Anybody who has gone off sugar completely ???

firstsip

hmmmm:ohwell:
Well I've got me a squirty bottle of honey :bigsmile:
So I'm gonna experiment . . .
and keep u guys posted . . .
See right now Im on a sorta plateau so if substituting sugar with honey cud help I'm game . . .
:drinker:
also any tips on going sugar free

If you are at a plateau - why not look at how many calories in total you are consuming and not try to pin it on one specific food?

bcos im doin about 1000 cals/day so i cant go lower than that> The idea is to improve the quality of the calories I take in
so substituting empty calories with more wholesome ones (something like that)
:bigsmile:

Why are you only on 1.000 calories a day?

Edited to try to fix quotes

I'm pretty short at 5'1" so 1000 cals give me a deficit of 550 cals per day . .so I do between 1000-1200 calories per day

Nope. 1200 is a medical standard deficit (for people much shorter than you, older than you, and with different medical conditions than you). If you've been at 1000-1200 routinely WITH exercise, you are far below netting 1200. In other words, your body tried to eat off some fat (you lost some weight) but most likely ate off muscle (it's easier to get rid of, since it takes energy to maintain), stunted your metabolism a bit, and now you can't seem to lose weight. Up your calories to AT LEAST your BMR (generally you should be 20% less than your TDEE for ideal healthy weight loss), incorporate strength training, and all those "extra" calories (you're still at a deficit) will go towards maintaining and building lean body mass (a.k.a muscle, a.k.a what will be upping your metabolism and eating the fat).

sapphireswi

To bee or not to bee . . .buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz:blushing:

kdrd27

Yes, I have gone off of sugar completely. In fact, I stopped eating any processed flour and sugar and lost 30 pounds in 3 months. It was very hard the first week, but eventually you do lose the cravings and you do feel so much better. Every once in a while I will have a bite (just one bite) of something with sugar in it. I make sure it is super flavorful and I savor that one mouthful. I know that if I continue to indulge, it will do me in! So give it a try.....the worst thing that can happen is that you will feel better! Good Luck!

K.

sapphireswi

I don't add sugar to anything. Never have. Only sugar I get is in breads, milk, and fruit.

@ contingencypl + drd27 - kudos!!!

mandypizzle

I want to get off of 'bad' sugars as well (like in cooking and junk foods). Honey will not help you lose weight! But it is definitely better for you than white sugar. Just keep it in moderation. Just remember that just because something is considered healthy doesn't mean it's a free for all. I replace sugar with honey or agave in everything. We don't buy white sugar at all. But I still try to have honey/agave as rarely as possible. My struggle is with coffee! I can't drink it black.

mandypizzle

I just saw that you are only eating 1000 calories a day. You NEED more girl! That's probably why you are plateauing. Especially if you are exercising.

TeenaMarina

What the hell is wud and cud?

jesse1379

use legit stevia (there is a lot of crap stevia out there). it's zero calorie and several times sweeter than sugar. It doesn't have the same effect as any other sweetener out there. It's from a plant.

I stay away from actual sugar unless it's fruit and even then, I only have fruit immediately after a workout and with a protein source so i don't get sugar spikes.

stevia . . thats next on my list gr8!!

Truvia is essentially Stevia, except they add something called Rhebiana to it that makes it less bitter. Rhebiana is nothing more than a fruit alcohol I beleive. I started out on "sweet leaf" Stevia and it was okay but alll of the straight Stevia I have tried has a bitter aftertaste to it...Truvia does not. I dont know how they do it but it is very hard to notice the difference between sugar and Truvia after a week of using it. Just my opinion though, others may differ.

sapphireswi

@mandy pizzle I have the same difficulty . . .I just cant have black coffee without a sweetner . . and I need my coffee . . I have a pretty rough test coming up!!

Natralee

There is an awesome (albeit, lengthy) video about how our bodies metabolize sugars and the effects. It gets into the bio-chemistry of it all and makes some really great points...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

sapphireswi

What the hell is wud and cud?

would and could :flowerforyou:

sapphireswi

There is an awesome (albeit, lengthy) video about how our bodies metabolize sugars and the effects. It gets into the bio-chemistry of it all and makes some really great points...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

ooooh nice one:drinker:

QueenofScott

Hi! I am on South Beach, which I intend to make a lifestyle, so I am completely off any added sugar. I am a carboholic and finally decided to try getting off of it. I was skeptical when I read the South Beach book and it said within the first two weeks, your cravings should be gone, it....it actually worked. No sugar, and I am actually surviving;)

kym117

Two words.................................I WISH!

pa_jorg

I am noticing tiny differences . . Like I dont spike up and down like before.
Also my cravings have gone down . . . and I'm getting used to my tea being not super sweet.

I agree with others that honey & sugar are basically the same. However, if you are feeling better about eating honey as mentioned above, and it's lowering your cravings, then great! Maybe it's placebo, but it could be helping you too!

sapphireswi

This is just so typical of me . . .I am such sucker for tryin out new stuff :frown:
But nobody here seems to buy the idea of honey aiding weight-loss
:sad:

Akimajuktuq

I had misunderstood the title of your thread because I was thinking that there's no way to completely avoid dietary sugar (unless one is only eating animals) since there is natural sugar in fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc.

Also, I was surprised that you don't find honey as sweet as sugar. I find it to be sweeter and by volume, it has more carbs, so is sweeter. Raw, local honey is healthy, in small amounts but should still be limited if one has other health issues that would benefit from a lower carb eating plan.

I no longer put anything sweet in my coffee and I never did in my tea. I love honey in my coffee but haven't had any for a couple of months. When I do, I only need a quarter teaspoon and I can really taste it! When we get used to not eating sweets, then it takes a lot less to enjoy the sweetness.

mamaward64

http://www.honey.com/honey-at-home/honey-nutrition-information/

Here's your facts honey oh I mean your honey facts. LOL enjoy

Total Antioxidant Content of Alternatives to Refined Sugar
Journal of the AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION
2009; 109:64-71

Background: Oxidative damage is implicated in the etiology of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other degenerative disorders. Recent nutritional research has focused on the antioxidant potential of foods, while current dietary recommendations are to increase the intake of antioxidant– rich foods rather than supplement specific nutrients. Many alternatives to refined sugar are available, including raw cane sugar, plant saps/syrups (eg, maple syrup, agave nectar), molasses, honey, and fruit sugars (eg, date sugar). Unrefined sweeteners were hypothesized to contain higher levels of antioxidants, similar to the contrast between whole and refined grain products.

Objective: To compare the total antioxidant content of natural sweeteners as alternatives to refined sugar.
Design: The ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay was used to estimate total antioxidant capacity. Major brands of 12 types of sweeteners as well as refined white sugar and corn syrup were sampled from retail outlets in the United States.

Results: Substantial differences in total antioxidant content of different sweeteners were found. Refined sugar, corn syrup, and agave nectar contained minimal antioxidant activity (0.01 mmol FRAP/100 g); raw cane sugar had a higher FRAP (0.1 mmol/100 g). Dark and black–strap molasses had the highest FRAP (4.6 to 4.9 mmol/ 100 g), while maple syrup, brown sugar, and honey showed intermediate antioxidant capacity (0.2 to 0.7 mmol FRAP/100 g). Based on an average intake of 130 g/day re?ned sugars and the antioxidant activity measured in typical diets, substituting alternative sweeteners could increase antioxidant intake an average of 2.6 mmol/day, similar to the amount found in a serving of berries or nuts.

Research Article Category: Honey and Antioxidants

Alohathin

I use honey or maple syrup in my plain yogurt, as I simply can't stand the taste of the yogurt on its own. Occasionally, I'll add it to my oatmeal, also. Other than that, all my sugars are from fruit. I've never had much of a sweet tooth, though. My problem was always burgers, fries, chips, etc.

sapphireswi

Oh well in case it doesn't make any difference
there is always the option of slathering it on my face. . .
supposed to be good for ur skin . . .:flowerforyou:
as long as I dont fall asleep and wake up to find ants all over me