Reducing Sugar

MissHoney26

Today I am making a meal plan so I will have a guideline to work with when I begin my diet.

I have 37 grams of excess sugar on my diet plan and I would like to get that down into my daily limit. I also have a 2g excess of fat, however I am unconcerned with that because it is due to 1T of Olive Oil as a dressing. The foods I have listed that contain sugar are:

Fage Non-Fat Greek Yogurt, 18g
Medium Coffee (1 Milk & 2 Sugars), 17g
Frozen Mixed Fruit, 13g
Honey (For Tea), 8g
Celery Sticks & Peanut Butter, 4g

May I please have some suggestions as to how to reduce the amount of sugar, considering that I am left with 175 calorie deficit (49g carb deficit, 9g protein deficit) as it stands? Thank You.

Jenn728

Try using a substitute sweetener in your coffee. I used to put three packets of sugar in my coffee, now I put one packet of Truvia and I love it!

jennalink807

I think the sugars in Greek Yogurt, Fruit, and Honey are fine. I wouldn't worry about them, unless you have an insulin issue. If you are concerned about the excess, try using Truvia in your coffee instead of Sugar; or switching to all natural PB which has less sugar. But personally, I don't think a couple of sugars in your coffee is going to kill your diet

However; I did learn to drink my coffee black, because Caramel Machiato's WILL kill it. lol :drinker:

japruzze

Most of the sugar you are eating isn't added sugar, its natural sugar. I would cut out the sugar in the coffee. Truvia is a good option. I'd also cut out the honey. Although the suger is natural to the honey, you are adding it to something. Try an herbal tea some of which have sweater taste but no sugar. I started drinking Lady Grey Tea and don't put any sweetener in it. It has a nice naturally sweet taste with no sugar. I try to NOT add sugar and watch any processed foods that add surgar.

StrongGwen

Oviously sugar in coffee is the first cut. You may find a different brand of Greek yogurt that has less sugar--check Chobani. If you look hard you can find frozen fruit with no sugar added and natural peanut butters too, although they are notoriously thick and have to be stirred to remix every time. maybe a health food store has some good alternatives. Once you really examine labels, you start to wonder why sugar is in almost EVERY packaged food--lots of canned vgetables, salad dressings and condiments, bread, and places you'd never think it should be. Who decided that sugar should be added to everything??

Also notice on labels that there are foods with "sugars" listed in grams, even if there is no "sugar" added in the ingredients list. Honey has a lot of grams of "sugars" but of course has no added sugar. At this stage I'm looking at white granulated sugar as a toxic substance--mix that stuff with butter and I'm as bad as any other junkie craving a hit! These days I just avoid any white stuff: sugar, flour, pasta from white flour, white potatoes. Its a challenge but do-able.

As an overall help, try getting more calories from protein and fewer from carbs, and make sure all your carbs are whole-grain.

Congrats on working on your nutrition!

Gideontj

truvia, truvia, truvia. also, watch the fruits (even though it isn't processed sugar , i notice i get almost all my sugar from fruits and it really adds up).

MissHoney26

Oviously sugar in coffee is the first cut. You may find a different brand of Greek yogurt that has less sugar--check Chobani. If you look hard you can find frozen fruit with no sugar added and natural peanut butters too, although they are notoriously thick and have to be stirred to remix every time. maybe a health food store has some good alternatives. Once you really examine labels, you start to wonder why sugar is in almost EVERY packaged food--lots of canned vgetables, salad dressings and condiments, bread, and places you'd never think it should be. Who decided that sugar should be added to everything??

Also notice on labels that there are foods with "sugars" listed in grams, even if there is no "sugar" added in the ingredients list. Honey has a lot of grams of "sugars" but of course has no added sugar. At this stage I'm looking at white granulated sugar as a toxic substance--mix that stuff with butter and I'm as bad as any other junkie craving a hit! These days I just avoid any white stuff: sugar, flour, pasta from white flour, white potatoes. Its a challenge but do-able.

As an overall help, try getting more calories from protein and fewer from carbs, and make sure all your carbs are whole-grain.

Congrats on working on your nutrition!

Thank you. I believe the WalMart "Great Value" bag of frozen fruit says no sugar added. I will try to find a more natural peanut butter as well however for ease and budget I am listing things that I can easily find. I am avoiding Carb foods as well, I will only consume what is picked up via vegetables and etc.

MissHoney26

Most of the sugar you are eating isn't added sugar, its natural sugar. I would cut out the sugar in the coffee. Truvia is a good option. I'd also cut out the honey. Although the suger is natural to the honey, you are adding it to something. Try an herbal tea some of which have sweater taste but no sugar. I started drinking Lady Grey Tea and don't put any sweetener in it. It has a nice naturally sweet taste with no sugar. I try to NOT add sugar and watch any processed foods that add surgar.

Thank you for this suggestion, I did pick up honey as a sugar alternative because I am weary of the 'truvia, equal, splenda' etc types of sweeteners because they are unfamiliar to me. Surely I can stop drinking coffee as an option however I am a college student and will most likely have difficulty staying away from it, so I am making room for it just in case. I will try alternative teas.

tiedye

I'm going to butt in and say...

LADY GREY TEA IS AWESOME!!! And it really needs no sugar or milk added, delicious on it's own

bettyboop573

Oviously sugar in coffee is the first cut. You may find a different brand of Greek yogurt that has less sugar--check Chobani. If you look hard you can find frozen fruit with no sugar added and natural peanut butters too, although they are notoriously thick and have to be stirred to remix every time. maybe a health food store has some good alternatives. Once you really examine labels, you start to wonder why sugar is in almost EVERY packaged food--lots of canned vgetables, salad dressings and condiments, bread, and places you'd never think it should be. Who decided that sugar should be added to everything??

Also notice on labels that there are foods with "sugars" listed in grams, even if there is no "sugar" added in the ingredients list. Honey has a lot of grams of "sugars" but of course has no added sugar. At this stage I'm looking at white granulated sugar as a toxic substance--mix that stuff with butter and I'm as bad as any other junkie craving a hit! These days I just avoid any white stuff: sugar, flour, pasta from white flour, white potatoes. Its a challenge but do-able.

As an overall help, try getting more calories from protein and fewer from carbs, and make sure all your carbs are whole-grain.

Congrats on working on your nutrition!

Agreed, I was going to suggest looking at your yogurt, a lot of them have added sugar....Try a plain one maybe then flavour it yourself?

fimary

i am having a similar problem, but not of its from added sugar all from fruit and veg but always over, I could do with advice from anyone
thanks

GrahamBarwick

you are right to draw attention to sugar intake even if it is the 'better stuff' we get from fruit etc. But even too much fruit etc is no good, your body will turn it eventually into stored fat; if you have too much of it... even if it is from fruit etc.

HMD7703

you are right to draw attention to sugar intake even if it is the 'better stuff' we get from fruit etc. But even too much fruit etc is no good, your body will turn it eventually into stored fat; if you have too much of it... even if it is from fruit etc.

^^ This!

Sugar, even natural sugars in food, really add up. I tried SugarBusters years ago and when I cut back on sugar (fruits and certain veg), I got horrible headaches. BUT I felt so much better in the end; tons of energy.

I switched to Splenda recently (eek) and now when I taste real sugar it is too sweet. My tastebuds are effed from using Splenda. And the headaches? I get wicked migraines now. Yep, you guess it, they get worse when I don't have my Splenda - or when I have too much - go figure?!? I am now on a script for migraines I am searching for ways to eat / drink without sugar or Splenda. (Inbox me if you have ideas for me.) Truvia taste odd to me ?!?!

My point, be careful with sugar - in whatever form you like it in.
Thank you for bringing our attention to sugar. A lot of us really need to rethink sugars.

GrahamBarwick

you are right to draw attention to sugar intake even if it is the 'better stuff' we get from fruit etc. But even too much fruit etc is no good, your body will turn it eventually into stored fat; if you have too much of it... even if it is from fruit etc.

^^ This!

Sugar, even natural sugars in food, really add up. I tried SugarBusters years ago and when I cut back on sugar (fruits and certain veg), I got horrible headaches. BUT I felt so much better in the end; tons of energy.

I switched to Splenda recently (eek) and now when I taste real sugar it is too sweet. My tastebuds are effed from using Splenda. And the headaches? I get wicked migraines now. Yep, you guess it, they get worse when I don't have my Splenda - or when I have too much - go figure?!? I am now on a script for migraines I am searching for ways to eat / drink without sugar or Splenda. (Inbox me if you have ideas for me.) Truvia taste odd to me ?!?!

My point, be careful with sugar - in whatever form you like it in.
Thank you for bringing our attention to sugar. A lot of us really need to rethink sugars.

well said and i do need to watch mine too, i always go over but i never have 'bad sugar'

debpulley

I use Splenda in everything and have been very happy with how well it works in baking.

MissHoney26

Updating, after adjusting my quantities I am left with 1g fat deficit and 1g sugar deficit, however with a large 500 calorie deficit. I have 1 cup of salad with 3 oz. of chicken breast for lunch, and 1 cup of mixed vegetables with 3 oz. of chicken breast for dinner. Surely I will tire of the chicken but I do not like much other types of lean meat. Perhaps I need to add another meal, but I am not sure of any other meals I like that do not require cooking.

I am unsure where to add calories now because I have a small appetite, which is why I was hoping to have a larger portion of the yogurt/fruit/nut combination. I am currently the type of person who, can spend a full day on just a bagel and coffee without going hungry, then I might have a couple of pop tarts towards the end of the day if I do get hungry. Very unhealthy and yet I am overweight.

HMD7703

I use Splenda in everything and have been very happy with how well it works in baking.

Not knocking it; that's just my experience with Splenda

:flowerforyou:

ChristineS_51

Hi, I have learnt heaps in the short time I have been on MFP about foods and sugar - I now read every nutrition panel going! I used to drink coffee and tea with milk and two sugars (it was a huge 500ml cup) but started cutting down - tried Equal but didn't like it (what is Truvia??) so went to ONE teaspoon of sugar, and skim milk, and today - NO MILK AND NO SUGAR and I really enjoyed just the black coffee - could really "taste" the coffee.

Fruits have a lot of sugar - I was looking the other day and strawberries and Kiwi Fruit are about the lowest sugars, altho as they are natural sugars some say that doesn't matter - but I am keen to loose weight so for me anyway just now - sugar is sugar is sugar!

Can you eat more vegetables, maybe vegies and a suitable dip, as snacks?

PS I am kicking myself - went out for coffee with a friend, had a Skinny Chai Latte - 17g of sugar - nooooooo :sad:

AlaskaLily

Store natural PB upside down in your cabinet...you will never have to mix it up again!

I hate the taste of artificial sweeteners, although Truvia is pretty awesome (but expensive). I like agave nectar and maple syrup as sweeteners...I end up using less because they are so intense, and they are more natural.

Miss Honey, I realize that this webist gives you guidelines, but don't scruitinize these deficits. Live life and stay on this plan the best you can...don't stress over going over 1 deficit, etc. Find what tastes good and works for you, whether it is honey or artificial sweeteners...in moderation! You can't freak out about numbers constantly! That is my two-cents

ChristineS_51

(what is Truvia??)

Just googled and found this - I am Australian so that's why I don't know it!

SNIP 8< Truvia is a sweetener that comes from the stevia plant. The European Union, Australia and New Zealand have banned the use of Truvia and other stevia products due to research reports that indicate dangerous side effects.

Read more: Side Effects of Truvia and the Stevia Plant | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7353456_side-effects-truvia-stevia-plant.html#ixzz1j9oCXf7V >8 SNIP

AlaskaLily

Also, you can't live on a bagel all day. I'll tell you why you are probably overweight, it's cause your body is in starvation mode! It's holding on to every last fat cell it can. Make yourself eat every meal..or a bunch of small 200 cal meals throughout the day. Your body will begin to expect it and let you know it's hungry!