Stop SUGAR Support Thread
Comments
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isn't it true about the grocery store? barbe is right...and forget bakeries or coffee shops. omg.
i did okay yesterday except for guiltily gobbling a toll house cookie. AFTER i read that NY Times article. and I mean i gobbled it.
i don't drink alcohol and use sugar on nothing, but baked goods have my name tattooed on them, i swear. and cinnamon toast as well - i try to make it 90%cinnamon, but still, the bread!
the frozen oj is a great idea, whippetmom! going to try it.
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Um, does reading the names of these yummy treats make you crave them? lol
Now I want cinnamon toast!!
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I missed the frozen OJ idea. What is it?
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I was doing well with no sugar and them BAM!!! Had sugar last night. I have gone down from daily sugar to once every 4-5 days. Still too much for me.
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Funny about the cinnamon toast. I used that as a motivation during surgery/chemo. I would listen to my relaxation/visualization cd on my IPOD and envision myself coming home from chemo or surgery and eating a piece of cinnamon/raisin toast. And I did. It really helped. BUT - I have to say - I have never eaten that again, it is RUINED for me.
I do crave lots of things - but that isn't one of them!Interesting how so many of us talk about the evening eating - the orange juice or cup of M&Ms in the evenings. I wonder why that is - are we hungry, bored, creatures of habit, WHAT? Why is the evening the challenging time? What if we changed up what we DO at that time of the day so as not to be in the same routine that has become a bad habit? I wonder if that would help.
I know for me, I work at home and I NEVER EVER eat in my office and I NEVER EVER eat in front of the tv. That's just such a routine for me now that it would feel weird to do so. So that is one GOOD habit I have.
Also, after dinner, when I clean the kitchen all up, I tell myself "The kitchen is now closed for the night" and I stay out of there. If you can't go where the food is, you won't eat, right?
It's funny b/c when I come downstairs in the a.m., I see the remnants of DH's nighttime snack - but he never does it when I am there. He does it even LATER, after I go to bed. Now THAT is a bad habit! -
First off, I am really, really proud of you. This is a huge step in avoiding recurrence.
If you need any recipes - baking or otherwise, I have a lot of them on my blog, Pink Kitchen. Message me any time if you have questions.
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Amy, you have such good will power I'm surprised the night feeding is a problem. I DO eat in front of the Tv AND at my computer! But...I only eat what is on my plate. My DH and I do it the restaurant way and he plates my meal and brings it to me. He knows I am cutting down and sometimes I can actually leave something on my plate and then I have it for work the next day so I don't buy junk food.
I think our bodies know we're about to "go down" for 8-12 hours without food and it wants a last chance. That's why my DH and I like those cones. They're premade so you can't make them bigger and they are truly enjoyable. We even call them a "treat" so it does feel special. Maybe I'll keep those on board so I don't come back down stairs to find something else.
But really, if you don't have it in your house you won't be tempted (what is won't short for? will not? then should it be willn't??). My kids thought crackers were cookies until they were old enough to go to other kids houses. Neither of them has a sweet tooth. We never had pop/soda either!!
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Interesting article on agave nectar. http://www.foodrenegade.com/agave-nectar-good-or-bad/
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So much for THAT theory!! Rips agave right out of the water! 70% fructose when HFCS is only 55%!!!!
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re the NYT article, it really is worth the read. And if I understand it correctly, it is saying the glycemic index is not the thing to be as concerned about. In other words, the hunk of bread is better for you than the lower glycemic sugar thing.
I found the science part to be particularly helpful for me understanding why a potato or hunk of french bread DOESNOT have the same impact on my body as a handful of M&Ms. It also helps me to sit here now and not be thinking of the candy dish in the front of the office. . . .One of the important things, I think, that the article says is:
"We can eat 100 calories ofglucose (from a potato or bread or other starch] or 100 calories of sugar [half glucose and half fructose], and they will be metabolized differently and have a different effect on the body. The calories are the same but the metabolic consequences are quite different.
The fructose component of sugar and HFCS is metabolized primarily by the liver, while the glucose from sugar and starches is metablolized by every cell in the body. Consuming sugar [which is fructose and glucose] means more work for the liver than if you consumed the same number of calories of starch [glucose]. And if you take that sugar in liquid form--soda or fruit juice--the fructose and glucose will hit the liver more quickly than if yoiu consumer, say, in an apple (or several apples, to get what researchers would call the equivalent dose of sugar. . . . "
When I think about it, it does make sense. If you read books like "Little Women" or "Little House on the Prairie," its was always a big deal to have a cake made with white sugar. Mostly what got used for sweetener is molasses or honey. While both have glucose and fructose, they have other things as well and they have less. I read something about how sugar is 98% glucose and fructose while Honey is only 70%. . . . Perhaps when you just got a couple of slices of birthday cake every year, your body could handle it but with sweets all around, we have overloaded the system. . . .
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I think that this thread is going to help me cause it will keep the goals in the front my face and in front of my mind. The author Beck ( a female writer that I don' t have the name of the author) and she uses cognitive behavioral therapy to eat better. Any way the key is to write down your goal about food. And read it in the morning and through out the day ... I thi k it's called the Diet Solutuion. For myself, what motivates me is to stay as healthy as I can-- keep my system as alkali e as possible. I know that some people do not believe in that but I need to believe in something .
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Good thread....I have been reading the Anti Cancer book and have been trying to reduce the sugars in my diet. I have given up white flour and white sugar for the most part and have done that for several weeks. I have been also trying to avoid the bad oils the book lists (safflower, sunflower, soybean oil, corn oil, etc...) which seems to be hidden in everything packaged (pretzels, crackers, chips, tortilla chips, etc...). This has been hard! I have resorted to baking from scratch - pancakes, whole grain muffins, low sugar brownies made with cocoa, etc.... I tried to bake crackers...that did not go over well!
Here is an interesting comparison of sweeteners I found:
http://greenlitebites.com/2010/11/11/sweetener-comparisons-honey-agave-molasses-sugar-maple-syrup/
For me I have been sticking to the Anti Cancer book's suggestions for using honey and agave. I can tell you that with honey I use less. The agave has much less taste and is just blah. I prefer cooking with honey for now. With using 100% whole wheat flour, oat bran, buckwheat flour and rolled oats in combination with low amounts of honey and other ingredients I have found some good ways to enjoy a few sweets here and there. I would love to say I could give up 100% of sweets but that's not going to happen so I am adapting and doing it in moderation. The other good thing is my son (age 4) has been enjoying the healthy versions of muffins, brownies and such so I am teaching him good eating habits from a young age.
A few things I have been endulging in when the need for something sweet comes up!
So Delicious Coconut/Chocolate bars - they have 5gms of sugar and are made from Agave, coconut milk and cocoa. I got them at Kroger and Whole Foods
Trader joe's 100 calorie chocolate bars - they are 70% cocoa but contain a little soy. They are only 6 gms of sugar I believe. They also have small little triangles of chocolate with carmel that are also 70% cocoa that come in a small tin - 2 pieces are maybe 70 calories and about 6gms of sugars.
Fat free Organic Greek Yogurt with a little honey or unsweetened cocoa. I was going to try to freeze this and make it like a frozen yogurt....
Banana muffins - made with whole wheat flour, rolled oats, apple sauce, honey, cinnamon etc....
I have not come up with many other things yet as this is still so new. I just wanted to share. I will be following along...looking for more recommendations and suggestions.
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Barbe - your cracker/cookie post made me laugh. My DH says that when he was a little boy, his mom wrapped an ice cube in a paper towel and told him it was a popsicle!
But now I am confused. WHAT is better? The sucrose, the fructose? Can someone break it down to a VERY SIMPLE formula? Honey is better than sugar? Yes? No? Of course neither is best. But if it was a special treat and I was baking, I could easily use honey instead if it were prefereable health-wise.
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Hi all! (fist bump to my friend mdg) ~ our participation numbers keep increasing, I think that's great! Lurkers jump on in!
Today was Day #4, and although I had a Lindt truffle that I thought was going to be dark chocolate but then turned out to be milk chocolate with cinnamon and cardamom or something like that, I am still counting it as a successful day.
I was at a gourmet outlet store and only left with dark chocolate and some nut bars! No Dutch almond cookies, no jelly bellies, no gourmet "cane sugar" soda, no Easter chocolate for me... and the store was full of ALL of it.
And I had to take my daughter to the dentist tonight, and it is right next to Wendy's... and we did NOT even speak of getting a Frosty. On the drive over she commented on Burger King's new sign "Strawberry Pie $1.49" and I said "Cancer Pie, to me!"
One day at a time right now, but this thread is extremely encouraging to me. After all, I figure how can I start a Stop Sugar thread and then not even make it a week myself!
The frozen oj idea is interesting, I think it's funny that it takes forever to eat it and I can picture you there eating it, scrape... scrape... scrape... scrape with your dh cringing all the while. That sounds like a great ice cream substitute. I've heard frozen bananas in the food processor also make a great "fake ice cream" but have not tried it yet.
I have started making a mug of decaf green tea when it is tv time. I figure I'm supposed to be fitting it in, it takes 10 minutes to steep, I like it okay, and it is kind of filling and keeps me from snacking on other things around 9pm...
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I have been making pudding out of protein powder and it really isn't so bad. 1 cup of casien protein powder to 1.25 cups water whipped into submission and chilled. It takes the edge off and I have gotten so used to the taste I don't miss the sugar normal puddings have. If I need something more, I add a couple of nuts, pecans or walnuts and some sprinkles. We have even begun making our own whipped cream, bought one of those containers that takes co2 cartridges, add a teaspoon of splenda or stevia for some sweetness.
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sdstarfish: I just received your cookbook of scones this week and am counting the minutes until I can drive again (tmw, actually) so I can shop for the ingredients! each scone looks better than the next.
i did pretty well today, excepting the hunk of cookie dough i swiped off the "bar" i bought. now it's gone, thank goodness. i absolutely cannot have that stuff in the house, or i eat it. i'm not big on ice cream, or even cake..but that Pillsbury cookie dough is like heroin to me (and I work with substance abusers, so I don't say that lightly).
i do find that protein helps avoid the sugar rush...today, it was hummus, and avocado, and then sushi. yummm
mds: thanks for the sweets tips!
xmas dx: love the comment about "cancer pie" - what a crack up.
good night, ladies -
hugs
janyce
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Cancer Pie! You crack me up Kim!! Good job though..I will keep emailing you daily for a dose of laughter!
I need to look into the protein powder. How do you find one that you know is good/healthy? I guess I will go to Whole Foods....that would be a good but expensive place to find that....I always drop $200 in that store! I try to stay away......but I always need something from there.
Jaynce: the cookie dough/heroine comment is hilarious! Love it!
Oh another snack I found is the Edy's Fruit Bars with no sugar added. They are 25 calories, little/no sugar. They are not organic but another option. I mentioned to my son (4 years) they were healthy popcicles. For the last 3 nights after he ate all of his dinner he said "Mommy I am going to have one of those HEALTHY popcicles now because it's HEALTHY". LOL! I have created a monster. He has been asking about "healthy" foods the last two weeks! I was pleased when he ate all of his green beans last night and broccoli tonight....so the HEALTHY popcicle was OK!
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Just found this thread and thought I'd let you know what worked(s) for me - I am pretty much using the South Beach Diet but not really dieting right now as I am not looking to lose weight and when I do then I follow it strictly - anyway it works for me - I rarely eat pasta anymore, NEVER eat white bread, NEVER eat carrots - the NEVERS are because when I eat those two foods I start craving sugar - I will cave in once in a while and eat some dark chocolate but not much of it because like someone said on this thread they'd lost their taste for it after chemo, I no longer need sugar in my oatmeal, just walnuts and cinnamon and a tiny bit of milk and I've dropped the high glycemic vegetables like white potatoes, peas, etc. My dh was a diabetic for over 20 years and so I was well aware of what the disease was like and what effect diet has on our bodies - I was on AIs and my blood sugar shot up to pre-diabetic levels within the first year and I was terribly frustrated but my level is now down to normal (I am off the AIs though)and as an added bonus I lost 15 lbs. - I am leery of trying to bake or make deserts using sugar substitute as no one ever seems to be able to tell us what happens scientifically when some of this stuff is heated - I advocate eating desert once in a long while but certainly not everyday and giving up prepared foods and fast foods is a really good idea too (just reading the labels should make you NOT want to eat the stuff) anyway it works for me and I wish you all good luck and good eating.
Sandy
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Avoiding processed food, sugar, alcohol etc. is called clean eating, and there are a variety of sites and cookbooks around clean eating. Clean eating uis actually an important part of weight-lifting if you want to get cut. A couple of sites that you might find interesting are:
www.cleaneatingmag.com - web site for Clean Eating magazine. Love this magazine because there are articles that give you a two week diet of clean meals AND provides the shopping list for those two weeks.
www.oxygenmag.com - provides a TON of weight-lifting routines that are easily modified depending upon mobility. The magazine totally motivates me to work out (even during chemo).
A cookbook you all might like is Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook (2009) - available on Amazon.
Both magazines are typically available at the grocery store or bookstore. I'm not affiliated with either of the sites or magazines, but I think they really hit home with healthy living/healthy eating.
The other thing I can recommend is getting a VitaMix blender (at Costco). We bought one and have been mixing smoothies, protein mocha shakes, soups, etc. They rock (even though they're expensive). Again, no affiliation, just really like it for blending protein drinks (I mix protein powder into the fruit smoothie and even my kids love them)!
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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002DYJ0OI/ref=rcx_subs_dp
The llink is for the protein powder I use for the pudding. The first few times I made it I needed to add stevia but I don't add it anymore.
A webste I like for nutrition and excersie is t-nation.com, they are pretty hardcore but the things they are so ahead of the times with their information. -
Be careful with bananas; high, high carbs!!!! Same with carrots and beans, but beans have a low glycemic index. I can't be bothered with baking once we have to take all this into consideration, so that makes it easy! A protein shake/pudding could be high in calories, be careful. If they say "lite" or "low fat" it's usually high somewhere else, like carbs. They assume we need a certain taste factor so it's high in one or the other.
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Bananas are high carb, the fructose increases exponentially as they ripen though, so I normally try to go with greenish/just ripe bananas.
Adapted from Jillian Michael's recipe from Master your Metabolism cookbook:
In the Magic Bullet (which I adore for quick smoothies!):
1 banana
Almond Milk (1/2 cup?) - UNSWEETENED - Jillian does a cup
Almond butter (2 Tbl, Jillian does 1 Tbl)
1 T ground flaxseed (or more, or I use Hemp Powder)
Ice
Vanilla extract
I love love love this smoothie! Quick and it keeps me full for hours. Want to try adding cocoa powder since I used to put a squirt of Hershey's syrup in it!
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I'm a lurker- and I'm an addict...haha!
I don't have anything to add at the moment but I've enjoyed reading what other's have posted. I love sugar and this is so hard for me to limit. We don't have any in the house at the moment so that makes it easier. But when I get in a baking mood...lookout!
I'm going to try some of those smoothies. They sound delicious! -
Twinmom...thanks for the agave link. I will avoid it too!
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Re ice cream treats...My dh takes some greek yogurt and mixes it with frozen fruit. We use the Walmart Equate frozen fruit in the bags. Just the fruit...nothing else is added.
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has anyone tried Lara Bars? all fruit and nuts but so very tasty. today i got the peanut butter bars- the ingredients are dates, peanuts and salt, that's it. reminded me of one of my favorite induglences- Payday candy bars. i mean the payday still wins but i just might be able to get used to these!
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xmasdx: i love that smoothie recipe! going to try it this weekend. barbe is right about bananas, and i am usually stumped on smoothie recipes sans bananas.don't really care for frozen fruit because of the grainy texture it leaves behind. maybe mango, papaya, etc? -
i find weekend mornings are temptation regarding waffles and pancakes, etc. or a trip to the coffee shop for the whole family. we have several great coffee shops in the neighborhood and it's fun socializing, but the treats are, naturally, sugar bombs.
anyway - how do you find jillian's cookbook? i have mixed feelings on her.
broke down today and bought a 70% cocoa bar w/ almonds. am tossing it amongst my two children and their various friends who are over for the afternoon, so made out with "only" one strip off it.
sig, thanks for the references.
kelly: i have never liked "granola" bars and the like, although i can say my girlfriend, who is completely (ok, sickeningly) fit and very judicious with diet, loves Lara bars.
j
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Kelly, if those are the only ingredients, what "sticks" it together? Those sound like ingredients in a jar.
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Pip, I love the frozen fruit, but it's $4.97 right now at WalMart!!!
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Who knew about GMO sugar ???
"USDA Allows GMO Sugar Beet Planting Even After a Landmark Court Decision Says No
Why is the USDA once again putting biotechnology before human safety?"
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