Going off sugar
Options
kjwillie
Posts: 106 Member
I've been trying to eliminate sugar from my diet almost completely. This is because of skin issues, sleep issues, joint and weight issues that I've developed over the years and I feel like my diet is mostly to blame. I've allowed exceptions for fruit, creamer and stevia in my coffee and 85% dark chocolate/unsweetened cocoa powder. But I'm finding sources of sugar in nearly everything!!! Bread, energy bars, yogurt, cereal- you name it!! Does anyone know how to make this kind of lifestyle sustainable over a long period of time?? I've been snacking on foods like almonds, nut butter, fruit, popcorn with olive oil, eggs, cheese melts on tortillas, etc. I'm on day 3. Day 1 and 2 were mostly learning experiences though because I realized the granola bars and yogurt I ate had high levels of sugar.
On a side note, I just started training for a Tough Mudder and want to make sure my body is properly nourished for workouts. I'm very much out of shape right now, but I'm hoping that will change and plan on exercising approximately five days a week.
I realize that others have made topics about this, so I apologize if it's repetitive. It's new for me! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!
Also, I'll make my diary public so people can give me more accurate information.
On a side note, I just started training for a Tough Mudder and want to make sure my body is properly nourished for workouts. I'm very much out of shape right now, but I'm hoping that will change and plan on exercising approximately five days a week.
I realize that others have made topics about this, so I apologize if it's repetitive. It's new for me! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!
Also, I'll make my diary public so people can give me more accurate information.
0
Replies
-
I'd compare the contents of coffee creamer to those of something else like skim milk. You may not like it but it may be worth looking into.0
-
Yes. I am avoiding sugar too except for a 100 calorie treat each evening. Stop eating things made in plants and start eating plants. Try to eat most everything as though you were chewing it off the plant/animal. Granola bar=candy bar. Yogurt=pudding. Make your own steel cut oatmeal. It takes 20 minutes to cook on the stove so I cook 7 portions each weekend and dip a serving out and nuke it every morning. You can add an egg per portion, ham, veg, cheese, etc. I put peanut butter and cinammon on mine because it make it seem sweet. I add ground flax and fruit after I nuke it.
Fruit. vegetable. Soup. beans. nuts. eggs. Most anything is a bottle or wrapper has added sugar, salt or fat because manufacturers know that is a cheap way to make things taste good so we buy them. Women consume most of their calories through fat in salad dressing or sugarSSSS in drinks.0 -
It's not sustainable. Like, at all.0
-
Unless you are dead set on creamer, switch to milk...
You can find sugar-free bread
Make your own homemade protein bars with protein powder and no sugar added
Make your own granola bars
Check out the specialty departments in your grocery store or health food store for sugar free products but look for products sweetened with natural sweeteners.
I don't buy pre-packaged foods. If you want, check out my diary. My staples are plain greek yogurt, eggs, chicken, lean ground turkey, vegetables, fruit, squashes, long grained rice, couscous, coconut oil, balsamic vinegar, salsa and stevia. Sugar free for over a month, besides a "cheat day" for a work event.
My snacks involve fruit, plain yogurt with fruit & stevia, hard boiled eggs, veggies.0 -
It's not sustainable. Like, at all.
^^^thisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss0 -
It's not sustainable. Like, at all.
How is it not sustainable? People don't NEED sugar. It's not an essential nutrient. It should be eaten in moderation. However some people due to health reasons need to eliminate it from their diets.0 -
It's absolutely sustainable - it just takes a clean eating diet. The easiest way is to start by eliminating packaged foods. I've even gotten to the point where I make my own ketchup (It tastes so much fresher anyway!)0
-
I commend you for cutting out added sugars to see if your health improves. As someone else pointed out, check out eh processing of foods as well.
I try, as a rule, not to eat foods with more than 3 grams of added sugar. It's doable. It can be sustainable. If it makes you feel better, it will be easier to sustain, though all bets are off when you eat out.0 -
Are you sure you want to cut all sugar out of your diet, or are you aiming to cut out added sugar? A lot of the sugar on labels (currently) is natural sugar. Take milk for example. They don't add sugar to regular milk, but lactose is a natural sugar. Cutting out even natural sugars from your diet, even allowing for fruit, is extremely difficult. MFP currently can't track added sugars, though who knows about the future.
The easiest way to limit added sugars though is to look at the ingredient list for sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and probably others that I don't know because I haven't really looked into it. If you really want yogurt, buy plain yogurt. Then any sugar in it is naturally occurring instead of added to make it sweet.0 -
It's not sustainable. Like, at all.
^^^thisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
She's eating fruit, there's her sugar.0 -
I've been trying to eliminate sugar from my diet almost completely. This is because of skin issues, sleep issues, joint and weight issues that I've developed over the years and I feel like my diet is mostly to blame. I've allowed exceptions for fruit, creamer and stevia in my coffee and 85% dark chocolate/unsweetened cocoa powder. But I'm finding sources of sugar in nearly everything!!! Bread, energy bars, yogurt, cereal- you name it!! Does anyone know how to make this kind of lifestyle sustainable over a long period of time?? I've been snacking on foods like almonds, nut butter, fruit, popcorn with olive oil, eggs, cheese melts on tortillas, etc. I'm on day 3. Day 1 and 2 were mostly learning experiences though because I realized the granola bars and yogurt I ate had high levels of sugar.
On a side note, I just started training for a Tough Mudder and want to make sure my body is properly nourished for workouts. I'm very much out of shape right now, but I'm hoping that will change and plan on exercising approximately five days a week.
I realize that others have made topics about this, so I apologize if it's repetitive. It's new for me! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!
Also, I'll make my diary public so people can give me more accurate information.
Just a few questions.
1. You said you feel like your diet is to blame for these skin, joint, weight, and sleep issues you have. As in you're not sure. Since what you listed can be considered medical issues, why haven't you gone to your doctor to see if your diet truly is to blame? This is an extreme diet change based on something you're not 100% sure about.
2. Why have you focused on sugar as the culprit?0 -
Hey,
I like to think of myself as someone who has drastically reduced my sugar intake (and it has helped me immensely! in a lot of ways besides the scale). Feel free to friend to ask specific questions, but you might want to try some paleo/primal/weston a price-y recipes occasionally. Many of them focus on reducing sugar and upping healthy fats, proteins, and less sugary carbs. One place to consider might be the 21 day sugar detox: http://www.amazon.com/The-21-Day-Sugar-Detox-Naturally/dp/1936608111
One thing I tend to do is to eat full-fat everything (full fat yogurt, no sugar added, for example) as it has been my experience that when they take out fat, they add in sugar.
Another trick for me has been when I want sugar, I add it myself so at least I know how much is in it and what the quality of it is.
Rather than just focusing on sugar and taking it out, focus on what you can add in to replace, more protein or more fat? A slower burning carb perhaps such as rice instead of bread, or a sweet potato instead of chips. Just a bunch of suggestions, take what you like and leave the rest.0 -
It's not sustainable. Like, at all.
Good news - it's sustainable. Like, forever.0 -
Unless you are dead set on creamer, switch to milk...
You can find sugar-free bread
Make your own homemade protein bars with protein powder and no sugar added
Make your own granola bars
Check out the specialty departments in your grocery store or health food store for sugar free products but look for products sweetened with natural sweeteners.
I don't buy pre-packaged foods. If you want, check out my diary. My staples are plain greek yogurt, eggs, chicken, lean ground turkey, vegetables, fruit, squashes, long grained rice, couscous, coconut oil, balsamic vinegar, salsa and stevia. Sugar free for over a month, besides a "cheat day" for a work event.
My snacks involve fruit, plain yogurt with fruit & stevia, hard boiled eggs, veggies.
I'm not trying to be rude but...wouldn't yogurt be a pre-packaged processed food?
Or are you talking about products that have no added ingredients?0 -
Unless you are dead set on creamer, switch to milk...
You can find sugar-free bread
Make your own homemade protein bars with protein powder and no sugar added
Make your own granola bars
Check out the specialty departments in your grocery store or health food store for sugar free products but look for products sweetened with natural sweeteners.
I don't buy pre-packaged foods. If you want, check out my diary. My staples are plain greek yogurt, eggs, chicken, lean ground turkey, vegetables, fruit, squashes, long grained rice, couscous, coconut oil, balsamic vinegar, salsa and stevia. Sugar free for over a month, besides a "cheat day" for a work event.
My snacks involve fruit, plain yogurt with fruit & stevia, hard boiled eggs, veggies.
I'm not trying to be rude but...wouldn't yogurt be a pre-packaged processed food?
Or are you talking about products that have no added ingredients?
I'm talking about products that have no added ingredients. Plain yogurt is to me an ingredient, just like butter or milk would be. So like flour is an ingredient right? Oil is an ingredient? Eggs are an ingredient? A granola bar is a prepackaged food.0 -
I've gone to my doctor over my skin, joint and weight issues. I've had acne for over ten years. I've worked out consistently almost all of those ten years and didn't eat junk or fast food. I was a kid during some of that time, so I wasn't tracking calories, fat or anything like that but I was eating pretty balanced for someone my age. Still, my skin has always been much worse than my peers.
I've been on antibiotics for approximately the last two months for my acne and it doesn't seem to be making much difference. I know that antibiotics are not sustainable and I know that topicals will do nothing to solve skin issues. I'm also a bit worried about any possible side effects antibiotics might have. It has to be internal.
I've had basic blood tests which ruled out thyroid imbalances and gluten allergies. I've also had some xrays on my knees and hips and will maybe be going for an MRI to rule out any ligament/tendon issues.
I would say one of the number one mistakes I make is not drinking enough water and not getting enough sleep. I know they contribute to skin and overall health. I know that it may be a bit extreme, but I feel like my body is pretty sensitive and reacts strongly to certain foods. Added sugars seem to be in a lot of these trigger foods.
So, yeah, it's a risk on my part, but I'm not focusing on a particular diet per say. I'm not going gluten free or dairy free or vegan. I'm hoping I can feel better and perform better if I eat clean. Anyway, that's my two cents! We'll see what happens!0 -
And thanks for all of your replies!! It helps immensely to see what others think of this lifestyle choice as well!0
-
It's not sustainable. Like, at all.
^^^thisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
She's eating fruit, there's her sugar.
Because there's no difference between sugar from a fruit or sugar from a candy bar.
Your body does not process each sugar differently.
Obviously the fruit is healthier, but it's all sugar0 -
It's not sustainable. Like, at all.
Good news - it's sustainable. Like, forever.
Really? You don't eat fruit at all? Or anything at all with sugar in it?0 -
It's not sustainable. Like, at all.
Good news - it's sustainable. Like, forever.
Really? You don't eat fruit at all? Or anything at all with sugar in it?
If you've read the op's thread she is allow herself some fruit and 85% dark chocolate - which by the way I am eating as I'm typing this.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.9K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.8K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.7K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 399 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.8K Motivation and Support
- 7.9K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.4K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 979 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.4K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions