Sugar Detox

IronSmasher

So many topics to cover:

Stop blaming sugar, you don't know what sugar is (Dr Lustig of you're reading) - it's essential for all known life in the universe. You can't detox from it.

Those doing 'detoxes' that actually just mean eating less crap - good

Brandolin - you're doing it wrong. It's not known as special snowflake #3, it's likely a recognised condition called Binge Eating Disorder, and people should seek professional support.

Lifelink

This thread.

rozmarcy

I was not really trying to detox. However, I went on a 1200 calorie diet and that did not leave any room for sweets. So after a couple of days of strict adherence to the diet, I started feeling shakey and weak. It dawned on me that after years of eating sugar day after day, being on what one would consider a low glycemic diet, my body was having withdrawl. So I at a piece of hard candy.

caddy365

I just saw this thread and admit that I have not read all of the comments - so don't jump on me if I am repeating something said earlier.

I know quite a bit about how your body reacts to sugar. I had a life threatening illness a little over a year ago and part of the ultimate outcome was diabetes. I have to control my sugars closely to avoid future complications from the illness.

It is not about removing sugar - your body NEEDS carbs which are sugars. It is not possible to be healthy and eliminate them. It is about eating good carbs and in the right portions - low glycemic fruits, veggies and grains that digest slowly and help maintain stable insulin levels. it is simply complex sugars versus simple sugars.

Also, all sugars are the same chemically as far as your body is concerned and if you eat Ho Hos or Twinkies, you probably are not going to Hell...but if you do...I will already be there to greet you.

nikkihk

As for food addiction? Depends on your definition of addiction... Drugs and Alcohol create dependency through chemical stimulants that affect everyone similarly. They are not a necessity to survive yet become impossible to live without. They have withdrawal symptoms and enslave a user to habit.

Food however carries few to none of these traits. It is a necessity to life and MUST be consumed to survive. We are organically dependent on it and our bodies are meant to consume it, even crave it when we need it. It's natural to NEED food but unnatural to NEED drugs and alcohol. So I have to politely disagree... Purely in my opinion, over eating isn't an addiction as much as it's an emotionally driven lack of self control. I love cookies and cake, and I've absolutely indulged and binged on entire pies or whole boxes of cookies... but it was always a choice, I would never rob a bank for the money to buy cookies and if I didn't get them I didn't suffer chemical withdrawals.

I've seen real addictions. I just can't classify food as one of them honestly. It's more like a security blanket then a hard core need to eat in excess. That's just my thoughts on it though.

mzbek24

Yeah I'm trying to cut back on added sugar just a bit.

Not completely of course, and natural sugars I still consume. but I think definitely trying to remain within a healthy amount of added sugar per day is a good idea. I aim for 20g a day.
I get cravings for something sweet every day no matter what, and even if it's just something small, I have to have sugar.

What I have tried to do instead is have an apple or pineapple pieces at those times. I always check packaging, and I have steered clear of most packaged breakfast cereals because they have a lot of added sugar. I make my own. Also check how much sugar anything with "low fat or diet" labels on it has, often this is where it adds up.

In cooking or smoothies I use stuff like banana, or dates in place of all the sugar a recipe may call for.
Or a teaspoon of honey. I also like lemon juice with water, it kinda feels like drinking cordial for some reason.
I'm also trying Natvia and organic coconut palm sugar as substitutes, but I'm cautious about those kinds of sugar alternatives, there's not really enough research available on their effect on the body. I have heard that Agave syrup is no good for you either.

Also be careful of artificial sweeteners like whatever is in diet Coke, those have other health risks and may be worse than the sugar!

yarwell

Cheating isn't allowed, you have to overeat and serve your time in the gym.

daw0518

So many people saying they "can't" eat things in moderation. I get it, it's hard at first. But someday, you're going to have to learn, or this is going to be a long & miserable road for you. Learn how to eat things you enjoy in moderation and losing weight/getting healthy is almost EASY and enjoyable. So some of you want to decrease the sugar for awhile because it's a trigger for you. OKAY. That's all well & good. But buzzwords like 'detox' & 'sugar is evil' & the like are the things that are going to get people riled up, because they're simply untrue and unnecessary.

My philosophy on all of this is: LIFE IS SHORT. So short that I don't think depriving myself of anything I enjoy is worth it. Ever. & I don't want anyone else to have to give up their favorite kind of treat(s) just because they want to lose weight. Because it doesn't have to be like that.

tennisdude2004

And you are an idiot if you think food addiction isn't real.

Watch the name calling.

As for food addiction? Depends on your definition of addiction... Drugs and Alcohol create dependency through chemical stimulants that affect everyone similarly. They are not a necessity to survive yet become impossible to live without. They have withdrawal symptoms and enslave a user to habit.

Food however carries few to none of these traits. It is a necessity to life and MUST be consumed to survive. We are organically dependent on it and our bodies are meant to consume it, even crave it when we need it. It's natural to NEED food but unnatural to NEED drugs and alcohol. So I have to politely disagree... Purely in my opinion, over eating isn't an addiction as much as it's an emotionally driven lack of self control. I love cookies and cake, and I've absolutely indulged and binged on entire pies or whole boxes of cookies... but it was always a choice, I would never rob a bank for the money to buy cookies and if I didn't get them I didn't suffer chemical withdrawals.

I've seen real addictions. I just can't classify food as one of them honestly. It's more like a security blanket then a hard core need to eat in excess. That's just my thoughts on it though.

Clearly you didn't read cyber eds account of his food addiction.

Also food addiction is usually attributed to certain food groups, which in themselves are not a necessity and essential to survive.

tennisdude2004

So many people saying they "can't" eat things in moderation. I get it, it's hard at first. But someday, you're going to have to learn, or this is going to be a long & miserable road for you. Learn how to eat things you enjoy in moderation and losing weight/getting healthy is almost EASY and enjoyable. So some of you want to decrease the sugar for awhile because it's a trigger for you. OKAY. That's all well & good. But buzzwords like 'detox' & 'sugar is evil' & the like are the things that are going to get people riled up, because they're simply untrue and unnecessary.

My philosophy on all of this is: LIFE IS SHORT. So short that I don't think depriving myself of anything I enjoy is worth it. Ever. & I don't want anyone else to have to give up their favorite kind of treat(s) just because they want to lose weight. Because it doesn't have to be like that.

But if someone cuts bread for argument sake and after cutting loses the urge to eating it, then once they lose the urge they are no longer depriving themselves!

I personally used to snack on milk chocolate, crisps and pizza most nights. Since cutting them I have decided that if I want to have them I will. Last week I bought myself a take out pizza - ate 2 slices and left the rest because I didn't enjoy it.

So now by not eating pizza am I depriving myself?

SarahxApple

For February I cut out refined sugar (well most of it still had bread and pasta occasionally), I did this as it helped me cut out things like fizzy drinks, putting sugar in porridge and hot drinks, I never intended it to be a permanent thing and I went back to it but it definitely helped me. I haven't had a fizzy drink in over 2 months (so I now drink a LOT more water) and I no longer add it to hot drinks or porridge, I also eat a lot more fruit now.

I guess it really depends how much you have added sugar in your diet as to how beneficial you will find this.

Slacker16

At the risk of stating the obvious, the problem isn't that the OP cut out sugar from her diet. I wouldn't do it myself but there are others here who did the same and it worked for them. Speaking strictly for myself, I fail to see the problem with OP using the word 'detox' seeing as how we all know what she meant (colloquial usage and all that jazz).

The problem is that the OP reported headaches, shaking hands and lack of energy, so clearly the new lifestyle choice isn't agreeing with her.

And by the way, we really don't need an n+1-th thread about addiction.

JulsiePie

This thread was really interesting to me because hubby and I hav been working on getting a healthier lifestyle.

He automatically says he's cutting out sugar....fine, his choice.

I say....I'm going to eat whatever I want as long as it fits into my calories.

This is what happened yesterday. We bought a treat from the store (Cadbury creme eggs), and I saved mine for after dinner. He ate his as soon as he got home and then after dinner had a huge bowl of frozen yogurt and loaded it with caramel sauce. His reasoning?? "Well, I was bad already today... ".

I ate my egg after dinner, stayed within my calories, and had no guilty feelings. Yes, we both have lost weight, but he hasn't learned self-control. I'm not saying that I am the epitome of a healthy person, but I need to learn that everything is good in moderation. There are no "forbidden foods". Yeah, it's hard sometimes, but I can have a cookie and walk away. Sometimes I'll stare at the cookie box for several minutes debating on eating more, but then I realize that I want a healthy body and a healthy relationship with food a LOT more than the whole box of cookies.

But that's just been my experience. Oh, and hubby has said that he doesn't have enough self-control, so I'm not putting him down. I've tried to get him to realize that it's not the sugar, but until he really gets it himself, there's not a whole lot more I can say!

ndj1979

^ this…

I will also add that others that are newer to dieting come in these threads and then want to emulate said behavior because they are bombarded with "sugar is the devil" messages and then they read something like this where someone says "I cut out all sugar and lost 10 pounds and feel great"….well yea, you could of done that with a 500 calorie deficit and kept eating sugar and the foods you like….

so some of us feel the need to attempt to correct the record…

and the verbal gymnastics that the sugar detoxers use to justify avoiding "added sugar" while continuing to eat "fruit and honey sugar" are amusing...

So amuse away. Sit at your computer and laugh, it doesn't require any typing.

As for "correcting the record": It's one thing to say "that doesn't necessarily work for everybody for these reasons...". It's entirely different to say "you're doing it wrong" when you know next to nothing about the person you're talking to, what kind of metabolism they have, what diets they've already tried, what kind of research they've done, etc.

And no, some of us can't do a 500 calorie deficit and keep eating sugar because sugar makes us feel hungry.
There's been study after study that proves this, it's in the very foundation of the whole low-carb concept. Sugar is one of three things that just about every diet I've ever read agrees on (the other two being water and vegetables): they all say to either moderate or avoid sugar. That comes down to personality issue. Some people are good at moderating. Others are better at avoiding.

It's the criticism that's screws up these threads. As for people getting the wrong idea, they are just going to have to start asking questions and doing their own independent research. Anybody that relies solely on public forums for health advice is going to fail. Nothing anybody can do about that. I've noticed 3 useful responses on the forums: Providing support; sharing personal experience; answering specific technical questions (with sources). Criticism from strangers never helps anybody.

Most people do lots of outside research before deciding what kind of diet is most likely to work. But we all target our research to our own needs. To assume that what I learned about my needs is going to 100% apply to what you need is pure ignorance (and vice versa).

personally, I could care less if you want to sugar detox, juice cleanse, etc. The only reason I really comment on this nonsense is to look out for the new people that come on these threads and think that this might be a good idea for them. Therefore, if said posts went unopposed and some people did not inject some logic into the debate then they might think "hmmm this is a good thing for me, I will do hat and restrict x,y,z" all the time not realize that they may not have to do that and there is an easier and more sustainable path available.

So you are saying that every idea on a thread should never be criticized? That ever master cleanse, water fast, sub 1200, etc post should just receive blind support?

Actually, most people do zero research on their diet…..they see some fad thing on dr oz or whatever and want to lose weight fast because we are looking for the quickest way to get something down, and then they try it and fail and say "I can't lose weight" and give up ….

so pardon me for commenting and ruining your perfect sugar free world...

golferd

Vegetables and fruits have sugar. The largest animal on earth is a vegetarian. An elephant.

However, you also will not die if you make the personal choice to cut a food group. We have an obesity problem around the world, increased sugars and high fructose corn syrup have Both increased at the same time as the obesity have climbed.

Which one weighs the same pound of fat or pound of muscle? They are the same. Pound of muscle is smaller.

Which one weighs more a pound of chicken or pound of chocolate chip cookies? they are the same. Which one causes a high and low in MY BODY. THE COOKIE GIVES ME A HIGH, AND THEN I WILL CRASH. I THEN LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO GET ME OFF THE FLOOR. CHICKEN I STAY ON A LEVEL ENERGY LEVEL (BOLD IS WHAT HAPPENS TO ME).

The professor on the Twinkie diet was excited to be finished, also had the motivation of knowing people were watching. Also, stated it is not sustainable long term.

Moderation is bull**** as much as detox is bull****.

For those that say moderation is a must: You choose not to eat certain things, here is a list you might be excluding: dog food, humans, laundry detergent, toe nails, belly button fuzz, fish, meat, legumes, sweets, soda, coffee, Chinese, Japanese, whale blubber,

My point is, low sugar, high sugar, find what works for you and stick to it

Good luck

Acg67

Vegetables and fruits have sugar. The largest animal on earth is a vegetarian. An elephant.

However, you also will not die if you make the personal choice to cut a food group. We have an obesity problem around the world, increased sugars and high fructose corn syrup have Both increased at the same time as the obesity have climbed.

Which one weighs the same pound of fat or pound of muscle? They are the same. Pound of muscle is smaller.

Which one weighs more a pound of chicken or pound of chocolate chip cookies? they are the same. Which one causes a high and low in MY BODY. THE COOKIE GIVES ME A HIGH, AND THEN I WILL CRASH. I THEN LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO GET ME OFF THE FLOOR. CHICKEN I STAY ON A LEVEL ENERGY LEVEL (BOLD IS WHAT HAPPENS TO ME).

The professor on the Twinkie diet was excited to be finished, also had the motivation of knowing people were watching. Also, stated it is not sustainable long term.

Moderation is bull**** as much as detox is bull****.

For those that say moderation is a must: You choose not to eat certain things, here is a list you might be excluding: dog food, humans, laundry detergent, toe nails, belly button fuzz, fish, meat, legumes, sweets, soda, coffee, Chinese, Japanese, whale blubber,

My point is, low sugar, high sugar, find what works for you and stick to it

Good luck

The blue whale is smaller than an elephant? Weird

As for your sugar and obesity hypothesis, lol

Holly_Roman_Empire

Vegetables and fruits have sugar. The largest animal on earth is a vegetarian. An elephant.

However, you also will not die if you make the personal choice to cut a food group. We have an obesity problem around the world, increased sugars and high fructose corn syrup have Both increased at the same time as the obesity have climbed.

Which one weighs the same pound of fat or pound of muscle? They are the same. Pound of muscle is smaller.

Which one weighs more a pound of chicken or pound of chocolate chip cookies? they are the same. Which one causes a high and low in MY BODY. THE COOKIE GIVES ME A HIGH, AND THEN I WILL CRASH. I THEN LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO GET ME OFF THE FLOOR. CHICKEN I STAY ON A LEVEL ENERGY LEVEL (BOLD IS WHAT HAPPENS TO ME).

The professor on the Twinkie diet was excited to be finished, also had the motivation of knowing people were watching. Also, stated it is not sustainable long term.

Moderation is bull**** as much as detox is bull****.

For those that say moderation is a must: You choose not to eat certain things, here is a list you might be excluding: dog food, humans, laundry detergent, toe nails, belly button fuzz, fish, meat, legumes, sweets, soda, coffee, Chinese, Japanese, whale blubber,

My point is, low sugar, high sugar, find what works for you and stick to it

Good luck

Weird post.

Are you saying the elephant is big and fat because it eats vegetables and vegetables have sugar, so sugar must be the culprit?

Not sure what pound of muscle and pound of fat have to do with anything discussed here.

Yeah, I choose to eat certain things that are tasty and I eliminate things that are not tasty, not because they have addictive qualities or weight-gain properties.

establishingaplace

^ this…

I will also add that others that are newer to dieting come in these threads and then want to emulate said behavior because they are bombarded with "sugar is the devil" messages and then they read something like this where someone says "I cut out all sugar and lost 10 pounds and feel great"….well yea, you could of done that with a 500 calorie deficit and kept eating sugar and the foods you like….

so some of us feel the need to attempt to correct the record…

and the verbal gymnastics that the sugar detoxers use to justify avoiding "added sugar" while continuing to eat "fruit and honey sugar" are amusing...

So amuse away. Sit at your computer and laugh, it doesn't require any typing.

As for "correcting the record": It's one thing to say "that doesn't necessarily work for everybody for these reasons...". It's entirely different to say "you're doing it wrong" when you know next to nothing about the person you're talking to, what kind of metabolism they have, what diets they've already tried, what kind of research they've done, etc.

And no, some of us can't do a 500 calorie deficit and keep eating sugar because sugar makes us feel hungry.
There's been study after study that proves this, it's in the very foundation of the whole low-carb concept. Sugar is one of three things that just about every diet I've ever read agrees on (the other two being water and vegetables): they all say to either moderate or avoid sugar. That comes down to personality issue. Some people are good at moderating. Others are better at avoiding.

It's the criticism that's screws up these threads. As for people getting the wrong idea, they are just going to have to start asking questions and doing their own independent research. Anybody that relies solely on public forums for health advice is going to fail. Nothing anybody can do about that. I've noticed 3 useful responses on the forums: Providing support; sharing personal experience; answering specific technical questions (with sources). Criticism from strangers never helps anybody.

Most people do lots of outside research before deciding what kind of diet is most likely to work. But we all target our research to our own needs. To assume that what I learned about my needs is going to 100% apply to what you need is pure ignorance (and vice versa).

personally, I could care less if you want to sugar detox, juice cleanse, etc. The only reason I really comment on this nonsense is to look out for the new people that come on these threads and think that this might be a good idea for them. Therefore, if said posts went unopposed and some people did not inject some logic into the debate then they might think "hmmm this is a good thing for me, I will do hat and restrict x,y,z" all the time not realize that they may not have to do that and there is an easier and more sustainable path available.

So you are saying that every idea on a thread should never be criticized? That ever master cleanse, water fast, sub 1200, etc post should just receive blind support?

Actually, most people do zero research on their diet…..they see some fad thing on dr oz or whatever and want to lose weight fast because we are looking for the quickest way to get something down, and then they try it and fail and say "I can't lose weight" and give up ….

so pardon me for commenting and ruining your perfect sugar free world...

As someone who used to buy into a lot of the diet BS and is surrounded by people who buy into a lot of the diet BS, I appreciate that there are people constantly "ruining" the BS parade. The criticism of these ideas (here and elsewhere) has made me re-think what I thought I knew and pushed me to do some of my own research and get out of the prison of "sugar is eeeevillll."

Bernadette60614

Does anyone think that the management at MFP takes a look at community traffic, says: "Hey, we gotta get those numbers up! Okay, time to start a discussion about detox."

I don't cut out certain foods from my diet. I'm not on a diet. I have made a choice not to eat certain foods on a regular basis cause I simply don't feel good. I chose to eat them on an occasional basis.

I don't see it as a "detox", I see it as a choice based upon my body's reactions.

prattiger65

Does anyone think that the management at MFP takes a look at community traffic, says: "Hey, we gotta get those numbers up! Okay, time to start a discussion about detox."

I don't cut out certain foods from my diet. I'm not on a diet. I have made a choice not to eat certain foods on a regular basis cause I simply don't feel good. I chose to eat them on an occasional basis.

I don't see it as a "detox", I see it as a choice based upon my body's reactions.

And you would get zero pushback on this either. But if you made a post about detoxing from something you cant detox from, you will get pushback. If you make a post about sugar being addictive or somehow "bad" food, you will get pushback. I don't care how you eat, do you, just don't think demonizing wont be challenged.

ETA: no, I don't think MFP would do that.