Sugar addict! Oh my gosh I'm a sugar addict!
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Look up the fighter diet. It's really disciplined but the results are incredible. I still haven't been able to cut fruit (I ONLY have it once-2x a week though and it's usually low on the glycemic index), or greek yogurt. Otherwise I'm good on it. I feel better once I increased my fat, and protein and lowered my carbs. It's taken time but it's worth it.0
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Misty, you are certainly not alone in your sugar-loving boat!
I try to cut back as often as I can. I have had success with a cup of hot tea and a teaspoon of honey at night in place of desert. Here's what I really like for breakfast in the morning: I toast 2 of those wheat Eggo waffles with sugar free strawberry jelly on top. It's low on sugar and with the sugar free jelly it's really good and a huge improvement on syrup.
Now this sounds wonderful! Thank you!
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Butt-ton of carbs? Two weeks?
You're retaining water.0 -
mistyloveslife wrote: »Okay. First let me say I am not here for anyone's entertainment. So with that out of the way, I will say this. I was not over on my calories on any single day.
If you aren't losing, there are a few possibilities:
(1) It's one week, fluctuations could be hiding any loss. (This is my vote.)
(2) Your estimate of the calories you need is too high. (Probably not, especially if you are going by MFP, but this sometimes happens, especially if people are adding back exercising and using MFP's sometimes inflated numbers for that.)
(3) Your logging is inaccurate. I understand you are weighing, but there are other sources of possible error, in particular in the choice of entries to use.
Because if you are actually eating at a deficit for you, you are eventually going to lose (not necessarily so that it shows up between one week and the next, however). Eating more carbs or more sugar might well make a difference as to how easily you are able to sustain your deficit (whether you end up going over) and, depending on what you eat, could be things that are harder to count, but if the calories are at a deficit it's not going to stop you from losing, so that's not the issue.I went back and looked and noticed that literally every single day I was more than double (sometimes triple) my sugar intake.
Like I said, this isn't going to prevent you from losing and if it's due to, say, fruit, you might not even mind this, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to lower your sugar intake if you want. It can make creating a deficit easier.What are good breakfast substitutes other than rolled oats.
Eggs--I eat a vegetable omelet. Plain yogurt with some fruit and nuts (although that will have plenty of sugar). I can't tell if you are giving up on oatmeal, but oatmeal doesn't have sugar unless you add it. Also, you don't need special breakfast food--I sometimes just have leftovers from dinner or a salad with some protein or some raw veggies and smoked salmon.
For me (although this is not the case for everyone), eating more protein and fat and less carbs as a percentage (which also means less sugar) tends to keep me fuller for the rest of the day. That might help some with cravings.
I also think cravings are something that are normal when you start a new way of eating, since you aren't eating as much or at the same times you used to. I struggled with that at first and found that if I just ignored them when not at a meal time or had some raw veggies, they eventually went away. Meals aren't so far apart that it's any huge burden to wait until lunch or dinner. I often find it helpful to include a bit of something sweet at the end of a meal (usually dinner), since if I eat it in the context of other foods I'm less likely to want to overeat, and yet if I know I can have it later I'm less likely to think about it at other times or have a hard time resisting M&Ms at my office or whatever. Oh, and also making sure that I am having decent-sized filling meals with plenty of protein and fat also. (And I agree with those who said fiber--I try to have vegetables at all meals.)
But part of this is just figuring out what works for you.
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mistyloveslife wrote: »Calm yourselves. Seriously. I never said sugar made me not lose! I said after not losing I evaluated my diary and noticed I have a sugar intake problem. Not that sugar WAS the problem. Notice I also didn't blame my broken foot for my couch potato 2014 for it either. I just want to cut the sugar. Gogo_zowie I'll check out the fed up documentary you mentioned earlier. Ahhh Pancakes and real syrup... The stuff dreams are made of!
Nobody here in this thread doesn't sound calm. Except maybe yourself, OP. Perhaps take your own advice? Not everybody is going to say what you want to hear, it doesn't automatically mean anyone's attacking you.
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I also love sweets-- and carbs. I feel your pain.
two breakfasts I like are:
whole wheat english muffin with natural peanut butter (and sometimes maybe add sliced banana if you want something sweeter) (also, I make my own peanut butter just by grinding up peanuts in my food processor for like 5 minutes. no added sugar then!)
PB&J smoothie: 1/4 cup uncooked quick oats ground in blender, 1/4 cup frozen blueberries, 6-8 frozen strawberries, 1 tbs natural PB, 1/2 cup skim milk.
I'm trying a new pumpkin spice smoothie tomorrow and will let you know how it is!
i also have a breakfast sandwich maker from Hamilton Beach. Totally not needed for making breakfast sandwiches, but it sort of cooks itself in 5 minutes and I can do other things like make my coffee and gather my lunch while I use it, so I like it. It's not a sweet option, but once you get used to it, you may start to like savory things just as well.0 -
I have actually cut my sugar intake a lot. Sugar is like a drug, the more u eat of it the more u want it. I go COLD TURKEY! I don't use it in my coffee, tea, cereal, oatmeal, etc. I try to not add it to anything. I grew up with my mom adding it to pretty much everything from Greens to spaghetti. I figure I'm getting enough sugar in my regular foods so I don't wanna go over. Plus I'm doing my best to cut out the sugar loaded carbs that I love Tastykake, Dunkin Donuts doughnuts, cranberry orange muffins, danishes, homemade peach cobbler and cheesecake were my go to. So cutting those types of food out (I know I'll have a muffin soon, but trying my best to stay away) helps me curb my addiction to sugar. I also have diabetes traits so its healthier.
Can't really think of a substitution for sugar because many of the artificial sweeteners aren't great for you. I would suggest trying a different snack although if cold turkey doesn't work. For example trail mix and not the one with dried fruit and candy. Or spinach dip. or yogurt. or drinking tea instead.
hope you get to where you are going0 -
Fruit, Nutella on something, French Toast, Sweet breads, cookies, tea with sugar, etc. If I crave it, I eat it in a small/portioned out amounts. You can friend me if you want to look at my food diary and compare sugar levels because I don't keep track of that and how much sugar I eat. I also don't have any insulin issues to worry about.0
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The fancy coffee places have those sugar-free syrups. Switch to those for your fancies.0
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Don't watch Fed Up, seriously. It's a stupid 'documentary' made with broscience for scaremongering.0
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lemurcat12 wrote: »mistyloveslife wrote: »Okay. First let me say I am not here for anyone's entertainment. So with that out of the way, I will say this. I was not over on my calories on any single day.
If you aren't losing, there are a few possibilities:
(1) It's one week, fluctuations could be hiding any loss. (This is my vote.)
(2) Your estimate of the calories you need is too high. (Probably not, especially if you are going by MFP, but this sometimes happens, especially if people are adding back exercising and using MFP's sometimes inflated numbers for that.)
(3) Your logging is inaccurate. I understand you are weighing, but there are other sources of possible error, in particular in the choice of entries to use.
Because if you are actually eating at a deficit for you, you are eventually going to lose (not necessarily so that it shows up between one week and the next, however). Eating more carbs or more sugar might well make a difference as to how easily you are able to sustain your deficit (whether you end up going over) and, depending on what you eat, could be things that are harder to count, but if the calories are at a deficit it's not going to stop you from losing, so that's not the issue.I went back and looked and noticed that literally every single day I was more than double (sometimes triple) my sugar intake.
Like I said, this isn't going to prevent you from losing and if it's due to, say, fruit, you might not even mind this, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to lower your sugar intake if you want. It can make creating a deficit easier.What are good breakfast substitutes other than rolled oats.
Eggs--I eat a vegetable omelet. Plain yogurt with some fruit and nuts (although that will have plenty of sugar). I can't tell if you are giving up on oatmeal, but oatmeal doesn't have sugar unless you add it. Also, you don't need special breakfast food--I sometimes just have leftovers from dinner or a salad with some protein or some raw veggies and smoked salmon.
For me (although this is not the case for everyone), eating more protein and fat and less carbs as a percentage (which also means less sugar) tends to keep me fuller for the rest of the day. That might help some with cravings.
I also think cravings are something that are normal when you start a new way of eating, since you aren't eating as much or at the same times you used to. I struggled with that at first and found that if I just ignored them when not at a meal time or had some raw veggies, they eventually went away. Meals aren't so far apart that it's any huge burden to wait until lunch or dinner. I often find it helpful to include a bit of something sweet at the end of a meal (usually dinner), since if I eat it in the context of other foods I'm less likely to want to overeat, and yet if I know I can have it later I'm less likely to think about it at other times or have a hard time resisting M&Ms at my office or whatever. Oh, and also making sure that I am having decent-sized filling meals with plenty of protein and fat also. (And I agree with those who said fiber--I try to have vegetables at all meals.)
But part of this is just figuring out what works for you.
And this! Thank you! I know that a lot of my sugar intake is coming from processed stuff. Mainly instant oatmeal. I did find a crock pot oatmeal that called for rolled oats and apples. I really do appreciate you breaking this down. MFP put me at 1200 but I set myself a goal of 1400. I do measure and go by package nutritional/serving info. I don't drink enough water by a long shot. I'm sure that's got some to do with it. I'm just taking it a day at a time and working on a healthier me. I'm not here to lose 10 pounds in a week. Thanks for your advice!0 -
mistyloveslife wrote: »Okay. First let me say I am not here for anyone's entertainment. So with that out of the way, I will say this. I was not over on my calories on any single day. And yes I measure. On a scale that measures grams and ounces. And it's not broken or low on batteries and yes it's turned on and working properly. I've been at this long enough to know that something is off and it's not my calorie intake. Literally everything I've ate the last 2 weeks has been sugar loaded. Since I didn't have any weight loss in the first week and being the heaviest I've ever been, I went back and looked and noticed that literally every single day I was more than double (sometimes triple) my sugar intake. I'm not here to be made fun of or bullied by the people looking to pick on someone. I was just asking how others deal with the sugar cravings. I'm not one of those "the scale hasn't moved for a week so I'm quitting" people. Or one of those people who think they can exercise for a couple days and lose 5 pounds. I know that 1-2 pounds a week is healthy. I know that you have to eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight. I know that you are supposed to eat balanced meals with protein and higher fiber foods. I also know that I CRAVE sugar like someone craves cigarettes. So, I am asking those who aren't here to just pick on someone, WHAT DO YOU DO TO FILL THE SUGAR CRAVINGS? What are good breakfast substitutes other than rolled oats.
I had a massive sweet tooth. I could eat a box of donuts and keep on going way past the point of feeling sick. A pint of ice cream was a single serving to me. I've been this way my whole life and have only recently had a lot of success with taming the sweet tooth without feeling deprived.
The biggest thing I've noticed is that if I don't start off with a massively carb loaded breakfast I'm usually okay the rest of the day. This means no cereal, pancakes, donuts, muffins, or many of the other "traditional" breakfast options. I grew up in the US and a bowl of Lucky Charms or Cheerios was pretty standard for our breakfast as kids. Or a giant muffin. Lately I've gotten a lot more creative. I'm vegetarian btw, so I have no meat suggestions for you. For breakfast I will have scrambled eggs and beans, usually with a few vegetables. Dinner for breakfast is also common with me. Or, if I have to have something sweet, I make a smoothie. The smoothie has almond milk, a banana (it's sweeter than it sounds!), a serving of some kind of frozen fruit (blueberries are the sweetest), hemp protein powder, and cacao powder. It's chocolatey and wonderful and totally hits that sweet spot without loading lots of sugar on me first thing in the morning. It also has lots of health fats and protein. Great way to start the day.
The rest of the day I try to focus on vegetables and my protein sources. Fish, nuts, beans, etc. You become much more sensitive to sweetness as you cut back, so less of it really is more satisfying. Usually if I'm craving something sweet in the evenings I'll get myself a nice juicy Fuji Apple with some peanut butter or plain yogurt. Boiled and mashed cassava root is pretty sweet, as are ripened plantains. I don't feel deprived, and I have not exceeded my carbs or sugar intake once (usually I am much lower).
I taught myself to drink coffee and tea with no sweetener, and it's rare that I add sweeteners to anything these days. I did this in steps, mind you, not all at once. It was much easier to tolerate, and now I look back and am amazed that I don't want to eat an entire box of donuts (or even one)! I've lost about 80 pounds over the last three years. I still need to lose a considerable amount more, but I'm getting there.0 -
I'm a carb lover, so I know how you feel. Try making smoothies in the morning for breakfast. I do mine with a lot of greens (kale and spinach mix), greek yogurt, cinnamon, unsweetened almond milk, whey protein, and fruits! that way you get the natural taste of sugar with the fruits, but you're right on the money calorie and nutrition wise. Good luck! Feel free to add me, we can motivate each other!0
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I second lemurcat's comments, and I will also add that high salt intake combined with low potassium intake can mask fat loss and cause bloating, so it's not always about carb intake or sugar intake specifically. I run into this problem quite often lately, especially since I'm close to my goal and losing slowly. Unfortunately, potassium isn't listed on labels, but foods like potatoes, bananas, spinach, and beans are high potassium foods. I'd suggest tracking your sodium intake and trying to get some high-potassium items in your diet regularly also. It should help you "see" fat losses more clearly.0
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Misty, my own personal experience is that the more sugary-sweet stuff I eat, the more I want. Try pre-logging in a sweet snack after lunch or something like that so you can avoid temptation for the rest of the day because you know there will be a daily payoff. I also tend to crave candy or ice-cream after dinner but I can't always fit it in my calories, so I make a pot of flavored tea, mint especially reads "sweet" to me, but doesn't have any calories.
I'm not sure if this is the case, but if you are concerned about not losing for a couple of weeks, you really need to give a new calorie plan a good 4 weeks or so before you really see results. And if you aren't losing at that point, you need to adjust your calories down. If eating less sugar is the easiest way to do that, then go for it, but the key one way or the other is the calories.
I personally don't like most sugar-substitutes, so I just had to find a way to fit in the sweet stuff I love - ice cream, dark chocolate, and soda. I have them less, and sometimes cut back somewhere else to make room when it's worth it.
Good luck!0 -
Clearly, I am missing something from the people who are posting "this again" and such. I am not a regular poster, but I will admit to being a sugar addict.
I think in order for me to get over this addiction I would need to go to some rehab facility. Preferably a nice looking one like they show on "Intervention" and "Dr. Phil".
I've even joked that my friend should turn her in-house yoga studio and make it a sugar rehab facility. She's probably get more clients that way. ;0)0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »mistyloveslife wrote: »Okay. First let me say I am not here for anyone's entertainment. So with that out of the way, I will say this. I was not over on my calories on any single day.
If you aren't losing, there are a few possibilities:
(1) It's one week, fluctuations could be hiding any loss. (This is my vote.)
(2) Your estimate of the calories you need is too high. (Probably not, especially if you are going by MFP, but this sometimes happens, especially if people are adding back exercising and using MFP's sometimes inflated numbers for that.)
(3) Your logging is inaccurate. I understand you are weighing, but there are other sources of possible error, in particular in the choice of entries to use.
Because if you are actually eating at a deficit for you, you are eventually going to lose (not necessarily so that it shows up between one week and the next, however). Eating more carbs or more sugar might well make a difference as to how easily you are able to sustain your deficit (whether you end up going over) and, depending on what you eat, could be things that are harder to count, but if the calories are at a deficit it's not going to stop you from losing, so that's not the issue.I went back and looked and noticed that literally every single day I was more than double (sometimes triple) my sugar intake.
Like I said, this isn't going to prevent you from losing and if it's due to, say, fruit, you might not even mind this, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to lower your sugar intake if you want. It can make creating a deficit easier.What are good breakfast substitutes other than rolled oats.
Eggs--I eat a vegetable omelet. Plain yogurt with some fruit and nuts (although that will have plenty of sugar). I can't tell if you are giving up on oatmeal, but oatmeal doesn't have sugar unless you add it. Also, you don't need special breakfast food--I sometimes just have leftovers from dinner or a salad with some protein or some raw veggies and smoked salmon.
For me (although this is not the case for everyone), eating more protein and fat and less carbs as a percentage (which also means less sugar) tends to keep me fuller for the rest of the day. That might help some with cravings.
I also think cravings are something that are normal when you start a new way of eating, since you aren't eating as much or at the same times you used to. I struggled with that at first and found that if I just ignored them when not at a meal time or had some raw veggies, they eventually went away. Meals aren't so far apart that it's any huge burden to wait until lunch or dinner. I often find it helpful to include a bit of something sweet at the end of a meal (usually dinner), since if I eat it in the context of other foods I'm less likely to want to overeat, and yet if I know I can have it later I'm less likely to think about it at other times or have a hard time resisting M&Ms at my office or whatever. Oh, and also making sure that I am having decent-sized filling meals with plenty of protein and fat also. (And I agree with those who said fiber--I try to have vegetables at all meals.)
But part of this is just figuring out what works for you.
All of this... OP it's been a week. Give it time - and be careful throwing out words like "sugar addiction" in a post - it's bound to bring out a lot of (ahem) passionate commentary on both sides of that argument...
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I don't care about the outcome, but please don't listen to propaganda documentaries meant to scare the uninformed such as "Fed Up" and use that in your decision making process.0
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Butt-ton of carbs? Two weeks?
You're retaining water.
Bingo. The first week is often great because so many people find their calorie deficit by cutting carbs, and that results in a lot of water-loss. You presumably have done the opposite - cut fats and/or protein. So your increased carb intake is resulting in retaining water and is masking any loss you may have had through your calorie deficit.
Without wanting to lend credence to the 'sugar is the problem' argument, it would be wise to redress this macro-nutrient imbalance. Up your protein and fats, and you'll find that as a side effect you'll be full longer and less likely to crave carbs.
Pretty much everyone loves sugar. I know I do. To keep my macros balanced while not depriving myself, I generally have a really special treat that I allow myself in the evening. Generally something like Talenti Gelato. I can forego a lot of temptation if I know that gelato is waiting for me in the fridge, and that I need to have Calories left for it.0
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