Stop SUGAR Support Thread

LADIES - PLEASE PLEASE put the scale away  Weighing yourself daily will drive you crazy. There are MANY factors that affect our weight - it can fluctuate several pounds day to day and within a single day. If your goal is to eat healthy and burn fat, it will not happen from one day to the next, no matter what you eat/don't eat.

I have been told to skip the scale entirely and gauge progress by how my clothes fit and that has worked very well for me. Others may want to weigh once/month, or AT MOST once/week.

Otherwise you are going to draw conclusions that are not accurate - i.e. "I ate the brownie and lost weight anyway" or "I didn't eat the brownie and gained weight anyway."  Neither of these are good conclusions and don't help us in our thinking.

I went to a bridal luncheon with several ladies today. It was a lovely outdoor patio and a lot of fun, just about 7 women there (all mid 50's).  They had several drinks, sandwiches, fries and dessert. I had water, a salad and no dessert. And I didn't feel tempted or deprived AT ALL.  The reason is that I focused on the social element of it (lunch with old friends for a happy occasion) NOT the food. Worked great.  I'm not always perfect at this, but I am getting there..... and the support of all of you on this thread is super helpful.

Amy

i was awful today. cake and cookies at a Holy Communion party.

my biggest hurdle is slowing down and thinking, "do i REALLY want this?" sometimes, the answer is still yes, but i'm getting better at discerning. trying to keep extra dark chocolate i nthe house for craving.

i am getting better at this, but still bumps in the road.

hubby is making me breakfast tomorrow - i spied lots of fresh fruit in the fridge, and eggs. i'm a lucky gal.

happy mother's day to all who celebrate it, however you celebrate it...

xo

j

ps: the cocoa banana scones from Pink Kitchen do hit the sugar spot...fabulous. even my kids love them. can't say enough about that cookbook!

My kids know better than to give me anything with sugar because I generally won't eat it.  Just a couple of exceptions...a pecan caramel apple from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.  Now that I WILL eat, but I am usually willing to share it.  And really high quality artisinal designer chocolates...like Christopher Elbow or something so expensive that I would only eat one a day and make them last.  If it's not really, really, snobby good, I'm not eating it...LOL. 

Michelle

I think that was an important realization for me a long time ago...if it doesn't taste really, really good, it's not worth eating.  I use that approach for things like bread, potatoes, corn, fruit and anything with sugar.  If it's not "especially good" then I don't need to eat it.  Mediocrity is not worthy!!!

Michelle

I fell off the wagon today and ate until my heart was content.  I cooked Mothers Day dinner and ate more sweets than I normally would.  It was great! Back to my usual eating habits tomorrow.

Yum!  I love Coffee Crisps!  And Milky Ways (Treepsrite).

Thanks for the tips here.  I am visiting my dad in Toronto this weekend and drinking red wine and popping into bakeries, eating date squares, etc.  This must stop.  SO often I think to myself that it wasn't worth it and I have a mentality of "I'm on vacation".  Michelle, in the past I've done what you said about only eating things if they are fabulous, otherwise, not worth it.  It helped me  and will have to start doing that again.  I felt better and also was more in control and conscious.  I've never "counted" carbs - thanks for the info ladies.

I really want to lose 10-15 lbs.  This last year was not kind to my body! 

My affirmation last week and this:  I am vibrantly alive and healthy!  (sugar doesn't get me there)!  Have a great week, ladies ~ Daiva

I agree with the above. I've made changes such as trying to incoporate agave nectar, increased my vitamin intake and I've ALWAYS stayed away from fake sugars. I've made an effort to decrease my sugar intake(gave up my one Sprite per day as soon as I was diagnosed in Feb. and don't miss it!) But I eat a sweet treat if I want one. All things in moderation b/c I still want to enjoy life.

Yes, it does kick off a craving if you eat sugar, just like with cigarettes if you are trying to quit smoking or alcohol for the alcoholic. There are substances in the brain that respond to the "sugar high" so be careful. Some of us are more sensitive to this than others, again just like with nicotine and alcohol. Probably some people can do moderation and some can't.  If you eat sugar be aware that for a day or two you  might crave it more so you can be on guard. The cravings subside totally by day 3 (for me, anyway).

I remember being on Herbal Magic and getting in trouble for eating cheese! I was stunned! I avoided all the goodies at a gathering and ate cheese and crackers and I got shit. I should have chowed down on all the goodies instead if I was going to get hell anyway....sigh.

Mum you done good!

Jancie -- Cheese is just best in small amounts -- and hard cheese tends to be the best choice as cheeses go.  But really if you are losing weight that is a good thing and you can worry about adjusting some of your choices later once you've lost the weight! 

The only "low fat" product in my house is Hellman's Lite Mayo.  Otherwise, I eat the full fat version of anything and just eat less of it.  Low fat or light salad dressings are full of hidden sugars, and light versions of cheese generally just don't taste that great.  It's easier for me to just eat a little less of the full fat version.  Sharp-flavored cheeses are good because a little goes a long way. 

I can really limit my sweets, but don't put a big bowl of popcorn in front of me.  And not microwaved or from a bag, I want the real deal, cooked in a pot, salted and buttered!  I usually just make it my meal replacement when I need copious amounts!

Michelle

Jancie -- it's all good.  I think you have to just resolve to get back on the horse (ha -- you know that one!) when you fall off now and then.  Oh and BTW I like that light Laughing Cow cheese too -- I don't know, though, is it really cheese?  LOL  Or just something that tastes like it?

We have half a cake in the fridge from Mother's day. I mean the cake of all cakes, and than this apple pie from costco the size of an extra large pizza. I feel like an indoor cat watching from the window a bird outside.  I am encouraging my kids to eat the dam pies, just so I don't have to stare at them when I get my organic carrots out of the fridge for my snack. I love my sweets, but since my diagnosis I have been trying to be sugar free.

I find a half an apple or 3 oz of carrots (they sell baby carrots in little 3 oz bags) helps with sweet cravings.  Both are relatively low carb but naturally sweet.

And Jancie I was kidding about Laughing Cow not being cheese  

One of the most informative books I've read, and the most helpful in showing WHY I have those cravings, is The End of Over Eating - by Dr. David Kessler.  Kessler is in the process of doing to the "food industry" what he did to cigarettes!  Really, once you read this book, you won't look at "food" the same again -expecially if you often eat in "chain restaurants" - or buy a lot of processed food.