Sugar is not your friend January Challenge

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Replies

  • Marla64
    Marla64 Posts: 23,120 Member
    Me too, Shuntae-- I think I'm stalking you here tonight--

    Feels good-- nothing icky passed my lips. (except the sodium laden blech cheapo boxed pasta for dinner-- budgets-- gotta love 'em. But, beats starving-- silver lining right there-- )

    Lots of water and lots of exercise today-- good day.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    Day six. Yay! Marla and Cheryl, it was your belly testimonials that got me through the day!:flowerforyou:
  • Jeannie-- I had that exact song stuck in my head this morning! You must have ESP!
  • Marla64
    Marla64 Posts: 23,120 Member
    Day six. Yay! Marla and Cheryl, it was your belly testimonials that got me through the day!:flowerforyou:

    Go figure-- well, yay for belly testomonials-- !!
  • 72lori
    72lori Posts: 6,789 Member
    Nothing for me. I must say though, I was planning a weekly sugary treat, just one, tomorrow and Black Team just threw out the challenge to be sugar free for the next week! My plan was foiled! I'll stay away. I had plans for a sprite cake with cool whip.... guess I'll either make it and eat none or never tell anybody I was gonna make it!
  • pricer15
    pricer15 Posts: 34 Member
    Hope i can join your challenge. I'll call myself Cheryl in Colorado to distinquish myself from the first Cheryl. I've known I've been addicted to sugar for a long time now, have been overweight all my life, and am about 100 lbs overweight. Back in 1993, I lost and maintained a 60 lb loss and I was processed sugar free. I've found that the stresses of having children, homeschooling them, and aging (50 this year) have put that weight back on and contributed to my emotional eating. I am starting a new food plan with my personal training program starting the 3rd week in January. They have told me that they are recommending no sugar, no processed carbs and basically a low glycemic diet. So, I am starting to cut out foods that are sugary and trying to avoid processed carbs,a little at a time. I went grocery shopping tonight and had to physically avert my head in the candy aisle, which is where they also keep the bottled water. I've had a headache for hours (detox!) but no cravings so far. I'll check in when I log my food. Nice to meet you all.
  • mmnichol
    mmnichol Posts: 208 Member
    No sugar tonight in my coffee
    No sugar tonight in my tea
    No sugar to stand beside me
    No sugar to run with me

    (Dat’n-doo-dow-dow-dat’n-doo-dow...)


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJbFVJvRqOQ



    Your toooo much!!!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    I'm going sugar free too, mind if i join. I've been looking over info on that belly cure diet, seems reasonable to me.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Cheryl-- I'm with you-- I lost 7 pounds over the summer, all around the gut, when I cut sugar out completely.

    However, on a tight budget, that left me with plain yogurt, grape nuts cereal, natural peanut butter and rice cakes-- got kinda old after a while, you know?

    Need to get it going again, though-- I guess-- :ohwell:

    I remember that! I tried but could not avoid sugar completely. It is in everything!
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    No sugar tonight in my coffee
    No sugar tonight in my tea
    No sugar to stand beside me
    No sugar to run with me

    (Dat’n-doo-dow-dow-dat’n-doo-dow...)


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJbFVJvRqOQ



    Your toooo much!!!!! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    I'm going sugar free too, mind if i join. I've been looking over info on that belly cure diet, seems reasonable to me.

    seems like this is an issue for many a woman. I know a trainer who has a perfect body, but she complains about a layer of fat covering her six pack abs. She admits it is because she has not given up sugar. So we are not alone, even the fittest of the fit have issues with sugar
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
    My only sugar yesterday was brown sugar in my oatmeal...

    no sweet fix for the day!
  • smadag1
    smadag1 Posts: 1,368
    Ok I had a little sugar last night and finished off my ice cream but now that it is gone I am not going to get anymore. I am Officially on this challange. My biggest obstical it that we have a little candy box here at work with mini pieces foe $.25, but i am vowing to myself not to touch it for my own health. I might have a little sweets when we go out double dating on saturday but I am not having a lot.

    Suagr is not my friend
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Oh and I gave into the multi grain cheerios. They have been my stand by for when I crave the sugar. Detoxed pretty well until last night at 11 pm. Still, I would rather not eat at that time of night and went over my cals by 120 or so.

    Even Cheryl and Marla couldnt drag that 1/2 cup of cereal from my hands :laugh:
    (good cub though!)
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Stevia! My Favorite!

    I've been using it for about a year now. I really like it.
    It is a plant, 0 cals, is classified as a "supplement" and has been used for years in Europe and Japan. You can bake with it, but I haven't used it for that purpose. It is great for small sweetening purposes. It comes in a spice-type container, $6 or so at Trader Joes, or any good grocery or Natural foods store or health food store, for 300 servings (it's really sweet, you don't use much)--and it is the consistency (and looks like) powdered sugar.
    truvia_img_about_billboard.jpg
    From WIKI:

    Stevia is a genus of about 240 species of herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to subtropical and tropical South America and Central America. The species Stevia rebaudiana, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia, is widely grown for its sweet leaves. As a sweetener and sugar substitute, stevia's taste has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar, although some of its extracts may have a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste at high concentrations.

    With its extracts having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, stevia has garnered attention with the rise in demand for low-carbohydrate, low-sugar food alternatives. Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Because stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets. In 2008 it became commercially available as a sweetener in the United States. Stevia is widely used as a sweetener in Japan, and it is available in Canada as a dietary supplement.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia


    ___________

    I use this and got rid of blue and yellow.........still have the pink for the family and my iced tea.
    It has a bit of a licorice taste...in the bad tastebuds, but I love it in hot tea, coffee, cereal....good sub for sure. I think you told me about it last year Cheryl. :heart:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Ok I had a little sugar last night and finished off my ice cream but now that it is gone I am not going to get anymore. I am Officially on this challange. My biggest obstical it that we have a little candy box here at work with mini pieces foe $.25, but i am vowing to myself not to touch it for my own health. I might have a little sweets when we go out double dating on saturday but I am not having a lot.

    Suagr is not my friend

    For me just being aware of the fact I am eating the sugar is a plus. Remember when we walked around grazing on whatever fell into our line of sight? NOW we eat it, but are aware.

    How about you put a quarter in a cup each time you want candy, then in a week go buy yourself a new dress at Macy's :laugh:
    Seriously, if I did it each time I wanted it.....I would have 50 bucks by Friday!!! :bigsmile:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Jeannie-- I had that exact song stuck in my head this morning! You must have ESP!

    LOL....each time I reach for the white stuff that song plays :tongue:
  • Haha! Beat the fridge again last night! Some yogurt with some rasins while I chatted with my moms on the phone, didn't even think about the can of whipped cream!

    Been getting headaches in the evenings, nothing so nasty I want to take OTC's for (try to avoid just becuase they're expensive and I am broke) but I'm wondering if they're related to teh sugar detox. I've had some pretty rough neck pain the last few weeks, so it could be that too. Anyone else have headaches after a week of sugar-free? I've been drinking tons of water, and they only really come on at night.
  • jbuffan218
    jbuffan218 Posts: 275 Member
    Maybe this is my problem.
    I have thought for awhile now that I was a "carb addict" and I use that term loosely. Seems everyone these days is an "addict" of something. But thats for another day.
    Maybe its not the breads-potatoe-pasta type carbs but more the good ole fashioned white sugar kind of carbs that I am craving. Did that make ANY sense?
    Yesterday I did fine on my food, 1st day on MFP, but all day especialy around 4:00 I felt like I just needed a little bite of something sweet. My blood sugar was probabley plummetting.
    So in the past when I was on WW I would count out 10 choc chips and that would be my sweets for the entire day. Of course I'm not talking about hidden sugars in processed foods , but added sugar or sweets. Some days I could spread them out all day, other times I would eat them 5 at a time. Most of the time I find that all I need is a couple bites and that nagging , pacing the kitchen , looking for something but not quite sure what you want, yeah you know the one , well that urge is gone.
    I love the idea of going off sugar but at this point have NO idea if this is possible, I mean I know it's possible just wonder if I am setting myself up for another failure. I might need to try one thing at a time here. Exercise, water, good food choices then micro manage it down to eliminating the good/evil stuff.
    Love this site, where has it been while I've been eating?
    Stay Warm, Beth
  • smadag1
    smadag1 Posts: 1,368
    Ok I had a little sugar last night and finished off my ice cream but now that it is gone I am not going to get anymore. I am Officially on this challange. My biggest obstical it that we have a little candy box here at work with mini pieces foe $.25, but i am vowing to myself not to touch it for my own health. I might have a little sweets when we go out double dating on saturday but I am not having a lot.

    Suagr is not my friend

    For me just being aware of the fact I am eating the sugar is a plus. Remember when we walked around grazing on whatever fell into our line of sight? NOW we eat it, but are aware.

    How about you put a quarter in a cup each time you want candy, then in a week go buy yourself a new dress at Macy's :laugh:
    Seriously, if I did it each time I wanted it.....I would have 50 bucks by Friday!!! :bigsmile:

    I have thought about putting a dollar in my saving every time I ate a piece but I think maybe I will do both. A quarter when I want one and a dollar when I actually give in and eat one
  • smadag1
    smadag1 Posts: 1,368
    Haha! Beat the fridge again last night! Some yogurt with some rasins while I chatted with my moms on the phone, didn't even think about the can of whipped cream!

    Been getting headaches in the evenings, nothing so nasty I want to take OTC's for (try to avoid just becuase they're expensive and I am broke) but I'm wondering if they're related to teh sugar detox. I've had some pretty rough neck pain the last few weeks, so it could be that too. Anyone else have headaches after a week of sugar-free? I've been drinking tons of water, and they only really come on at night.

    I know when you give up soda you can go through withdrawls from that so maybe you are having the same thing with sugar
  • This is exactly what i need the help with. I started on this site yesterday and yesterday I ate about half of a large Hersheys with almond bar. I can't believe how weak I am when it comes to sweets. I need help, someone give me some tips suggesstions. The thing is I start craving sweets , then I eat some and it compounds into uncontrollable eating. Does anyone else find that when you eat a little then you can't stop.
    For the most part I do eat a healthy diet, ( which is weird to say eating so much sugar) But meaning I eat balanced and lots of vegis. If I can only tackle this sugar problem then I'm sure I could lose the excess weight. Sugar makes you fat no doubt about it.
    I'm not so sure I will ever be able to eat it in moderation. Does anyone have any tips to get started for me, what has worked for you?
    Thank you,
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,409 Member
    Very cool to see all the revelations and ideas. Obviously we have touched a nerve on this sugar thing. We are all learning something here, and I hope we keep it up.

    Yesterday I went to the pool and worked out with my friends and on the way I stopped and got a cup of coffee and a slice of banana bread because it was going to be hours before I ate and that was the best choice between me and the pool.

    In the past I would have gone for the Blueberry-Muffin-With-The-Cream-Cheese-filling. So the banana nut bread felt like a big splurge after not eating sugary stuff. And!!! I only ate a third of it - not the mindless entire slice. That's a victory in my book. Burned 600 cals at the pool and it was FUN.

    _________

    Many proud moments and a few giggles from your posts. Love kaytbognar's references to the whipped cream, that is classic.

    Jeannie, you are funnnnnnyy. Singing us a sugar song.

    Marla, have you tried my 15 Bean Soup? Cheap, super filling, yummy and everyone will eat it, honest! Plain yogurt with strawberries and 1/4 Cup Kashi Go Lean is my fave snack. Cheap. I buy the Kashi from Amazon in 6-box increments and it lasts me months.

    Lori - - I swear. The sugar is the key.

    V, We are in your head. And you are in mine.:heart: I loved your latest blog post....I want to respond but I can't just give short responses to anything. Oh, didja notice?

    :flowerforyou: Welcome to all new to the thread. It may not possible to completely give up sugar all-at-once. It is a process.

    Do what you can and if you don't beat yourself up it makes it a lot easier.
  • smadag1
    smadag1 Posts: 1,368
    I owe my sugar jar 1 dollar because I needed a Pepsi to take my BC powder (anyone who has ever taken it know what I mean.
  • I know when you give up soda you can go through withdrawls from that so maybe you are having the same thing with sugar

    I suspect as much. It doesn't feel like I'm cutting out --that-- much in the way of sugar (I haven't had soda or juice in ages, it's always just water or tea/coffe, which I take black--really just those slices of cake, and that freaking whipped cream...) but I guess it goes to show how much of an impact something that seems pretty inconsequential can have.
    Love kaytbognar's references to the whipped cream, that is classic.

    Glad I can amuse! I kid because it makes it feel like less of a big deal, and to smile and be friendly towards obstacles makes them seems less intimidating for me. But that whipped cream really is one of my biggest challenges. There are always at least three cans of it in the fridge here, and it's not like I can just --not buy-- them since I don't do the shopping, and they're needed for cocktails/desserts etc. that are served in the restaurant. It's so darn easy to cram a finger/spoonful in my mouth in the middle of the night when doing laundry (gotta walk past the fridge to get to the washing machines) and it feels like it's nothing! Just a little, just a taste, just to try it...I feel like Winnie the Pooh! ("Oh Rabbit, I was ONLY gonna taste it...") But, like Pooh Bear, I gotta step away from the honeypot or I'll forever be stuck in Rabbit's door!

    I'm glad I found you guys and this thread, it's really helping a lot :D
  • pettmybunny
    pettmybunny Posts: 1,986 Member
    Good afternoon ladies! I was doing ok today, had oatmeal with a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter in it for breakfast. Went and did an hour on the recumbant bike (I love it when my son has dryland practice--I drop him off at 6 and am in and out of the gym early). Had some soy yogurt afterwards (it wasn't as creamy and thick--substitute filling-- as the greek yogurt that I love, but is a good substitute). Went out to lunch with DH to Donkers, a local candy shop/lunch counter. Had a sandwich on their homemade foccacia bread (no eggs or dairy), veggie chips, and a pulled chocolate coke. Yup, blew the no sugar thing there. It completely slipped my mind. These sodas are to die for, done the old fashioned way with syrups and soda water. I'll have to be more conscious of the sugar shun in the future.

    Of course, on the way out, we walked by the candy counter, and while DH bought a couple of chocolates to go.... I didn't get anything. So I sorta won. In a way... lol
  • Marla64
    Marla64 Posts: 23,120 Member
    Maybe this is my problem.
    I have thought for awhile now that I was a "carb addict" and I use that term loosely. Seems everyone these days is an "addict" of something. But thats for another day.
    Maybe its not the breads-potatoe-pasta type carbs but more the good ole fashioned white sugar kind of carbs that I am craving. Did that make ANY sense?
    Yesterday I did fine on my food, 1st day on MFP, but all day especialy around 4:00 I felt like I just needed a little bite of something sweet. My blood sugar was probabley plummetting.
    So in the past when I was on WW I would count out 10 choc chips and that would be my sweets for the entire day. Of course I'm not talking about hidden sugars in processed foods , but added sugar or sweets. Some days I could spread them out all day, other times I would eat them 5 at a time. Most of the time I find that all I need is a couple bites and that nagging , pacing the kitchen , looking for something but not quite sure what you want, yeah you know the one , well that urge is gone.
    I love the idea of going off sugar but at this point have NO idea if this is possible, I mean I know it's possible just wonder if I am setting myself up for another failure. I might need to try one thing at a time here. Exercise, water, good food choices then micro manage it down to eliminating the good/evil stuff.
    Love this site, where has it been while I've been eating?
    Stay Warm, Beth

    Hi Beth....personally, I've learned that when I totally eliminate the sweets for a time, I have trouble letting them back in in moderation. I dive into them with reckless abandon.

    So, I'm rather of the mindset that if/when I have to have something sweet, to go ahead and limit it to something reasonable and get the urge out of the way.

    having said that....I'm in a no-sweets challenge for one week on my black team thread. And beyond that, I do try to stay away from them. But last night, for instance (before said challenge officially began), there was a chocolate snack cake floating around the kitchen that my eldest daughter baked. I indulged in about a 1.5 x 1.5 inch piece, no frosting, and enjoyed it guilt free. It's not routine, but on occasion I have found it's better for me to satisfy my sweet tooth in a CONTROLLED manner, so I don't go into an ugly sugar coma.
  • 72lori
    72lori Posts: 6,789 Member
    Maybe this is my problem.
    I have thought for awhile now that I was a "carb addict" and I use that term loosely. Seems everyone these days is an "addict" of something. But thats for another day.
    Maybe its not the breads-potatoe-pasta type carbs but more the good ole fashioned white sugar kind of carbs that I am craving. Did that make ANY sense?
    Yesterday I did fine on my food, 1st day on MFP, but all day especialy around 4:00 I felt like I just needed a little bite of something sweet. My blood sugar was probabley plummetting.
    So in the past when I was on WW I would count out 10 choc chips and that would be my sweets for the entire day. Of course I'm not talking about hidden sugars in processed foods , but added sugar or sweets. Some days I could spread them out all day, other times I would eat them 5 at a time. Most of the time I find that all I need is a couple bites and that nagging , pacing the kitchen , looking for something but not quite sure what you want, yeah you know the one , well that urge is gone.
    I love the idea of going off sugar but at this point have NO idea if this is possible, I mean I know it's possible just wonder if I am setting myself up for another failure. I might need to try one thing at a time here. Exercise, water, good food choices then micro manage it down to eliminating the good/evil stuff.
    Love this site, where has it been while I've been eating?
    Stay Warm, Beth

    Hi Beth....personally, I've learned that when I totally eliminate the sweets for a time, I have trouble letting them back in in moderation. I dive into them with reckless abandon.

    So, I'm rather of the mindset that if/when I have to have something sweet, to go ahead and limit it to something reasonable and get the urge out of the way.

    having said that....I'm in a no-sweets challenge for one week on my black team thread. And beyond that, I do try to stay away from them. But last night, for instance (before said challenge officially began), there was a chocolate snack cake floating around the kitchen that my eldest daughter baked. I indulged in about a 1.5 x 1.5 inch piece, no frosting, and enjoyed it guilt free. It's not routine, but on occasion I have found it's better for me to satisfy my sweet tooth in a CONTROLLED manner, so I don't go into an ugly sugar coma.

    Amen! Well said sista! We ride in the same boat on these waters.
  • pettmybunny
    pettmybunny Posts: 1,986 Member
    I owe my sugar jar 1 dollar because I needed a Pepsi to take my BC powder (anyone who has ever taken it know what I mean.

    What is BC powder?
  • Tangy1966
    Tangy1966 Posts: 50 Member
    Sugar is not my friend...So glad I stopped to read this blog tonight. I Just starting my weight loss journey, and since its
    not a huge amount of weight, I was not looking to eliminate sugar from my life, just calories. I'm aware of the sugar monster,
    but not so afraid that I forbid myself the occasional sweet treat. After reading this blog, I feel motivated to look at this a little
    deeper and try to detox as much as I can...you ladies have inspired me. I think you may have saved me a lot of time trying to
    get rid of my '"spare tire". Your observations about sugar and flatter bellies caught my attention...I'm in. Thanks for the insight
    and awareness.

    Going to be a challenge for sure...there are homemade chocolate chip cookies lurking in the kitchen. It's early in my challenge,
    and I'm feeling strong...not going to let a cookie beat me at this one!!!! Stay strong!
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Sugar is not my friend!!!


    After 5 days or so without the evil of sugar, I was able to sleep an entire night last night.:yawn: Whew, I was tired.
  • SatelliteCrush80
    SatelliteCrush80 Posts: 3,575 Member
    Maybe this is my problem.
    I have thought for awhile now that I was a "carb addict" and I use that term loosely. Seems everyone these days is an "addict" of something. But thats for another day.
    Maybe its not the breads-potatoe-pasta type carbs but more the good ole fashioned white sugar kind of carbs that I am craving. Did that make ANY sense?
    Yesterday I did fine on my food, 1st day on MFP, but all day especialy around 4:00 I felt like I just needed a little bite of something sweet. My blood sugar was probabley plummetting.
    So in the past when I was on WW I would count out 10 choc chips and that would be my sweets for the entire day. Of course I'm not talking about hidden sugars in processed foods , but added sugar or sweets. Some days I could spread them out all day, other times I would eat them 5 at a time. Most of the time I find that all I need is a couple bites and that nagging , pacing the kitchen , looking for something but not quite sure what you want, yeah you know the one , well that urge is gone.
    I love the idea of going off sugar but at this point have NO idea if this is possible, I mean I know it's possible just wonder if I am setting myself up for another failure. I might need to try one thing at a time here. Exercise, water, good food choices then micro manage it down to eliminating the good/evil stuff.
    Love this site, where has it been while I've been eating?
    Stay Warm, Beth

    Hi Beth....personally, I've learned that when I totally eliminate the sweets for a time, I have trouble letting them back in in moderation. I dive into them with reckless abandon.

    So, I'm rather of the mindset that if/when I have to have something sweet, to go ahead and limit it to something reasonable and get the urge out of the way.

    having said that....I'm in a no-sweets challenge for one week on my black team thread. And beyond that, I do try to stay away from them. But last night, for instance (before said challenge officially began), there was a chocolate snack cake floating around the kitchen that my eldest daughter baked. I indulged in about a 1.5 x 1.5 inch piece, no frosting, and enjoyed it guilt free. It's not routine, but on occasion I have found it's better for me to satisfy my sweet tooth in a CONTROLLED manner, so I don't go into an ugly sugar coma.

    Amen! Well said sista! We ride in the same boat on these waters.

    I'm in this boat, too. Getting better though.
This discussion has been closed.