Stop SUGAR Support Thread

Banba:  That's a good thing!  Our holistic doctor that we see put us on a special gluten free diet, but still recommended a piece of dark chocolate for an afternoon snack.

I went out to dinner with a group of girlfriends the other evening.  They were impressed with how well I looked.  I didn't partake in the blooming onion (loaded with fried crust) and I limited myself to one piece of dark bread.  I didn't feel the least bit deprived.  I also avoided the 2 for 1 cosmos saying that I no longer drink and drive!  I have not yet told them that I was dx with bc.

Now that I'm on this diet I no longer crave sweets or carbs.  I'm just as happy with some fruit and nuts for dessert.  Both my boyfriend and I have lost about 10 lbs each, which neither of us really needed to lose, but it's around the middle, so that is good. 

Watch the movie "Food Matters"...it's great reinforcement of all we do to be healthy. 

I was really doing well with cutting out sugars for several months, but have been having a little again, like a small dessert at night. So far it has not pushed me into wanting to overindulge like I used to. I do find that I enjoy it more now that I don't have it often. And things definitely taste so much sweeter to me, but for me that makes them taste even better. Oh and I have lost almost 30 lbs, am down to size 2. I think I am really at the perfect weight for me. Also trying to stay away from white bread, white potatoes and white rice, and limit meat. I have been doing this since midMarch and it is getting easier. Any suggestions for breakfast though? I have been a raisin bran person for a long time, but it has a lot of sugar. Cheerios are okay, but what do you all do for breakfast?

kay1963:  This is going to sound pretty crazy, but I usually have a salad with all kind of raw veggies on top and a hard boiled egg, and one of my juice drinks that I make fresh in the juicer.  After that, I usually feel really energetic.  If you can't stomach the thought of eating salads for breakfast, then try a protein shake made with almond milk.  You can add berries for flavor.

We buy protein powder (flavored choc vanilla or strawberry) then add almond milk, mix in blender and enjoy!

Quaatsi:  Sugar is very addicting and is in almost everything we eat, so we have to be vigilant about giving up the things that are the worst offenders.  We have given up all white carbs...bread, pasta, cereal, white potatoes and rice, etc.  This was about two months ago, and we have each lost about 10-12 lbs, all from our middle.  It works!  I'm so pleased with our "new look" that I don't even miss the dessert or white stuff.  We weren't overweight either, but the pounds just melted off us, and we seemed to get more toned.

These sugary kind of foods are the worst for preventing cancer, so that is another reason to eliminate them from your diet.  This has been reinforced at the recent conference in San Antonio.

I think it's ok to cheat once in a while...like for a holiday meal, but not consistently.  We really try to stick to vegetables, salads and proteins. We eat sweet potatoes, brown rice, and an artichoke or quinoa pasta that is just as good as regular.  Don't feel like we're missing out on anything. 

The last time I gave up sugar it took so much willpower but I felt so much better. I wasn't tired all the time. I lost 30 pounds and I did it but then I went back to the sugar. It is so difficult I am going to try again. I'll check on how everyone is doing and I'll keep it one hour at a time. Sugar makes my stomach bloat so much! I used to eat the sugar free chocolate pudding for the evening destress after work treat. That worked pretty good, or maybe a Starbucks once in awhile with the sugar cut in half. Great topic.

Sugar is definitely the enemy...I feel so much better when it's not in my diet, along with all the other white stuff that converts to sugar.  I lost over 12 pounds just by eliminating white from the diet.  We went on a cruise for New Years and cheated a little, now my body is really feeling it!  I'm happy to let it go again.  Good luck everyone with your journey to healthy eating!

Kinda glad this thread gotten woken up!!  I would love to hear more about what constitutes "processed food" for all of you. Obviously, SUGAR...  but, what else and what is left? what kind of food/ dishes do you eat if there is no processed in them?  I am curious about the range of thought on this.  In some ways, one might go back to a paleolithic diet (which is too extreme for me since I like my food hot).  

I have cut back on my sugar for the past  month but not OUT.  I am tired enough that I cannot think of meals to make that do not have anything processed in them but, like today we are going to have Fish tortilla crusted (gotta be some white in there!), rice and salad.  I cannot eat a meal after about 4pm because I am uncomfortable. I need to find somethign to eat around 6-7 because I get hungry and unfortunately that is when I go for the sugar....

plus, I put on a total of 15 pounds since surgery,  10 of them since chemo.  I need those 10 off for my comfort.  I was definitely NOT overweight prior to dx but am now....

For me, processed means sugar, white flour, white rice, most cereals, white pasta, and anything made with those ingredients.  I avoid white potatoes except for occasional small servings.  I allow a few whole grains and small servings of brown rice and sweet potatoes.  And I do eat most fruits (but very little dried fruit), beans, a bit of dark high cocoa-content chocolate.  I don't limit lean proteins but try to avoid lots of fatty meats.

I think my diet resembles an Atkins "maintenance" diet, and try to keep my daily total carb intake under 100 grams. 

At the end of the day, portion size matters a whole lot!

Oh, women.  Whenever I need something, BC.org comes through!  I'm going to go back and read, but just wanted to say hello.  I'm trying to give up candy and alcohol as of Jan 1.    Of course, since candy is out, I've found some lovely baked goods to substitute.  Ugh.  I've ALWAYS had this sweet tooth.  Anyway, I'm going to look back and read and try to get some advice.  I thought candy was my biggest culprit, so I'd start there by saying NO entirely.  We'll see!  Thanks everyone.

A tablespoon of agave nectar has 16 "sugar" carb grams.  A tablespoon of white sugar has 12 "sugar" carb grams.  And it has 14 more calories.  A tablespoon of honey is about the same as the agave nectar.  I guess it depends on your objective whether or not agave is better.   From a metabolism perspective, sugar is sugar.  If the only sugar you're using is a bit in your coffee, I'd say use whatever you prefer.

I use Splenda in my coffee and my Greek yogurt. 

You can check the nutritional information on almost any food at

www.calorieking.com

It's very handy because you can scale the portions and it will recalculate the information.

Lilah - thank you!  I'm happy the hair is coming in pretty quickly.  And Happy New Year to you, too!

Maple syrup is 12 sugar carb grams and 52 calories per tablespoon. 

It's a very good point that someone might find a particular food "sweeter" and therefore use less of it, which would make it a better option.

I use a little real maple syrup when I make a baked apple pancake, as a treat.  I dip my fork in the syrup and then stab a bite of the pancake. 

The AntiCancer book says agave is a good substitute for sugar. It has a lower glycemic index so doesn't cause the spike in insulin that sugar and white flour do. At least I think that is the reasoning, I know he thought it was a much better alternative than sugar.