My no-to-little sugar experiment
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blambo61
Posts: 4,372 Member
I started a 21:3 IF diet Sept 2015 at 6'1" 252. I would eat all foods in my eating window and usually topped it off with a sugary desert. I also did cardio about 3-4 times a week and weights twice a week. I ended up losing 42lbs (210). I then did a 16:8 for a while and ended up gaining back about 10 lbs (220-I was hobbled by gout injuries during a lot of that time and wasn't able to do my cardio and stopped doing weights also for no reason). Got back on my diet and some exercise and got down to 205. Then lots more gout, hunting trips where I didn't diet and got back up to 218. Since right after Thanksgiving, I'm back on the diet and am now back down to 213. I've still had gout but am just barely starting to walk distance again.
My sugar experiment is this: I read that fructose is more a contributor to gout than even meat is so I decided to eat no sugar (I do allow rice, potatoes, bread but no pure sugar) to help with gout. My result since starting this a couple of days before Christmas is that I've lost two-lbs so far from last Saturday tell today which is much more than my traditional 1-lb loss/week I've been getting lately with my diet (and without exercise) AND DURING the CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY! That is amazing to me. My indulgence food has been meats (not a ton due to gout concerns but a fair amount) and cheeses (dairy is supposed to help gout) instead of candy this holiday. I'm amazed though at how much I've lost in less than a week doing this! I have never tried to cut out almost all sugar and will experiment more and see if it still comes off at this rate.
Also, my gout has improved a lot in just the last 5-days of not eating sugar since this last attack has lasted more than a month and has seriously hobbled me (I also do allopurinol, cherry juice, ACV to help with gout, and with the exception of the last couple of days, have almost been a vegetarian). The relief I've had with no-sugar even though I've done some smoked meats the last couple of days is even more amazing.
My sugar experiment is this: I read that fructose is more a contributor to gout than even meat is so I decided to eat no sugar (I do allow rice, potatoes, bread but no pure sugar) to help with gout. My result since starting this a couple of days before Christmas is that I've lost two-lbs so far from last Saturday tell today which is much more than my traditional 1-lb loss/week I've been getting lately with my diet (and without exercise) AND DURING the CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY! That is amazing to me. My indulgence food has been meats (not a ton due to gout concerns but a fair amount) and cheeses (dairy is supposed to help gout) instead of candy this holiday. I'm amazed though at how much I've lost in less than a week doing this! I have never tried to cut out almost all sugar and will experiment more and see if it still comes off at this rate.
Also, my gout has improved a lot in just the last 5-days of not eating sugar since this last attack has lasted more than a month and has seriously hobbled me (I also do allopurinol, cherry juice, ACV to help with gout, and with the exception of the last couple of days, have almost been a vegetarian). The relief I've had with no-sugar even though I've done some smoked meats the last couple of days is even more amazing.
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I would agree. My brother-in-law struggled with gout for many years and finally gave up fructose (most importantly high fructose corn syrup) and all foods containing it. He's been doing this for a few years now and he feels better than he has for 20 years probably. If used to cheat in the beginning and would end up feeling miserable so I don't think he even gets tempted anymore.
He also uses hemp oil daily and swears by it....0 -
Good testimonial! Sugar in general can be quite a tricky bugger!0
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I would agree. My brother-in-law struggled with gout for many years and finally gave up fructose (most importantly high fructose corn syrup) and all foods containing it. He's been doing this for a few years now and he feels better than he has for 20 years probably. If used to cheat in the beginning and would end up feeling miserable so I don't think he even gets tempted anymore.
He also uses hemp oil daily and swears by it....
I don't think I'd feel much either if I was doing hemp oil!
Seriously , appreciate the comment.
Also, the tons of sugar stuff in the house hasn't even tempted me much at all since I now associate it with gout and we have a ton of it around in all forms (cookies, pies, fudge, caramel apples, candy, etc., etc.) I used to make a lot of Christmas candy myself the last few years but not this year. I did allow some pie cause it does have a lot of fruit in it and isn't just pure sugar but I haven't had one piece of candy or cookies or anything else this holiday so far.1 -
My hubby has had a similar experience. He developed gout. I did some research and found cutting sugars, mainly fructose, often helps. He cut his sugars and found it did help. He feels it in his toes and knees when he eats too much sweets or baked goods.
He also lost 25lbs. 1 -
My hubby has had a similar experience. He developed gout. I did some research and found cutting sugars, mainly fructose, often helps. He cut his sugars and found it did help. He feels it in his toes and knees when he eats too much sweets or baked goods.
He also lost 25lbs.My hubby has had a similar experience. He developed gout. I did some research and found cutting sugars, mainly fructose, often helps. He cut his sugars and found it did help. He feels it in his toes and knees when he eats too much sweets or baked goods.
He also lost 25lbs.
Thanks, convinces me even more. My knee has been the latest problem. Since cutting the sugar, I can now walk without a limp and can walk up stairs normally, and can almost walk downstairs normally. Walked on the level about 2-miles the other night! I think cutting the sugar has helped since I've been struggling more than a month with this and now just after quitting the sugar I'm rapidly getting better. I like to run and was doing 6-miles 3xweek earlier this year before my gout problems. I hope to get back to that.1 -
Maybe you should try cutting out a few more starches over time? So many people here have testimonials of reduced pain when watching lower carb. I wanted to drop pounds but I also am seeking relief for a pain condition in my feet. I am encouraged by many people here on this forum. So many of them have had pain relief. Good luck!0
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Pain relief from fibromyalgia, and other pain disorders, is enough to keep me from indulging in sugar filled foods, though mine includes potatoes (rice and pasta doesn't seem to give me trouble with pain). It's been enough to get me to my weight loss goals, and I feel so much better!
Good for you @blambo61 for being in the place to recognize the difference! This woe is about so much more than weight loss!0 -
Pain relief from fibromyalgia, and other pain disorders, is enough to keep me from indulging in sugar filled foods, though mine includes potatoes (rice and pasta doesn't seem to give me trouble with pain). It's been enough to get me to my weight loss goals, and I feel so much better!
Good for you @blambo61 for being in the place to recognize the difference! This woe is about so much more than weight loss!
Second post in as many days linking Fibromyalgia to nightshades...yup, we're dropping them in my house!0 -
I'm still trying for very little sugar. Weight loss has been good! I lost 3-lbs over the Christmas Holiday which was crazy and one more so far this week. I think I may have been a little dehydrated over Christmas (I don 't drink water like I should at home) and really probably lost only two lbs but it didn't come back so maybe I lost two lbs of fat this week also after getting water back in me. Anyways 4-lbs for the two weeks so far which is better than I've done for a long time so maybe no sugar is helping there. It will take a couple more weeks to see I think.
Gout comes and goes a little but isn't bad right now. It's hard to tell the sugar effect without a control. Will see.0
