’m not big on candy.  When I first quit smoking I gave myself a “hall pass” but the last few days I’ve been trying to cut back consciously keeping track of what I take in. I’m not sure if I could keep my sugar intake under 25 mg a day.  Might be worth a try since I could stand to loose a few pounds anyway.

 

 

[Ren]

On 5/16/2018 at 12:40 PM, Octain said:

As for sugar, oh dear God. I love anything sweet , cookies, cakes and donuts being my favorite. 

 

 

meeee tooooooooooo!!

 

I got really into baking as a teen because I loved cookies and cupcakes so much! But I would literally eat half the batch THAT NIGHT. Also when I looked up nutritional info on my favorite coffee shop treats this week, they were all at the top of the list for sugar and fat content! My favorites are always the worst for me. I've always wanted to be one of those people who say they're not into sweets, I've just never been able to understand that point of view 

[christine 12]

I'm quitting coffee too

[Whispers]

This photo was floating around, at first it was said this person had an addiction to energy drinks. After it was said that this person was addicted to soda, here is a pic of the kidney and BTW i'm so grateful i'm an ex smoker and water is my favorite beverage since late august ....

 

 

[Rozuki]

I am going the "everything in moderation" route for now....working on cutting down drinking caffeine free diet coke by alternating with pomegranate flavored seltzer.....I love the bubbles!

[MLMR]

On 6/3/2018 at 12:41 AM, Whispers said:

This photo was floating around, at first it was said this person had an addiction to energy drinks. After it was said that this person was addicted to soda, here is a pic of the kidney and BTW i'm so grateful i'm an ex smoker and water is my favorite beverage since late august ....

What is that?!

[notsmokinjo]

Those are kidney stones, in their most extreme form.

 

I diet high in soft drink (soda/pop/fizzy drink) or energy drinks or even drinks like powerade/gatorade can contribute to and cause kidney stones. Energy drinks are borderline toxic and I would class them the same as alcohol.