Sugar!!

SunKissed1989

I've decided to keep track of my sugar as that's one macro I am constantly going over.
Does anyone have advice on how to cut back? I'm cutting back on chocolate bars and the likes (with the exception of some dark chocolate to curb some cravings - one or 2 squares a day).

Also, what's the deal with sugars found in fruits? There are so many mixed messages out there with regards to this - don't eat them, eat them as they're less detrimental to health than processed sugars, cut down on them - argh!!
I love my fruit and I'm all up for getting my 5 a day (of course I include plenty of veggies in this 5-a-day as well) but if I'm cutting back on sugar, how much of my fruit intake should I be watching?

Cheers in advance

toddis

I went without added sugar for two weeks. Took about 3 days to acclimatize.

I'd suggest something like the 80/20 rule. Allow yourself a little so you don't feel deprived of it.

If you aren't going over on your allotted calories it's not something to fret about as long as you
are getting close on your protein/fat macros.

prattiger65

Oh boy, are you diabetic? Do you have some other underlying medical condition? If not, why bother with tracking sugar? It's just a carb. Track your carbs with the sugar included. Sugar is not a demon, added sugar is not a demon. Just be reasonable with all your macros and enjoy life. It's easier when you aren't running from the boogie man.

Greytfish

Oh boy, are you diabetic? Do you have some other underlying medical condition? If not, why bother with tracking sugar? It's just a carb. Track your carbs with the sugar included. Sugar is not a demon, added sugar is not a demon. Just be reasonable with all your macros and enjoy life. It's easier when you aren't running from the boogie man.

Possibly because if she's not an endurance athlete and she's trying to lose weight or avoid diabetes in the future, consuming a large amount of sugar (refined, unrefined, or fruit sourced) isn't getting her closer to her goals.

ETA: 5 a day is a minimum, and not a goal. Also, the amount you should consume daily should be mostly vegetables, not fruits.

RllyGudTweetr

Oh boy, are you diabetic? Do you have some other underlying medical condition? If not, why bother with tracking sugar? It's just a carb. Track your carbs with the sugar included. Sugar is not a demon, added sugar is not a demon. Just be reasonable with all your macros and enjoy life. It's easier when you aren't running from the boogie man.

http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/sugar-and-desserts.html

SunKissed1989

I am not a diabetic and don't have any underlying condition that would require me to track my sugar. I highly doubt very mild asthma would require that of me because I'm managing that just fine these days).

I totally understand sugar is not a demon, and neither is added sugar. I've just been stuck at the weight I'm at for nearly a year and looking for something to change. What better than to cut down on unnecessary sugars like sweets. Please note I'm cutting BACK, not cutting OUT these sugars - hence my decision to enjoy chocolate now and again. I know it's not good, nor sustainable, to cut these things out completely, but there have been weeks where my calories have been under everyday of the week and I've either maintained or gained weight so there must be something that needs changing…if that makes sense.

ninerbuff

Change your METABOLISM. Lift more, run faster, jump higher, etc. Whatever it is you do for physical activity, make it harder. Calorie deficit reduces metabolic rate and unless you increase physical activity, it will continue to go down by just eating less.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

TX_Rhon

YES!!! I love a good Monday morning sugar thread!!





OP - Good luck finding what works for you :flowerforyou:

Greytfish

I am not a diabetic and don't have any underlying condition that would require me to track my sugar. I highly doubt very mild asthma would require that of me because I'm managing that just fine these days).

I totally understand sugar is not a demon, and neither is added sugar. I've just been stuck at the weight I'm at for nearly a year and looking for something to change. What better than to cut down on unnecessary sugars like sweets. Please note I'm cutting BACK, not cutting OUT these sugars - hence my decision to enjoy chocolate now and again. I know it's not good, nor sustainable, to cut these things out completely, but there have been weeks where my calories have been under everyday of the week and I've either maintained or gained weight so there must be something that needs changing…if that makes sense.

Just FYI, if you posted that you wanted to cut your daily sugar intake by a gram, you'd get the same knee-jerk reaction from the pro-sugar crowd. If you want to cut back, cut back, but I would also take a look at your exercise level.

WendyTerry420

Stop tracking sugar, and track fiber instead. Enjoy your fruit without guilt!

carfanman

here is a pretty good article on the subject:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22129540.500-sugar-on-trial-what-you-really-need-to-know.html#.Uu0sDp_nbqA

Acg67

Oh boy, are you diabetic? Do you have some other underlying medical condition? If not, why bother with tracking sugar? It's just a carb. Track your carbs with the sugar included. Sugar is not a demon, added sugar is not a demon. Just be reasonable with all your macros and enjoy life. It's easier when you aren't running from the boogie man.

Possibly because if she's not an endurance athlete and she's trying to lose weight or avoid diabetes in the future, consuming a large amount of sugar (refined, unrefined, or fruit sourced) isn't getting her closer to her goals.

ETA: 5 a day is a minimum, and not a goal. Also, the amount you should consume daily should be mostly vegetables, not fruits.

And can you substantiate that eating a large amount of sugar leads to diabetes and that it stalls weight loss?

J72FIT

Also, the amount you should consume daily should be mostly vegetables, not fruits.

Why?

J72FIT

OP what do you do for exercise?

kgeyser

I actually looked at your diary, and the majority of the sugar in your diet isn't coming from things like chocolate, plus you seem to have a healthy diet overall. I think if you are stuck at a certain weight, the problem is deficit and you might be better off re-examining your calories in vs calories out formula to see where some of the numbers could be off. How are you calculating your exercise calories? Are you weighing and measuring all your food? How long have you been doing your current exercise routine? Any medical issues or new medications that could impact your calorie intake or burn?

bcattoes

Change your METABOLISM. Lift more, run faster, jump higher, etc. Whatever it is you do for physical activity, make it harder. Calorie deficit reduces metabolic rate and unless you increase physical activity, it will continue to go down by just eating less.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This 100% ^^

Greytfish

Oh boy, are you diabetic? Do you have some other underlying medical condition? If not, why bother with tracking sugar? It's just a carb. Track your carbs with the sugar included. Sugar is not a demon, added sugar is not a demon. Just be reasonable with all your macros and enjoy life. It's easier when you aren't running from the boogie man.

Possibly because if she's not an endurance athlete and she's trying to lose weight or avoid diabetes in the future, consuming a large amount of sugar (refined, unrefined, or fruit sourced) isn't getting her closer to her goals.

ETA: 5 a day is a minimum, and not a goal. Also, the amount you should consume daily should be mostly vegetables, not fruits.

And can you substantiate that eating a large amount of sugar leads to diabetes and that it stalls weight loss?

Also, the amount you should consume daily should be mostly vegetables, not fruits.

Why?

Sugar, especially in the form of fruit, is the number one way that women eating a diet otherwise geared toward weight loss undermine that goal. The body will break down complex carbs and both simple and complex carbs will be used or stored. The body will burn the sugar as fuel, then store it as glycogen, about 100g in your liver and about 500g in musculature. Once it has done both of those it will convert the sugar to store as fat.

If you're having 5-10 servings of vegtation per day and they aren't mostly vegetables, you'll have an excess of sugar and a deficit in some essential micronutrients.

bcattoes

Oh boy, are you diabetic? Do you have some other underlying medical condition? If not, why bother with tracking sugar? It's just a carb. Track your carbs with the sugar included. Sugar is not a demon, added sugar is not a demon. Just be reasonable with all your macros and enjoy life. It's easier when you aren't running from the boogie man.

Possibly because if she's not an endurance athlete and she's trying to lose weight or avoid diabetes in the future, consuming a large amount of sugar (refined, unrefined, or fruit sourced) isn't getting her closer to her goals.

ETA: 5 a day is a minimum, and not a goal. Also, the amount you should consume daily should be mostly vegetables, not fruits.

And can you substantiate that eating a large amount of sugar leads to diabetes and that it stalls weight loss?

Even if you don't get diabetes or need to lose weight, added sugar still might cause heart disease
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/03/us-sugar-diet-idUSBREA121IK20140203

WendyTerry420

Possibly because if she's not an endurance athlete and she's trying to lose weight or avoid diabetes in the future, consuming a large amount of sugar (refined, unrefined, or fruit sourced) isn't getting her closer to her goals.

Nonsense! It was when I learned that sugar isn't harmful, doesn't cause diabetes, and was reintroduced into my diet that I began to thrive with both weight loss and fitness goals.

ETA: Also, I just saw that the OP called sugar a macro, but sugar is a subset of carbohydrates. (just to be clear)

Acg67

Oh boy, are you diabetic? Do you have some other underlying medical condition? If not, why bother with tracking sugar? It's just a carb. Track your carbs with the sugar included. Sugar is not a demon, added sugar is not a demon. Just be reasonable with all your macros and enjoy life. It's easier when you aren't running from the boogie man.

Possibly because if she's not an endurance athlete and she's trying to lose weight or avoid diabetes in the future, consuming a large amount of sugar (refined, unrefined, or fruit sourced) isn't getting her closer to her goals.

ETA: 5 a day is a minimum, and not a goal. Also, the amount you should consume daily should be mostly vegetables, not fruits.

And can you substantiate that eating a large amount of sugar leads to diabetes and that it stalls weight loss?

Also, the amount you should consume daily should be mostly vegetables, not fruits.

Why?

Sugar, especially in the form of fruit, is the number one way that women eating a diet otherwise geared toward weight loss undermine that goal. The body will break down complex carbs and both simple and complex carbs will be used or stored. The body will burn the sugar as fuel, then store it as glycogen, about 100g in your liver and about 500g in musculature. Once it has done both of those it will convert the sugar to store as fat.

If you're having 5-10 servings of vegtation per day and they aren't mostly vegetables, you'll have an excess of sugar and a deficit in some essential micronutrients.

Yes, since in a caloric deficit, there is so much net fat storage, esp through DNL

SugaryLynx

Oh boy, are you diabetic? Do you have some other underlying medical condition? If not, why bother with tracking sugar? It's just a carb. Track your carbs with the sugar included. Sugar is not a demon, added sugar is not a demon. Just be reasonable with all your macros and enjoy life. It's easier when you aren't running from the boogie man.

Possibly because if she's not an endurance athlete and she's trying to lose weight or avoid diabetes in the future, consuming a large amount of sugar (refined, unrefined, or fruit sourced) isn't getting her closer to her goals.

ETA: 5 a day is a minimum, and not a goal. Also, the amount you should consume daily should be mostly vegetables, not fruits.

And can you substantiate that eating a large amount of sugar leads to diabetes and that it stalls weight loss?

Also, the amount you should consume daily should be mostly vegetables, not fruits.

Why?

Sugar, especially in the form of fruit, is the number one way that women eating a diet otherwise geared toward weight loss undermine that goal. The body will break down complex carbs and both simple and complex carbs will be used or stored. The body will burn the sugar as fuel, then store it as glycogen, about 100g in your liver and about 500g in musculature. Once it has done both of those it will convert the sugar to store as fat.

If you're having 5-10 servings of vegtation per day and they aren't mostly vegetables, you'll have an excess of sugar and a deficit in some essential micronutrients.

Yes, since in a caloric deficit, there is so much net fat storage, esp through DNL

^right?!

Okay, for the lol. I eat close, if not over 100g of sugar I a day, sometimes less ( I don't track it, it's a carb so I dgaf). I'm a woman. I've been doing this the whole time. No ill effects. No undermining of my goal. Oh, because calorie deficit.